Choosing the Right Lenses (Canon) for Amateurs
Feb 02 '08 (Updated Feb 16 '08)
The Bottom Line It's a tough and confusing process, so read the review for more information!
So, you decided to purchase an SLR camera (Canon)? Congratulations!
You know have the ability to use a wide range of lenses for many different purposes. Purchasing lenses can also be very tricky and you have to be careful so that you know what you are buying.
This review will be talking about how you should purchase lenses, and I will be using almost exclusively Canon lenses and cameras, since this is the area I know will. I will briefly mention Nikon, but I want to point out that I do not own Nikon products.
-MISCONCEPTIONS-
*I would like to start with some misconceptions before buying the lenses. This should be helpful in preventing you from buying poor quality lenses, or even doing something drastic such as getting rid of your camera body! Here are a few things you should know:
-MY CAMERA SUCKS- When I used to look for camera lenses attached to film bodies (A great way of saving money on eBay), I noticed that many sellers would go into great detail about the camera bodies, but mention very little about the lenses.
The truth is that the lenses are actually more important than the body for producing picture quality. Essentially, the camera can only see what goes through the lens. So let's pretend that you have the same camera but two different lenses.
Let's go with a Canon EOS Digital Rebel... Let's say that you have the same model but on one you have the cheap Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM kit lens, and on the other you have the more expensive Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM lens.
If you look at the images side-by-side, you will see a very different level of image quality (Primarily image softness and color saturation). Someone that is not experienced though might say, "The images are terrible (kit lens), and therefore the camera sucks."
This would be very bad since this might push someone as far as to either sell their camera body, or avoid buying an otherwise good camera in general! I know that when I used a Nikon D80 with the 18-135mm kit lens, I was disappointed with the sharpness of the images. If I were to blame the Nikon D80, I would be giving an excellent and very capable camera a bad name, simply because the lens does not do the camera justice.
Therefore, you should know that many SLR cameras share the same sensors, and differ by features. Therefore, you can put a Canon 100-400mm L-Series telephoto on a cheaper Digital Rebel XTi, and still get much better photos than the Canon EOS 40D loaded with the low-end Canon EF 75-300mm f4-5.6 III lens. So please be aware of this!
DO NOT JUDGE A CAMERA BY ITS (POOR QUALITY) KIT LENS OR ANY POOR QUALITY LENS!
-ALL OPTICS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL- I have seen many people assume that the most important aspect of a lens is the focal length. For example, I was trying to sway one of my close friends away from buying the Canon 28-80mm junk lens, and tried to convince him to buy the Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM lens which is better. He then said:
"I don't need the extra 25mm."
Of course, this was not about the extra reach in focal length. Instead, I was trying to tell him that the optics of the 28-80mm lens were inferior to those of the 28-105mm. He did not believe me and felt that all optics were created equal until you got to the L-Series line. This is completely untrue. This is almost like saying there is no difference between the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 USM lens and the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS lens except for the difference in the aperture and perhaps IS.
In fact, I recommended the Tamron SP AF17-50mm f/2.8 Di-II LD lens as a replacement for the kit lens, and he still said, "I don't need that. And why the hell would I buy that if my lens is already better because it goes to 55mm?" Well firstly, the aperture sizes are different, but besides that, the Tamron contains significantly better optics.
Anyway, I find these misconceptions to be very annoying and can really get you into a bad situation by purchasing a terrible lens. Therefore, if you believe that all optics are created equal and the only thing that matters is focal length range, then you might buy, for example, a horrible Canon 28-90mm kit lens versus a Canon EF 24-85mm (Great USM lens) solely because of the focal length range.
Please, I urge you not to make this mistake. Focal length is meaningless when it comes to viewing lens quality, especially when comparing lenses of similar focal lengths. Also, just because your 18-55mm kit lens has a larger focal length than a Tamron 17-50mm, in no way does this mean that it's superior! So please be smart, and do your research!
-THIRD PARTY LENSES SUCK- I know people that refuse to buy a lens unless it has the same badge as the camera maker. So, are lenses such as Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina pure garbage? Not at all! They offer a very cost-effective way to get great features such as larger apertures, image stabilization, and other features at a fraction of the comparable Canon lens price. Sometimes, the optics can even be better quality. For example, I love my Tokina 10-17mm f3.5-4.5 AT-X 107 AF DX lens to death, and it does not have a Canon badge on it. Nonetheless, it has excellent optics and build-quality. Therefore, don't be turned off by the big third party manufacturers such as Sigma, Tamron, and Tokina. They create excellent quality lenses at excellent prices, so be sure to check them out for yourself. You might end up saving a lot of money while finding your new favorite lens at the same time.
These are the big misconceptions that you should be aware about. Now, here are the different types of lenses that should interest you.
-TYPES OF LENSES-
-KIT LENS- This is a cheaper type of lens that is often included with the camera. Typically, when it comes to entry-level cameras, the lens is usually mediocre in optical quality. It does, however, provide a generous focal length range that will allow the beginning user to see what range they use most. Then, they are able to create the perfect lens collection. These lenses are also good for those just stepping up from a "point-and-shoot" and do not think that they will grow further into the hobby beyond the SLR and kit lens.
-SHORT ZOOM- These are zoom lenses that cover a smaller focal length range, such as 18-50mm or so. These are adequate for many users. Higher-end short zooms (Not Canon L-Series) are pretty well priced around $300 and provide excellent and larger apertures which is great for taking photos in lower-light conditions. These are great for people that are perfectly happy with this focal length range. You can figure this out by first using the kit lens and seeing if this fits your needs.
-LONG ZOOM- This lens is one that has a longer focal length range, which gives you a decent range on the long end. Such lenses have a focal length range from 28mm generally to around 105 or 135mm or so. Nikon offers a neat focal length range with its kit lens that comes with the D80, where it goes as wide as 18mm instead of 28mm with the Canon lenses. These are great overall lenses that will cover a majority of your picture taking needs. Many people will suffice from having one of these lenses alone. The biggest drawback to many is that 28mm or so is not wide enough for group photos or other closer photo opportunities.
-SUPER ZOOM- These are lenses that cover a very long focal length range. For example, you can have a lens that goes from either 28-200mm or 28-300mm. This will give you telephoto abilities. Tamron also has 18-200mm and 18-250mm lenses which really give you a considerable amount of range to work with. These lenses are great for people that want to only carry a single lens with them. Also, the price ranges dramatically with these lenses where they can either be very inexpensive, or they can be quite pricey. I am not very familiar with them, but have heard that by having such a great focal length range, the optics will not be as high in quality.
-TELEPHOTO ZOOM- These lenses are for people that want to take very distant shots. For example, these make great wildlife lenses where you can take distant photos of animals such as birds. What's interesting about telephoto lenses is that they are either very cheap, or very expensive. The midrange telephotos are not very plentiful. Nonetheless, any beginner can easily pick up a telephoto with a ~75-300mm for close to the $100 mark. This would work well for a beginner that already has a short zoom lens, so that a very large spectrum can be covered.
-ULTRA-WIDE/FISHEYE- These lenses are usually below 20mm. They are great for taking panoramic photos or group photographs. I would not recommend these for beginners since they are very expensive.
-PRIME LENSES- These lenses have a fixed focal length, therefore they do not zoom. One of the most popular prime lenses for Canon is the Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II lens which is also known as the "Nifty Fifty." Beginners might find them awkward since they do not zoom. You have to move backwards and forwards to get the shot you want. The benefits to these lenses though is the superb image quality as well as the extremely large apertures on lenses such as the "Nifty Fifty" at such a low price.
Well... Now I would like to talk about creating the best lens collection for yourself!
-YOUR LENS COLLECTION-
I would like to examine different ways of choosing the right lens collection, starting with the lowest cost way all the way to most expensive.
-SINGLE SHORT ZOOM KIT LENS-
-Who is this good for?-
This type of setup is best for people that have just moved up from a "point-and-shoot" camera, and do not necessarily want to spend any further money on lenses or accessories. As a side note, these are the consumers that the Nikon D40 targets.
-What lenses should I use?-
When I see many amateurs with their Canon Digital Rebels, I see almost everyone with the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM Lens. This is a very popular lens since it comes with the kits, and it can also be easily purchased second-hand on eBay for around ~$60ish. This is a pretty decent lens if you are just coming up from a "point-and-shoot." While the quality is inferior compared to some better lenses such as the 28-105mm, it is still quite a step up from your "point-and-shoot" camera.
Such a kit lens provides a healthy focal length range from 18 to 55 millimeters. At 18mm, you have enough wideness so that you can take group photos of your friends. Then at 55mm, you have a decent amount of zoom.
For someone that does not think that they will be upgrading, this is a pretty decent choice. It is also a pretty decent lens to learn on. While it is quite a step-up in terms of quality from a "point-and-shoot" camera, it is inferior compared to many lenses that are just a step up.
But for beginners or those who don't desire anything further, this should be a great set-up.
-SINGLE SHORT ZOOM KIT LENS & TELEPHOTO ZOOM-
-Who is this good for?-
Same users as above, but those who also want a telephoto lens. If you use the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM lens, you can also add a very cheap telephoto zoom such as a Canon EF 75-300mm f4-5.6 III lens. If I am not mistaken, I believe I saw these two lenses bundled together in kits. This is a very cost-effective way of having a huge focal length range at a very low price. I would also recommend purchasing third party ~$100 telephotos on eBay since they may provide better optics than the Canon equivalent as well as cost less.
-LONG ZOOM CANON-
-Who is this good for?-
This is an excellent way of stepping up from the kit lens and still using a single primary lens (Or telephoto if you have one). There are two excellent lenses that I would recommend. They are the cheaper Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM Lens and more expensive Image Stabilized Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens. I used to own the 28-105mm, and now the 28-135mm is used for over 90% of my photographic needs. These lenses are still very reasonably priced with the 28-105mm coming in at slightly lower than $200 usually, and the 28-135mm just over $300. They will provide a very generous focal range that will most likely be more than enough for someone that has just stepped up from a "point-and-shoot" camera. Though the biggest drawback is that you lose wideness with them. But nonetheless, they would make a great single lens for those that want a generous focal length range.
-SHORT ZOOM THIRD PARTY LENS-
-Who is this good for?-
This is good for users that are happy with the short zoom focal length range similar to around ~17 to ~50 millimeters or so. For around $300 and up, you can purchase excellent third party lenses from Tamron and Sigma that offer superior optics to the Canon kit lens, as well as with a wider aperture. The wider aperture makes it easier to take photos in low-light environments. Anyway, the optics are superb, and will give you excellent quality photos at a very reasonable price. Therefore, this is one of the best ways to upgrade if you are happy with the focal range. Versus longer zooms, the larger aperture might be better for you. This will be more expensive generally than buying a long zoom such as a 28-105mm, but the larger aperture is a great feature to have.
-SHORT ZOOM THIRD PARTY LENS & TELEPHOTO ZOOM-
-Who is this good for?-
Same as above. This includes a telephoto. Since you have upgraded to better quality optics, you might want to consider a better telephoto. I would highly recommend the Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM Lens, which I own, or even the Canon 70-200mm F4L USM lens. Alright, this might be too much for the beginner that might be strapped for cash. But at this point you should feel good about yourself if you own a high-quality short zoom.
-SUPER ZOOMS-
-Who is this good for?-
These lenses cover a very wide spectrum! Super zooms go from wide to telephoto all with the same lens. They are ideal for those who simply want to carry around a single lens instead of a lens collection. The prices of these lenses vary dramatically. For example, one of my friends decided to purchase an older Tamron 28-300mm lens for around $150. Typically, you can find lower-end models for around $200 or so on eBay, and then you can get an image stabilized variant of the Tamron 28-300mm lens for around $600. Tamron also makes wider 18-200mm and 18-250mm variants which also offer an excellent telephoto range. You can find these lenses from all of the manufacturers, though I have seen quite a few from Tamron, Sigma, and Tokina. You can really save a lot of money if you opt for a cheaper model, but you can also spend quite a bit on it depending on what model you get. For example, if you get the Tamron 28-300mm with image stabilization, it might be the only lens you'll ever need, except for a wide-angle of course. I would definitely consider these lenses. I would also like to point out that I have not had much experience with these, and have read that the optics are worse due to such as large focal length range.
A few words...
Generally speaking, these are great lens combinations for the beginner. I have seen countless people keeping the cheap 18-55mm kit lens on their rebels. I have also seen people plugging L-Series lenses which I can not afford onto their rebels too. I feel that L-Series lenses are too big of a step-up for many amateurs. Therefore, the above options show great ways of getting over 90% of your photographic spectrum covered. There are a variety of ways of doing it, but with the investment of a couple hundred or so, your lens collection can go a really long way.
-OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER-
There are other factors when choosing a lens that you should definitely take into consideration...
-Aperture- The aperture is where the light goes through. If the camera has a larger aperture, it would have a smaller f-stop. Therefore, a lens with an f-stop of f2.8 would have a larger aperture than a lens with an f-stop of 3.5. So, what exactly does this mean? It means that when you are taking photos, you can take photos in lower-light environments since the larger aperture is able to pick up more light. Therefore, if you are not using an external flash, you might want to consider a lens such as a third part short zoom with an f-stop of f2.8. It would have better performance in low-light conditions compared to a lens such as the Canon 28-105mm. Though if you are using a Speedlite flash, you can effectively light up areas, especially with bounce flash, which may alleviate the need for the larger aperture.
-Image Stabilization- The lens manufacturers have different variants of something called image stabilization. What happens is that a gyro is placed in the lens that compensates for camera lens. This isn't necessary at short focal lengths or fast shutter speeds, but if you are looking for sharp photos or take many photos at longer focal lengths such as ~100mm plus, you should consider it. This is the reason why I got rid of my Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM lens. Despite it having incredible quality optics, many of my shots that were longer were consistently blurry. Many of my photos are priceless memories, and the last thing I need is a blurry photo due to camera shake. Therefore, I would highly recommend considering an image stabilized lens especially if it's a longer zoom. Also, you may have very bad luck with a telephoto if you are holding the camera with your hand instead of a tripod. Unfortunately, image stabilized lenses are considerably more expensive, though the gray market Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens is very reasonably priced at around $300. Different manufacturers have different names for the image stabilization mechanisms: Canon = Image Stablizied; Tamron = Vibration Correction (VC); and Nikon Nikkor = Vibration Reduction (VR).
I believe that it is worth every penny, but it depends on your tastes and if you're willing to spend the extra money for it. But consider it this way, these are your memories, so remember them sharply, literally.
-Ultra-Wide/Fisheye Lenses- My 28-135mm drove me nuts because it would not go wide enough. I can not tell you how many shots I have missed because such a lens just simply does not go wide. This is the problem with many of the longer zooms. This problem can be alleviated with either an ultra-wide angle or fisheye lens, that go below 20mm. I use the Tokina 10-17mm f3.5-4.5 AT-X 107 AF DX and at 17mm, there is minimal circular distortion. The lens is a godsend, but any of these ultra-wide lenses will cost you a fortune. So if you are considering a long zoom, be sure that you can live with its widest end, which is not very wide compared to a short zoom which has a wide-end of either 17 or 18mm.
-Converters & Gizmos- There are plenty of cheap converters available on eBay. You can get anything from a fisheye to macro converter. These are a cheap way of getting some neat effects that you might want, that would otherwise cost you a lot. Anyway, you simply can not expect a fisheye converter to compare to a true fisheye lens, or macro converter to be the same as a dedicated macro lens. There are also other neat things such as the Opteka Voyeur Lens which might be fun to use with a telephoto. While I think most of these things are a waste of money, you might enjoy some of them.
-CONCLUSION-
*These are some of the best setups that you can use as an amateur. You can of course just get the camera with the kit and probably be perfectly happy with the kit lens. There are also other people that would like to grow further and expand on their hobby. That's why I would look into other step-up options such as reasonably priced long zoom lenses or third party short zoom lenses with larger apertures. These will give you the excellent results that would undoubtedly do your SLR justice. I started with the cheap kit lens, but have become utterly obsessed with photography. In reality, the types of lens combinations that you can go for are endless. But if you are just starting, without doubt you can really enjoy the camera with these simple yet effective combinations.
**CHECK OUT EOS-MOUNT ITEMS**
-Zoom Lenses-
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens
Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM Lens
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM Lens
Tamron SP AF17-50mm f/2.8 Di-II LD Lens
-Telephoto Lenses-
Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM Lens
Canon EF 75-300mm f4-5.6 III Lens
-Prime Lenses-
Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II Lens
-Ultra-Wide/Fisheye Lenses-
Tokina 10-17mm f3.5-4.5 AT-X 107 AF DX
-External Flashes-
Metz Mecablitz 58 AF-1 Flash
Canon Speedlite 430EX Flash
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