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alli_86 · Apr 1, 2008, 10:40 PM

hi i am a newbie and looking at buying a canon eos400D which comes with the EFS 18-55mm and canon EF75-300mm lens kits. I am looking at photography as a serious hobby... will be doing a short course soon to learn more about this. Just wondering what you guys think of these lenses? or would you recommend something else?

I will be doing all sorts of photography, including portrait, scenery, street, day & night. How-ever i am being told i will need a 35mm for my course.

Advice would be greatly appreciated on what i should get. .

peripatetic · Apr 2, 2008, 1:49 AM

Unless you're getting a very good deal on the kit I would avoid those lenses if you can.

They are not the worst lenses you can get, but they are pretty poor.

If you are on a budget consider instead:

Canon EF-S 18-55 IS + Sigma 70-300 APO as a combo.

For not much more money you could get the new EF-S 18-55 IS lens. This looks very similar to the EF-S 18-55 (non-IS) but the new model is optically MUCH better as well as having the image stabilizer.

The Sigma 70-300 APO is a much better lens than the Canon 75-300.

If you have a bit more to spend then consider the Canon EF-S 17-55 f2.8 IS and the Canon EF 70-300 IS.

alli_86 · Apr 2, 2008, 2:14 AM

thank you for your advice. very helpful

still have to do some research..... there is SO much i didnt know about cameras !

Cyberf828 · Apr 2, 2008, 7:27 AM

If you are looking for a decent lens the Canon 70-300 IS is a nice lens.

http://www.dphotojournal.com/canon-e...40-f56-is-usm/

JohnG · Apr 2, 2008, 11:03 AM

alli,

I'll go a step further and recommend you not even BUY a telephoto lens right off the bat. Just buy one lens. As Peripatetic pointed out, the 75-300 is really a poor lens.

And while the Canon 70-300 cyberf828 is a very nice lens it's also expensive and more importantly you don't yet know if it's the right lens for YOU.

I would recommend just buying a single lens: the new 18-55 IS is a great choice. It isn't very expensive and it is a better lens than the standard kit lens. Use that lens for a while and save the $$ you would have spent on the telephoto. Let your interests dictate what lens to buy next. You may find that you dont really need a 70-300 style lens at all and your money could be better allocated toward another lens. Or maybe not. But it's often a bad idea to buy multiple lenses right out of the gate. Very often one of them either doesn't get used or the photographer discovers neither lens fits a specific need they have because they just bought lenses so they could 'cover a large focal range'

Just my opinion.

alli_86 · Apr 3, 2008, 12:47 AM

thanks guys. i did end up buyin the canon 400d with the twins lens kit as it is all i can afford right now to get started.. once i gain a bit more knowledge ill def be investing in a better lens. but for now im just gonna start off with these.

thanks for your advice though.. im sure ill be needing as much help as i can get in the coming months.

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Apr 1, 2008, 10:40 PM	#1
alli_86 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 8	hi i am a newbie and looking at buying a canon eos400D which comes with the EFS 18-55mm and canon EF75-300mm lens kits. I am looking at photography as a serious hobby... will be doing a short course soon to learn more about this. Just wondering what you guys think of these lenses? or would you recommend something else? I will be doing all sorts of photography, including portrait, scenery, street, day & night. How-ever i am being told i will need a 35mm for my course. Advice would be greatly appreciated on what i should get. .

Apr 2, 2008, 1:49 AM	#2
peripatetic Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,599	Unless you're getting a very good deal on the kit I would avoid those lenses if you can. They are not the worst lenses you can get, but they are pretty poor. If you are on a budget consider instead: Canon EF-S 18-55 IS + Sigma 70-300 APO as a combo. For not much more money you could get the new EF-S 18-55 IS lens. This looks very similar to the EF-S 18-55 (non-IS) but the new model is optically MUCH better as well as having the image stabilizer. The Sigma 70-300 APO is a much better lens than the Canon 75-300. If you have a bit more to spend then consider the Canon EF-S 17-55 f2.8 IS and the Canon EF 70-300 IS.

Apr 2, 2008, 2:14 AM	#3
alli_86 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 8	thank you for your advice. very helpful still have to do some research..... there is SO much i didnt know about cameras !

Apr 2, 2008, 7:27 AM	#4
Cyberf828 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Posts: 659	If you are looking for a decent lens the Canon 70-300 IS is a nice lens. http://www.dphotojournal.com/canon-e...40-f56-is-usm/

Apr 2, 2008, 11:03 AM	#5
JohnG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 8,529	alli, I'll go a step further and recommend you not even BUY a telephoto lens right off the bat. Just buy one lens. As Peripatetic pointed out, the 75-300 is really a poor lens. And while the Canon 70-300 cyberf828 is a very nice lens it's also expensive and more importantly you don't yet know if it's the right lens for YOU. I would recommend just buying a single lens: the new 18-55 IS is a great choice. It isn't very expensive and it is a better lens than the standard kit lens. Use that lens for a while and save the $$ you would have spent on the telephoto. Let your interests dictate what lens to buy next. You may find that you dont really need a 70-300 style lens at all and your money could be better allocated toward another lens. Or maybe not. But it's often a bad idea to buy multiple lenses right out of the gate. Very often one of them either doesn't get used or the photographer discovers neither lens fits a specific need they have because they just bought lenses so they could 'cover a large focal range' Just my opinion.

Apr 3, 2008, 12:47 AM	#6
alli_86 Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 8	thanks guys. i did end up buyin the canon 400d with the twins lens kit as it is all i can afford right now to get started.. once i gain a bit more knowledge ill def be investing in a better lens. but for now im just gonna start off with these. thanks for your advice though.. im sure ill be needing as much help as i can get in the coming months.