interchangable lenses for Canon Rebel

[tewitt1949]

I have an older canon EOS elon (sp?) film camerawith different lenses. If I bought a Canon Rebel digital SLR can I use the lenses from my old film camera on the digital? Is there an advantage to buying new lenses? If they will fit will they work as good?

Thanks Terry

[JimC]

tewitt1949 wrote:

I have an older canon EOS elon (sp?) film camerawith different lenses. If I bought a Canon Rebel digital SLR can I use the lenses from my old film camera on the digital? Is there an advantage to buying new lenses? If they will fit will they work as good?

Your EOS Elan uses a Canon EF mount, which is compatible with the Digital Rebel.

You will want to take focal length into consideration. Because the sensor inthis Digital SLR is smaller than 35mm film, you have a different angle of view (i.e., you will have a narrower angle of view, or more apparent magnification for any give focal length when a lens is used on a Digital Rebel).

You'll need to multiply the actual focal length ofa lens by 1.6x to see the 35mm equivalent focal length of a lens when used on the Digital Rebel. So, a 50mm lens on the Digital Rebel would have a 35mm equivalent focal length of 80mm (50mm x 1.6 = 80mm). Or, a 35-70mm lens would have a 35mm equivalent focal range of 56-112mm.

That's one of the reasons you see some of the newer lenses starting out wider, because you have a different angle of view (more apparent magnification by a factor of 1.6x compared to a 35mm camera) when you use a lens onDigital SLR with a sensor that is smaller than film.

If you need more zoom, that's a great thing. But, if you need a wider angle of view, then you may find yourself needing a lens that starts out wider when you switch from film to digital, depending on what you are shooting.