topic Re: Where to start for someone completely new to Photography and DSLR’s? in Gear Guide

Where to start for someone completely new to Photography and DSLR’s?

tintis — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 09:49:40 GMT

Was talking to a friend the other day, and photography came up. After learning I had never used anything more than a cellphone or Point and Shoot, she ended up giving me one of her old cameras, a Rebel T2i. She didn’t really trust me with one of her expensive lenses, so I’m starting with just the body.

My question is where can I get started the cheapest way possible, to see what it’s all about

Re: Where to start for someone completely new to Photography and DSLR’s?

jrhoffman75 — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 10:00:33 GMT

@tintis wrote:

Was talking to a friend the other day, and photography came up. After learning I had never used anything more than a cellphone or Point and Shoot, she ended up giving me one of her old cameras, a Rebel T2i. She didn’t really trust me with one of her expensive lenses, so I’m starting with just the body.

My question is where can I get started the cheapest way possible, to see what it’s all about

Go to Keh or MPB and buy a used EF-S 18-55mm lens and then look at some YouTube videos.

https://youtu.be/1gDL1rcRaEo

Then go out and start practicing.

Re: Where to start for someone completely new to Photography and DSLR’s?

zakslm — Sat, 25 Oct 2025 19:30:17 GMT

Adding my 2 cents to John’s excellent recommendation and in hopes of possibly deciphering the alphabet soup of purchasing a used 18-55 lens: Look for a lens that has “IS” (image stabilization) in its name (like the screenshot in John’s post).

The 18-55 is a prolific lens line with many different variants available on the used market. In my opinion IS is not only a desirable feature, but a “must” for that lens.

I think the STM version may be the latest version of that lens and is said to be slightly sharper than the IS II version, but you’ll have to decide what’s best for you.

I’d also like to recommend the EF-S28mm f2.8 STM. Although not a zoom lens, it’s very sharp and since it’s a “pancake” lens, when used with a camera like the Rebel T2i, makes a very compact and almost pocketable combination. I prefer that lens over an EF 50mm f1.8 “nifty fifty” as a “walking around” lens.

Good luck!