Low budget lenses for amateurs

[shumonsaha]

Dear Friends

I own a 600 D with 18-135 kit lens.

Recently I was suggested a 50 mm 1.8 in this forum. Big thanks for the tip. Really love this lens.

I want to expand my lens kit without rushing into big spends right now.

Request to recommend 2 more lens that can be really useful for amateur photography.

I have noticed the following

1. Although 50mm 1.8 is good , I find it difficult to us during events like weddings etc where moving closer physically is not an option always.

2. My kit lens 18-135 is good. But with zoom, aperture cant be opened wide. Blurring backgrounds become difficult with this.

3. For outdoor shoot , the kit lens is not good enough as the zoom is too small.

4. Please also recommend for any other occasions that an amateur photographer might need specific lenses and I might not have still figured out.

5. Most important - Want to constrain myself to maximum 2 more additions only to my bag.

6. Budget - Lower the better. A great recommendation eg. was the 50 mm 1.8. Works superb and at extreme low price.

                    Preferred budget between 150$ to 300 $ for each lens.

                    *** However, can increase budget if you feel any lens is critical and needs to be added to an amateurs bag.

7. I dont have any particular prefence for canon and open to look at all brands

Hope my query is clear and precise. 

thanks in advance for the help

rgds

Suman

[cicopo · Accepted solution]

Wide aperture lenses are expensive & in a zoom more expensive yet so I don't think there's any way to fit that budget short of buying a used Tamron 28-75 f2.8. As for longer look at both the Canon 70-300 IS and Tamron 70-300 VC, new or used.

[cicopo]

No offennse but you're now recommending lenses that are 3 to 4 times the budget. There are a lot of very happy photographers using the Tamron 28-75 and it's within the budget. It's more useful to have a lesser lens than no lens at all while you save up for the best in class, and frankly many don't see much difference in the end product in day to day use, especially if they don't print BIG.

May I recommend doing a bit of research here

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=107

Where there are user submitted photos & opinions of just about every lens out there in a Canon EF or EF-S mount.

[ebiggs1]

"...  and frankly many don't see much difference in the end product in day to day use, especially if they don't print BIG."

Why is this coming up so much lately. You know or should know better than most, that print size and crop size are mortally bound to each other.

It is quite possible to have a 100% crop printed on a 4x6 print.

I guess you have a point it is better to have something than nothing but where do you draw that line? You could get by, nicely, with a P&S until you could afford a 5D Mk III and a 24-70mm f2.8?

If you consider 'in toto' the Sigma 50-150mm f2.8 is a best buy for crop sensors. IMHO, of course, yours may differ.

[cicopo]

Considering that we are talking about shooting at less than 100 mm there shouldn't be a need to crop away very much of the images being shot, so my point is that whatever softness exists between the Tamron & the Canon it won't show in the majority of prints should there even be prints.

[shumonsaha]

Actually I would want slightly more wide lens than a 50. A 50mm effectively translates into a 85 mm for 600 D. Find it difficult to use in small places. Ideal is if I can get something which is 35-105 with a f stop of 2.8. Is anything of similar nature available? I agree that I would go for a canon wherever possible.

[shumonsaha]

At the same time, I know price will be a factor.

so, for now 28-75 mm seems to be my best bet.

Will check out replies and go for it.

Thanks so much for taking time out and helping with the replies.

rgds

Suman

[cicopo]

I happen to have owned both the 28-75 & the 24-70  & have full file samples on line, and they can be downloaded to evaluate but unfortunately they aren't from the same camera nor are they of an identical target. These shots are low res full frame followed by what would be a 100% crop if it displays here at about 600 pixels X 600 pixels. Both samples were shot wide open at f2.8.

Images shot with the Tamron start here & using the Right arrow will advance you through the set.

http://picasaweb.google.com/116179596240613012497/LensSamples#5162930466308872706

And from the 24-70 start here.

http://picasaweb.google.com/116179596240613012497/LensSamples#5169233997188700610

To download an image use the ACTIONS tab & select Download Photo. Photos are unaltered jpg's.

[ebiggs1]

I have noticed the following

1. Although 50mm 1.8 is good , I find it difficult to us during events like weddings etc where moving closer physically is not an option always.

2. My kit lens 18-135 is good. But with zoom, aperture cant be opened wide. Blurring backgrounds become difficult with this.

3. For outdoor shoot , the kit lens is not good enough as the zoom is too small.

1. Please also recommend for any other occasions that an amateur photographer might need specific lenses and I might not have still figured out.

Actually I thought the Sigma met most of his requirements but possibly I am in error. I know it is a bit over his requested budget but it seemed to fit the others. And like I mentioned it is a 'best buy' in crop sensor lenses.

The photos you took using the Tamron on your Picasa page are very nice. It shows you don't need high dollar glass to make a good picture. Sometimes lost on me as I tend to shy away from them because they aren't as durable and in my world they would not last very long.

Very nice though and I thank you for showing them.

[Skirball · Accepted solution]

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@shumonsaha wrote:

6. Budget - Lower the better. Works superb and at extreme low price.

 

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These two variables are, in general, inversely proportional.  If they weren't we'd all own the same lens.  Getting longer reach with wider apertures requires a lot of glass, so it's expensive, there's not really any way around that.  The budget you're working with if very small compared to upper-end equipement budgets, and the general need of "longer, sharper, and faster" is an upper end kind of thing.  But besides those "needs", which is kind of a general "need" of everyone, you really seem more like you just want new lenses, not that you have a specific need that your current setup isn't doing.

I would recommend getting a refurbished version of the 55-250mm Mark I from Canon.  A new version came out, and although it looks a little better I'd use it to get a cheaper version of the original.  Unless you're shooting video, then the STM motor could be helpful.  It's fairly cheap, give you some additional reach, and perhaps quench that "need" for new stuff.  As far as the bokeh, the nifty fifty is certainly capable of that, do you have to have longer focal lengths for heavy bokeh shots?  Can you separate your subject from your background and use the compression of the long lens to mute out your background?  The only other cheap option is the 85/1.8, but that's not much extra reach.  Prices start heading up with something like the 100/f2, and then they start to skyrocket.

[shumonsaha]

Dear Skirball,

I finally purchased the 50-250 mm . Got it at a very good price at a store which was selling it seperately from a canon festive combo offer (600d combo offer with 18-55 and 55-250 lens bundled together). 

They actually sold the 55-250 at half price than what it is sold seperately. 

Thanks for the tip.

Trying out the lens. Feels really good at the price it is being offered even at full price.

rgds

Suman

[Skirball]

Glad to hear it, hope you enjoy your new lens.  It’s not a professional lens, so don’t expect the world from it, but it’s a nice little zoom at a great price.  If there’s enough light then it performs just fine, and the IS is a nice little bonus.  For creamy bokeh at that kind of focal length it’s gonna cost.  But like I said, if you shoot at 200+ mm, open it up all the way (f/5.6 at that point) and you put a lot of distance between your subject and the background, then you can get decent separation from the lens.  But personally I’d just put on the 50mm, set it to F/2, get up close and let the background fall apart.