What lens to buy?

[Sisster108]

Right now I have a Canon Rebel T3I, I have a 18-55 mm lens and a 75-300 mm lens. I have no clue what to get next. I want a new lens for Chirstmas and my mom was wondering what (I know it is very early). We are on a tight budget now. I was taking a peek at the Canon-EF-50mm-f-1.4-USM-Lens and the Canon-EF-100mm-f-2.8-USM-Macro-Lens. But I don't know. I do love taking portaits and macro. I don't want another zoom lens. What would be the best choice for me? If you have another lens suggestion please let me know I am open to anything.

Thank you again!!

Amanda 🙂

[ScottyP]

Hi,

Kind of an either-or situation with the 50 and the 100 macro. The 50 won't do macro, and 100mm on your crop sensor camera is 160mm, which is awfully long for portraits unless you are outside with lots of room to back away from the subject.

What about the Canon EF-s 60mm macro? It should do a great job at both portraits and macro.

Good luck!

[RobertTheFat]

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@ScottyP wrote:
Hi,

Kind of an either-or situation with the 50 and the 100 macro. The 50 won't do macro, and 100mm on your crop sensor camera is 160mm, which is awfully long for portraits unless you are outside with lots of room to back away from the subject.

What about the Canon EF-s 60mm macro? It should do a great job at both portraits and macro.

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Second that. My wife has the 60mm for her T2i, and she's been very happy with it. It's fast (f/2.8), well made, and relatively cheap. The only reason it isn't one of Canon's underrated lenses is that everybody knows it's good.

[cale_kat]

100mm is a bit long for portraiture. A 50mm is a solid choice though, as would be a 35mm. The 35mm being a little more versatile.

[ebiggs1]

Amanda,

Go for the EF 50mm f1.4 if you can.  It isn't a true macro but it will get you very close if you want it to.  It has the advantage of a fast aperture which you don't currently have.  A whole new world for you.  It will do nice portraits, too, as it will act like an 80mm f1.4 lens on your camera.

True macro lenses are fun but pretty limited in their use.  Plus the EF-s 60mm is a f2.8 which is two stops slower than the EF 50mm f1.4.  You already have slow lenses.  Go for the 50mm f1.4, you will love it.

[RobertTheFat]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

Amanda,

Go for the EF 50mm f1.4 if you can.  It isn't a true macro but it will get you very close if you want it to.  It has the advantage of a fast aperture which you don't currently have.  A whole new world for you.  It will do nice portraits, too, as it will act like an 80mm f1.4 lens on your camera.

True macro lenses are fun but pretty limited in their use.  Plus the EF-s 60mm is a f2.8 which is two stops slower than the EF 50mm f1.4.  You already have slow lenses.  Go for the 50mm f1.4, you will love it.

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One of the first lenses I bought for my first DSLR was an f/1.4 prime. (I guess it was in fond memory of the 50mm f/1.4 lenses on my film Nikons.) But I've never used it much, and can't even remember the most recent time. Modern cameras have such good low-light performance that there's less and less reason to suffer the DoF penalty you get with an f/1.4 lens.

Amanda told us her interests run to portraits and macro; she didn't mention low-light photography at all. Why should she turn down a good, inexpensive macro/portrait lens for a non-macro, in order to get a feature she apparently doesn't need? I stand by my (i.e., Scott's) recommendation.

[ebiggs1]

Now she has "options" doesn't she?  The exact reason for inquiring on a piblic forum.

BTW, the high ISO capability of modern cameras is bogus at best.  A fast lens is always better.  Both of us know that.

She may have never thought of obtaining fast glass as a choice.  Now she can.

[hsbn]

I love Bob and Ebiggs argument, one can learn something from both.
I agree with Bob but I root for Ebiggs for the sole reason of EF-S lens. Full frame camera is getting cheaper and cheaper by day. So eventually people will upgrade. I never thought I would go full frame but I did. I tried to sell some of my EF-S lens but after a few fail attempt, I just keep them. 🙂

[RobertTheFat]

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@hsbn wrote:
I love Bob and Ebiggs argument, one can learn something from both.

Thank you! 

I agree with Bob but I root for Ebiggs for the sole reason of EF-S lens. Full frame camera is getting cheaper and cheaper by day. So eventually people will upgrade. I never thought I would go full frame but I did. I tried to sell some of my EF-S lens but after a few fail attempt, I just keep them.

A week ago I might have agreed with you. But the 7D Mark II suggests that Canon, at least, has an ongoing commitment to the APS-C format. Only time will tell, but I think it (the 7D2) has a chance to be a big success.

Yes, many (most?) people will eventually go full-frame. (I did, partially, earlier this year.) But Amnda won't, any time soon. I'd argue that it would be silly for her to aspire only to equipment she probably can't yet afford, ignoring lesser equipment that she'll enjoy using now and that will make her a better photographer.

[ebiggs1]

One thing for sure she probably is not interested in this discussion at all.  But I find it interesting especially with intelligent people on the other side.

hsbn has a point. I never recommend EF-S lenses to anyone anymore. I used to bot not now. However, the vast majority of Canon camera users have Rebels and are content with their performance. And rightly so as the Rebel line does absolutely everything most people want or need. And it does it very well, I might add. I have had five of them myself.

The, among man,y great thing about a Rebel is it uses either mount EF or EF-S. So the question, what next after my kit lens no longer fulfills my needs? This person is showing deeper interest in photography so why not start a lens collection that will stay with you? No matter if it is the only one you get or one of many. Maybe that camera upgrade is in the future but if is not that is fine too. The EF lens is ready for either eventuality

The big problem with buying specialized lenses, like a macro, is they usually don't do other things as well as a more general purpose lens. Hence the EF-S 60mm f2.8 macro vs the EF 50mm f1.4. The EF 50mm f1.4 will serve her better all around than a macro lens.

Bob from Boston, you mention that a f1.4 has a narrow DOF. You are absolutely correct. Is that good or is that bad? Doesn't it depend on what the use is? There is one undeniable factor here also, you can stop down a f1.4 but you can't open up a f2.8.

As to the crop factor camera, I doubt it will disappear anytime soon. The tele advantage, true or false, is still very much liked by a certain part of the camera buying masses.

Both Canon and brand N make them in large quantities.