photography on a budget...

[mrc1703]

I was told by a co-worker who is very knowledgeable on Canon cameras that i should get a 24-105mm lens because it will give me a whole range of shooting options is that true? Pllus, they are almost 1000 dollars that's expensive for a beginner...Are used lenses a good idea and where can you buy a good used lens? Any help will be appreciated..

[diverhank]

For what it's worth the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM version 1 can be had slightly used for under $500.  It's a real steal for an L lens. I sold mine 2 years ago for $500...it's even cheaper now.

[ebiggs1]

" It's a real steal for an L lens."

Dang straight!  The best buy in an L.

[Waddizzle]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

" It's a real steal for an L lens."

Dang straight!  The best buy in an L.

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It is a real steal.  The problem is that idea is not the "best fit" solution for the OP.  The OP is on a budget, which means lens that cost several hundred dollars shouldn't even be an option. 

[mrc1703]

Thanks for all the help you guys have really given me something to think about..I'm so sorry i forgot to say what kind of camera i bought...I own a Rebel EOS T-6 does that change any of the lenes you have suggested? 

[Waddizzle]

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@mrc1703 wrote:

Thanks for all the help you guys have really given me something to think about..I'm so sorry i forgot to say what kind of camera i bought...I own a Rebel EOS T-6 does that change any of the lenes you have suggested? 

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I had figured as much, that you had bought a T6, or another Rebel in the same price range.

As for people changing their opinions based upon revised knowledge that you have a T6.  I hope so.  But, didn't your T6 come with a starter lens, or two?  The standard T6 camera kit includes a 18-55mm lens, and some add a 70-300mm lens.  I have never seen it sold as a stand-alone body.  Genuine Canon camera kits always include at least the 18-55mm lens.

[TTMartin]

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@mrc1703 wrote:

Thanks for all the help you guys have really given me something to think about..I'm so sorry i forgot to say what kind of camera i bought...I own a Rebel EOS T-6 does that change any of the lenes you have suggested? 

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Yes, it should change what lenses some people are recommending. Your camera has an APS-C sensor. Lenses like the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS and the EF 28-135 IS USM are really designed for full frame cameras. Because of the crop factor of your camera they cover from normal to telephoto on your camera, instead of wide angle to telephoto like the EF-S 18-135mm IS STM does. I own all three of those lenses, the lens I carry with my APS-C camera (7D Mk II) is the EF-S 18-135 IS STM.

[jrhoffman75]

Doesn't change my recommendation (18-135 IS STM) because I saw in another posting that you had the T6.

Plus, you said you want to do video - the STM lens are designed for video use. Some of the other lenses that are being recommended, besides being too long (in my opinion) for Rebel series, have noisy AF that will be picked up in vdeo sound.

[cicopo]

I'll be another who recommends the 18-135 for that body. no need to buy new either since so many kits come with it & buyers sell them in my area (Canada) for roughly $300 -350 as the starting price. I bought my 7D2 used & it came with one which does very well & is light weight too. Not as sharp as my 24-105 but more than adaquate for someone new to all of this. If you really need even more versatility there are superzooms from Tamron & Sigma that will meet the needs of many new DSLR users. The end use dictates what you need to spend. Unless you intend to print really big higher end consumer grade lenses have now met the needs of most hobby shooters.

[Waddizzle]

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@jrhoffman75 wrote:

Doesn't change my recommendation (18-135 IS STM) because I saw in another posting that you had the T6.

Plus, you said you want to do video - the STM lens are designed for video use. Some of the other lenses that are being recommended, besides being too long (in my opinion) for Rebel series, have noisy AF that will be picked up in vdeo sound.

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The Rebel T6 cannot AF while recording video, so noisy AF motors is a non-issue.  A bigger issue would be the lack of an external microphone input.  Using an external microphone also reduces noisy AF motors to a non-issue.

Any serious videographer would want to use fully manual lenses when shooting video, anyway.  Allowing the camera to AF while shooting video really isn't all that different from taking stills in Green [A] mode.  In both scenarios, you're letting the camera decide what to focus on, although in video mode some bodies allow you to specify a starting focus point, but then the camera takes over from there.

[Waddizzle]

The EF-S 18-135mm IS STM is a really great lens.  It duplicates part of the range of the 18-55mm lens that should have been part of your camera kit.  If you are on a budget, investing in a lens that duplicates a range of focal lengths that you can already cover with another lens that you already own may be such a good idea.  It's not like the 18-135mm is faster than your 18-55mm lens.

If money is burning a hole in your pocket, maybe you should invest in a good camera bag, or a professional grade tripod and head.  Investing in a quality bag with extra room for future lens purchases will protect your camera gear.  Investing in a professional grade tripod can not only improve the quality of your shots.  It will give you opportunity to explore different types of exposure settings that are difficult to impossible to achieve when hand holding the camera.  Besides, shooting video from a tripod almost always looks better than handheld video, especially when you do not have a camera stabilzation rig.

Many will disagree with this opinion, but buy one of Canon's very inexpensive, WIDE APERTURE, prime lenses [which I listed earlier, in no paraticular order] will teach you more about photography than spending a similar amount of money on a photography class, if not far more money.  Having access to a wide aperture lens as a learning tool is invaluable.