New to photogrphay

[KrnlPanic]

Good afternoon everybody.
I’m not trying to be a troll, I am just curious if I made the right choice and what my next step should be. I am very eager to begin learning photography. I just bought the Canon EOS 80d and was wondering if this is a suitable camera for a beginner to learn on? If not, I’ve also purchased the G7X Mark II and an s120. perhaps one of those would be better to start out with?
Also, I am looking to get my first add on glass and was thinking about getting the 50mm f1.8 (I think it’s referred to as the “nifty-fifty”?) I am under the impression that this is a great all-around lens for most shooting scenarios.
I am really looking forward to everyone’s advise and input!

[ebiggs1]

" I was researching lenses it started to get very confusing, some lenses come with the same specs but in a huge range of price,..."

OK that explains where you are at the present time.  Many folks tend to be centered on a single spec or perhaps two.  This is of course a poor way to evaluate a lens.  For that matter, it is a poor way to judge any photographic gear.  It is a total or a sum of its parts. Not a single spec like glass for instance.

Let's look at Canon "L" class lenses.  They are not only the best, usually anyway, but they are built to stay that way for years. Day in and day out in a professional manner and use.  Most lenses are not built to that level or standard.  However, this is not to say some other lenses and brands aren't just as good IQ wise.  That single spec approach again.  Make sense?

I believe you mentioned the ef 50mm f1.8 ?  It is a very good, at least the STM version, lens.  It is built for lighter duty as construction is not as robust as the ef 50mm f1.2L lens is.  It can have better IQ, however.  Again look at the whole package.

[KrnlPanic]

I

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@ebiggs1wrote:

" I was researching lenses it started to get very confusing, some lenses come with the same specs but in a huge range of price,..."

OK that explains where you are at the present time.  Many folks tend to be centered on a single spec or perhaps two.  This is of course a poor way to evaluate a lens.  For that matter, it is a poor way to judge any photographic gear.  It is a total or a sum of its parts. Not a single spec like glass for instance.

Let's look at Canon "L" class lenses.  They are not only the best, usually anyway, but they are built to stay that way for years. Day in and day out in a professional manner and use.  Most lenses are not built to that level or standard.  However, this is not to say some other lenses and brands aren't just as good IQ wise.  That single spec approach again.  Make sense?

I believe you mentioned the ef 50mm f1.8 ?  It is a very good, at least the STM version, lens.  It is built for lighter duty as construction is not as robust as the ef 50mm f1.2L lens is.  It can have better IQ, however.  Again look at the whole package.

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I knew this was the right place to come!  Thank you for that information, man, there is a lot to absorb here!  I will be sure to look for the L series lenses (budget allowing) for future lens shopping!

What you are saying definately makes sense and I'm glad I stopped by here before tossing more money around!

[ebiggs1]

"I will be sure to look for the L series lenses  ..."

Keep in mind, an "L" series lens may not be the best buy for you.  Again look at the entire lens.  Do you need industrial build? Or, will regular build work just as well for you?  Do you need rain resistance or can you keep it dry all by yourself?  Just how much use, daily or seldom, or rough use will the lens get?  None, maybe?  This kinda stuff.

It is true that Canon puts the best stuff inside their L lens line up but the other lenses they make are all very good too. 

[KrnlPanic]

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@ebiggs1wrote:

"I will be sure to look for the L series lenses  ..."

Keep in mind, an "L" series lens may not be the best buy for you.  Again look at the entire lens.  Do you need industrial build? Or, will regular build work just as well for you?  Do you need rain resistance or can you keep it dry all by yourself?  Just how much use, daily or seldom, or rough use will the lens get?  None, maybe?  This kinda stuff.

It is true that Canon puts the best stuff inside their L lens line up but the other lenses they make are all very good too. 

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Again, very good information!  A lot of stuff I wouldn't even have considered when researching lenses!

[RobertTheFat]

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@KrnlPanicwrote:

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@ebiggs1wrote:

"I will be sure to look for the L series lenses  ..."

Keep in mind, an "L" series lens may not be the best buy for you.  Again look at the entire lens.  Do you need industrial build? Or, will regular build work just as well for you?  Do you need rain resistance or can you keep it dry all by yourself?  Just how much use, daily or seldom, or rough use will the lens get?  None, maybe?  This kinda stuff.

It is true that Canon puts the best stuff inside their L lens line up but the other lenses they make are all very good too. 

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Again, very good information!  A lot of stuff I wouldn't even have considered when researching lenses!

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For an 80D, the best walkaround lens (i.e., the general-purpose lens you'd use if you were just out shooting photos) is the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS. It's nearly as good as an "L" lens, but Canon reserves that designation for lenses that can be used on their full-frame (24x36 mm sensor size) cameras. In some ways it's better than an L lens, because it's designed to place the average viewing angle of the human eye in the middle of its zoom range. (Comparable L lenses do that too, but at the longer focal length at which that angle falls on a full-frame camera. So the 17-55 is a better match.)

The kit lens on your 80D isn't bad; but the 17-55 f/2.8 is better, especially because it's a constant-aperture zoom and doesn't lose aperture at the telephoto end.

[KrnlPanic]

Sounds like a great lens! I will for sure keep that one at the top of my list! Thank you again for sharing all of your knowledge with me!

[Johnw1]

I think you did the right thing. The 80D is a great camera. It will be a good choice for a long time to come. You will need to study the Instruction Manual carefully. I also recommend David Busch's book on the Canon EOS 80D. The 80D is a very complicated and very powerful camera. There is a lot to learn.

Because you have at least one lens for it I would wait until you know what you really need and just what kind of photography you want to do before getting anything else.

You have a huge number of choices when it comes to lenses for it.
None of those choices is going away.

Most important is enjoy it and have fun with it. I wish you well.

[ebiggs1]

"...the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS. It's nearly as good as an "L" lens, ... In some ways it's better than an L lens, ..."

This is exactly what I meant and was referring to.  You need to consider the whole lens as a unit.  You need to decide if it does the job you require.

[TTMartin]

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@KrnlPanic wrote:

Also, I am looking to get my first add on glass and was thinking about getting the 50mm f1.8 (I think it’s referred to as the “nifty-fifty”?) I am under the impression that this is a great all-around lens for most shooting scenarios.

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If you get the EF 50mm f/1.8 be sure to get the STM version!!!

The 50mm f/1.8 is NOT a great all-around lens for most shooting scenarios. The EF-S 18-55 STM lens is a very good all-around lens for most shooting scenarios.

The EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is a great Portrait lens, it will give you a shallow depth of field that will give you the nice blurry background when taking a portrait photo. In the film days its f/1.8 aperture was important because it also helped in low light situations. Back then you were pretty much limited to a maximum of ISO 400 for color film. Today's digital cameras have no problem shooting at ISO 3200 or higher, so large aperture lenses for low light are less important than in the past. 

[KrnlPanic]

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@TTMartinwrote:

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@KrnlPanic wrote:

Also, I am looking to get my first add on glass and was thinking about getting the 50mm f1.8 (I think it’s referred to as the “nifty-fifty”?) I am under the impression that this is a great all-around lens for most shooting scenarios.

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If you get the EF 50mm f/1.8 be sure to get the STM version!!!

The 50mm f/1.8 is NOT a great all-around lens for most shooting scenarios. The EF-S 18-55 STM lens is a very good all-around lens for most shooting scenarios.

The EF 50mm f/1.8 STM is a great Portrait lens, it will give you a shallow depth of field that will give you the nice blurry background when taking a portrait photo. In the film days its f/1.8 aperture was important because it also helped in low light situations. Back then you were pretty much limited to a maximum of ISO 400 for color film. Today's digital cameras have no problem shooting at ISO 3200 or higher, so large aperture lenses for low light are less important than in the past. 

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That is really great information!  Thank you!  I'm glad I didn't rush right out to buy that lens just because of a few websites I looked at!

Perhaps it would help to know that subject matter I am most interested in shooting?  Mostly I shoot macro in my lightbox, I use my kit lens and some cheap extension tubes (they do pass the autofocus signal through.)  However, I am really interested in capturing moments of time.  Like the hustle and bustle of downtown Detroit at 08:45 in the morning.  Or, while at the zoo, I see a lot of people with their rigs set up, capturing the lion or the bear with a nice close-up shot, I would rather shoot that photographer with all the other people admiring the animal in the scene as well.  Or maybe the guy playing the drums on an old bucket for loose change.  That is the subject matter I am interested in capturing, those moments in time you can only ever capture once (I think it sounds korny but it's what I'm into, lol.)