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Choosing Lenses

Ben M

Ben M

Member
Joined
1 Sep 2009
Messages
662
Hi, I very recently bought a Canon EOS 1000D D-SLR camera. I really like it, and would like to buy a couple of lenses for it. The lens i have at the minute is the 18-55mm that it came with, but i'd like a macro lens and a telephoto lens as well. But I'm not really sure what lenses to go for. I'd use the macro for photographing fish, close up plants and wildlife (flies etc.) and the telephoto for birds mainly. which lenses would you recommend for this camera for these purposes?

I don't have a great budget as it is for Christmas, but if i could only get 1 lens due to price i'd go for the macro for now.

thanks :D
 
thanks for the replies. I'd really like the canon 100mm macro, but it seems really expensive. £400 is the cheapest i can find it in a shop (my parents won't buy camera stuff from the internet). with the telephoto one i thought you could get a lot more zoom. but do the ones with higher zoom cost more?

and is the macro setting in the telephoto proper macro?

cheers :D
 
pest control said:
thanks for the replies. I'd really like the canon 100mm macro, but it seems really expensive. £400 is the cheapest i can find it in a shop (my parents won't buy camera stuff from the internet). with the telephoto one i thought you could get a lot more zoom. but do the ones with higher zoom cost more?

and is the macro setting in the telephoto proper macro?

cheers :D
Click to expand...
The 70-300mm Dan mentions is a good value lens. It is not a true macro, but you can can close to the subject, so can get macro-type shots.

To be a true macro lens it must be capable of at least 1:1 magnification i.e. the image formed on the sensor must be life size or bigger. For intance an insect measuring 3mm in length needs to be projected onth the sensor at 3mm or larger.

Generally speaking 'higher zooms' or to be more precise, lenses with longer adjustable focal lengths, are more expensive. However, there are budget lenses out there that perform ok (the Sigma 70-300mm is a good example), but the build-quality is lower, optics aren't as good, and apertures are smaller.

Long telephoto lenses with fixed focal lengths (prime lenses) and large apertures are the best, but most expensive. We're talking around £5,000 for a 500mm f/4, for instance.
 
I sold a 100mm macro on here for £350 mint earlier this year,if you look on ebay they go for around that price,also you could join a photography forum called TALK PHOTOGRAPHY after you have made 100 posts you can buy stuff in the second hand section,and the members are all trustworthy,you can pick up some good deals in mint condition,
regards,
john.
 
hi, i've spoken with my parents, and i think the 100mm canon macro lens is too expensive. out of the other brand options, do they not have the same capability, or is it just the brand name you are paying for? i wouldn't like to buy a cheaper alternative only to realise that it was rubbish. and of the true macro lenses, is there a decent one that i could get for around £200-£250 that i could use for photographing fish, plants/flowers and insects/flies without losing picture quality?

thanks :D
 
thanks for the reply. i've read that review comparing the 2, and there doesn't seem to be much difference between the 2, so out of those 2 i'd go for the tamron. only problem is that my parents won't use ebay. :( is there anywhere else that i could buy it cheaper that is from a proper company?

cheers :D
 
The only issue I have with the Tamron is the Auto Focus can be slow at times, but for macro photography I always use manual anyway. There is nothing wrong with ebay, and you are covered up to £500 if paying via paypal.
 
hi, the problem is that my parents won't use ebay (or paypal for that matter :rolleyes:) so i'd have to buy one new. but i've had a look on amazon, and there are some for £312. do you think that is a decent price?

cheers :D
 
pest control said:
hi, the problem is that my parents won't use ebay (or paypal for that matter ) so i'd have to buy one new.
Click to expand...

you really need to talk them around. you'll miss out on some great deals. The second hand market for camera gear is brimming with deals.
 
believe me i've tried... but they just refuse to set up an ebay or paypal account. i'll try again though. is there anywhere else except from ebay that i can get second hand lenses from? i joined that talk photography forum, but my account hasn't been approved by a mod yet.

cheers :D
 
hi, i've just spoken to my parents and they've said that if i get all A* in my science tests in January they'll buy me a macro lens. :D
 
pest control said:
Hi, I've just got the amazon newsletter, and they have this lens http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tamron-Aspheric ... 85&sr=1-81. But I'm not sure of it is what I'm looking for? I think it is a proper macro, it says it goes up to Maximum mag ratio 1:3.7 (at f=200mm MFD 0.45m), is that proper macro? Also, is this lens compatible with the canon eos 1000d?

cheers :D
Click to expand...

'Proper' macro is 1:1, nearly four times as much magnification as the 1:3.7 offered by that lens.
 
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