Getting the rebel, now which lens?

[lmok]

At $300, you'll get a decent entry level lens. I strongly recommend Sigma 18-125 lens. It's a good walkaround lens. Now if you're talking about specialty lens that will actually WOW you, then you'll need lenses such as Canon 50 f/1.8 (that's close to $100), Canon 70-200 f/4L (around $800, I think), or the super-wow Canon 70-200 F/2.8L IS (around $1,800). There are other lenses such as Sigma 17-70 f/4.5 for around $400 that's also very good. However, none of the lenses can be considered as walkaround lens (other than the Sigma 18-125).

I personally use the Sigma 18-125 when I'm travelling abroad, and use the 70-200 f/2.8L IS when travelling locally.

Kelly,

What would you typically use the Canon 50 that will WOW you for?

 

[Kelly Grannell]

these types of shots:

 

[MICKEY88]

these types of shots:

were these shots cropped by computer..??

 

[Kelly Grannell]

no cropping whatsoever. I just resized. Those 5 pictures are linked separately.

 

[MICKEY88]

no cropping whatsoever. I just resized. Those 5 pictures are linked separately.

I was just curious, generally 80-135 is considered best portrait length, gives more flattering results, and helps relax the subject more since you don't have to be as close..

 

[Kelly Grannell]

don't forget, 50mm on a crop sensor is 80mm. Also, none of the subject really posed.

examples:
1st pic: I asked the subject to stand there and chat with another person in the room. When the right moment came, I called her name, she looked at me and during that split second I took her pic.

2nd pic: the subject was chatting with her uncle and she didn't even realized that I was about to take her pic from that angle. Again, once I got the composition, called out her name, she looked up, and snap!

3rd pic: this guy was skeptical when I told him that when I take pictures, all I need is one chance. So we were talking to each other, I played with camera setting, I picture the composition in my head, suddenly I brought up my camera and snap! (I landed a contract with his agency btw, because of that pic)

4th pic. The guy was so busy being intervied by several news agencies at the time, so I can never get a clear shot of him alone. At the end of the interviews, he shook hands to his last interviewer and snap. Another pic.

5th pic. He was interviewing my to take pics for his concert and he wanted to see my portfolio. So I met him at Starbucks near his house, and just when we're about to start, his Blackberry rang and he looked down to check his message... and snap. Another pic, another job.

(there is always a story behind every head-shot/promo shot I take LOL!)

 

[MICKEY88]

don't forget, 50mm on a crop sensor is 80mm. Also, none of the subject really posed.

that's one thing I do keep forgetting...I was thinking actual 50mm...duhhhhhhhhh

 

[Kelly Grannell]

LOL! If I use 30mm (50mm on a crop sensor), I'll be head-butting against the subject, especially for the last pic. LOL!

Cheers,
Kelly

 

[MICKEY88]

LOL! If I use 30mm (50mm on a crop sensor), I'll be head-butting against the subject, especially for the last pic. LOL!

Cheers,
Kelly

that's what I was thinking, that's why I asked....

 

[goodferry]

Here are a few shots I took with my 50mm lens

My daughter Shelby and my mil on Mother's Day

Shelby before her first boy/girl birthday party

My oldest and my youngest kids

 

[captaincrash]

FYI -

- the Dell electronic coupons usually "peak" just before the end of each quarter. And the hottest ones expire within HOURS of posting. I've bought from Dell and B&H - among others and feel these two are drop dead reliable. And as for the rumored "cheat" of a retailor - I've seen a 20-20 (or 60 minute article) on the NY retailors who are internet cheats. They reove bundled components and will force you to buy the at in flated prices - and if you refuse then they abruptly declare your ite is backordered. If you sound timid or a bit of a puch over on the phone - then they charge your card and ake you wait in perpetuity for delivery. I'm sure a few people NEVER get their product and fade away in humiliation.

The TV article cited how one angry customer threatened action for a refund and was verbally abused over the phone by a so-called manager of the "store" who counter threatened all sorts of incredible non-sense IF the complaining customer posted any negative feedback or blogged them with negative stories... and a refund was still refused while their order was pending - unless the waiting buyer wanted to pay an order cancellation fee.

Is this LEGAL? It proably skits the fringe of the patently illeagal but falls into a rarely enforced catagory off low grade fraud. The TV news then presented vido footage of the shady looking windowless door to the "retailor"... it looked nothing likt the potos on the web pages of the retailor.

It just goes to show you have to be careful of retailors with SOME bad feedback too. They might be one of these BAD retailors who are padding their epinion and cnet histories with fake "good" feedback. A week or two of making duplicate email addresses can generate 100s of phoney positive history entries.

BTW... I googled BESTpriceCAMERA and BUYER BEWARE and it eventually led to THIS.... http://www.resellerratings.com/seller8754.html and this http://www.price.com/vendor_review_display.html?vid=-2147483120 ---- so WATCH OUT!!! I know you already said you would NOT buy from them - well - here is some supporting evidence why you were wise to avoid them!

Stick with Dell, B&H, or local retailors and you are unlikely to be cheated or disappointed. And when a deal is "too good to be true... you kno how it goes... it probably IS too good to be true!".

Cavet Emptor