Canon kit lens Upgrade?
PhotographyBeginners
Registered Users Posts: 16 Big grins
After you buy your Canon DSLR with its kit lens 18-55mm, you would decide which lens I should buy? Or how can I upgrade my shooting performance?
The answer is simply the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens.
Several reasons why buying or upgrading to this lens:
1- The price is really cheap compared to its functionality as it might cost about 109 euro.
2- The lens shoots at very low light conditions with high quality results as you might expect. You can set the aperture at f/1.8 compared to the kit lens f/3.5-5.6 which is a really big difference!
The best thing in this lens's quality is that the image is really sharp.
When shooting with kit lens at low light you will notice that you get horrible quality results
because you will have to set a higher ISO in which you get too much noise in your picture
unlike the 50mm lens that will result in a really high quality image that has no noise!
Examples of Examples of 50mm f\1.8 low light shots
Examples of kit lens 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 low light shots[/CENTER]
By now the difference should be clearer between both lenses in terms of quality at low light
DID YOU NOTICE THE ANNOYING NOISE WIH THE KIT LENS IN THE SKY?!
3- When shooting with kit lens you might figure that the blur in the background is not that much. However, when shooting with 50mm 1.8 lens the background of the image is completely blurred that you cannot figure out what behind the object you intended to shot.
Note: You can control the amount of blur by changing the aperture. Let's say you set the aperture f\22, you'll notice that the blur had completely disappeared and you get more depth of field.
That is to say, the more aperture the less blur.
Examples of 50mm f\1.8 blur
Examples of kit lens 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 blur
You should have noticed the difference in the amount of blur between both lenses!
4- The size and the weight of the 50mm is incredible. The lens is very small and really light that you can feel it as a plastic toy. Due to this you can easily carry it with you wherever you go with your DSLR-Camera.
The lens has one problem that I faced that it does not have image stabilizer!
Now, I had mentioned some benefits of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 lens which are really matter for most of the photographer especially for starter photographer and for portrait images.
After mentioning these benefits as price, high quality low light shooting, better blur, size and weight, DO you think it deserves to go for it?
YOU decide!!
PS, all picture in this article have been taken by me except the picture of the lens!
Enjoy it,
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below.
For more information please visit my blog at: http://amromahsoon.blogspot.nl
The answer is simply the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens.
Several reasons why buying or upgrading to this lens:
1- The price is really cheap compared to its functionality as it might cost about 109 euro.
2- The lens shoots at very low light conditions with high quality results as you might expect. You can set the aperture at f/1.8 compared to the kit lens f/3.5-5.6 which is a really big difference!
The best thing in this lens's quality is that the image is really sharp.
When shooting with kit lens at low light you will notice that you get horrible quality results
because you will have to set a higher ISO in which you get too much noise in your picture
unlike the 50mm lens that will result in a really high quality image that has no noise!
Examples of Examples of 50mm f\1.8 low light shots
Examples of kit lens 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 low light shots[/CENTER]
By now the difference should be clearer between both lenses in terms of quality at low light
DID YOU NOTICE THE ANNOYING NOISE WIH THE KIT LENS IN THE SKY?!
3- When shooting with kit lens you might figure that the blur in the background is not that much. However, when shooting with 50mm 1.8 lens the background of the image is completely blurred that you cannot figure out what behind the object you intended to shot.
Note: You can control the amount of blur by changing the aperture. Let's say you set the aperture f\22, you'll notice that the blur had completely disappeared and you get more depth of field.
That is to say, the more aperture the less blur.
Examples of 50mm f\1.8 blur
Examples of kit lens 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 blur
You should have noticed the difference in the amount of blur between both lenses!
4- The size and the weight of the 50mm is incredible. The lens is very small and really light that you can feel it as a plastic toy. Due to this you can easily carry it with you wherever you go with your DSLR-Camera.
The lens has one problem that I faced that it does not have image stabilizer!
Now, I had mentioned some benefits of the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 lens which are really matter for most of the photographer especially for starter photographer and for portrait images.
After mentioning these benefits as price, high quality low light shooting, better blur, size and weight, DO you think it deserves to go for it?
YOU decide!!
PS, all picture in this article have been taken by me except the picture of the lens!
Enjoy it,
If you have any questions, please leave a comment below.
For more information please visit my blog at: http://amromahsoon.blogspot.nl
For more information about my photography, please visit my blog at: http://amromahsoon.blogspot.nl/
0
Comments
Indeed, many beginner photographers just do not know how to improve their quality in photography, eg. why having so much noise at low light? and many. As well as there are essential lenses that every photographer should have in his DSLR bag, such as the EF 50mm 1.8 ii.
Thank you for your comment
is not good advice. There are no lenses that are essential. You should buy lenses that suit your particular needs, and people who shoot different things have different needs. I have been shooting with SLRs since 1967 and don't now carry any 50mm prime, let alone that one. (when I shot film, a 50mm f/1.4 was my standard lens, but I don't find 50mm useful enough on a crop sensor, which I now shoot, to make it worth carrying an additional lens at that length.) If beginners start compiling a list of "essential" lenses, they will end up wasting money.
Better advice for beginners would be this: start by figuring out what it is that your current kit makes it hard for you to do. In your case, you wanted shallower DOF and lower ISO. Other people might say that they need more reach, or macro capabilities, or something else. Once you have figured that out, then start exploring for lenses that will help you overcome that limitation. And once you have zeroed in an a type of lens--perhaps a longer zoom, perhaps a faster zoom in the same focal length range, perhaps a 50mm or 35mm prime, perhaps a macro lens--start comparing options to see which lens is the best for your purposes, provides the best bargain, or whatever. People on this site can help with the second two parts of this.
To make this concrete, I have five lenses currently. The only primes are two macro lenses. In the 50mm range, I have two lenses--an EF-S 15-85 that is my outdoor walk-around lens, and a Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 that I use when I need something faster, or shallower DOF--e.g., in shooting candids of people. This is a good mix for me. is it a good mix for everyone? Of course not. None of my 5 lenses is essential, even for me, but they are a good match to what I want to shoot most.
Slight correction: The only thing in this lens's quality is that the image is really sharp.
If you are a newbie photographer, this lens likely isn't for you, well, at least not as your second lens. There are far better lenses out there that I would recommend. I do recommend this lens, but not as the second lens in your bag, more like the fifth. It is indeed brilliant for sharp portraits, and low light shots. It has amazing glass that one typcially finds on lenses costing 3-10x as much. From that perspective, it appears as a bargain. its place in your bag is as a very inexpensive low light, sharp lens. For the price, why not?
But, this lens is NOT a bargain. It is cheaply made. It is all plastic, with a plastic mount. It rattles, it focuses glacially slow, and it is so lightweight that when you first pull it out of its box you figure you have been ripped off. Its optics are good, but in all other areas, it is indeed a rip off. I own one, and frankly, it mostly sits in my bag, getting used once or twice a year when I have indoor family events in the evening.
Granted, the 50 f/1.4 USM lens is much more expensive, and sports essentially the same glass. But it is a much more up to date lens, focuses faster and better, and is far better made.
If you just want the option of a very bright lens, and don't mind spending $100 that sits in your bag most of the year, this lens is for you. If you prefer to have something you might use more often, it might be a better bargain to spend a bit more. If you have the kit lens, give the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 a look (or the older, but goodie 28-75 f/2.8 mentioned above)
What I tried to express in my post is that "in my opinion" as a very very starter photographer I would not go into manufacturing specifications that are really matter to professionals. I would only go second level, like trying new thing without being losing too much money due to lack of knowledge, but, on the other hand, with a better performance than the kit lens.
thank you again
Now if it was a toss up between the 50 1.4 and the 17-50 Tamron, I would opt for the Tamron no doubt, but I love zooms lol. But to compare between the two, 1.8 II vs 2.8 zoom isn't really fair. For novices, the cheaper is sometimes a great alternative to learn settings, low light shots, low light videoing, stuff like that. Before going to the big guns on the higher end lenses. If they ever do. Shoot I have one rattling around, but I wouldn't hesitate to slap it on in a low light situation, candle lit Bday party being one situation, shooting under street lights another. I look at it this way, on a crop body it's 80mm, turn it to 2.8, walla, you have a 80mm 2.8 portrait lens, abeit a cheap one. The one I have really shines at 2.8. And yes, it was like my fourth or fifth lens. Essential no, handy yes, longevity no. But hey, lol, I have seen alot of L's hit the concrete and ocean, and they didn't fair much better. YMMV