Canon digital Rebel XT-which lens

ranchonodinero

I am shopping for a Canon Rebel XT. Would I be better off going with the "stock" lens and later getting a better one OR should I go with body only and get one of the better lenses. I anticipate that I will be using the camera for family portraits and sports. I would like some sort of telephoto lens. I've seen the posts on the Tamron lens, but I also noticed that if I can find one of the Canon lenses that have a rebate, that coupled with the camera, I can save some money. I would like to hear from users who have the "stock" lens and what they think of it.

I am considering this lens: canon zoom, wide angle 28-135 (rebate available, but can't find stock) and the Tamron 28-75 telephotos. Also, has anyone used buydig.com?

Thanks,
Ranchonodinero

Richard

ranchonodinero wrote:

I am considering this lens: canon zoom, wide angle 28-135 (rebate available, but can't find stock) and the Tamron 28-75 telephotos. Also, has anyone used buydig.com?

Thanks,
Ranchonodinero

I just recently bought some stuff from buydig.com and was quite satisfied. Best prices I could find online from a reputable company. No hassle, no hustle. thumb

I love my Tamron 28-75 f/2.8 but I think it might be too short for most sports other than chess . Never tried the Canon 28-135 but many people like it.

Hope this helps.

leebase

There is no right answer. For the most part, lenses are "priced perfect". There are plenty of vendors, and lenses are fairly stable over time (not like computers or digital cameras which improve by leaps and bounds and fall in price like rocks).

As such, if you find one lens is 3 times the price of another -- you can bet that the cheaper lens is not anywhere near as good. It may be more than good enough, though.

With the Canon Rebel XT -- don't get the 28-135 lens. That was a wonderful wide to mid tele on a film body (or full frame digital). With the 1.6x "cropped view"....you'll be missing mightily on the wide end of things. Instead, get the Canon 17-85 IS lens which is pretty much exactly the same lens, only designed for the 1.6x cropped bodies.

I like the Tamron better, but again, that's a focal range (starting at 28) that isn't so attractive on a cropped digital sensor. The lens is a "wide aperture" lens without IS. I'm one who'll opt for "wide apertures" over IS every time. I find that I can add a monopod or tripod when I need to add stability. You can never make a small aperture lens with IS act like a larger aperture lens.

The range, though, is not optimal. Consider the Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 instead.

Think of your lenses as a set. Determine what ranges are most important to you, and plan to cover your ranges first. Then you can branch out and replace or add to your set as your needs and desires dictate.

The Canon 50mm f1.8 is a must have for only $75.

Lee

erich6

My 2 cents worth:

The kit lens is a pretty decent lens for its worth. I'd save your pennies for a good telephoto lens (I recommend the 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS) after you've used your camera for a while. If you want to squeeze the most quality of your kit lens you can get the DxO processing engine (www.dxo.com) and it will do wonders for your shots for a lot less than a new lens (and you can use it with other lenses later!).

Erich

windoze

erich6 wrote:

My 2 cents worth:

The kit lens is a pretty decent lens for its worth. I'd save your pennies for a good telephoto lens (I recommend the 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS) after you've used your camera for a while. If you want to squeeze the most quality of your kit lens you can get the DxO processing engine (www.dxo.com) and it will do wonders for your shots for a lot less than a new lens (and you can use it with other lenses later!).

Erich

i agree.....
shop around for this lens.... i picked one up at DELL for around $500.00


troy

gus

erich6 wrote:

My 2 cents worth:

The kit lens is a pretty decent lens for its worth.
Erich

So do i.

For the tiny tiny amount it costs to own then get it & also something else. What do they want for it ? An extra $50 (i have no idea but i can assume its less that $100 USD) & for that its well worth owning.

Maybe i have a good copy but i use it a lot.

BigAl

erich6 wrote:

The kit lens is a pretty decent lens for its worth.

Also with Erch, Troy & Gus. Just did a model shoot with it and am *really* more than impressed with the printed results. Learn to live within its limitations.

ranchonodinero

Kit lens it is
OK, kit lens it is, but it will be the kit lens on the 20D-dang it! I really want to try to get 2 more lenses in order to score the triple rebate thing-and I have to be reasonable price wise. I want a "rebate" macro, so it will have to be either the 50mm or the 60mm. On the 70-300 IS USM lens from Dell, did you use a coupon or something? Aren't the internals basically the same on the EF 75-300? I understand that focusing is much faster with the USM and no doubt the IS helps, but I think most of my telephoto shots will be well lighted-daytime or nighttime football.