Question about Kit lens

Awais Yaqub

My friend gave me his 18-55 as he got 17-85(man what a lens) anyway i have to take photos with 18-55. What aperture settings are great to take resonable photos ? He was realy annoyed with it and no body was ready to buy that lens :rolleyes so i got it for Free :clap

What picture parameters should i use when shooting JPG with 400D.

Thanks in Advance

swintonphoto

Awais Yaqub wrote:

My friend gave me his 18-55 as he got 17-85(man what a lens) anyway i have to take photos with 18-55. What aperture settings are great to take resonable photos ? He was realy annoyed with it and no body was ready to buy that lens so i got it for Free

What picture parameters should i use when shooting JPG with 400D.

Thanks in Advance

Which version is it?

Awais Yaqub

swintonphoto wrote:

Which version is it?

18-55 3.5-5.6 II

it was kit with his 30D

ziggy53

Awais,

You are lucky to have such friends.

The "kit" lens is pretty soft wide open and is very cheaply made, so be careful not to drop it.

I have two copies of the lens and it is fairly sharp at 18mm and f5.6 and then at 55mm and f8-f11.

Outdoors it is fine for typical landscapes in bright sunlight and when you want a large DOF. Indoors you need to give it plenty of light with a flash (generally), although for some portraits you may "want" a little softness, especially for some female subjects. Compensate a little with more contrasty lighting. Also compensate with a little more sharpening and contrast in post if needed.

Focus accuracy can also be tenuous so take additional images if you need to.

Tee Why

Here is a review of it on Photozone.de
http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/canon_1855_3556/index.htm

As you can see, the corners are never that sharp. You have to stop down to about f8 or so to get the corners to sharpen up at 17mm. It's also got a bit of barrel distortion at the 17mm end. After that at longer focal lengths, the corners don't really get that sharp even if you stop down.

The purple fringing never improves that much either.
I've had the 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Mark I version and have the 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 IS version now as well. The IS has different optics and coating and is much improved.

So with this lens, I'd say stop down a lot if sharpness is a concern, avoid harsh contrsaty setting to reduce CA, and watch for distortion at 17mm.

Now you know why this lens is not liked.
Well, at least it's free, right?

Nikolai

Awais,

I guess this is the case where everyone has a different (or should I say, an opposite) opinion.

I had some few months experience with that lens in 2005, when I acquired it brand new as a kit with my also then-new 20D... I didn't have any other lens at the time so I naturally used it a lot. Since I didn't know any better it felt OK but now that I look back... Pretty much everything Tom said matches my experience: it's soft, slow, produces enough CA in a high-contrast environment and enough distortion when set to 18mm.

I'd say, sell it ASAP and get 50/1.8 instead - for the same amount of money you'll get a FAR better lens within the same focal range.

Awais Yaqub

Thanks all for the help actually i am heading to Peshawar in few weeks that is near Afghan border and known as birth place of alqaeda. So want to make minimum mistakes.

Nik i already have 1.8 50mm needed something wide. I bought XTI with 50mm and dropped the kit lens

Nikolai

Awais Yaqub wrote:

Thanks all for the help actually i am heading to Peshawar in few weeks that is near Afghan border and known as birth place of alqaeda. So want to make minimum mistakes.

For these guys I'd kept my distance and use John's 600mm

Awais Yaqub wrote:

Nik i already have 1.8 50mm needed something wide. I bought XTI with 50mm and dropped the kit lens

Ah, I see. Well, in that case, try to stay withing f/8..f/11. You should have enough sun in that area to allow it...

Awais Yaqub

Nikolai wrote:

For these guys I'd kept my distance and use John's 600mm

Musharraf won't tolerate anyone carrying that stuff danger on both sides

rwells

Is it L "IQ" -- obviously not, but it will produce decent results (this copy anyway)

Would I use it for serious work? No

YMMV


18mm f/6.3


18mm f/6.3


18mm f/18


18mm f/18


21mm f/22

claudermilk

Awais Yaqub wrote:

Thanks all for the help actually i am heading to Peshawar in few weeks that is near Afghan border and known as birth place of alqaeda. So want to make minimum mistakes.

Nikolai wrote:

For these guys I'd kept my distance and use John's 600mm

Nah, since he's already expressed interest in the 1200mm at B&H, I'd say now is the time to click the "Buy" button there. Gives lots of safety room. What's $100k when it's your life?

Awais Yaqub

claudermilk wrote:

1200mm at B&H, I'd say now is the time to click the "Buy" button there. Gives lots of safety room. What's $100k when it's your life?

Lets do it lets order that