Bit of a lens noob here...

mobius1 · 5 Mar 2011 at 12:07

I've had my Canon 1000D w/18-55mm + 90-300mm lenses for a few months now and I've been reading around about standard lenses and found that a lot of people recommend the 'nifty fifty' (Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II) for it's value for quality.

Could anyone suggest any "must have" standard/all-round lenses for me? Providing they're not overly expensive for a 17yr old to afford! So far I'm looking at buying the 50mm but could anyone give me any opinions/advice on it or the 50mm f/1.4?

Cheers for any help.

Schizophonic · 5 Mar 2011 at 12:59

There is no 'all standard' lens for the general photographer.

Choosing a lens depends on what you like to shoot. Wide Angle = landscape, Prime = portraits, Telephoto zoom = Wifd life and etc.

Getting the 50mm F/1.8 is a good lens and good value. If you want to learn and experiment with a wide open lens then its good start.

mobius1 · 6 Mar 2011 at 00:58

okay thanks, I mainly want to shoot landscapes and cars so for now my kit lens should do for the rest really.

I read an unpromising review on the 50mm which is mainly why I brought it up but I've seen many others mention its value for quality etc.

matthab · 6 Mar 2011 at 01:27

The 1.8 has been slated but what people forget is its a £80 lens. I cant think of a £80 lens which can match its performance. Ive used one and I say if your starting out like I am and have a limited budget its a great lens to start with. I am thinking of getting a 1.4 because I require a fast focus for what im using it for and its construction is alittle better.

I would also recommend looking at the 55-250mm lens. This starts where the kit lens takes off.

Von Luck · 6 Mar 2011 at 11:09

The build quality of the 50 1.8 is naff, feels cheap and the mount is plastic. Manual focus is also a pain due to the tiny focus ring and AF can be bad in poor light.

But, having said all that, I think the pros outweigh the cons. You won't get another lens that offers such a wide max aperture and excellent sharpness for so little money. £80 is nothing for a lens and it's a god send for low light work if you've only ever used f3.5 upwards type lenses. It's a real no brainer purchase, just treat it gently and the cheapy build won't be an issue. I love mine.

Namistai · 6 Mar 2011 at 11:54

Von Luck said:
The build quality of the 50 1.8 is naff, feels cheap and the mount is plastic. Manual focus is also a pain due to the tiny focus ring and AF can be bad in poor light.

But, having said all that, I think the pros outweigh the cons. You won't get another lens that offers such a wide max aperture and excellent sharpness for so little money. £80 is nothing for a lens and it's a god send for low light work if you've only ever used f3.5 upwards type lenses. It's a real no brainer purchase, just treat it gently and the cheapy build won't be an issue. I love mine.

I agree completely!

mobius1 · 6 Mar 2011 at 15:29

Okay thanks folks! Sounds like a worthy purchase then - the fact it copes well in low light sounds like a good feature.

Any other general lens suggestions would be nice too (for future reference if anyone else does similar photography to myself).