What zoom lens should a beginner invest in?

Question

i have recently bought the canon EOS 400 with the 18-55mm lens that came with it. I am a keen travel photographer and would like to buy a zoom lens ..the EF 70-200L f/4 IS USM is something i was looking at..but the price is prohibitive...also am not sure if its the right lens for an amateur photographer like me...any suggestions on alternative lens?

Answer 1

Decide what lens coverage you like to need, this is something personal, but for general travel most photos are taken in the wide angle end. Do you miss being able taking wider shots than your present 18mm setting allows you to?

Would you like to travel light and only use one lens on your travel?

If you need a jack of all trades with one lens only a zoom with slightly longer tele capabilities might be right for you, like a 18-70mm or there about. If you feel the need for long telephoto you might need a longer lens like a 18-200mm lens.

I recommend Sigma as they constantly seem to score just as good as the major camera makers lenses at a fraction of the cost sometimes.

See some of the links below.

Answer 2

I would recommend a lens that would suit all your needs at a reasonable cost.

I personally like a zoom lens such as my Tamron 18-200mm zoom lens which has been absolutely amazing for me.

For you're scenario I would recommend perhaps the Sigma 18-200mm lens with a built-in optical stabilizer. Either of these lenses could be purchased from under $500 off eBay.

With a zoom lens (vs a fixed lens) you do suffer quality loss as a zoom lens is a compromise of a fixed lens; so if you were looking to become a professional photographer I would prefer multiple fixed lenses. However whilst being an amateur photographer then one zoom lens is ideal, especially one that goes from a wide-angle to telephoto.

Answer 3

The 70-200L would definitely be a sweet lens but, like you said, it's expensive.

If you're looking to buy from Canon you have three options. The first is the EF 75-300mm. This is a very crappy telephoto lens. The nice thing about it though is that you can usually find it used on Craigslist for $100. Just don't pay any more than that for it.

Your second option is the EF 100-300mm. It's a decent telephoto lens and can be found for about $200-$250 on ebay. The one drawback of it is that it doesn't have image stabilization so it's hard to get good shots in low light.

Your third option without going to the L series is the EF 70-300mm. This is a pretty d**n good lens for not being L and it has IS. The drawback is that you'll probably have to pay around $500 for it on ebay.

One thing to clear up for you - you DO have a zoom lens. A zoom lens is one on which you can change the focal length, so your 18-55mm "zooms". What you have in your mind as a "zoom lens" is actually known as a "telephoto lens". Telephoto lenses are ones in which the field of view is much smaller than would be seen with the human eye.