I just got myself a new camera. It’s a Canon EOS Digital Rebel. It came with one lens, and I’m thinking I’d like to get one more plus a flash unit.
I’m not going to become a serious photography hobbyist–I suppose at some point I’ll have to move past autofocus and learn something about f-stops and whatnot, but right now I just want to have fun taking pictures.
So…if I mostly plan to take pics of my cats (and thus would like to be able to get good closeups without startling them out of whatever they’re doing) and only plan to buy one extra lens, can anyone recommend a good one that would give me the best bang for the buck? Preferably something that’s not too expensive. Recommendations for flash units would be good too, though I don’t think there are too many that fit this particular camera so my choices might be limited.
Yes, but … Canon has a series of flashes called the Speedlite that are designed to work with the metering system on the Canon EOS cameras. However, they may be too expensive for Infovore.
(Nikon has a similar range called the “Speedlight” – the two names can be easily confused.)
Lenses are tough to make recommendations on without knowing what you plan to do with them. For example you said you take pictures of your cats…If this is in the sun at 100 feet away you’d want a different lens then if this across your dimly lit living room.
Personally, I’d hold off on buying a new lens until you have a few hundred or thousand shots under your belt. Eventually, you’ll know where you’re lacking. Are you always wishing you could capture something just a few more feet away? Are you having trouble with motion blur at sporting events? Do you take a lot of pictures later at night and need something just a hair faster? Found you have a passion for macro photography and the kit lens just isn’t cutting it? Like taking portraits and want to give a prime lens that stops down to f/1.4?
A flash is always a good investment, the on board flash (at least on my D70) is pretty useless. Look for one that has, at the very least, a head that can pivot up towards the ceiling. Being able to swivel left and right is nice as well.
A tripod is typically money well spent. The way it actually works (the type of head and how the legs extend) are personal preference so I leave my opinions out of it for the moment, but you want something with some weight to it. I really like my Manfrotto and happily recommend the brand to anyone. Plan to spend $200-$300 for the head and legs.
ETA, Giles just mentioned it, but, while I’m sure any flash fits any hot shoe, but can they pass data back and forth. I have a Nikon Camera and a Nikon Speedlight. The flash bulb actually moves back and forth inside the head as I zoom my lens back and forth. Also, when the flash is attached, I’m under the impression it takes over some of the metering for the camera. Can you do that if you putting a Canon flash on a Nikon Camera?
I would also recommend investing in a good camera bag or even two, one for carrying all your stuff, for when you are primarily going somewhere to take pictures, and a sling bag that you want to take on hikes or places where you want quick access to your camera.
My favorites are M-Rock, but there are plenty of good bags out there.
As far as lenses go,adding to what Joey P said, there are four major directions that you might feel the need to go:
(1) Wide angle. If you’re often trying to step back, e.g., when taking a picture of a building or a scene, to get more in, then you need a wide-angle lens. Canon makes a 10-22 mm lens that will go on the XS, or there are some made by other lens manufacturers.
(2) Telephoto. If the action is too far away, e.g., wildlife or sporting events, then you need a telephoto lens. Canon makes a 55-250 mm lens that complements the kit lens on the XS well, but again you have a lot of choice.
(3) Bigger aperture, for low light or portraits with shallow depth of field. On a zoom lens this will cost big money, but you can get prime lenses for a lot less. Canon has a f/1.8 50mm lens that sells for about $100: it’s a good lens for portraits, and it might be a good choice for cat pictures too.
(4) Macro, for real close-ups. If you like taking pictures of small insects or the insides of flowers, then you might find a macro lens useful. Canon has several including 60 mm and 100 mm.
Definitely recommend the 50mm f/1.8 as a next lens; it’s great for low light and portraits, and needs a quite different approach to get the best out of, so there’s a lot of learning potential.
A flash can be expensive, but as other people said, a third-party sync-only flash can be a good starting point. Personally, I’d look for a second-hand 420EX or 430EX, because those are guaranteed to work with your Rebel, and might not be too much more than a new flash from, say, Sigma.
There’s an almost geometric progression of prices… For Canon’s 50mm primes, the basic f/1.8 costs $100, the 1.4 costs $400 and the 1.2 will set you back $1600.
The 1.2 is gorgeous, but for 1/16th the price, the 1.8 is still very nice.
On a Rebel, a 50mm lens will behave more like 80mm, which is a classic length for portraiture.
If nothing else, having a decently “fast” lens will let you take better pictures in low light compared to the zoom that came with your camera.
Alternately, you could complement the 18-55mm zoom with something like a 55-250mm zoom, which sells for about $300.
Doesn’t it have a hot shoe? Any hot shoe flash can attach onto any camera.