Well, I decided that I really want a camera for my BDAY/Christmas.

The Sony I have is nice and all, but still has its limits. So, 30D it is.

I found a place in NY that sells REAL, brand new, not grey market 30Ds for a great price. However, I need help with lenses.....I dont know anything about them, and will take the advice of the more resident members....

Please make a list of 4 lenses....that you like, that dont cost $5000 each.

1)Walkaround lens
2)Telephoto
3)Close up shots (bugs, flowers, etc)
4)Fisheye

I will read reviews on lenses you guys recommend, and go with those.....thanks again, I appreciate it.

 

Walk around/wide angle - EF 24-70mm f/2.8L
Walk around/semi telephoto - 70-200 f/2.8 IS USM L plus a 1.4 or 2x teleconverter (get the Canon L series ones only)
Fisheye - 15mm f/2.8
I don't shoot macro so I can't help there...

 

Wow...the reviews for the 24-70 are great....but man is it expensive! The Telephoto as well.....

The fisheye seems reasonable....any equivalent lenses from other manufacturers?

 

trust me on this... They are worth every penny... I own the 70-200 and use it every day I am out! Don't skimp on glass.. skimp on the camera first because the lenses will allways be with you!!! Camera technology changes all the time.

 

Hmmm...I guess I may just have to buy one at a time then.

Is it good in low light (no flash)???....long exposure times, etc (the 24-70 that is)

 

I just got the 30D about a month ago and I would highly reccomend the 50mm/1.8. Its a great low light lens that is very sharp all for about $75-80. Build quality is not the best but for the price you really can't argue.

My .02

 

50mm canon lens for $75?

I can get kit lenses for dirt, but most online reviews that I trust say it isnt very good. Im buying this as an investment, and one of the people that can sway my opinion is Norm....I also believe that a good lens is a good investment, and will be with me forever (unless I break it)....

So I think I will just buy one lens for now..... the 24-70....its expensive....but it seems to be a good overall lens. If Im gonna skimp, I might skimp on the funky lenses, like the fisheye.

 

I've got the 28-135 IS lens, and I'm a fan. Is it amazing? No, but its a good stop gap lens, picked mine up about 18 months ago for about $450. The IS is nice for the times that light is low and flash can't happen (saved my ass in the Met a couple years ago, I pulled off a couple 1/4 of a second exposures flaylessly due to the IS...that and bracing against a nearby pillar ) I'm debating picking up an L lens but I'm also debating switching over to a D80 or D200 which would make the lens pointless.

 

Most companies' 50mm lenses are fantastic. They are cheap not because they are made like crap, but because they are relatively simple to get right after all the years of building lenses. The kit zooms are crap, I'd agree.

However, a 50mm on a 30D might be a bit long for a "normal." A 35mm would be better, IMHO.

The main problem I see with the L zooms is they are big and heavy. It's like carrying around your biggest telephoto every time you go out, even if you are only using the wide end. You could buy the 24, 35, 50, and 85mm (non L) lenses for roughly the same price as a 24-70 L, and all together they even weigh about the same. And each one is as fast or faster, meaning except for the 24, you'd still be able to take pictures when the 24-70 was useless without flash due to lack of light. You would probably never want to take all the lenses with you most days, and you wouldn't feel like you are carrying around a howitzer just to take pictures of a birthday party.

 

Long exposure times is more a function of the digital sensor itself and not really the lenses. I think the lens is supurb.