Hi,

My girlfriend bought me a Digital Canon Rebel XT for my birthday (Body only) and bought a EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM Lens.

Being an amateur that has only used point and shoot cameras... I have a few questions for lenses etc...

Do you recommend that I keep the lens or should I exchange it for something else? I had a hard time taking group pictures as I had to stand far back and I have a couple of days to exchange it.

If you had to recommend other lenses (models etc...) what would they be?

What other accessories should I purchase? (eg. Do I need a flash etc...)

Got to spend more money before my upcoming trip to DL in late Sept to get some nice pictures :)

Thanks!

For the price of the EF 55-200, I'd probably exchange it for the EF-S 18-55, which is the kit lens that normally comes with the Rebel XT. If you could afford it, you could get the EF-S 17-85 instead. It gives you a longer reach than the 18-55 and includes Image Stabilization - but you're looking around $500 for that lens. The 18-55 is something like $150 or so. The 18-55 isn't the best lens, but it's a fine lens to start with and see what you like. It will certainly get you the wider angle, which you definitely need.

If you really need the reach of the 55-200 (it is a nice reach, but that's about all it is), keep it and spring for the 18-55 to compliment it.

I'm starting to ramble, so here are a couple of scenarios:

Lost the 55-200 and replace with 18-55 and 50/1.8 . The 50/1.8 is a great prime for low light situations that your 18-55 won't cover. This should combinations should equal the price of the 55-200.

Second option: Keep the 55-200 and add the 18-55, then lose the 55-200 later (sell used) to replace with 70-300 IS (great lens!) or 70-200/f.4 L (Also an excellent lens).

Third option (most expensive for now): Return the 55-200 and get the EF-S 17-85 IS.

Here's a good discussion of what kind of lenses to get: http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00E5lx

Here's a site with great lens reviews: http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/index.html

And Fred Miranda: http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/

Happy hunting!

Dirk

Great advice, dcreinken! I was drooling over the recent release of the EF 50mm f/1.2L USM lens. Hopefully they will have a review soon. Thanks for the links.

Yellorice, I would recommend picking up a good book to help you out. Here are a couple that I previously recommended. Hopefully others will chime in as well.

http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showpost.php?p=916835&postcount=8

Thanks Grundler, Great book recommendations, too.

For the artistic (and technical side of photography, too), I highly recommend

Bryan Peterson, Understanding Exposure. It's well written, covers the fundamentals of what makes a good photograph, and gives you teh settings for every shot he took. It will also help you understand what kinds of lenses you might want, based on seeing what he used for the types of shots you'ld like to take. He also wrote Learing to See Creatively which is also great, but go with Understanding Exposure first.

Another great resource is the National Geographic Field Guide to Photography by Burian and Caputo. This gives you as much information about philsophy of great shots, in very readible and well illustrated vignettes, as it does technical.

Both of these books would compliment the other two very well. Eventually, you're going to want a good photo management and editing software. Adobe Photoshop Elements (latest version) will serve you very well on that count if you have a Windows-based PC. If you have a Mac, start with iPhoto, and then add Photoshop Elements for Mac once you want to get into more than basic editing and cropping.

Oh - and don't forget - many, many trips to Walt Disney World will give you plenty of photography opportunities to master your craft!

Dirk

Thanks for the reply guys! Much appreciated.

I didn't consider of getting a book, but after reading your reply I should definitely get one... especially how my friends saw my camera now and wants me to take pictures at their upcoming wedding next year.

So I return my 55-200mm lens and starting to shop around for the 17-85mm.

What other accessories do you guys think I need to get? like a back-up batteries, flash etc...?

James

A flash may be useful when you are just starting out, but I think you will find that as you become more experienced, and you collect a wider range of lenses (with some well adapted for low-light photography), you will not need or use the flash much at all. I try to use an appropriate lens that will let me shoot with the natural lighting conditions. When shooting events, such as weddings, you most definitely do not want a flash. About the only time I use a flash is for staged scenes and portrait photography. Plus, you don't want to use flashes in the dark rides at DL. ;)

I have two batteries. Never tried the battery grip. I also have a few CF cards. Bradk has a digital wallet, that lets you transfer the contents of your CF card to a hard drive without having to bring a laptop with you.

If I were just starting out, my priorities would be:
Extra CF card. (I usually carry two 2GB Extreme III cards)
Extra battery
Lenses
Lenses
Lenses

It can be fun to play with filters as well, but I don't use them often (mainly because I never think to, and because I haven't played with them enough to know when to use them and when not to).

grundler's right on, but here's my spin:

My goal is to do 100% natural light photography, so I've avoided learning about them. I don't think you want a flash for the wedding ceremony (speaking as an Episcopal priest, I strongly urge you to not even try that!!), but it could come in handy for group shots afterward if you know how to use it. Remember, flash doesn't really buy you much unless you're close to your subject.

Memory cards and a second battery are the most useful immediate purchase. If you can dump your card onto a laptop or home computer, then 2 1gb cards should be enough to start. MOst people say to use more smaller cards than 1 larger card, in case the card fails.

The XT conserves battery power very well. I can usually get through a day at Disney without changing batteries, so I feel perfectly safe having just 1 fully charged back up ready to go. I wouldn't worry about a grip unless you want the extra size or need to do a lot of highspeed shooting and can't be bothered to stop and change your battery. Flash usage would affect battery durability.

Filters: You can do very nice outdoor shots with a circular polarizing filter - they cut glare and give the sky a nice deep blue appearance. However, filters are sized to the lens and you could conceivably have differing filter diameters as you grow your lens collection. You won't necessarily want one on every lens, either. If the 18-75 lens is what you want, you could by a CP filter for it and then see what you want to do with any other lens.

If you're going to shoot a wedding, let that be your second or third book (after DP for Dummies and Understanding Exposure mentioned earlier!). For that, you're also going to want to learn about shooting in RAW for the best possible images and then how to manipulate them afterward. I'd say plan to get Photoshop Elements 4.0 sooner rather than later and learn how to use Digital Photo Professional software that came with the XT. Here's a good online tutorial for that: http://photoworkshop.com/canon/dpp2/index.html

Finally, the Canon Digital Photography Forum (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/index.php)s at Photography-on-the.net has topics for all of your questions. I've found them friendly and helpful, and there are some very serious photographers there, too. http://photography-on-the.net/forum/index.php

Dirk

Hey Guys,

Since your last advice on books (Understanding Exposures is a really good book), websites and what to do with my lens (Canon 17-85mm IS) helped me last time, I had some more questions as I wish to ask:

For my next lens i'm thinking of either getting a wide-angle (Canon 10-22mm) or a zoom (Canon 70-300mm IS or Canon 70-200mm f/L since they are the same price)

So what are your opinions of the lenses?
What situations can I use these lenses for? (I guess any Disney examples would be great)

And finally a Flash? any recommendations?

Thanks as always!

For my next lens i'm thinking of either getting a wide-angle (Canon 10-22mm) or a zoom (Canon 70-300mm IS or Canon 70-200mm f/L since they are the same price)
Given that wide-angle and zoom serve two completely-different purposes, generally speaking...why wouldn't you consider both (I'm not trying to sound condescending towards you, just curious as to why you would ask as to which one you would choose between a wide-angle and a telephoto zoom...unless you're not completely familiar w/ the purposes of using such lenses)?

I'm still a novice photographer, but FWIW I have the same EF-S 17-85 IS lens you have, but also have the EF 70-200 f/4L (I would have preferred the EF 70-200 f/2.8L but it's too rich for my wallet--LOL!!!)...and have just recently purchased a EF-S 10-22 f/3.5-4.5 and an EF 24-70 f/2.8L lens (primarily because I was able to use a B&H--they're an online audio/video vendor--code that took roughly 10% off their normally-listed prices, plus take advantage of the current Canon double-rebate promo).

In any case--if you really need that extra zoom that the 300 offers, then go w/ that; I reckon both the 70-200 and the 70-300 are pretty close in price due to the 70-200 having better lens glass vs. the 70-300 having IS. FWIW--I believe the 70-300 IS is not included in the current Canon double-rebate promo, but the 70-200 f/4L and the 10-22 are included.

As far as flashes--if you prefer to stick w/ Canon, both the Speedlite 430EX and 580EX are included in the promo; the 580EX has more features and of course, costs more than the 430EX...

Yeah, my input didn't really make your decision any easier...but it is what it is. ;)

Sorry if I confuse people about my question.

I would like to add another lens to compliment my Canon 17-85mm IS, but unfortunately I can only add one item at a time.

So I was wondering which lens should pursue first. A wide angle lens (Canon 10-22mm) or should I go with a zoom (Canon 70-300 IS or Canon 70-200 f4L)?

Alot of my decision making will probably come down what I can do most with the lens at places such as L.A., Disney, and Las Vegas, so any examples of when I can use a lens for in those situation would help.

And is adding a flash important? or else I can get both a wide angle and a zoom and get the flash way later.

i have both lenses. if you go to my site in my signature, you can see them in use. between the two, i would go for the 10-22. it's an absolute miracle what you can get in the photo. i do see a lot of distortion at low range, but if you can work it out so that you're still using the wide angle at the higher end of the spectrum and you're 'far away' enough, you'll get some amazing results.

i typically switch between the wide angle and normal lenses a lot during parades. the wide angle often allows me to get the entire float (or at least most of it) as it passes by. here are a couple of examples:

this one is from osborne. the lights were right against the street and i actually had to ask a couple of people to move so i could get the shot. i never would have been able to fit it in with any other lense without having to stand much further away and dealing with very crowded streets:

http://bradk.smugmug.com/gallery/2228283#116120900

and here's an example from the MK daytime parade getting the entire float in frame:

http://bradk.smugmug.com/gallery/1972383#100449488

on the flip side, i don't use the telephoto nearly as much, but i do use it.

Thanks for your advices Tonytone and BradK!

BradK, Ithink your picture of the Magic Kingdom sold me on the 10-22mm. It just going to come down to which one I can get more use out of first.

And if I don't end up getting a flash first... then i'll purchase the zoom lens and stick with outdoor pictures! :p

an external flash is a *must*. for starters, you're bound to get shadows using the built-in flash with some lenses.

i started with the 420EX (i don't think i ever not used an external flash with the EOS) and then moved to the 580EX. even the difference between them is so great that when my 580EX broke (i wasn't careful enough and the tabs that lock it into place broke off), I bought another to replace it after having to go back to the 420.

aside from the shadows and obviously projecting more light, the external flash helps reduce redeye (without having to do that strobe redeye reduction flash) and you can rotate or change the degree/projection of the flash so that you can bounce it to get a better lighting scenario or to soften shadows.

this is a shot of the finding nemo queue. without being able to bounce the external flash off the ceiling, there would have been no way to get decent lighting in the queue.

http://bradk.smugmug.com/gallery/2214665#115304410

Thanks for the tip on the external flash Bradk.

Any tip that I can get along the away about equipment and how to take nice pictures is always appreciated from everybody, kind of seem overwhelming at times, but I guess I just have to get out and shoot and do trial and error.