Author Topic: Lenses for 550d (Read 21297 times)

Kim.dh · « **on:** July 01, 2012, 03:54:38 PM »

Hey guys. I'm a new owner of a 550d(with the kit lens: IS II) and feel I should get some quality lenses. I'm looking to buy a 50 mm f/1.4 or 1.8 and possibly a 18-135ish mm lens. I'll be shooting portraits, landscapes, city-scapes with quite a bit of HDR as well as some video/HDR-vid.

Any suggestions for a tight budget, is there any good non-canon lenses for me? I'm also looking at ebay.

Malcolm Debono · « **Reply #1 on:** July 01, 2012, 04:09:53 PM »

Seeing that you already have the 18-55 IS II, the 18-135 would be a little redundant since most of the range is already covered. Have you considered the 55-250? This telephoto lens supplements the 18-55 and gives you more range. The 50mm 1.8 is also quite good for its price (its much cheaper than the 1.4, although the latter's build quality is better and gives you a third stop of more light).

1% · « **Reply #2 on:** July 01, 2012, 05:24:17 PM »

Have you tried any non stabilised lenses for video yet? It shakes.

I dunno... what do you want to spend? What do you want to do? You've pretty much summed up all photography. 18-135 is crap... it is EF-S and not USM. Get the 28-135 IS USM for a good starter. I think it comes with 7D as a kit. I have the 35-135 non IS because I cheaped out at first. Also get the 1.8 50, its much cheaper and 50mm is not all that on an APS-C. I cheaped out further here and got nikon adapter & a nikon 50.

55-250 is also not USM and EFs. Real lenses are going to cost as much as you paid for your 550d. Go try some stuff out... ie borrow and rent before you spend the money, especially if you don't have a lot of it to invest into this.

Malcolm Debono · « **Reply #3 on:** July 01, 2012, 07:17:00 PM »

Just because it's an EF-S lens doesn't mean it's a crappy lens. While it's true that most EF lenses are better in build and quality, there are some EF-S lenses such as the 10-22 which are only EF-S lenses because they are for crop bodies (otherwise would have easily classified for a red ring).

1% · « **Reply #4 on:** July 01, 2012, 07:53:01 PM »

There are some OK ones but the ones that lack even HSM... I have my doubts.

tinyenormous · « **Reply #5 on:** July 02, 2012, 10:18:32 PM »

My thoughts on lenses are to buy old quality lenses if price is an issue, and buy new quality lenses if it isn't.

If you don't care about autofocus then you can get a wide variety of manual lenses and adapters to use them on your t2i. Old nikon glass can be bought at garage sale prices and used pretty comfortably provided you want to focus manually and adjust iris on the lens body. For people who primarily shoot video these can be great choices. The one downside (if you can call it that) is that they are generally all metal so they are heavier.

If you want autofocus (and I'm not blaming you) go ahead and buy something nice. Skip the entry level lenses with the exception of the 50mm, solely because it is so $cheap that it is actually a good deal. Borrow friends lenses or rent until you have a lens you are comfortable dropping $500+ And don't cheap out on crop lenses if you plan on photography being a lifelong hobby. It may feel weird buying a lens that costs more than your body, but your body will halve in price in the next two years but the lens will take much longer.

1% · « **Reply #6 on:** July 02, 2012, 11:00:28 PM »

Not only that... the lenses can appreciate. That $500 lens could be $800 next year. New entry level EF-S lenses might actually lose value.

Malcolm Debono · « **Reply #7 on:** July 02, 2012, 11:33:42 PM »

Quote from: 1% on July 02, 2012, 11:00:28 PM

Not only that... the lenses can appreciate. That $500 lens could be $800 next year. New entry level EF-S lenses might actually lose value.

You're totally right on that one. L lenses never (or nearly never) lose their original value.

By the way, why do you look for USM lenses? In what way are you using auto-focus for video?

coutts · « **Reply #8 on:** July 03, 2012, 05:42:33 PM »

I suggest a Sigma 30mm f/1.4. I used one on my 500d when I had it and loved it. The depth of field was my favorite part. It looks very similar to 50mm on a full frame camera.

500d w/ Sigma 30mm f/1.4:

5dc w/ 50mm f/1.8:

Francis · « **Reply #9 on:** July 03, 2012, 06:53:52 PM »

Quote

By the way, why do you look for USM lenses? In what way are you using auto-focus for video?

The better the AF motor, the better the performance of the follow focus-related ML features. My Sigma 24-70 has a clunky motor with jerky motion when using focus pulling and the like.

1% · « **Reply #10 on:** July 03, 2012, 07:32:10 PM »

Also I don't ONLY shoot video... also noise from the motor isn't always so quiet.

I like the sigma.Im going for Tokina 11-16mm next. I like their 50-150 except for the AF. Nice constant 2.8s that can do double duty.

Richard · « **Reply #11 on:** July 06, 2012, 12:19:15 PM »

If you doubt between the canon 50 mm 1.4 or 1.8, choose the 1.8.
The price difference isn't worth it. I own the 1.4, and have owned the 1.8. At 1.4 the sharpness is not that good, and I find the quality very similar at the other apertures. 1.8 is a bit louder, when using autofocus. Sharpness of the 1.8 is very good for that price, especially at F/8; at which you will shooting when your aim is portraits or landscapes.

My experience with canon 28-135 IS; I just got rid of it, very disappointed with it.

weldroid · « **Reply #12 on:** July 06, 2012, 04:33:48 PM »

Just a thought/question: with old non-AF lenses there is no feedback to the body about focus information, so it is impossible to trigger magic focus by focusic manually right?

Francis · « **Reply #13 on:** July 06, 2012, 04:46:36 PM »

Quote from: weldroid on July 06, 2012, 04:33:48 PM

Just a thought/question: with old non-AF lenses there is no feedback to the body about focus information, so it is impossible to trigger magic focus by focusic manually right?

Correct. Some lenses already with AF and reporting info don't trigger when turning focus ring.

1% · « **Reply #14 on:** July 06, 2012, 04:53:31 PM »

You need to get an adapter. I use that for my crappy nikon manuals. It has AF confirm.

As for the 28-135, I have the ancient 35-135 and only used the new one on my friend's 7D. It seemed comparable, sucks if its not as good. The HSM AF was better than my simgma 70-200 (RIP). Of course performance of a F/4-5.6 not so hot. Now they dropped it to 3.5, probably only around 28mm. Also I see the price is 450USD.... I got my lens for ~100 so at that price its a steal. At $450 you have other choices.... at ~$200/250 maybe it wouldn't be so disappointing? WTF canon.

aegisdi · « **Reply #15 on:** July 07, 2012, 12:11:53 AM »

While working on set as a Unit Stills Photographer, my work-horse lens is the 18-135 EF-S on a T2i. Due to the massive amount of light put up for the main camera, I don't need a really fast lens, so f4 works most of the time. I also don't have a blimp, so I don't take photos during filming, so I'm not as concerned about USM. And a film set is a dangerous place for a camera, with lots of ways for your equipment to get damaged. Why risk an expensive lens?

As for filming I use the Pentax M42 mount 50mm F1.4 and 24mm F2.8 most of the time. I also use a Mamiya 645 45mm F2.8 occasionally.

javapop · « **Reply #16 on:** July 08, 2012, 09:58:14 PM »

For filming, I am using a Nikon 50 1.4 AIS and a 24mm 2.8 AIS lens. They are totally manual; but beautiful image!

John Kesl · « **Reply #17 on:** July 15, 2012, 07:20:58 AM »

Quote from: javapop on July 08, 2012, 09:58:14 PM

For filming, I am using a Nikon 50 1.4 AIS and a 24mm 2.8 AIS lens. They are totally manual; but beautiful image!

I'm with you. I am using only nikon Ai-s on my canon's. For both stills and video. I made myself a split image rangefinder ground glass and it made all the difference, for my 5d that is. For video I shoot with the 60D and ML, I use the 20 2.8, 24 2.8, 50 1.4, 85 1.4 and two zooms a 35-70 3.5 macro and a 25-50 4.0 and last but not least a 105 2.5. I think I will be getting a nikon 28 2.0 soon. A Contax 50 1.4 and 35 1.4 are in the stars but later. The last one is a dream o mine and expensive so it'll have to wait. But Zeiss Contax T* 50's are about 350-400. so not so bad for what was the and probably is the best corrected 50 ever made (Zeiss Planar 50 1.4 T* for Contax manual focus) The canon L 50 1.2 is as good but costs more. I've looked at and researched the NIkon 50 1.2 but am ambivalent about it.

1% · « **Reply #18 on:** July 15, 2012, 08:19:48 AM »

I have a series E 1.8. Better than the plastic canon but no af.

v1de0 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 18, 2012, 12:55:20 AM »

Might consider mount converters so you can use older (usually cheaper lenses) on your camera. I use old Pentax lenses and fd lenses on my 550D Might be a good way for you to get quality Glass for cheap.

Kim.dh · « **Reply #20 on:** July 21, 2012, 01:29:46 AM »

Thanks for the replies guys. My brother gave me his old 50mm f/1.8 II and I bought a sigma 70-300mm DG macro on sale.

I rummaged through the cellar and found a couple of my fathers old Pentax lenses: SMC Pentax-M f/1.7 50mm and f/3.5 135mm. What sort of adapter will I need, to use it on my 550d? and how should I expect it to work (like how reliable is auto focus confirm chips on some adapters)? Any adapter brand you would recommend?

1% · « **Reply #21 on:** July 21, 2012, 01:39:20 AM »

EF to K mount... any adapter will do. Try to find one with an af confirm chip already. Make sure you can set aperture, etc for the AF confirm chip. Mine is fixed 2.0 and not sure if that affects camera calculations or not.

Kim.dh · « **Reply #22 on:** July 21, 2012, 01:48:56 AM »

Thanks! Will I need to modify the lenses in any permanent way? (My father mightwant to use it on his old pentax body again)

Kim.dh · « **Reply #23 on:** July 21, 2012, 01:54:54 AM »

Some research tells me I wont need to modify them for my camera (on some full-frame cameras the aperture bayonette might collide with the mirror).

BBYosh2012 · « **Reply #24 on:** August 26, 2012, 06:03:31 PM »

Quote from: Francis on July 03, 2012, 06:53:52 PM

The better the AF motor, the better the performance of the follow focus-related ML features. My Sigma 24-70 has a clunky motor with jerky motion when using focus pulling and the like.

I'm using v2.3 with my T2i.

I have one problem though. Follow focus and rack focus work perfectly with my Canon 18-55mm lens (which I don't like to use for video) but not with the Sigma 24-70mm f2.8 lens(which I really like to use).

According to the Focus End Point counter the pulses are being sent to the lens but the lens only responds intermittently and unpredictably. Start and end points are therefore not accurately recorded so Rack Focus is unpredictable. With a fresh, fully charged battery I've tried every combination of settings for Step size, Wait, Step Delay and Rack Delay but it makes no difference. It's obviously something about the lens. Does anybody have any suggestions for a work around?

News:

Author Topic: Lenses for 550d (Read 21297 times)