Present for my girlfriend.

Talking Head

Hi, just to let you know that i am not actually into photography myself. Im looking to get my girlfriend a new lense for her camera for her birthday. She has a canon rebel xti and the lense she has at the moment is the one that came standard. http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=139&modelid=14256

Can anyone recommend a good lense for the camera?
Thanks

Beef

What's your budget for a lens?

Duchovny

Talking Head wrote: »

Hi, just to let you know that i am not actually into photography myself. Im looking to get my girlfriend a new lense for her camera for her birthday. She has a canon rebel xti and the lense she has at the moment is the one that came standard. http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=139&modelid=14256

Can anyone recommend a good lense for the camera?
Thanks

Well that depends of the budget...

What kind of pictures she prefers to take?

Talking Head

A feww hundred i guess. She likes taking all sorts of pics from portraits, nature and acrhitecture. Is that to varied?

Hugh_C

Talking Head wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good lense for the camera?
Thanks

get her a 50mm f/1.8, cheaply available on ebay and round Dublin. Great fun, inexpensive, does interesting depth-of-field stuff like this.

Duchovny

yeah 50mm sounds about right...

I will buy for myself the 10-20 EX from sigma a bit expensive but always good to have a look and have more options...

Talking Head

Thanks for the replies. Where would be the best place to buy the EF 50mm f/1.8 II in Dublin?

Cabaal

50mm 1.8 gets my vote as its ideal for portraits and gives a lovely DOF, plus its great value so it might allow you to get her something else

Mellor

The 50mm gets my vote, its the best lens for the money out there.You can pick it up in town for €130 in Gunns, maybe cheaper if you shop around, I have one and I use it alot of all kinds of shots

m_stan

+1 on the 50. If you have time, buy online. Recommend Kea

Talking Head

Thanks for the help everyone. Just one more question. Its not going to be to similar to the one she has now, is it? I think it came with a EF-S 18-55mm .

Cabaal

No, the lets she already has is a kit lens and isn't very fast, the 50mm 1.8 is very fast and is good for low light and gives great depth of field which is very useful.
You'll find most people here have one because its such a good lens for the money you spend

m_stan

Its similar in that its within the same range as the lens she already has, but it's much faster as mentioned already. One other thing to note - this is a fixed lens - no zoom, unlike the kit lens she already has. So what you see is what you get. If you want to see more or less of a subject, you have to use 'foot-zoom' - ie move yourself and the camera to adjust your composition.

This is a great lens for the money and will allow your girlfriend to learn a tonne of very important stuff about photography if she reads the right stuff online and has a willingness to learn.

A no-brainer purchase for me

Talking Head

Sorry for yet another question. Im getting the lens for her on wednesday. Only thing is she has been talking about fish eye lens over the last few days. How much would one of these cost? Thanks

Hugh_C

Talking Head wrote: »

Sorry for yet another question. Im getting the lens for her on wednesday. Only thing is she has been talking about fish eye lens over the last few days. How much would one of these cost? Thanks

not sure about the price, but you can try searching for lenses with very short focal lengths - i.e. much less than 50mm, say around 15mm. Looks like they're a lot dearer and to be honest, they have limited applications.

Mellor

Fish eye and wide angle lens tend to be more expensive (no ure why, but somebody here knows), i've had trouble picking up one on a budget, the 50mm is a great lens, the fisheyes and wide angles are limited as Hugh C said above, I want one for architecture, which is one of its strengths (I note you mentioned that too) that said it is a tough one to pick out as they vary alot, a 50mm is a must for any photographer, good choice

m_stan

If you are on a budget you aren't going to get as much value for money in a fish eye are you are with the 50mm.

I have a Sigma 10-20, and though not a fisheye it is quite wide. It cost me about 300 Eur compared to about 80 for the 50mm on ebay. The Sigma 8mm fisheye looks like more money again.

As already stated, she'll find the fisheye has fewer applications also. If she wants to learn about lenses and photography then the 50mm would be a better next move than a fisheye. Plus it's cheap as chips. All good reasons to stick with the original suggestion.

If however, you can afford 400 Eur and she reaaaally wants one, then it may be worth considering but personally I wouldn't. She may have just heard that fisheyes are cool and not really understand why.

You can also prove to her that you've done your research and point her to this thread after you've given it to her

Seriously though, there's plenty of experienced people here that can demonstrate how to get the best out of the nifty fifty.

decsramble

You could get one of those cheap Lomography Fisheye cameras (Urban outfitters have them) and then pick up a 50mm prime as the main present.