Choose A Canon Digital SLR Lens Wisely – Here’s How
Canon 17-55mm Lens
Once you have decided on the right Canon EOS camera, your decision making process is not over. Now you must choose the right Canon Digital SLR lens.
It was probably a research and decision process just to decide on the correct Canon EOS camera, right? As you consider the situation, you perceive that there is a vast potpourri of lenses, literally hundreds of them. And you are not limited to just Canon lenses, there are others who create lenses for Canon EOS cameras as well.
You have to pick one.
It’s possible to avoid this whole issue and go with the package deal that includes the kit lens. And, yes, there are even package deals that have two or more kit lenses. Then there would be no choice to make.
But getting the lenses for your digital SLR is half of the excitement of owning a camera like this.
There are those who make a science out of this piece of the selection process, taking long periods of time to research and evaluate. If you go online to some of the camera forums, you will see how totally involved some photographers are in lens selection. Sometimes it is a bit extreme.
At the end of the day, you want this decision to be the right one. The one that gets just the right lens onto your camera.
This brings up the question, “Why not just go for the kit lens?” The answer is a simple one. You could purchase the kit lens and be quite satisfied with it. Lot’s of do that. But it just is not best lens manufactured for a Canon EOS digital SLR camera. Its purpose is to get a lens on that camera so you can get started taking pictures right out of the box. You may want to consider what lots of new camera owners do. Get the camera body only, without the kit lens. Then you have the freedom to get a lens of your own choice separate from the kit lens.
Here are some questions that will aid you narrow the field.
1. What’s in your wallet?
Once you answer this one, you may not have to answer any of the ones that follow. If your budget simply includes the camera and a kit lens, then you are done. If, however, there is some cash allocated for a lens, you can think about the remaining questions. A limited budget of $500 or less will put you in one area, whereas $1000 will give you much more flexibility in your final decision.
2. What is your favored photographic category?
Tamron 17-50mm lens for Canon
Most photographers tend to move toward a particular favored genre. Most photographers establish a favorite style even before they buys to their first digital SLR. For shooting photos of family and friends or vacation, the focal range of 18-70mm (or something within those parameters) will be perfect. You will have to regard a different main lens if your photographic focus is on nature, or sports, or even portraits.
3. Will you be purchasing more than one lens for this new Canon Digital SLR camera?
Buying more than one DSLR lens is really the second reason why most photographers move into Digital SLR photography, the first reason being their desire to get a more sophisticated camera. If you budget allows for another lens or two, then the first lens choice can focus more on getting the best image in the 17-75mm range. Your second lens should be one of the 70-200mm or 70-300mm lenses.
4. The final question is this: Which Canon EOS camera did you decide on?
Depending on your answer, you may not be able to get some of the Canon or third party lenses simply because they will not work on your camera. Oddly, there are more choices for the cheaper, entry level digital SLRs. All of the Canon lenses and third party lenses will fit on your camera. If, on the other hand, you buy a more professional “full frame” camera, you can not get any of the lenses that are designated at EF-S lenses, as they are for only the crop frame models such as the Rebel series.
The choice to move to a DSLR camera is an exciting one, but it is not without its exploration and challenges. You really need to do your homework before making this buying decision.
The worst case scenario is that you have a low budget, and you make the wrong choice for your first Canon camera lens.
Fortunately, there are resources available to help you decide which Canon digital SLR lens is right for you.
Go to www.canoneoslenses.org to continue your quest for the best lens for your Canon EOS camera.
