It may sound like a basic task to locate a Canon Rebel Lens, however as soon as you begin your quest, you will find that there are way too many alternatives. The selection is not by any means easy.
Be aware that the original lens you get does not have to be the one that is bundled with the camera. That "kit lens" is a fairly good product, to be sure, however, if you think ahead toward your ultimate photography goal, and use some patience, you can skip the bundle and go for the camera body separately from the glass. Most experts will agree that the glass you put on the front of your digital SLR is as important as the camera itself.
Thinking about focal lengths, virtually all buyers start with a standard zoom rather than a single focus lens. It makes sense to have some flexibility in focal length unless you know exactly which prime focal length is perfect for your type of photography. But that is rarely the case, especially when it comes to selecting a Canon Rebel lens, since a high percentage of buyers are making their first digital SLR purchase.
Criteria for buying a Canon Rebel lens:
*Zoom Range - Standard zoom lenses are not really standard. Standard does mean that there is a minimum focal length and a maximum focal length. For a Rebel, a good minimum focal length is about 18-24mm. For a maximum, standard is 55-85mm. If you stick within these numbers, you will get a nice zoom range that will take care of all your "normal" photographic needs.
*Aperture - for an average price selection, you will normally be faced with a variable aperture. This means that the aperture changes as the focal length increases. This has a negative effect on shutter speed, meaning that your shutter needs to be open longer to get enough light to the sensor for the proper exposure. The best choices are the ones with a constant aperture of f/2.8 throughout the focal range. Of course, this increases the cost of the lens.
*Build Quality - Plastic is cheap. It looks cheap and it feels cheap. That does not mean that plastic lenses take poor photos, in fact, many folks buy cheap and are quite satisfied with the results. When you get lenses made with good quality materials, the price necessarily rises, however, better built equipment lasts much longer and takes more abuse.
*EF-S or EF - The difference here is which camera the lens will work on. The good news for Rebel owners is that ANY Canon product (and even off-brand products made for Canon) will work on your Canon Rebel. The EF-S models are made specifically for cameras such as the Rebel and other crop sensor cameras up to and including the Canon 7D. However, if you intend to upgrade to a full frame digital SLR camera, you should think about sticking to the EF models, since they will work on all digital SLRs in the Canon lineup.
Making the right Canon Rebel Lens choice has not gotten any easier over the years. The technology of cameras has improved, but so has the technology for the lenses. The best advice is to examine your needs in light of the type of photos you plan to shoot along with your future goals and your budget.
Always buy the best Canon Rebel lens your money can buy. Unlike the camera bodies, lenses are not upgraded as often. If you buy good glass for your present camera model, it will stay with you for a long time, no matter how many camera upgrades you go through.
Be aware that the original lens you get does not have to be the one that is bundled with the camera. That "kit lens" is a fairly good product, to be sure, however, if you think ahead toward your ultimate photography goal, and use some patience, you can skip the bundle and go for the camera body separately from the glass. Most experts will agree that the glass you put on the front of your digital SLR is as important as the camera itself.
Thinking about focal lengths, virtually all buyers start with a standard zoom rather than a single focus lens. It makes sense to have some flexibility in focal length unless you know exactly which prime focal length is perfect for your type of photography. But that is rarely the case, especially when it comes to selecting a Canon Rebel lens, since a high percentage of buyers are making their first digital SLR purchase.
Criteria for buying a Canon Rebel lens:
*Zoom Range - Standard zoom lenses are not really standard. Standard does mean that there is a minimum focal length and a maximum focal length. For a Rebel, a good minimum focal length is about 18-24mm. For a maximum, standard is 55-85mm. If you stick within these numbers, you will get a nice zoom range that will take care of all your "normal" photographic needs.
*Aperture - for an average price selection, you will normally be faced with a variable aperture. This means that the aperture changes as the focal length increases. This has a negative effect on shutter speed, meaning that your shutter needs to be open longer to get enough light to the sensor for the proper exposure. The best choices are the ones with a constant aperture of f/2.8 throughout the focal range. Of course, this increases the cost of the lens.
*Build Quality - Plastic is cheap. It looks cheap and it feels cheap. That does not mean that plastic lenses take poor photos, in fact, many folks buy cheap and are quite satisfied with the results. When you get lenses made with good quality materials, the price necessarily rises, however, better built equipment lasts much longer and takes more abuse.
*EF-S or EF - The difference here is which camera the lens will work on. The good news for Rebel owners is that ANY Canon product (and even off-brand products made for Canon) will work on your Canon Rebel. The EF-S models are made specifically for cameras such as the Rebel and other crop sensor cameras up to and including the Canon 7D. However, if you intend to upgrade to a full frame digital SLR camera, you should think about sticking to the EF models, since they will work on all digital SLRs in the Canon lineup.
Making the right Canon Rebel Lens choice has not gotten any easier over the years. The technology of cameras has improved, but so has the technology for the lenses. The best advice is to examine your needs in light of the type of photos you plan to shoot along with your future goals and your budget.
Always buy the best Canon Rebel lens your money can buy. Unlike the camera bodies, lenses are not upgraded as often. If you buy good glass for your present camera model, it will stay with you for a long time, no matter how many camera upgrades you go through.
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