HELP, I have a Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Lens (Silver)?

Question

I want to upgrade to a lense that has a better zoom yet can still offer wide format shots. Does anyone suggest a lense that will be a good upgrade yet still cost effective?

Also, I need to upgrade the flash, does anyone know a good cheap flash that iwll work well with this camera? I'm a NEWB when it comes to photography and such, thanks in advance.

Answer 1

I'm guessing that 18mm at the wide end is sufficient and that you only need more zoom range at the tele side. I'm also guessing that you're on a bit of a budget.
Canon has a nice 28-200mm zoom, but you'd effectively loose wide angle coverage. They also have a great 17-85mm zoom. This is a fantastic walk round lens but is costs $500. So you could look into the Sigma 18-125mm zoom for $280 or the Sigma / Tamron 18-200mm lenses for around $385. These are upgrades in terms of zoom range but not in terms of image quality. You could also hold on to the 18-55mm kit lens and add a Canon 55-200mm zoom for just $200.
With regard to the flash, any external unit would be an improvement if you currently rely on the pop-up flash. Here I would stick with Canon. Have a look at their 220EX Speedlite for $115.

Answer 2

All good answers. But let me add, what kind of shots will you be taking and what is your price range? Do you need a high quality fast lens or just a general all purpose? Sigma just released their upgraded 18-200 with Image Stabilization. It is not the sharpest or fastest lens out there, but this is a good general purpose lens for about $500 and you only need to carry one lens to cover the wide and telephoto ranges. Tamron just annonced a 18-250 f3.5-6.3 ($500), so this is another alternative. But if you need a fast lens, you'll have to spend a bit more. Examples of Canon lenses to cover that same range. 17-55 IS 2.8 or 24-70 IS 2.8L, and 70-200 IS 2.8L. Purchasing two of those lenses to cover the wide and zoom ranges will put you down over $3,000. Sigma has their EX line which is their "L" type class lens (High quality glass). They have the 18-50 f2.8 and 50-150 f2.8. Buying both of those will be like $1250 US before taxes.

If you want slightly more reach (but is a slow lens), Canon has the 17-85 f4.0-5.6 IS or around $500. Sigma has a 18-125 f3.5-5.6 ($275) that is slightly sharper and has better contrast than their 18-200 lens.

As for the flash, try to get the 430EX as it is their mid-line flash. The 220EX is ok, but does not provide that much more power over the built-in flash. It is a great travel companion, but you'll be wishing for more power and flexibility when you learn more about flash photography. The 430EX has more power and zoom head flexibility. Hope this helps.

Answer 3

It's nice to always use Canon or Nikon lenses, but it's not always practical when you consider the price. When you get quality "glass", you pay quality prices! Both Tamron and Sigma have an 18-200 zoom that work quite well. The Tamron lens (I think) is also marketed under the Promaster name. Remember that the length shown in the specs for Canon EOS XT lenses have to be multiplied by 1.6 to come up with the equivalent mm when comparing. The 18mm length at wide angle thus becomes about 23mm when used with the XT. These lenses are slow at the telephoto end, where the maximum opening is 6.3. You will definitely have to use a flash, probably guide # 20 for these lenses the way you want to use them.

By the way, the netting around the rink can play havoc with your hockey pics if you're not careful. If you have to shoot through the netting with any lens, get as close to it as you can to minimize its effect in the photo.

Answer 4

Well for one, make sure you stick with Canon gear. Don't venture off and get something like Vivitar. IF your wanting a great lens go and take a look at Canon website, it has a 28-200mm lens that might be what your looking at getting. www.canonusa.com

Answer 5

yes