Which camera Lense should I buy for my Canon EOS Rebel XS camera?

Asked by inihilist (1

) September 26th, 2009

Hello..
I’m a total noob when it comes to DSLRs or lenses…so im here asking the expert opinion..
Now..my predicament….
I’m planning to buy a lense for my bro’s Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XS camera as a bday gift.
I know that he just started getting interest in photography and has bought the camera..no lenses other than the standard one which comes with the package when you buy it..
I did some research online…and think that telephoto zoom lenses would be a good bet..
My budget range is 200–300$, so these are the 2 of the lenses I found in amazon

1.
Canon EF 100–300mm f/4.5–5.6 USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004XOND?tag=bobatkinsphotogr&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=B00004XOND&adid=0GFM2238WCKYN5ZWTJ5N&

2.
Canon EF-S 55–250mm f/4.0–5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-55-250mm-4-0-5-6-Telephoto-Digital/dp/B0011NVMO8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1254010180&sr=1-1

So which one should i buy ??
I have no idea what I should look for in terms of EF/EF-S/IS/focal length/aperture size etc etc

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks again

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4 Answers

Do you know what your brother likes to photograph? I am very very amateur so take my advice with a grain of salt, but my favorite lens so far has been the 50mm f/1.4 lens. I love it for pictures of people—there’s something about the lens that makes their faces come out just stunning.

nikipedia (28072

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Agreed. Buy a real nice prime that can shoot wide open. don’t waste your money on a crappy telephoto.

patg7590 (4608

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I’d get a Sigma—you get more lens for your money. And agreed on a prime.

andrew (16543

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Or, if you want something a little more versatile try the Sigma 24 – 70, 2.8. It’s a fantastic all round lens and at f2.8 offers some very sharp images and good performance in low light. Sigma is fantastic because they, like andrew said, give you a lot of bang for your buck. i.e. The nikon 24–70, 2.8 is $2400 AUD

edit:: and a prime lens is the way to go, the 50mm 1.4 is pretty pricy but the 50mm 1.8 retails for about $200 AUD, ($150 USD)

joeysefika (3098

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