Choosing a lens
And you thought deciding to get your EOS DSLR was the hard part. Choosing the right lens can often be the cause of many sleepless nights researching and debating whether or not to pony up the hundreds of dollars (and sometimes thousands of dollars for that coveted "glass". From choosing the right focal length range for your needs to picking the speed of your lens, you'll have to study up before you decide. Buyer's remorse is the last thing you'll want to come home with once you get your lens. Depending on what type of pictures you plan on taking: indoor/outdoor, portraits, action photos, landscapes and then based on your budget you can figure out what equipment you'll need to get the best results.
Lenses (or glass as the pros commonly refer to them as), are the most important investment you can make. This includes being more important than even the actual camera body. Camera bodies are constantly being upgraded and therefore depreciate in value. Unlike camera bodies, lenses retain their value for a very long time if taken care of properly. You can often buy a new lens and sell it years later at the exact same price depending on the condition. This is something that many an experienced photographer. The difference in a picture from a mediocre lens and a great lens is often worth the extra money. I am a firm believer that you should invest earlier and grow into a lens rather than having to keep trading up. Others will disagree and I urge you to try out and research as many different lenses as possible to fit your needs and see the results for yourself. I am personally a big fan of the L series pro Canon lenses because I've seen the difference first-hand and wasn't willing to sacrifice my current photos for the savings. Of course depending on your budget, it might not be a realistic option. I did return an L lens because it was simply impractical and too heavy for a walk-around lens. Therefore, you should find the best lenses in your budget while covering your desired range of focal lengths. Most people get zoom lenses or primes to cover the spectrum of focal lengths from the wide end to the long end. An example of a set of complementary zoom lenses would be:
Or you can go with a set of prime lenses:
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Canon EF 14mm f/2.8L USM
Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L USM
Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM
Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM
Deciphering the Lens Code
[Canon] + [EF] + [24-70mm] + [f/2.8] + [L] + [USM]EF EF are interchangeable lenses on all Canon EOS SLR cameras both film and digital. EF-S series lenses are designed to fit only the digital cameras.
24-70mm is the focal length range. When there is a range of focal lengths, it means it is a zoom lens. If there is only one focal length, then it is a fixed lens or a "prime". The lower the focal length, the wider the angle. The higher the number, the more "telephoto" ability it has.
f/2.8 is the aperture. This is basically the measure of the opening in the lens. The lower the number, the bigger the opening (yes it's backwards so can get confusing at first). So a f/1.4 lets in a lot more light and performs better in low-light situations than does an f/4. The lower the f-stop (measure of aperture), the "faster" the lens is. If you see a range in f-stop that means it changes with the focal length of your zoom. If it only has one number like in this case, it is a fixed aperture of f/2.8 so it can stay that wide open at 24mm and at 70mm.
L means that it has the Canon professional stamp of approval. This is a sign of very high quality build and materials. The glass on L lenses are designed for performance. They often have more elements in the lens to correct for abberations and distortions. They also demand a premium price. Look for much higher price tags on L-series lenses.
USM stands for UltraSonic Motor for the focusing system. This means that it can auto-focus very quickly which comes in handy when you're taking action shots or in spontaneous situations. USM comes standard on a lot of lenses now, but not all.
IS stands for Image Stabilization. If you see a lens with IS, this means that it can compensate for shaking from hand-held shots. People often assume that IS can make up for less aperture, but generally that isn't the case. It does however have an impact in low-light situations that is noticeable.