Just recently..

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tony J on June 29, 2009 at 9:09pm

the canon 50/1.8 is a great lens...creates a great bokeh and is good for portraits.

Permalink Reply by Mac Sokulski on June 29, 2009 at 9:10pm

If you want to do portraits I definitely recommend 50mm f/1.8 It's about $100 new, it's small, but it absolutely best for portraits.

Permalink Reply by nikmuhdhafiz on June 29, 2009 at 10:25pm

depending on what u wanna shoot? if potraits...probably a 50mm 1.8,the price is pretty much ok, and if ur looking for telephoto,probably u wanna try the 70-200 F4 L lens..this are ok lens with not a highly over price,but then again..what kinda of shots u wanna take...that is the main question..

Permalink Reply by Mika Karhulahti on June 29, 2009 at 11:11pm

Some 3rd party 17-50 f2.8 lens would probably fit the bill. Tamron or Sigma won´t break the bank. F2.8 is what your after.
rgds,
Mika

Permalink Reply by Vicki DeVico on June 30, 2009 at 10:15am

Inna, there's no absolutely correct answer to this question. I see folks suggesting the 50mm for portraits but I have the 100mm macro which is also a great portrait lens. For all purpose walking around, I highly suggest the 28-135mm. It gives a great range and really crisp shots. If you're into bird and wildlife photography, you'll need a longer lens, something with a reach of at least 400mm (a telephoto will be less expensive than a prime lens). The main thing is to decide what kinds of photography you want to do...and get the lenses that fit that style. Good luck!

Permalink Reply by Dennis Arculeo on June 30, 2009 at 1:12pm

Sigma and Tamron make good quality lens, and are somewhat lower in price than OEM lenses. Its all about good optics, rare glass elemnts asperhical lens appied coating....and always remember you get what you pay for. when you buy cheap it is always a dissapoinment. But I recently read an Article on line that Canon reburbished lens are as good as new and come with the same warranties. From 20-30% cost savings over new that might be an avenue to explore. Dennis

Permalink Reply by Rob Bixby on June 30, 2009 at 4:30pm

As mentioned Tamron and Sigma lenses are good and the prices allow more capable lenses for less money. I would suggest you get 2-3 lenses. First, a good portrait lens as mentioned, the Canon 50mm f/1.8. Then I would suggest 2 zoom lenses in the range of 28-135mm and a 70-200 or 70-300. These will give you a range of focal lengths that cover almost anything you would be shooting. As far as the maker, buy the best you can afford. The XSi is a very capable camera and it will show the results of buying too cheap. The other way to look at it is to buy the best glass you can, not only will it improve your images now, but, if you upgrade your camera later, the lenses will save you having to buy more later.

Permalink Reply by Jordan Stead on July 1, 2009 at 4:18pm

17-85 f/4-5.6 USM IS.

Permalink Reply by Dennis Arculeo on July 4, 2009 at 4:56am

Found his interesting article on line.

Refurbished Camera Equipment: As Good as New if not Better
Posted: 28 Jun 2009 02:01 PM PDT

Today Art Askopec shares some tips on buying Refurbished Camera Gear.

Today Art Askopec shares some tips on buying Refurbished Camera Gear.

During the 1980’s, I was the Canon USA Service Manager in charge of setting up and running their Refurbishing Center in New York. For 5 years, I worked with other Service Departments to establish procedures and standards related to refurbished equipment. Though we dealt with more than photographic equipment, it will be the focus of this piece.

Where does the equipment come from?
The majority to be refurbished equipment are retail returns. These returns are usually because the buyer or gift recipient can’t get equipment to work for them! (Seriously) The other source of gear is from retired in-store demo units. In both cases, the equipment is usually in perfect running order, possibly with slight cosmetic issues. No matter how good their condition though, they are no longer “New”, and can’t be sold as such.

This is where refurbishing comes to the rescue of the manufacturer and retailer, putting the equipment into a salable state so they can get their investment out of them. In the process, the buyer benefits with a price break.


How is the equipment serviced?
Camera Service standards are more stringent than the Manufacturing Standards of new product coming off the assembly line. Each piece of equipment is tested in a standard manner and adjustments are made when and if required. Depending on the cost involved, more involved repairs will be undertaken to permit the equipment to pass Quality Control. In rare cases, equipment has cosmetic damage that warrants the replacement of external parts. At the end of the repair the piece of equipment is readied for packaging and sale.

In a majority of cases, all original accessories are included with refurbished equipment.

Warranty
There is a different Warranty with Refurbished equipment. Be sure to read the details because there can be a couple different versions for the same model. The difference is usually the duration, making a significant difference in retail price.

Where can I purchase Refurbished products?
I know that Canon sells refurbished equipment at their eStore. Adorama always has an excellent selection of refurbished equipment. Finally, Refurbdepot specializes in all categories of refurbished equipment.

I hope my insights have been useful and that you will consider purchasing refurbished equipment in the future. If you do you’ll get a much better bang for the buck!

Post from: Digital Photography School - Photography Tips.

Refurbished Camera Equipment: As Good as New if not Better