Quote:
Originally Posted by PIMking
My one lens is
EFs 18-55 1:3.5-5.6 IS II Macro .25m/.8ft
the other is
EFS 55-250 1:4-5.6 IS II Macro 1.1m/3.6ft
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I can't comment on the macro lens, as I've never used it, but I can tell you that I am not a big fan of the 18-55. It's a decent kit lens and it'll do what you need it to do, so I wouldn't go rush and buy something crazy right away. I would suggest the Canon 50mm f/1.8. It's about $120 CDN, and made of cheap plastic but sweet Jesus does it hold up well for the cost. I've dropped it several times, taken it through the rain and mud and it still comes out quite sharp. It has a cheap feel, small focus ring and only a 5 blade aperture (so you'll get pentagon shapes as your bokeh which some like/don't like.) Otherwise, I love it.
The problems I have with the 18-55 is that it's very soft, which is part of the reason your pictures can come out a little blurrier. It's also not very fast (the aperture is only 3.5 at it's very widest, and that decreases when you zoom.)
Unfortunately, with the Ti3 and other Rebel series, they have a 1.6 body crop which means that unless you're using an EF-S lens (which the 2 you have are) you're going to have to multiply your focal lengths by 1.6 to get your real focal lengths. (example, a 70-200mm lens would be more like a 112-320mm lens) This is great for zoom lenses, as some pros will opt for a 1.3x crop when shooting sports or birds, etc. However, this is not so good when you want a pretty wide angle shot.
Body crop is essentially the sensor size. A full-frame sensor is 24mm x 36 mm and unfortunately more expensive. The advantage to a full-frame is that you can have a bit more flexibility in low light situations. Think of it as having more light-sensors all at once. As well as a shallower depth of field. So in this instance, you could take a shot of your hawk and have less of the background in focus, and have a faster shutter speed to capture it flying fast/diving, etc. The other advantage is, like I mentioned earlier, having a greater area for wide shots.
I really like the Rebel series cameras. I had one for a long time and it had some great use. I'd definitely stick with it until you get that big desire to upgrade. They're quite easy to use at first, with the ability to go full manual and test your abilities. They're not as bulky as the other Canon bodies which is great for traveling, and they can support a good variety of lenses.
I'd always consider upgrading lenses before bodies, since a well taken care of lens will last you forever but a body won't necessarily. And if you're looking to upgrade any lens, then Canon's L series is considered their top for sharpness, speed and build.
I haven't used Tamron or any other third party lenses, but I hear they can be quite good as well and even be a bit cheaper.
But for lens suggestions, I would definitely hype the 50mm 1.8, and if you want a good zoom lens then I always have a soft spot for my 70-200 f/4L (runs about $700 CDN brand new, which is I think the cheapest of the L series.) I also have a 17-40mm f/4L and I love it. It's a great walk-around lens.
Sorry, I typed way more than I meant to.
