I'm on the verge of buying a Canon EOS 20D. Up to now I've been using a Fujifinepix F700, which I cant fault for what I want to do, but wanting to move on a wee bit decided to spend a bit of money on a DSLR.  I've dusted down my old Fender Squire and Amp to help pay for it!   Anyway I was wanting to know if you own a Canon 20D, what lens would you recommend as good all rounder mainly for landscape / portrait shots. It looks like a bit of a mine-field at first.

I may buy the body only, or as part of a kit with a lens included but either way , I'm not sure what  spec of lens I should be looking for.  I've been volunteered to take someones wedding photos too, I think I'm more nervous of doing this than I was at my own wedding, so I want to make sure I give them some decent pictures.  Also, is it normal to have say 3 or 4 lenses as part of your outfit?

Thanks for any tips/help

Are you buying the 20D 2nd hand ? The new 3OD may be around the same price.. Can you give an idea of the budget? For Landscapes and if you want to move it a bit closer the 17-40mm L is a cracker  Yes fairly usual and worth saving for the best you can buy saves a lot in the long run if you then have to upgrade later..

I am not a Canon man but I must confirm what Danny has just said - what lenses? - unfortunately the best (prob the most expensive) you can afford. The 'L' series are Canon'^s 'pro' quality and NOT cheap!

Otherwise, there are some excellent less pricey lenses available, I use the Tamron 28-75mm f2.8. It isn't too expensive but gives excellent results - it does not, however have the IS (image stabilisation) of many Canon lenses.

As for the camera istself, Canon have just anounced a new 400D you might find attractive

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0609/06090401canoneos400drebelxtipreview.asp

Charles

remember, the 20D and 30D, 10D etc....have a times 6 field of view sensor crop!.....but I wont get into that!

Eh? go on, get into it, what does that mean? x6 sensor crop? You've got me worried now!

actually its 1.6x magnification.  Picture a piece of A4 paper - that is the size of the image the lens produces.  Now a 35mm camera records all of that image.  So does the 5D and 1D, they have a full sized sensor.  The 350, 400, 20, 10 and 30D all have a "cropped sensor" that means that it is the size of that A4 piece of paper cropped by about an inch and a half all the way around.  Which means that you get a cropping of the image produced by the lens.  The outcome of this... well telephoto shots are higher magnification than a full size sensor, but wide angle are less "wide angle" than a full size sensor.  Something to bear in mind.

As far as i know only the top of the range cameras have full sized sensors, and i wouldnt worry about it too much, just make sure you dont get a walkabout lens that starts at 28mm because those wide-angle shots arent going to be great.

I am looking at the Canon 17-85mm USM IS for my 30D, i am in the same minefield.. I would however say that your budget is the limit, the kit lens can be good (18-55mm) and i have one.

Also depending on your photography other lenses would be a good addition.  Personally i have a prime 105mm macro lens a 70-300mm zoom and the 18-55 kit, but would probably be ok with just the prime macro and a 17-85 lens due to my tendencies in photo taking.

Take a look at this shot - it is cropped only to make it 4:3 instead of 3:2 from the right hand side (and that was to take out a town to the right).  25mm on a cropped sensor...

This shot - not cropped at all, 18mm on a cropped sensor... so there really isnt much problem i would say.

Also the EF-S series of lenses are specially designed for this cropped sensor.

The main thing is the more money you have the better your equipment, but i would be quite happy taking wedding shots with my 30D and the kit lens.

Hope that helps ;)

Thats 1.6x magnification. 100mm X1.6=160mm lens. There has been debates about whether a 1.6 CROP camera has reduced DOF.

Hello aangus!

I agree with Daniel's question tho! Are you buying it used! I mean second hand! If you don't mind to can you tell me exactly how much are you willing to spend on a camera like the 20D or 30D?

I'de rather to go with the 20D for many reasons, but that is up to you ofcourse.. And they both are almost the same price. But the 20D still made out of a metal body ;)

Don't buy a thing for now.. There is a project comming at the end of this week from XOOM PRODUCTIONS to all the Photographers of RENDEROSITY!

Just be patient till then.. Have a nice day

JOE

Another way to look at it is if you have a 100mm lens on your camera it will have the same effect as a 160mm so you gain at the tele end but dip out at the wide angle There are advantages in this as the lens will be sharper towards the centre of the image and thus less good lenses will be much better on the 20D than they will on the full framed 5D or 1DS models the 1DmK1 AND 11 have a slightly larger sensor at 1.3 so this time the effect is less 100mm = 130mm  While the 5D 1DS will give you the full frame as with a 35mm SLR 100mm = 100mm

Attached Link: 40D rumor

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