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What lenses should I buy with a Canon EOS 30D for nature photography?

I'm thinking of buying the Canon EOS 30D but don't know what lenses I should buy with it. My interest is in nature photography (mountains, beach, wildlife) but have never invested in a good camera. I don't know a whole lot about specifications for different lenses and need some good recommendations for starting photography as a hobby.

Public Comments

  1. Depends a lot on budget and subjects you want to shoot. If all you want to shoot is mountains and waterfalls and landscapes, get 28-135 IS USM. Can't go wrong with it. Go for wider lens as your budget permits. If possible, get Image stabilized lens
  2. This is a very broad question because there are many different types of Nature photography so you may need to be more specific about what you want to do. Here are some general guidelines. For Nature Scenes you will want a good quality Wide angle lens, usually at least 24mm (35 mm equivalent). So look for a Zoom that starts at least that wide. Preferably f2.8 or lower. For Insects, flowers etc. you want something with close up capability, a "Macro" lens. The best Macro lenses are fixed focal length, not zooms but their are a number of pretty good zooms with a Close Focus of Macro function. For Birds & Wildlife the best lenes will be Moderate to Long Telephotos with the longest focal length & lowest f/number you can afford. There are good quality zooms from Canon and Sigma that would be good for this, look for something in the 100-500mm (35mm equivelant) focal length. This would be a good lens to get with a Macro feature if you want to get a combination lens.
  3. A good Macro Lens....... Get a Macro lens so you can take 1:1 images of bugs and interesting things on wildlife trails. When you have more spare cash extend your lenses to include a fast telephoto lens for birds and wildlife you can't get close to, perhaps a 300mm lens. Get yourself a Benbo Trekker tripod, it's light and easy to use and a must to prevent camera shake and movement.
  4. Depends on your budget, but here are some not-totally-expensive lenses for different purposes. The best bet for landscapes on your camera is the Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5, which will give you a true "ultrawide" perspective. http://www.amazon.com/Canon-EF-S-10-22mm-3-5-4-5-Digital/dp/B0002Y5WXE/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-0439139-4575666?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1190135212&sr=1-1 The best bet for closeups of insects and flowers would be the Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro, which will double as a superb portrait lens. Note that this is a "prime lens," or a lens that doesn't zoom. http://www.amazon.com/Canon-100mm-Macro-Lens-Cameras/dp/B00004XOM3/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/105-0439139-4575666?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1190134687&sr=1-1 A good standard zoom, covering wide to short-portrait would be the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8. This is much sharper and faster than the kit lens. http://www.amazon.com/Tamron-AF17-50mm-Aspherical-Canon-Cameras/dp/B000EXR0SI/ref=pd_bbs_1/105-0439139-4575666?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1190134758&sr=1-1 Wildlife means telephoto, and telephotos cost money. Avoid the $200 70-300mm zooms like the plague (the more expensive Canon version with Image Stabilization is pretty good.) The 70-300IS is totally different animal optically, and probably your best bet for getting started with wildlife. http://www.amazon.com/Canon-70-300mm-4-5-6-Lens-Cameras/dp/B0007Y794O/ref=pd_bbs_1/105-0439139-4575666?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1190134949&sr=1-1 If you're more serious about shooting wildlife, consider the Canon 300mm f/4L IS and a 1.4x Teleconverter. This lens does not zoom, but will offer far superior image quality and low-light ability from the zoom, and it will work with the Teleconverter to reach 420mm (roughly the equivalent of 672mm on your camera!). Note that I don't recommend trying a teleconverter on a zoom lens: generally poor results. http://www.amazon.com/Canon-300mm-Telephoto-Lens-Cameras/dp/B00009R6WW/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/105-0439139-4575666?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1190135104&sr=1-2 http://www.amazon.com/Canon-1-4X-Extender-Telephoto-Accessory/dp/B00009R6WL/ref=pd_bbs_1/105-0439139-4575666?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1190135150&sr=1-1
  5. first off. good choice in a camera. i have a canon 30D and its great for nature pictures, with the right lens. if i was you i would get the TS-E 24mm f/3.5L its expensive but its worth it. it runs about 1,900. but the pictures are amazing. i wouldnt wast money on buying cheaper lens'
  6. You have some excellent answers above, but here are some review pages, just as an additional resource. Canon Lenses and Reviews http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Canon-Lenses/ (See "Recommendations" on this page) http://www.photo.net/canon/#lense http://www.wlcastleman.com/equip/reviews/index.htm http://www.photozone.de/active/news/index.jsp http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/index.html http://www.fredmiranda.com http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1029 The Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM (28-135 equiv.) (April 2007-$515) is a good "walk around" lens at a good price. http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=149&modelid=10511 http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-S-17-85mm-f-4-5.6-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx Not quite as much of a wide angle, the Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM Autofocus Lens (2007-$1,060) is a pretty good all-around lens. This review says, "If I had only one lens, this would be the one." http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-24-105mm-f-4-L-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx Excellent general purpose lens: Canon Zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens (April 2007-$1,140) http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-24-70mm-f-2.8-L-USM-Lens-Review.aspx
  7. Maybe you should ask Andy, you know your friend, who is a professional photgrapher.
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