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What's a cheap starter lens ~18-50

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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
I'm looking for a cheap starter lens(around the same price as a kit lens(I really mean cheap)) and I'm looking for alternatives to the kit lens(18-55 3.5-5.6), Is there any ones that don't have the filter ring turn when you focus? because I'm looking to get a cp filter and I can imagine that getting annoying, I don't need it to zoom in very far (I could settle for around 30mm) but I need something that's not much more than 20mm at the widest end. This is going to be going with my canon t2i and I'm not looking to get a tamron 17-50 because I'm not looking to put that much into this, It's just to take some decent photos and videos of skiing, nothing professional, If I decide to change though I'll just upgrade.

thanks
Aug 4 2012 8:27PM
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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,295
I guess you're straight out of luck. No lens matches your criteria. Especially the non-rotating front element is something you pretty much only find in higher-end lenses.

The kitlens really isn't bad, as long as you know how to use your camera.
Aug 4 2012 9:31PM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
Far enough, thanks for the response. Il just get the kit then, or would the sigma 18-50 f3.5-5.6 be better?
Aug 4 2012 9:50PM
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
Better, yes. But it still wont be great. Keep the kit lens and get some old vintage primes.
Aug 4 2012 10:54PM
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eheath
Posts: 61647 - Karma: 123,460
Buy an old 28mm, 35mm or 50mm. zooms are for lazy people.....like me
Aug 4 2012 10:54PM
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erikK
Posts: 3245 - Karma: 2,329
a friend of mine has a sigma 18-50 f/2.8-4.5, it's definitely a lot better than the kit lens. i'm not sure if the front element rotates with focus, but it'd be pretty easy to find out.
Aug 4 2012 11:05PM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
It's not just the fact that I need the zoom, although it is good, it's that it's the cheapest lens I can get that goes to 18mm, Id be open to getting primes if they had them at a decent price with a similar range
Aug 5 2012 9:31AM
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
You should just save up a little bit more cash and get the tamron 17-50. Its only 100-50 more than the sigma
Aug 5 2012 10:57AM
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
150* more
Aug 5 2012 10:57AM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
The sigma is 80$ used in Britain, the tamron is over $300 new, if I could find it for 200 I would.
Aug 5 2012 11:35AM
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[J_Gasper]
Posts: 2983 - Karma: 1,594
You could find the Tamron for under $315 USD. Your not going to be able to find much better I dont think.


The Sigma is defiantly a better choice than the kit lens, but I would just keep the kit lens and purchase a Tak 50mm f/1.4 for 100 bucks. I know Tokina made an old 17mm prime. Check that out.
Aug 5 2012 12:11PM
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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,295
Tokina RMC 17mm. I got one. It's a nice lens, but runs around 150$/€/£. Heavy distortion on FF (as expected), never used it on a cropper.
Aug 5 2012 12:28PM
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blatt
Posts: 5584 - Karma: 3,097
The sigma is absolute garbage. Chromatic Aberration like none other and it's not too sharp. The kit lens is decent glass, it's just a variable aperture and has a toy-like build. So I would honestly keep the kit lens over the sigma.


I agree with Eheath on this one. Get primes. I've read some articles that say that shooting with primes can really improve your eye for things since you're limited to how wide/tight your shot is. Makes you view things completely different.
Aug 5 2012 3:11PM
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TijmenDal
Posts: 4849 - Karma: 1,295
Tru dat. Shooting with zooms, especially when you're just starting with photography, is the worst thing you can do.
I've shot with a zoom for a month before selling it. Never looked back. Primes all the way now.
Zooms kill creativity if you ask me.
Aug 5 2012 8:47PM
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Mag
Posts: 8155 - Karma: 14,809
thanks for the help, I managed to get a manual focus kit lens for 10$ so I went for that, I'll hopefully get a decent vintage prime zoom once I determine what focal length I really need, but for now I'll start with this.
Aug 7 2012 12:08PM
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