Can anyone recommend a zoom lens for the above please. I’m not super familiar with DSLRs, so clueless about focal length/aperture balance. I guess I’m after the equivalent to a 28-90ish zoom in 35mm.
For context - My wife is interested in doing a bit of photography to add to her retirement hobbies (she got a really good eye for composition, but has started to find her phone a bit limiting). I have an old unused Canon 400D that’s only been used for photo microscopy, but can’t find the lens for it.
She likes taking photos of flowers, plants, landscapes and cityscapes - so I guess maybe something that has reasonably close focus or macro(?). I should mention that she’s not keen on carrying lots of different lenses around with her in a camera bag, because she said she doesn’t want to look like her dad! :))
An article i saw online mentioned that DSLR’s are now seen as a bit old hat, and that there are some bargain second hand lenses about. I wondered about buying her a zoom lens as a surprise present, but haven’t a clue where to start.
If anyone can suggest any suitable lenses, that be much appreciated.
I think the kit lens for that camera was this.
https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/product/canon-ef-s-18-135mm-f-3-5-5-6-is-usm
That covers most of your usecases until you start to get fancy!
By far the best lens I have purchased recently was a simple fixed 50mm (which is about the same as the natural view of the human eye). It stops down to f.14, so it is great for portraiture, flowers, still life, product shots etc, as the very shallow depth of field is great for isolating the focus of the shot. It is head and shoulders above the crap the packages come with when bought new (zoom lenses that only stop down to about f5.6).
Depending on budget, you should also look at lenses with image stabilisation (especially if you really want a zoom) and USM focusing (ultrasonic motor), but, in my opinion, a good 50mm will allow her to take much better pictures.
I buy all my kit (well, my daughters, who are both doing A-level photography) from CeX – the 50mm I mentioned above was £130 and worth every penny.
I have just had a look, and this looks a good option if you want a zoom - it 'only' stops down to f2.8, but that is pretty good, and, more importantly, it remains at that aperture across the zoom range.
Thanks, I hadn’t thought of a 50mm lens. Wide aperture would be handy for some of the images she’s trying to capture.
A 50 on a 400d is like an 80 due to the sensor being smaller than 35mm full frame. So it’s useful but limiting.
The kit lens or one with a greater range would fit the brief much better.
I would not invest more for a 400d as those lower range cameras have quite poor viewfinders.
There are many bargains around in dslr land these days but just get a std zoom as you intended .
I'd look on mpb.com I've had a few lenses from them. Ef and ef-s lenses are fairly cost effective nowadays.
I had a 17-40F4L on a 350d and 60d which was good, but feels very wide on my R6
Had a Sigma 17-70 on my 350d and then 70d, only changed when I went full frame (r6m2).
Ah, thanks TedC, that’s the sort of thing I had in mind. I used to have a Sigma zoom lens on a 35mm camera many years ago and it was excellent for the money. I’d forgotten about Sigma.
The kit lens on that camera was probably the 18-55. You should be able to pick one up for buttons, not least because it's been the stock kit lens across multiple cameras for years and everyone has one. It's not going to win any awards, but a 400D isn't exactly going to be pushing it to the limits. Note that this does NOT have a macro function.
I would be reluctant to get anything other than a cheap lens to see if she takes to it, because if she does and "doesn't want to carry lenses around" then your 400D is the wrong solution. The whole point of a dSLR is the ability to swap lenses. If she does take to it then you will both be in a position to spend more money sensibly on what she actually wants.
If you can't find the lens and it's been rolling around in a cupboard without a cover on the opening then that 400D is probably ****ed anyway.
... this is what I'd buy, probably. More useful than the 18-55 and not particularly more expensive.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw=EF-S+17-85mm