Lens Questions

[Ragnarak]

I'm just starting to play around with my Canon EOS 300 that I got off ebay and I've got a couple of lens related questions.

What's the name of the Canon-fit lenses? Looking at sigma lenses on ebay, I think it's the EF lenses that are the canon-fit ones but I just wanted to make sure with someone on here. (What are Nikon compatible lenses then?)

On to my main question, what types of lenses do people use the most and typically for what subject matter? I'm working my way through various photography books but i'd also like the input of people on here. What focal lengths do you typically use for different types of photography and what would constitute a typical set of lenses that you'd take out with you?

I'm sure someone will say how there's no "typical" answer but i'd like to get people's opinions and experiences.

[mgb_dvd]

EF are Canon ( I think for their autofocus models - I'm not a canon expert )

Basically on a 35mm film camera normal is 50mm, this is approximately the angle you would see with your eye.
Shorter focal lengths give wider angles, 28mm is a typical wide angle - 24mm is about as wide as you can get cheaply and produce normal pictures. Traditionally these are for buildings and landscapes.

Longer lenses give a small angle and higher magnification, for sports or wildlife where you can't get close to the subject use 200-400 mm

For portraits typical use 85-100 because longer lenses also have the effect of making things stand out from the background.

My personal favorite is 100mm for everything, in landscapes it lets you pick a small interesting part of a scene rather than a typical wide angle picture which has a strip of green at the bottom and blue sky above.

[Ragnarak]

Thanks, that's exactly the kind of think I was looking for.

I'd also like to have a look at macro photography. How well do extension tubes work and what kind of setup do people recommend?

[pkr]

... (What are Nikon compatible lenses then?)



Lenses that fit Nikon, Kodak and Fuji (d)SLRs

It is sort of possible to fit Nikon lenses to Canon via an adaptor, but you really don't want to go there.

Your EOS will also take EF-S lenses in addition to straight EF ones. But don't try FD or any other type of Canon mounts ( and there have been a few ) as they will not work.

[Ragnarak]

Lenses that fit Nikon, Kodak and Fuji (d)SLRs


Thanks. I actually meant if EF is the canon mount, what is the Nikon mount called?

[Brozyniak]

As pkr sid, EF and EF-S mount lenses are what you are looking for. I generally use 24-70mm f2.8 for my main lens, useful for people pictures, portraits general scenes. I have 100-400mm for wildlife, airshows and candids. Recently I just bought a 10-20mm which has proven excellent for buildings and interior views.

[pkr]

Thanks. I actually meant if EF is the canon mount, what is the Nikon mount called?


Properly, Nikon 'F'. But as it is the same basic* mount that has been used since 1959 ( on all their interchangable lens camers including the APS Pronea range ), no one bothers defining it fully. It's just 'Nikon mount'.




* There are many variants of how the lens interacts with the body ( to index the metering, AF etc ) but by and large, a lens made in 1959 can be made to fit a modern body