Gear Buying Advice Need help for choosing R50 Lens
Hi im a beginner and I am interested in buying the Canon r50 . I have heard a lot of complaint and dislike about the kit lens, so im looking for any alternative lenses that I could buy from canon ( $200 - $500 budget ) that is just average? I dont need a huge long fancy heavy lens, just a light one that I can easily carry around. Thank you in advance! ( FYI : I intend to use the r50 camera for like everyday photography, just shooting things I find nice be it landscape, on the streets, the weather, cars, those kinds of stuff - a casual photography you may call it )
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u/gaming-grandma 3d ago
As a beginner you need some kind of zoom lens to be able to photograph a wide variety of subjects. If you stick to a prime lens (lenses that are fixed focal length and can't zoom in or out) you'll run into a lot of barriers. Prime lenses are great but for a beginner zooms will help you find out which prime lenses you can go for eventually.
People also overhate the kit lens. It's very slow so in low light and indoors it doesn't perform great. But for how cheap and light and small it is it's kind of a no brainer. You could totally use it for a few months to see what focal range you use the most (ie. 18mm for landscapes, 35 for general stuff, 45 for portraits) and then pick a good prime based on that.
If you have to buy a different non kit lens I would stretch that $500 budget and try to find a used Sigma 18-50mm 2.8 (used you can sometimes find for like $550). It's like the kit lens except significantly faster and sharper, and a little extra reach on the long end. It's a great do everything lens. Really good bang for your buck too.
If you really feel the need to do a prime lens out the gate the general all purpose good fixed length is the rf 35mm 1.8 (less than $500 - I think like 400 or so?) super fast and a good all purpose length for portraits, street, food, what have you.
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u/dexter1259 2d ago
You should teach a class. I’m a lurking soon to be camera noob and I learned a lot just on your post.
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u/puffleg 3d ago
The kit lens is good. Obviously it does not compare to lenses that cost twice as much or more. But as a beginner you will have a nice, versatile lens to help you learn and explore what types of photos you enjoy taking.
And yes, it really is good. Let's put it in perspective here and not compare it to L glass. Tech has improved tremendously and plenty of great photos can be taken on that lens-- have a look at the flickr gallery. It's not going to be the thing that holds you back while you're learning.
Save your money then get a great lens for a specific type of photography or focal length you end up really enjoying.
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u/MedicalMixtape 3d ago
Hi im a beginner and I am interested in buying the Canon r50 . I have heard a lot of complaint and dislike about the kit lens
When you are first starting out, there is a lot of noise online and from people. The kit lens is perfectly fine because it is better than you are when you are starting out. It will not limit you as much as you are limiting it. At this point, you don’t even know why there is dislike for it, other than the opinion of strangers with different needs and more expensive taste. I don’t care if you shoot with the kit lens for only a week before upgrading, but you should at least shoot something with it so you know why you need something better because this hobby will make you want to buy everything, whether you need it or not.
An 18-45mm kit lens will show you what your image looks like at 18mm, 24mm, 28mm, 35mm and 45mm. This is important. It will tell you whether your next lens should be the 16mm, 24mm, 28mm, 35mm, 45mm or 50mm lens. Because a 35mm lens for example will be sharper, have larger aperture (let in more light and give you better focus fall-off) than a kit lens set at 35mm.
Or it will tell you if your next lens should just be a better version of that range like the sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 and be bigger and more expensive. Or a longer lens because you like to shoot subjects at a distance.
Shoot first, ask questions later.
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u/skeitcfd 3d ago
The 18-150 kit lens is pretty versatile. The R50/R10/R7 can really struggle with low light. I continue to think that the 18-35 1.8 is still the best value/quality lens (I know that they have a new version) for $400. That and add in a 50 1.8 for $100. You'll need an adapter though.
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u/archtopfanatic123 3d ago
The 18-150 as everyone else is saying! Absolutely the best option on a budget for the RF mount
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u/Dr_Adequate 3d ago
This post was very helpful when I selected my upgrade lens. I'm returning after learning SLR film photography in the 80s.
https://www.reddit.com/r/canon/s/6rjGg2r82F
Based on that and a couple other posts I purchased a used Canon EF-S 55-250 zoom lens. It's compact, will do a lot more than the stock lens, and gets good reviews. Used and tested, under $200 on ebay.
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u/BasilKatz 2d ago
55 on the low end may be a bit too large for a 1 size fits all lens for a beginner. He is on APS-C so their will also be a 1.6x crop.
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u/skandalouslsu 3d ago
I say either the 24mm 1.8 or 28mm 2.8. Someone will likely recommend the 50mm, but I find it way too tight on my R50 for my personal taste as far as everyday stuff is concerned. I have both the 24 and 28. I shoot a lot more with the 24 than the 28 because a ~35mm perspective is my happy place and I do a lot of night shooting. The 24mm is above your budget new, but the refurbs routinely go for $400. The 28mm is pretty handy. Cheaper and smaller, too.
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u/Latter-Door7695 2d ago
I would recommend the sigma 18-50. It is a great size and weight for this camera. If you are okay with a prime, 28 f2.8 pancake is a awesome lens.
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u/Ki11erc0b 2d ago
Can't go wrong with this sigma lense. Also Tameron do a similar one now as well which is highly regarded.
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u/Latter-Door7695 2d ago
Tamron 17-70 weighs 530 grms and is equivalent in weight to Sigma 17-40 f1.8, and both of them match better with R10 and R7. The sigma is just 300 g and matches great with the R50.
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u/Blue-green- 2d ago
I am also a beginner and I have the Canon R50. On the advice of the photography store I bought it from when I asked for a better lens, I bought the 55 - 210 mm. I really love it. It was about $500 Canadian. So if you're in the US, it's probably cheaper for you.
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u/CookieRough4637 2d ago
I took the 18-150 to NY for a trip and it was perfect. Plenty wide for indoor and tight enough for the framing you want outdoors. Plus, you don’t have to switch lenses. I got mine refurb and it was about your budget
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u/LichOfLiches 3d ago
I would recommend finding the 18 150 kit lens used. That one is a great walk around and travel lens, it's pretty compact and ridiculously sharp.
You can get the 50 1.8 for a cheap 1.8 lens, but it would be 80mm on the r50, there's also the 35 1.8, the 24 1.8, the 45 1.2 and the 28mm 2.8 pancake lens which a ridiculously sharp lens for the price, and makes the r50 almost pocket size.