Jun 21
Jun 21
Canon EF S 55 250mm f 4 0 5 6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
Bring your photographic subjects closer with this Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Image Stabilizer Telephoto Zoom Lens. It is designed with Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer technology and is compact and light. This high zoom ratio lens is equivalent to a focal length of 88-400mm in the 35mm format (when used on Canon EOS cameras compatible with EF-S lenses). The image stabilizer effect is equivalent to a shutter speed about 4 stops faster than the same size lens without Image Stabilizer. In other words, if the slowest shutter speed you could formerly hold a 250mm lens steadily was 1/250th of a second, with Canon’s 4-stop stabilization correction, you could hand-hold at shutter speeds as slow as 1/15th of a second. It also uses a UD-glass lens element to correct chromatic aberration for excellent image quality throughout the zoom range. Filter Size - 58mm Max. Diameter - x Length 2.8 in. x 4.3 in./70 x 108mm (maximum lens length) Weight - 13.8 oz./390g Canon 1 year limited warranty
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Best lens at this price range!
I recently bought this lens and was really impressed with the quality of images. This is a great zoom lens and a very good addition to your lens collection. I find the build quality very good, as opposed to some of the reviews in here. The image stabilization comes in handy, as well. You cannot go wrong with this lens, at this price. I would highly recommend this.
5 Stars very happy with this lens
I purchased this lens solely for the purpose of getting better, up-close action shots of my son’s athletic events and so far, it does not disappoint. With the image stabilization, I have taken crystal clear action shots of both soccer and football games that others have wowed over when I have shown them the pictures. Even at full zoom, I can later crop the image and still have a clear, detailed picture which really helps when photographing the far side of the field of play. If you buy, I do recommend a lens filter; they cost next to nothing and will protect the lens from scratches, etc and do not distort the pictures.
3 Stars Okay lens, good value for money, but…
I bought this lens last year and used it for a while. The pictures I got were pretty decent, and the Image Stabilization works well, but after a few months I found I was favoring other lenses. This one is currently resting in a lens bag in a drawer and isn’t likely to come out anytime soon.
The reasons for this are basically as follows:
1. Not fast enough (f/4). Granted, we all probably take many pictures at f/4 to f/8 or more, but you can’t really do decent indoor photography without a flash or studio lighting at f/4, and the inability to create very shallow depth of field at the shorter focal lengths is a problem. When possible, I try to buy lenses that can do f/2.8 or better, especially at focal lengths of 100mm or less (f/5.6 at 250mm is tolerable, but f/4 at 55mm, no).
2. Not sharp enough. Sharpness isn’t bad on this lens, but it’s not great either.
3. If a lens can do 250mm, I keep finding I want a bit more than that. But once I bought another lens that could go farther, I found I didn’t need this one anymore because that lens covers most of this one’s range and is a lot sharper. (It’s also more than double the price, though.)
So, overall, this is a pretty decent but not spectacular image-stabilized telephoto zoom lens for Canon APS-C cameras. If it’s all you can afford, then you may find it satisfactory, and it’s a nice companion to the EF-S 18-55mm IS lens that comes in the Rebel kits these days. But if your budget will allow you to get a better lens (or two better lenses for wider coverage), I think you’ll probably be happier in the long run if you do that.
4 Stars Which lens to get
I have a 18mm-55mm lens, and was in search for a telephoto, I read so many reviews that were so complex I didn’t know what I was reading. I bought the 55mm-250mm lens and now understand some of the reviews.
To break it down in simply terms:
55mm (the lowest setting on the 55mm-250mm) you can not stand right on top of a subject, the lens makes you too close everything won’t fit in the frame. That is Not what the lens is for & might be were some of the bad reviews come from. (Buy the 18-55mm for those close up shots)
It takes time for the auto focus, it still Fast but not as fast as my 18mm-55mm. Still your not going to miss taking a picture of a bird sitting in a tree far away. But at baseball game of a kid catching a 50mph ball I missed some shots (why I gave 4 stars). Not the lens fault more mine I should have used manual focus!!
On auto focus, after all it has a LOT of setting to go through 55 to 250mm settings. No duh the 18-55mm auto focus faster. Think of it as a deck of cards, you (and auto focus) can flip through 18-55 cards faster then a deck of 55-250 cards. Some of the reviews complain about the auto focus, it does work of course just not as fast as smaller lens.
No matter what if you are in the back row and your son on the stage at a school play, your picture will be Prefect and it will look like you were in the front row.
That is what this lens is for, where you can take time to set it up, adjust and take time to snap a picture. At a baseball game you need to use Manual focus, (you can turn the ring faster then auto) and you can get great pics, auto might let you down during fast action but not with still pictures!!
I suggest getting 18mm-55mm for everyday use, for those great up close, fast action, birthday shots; I Love that lens. Then get the 55mm-250mm for those far away school plays, scenery vacation, and birds sitting in a far away tree the lens is prefect for those kinds of pictures.
4 Stars Good value for non-pro
For the price, you are getting a good deal. Is it the best lens out there? Not by a long shot. But it is a solid value as far as a hefty zoom lens goes. Unless you are going semi-pro, this is a very good lens for the pro-sumer.
Jun 21
Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12 2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF S 18 55mm f 3 5 5 6 IS Lens Black
For photography with point-and-shoot ease, look no further than Canon’s EOS Rebel XSi. The EOS Rebel XSi brings staggering technological innovation to the masses. It features Canon’s EOS Integrated Cleaning System, Live View Function, a powerful DIGIC III Image Processor, and a 12.2-megapixel CMOS Sensor with Optical Image Stabilizer. The EOS Rebel XSi’s refined, ergonomic design includes a 3.0″ LCD monitor, compatibility with SD and SDHC Memory cards and accessories that enhance every aspect of the photographic experience. Image Format - 22.2mm x 14.8mm 3 - 2 Horizontal - Vertical Aspect Ratio Color Filter System - RGB primary color filter Low-pass Filter - Located in front of the image sensor, non-removable Recording Format - Design rule for Camera File System 2.0 Image Format - JPEG, RAW (14-bit Canon original) RAW+JPEG White Balance Settings - Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, White Fluorescent Light, Flash, and Custom Focusing Modes - One-Shot AF, AI Servo AF, AI Focus AF, Manual focusing (MF) Metering Range - EV 1-20 (with EF50mm f/1.4 USM lens, ISO 100) Exposure Compensation - Manual 2 stops in 1/3 or 1/2-stop increments and AEB 2 stops in 1/3 or 1/2-stop increments AE Lock - Automatic when focus achieved with evaluative metering and One-Shot AF, and Manual by AE lock button Shutter Type - Electronically controlled and focal-plane shutter Shutter Speeds - 1/4000 seconds to 1/60 seconds, X-sync at 1/200 seconds, 1/4000 sec. to 30 seconds, bulb Self-timer - 10-seconds, 2-seconds delay or 10-seconds delay plus continuous shooting Brightness Control - 7 levels provided Body Dimensions - 5.1 x 3.8 x 2.4 (128.8×97.5×61.9mm) Weight - 16.8 ounces (475 grams) body only Lens Dimension - 2.7 x 2.6 (69×66.2mm) Weight - 6 ounces (190 grams)
User Ratings and Reviews
5 Stars Love the Canon XSi!!!
I’ve been a frequent user of point and shoots (Canon), and knew I wanted to upgrade. First I thought about the Canon SX200, switched to the Nikon D80, but then realized that I truly wanted to upgrade and become the best amateur photographer I could be!!!
I purchased this camera out of a local electronics department in April–surprisingly on sale cheaper than Amazon!!! I knew before purchasing that the zoom on the kit lens wouldn’t be enough for me, so I had the Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC AF OS (Optical Stabilizer) Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras on it’s way to me from eBay and also the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens that everyone touts on the digital photo forums. I sold the kit lens to offset the costs. Rule #1 to upgrading to SLRs: Once you learn the excellence of SLRs, be ready to spend, spend, spend!
The Canon XSi helps me on my journey big time. Upon purchasing this camera, I had no idea what f-stop meant, why exposure was so important and what the heck was bokeh and DoF. While pondering what in the world I had gotten myself into, I went out and started snapping away. This camera, while intimidating at first easily let me transition from the Auto quickness of P&S into careful planning with Digital SLRs.
New to SLRs, I had to learn that “live view” was something that I as a P&S consumer had gotten used to, not something that truly belonged on a camera. I had no problem whatsoever transitioning to looking in the peephole. Taking pictures gets addicting with this camera. It has an easy-to-understand manual, and tons of digital photo forums/reviews to get one into the groove of using this camera. I mentioned earlier that I tossed the kit lens, but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad lens. I’ve seen photos of the kit lens, and I’ve seen photos of L lens. Depending on the photographer, they are great, excellent photos!
I first started taking photos on the “P” mode, not really understanding what it stood for, but just knowing that I could use that mode w/o enabling the flash (more of the flash later). The “TV” and “A” modes are also good to use, but for me it’s mainly P or Manual.
I’ve attempted to use live view a couple of times, but for me it just gets in the way of trying to take a good photo. I’d rather take a few test shots and then tweak the settings.
For me, it’s very important to be able to learn this camera before learning about expensive lenses. The Sigma lens gives me the freedom to shoot wide angle or telephoto without having to switch lens all the time. I understand that this puts me at a disadvantage because opened wide, the Sigma is no where near the quality the “nifty fifty” is. But this isn’t the Sigma lens review.
One thing I’ve learned on photography is that the actual camera is only a tiny percentage of taking a good picture. Depending on who you ask, it can vary from 1% to 10%. For me, it’s about 20% because of my amateur skills. The rest of a good picture depends on the lens used and most importantly, the actual picture taker! That said, potential new Canon XSi (D-SLR) users, please do not purchase this camera thinking you’ll become a pro overnight. If you take the time to understand the elements of basic photography (exposure, depth, etc.), then you will most likely be fine with whatever you’re using now. If you want to boost your skills and know for a fact that you are limited with P&S, then you are ready to upgrade and the XSi is a likely candidate.
A note on equipment. Before you go spending countless dollars on lenses and equipment, figure out what you are going to be using your camera for and what the majority of your photo subjects are. Do your research on the forums and all the reviews and then make your decisions. If you take tons of photos of your babes and are frustrated with the blurriness of low light or washing them out with the built in a flash, then a faster lens is for you along with an external flash.
The built-in flash is not great. I plan on adding a tripod and the Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash for Canon Digital SLR Cameras to my setup. Most of my pics are taken during the day or where plenty of light is because of that very reason. Also, because of the lack of a good flash, the few night shots I do take come out extremely grainy because I have to increase the iso way high. Cool for some photos, but not for every single night shot.
I can go on about this camera, but my star rating says it all. I don’t plan on upgrading until they come out with another SLR comparable to the Canon 40D that uses SD cards (my memory of choice), so it may be a while. Until then, the XSi will be my new photo road dog.
Some other good hints to add to your camera bag (if you’re a true beginner):
A good intro or how-to digital photo book like Scott Kelby’s Digital Photography Boxed Set, Volumes 1 and 2 (Includes The Digital Photography Book Volume 1 and The Digital Photography Book Volume 2) (Careful of the “humor” in this one. He doesn’t “get it” that it isn’t really funny.)
Adobe Photoshop Elements 6 (Mac)
For photo management:
Apple Aperture 2.1.1 (Mac)
Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 (PC)
Sandisk 8GB EXTREME III SDHC SD Card Class 6 (SDSDX3-8192, Plastic Case) I currently use the 4GB and can get 850 odd photos on the highest resolution in JPEG and about 300 photos shooting RAW.
A good tripod.
A good photo bag. Right now I use a certain bag if I’m at work and just an old purse if I’m out and I want to be stylish. I do not prefer camera bag that look like camera bags.
5 Stars Canon EOS Xsi
More than satisfied acquiring the Canon EOS Rebel Xsi SLR camera. It produces clear and sharp pictures even in low light conditions. Definitely would recommend this to anyone looking for a decent low price SLR camera.
4 Stars A very good beginners SLR for serious enthusiasts
Many people have already reviewed this camera’s technical details & I will skip that. What I shall try to address though is whether this is the right one for you: You can fall into one of the three categories - (a) a beginner who wants to create the beautiful pictures of an SLR but has no interest in going into its technical details ever (b) A beginner who has just entered the world of SLRs and intends to learn its intricacies before moving onto the big league (c) An intermediate who knows the technical details but wants a better SLR compared to previous versions like Nikon D40 or Rebel 300D.
If you belong to bucket (a) this is a good camera, but the Canon 1000D or Nikon D60 should save you some money. If you belong to bucket (b) this is the perfect camera by all means. I fell into this category when I bought it an year back and must say I have had no complaints. You might want to consider the Rebel 500D/T1i now though - based on the price difference(Amazon keeps changing the price of this camera) you will get a Digic 4 processor & the video capability (15 Mp vs 12 Mp is a non issue).
If you belong to bracket (c) & are very serious abt moving up the SLR ladder then buy the Canon 40D or 50D. I have handled the 50D and see a remarkable difference between pictures from that and Rebel 450D. I have now reached a point where the Rebel 450D & the lens are proving to be the bottlenecks to my pictures. Dont get me wrong, I have seen & taken remarkable pics from this camera - but would rather buy a Canon 50D now. Its sensor & USM lens really do stand out.
& for those of you who do not fall in any of these 3 brackets & know the difference between active & passive focusing system, you shouldnt be reading a review for the Rebel series cameras at all!
4 Stars Great Camera
Just purchased the camera and found it to be everything I wanted, and more. Have been using 35 mm cameras for years, as well as the digital cameras. This is a great step above the standard point and shoot cameras, and is very easy to operate and to take advantage of the upgrades. Very easy to use, fantastic photos, especially when using some of the software options out there like PhotoShop. Took over 600 photos while down in Savannah this past month and love the idea of framing the photos while shooting. Highly recommend the camera and can’t wait to get a telephoto lense. Wish I would have purchased this as well, but hindsight is a wonderful thing. Looking to upgrade with the 55-200mm lense next. The battery lasts forever!
5 Stars Great Camera - Nice LCD - Good Software - Easy PC Integration
Not much I can say here that others haven’t already said, I’m just adding my vote to a well thought-out and functioning camera. Canon has been taking accolades for their digital camera line for years, and this model continues to be a joy to use and own. I’m super critical of tech stuff as I’m a 27 year tech-head veteran.
Battery life is very good and memory is cheap compared to what it was. I would stick with a Class 4 or Class 6 SDHC memory card.
While not a professional photographer, from the technical aspect of combining this unit with a PC and their software, they’ve provided a nice solution. The software is fairly decent, not the best, but does the job. Bundle it with Adobe Lightroom or just a simple Google Picasa and you are good to go with managing your photos.
Both Lightroom and Picasa can view the RAW images and touch-up with this file format is exceptional. The CameraWindow software and bundled utilities allows you to use a laptop to control the camera and settings, preview images on a larger screen, and instantly store into RAW/JPG file formats to disk. This is a big bonus when in a studio environment.
Their Zoombrowser image viewer is very functional and usable. While I’m now using Picasa and Lightroom to manage the images, Zoombrowser is certainly capable for any novice to intermediate user.
I use a 50mm lens, 18-200mm IS lens, and 580II flash as my primary equipment. The only thing I could imagine getting next is a L series lens.
Nice job Canon!
Jun 21
Canon Deluxe Photo Backpack 200EG for Canon EOS SLR Cameras Black with Green Accent
Made of rugged nylon Canon Deluxe Backpack 200EG holds up to 2 camera bodies, 4 lenses, plus accessories. Due to its lightweight construction it features a well-arranged divider system for a secure storage and an easy access, padded shoulder straps and a comfortable back padding. Add to this tripod carrying straps and a front webbing ideal for lashing light jacket, sweater, etc.
User Ratings and Reviews
1 Star Horrible!!! Literally fell apart at the seam in under 6 months!
I got the bag as a christmas present and it has COMPLETELY fallen apart due to manufacterer crappiness. BUY something else!
5 Stars Great Bag - Does The Job!
We needed a bag for our Cannon 40D! But with our previous bag we were forced to remove the lens everytime we put it up!! Very annoying! The Cannon backpack allows you to be able to simply unzip, grab camera, and take your pic! At first I thought the bag could have had better, thicker padding but the bag does it’s job. We bought this for vacation and have been happy.
5 Stars Great Value For the Money You Pay
I have used this bag for more than 18 months now. I find it very useful. This bag has travelled with me through Himalayas, England, Sedona etc. It has enough spce to carry all the stuff I have. My Canon XTi mounted with a Tamron 18-250 Di II lens. Canon 10-22 lens, Speedlite 580 EX II flash and my Canon Powershot SD950 IS. It has served me well and recently I have added a Canon T1i to my collection. Once I got that I mounted my Tamron 18-250 lens on to that and put my canon 10-22 on to my Xti. With some slight adjustments of the dividers I managed to put securely bot the cameras mounted with lens in the bag. Now I have the convenience of not having to switch the lenses on the go. So far I never had a problem with this. How much more we can expect for what we pay for.
5 Stars Excellent Camera Backpack, with plenty of storage!!!
I have had this bag for almost 6 years now, and it has been great! I have traveled on planes, cars, buses, mountain bikes, hiked, and more with this bag, and it still looks brand new. I have one 35mm SLR and ond DSLR, two digital point and shoots, two 35mm point and shoots, three SLR lens, one flash, 20 rolls of fils, all the manuals, cables, etc. and still have room for more! I often through my wind breaking in just in case, along with other odds and ends for the trip. My highest recommendations!!! You’lss enjoy
5 Stars Good bag for the price
This bag looks small from outside. But it has a lot of compartment and can easily holds 2 DSLR. Not to mention the price! I find it really useful with the strap in the bottom to hold the tripod.
Jun 21
Canon Digital Rebel XT Black 18 55mm Lens Kit
For a limited time only, purchase a qualifying digital SLR and save 20% on select Digipower accessories. Simply add both items to your Shopping Cart and and we’ll take care of the rest. These offers apply only to purchases of products sold by Amazon.com between May 06 and May 19, 2008, and do not apply to products sold by third-party merchants and other sellers through the Amazon.com site.