Three months ago I bought a Canon 550D with the 18-55mm kit lens, as you may have read about here, and haven’t regretted it since. However it wasn’t long before I wanted more. I wanted more options, more versatility and more zoom So the search for a second lens began. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m an amateur and newbie to photography, especially SLR photography but forums and reviews across the internet help out a lot these days and I embarked on an extensive research exercise. After months of looking at the options, reviews, test shots and user opinions I settled on this.
I still don’t understand half of the technical jargon, so I’ll spare you those details, but here are the reasons I chose this as my next lens as well as some test shots to show you the difference it makes.– It’s one of the cheapest telephoto lenses you can buy with the Canon name.
– It’s relatively small (11cm long) and light (only 390grams) which is beneficial while travelling.
– It’s 400mm equivalent focal length zoom (something to do with crop factors)
All things considered it looked like the cheapest, most versatile and most compact lenses I could get, and at half the price it would cost in South Africa the final decision was a no brainer. So here are some more pictures of the lens itself and some test shots showing what it’s capable of and comparing it to my other 10 megapixel point and shoot camera.
Now for the test shots and comparisons with my digital compact Canon Powershot A480 with 10 mega pixels and 3 x optical zoom.
First up is a shot of the parking lot across the street from my 11th floor apartment with my 550D at the short end of my kit lens 18mm.
Ok, for the purposes of these test shots, the subject is the red car in the centre of the picture. We can’t make out much more detail than that at this stage.
Second, here are two photos taken with roughly the same focal length comparing my two cameras.
And now the same shot with my Canon 550D and the 18-55mm kit lens.
Already the 550D showing it’s superiority and making me even happier with my move to a DSLR over a digital compact. Now for the final test shot at the maximum zoom of each camera. Both photos taken hand-held and with no editing or cropping except for resizing to make them smaller files for uploading.
NO COMPARISON. As you can see the Powershot without Image Stabilizer just doesn’t deliver and is massively pixelated with th digital zoom while the Canon 550D with the 250mm lens gives a crisp photo and we can tell the red car is in fact a Mazda 6 with license plate number A67B70.
Not very exciting test shots, I know but this lens arrived just in time for the Chinese Grand Prix this coming weekend where I hope it’s going to prove itself. The day after the lens arrived this, my Formula 1 ticket, arrived.
I’ll be honest I was expecting something a little flashier but I don’t care. I’m so excited about seeing my first Formula 1 Grand Prix live. Again on a bit of a budget I went for the cheapest Grand Stand seats (approx. R800) but it’s at the end of the Start-Finish straight overlooking turns 1, 2, 3 & 4 where there should be lots of action as the drivers exit the pit lane and fight for the racing line into the first corner. All that’s left to do is hope for good weather in Shanghai on Sunday.
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The pictures on the 550 look great – did you consider getting a 600d? what were the reasons not to (apart from price) – I’m weighing up both and would be interested in your take
I didn’t really consider the 600D, mostly because of price. The 550D was my first ever SLR camera and only the second camera I’ve ever owned. At the end of the day it was the highest spec’ed entry level DSLR for what I thought was a reasonable price. Not being a professional photographer, or even an avid enthusiast I thought the 600D wouldn’t be worth it for me and I wouldn’t use even half of it’s capabilities. Don’t know if that helps you.
Hi, I’m an expat and I’m new to DSLR. I have had my 550D for about a month and I am totally in love with it (though I hold double the love for the EOS MARK II, but I couldn’t afford it!). Would you mind recommending a few of the sites that you found especially helpful? Thanks!
I can’t remember a lot of them now but just Google “canon 55-250mm reviews.” I also did a few searches of that lens “vs” another like the 70-300.
Otherwise I find http://www.dpreview.com and http://www.cnet.com useful for photography reviews.
[…] you have seen in recent posts I’m really enjoying my new camera and lens. Just when I thought photography couldn’t get any better I was browsing the web and […]
[…] also took the chance to change to my 55-250mm telephoto lens and get some close up shots of some of the wildlife along the coast. seagull in […]
You know Rory the moment I stepped out of the plane in Beijing, I found out the camera, a 400D, was broken. And I didnt have a backup cam. Nightmare! Here I am in China without a camera? I made some troubleshooting and research through the internet too (same as your research I guess) and fortunately, I could shot a few and at least Im glad I made a load of pics. I’m not a pro shooter too and I only know half of the techs about photography, but i loooove photography! photography + travel.
Oh no, I’m sorry to here you had issues with your camera that’s such a pity. You’ve still gotten some great photos though.
I also had a problem wiht my 550D in Zimbabwe when it got too wet at the Victoria Falls and stopped working, luckily had a point and shoot as backup. You can read about it here: