gmango85

There was an older adage, put your $ in optics.
I am sure it holds today, in my opinion.

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

If, once you receive the camera you ordered you decide to keep it, don’t even think about buying more equipment until you’ve figured out what more you need based on experience using the equipment you already have. Take as many photos as you can and learn all you can about the stuff you already have. I’m going to guess within 6 months or so, if you take enough pictures and find your limitations with the current equipment, you will figure out what it is that you need to do and what other lens you need. Keep reading UHH and learning, post some pics for feedback. Figure out what type of photography you want to do. You may find that doing this will lead you somewhere you never thought of, like macro photography, or astrophotography, you just never know. Welcome to UHH and good luck.

Walt

LarryFitz Loc: Beacon NY

Very similar to T6 bundle I received for Xmas year and a half ago. Before running out to get a telephoto lens work with what you have learn it. Figure out JPEG vs RAW and what is does for you. When are ready for a new lens check Canon reburb area on their website. They could be the best value. The Filters and AUX lens are fun to play with, they will help you figure out where you want to go next.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

The Canon EF-S 55-250mm IS STM is a fine lens and the most affordable one I'd recommend. It's much better in many respects than the often cheaper (cheapest of all, actually) EF 75-300mm III which you mentioned.

The EF-S 55-250mm has decent image quality (the 75-300 is soft a the longer focal lengths).

The 55-250mm has reasonable quick and quiet STM or "stepper motor" focus drive (the 75-300 III uses a noisy, slower micro motor).

The 55-250mm has IS image stabilization, which is especially helpful with telephoto lenses (the 75-300 III doesn't).

The 55-250mm IS STM is quite affordable. https://www.amazon.com/EF-S-55-250mm-STM-Collapsible-Cleaning/dp/B071FVDQ18/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1523021297&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=canon+55-250mm&psc=1

Do spend a little more money to get proper, bayonet mount, rigid lens hoods for both lenses... the 18-55mm IS STM lens uses Canon EW-63C and the EF-S 55-250mm ET-63 hood. What are included with both are generic screw in "tulip" and/or generic rubber, neither of which are all that great or effective.... That type of tulip hood tends to end up mis-aligned very easily, partly intruding on your images. The rubber hoods are typically even poorer fit and ineffective, plus tend to "collapse" rather than protect the lens! The rigid, bayonet mount Canon OEM hoods aren't cheap, but work well. There are cheaper Vello and Fotodiox "clones" that will likely work just as well.

Unfortunately kits like the one you bought typically contain some questionable stuff. The filters and "premium" auxiliary 2.2X, 0.43X lenses are probably better used as skeet shooting targets, instead of for photography. Still, the price of the camera, 18-55mm STM lens and basic necessities that are normally included with it all appear to be there, the price is reasonable and they state the camera has USA Warranty (i.e., isn't "gray market")... which is good. So, no harm done and a pretty good kit to get you started. Enjoy it!

Eventually you might find a wider-angle lens useful. Canon EF-S 10-18mm IS STM is a bargain at under $300. Most ultrawides sell for $500 or more and few of them have stabilization. The Canon 10-18mm also is one of the smallest and lightest of that type lens.

Another popular lens is the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM. It's also compact, light weight, and very affordable (about $125). It serves as a short telephoto that gives you a larger aperture for low light shooting conditions and stronger background blur effects which can be great for portraiture, among other things. I would not recommend getting this now, because the 18-55mm that comes with the camera already provides this focal length. Use that for a while and see if you do a lot of portraits, then you can decide if you want the 50mm lens, too.

If you find you enjoy the camera and lenses, but want to do more close-up photography, you may eventually want a macro lenses. Canon's EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM is a pretty darned good, small macro at a reasonable price for a lens of this type. But, again, it's not something you need right away. There are other, less expensive ways of "doing macro/close-ups" anyway (such as macro extension tubes used in conjunction with lenses you already have... including either the 18-55mm or the 55-250mm.) A set of quality Kenko tubes costs about $125. There are lower priced, more plasticky but functional Vello, Fotodiox, and other brand sets that sell for between $50 and $75.

Finally, I'd highly recommend you get one of the guide books for your new camera. It's a relatively new model, so I only see one guide book being offered so far (David Busch's... which is probably good). Eventually there will be more. Those guides can be a good, helpful supplement to the user manual that's provided. (If one is provided at all. Some Canon no longer include a manual or only come with an abbreviated one... supposedly to save paper, though I'm sure it also lowers costs. Check the Canon website for a more complete manual in PDF form that's free to download.)

ebbote Loc: Hockley, Texas

Welcome to the Hog Rasppe, enjoy.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Actually the new SL2 (200D) is a significant step up both from the SL1 (100D) from the more entry-level Rebel T6 (1300D), or for that matter the newly announced T7 (2000D, not yet in stores).

In comparison, the SL2 has:

- 24MP sensor (versus 18MP in T6 & SL1... T7 will use same 24MP as SL2)
- Digic 7 image processor (versus Digic 5 in SL1 and Digic 4+ in both T6 & new T7)
- 5 frames per second continuous shooting (versus 3 fps in both T6 & T7)
- ISO range 100-12800, expandable to 25600 (same as SL1... versus 100-6400, expand to 12800 in both T6 & T7)
- Articulated LCD Touch Screen (versus slightly lower resolution fixed in SL1 and fixed/non-Touch screens in T6/T7)
- Much improved Dual Pixel AF or DPAF in Live View (versus slower contrast detection AF in LV in SL1 & T6)
- Self-cleaning sensor (versus none in T6/T7)
- More shots per charge, estimated 650 w/LP-E17 battery (versus 500 shots w/LP-E10 battery in T6)

The SL2 is a much more significant upgrade over the SL1, than the T7 is compared to the T6. The latter two are almost identical aside from the upgraded sensor in the T7.

One thing the SL2 (and SL1) doesn't offer that the T6/T7 do is the option to fit a vertical battery grip. But since it's designed to be the smallest DSLR available, Canon probably decided that most SL2 buyers wouldn't want to add a grip that increases size and weight. (Note: The SL2 is actually the 2nd smallest DSLR... because the original SL1 is ever-so-slightly smaller.)

Rasppe

Excellent advice everyone, and I am taking it to heart. :) Will stay with what I have and perhaps get some of those "a set of quality Kenko tubes " as amfoto1 has mentioned. Other than that, being retired, I'll shoot a bunch.. :)

GENorkus Loc: Washington Twp, Michigan

Welcome!

Whatever others say, don't worry about it. Sure, some things are a waste, (like it not being a Pentax dslr! LoL), and some things are not so bad. The main thing is that you are getting something to learn with. "The good, the bad, and the ugly" so-to speak.

Generally it will take a long time just getting used to the camera then try the other items in the kit. From there he'll find out himself and by other's comments what extras are not worth using. The most important thing is that he has to start before he can learn! He/you should also see if there are any local camera clubs to help out.

jcboy3

Throw out those "auxiliary lenses" before you ruin a bunch of photos with them.

Rasppe

The good news is it did come with a warrenty and a good manual. Already registered it at canon. Now to figure it all out. :)