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Question

Is the 18-55mm lens really needed

Jun 8, 2012 5:44AM PDT

I want to purchase a Canon t4i but I don't know if i really need this 18-55 lens. I am thinking of getting the 50mm f1.4 and the 70-200 4L. Thinking of all this if i do get it with the kit lens i won't be using the kit lens much at all. Would i?

Discussion is locked

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Answer
What about wide angle and neutral?
Jun 8, 2012 12:36PM PDT

With those two lenses you have nothing for wide angle or even neutral angle.
50mm will appear to be 80mm to the t4i (focal length times 1.6).
70-200 will appear to be 112-320mm to the t4i (focal length times 1.6).

A neutral angle (neither wide or telephoto) is considered to be 50mm.
For the t4i, you would need about a 35mm lens to cover neutral angle (35 times 1.6 = 56mm).

You should look at one of both of the new lenses Canon just introduced:

40mm and 18-135mm (the t4i will see them as 64mm and 28.8-216mm):

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2012/06/08/Canon-creates-EF-S-18-135mm-F3-5-5-6-IS-STM-EF-40mm-F2-8-STM

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35 or 50
Jun 12, 2012 2:57PM PDT

Should i get the 35 or 50mm?

Is the 50 like a telephoto? if i was taking a picture of someone across the a dinner table would it be zoomed very far in?

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Depends
Jun 13, 2012 12:14AM PDT

If you are using a "full frame" camera (like a Canon 5D), a 50mm lens is neutral (not wide angle and not telephoto)
A full frame digital camera has a sensor assembly that is approximately the same size as 35mm film.

If you are using a "half frame" camera (Canon T4i is a half frame camera) a 50mm lens will appear to be a 80mm lens (50 x 1.6 = 80).
Therefore it would be like using 1.6X zoom with a full frame camera.

If you want a neutral lens for a Canon T4i you should look for a 35mm lens.
That would give you a focal length of 56mm (35 x 1.6 = 56mm focal length).
That is about as close to 50mm you can get with available lenses.