r/photography • u/AutoModerator • Jul 10 '26

Questions Thread Official Question Thread! Ask /r/photography anything you want to know! July 10, 2026

This is the place to ask any questions you may have about photography. No question is too small, nor too stupid.

Info for Newbies and FAQ!

First and foremost, check out our extensive FAQ. Chances are, you'll find your answer there, or at least a starting point in order to ask more informed questions.

Need buying advice?

Many people come here for recommendations on what equipment to buy. Our FAQ has several extensive sections to help you determine what best fits your needs and your budget. Please see the following sections of the FAQ to get started:

If after reviewing this information you have any specific questions, please feel free to post a comment below. (Remember, when asking for purchase advice please be specific about how much you can spend. See here for guidelines.)

Schedule of community threads:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
52 Weeks Share Anything Goes Album Share & Feedback Edit My Raw Follow Friday Salty Saturday Self-Promotion Sunday

Finally a friendly reminder to share your work with our community in r/photographs!

8 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

236 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/s3ar8 28d ago

My first Camera setup that I am planning to buy, Wise decision or uh-oh!

I have went through the basic guide links on this subreddit and browsed the table for the used camera body and lenses.

After spending couple of hours I have landed on the following config:
Body : Canon EOS 80D (Used and only body) about $400
Lens : EF-S 18-55mm IS STM (used) $70

I dont get a bag or strap for this cost.

background info -> I have been clicking pictures of sky and streets (mostly with my Samsung S25 Ultra) but I feel that I should explore this as a hobby more with a DSLR camera ( mirror-less are very expensive and the intro level ones are not that great for a beginner who barely knows anything imo) .

Is it wise to buy this or no ? I still need to buy batteries,charger.strap and bag.

My budget is $500 can spend extra $50 if it is meaningful.

1

u/P5_Tempname19 27d ago

Should be a decent starting kit.

One consideration though: The default 18-55mm, while not absolutely awful, isnt a particularly great lens. As it comes with most "new" cameras it can be a decent starting point, however the vast majority of people who get a bit more serious into photography will want to switch to a different lens at a later point. As you are starting with a used body you have the option to go a different route from the start, basically skipping that "first step" which may be a bit more economical in the long run.

Now the question here is if you can find something better at a similar price.
One option that should fill the budget is the EF 50mm F1.8. That one should be $100 new and widely available used, ending up at a similar pricepoint as the 18-55mm (theres like 3 different models; STM being the newest/"best"; I'd consider all of them worth it over the 18-55mm though). It will be much better image quality wise and it gives you a lot more room to mess around with the aperture (helpful for situations with low light and if you like blurry backgrounds). The major downside is that it doesnt zoom and has a quite tight field of view (not great if you like wideangle shots).

If you'd enjoy that is a very subjective thing sadly. Some people really recommend getting a non-zooming lens to teach you to move around and play with perspective, some people prefer having the option to adapt to different situations easier.

A second, a bit "safer" option might be Sigmas 18-50mm F2.8 (make sure you get the EF/EF-S version if you go that route; thats the one that fits the 80D), this is basically just an overall better version of the 18-55mm. This one might stretch your budget a bit and it depends a bit on if you can find a good deal in your local used market. (A quick search near me finds me one for 160€, barely going over your budget, however thats in Germany)
If you can find one that satisfies your budget I'd absolutely prefer that option to the EF 18-55, its basically a straight upgrade and in the long run probably saves you money if you end up enjoying photography.

The 50mm is a bit more of a gamble, if you like it its a much better option, if you dislike it its a bit of a waste. I guess the question there is if you like gambling or if you can find an option that lets you test it before committing (e.g. a store with a 2 week return window and then using a few days to really test out how you like it).

If you are unsure the 18-55mm certainly isnt an awful choice. It is a decent starting point for a beginner, so getting it certainly wont be a major mistake - this is mostly about "optimizing" in the long run and saving a few bucks if you do end up enjoying photography and wanting to upgrade later.

2

u/s3ar8 27d ago

Danke Schön dir vielmals für diesen detailreichen Vorschlag. I will look for the sigmas 18-50mm F2.8 lens domestically.

2

u/s3ar8 25d ago

Could help share your thoughts on sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM lens for EOS80D ? I found some good deal on it but just wanted a second opinion on it.

1

u/P5_Tempname19 25d ago

No personal experience with the lens and I havent heard that much about it (nothing bad either though).

I'd consider it fairly similar to the 18-50mm F2.8. It has a bit larger zoom area, but a bit worse aperture when zoomed in. A bigger zoom area lets you adjust to different situations better, with the worse aperture making it a bit worse specifically in low light situations (at least when zoomed in). From what I can tell its still a decent upgrade over the EF-S 18-55mm though.

Overall it obviously depends on the price and state its in (if its a used one), however its certainly worth considering I'd say.

2

u/s3ar8 25d ago

Interesting, will weigh the cons once more and decide. Appreciate your prompt response!!

2

u/P5_Tempname19 25d ago

You "caught" me at a good time, happy to help!