lens question for new photographer travelling with a T6i

gary_p wrote:

I'm looking for some recommendations for a less expensive landscape/low light lens to fit a T6i.

My son will be going on a post high school gap year six week trip to Hawaii. He opted for a DSLR instead of a more compact travel camera. He is a new photographer. I was able to pick up a used T6i along with a Tamron 18-270 lens. He also has the Canon 18-55 kit lens which I think is redundant to take. The Tamron is nice but the aperture is 3.5-6.3. He'd like to do some sunset shooting and landscapes. I've also been told that where they will be gets very dark by 6-7pm. So, I'd like to find a preferably used lens that would help in those conditions. Maybe something in the 12-35 or 5omm range with an aperture lower than 3.5. They will be travelling light so a full size tripod is not viable. I have a smaller tabletop tripod that can also be strapped to something like a tree or pole to assist.

I've been using a small micro 4/3 travel camera for years and haven't been keeping up with the full size DSLR options.

Time is getting short...he leaves in two weeks. So, any advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Gary

Canon has a couple of options. The T6i is a crop sensor camera so the lenses you're looking for are going to be EF-S lenses for true focal range. If you get an EF lens the crop (1.6x I believe) will be applied to the focal length. So a 50mm lens becomes an 80mm equivalent.

If you got a 35mm lens it would roughly be a 50mm lens on his camera. Canon makes an EF 35 f/2 USM IS lens, and although it has been discontinued, you can still find it available on eBay, MPB, and other used camera sites.

Canon also has two EF-S lenses that are pretty good. There's the EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM and the EF-S 35mm f/2.8 Macro IS STM. USM is just a faster focusing motor compared to STM but the image quality is no different. The IS is image stabilization which helps with handheld shots taken in lower light due to lower shutter speeds.

All three of these lenses are small/compact enough for travel and landscape-type photography. I hope this helps you in your search.