opinion needed

-- "I need a portrait lens that will not cost me a fortune ... Rebel XTi"

Get the EF 50/1.8 (and if you can afford it get the EF 85/1.8 USM also).

-- "Now I know when it comes to macro lenses, to get a good one I'm looking at paying at least $1000-2000."

It depends on the type of dollars ... if you want a really good macro lens, don't buy a zoom lens. Buy a lens like the EF 100/2.8 macro USM, or the Tamron 90/2.8 macro. Both are excellent lenses. Both cost quite a bit below 1000$ (at least US$).

Hello Lisa,

You have more to consider here than I think you may realize.

#1 Portrait Lenses: Do a quick search here and you will get dozens of forum threads about inexpensive portrait lenses, the most popular response being the Canon 50mm f 1.8 which sells for under 100.00 at B&H. However depending on your situation sometimes a good zoom (one of the 70-200s) or even the 100mm macro lens is often recommended for portraits.

#2 Macro Lenses: I don't have any experience with the zoom macros, but I did rent the Canon 100mm Macro this summer and I cannot wait to make it a permanent part of my lens choices. It sells for under 500.00 at B&H.

#3 Things not considered: Saying yes to shoot a wedding when you seem to have no experience or equipment to do so can go a couple of ways. You can get lucky and pull it off (Low percentage chance here) or you will take this very special day of their lives and give them less then special photos to remember it by. I have no real idea of your photo expertise, but given the questions and equipment listed and not listed above, you need to consider a lot more than a portrait lens. Consider renting another body or two, you will likely need a flash, extra memory cards, card reader and device for backing up photos is a good idea....You will hopefully get others to add on here. I am not a wedding expert, but I do know that I did a wedding for a family member who had a budget of zero dollars so I helped them out and I wish I would have just paid for a pro wedding photographer for them instead. Even with two cameras, one with B&W film, one with Color,Me and another family member with phoot experience (and she had a good eye for the artful shots) shooting, the results were less than spectacular. Even if they told you they don't care, days, months, years from now they will wish they had better memories. If you cannot say no, get your lenses and start practicing your shots. Think ahead of what you need to provide at a minimum. Events during that day will get away from you in a hurry if you are not ready.

I don`t know what expensive is to you but have no problems doin weddings with a tamron 17 50 f2.8, also for economy the canon ef 50mm f2.5 macro is a gem for portraits as short tele and macro, but will need an attachment for 1:1 tho :)

My suggestion: get the Tamron 90mm Macro. A really good Macro Lens, and it would make a nice portrait lens too. It might be too long (for some) on a crop body, but I feel that it gives just enough distance to make your subjects feel comfortable with you clicking away.

Thank you Michael for your response.

"Saying yes to shoot a wedding when you seem to have no experience or equipment to do so can go a couple of ways. You can get lucky and pull it off (Low percentage chance here) or you will take this very special day of their lives and give them less then special photos to remember it by. I have no real idea of your photo expertise, but given the questions and equipment listed and not listed above, you need to consider a lot more than a portrait lens"

> The last thing I wanted, when posting this, was someone to look down on me upon their high horse. I do have experience enough not only with what I can produce with my camera as is, but with photography programs such as Photoshop CS3. The couple in question have viewed my portfolio, and are impressed enough with it, and my artistic eye, to ask me to do their wedding. I have also done engagement photos for another couple, who as well were impressed with the results. Because I may not have the best of equipment money can buy, does not mean I cannot produce photographs that stimulate the eyes and mind. Having a extra flash, memory cards, extra batteries are a natural give-in for which I have, but I did not mention them because they have no bearing on the question I was inquiring about. I would ask that you take caution when responding to posts, keep your personal sly insulting comments to yourself, nobody cares to read them. Because you are not confident in your results from said wedding shoot, does not mean I am. Perhaps you need to practice more and perhaps not think yourself a master who probably considers himself the next Leibovitz, Karsh or Ansel.

Thanks Rainer, Chris and Paulo for your responses!

Lisa, I am very sorry you took it that way as I was truly trying to be sincere and helpful. I am not a pro and have made my share of amateur mistakes and was only trying to help you\others possibly avoid the same mistakes. The forums are filled with beginners who overlook the little things (which is why I started with "I have no real idea of your expertise). I am very happy indeed that you do have both the ability and confidence to do a wedding that I now know I do not have (I will stick with wildlife). I am not knocking the equipment you have (the XTI is what I use too), I just made a bad assumption when I read the combination of XTI needing lenses for a family wedding and then seeing your page with no pictures posted. I wish you only the best.

Thank you. I did take what you wrote the wrong way. I just joined the site yesterday, which is why my page is empty. The portrait lens is what I am currently looking to get for the wedding, as I think it may help a little. The macro lens is not needed for the wedding for obvious reasons. I've got a good tripod, so I'm hoping that will help me out a little more in my shots, in relation to buying a cheaper portrait lens.

Hi Lisa, The above lens suggestions are all valid and of sufficient quality to be part of your gear for years to come. Good image quality doesn't have to cost the earth, but you do need fast sharp glass. For the wedding you need to source a back up camera. Since it is a family wedding see if you can find a guest with another Canon DSLR, preferably an XTi that you can borrow in the unlikely event of Murphy resting on your shoulder. Have a spare charged battery and cf cards and do some research on flashes, issues relating to depth of field and how to resolve camera lock-ups. Try some practice sessions so you sort out camera settings (ISO, focus point selection, Av or Tv?, shutter speeds, aperture settings, Raw or JPG?) before the day.. Look through some Bride and Wedding magazines in your newsagent to get a few ideas. I have been in your position, it's not easy, but the results can turn out a lot better than if the bride and groom rely on uncle Ted's point and shoot. Go for some candids, try to avoid long poses before the shutter is pressed, don't be afraid of shooting in continuous or taking lots of pictures. Talk to the bride and groom before the wedding to see what they would like, take a few informal portraits of them to see how it turns out. Finally try spreading the burden a little by enlisting the help of another guest to also take shots. Best of luck. Neill