Whether you just bought a Canon DSLR or received one as a gift, chances are good you don’t have much money left over from the holidays for lenses. Unfortunately, the stock glass that come with these cameras can only go so far. To get the most out of your new DSLR, you need to upgrade the lens. In the spirit of penny pinching, here are five amazing cheap Canon lenses that will improve your shooting experience without burning a hole in your pocket.

Note to Nikon users: Don’t fret, your guide will be posted next week.

Cheapest Canon Lenses

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8

The Canon 50mm 1.8 has the best bang for the buck of any cheap Canon lens on the market. Priced at under $100, it provides spectacular image quality unattainable with zoom lenses four times more expensive. Because it stops down to f/1.8, the lens is great for portraiture as well as general-purpose photography. If you can only afford one additional piece of glass, this should be it.

Canon 70-210 f/3.5-4.5 USM Telephoto

Telephoto lenses are expensive. Not only do they start at close to $200, but glass in this price range often provide mediocre results at best. What the salespeople at Best Buy didn’t tell you is there’s a discontinued lens that knocks all budget telephotos out of the water: the Canon 70-210 3.5-4.5 USM. Produced in the 1990s, it boasts optical quality close to that of the coveted L series, fast focusing, and macro capabilities. The 70-210mm is especially unique because of its “one touch” mechanism that uses a single ring for focusing and zooming. It’s important to note that this lens does have some limitations, most notably its size, problems with vignetting, and the lack of image stabilization. Even with these issues, the telephoto still sells for $150- $200 and beats everything else in its price range. Read this guide for more information on buying used camera gear.

Photo | Arjan Almekinders

Lensbaby Muse

The Lensbaby Muse not only takes great photos, but is a lot of fun to use. This cheap Canon lens does not communicate with your camera and relies on the photographer to manually set the aperture and focus by turning and compressing a tube. Add-ons allow it to be converted into a number of other lens types, including macro, fisheye, and wide angle. The regular version is available for $99.99, while a higher quality double-glass Muse can be had for $149.99.

Phoenix 19-35mm f/3.5-4.5 Ultra Wide Angle

If wide angle is where you want to be, good luck finding something decent for under $400. While the Phoenix 19-35mm isn’t perfect by any means, it lets the budding photographer take decent wide angle photos at the very attractive price of $164.95. Common complaints with this lens include barrel distortion (easily remedied with software) and lackluster build quality. Considering other wide angles retail for $500 and up, this Phoenix is an excellent bang for the buck. It’s definitely a good cheap Canon lens.

If you have your heart set on gallery quality and don’t mind upping your budget, the Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 is an excellent prime lens at $259.

Photo | Zach K

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro Telephoto Zoom Lens

Those looking to buy a brand new telephoto should invest in the Sigma 70-300mm. It easily makes up for its lack of USM zoom and image stabilization with its superb optics, $160 price, and macro abilities. Sigma has an excellent reputation for manufacturing good glass.

If you’re still unsure which lens is right for you, two great resources for reviews are Fred Miranda and DP Review. The stock lenses that ship with DSLRs aren’t necessarily bad, but every seasoned photographer understands the importance of a solid lens arsenal. Even the cheapest lenses can drastically improve your shooting experience.

Looking to up the ante? Check out this list of the most expensive Canon lenses.