Ask us. See below for my suggestion.

Well you got the lengths pretty much worked out. Another thing to note
is that 'normal' is like the normal looking human field of view and I
believe it's determined by the diagonal of the film/sensor, anyways it's
actually more like 45mm than the traditional 50mm normal lens would
suggest and it's more like 28mm on a crop frame DSLR.

<whisper>KR</whisper> is actually very good for getting a basic clue
about lenses because he covers the basic characteristics that matter in
a methodical way: handling, chromatic abberation, distortion, etc. and
more importantly he gives a clue about the price of each lens. His
opinions are often rash & simplified so I wouldn't buy a lens based on
his opinion but it's a great place to get 'into the ballpark'

If you shoot Nikon, they have some video tutorials that will walk you
through every setting and basic photography techniques holding your hand
very gently all the while. They get tedious if you know stuff but this
sounds like what you are asking about. When to increase ISO, what
aperture does, how to use autofocus modes properly for different
situations, etc.

I would suggest getting a fast (f/2.8 or f/1.8) normal lens & putting
the camera in aperture priority mode. This will teach you about depth of
field and the effects of aperture & shutter speed very quickly without
getting bogged down or confused.

  Even better than any web site I've seen for learning about lenses in
general is "The Lens Book", by Roger Hicks and Frances Schultz, ISBN
0715304704.  Get it from your library, half.com, or wherever, but I highly
doubt that you will be disappointed in it.

steve

It sounds like you're looking for a basic grounding in photography.
Perhaps a book would be a better way to go than looking for a website.
The one and only basic photography book I'd recommend is "The Camera"
by Ansel Adams.  It does have a whole chapter on lenses that should
suitably cover everything you asked about.  Obviously it makes no
mention of digital, but photography is still photography.

Do you know what kind of photography he likes? Friends & social stuff,
fine art nudes <g> wildlife, sports, landscapes, live band performances
in dark venues, artsy b&w stuff on his upcoming tour of Europe or the
Amazon? Backpacking or night clubs? What are some of the types of shots
he's done so far that came out best? What types of shots does he feel
his camera holds him back on? Might he want to do big framed prints? Is
he a patient scientific type likely to use a tripod or more spontaneous
street shooting from the hip?  And some idea of the budget?

I'm guessing you are thinking of at least helping pay for this so you
want to know too.

[..]

A book that helped me a lot initially was 'An Ansel Adams Guide: Basic
Techniques of Photography' by by John P. Schaefer and Ansel Adams. It's
a more basic and distilled version of Adams' 'The Camera,' 'The
Negative' and 'The Print.' It's got a lot of old-skool information,
which is really the best way to start out.

<http://www.amazon.com/Ansel-Adams-Guide-Techniques-Photography/dp/08212
25758/>

"HankB" <hbarta@gmail.com> wrote in news:1175019211.920189.156960
@y80g2000hsf.googlegroups.com:

As far as learning, most bookstores have a broad section on photography
manuals, guides, etc. check them out and find one that suits you.   I
agree that alot of the basics are not present on the web in one place.  
You'll probably end up with several different books before the job is
done.   Don't forget to read your camera manual also...many gems in
there.  Actually, once you understand the manual, it probably contains
most of the information you will ever need.  

I agree with others that suggest a D80 and a fixed "Normal" lens.  Most
"kits" come with an "average" zoom.  You'll get a far better lens for the
same money if you choose a fixed length lens.  Don't underestimate the
advantages of sharpness and fastness.  This is why fast zooms cost $2000.  
I'd try the Nikon 50mm f/1.4D ($300) as a perfect first lens or a 24mm if
you are interested in a wider view.  50mm on DSLR will be like a mild
telephoto/portrait lens, personally I like it better than any "kit" zoom.  

35mm would be like the film "Normal" view, close to what the eye sees.  I
often find it is either too wide or not wide enough depending on my shot.    
I think many photographers experience "sweet spots" with lenses that are
slightly wide-angle (~ 24mm in DSLR), slightly telephoto (~ 50mm in DSLR)
or long (100-200mm in DSLR).   The truth is the rest of the range on your
zoom may not be essential.  Two exceptional quality fixed lenses are
cheaper than one decent zoom, I rest my case ;)  

Unfortunately, you'll probably have to end up with several lenses to find
the one you like.  Worse, you'll like different lenses in different
situations.  

Did anybody tell you that photography is a lens collection hobby,
consider yourself warned ;)