BODY CONFIRMED -> LENSE NEED HELP!

[FotoPhreak]

Hi all,

As those of you who have been frequenting this site and posting replies/comments will know, I have recently included several different topics relating to choices over the 300D & the 10D.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20593

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20828

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20828

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20786

and of course

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20599

Anyway, the reason I am creating a completely new post is so that I know where I stand, let you all know what stage I am at in the decision process, and to get some 'start-from-scratch' feedback, rather than being influenced by old posts.

So here is where it is at ...

If you are not sure where I stand, please view the other posts above. Essentially I am in the process of deciding to either by the 300D or the 10D, and different lenses to go with either.

I think that I have come to conclusion that as a first camera I will get the 300D on the basis that yes, as much as I like the idea of having a 'better' camera and growing into that, in terms of what I can do now, I will have enough on my plate learning the 300D inside out let alone the 10D.

And when it comes time to go to that next level, I will in theory have an extra AUS$1000 to spend, plus what ever the resale is on the 300D.

So now that has been cleared, it all comes down to lenses.

From all the comments I have read, it seems very clear that you get what you pay for in terms of lenses.

Whilst I am by no means made of money, or have that much for that matter, I think it would be silly to start off taking bad picks when I know I will eventually end up just wishing I had taken them with a better lense in the future (like others have done before me, *smiles* CDS).

So, this is what I am asking.

Could people please post replies in the following format:

*Number of years in the 'photography game'?

*Personal opinion on level of experience (1-10, 10 being the highest-> just so you know in my opinion no one can have 10 as even the experts can learn)?

*What equipment you currently run (a brief description of how you have found using them, adv/disadv, as you see fit)?

*What you recommend for my situation (detailed below)? Possibly with two different options in mind; 1 that doesn't completely disregard cost but knowing that it isn't that much of a worry, and the other knowing have to be economical with the purchase (i.e. 1 exp lense means no others, 3 ave = 1 exp).

*And any other comments on a 1st set of lenses.

My situation ...

I really want to be able to take the following (not necessarily in order of preference):

1. Landscapes (not necessarily panoramic as this can be done through the computer)
2. Portraits
3. Zoom for sports a distance away (both fast moving and slow moving, i.e. soccer & rock climbing)
4. General artistic work, i.e. buildings, night shots, abstract etc..

Alrighty then ...

I've set the challenge, now just need all of you to do your bit and, I have little doubt, provide me with some valuable information.

Thanks!

[Belmondo]

Are we getting paid for this?

[KarlJones]

belmondo wrote:
Are we getting paid for this?
No kidding!

[robertwgross]

FotoPhreak, what is going on here is not subtle. You seem to be trying to ask us to answer all of your questions that it takes some years to learn. Possibly this is a good forum for a specific question, and then get a specific answer or else a few good opinions. However, the flood of questions you have here is not productive.

It would be better if you attend a local community college and take one or two courses in photography, either traditional or digital. Once you do that, and then shoot for a year, come back here with a specific question or two, and I'll bet it will all make sense then.

So, to put it another way, your challenge is declined.

---Bob Gross---

[defordphoto]

Wow. That's quite a platefull you expect us all to fill. I do commend you on doing some think-ahead research on the camera game before jumping in with a what-do-I-need post, but wow, that's alot of information and would take quite some time to write out that lengthy post.

As you can see most of us love helping others out. We love helping others spend their money, but there's more research you need to do and much more learning and reading and learning that we can just teach you in a posting or two.

Baby steps. Baby steps.

[iwatkins]

Buy the 300D and a nice Canon lens in the focal length you expect to use the most. Then get out and start taking pictures. Then post some up in "Share Photos" or "Critique".

Sounds like a plan.

Cheers

Ian

[BearSummer]

Hi FotoFreak,

hmmm ok lets give this a shot,
20+
7.8
See my sig -macro lenses & tilt shifts
See my sig &200 1.8, 135 2, 24 1.4, 35 1.4, 400 2.8 IS
If in doubt buy the best

And for everything else read this

http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/

Best regards

[defordphoto]

Excellent link Bear: http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/

[vvizard]

Years of photography: 1+. Time with SLR: 1 month plus =)
Experience: 1-2?

Got the 50mm f/1.4 prime.
cons:
- Sucks dust as a vacuum-cleaner due to it changing length when focusing.
- Plastic-built (not any real problem for me though)
- ~ 77mm on the 10D/300D

pros:
- _GREAT_ low-light lens.
- Light.
- Probably a decent focal-length (with the 1.6x-whatever). Though I'm not a portrait-shooter, so I don't know what works best.
- Real expensive compared to the 50mm f/1.8 which is probably almost as good.

[BearSummer]

Hi Jim,

Yeah I came across it some time ago and thought the same. Glad that I bookmarked it now

Regards

BearSummer

[Fried]

Photo expirience: 30+
Digital 4
Rec.:
- 28-135 (good price, learn about diff. focal length, know what you're doing)
- 50mm f1.8 (cheap, for low light, portrait lens)
- TRIPOD!!!

[Tom W]

Fried wrote:
Photo expirience: 30+
Digital 4
Rec.:
- 28-135 (good price, learn about diff. focal length, know what you're doing)
- 50mm f1.8 (cheap, for low light, portrait lens)
- TRIPOD!!!


I will concur and I'll add that if the 28-135 IS is still a little over the line, the 28-105 provides decent performance for a little less $$$. The rest of Fried's post is good advice.

[agit-prop]

If you're thinking of a longer lens, the basic DL series Sigma 100-300 beats the Canon 100-300 in terms of CA. They are about equal in terms of sharpness.

You could also just go to a camera store, select a few lenses by sigma, Canon, etc that are in your FL and price range, and shoot some test pics in the store. Shoot something that is high contrast and well lit with the lens wide open at both extremes of the zoom range. (set the mode dial to AV and slelct the lowest number possible)

If possible ask the salesperson if you can step outside the door (with him/her of course) to shoot something under sunlight. Tree branches/leaves framed by the sky is a good test subject for this, as if a roof/wall/sky shot.

While playing back the images, use the camera's zoom function to zoom in to a part of the image that has a great deal of contrast. (paper with printing on it, etc.) and look for colored fringes around the hard-edge transition between black and white.

Not a very scientific test, but it will give you some point of comparison. You should also be able to get a subjective comparison of the sharpness of the lenses you sample.

[RbnDave]

I'll bite on this one. I was in your same position two months ago. I had no SLR experience, but i did a ton of research and came up with this lens set:

1) For wide angle I use the Tokina 17mm AT-X Pro. Here is a link to the webpage that talked me into this lens.
http://www.seittipaja.fi/data/Pontification/b_Photography/d_Tokina_AT-X_17mm/a_Tokina_AT-X_17_mm.html

Here is another link to Tokina 17mm info. There isn't much else written about this lens

http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=171&sort=7&thecat=13

I agonized between the Tokina and the Canon 17-40L for a week before I reached my decision. In the end I decided on the Tokina because it seemed to produce the same quality of photos as the canon but it is smaller and costs less than half as much. The obvious drawback is the Tokina doesn't offer the versatility of a zoom, but I figured I'm buying a wide angle lens to shoot wide angle photos so what's the point in paying extra money to zoom in. And, I already owned a Sigma 24-70 mm lens, so I with the Tokina I would only be missing the 18-23 mm range. That's only 7mm in focal length. How often have I needed a lens to fit that range? Never so far. And, after owning the Tokina for a month I can say I am very happy with the results. It is very sharp from corner to corner and it does a great job with colors.

2) I have two lenses for mid range, a Sigma 24-70 not the EX version (This lens is total Junk and I plan to replace it with the Canon 24-70 L someday soon hopefully) and my other midrange is a Canon 50mm f1.8. I love the canon 50mm. It is as good as everyone claims and it only cost $60. The Canon 50mm is great for low light and portraits. Also, it works well for landscapes. I rarely use the Sigma 24-70 anymore. I would rather recompose the picture and use the Canon 50mm than put up with the crappy colors and cartoon sharpness the Sigma produces.

Here is a photo taken with my $60 wonder the Canon 50mm f1.8. Look how sharp that is! Check out the reflection! I love this lens!
http://www.pbase.com/image/22615683.jpg


3) For telephoto work, I bought the Sigma 70-200 f2.8 EX This lens is super great! It produces sharp pictures and it is very versatile. I've used it to take photos of wildlife and i also have used it for portraits indoors without a flash. This lens makes people look good! I used it at a family get together. I got great results and rave reviews. Something about this lens is very flattering. People love the way they look when photoed with it. It is great because you can crank it all the way down to f2.8, turn the ISO up to 1600, and use it handheld, indoors, without a flash! Granted some photos come out a little blurred from motion or camera shake, but the advatage is you can be sneaky and take people's picture from across the room without them noticing. It's a great way to photograph a party.

That's my current lens set. Here are two gallerys taken with these lenses since I bought them a month back.

http://www.pbase.com/rbndave/mega_trip_octnov_2003

http://www.pbase.com/rbndave/recent_pictures

You can figure out what picture was taken with which lens by clicking on "full exif". Don't be too harsh on some of the Sigma 70-200 results. I use that lens handheld a lot when a real photographer would have it clamped to a tripod. Trust me, that lens is way sharp.

And in case you haven't found this site, here is the best place for lens info (other than this forum) on the web.

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1029

One last thing. You might want to get a good photography book. I recently read John Shaw's "Nature Photography Field Guide." It's a great book. I learned lots from it. Try going to Amazon and searching photography books. You can learn a lot and help support a starving pro photographer.

Good Luck.

Dave

PS- I have two years photo experience and only three months DSLR experience. I also have about 200 hours internet research experience :) .

[RichardtheSane]

Here's aquick rundown of my lit and stuff.

I have about 4 years slr experience and 6 months DSLR experience. I photograph anything that moves and most things that don't.

I use a 10D with the following lenses
EF 17-40L
EF 50mm F1.8
EF 100mm F2.8 USM Macro
EF 100-400L IS
EF 35-135

I got the 100-400L when I ordered the 10D because I wanted a fairly decent wildlife/sports lens without sacrificing quality.

For my standard lens I was using a 28-90 cheapo kit lens from my EOS30 and it really was rubbish. Ended up getting the 17-40 as a standard lens for general use.

50mm 1.8 MkI - every eos owner should have one IMHO. Cheap, sharp as tacks, bargain!

Just got a 100mm 2.8 for lowlight and some macro work.

My experience says get the best you can afford, go for a couple of really good lenses rather than a lot of lower quality ones.

[mwinog2777]

FotoPhreak wrote:
Hi all,

As those of you who have been frequenting this site and posting replies/comments will know, I have recently included several different topics relating to choices over the 300D & the 10D.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20593

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20828

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20828

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20786

and of course

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20599

Anyway, the reason I am creating a completely new post is so that I know where I stand, let you all know what stage I am at in the decision process, and to get some 'start-from-scratch' feedback, rather than being influenced by old posts.

So here is where it is at ...

If you are not sure where I stand, please view the other posts above. Essentially I am in the process of deciding to either by the 300D or the 10D, and different lenses to go with either.

I think that I have come to conclusion that as a first camera I will get the 300D on the basis that yes, as much as I like the idea of having a 'better' camera and growing into that, in terms of what I can do now, I will have enough on my plate learning the 300D inside out let alone the 10D.

And when it comes time to go to that next level, I will in theory have an extra AUS$1000 to spend, plus what ever the resale is on the 300D.

So now that has been cleared, it all comes down to lenses.

From all the comments I have read, it seems very clear that you get what you pay for in terms of lenses.

Whilst I am by no means made of money, or have that much for that matter, I think it would be silly to start off taking bad picks when I know I will eventually end up just wishing I had taken them with a better lense in the future (like others have done before me, *smiles* CDS).

So, this is what I am asking.

Could people please post replies in the following format:

*Number of years in the 'photography game'?

*Personal opinion on level of experience (1-10, 10 being the highest-> just so you know in my opinion no one can have 10 as even the experts can learn)?

*What equipment you currently run (a brief description of how you have found using them, adv/disadv, as you see fit)?

*What you recommend for my situation (detailed below)? Possibly with two different options in mind; 1 that doesn't completely disregard cost but knowing that it isn't that much of a worry, and the other knowing have to be economical with the purchase (i.e. 1 exp lense means no others, 3 ave = 1 exp).

*And any other comments on a 1st set of lenses.

My situation ...

I really want to be able to take the following (not necessarily in order of preference):

1. Landscapes (not necessarily panoramic as this can be done through the computer)
2. Portraits
3. Zoom for sports a distance away (both fast moving and slow moving, i.e. soccer & rock climbing)
4. General artistic work, i.e. buildings, night shots, abstract etc..

Alrighty then ...

I've set the challenge, now just need all of you to do your bit and, I have little doubt, provide me with some valuable information.

Thanks!



I have 28 years SLR experience. My experience is 9.5

[tarves57]

I have 4 years digital experience, 1 year DSLR (10D)

Stop agonizing! Buy the 10D (it's only £200 more than the 300D!), Canon 50mm for portraits, Canon 28-135 IS for scenery and general, Canon 100mm macro for macro shots, Canon 75-300 IS + multiplier for birds/wildlife, and above all, put the camera on Programmed AUTO, raw......brilliant photos everytime....8-)))

Susan

ah...and then there's the software.......8-)

[mwinog2777]

tarves57 wrote:
I have 4 years digital experience, 1 year DSLR (10D)

Stop agonizing! Buy the 10D (it's only £200 more than the 300D!), Canon 50mm for portraits, Canon 28-135 IS for scenery and general, Canon 100mm macro for macro shots, Canon 75-300 IS + multiplier for birds/wildlife, and above all, put the camera on Programmed AUTO, raw......brilliant photos everytime....8-)))

Susan

ah...and then there's the software.......8-)

Agree with above.