30D & Sigma 18-50 f/2.8 coming Thursday

[TMR Design]

Well, it's done!! I placed the order and I am completely psyched. After doing all the research I not only got the 30D but I opted to NOT get the kit lens and just get a nicer lens at the beginning. I know I would want to replace the kits lens as soon as possible and the resale value on it can't be that much so rather than have a paperweight I think I got a nice alternative that is consderably better and faster and should give me a great start. Then down the road I can look into longer lenses.

I am going to a car show this weekend so that will be the first real test for the my new toys.

Oh yes, I picked up a Sandisk Extreme III 2GB CF card too.

[Rhinotherunt]

Looking forward to seeing some water fowl homage images. ;)

[Moppie]

Looking forward to seeing some water fowl homage images. ;)

These are more of a requirment than you might realise.

I never took any, and my week old 30D is currently at Canon NZ having the sensor side of the high pass filter cleaned.

[Rhinotherunt]

These are more of a requirment than you might realise.

I never took any, and my week old 30D is currently at Canon NZ having the sensor side of the high pass filter cleaned.

Yeah, they are the protectors of equipment! Once you take an image of a duck your equipment is insurred. ;)

[TMR Design]

Last minute change to Sigma 17-70mm. I thought about it and after a reading a few other posts it would seem that the 17-70 is just as good if not better so now I have a lightly longer lens to get started with. I am completely thrilled and can't sit still. The order should arrive tomorrow morning. I hope it does. If it's a nice day I will go to a local park and take some of the obligatory duck shots.

[TMR Design]

These are more of a requirment than you might realise.

I never took any, and my week old 30D is currently at Canon NZ having the sensor side of the high pass filter cleaned.


Why is your week old 30D being cleaned at the shop so soon? Was it filthy when you got it or were you changing lenses in a sandstorm? LOL

[Rhinotherunt]

Actually, many of the 30Ds have been shipped with dust on the sensors. We had just got a 350D here at work and it had sensor dust... and people complain about Sigma QC...

[JulianL]

Yeah, they are the protectors of equipment! Once you take an image of a duck your equipment is insurred. ;)

Hmm, I'll have to scout out some water fowl around here...my 30D will probably be here early next week.

[Stefan A]

Congratulations on finally making a decision. It took me a long time to finally hit the purchase button. You will like the 17-70, but it would have been nice to have the 2.8 constant aperture. Like all things, there is always a compromise somewhere. I can't decide between the 70-200L f/4 or the 70-300IS. With the rebate the L is actually cheaper plus I hear the optics are better. But IS and an extra 100mm in the other lens. Always a compromise when funds are limited. I am probably making my fist visit to B&H on Friday, so I need to decide. Anyway, good luck with your new equipment.

Stefan

[TMR Design]

Thanks man. I am super excited!!! I will let you know when it gets here and is in hand.

[Moppie]

Why is your week old 30D being cleaned at the shop so soon? Was it filthy when you got it or were you changing lenses in a sandstorm? LOL


It's a special limited edition model, complete with sensor dust in the inside of the highpass filter.
Basicly I did a dust test the day I got it, and found it was filthy, like REALLY filthy.
I took it back to the shop I got it from and then did a really good job of cleaning all but 4 little specs from it.
Worried these specs might be a problem with the sensor or filter that sits in front of it, they rang Canon NZ, who said it bring it right over.
They then had another go at cleaning it, and found the 4 little specs were in fact stuck between the sensor and the high pass filter. Since the filter is Glued and Sealed to the front of the sensor, they clearly got in there during manufactor.
Unfortunalty to fix it, they have to remove the sensor, and unstick the glue before they can clean it.
Foruntatly it means when it comes back it will be hand calibrated to a much higher level than when it was manufactored :D

[TMR Design]

Canoga Camera just confirmed the 30D and the Sigma 17-70mm went out and I should have it by tomorrow afternoon. Christmas is early this year :cool:

[inthedeck]

Nice...Robert. Glad you finally made the decision. I am sure you will have LOTS to learn, capture, create, etc. in the near future. Good luck with it.

[unix04]

Canoga Camera just confirmed the 30D and the Sigma 17-70mm went out and I should have it by tomorrow afternoon. Christmas is early this year :cool:

congrats! looks like you and i have to go shoot some ducks!
too bad there's none here in the city...
where in LA can you find ducks?! :confused:

[TMR Design]

Duck season....wabbit season...duck season....wabbit season....LOLOLOLOLOL

[unix04]

does a picture of donald or daffy count? i can find one of those around here somewhere :D

[Rhinotherunt]

Hmm, I'll have to scout out some water fowl around here...my 30D will probably be here early next week.
SWEET!!!

Duck season....wabbit season...duck season....wabbit season....LOLOLOLOLOL
Listen to the Rabbit! Listen to the Rabbit!

does a picture of donald or daffy count? i can find one of those around here somewhere :D
Sure, a duck is a duck! ;)

[TMR Design]

Wow. They shipped it right away and from the tracking information I can see it is Kentucky now. (lolol, oh the impatient one). So within the next few hours it should make its way to NY and then be on the truck for delivery.
Time passes so slowly when you are waiting. ;)

[Rhinotherunt]

I go crazy when I am waiting for a new toy. :)

[TMR Design]

Hey Ryan,

I just noticed that your Company or business name is TRM Digital Imaging and mine is TMR Design. :D

I keep clicking refresh on the UPS tracking site..LOLOLOLO

[Rhinotherunt]

Hey Ryan,

I just noticed that your Company or business name is TRM Digital Imaging and mine is TMR Design. :D

I keep clicking refresh on the UPS tracking site..LOLOLOLO

Yup! Mine are my initials. When I saw your name I was like "WHAT!". Then I realized it was different. :)

[NAisBEST]

Youre going to love it! I recieved mine yesterday, and Im already in love :):):)

[TMR Design]

Yup! Mine are my initials. When I saw your name I was like "WHAT!". Then I realized it was different. :)


Mine is my initials backwards : )))

[TMR Design]

Youre going to love it! I recieved mine yesterday, and Im already in love :):):)

I know I am going to love it. It was such a tease the other day when I played with a 30D for a few hours at Best Buy but I knew I was not going to buy from them. I am also super excited that I opted to not get the kits lens (not knocking it, just felt I would want better very soon so I chose to skip that stop and just get a nice lens) and get the Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4.5. It seems like a great lens for me and since I love doing macro work I will definitely take advantage of the macro capability. I can't wait. It should be just a few hours.

[Stefan A]

How does it get from Kentucky to NY, and then to your front door within a few hours?

Stefan

[TMR Design]

UPS Overnight Air. I paid for it and it is scheduled to be here today. It got from CA to KY in a few hours. Now it just has to get to the NY hub. From there is can take anywhere from 1 to 4 or 5 hours. So on the outside it will be here later this afternoon or very early evening.

[TMR Design]

As usual, when something can go wrong, it will. The UPS plane had mechanical trouble and now they say it will be here tomorrow. I paid for overnight air so now there is a chance that I will get a partial refund on the shipping because it did not get here today......it's always something. Oh well, they say patience is a virtue.

[unix04]

might be good training for what is to come...
some shots take lots of time to take (or retake about a hundred times...haha)

[Stefan A]

Wow - I bet you are cringing now. The way I always think about anxious waits like this is that I will have the item for many years. The few days or weeks to get it will be forgotton about shortly.

Stefan

[BassBiggieD]

ughhhh i got to go find a few ducks!!! ive yet to shoot any and my gear is getting a few months old!!! tho the sigma lens has had its ducks, but my rebel hasnt! gotta go insure it!

i wish i coulda got a 30d... so much more comfy to hold

good luck with ups! i hate them... ill pay extra for fedex

[Rhinotherunt]

ughhhh i got to go find a few ducks!!! ive yet to shoot any and my gear is getting a few months old!!! tho the sigma lens has had its ducks, but my rebel hasnt! gotta go insure it!


Oh my! Such a risk taker you are!!!

[unix04]

wait...we have to bless each lens in addition to the body?
*goes out to buy a few stuffed ducks*

[Rhinotherunt]

Hmm... I must create a photographer equipment sanctum. One where photographers can come and pay homage to their equipment and water fowl. :lol:

[TMR Design]

ughhhh i got to go find a few ducks!!! ive yet to shoot any and my gear is getting a few months old!!! tho the sigma lens has had its ducks, but my rebel hasnt! gotta go insure it!

i wish i coulda got a 30d... so much more comfy to hold

good luck with ups! i hate them... ill pay extra for fedex


Unfortunately with Canoga Camera FedEx was not an option. I was thinking that air overnight would just work, but once again UPS proved to be soooo unreliable when you need them. If I was not in a hurry all would be fine.

[TMR Design]

wait...we have to bless each lens in addition to the body?
*goes out to buy a few stuffed ducks*

...or you could go to a restraurant and order duck and then weird out the waiter and staff by taking pictures of the duck...LOLOLOL

[irhxcbcziuzxs]

what made you choose that sigma instead of the tamron before you went to the 17-70

[rdricks]

Boy, that stinks!! When I got mine I used standard delivery. I tried to convince my wife that it was just another tool, it would be fun to have, but I could wait for it. I think I had here fooled, but I was going crazy waiting for it to arrive. (Of course, I may have blown my cover when I saw it was delivered and left work early!):o

-Ryan

[TMR Design]

what made you choose that sigma instead of the tamron before you went to the 17-70


Well I was reading everything I could and trying to put all the comments and reviews into perspective, weighing it against my budget and overall cost. Although I was very interested in the Tamron they were a little more expensive and some people seemed to mention the Tamron and a noisy lens more often then the Sigma. I was up in the air. Both seemed excellent depending on who you listened to andabout the same as far as AF, distortion etc.. I did see some that made mention of the Sigma being a slightly better build...so it was tough and I went with Sigma, then when I loooked further into in and decided to get the extra reach in the 17-70mm there was no comparable Tamrom to even consider.

I searched and read just about every post in these forums and on the web having anything to do with the Tamroms and Sigmas. Ultimately it just seemed like even though many people love and prefer Tamron, more went with Sigma and gave it rave reviews.

[Moppie]

I love my 17-70, altough its not HSM, its still surpisingly fast, and very quite.
You just have to becareful your hand is away from the focus ring, as it will turn with the AF.
17 is nice and wide, and 70 is just long enough, while F2.8 at the wide end isn't much use, the F4.5 at the long end is.

[TMR Design]

I love my 17-70, altough its not HSM, its still surpisingly fast, and very quite.
You just have to becareful your hand is away from the focus ring, as it will turn with the AF.
17 is nice and wide, and 70 is just long enough, while F2.8 at the wide end isn't much use, the F4.5 at the long end is.

When you say that at f/2.8 it isn't much use, what do you mean exactly? Is it that it is soft? Do you find that at 50mm it is fast enough? Is it possible to use a lens like this for portrait work until I can figure out what lengh prime I want?

[irhxcbcziuzxs]

Well I was reading everything I could and trying to put all the comments and reviews into perspective, weighing it against my budget and overall cost. Although I was very interested in the Tamron they were a little more expensive and some people seemed to mention the Tamron and a noisy lens more often then the Sigma. I was up in the air. Both seemed excellent depending on who you listened to andabout the same as far as AF, distortion etc.. I did see some that made mention of the Sigma being a slightly better build...so it was tough and I went with Sigma, then when I loooked further into in and decided to get the extra reach in the 17-70mm there was no comparable Tamrom to even consider.

I searched and read just about every post in these forums and on the web having anything to do with the Tamroms and Sigmas. Ultimately it just seemed like even though many people love and prefer Tamron, more went with Sigma and gave it rave reviews.

do you know if that 18-50 sigma has USM?

[TMR Design]

No it does not have USM. Even though I really thought it would be cool to have f/2.8 across the whole range I chose to go with the other for greater flexibility. I am not sure about you, but I need a lens that really gets me through lots of different things until I can expand the collection. I just felt that the 50 would cut me off at times. I could be wrong.

[irhxcbcziuzxs]

probably should go with the tamron for me then

[TMR Design]

Why do you say that? All in all the reviews indicate the build on the Sigma is slightly better and a fairly quiet lens. I am not sure the Tamron is going to be any more quiet? Is that the only reason you feel you want the Tamron?

[inthedeck]

Some people get bad copies. Best way to try it out is with low light situations, at the 2.8 end. This way, you will be able to tell whether 'your' copy is OK or not. Not everything is perfect...and all lenses, at one point or another seem to have their issues. The best way to check a particular lens is with 'your' camera. It's not like these things are completely foll-proof.

I feel you made a good choice...and it'll be alright. No need to worry, till the UPS guy shows up. You will have time to 'play' with the camera and lens. If it doesn't work out, then send the lens back. It's a pain, but, hey, if it's not right, then, it's not right.

[TMR Design]

Some people get bad copies. Best way to try it out is with low light situations, at the 2.8 end. This way, you will be able to tell whether 'your' copy is OK or not. Not everything is perfect...and all lenses, at one point or another seem to have their issues. The best way to check a particular lens is with 'your' camera. It's not like these things are completely foll-proof.

I feel you made a good choice...and it'll be alright. No need to worry, till the UPS guy shows up. You will have time to 'play' with the camera and lens. If it doesn't work out, then send the lens back. It's a pain, but, hey, if it's not right, then, it's not right.

Ahh, the voice of reason.

[irhxcbcziuzxs]

Why do you say that? All in all the reviews indicate the build on the Sigma is slightly better and a fairly quiet lens. I am not sure the Tamron is going to be any more quiet? Is that the only reason you feel you want the Tamron?

well between the sigma 18-50 and tamron 17-50 , the tamron is being compared to some damn expensive lenses, so thats good in optics, though a slightly less better build and maybe a bit of noise... worth that for the better optics?

[inthedeck]

well between the sigma 18-50 and tamron 17-50 , the tamron is being compared to some damn expensive lenses, so thats good in optics, though a slightly less better build and maybe a bit of noise... worth that for the better optics?

You can always rent both lenses, from www.lensrentals.com (http://www.lensrentals.com) and see how they work for you. It might cost you a few bucks...but in the end, it will be worth it to understand how each of them works for you. That's the most important key...and if you are a pixel-peeper, then, you will know which you like best.

[irhxcbcziuzxs]

that would so work if i had the time

Oct 20 2006 7:00P Grand Rapids Griffins VS. Houston Aeros (http://events.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=mycalendar&eUserId=110660866&eUserName=I+prefer+to+burn+at+least+one+bridge+a+d ay...+&calViewDate=10-20-2006&eID=25913)

and then a concert afterwards

Then a hockey game the next day, and then... a concert afterwards

then some random things.. then on the 31st i have nightlife portraits to take...

[inthedeck]

I am sure they have 'special' shipping arrangements. Try it...have them overnight it...and you will have BOTH lenses, for a week...or even the weekend. Can't beat that.

[Stefan A]

The more you read, the more you will 2nd guess yourself. You have made the decision based on good information. Just relax and deal with the wait :)

Stefan

[unix04]

from the reviews that i've read, tamron seems to consistently beat the sigma in optics (though quality is very close). build and AF noise advantage goes to sigma. AF speed seems comparable, but sigma seems to be faster in low-light than the tammy. i've read over a dozen reviews on probably just as many sites/forums. i've verified the build/af myself at the camera shop, but was not able to compare IQ due to a lack of memory card.

[TMR Design]

I think you could flip a coin and be very happy with either....for that matter, unhappy with either.
I did what you did and read every scrap on them. I drew the same conclusions.

[Moppie]

When you say that at f/2.8 it isn't much use, what do you mean exactly?


It dosn't look soft, its might be a little softer, but you would have to be pixel peeping to see it.
I don't find it much use because at 17mm your VERY wide, and either very close to a subject, and so end up with a very limited depth of field, or your shooting a landscape, or scene, and need more DOF.
And of course at such a wide angle, altough even at 2.8 you get a narrow DOF, the OOF area isn't all that out of focus, the fall off is very gradual.
Of course if you want it for low light shooting then it could be useful, and you may have other uses for it.
However, it seems to be me like it was put in as a bit of a marketing ploy, and as a side effect of having F4.5 at 70mm, which I think gives you about F3.5 at 50mm, which is nice for portraits.

[DiscoLizard]

Moppie - you've got a camera to put that flash on now? Jeez, I go away for a few days... :D

To the op - from what I've read, I think you made a good choice, make sure you get out and enjoy your new gear, regardless of the weather!

[TMR Design]

Everything looks good for the brown truck to be coming by 10:30 in the morning. The package is in town and will go out on the truck in the morning. Remember when we couldn't track packages and just had to wait with no info?

[inthedeck]

Haha...cool. At least it will be there. My camera is due in tomorrow...but I have no idea when. My brother has tomorrow off (sick day) so hopefully he will be here to get the package...(crossing fingers)!!!

Good luck, and happy shooting, when you do get it.

[unix04]

i took a 'sick day' off work to get my camera too...

[TMR Design]

Well, it's on the truck and scheduled to be here within an hour and a half. Let's see if it happens as it shold today. I just want to get out and shoot!

[inthedeck]

TMR..I guess you run your own company? and thus don't have to go to work, unlike the rest of us unlucky folk?

Mine is on the truck for delivery...to bad I couldn't take a 'sick day' as well. Only so much vacation time that they give ya here...hehe.

[TMR Design]

TMR..I guess you run your own company? and thus don't have to go to work, unlike the rest of us unlucky folk?

Mine is on the truck for delivery...to bad I couldn't take a 'sick day' as well. Only so much vacation time that they give ya here...hehe.


LOL, It's not as glamorous as it sounds. I do get to make my own schedule but being in business for yourself can be rough. I only work hard enough to be comfortable but am not driven by $$$. I balance work with my artistic and creative side, which all revolve around computers, the Internet, photography and related services. Gotta wear many hats to keep things going.

[TMR Design]

It arrived and I started a new thread. Happy Happy Joy Joy.