Overwhelmed with info, need some advice!

[Brushy]

Hello!

Ok, so I've been waffling back and forth between buying a new body and/or a new lens for many months now, and it changes depending on the day. I need some external input because my mind is so twisted around everything now.

So, currently I have an XT with a Tammy 17-50 f/2.8 and a 50mm f/1.4. This set up has been great for me for a while now, but I'm starting to feel like I'm wanting more...

What I like to shoot in order of priority:
1. portraits
2. landscape
3. wildlife (mostly birds)

I would also like to start to get into some studio lighting stuff, but this is a whole other aspect I have been trying to wrap my head around... advice welcome here too!

So, I don't know what I should do... If I should buy a lower priced crop (50D and a lens or two), go all out and buy a 7D or a 5DmkII (in which case i'd have to lose the Tammy and save for another lens), or get a used 5D classic and a lens.

Help please! :)

[crn3371]

Since you like to shoot wildlife, and birds, the first thing I'd get is a nice telephoto lens.

[Brushy]

Yea, I've been looking at the 100-400mm but since that is my third priority, I'd like to make sure my first two are covered first...

[Sean]

Well you have good coverage on the lower end, in most cases it's glass before body, but in yours a body and a speedlight would be a definitive upgrade. Something like a T1i or even a T2i when it comes to market.

[amyandmark3]

Your gear list says you have a 70-300 IS, is that current? If so, here's a couple of options to consider:

Full frame option: Sell the XT and Tamron, keep the 50 1.4 and 70-300IS, pick up a 5D and 24-105L (or 24-70L).... and buy a flash.

Crop option: Sell the XT and possibly the Tamron, keep the 50 1.4 and 70-300IS, pick up a 50D and the kit lens replacement of your choice (17-55IS, 15-85IS, or keep the Tammy).... and buy a flash.

With either option, consider replacing the 50 1.4 with an 85 1.8... that's largely a focal length preference decision, both are nice lenses, I prefer the 85.

If you have cash left over, consider whether you want to replace the 70-300IS with a nicer zoom (or prime) or start buying strobe equipment.

[Brushy]

@amyandmark3: It's not the 70-300 IS, it's a kit lens that came with the XT.

Out of curiosity, why do you suggest to sell the Tamron?

And @Sean: How come you suggest the T1i or T2i over the 50D (since I see you have a 50D)?

thanks for the feedback!

[strobe monkey]

70-200L f2.8 (IS or non IS whichever your budget allows you) + teleconverter.

Good for portraits, can be used for landscapes, with the addition of a teleconverter, you can use it for birds.

[themadman]

Whats wrong with the tammy for landscapes and the 50 1.4 for portraits? Sounds like you are only lacking on the birding end. I would suggest you consider the Canon 400 5.6L or Sigma 150-500 OS over the 100-400. Those two seem to be more recommended by birders when I did my research.

Link to thread about birding lenses: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=804871

[focus.pocus]

I upgraded from an Xs to a T1i last summer and the difference amazed me... now I invest in lens..

[Sorarse]

If you decide to go the 'upgrade the body' route, the 5DII is excellent for your first two preferences; portraits and landscapes.

[Brushy]

@themadman; nothing at all is wrong with those lenses, that's why I'm changing the body, not the lenses (unless I go FF then I'd obviously have to change the Tammy).

[puzzle]

Just to point out, the 7D is a crop body, its a great crop body but its not FF. (it has 1.6x magnification just like the 50D)

[Brushy]

Just to point out, the 7D is a crop body, its a great crop body but its not FF. (it has 1.6x magnification just like the 50D)

I'm confused? Does it say somewhere that someone thought the 7D was a FF?

[puzzle]

Sorry, ignore my last comment ... I simply miss read your initial post, I thought you said that either you'll get a lower price crop (50D) or a FF such as a 7D or 5DmkII. but now I see you were saying, should you get a lower price crop (50D) or a top end crop (7D) or the FF.

Whilst I'm here, I'll give my opinion which is basically based on what I think I would do in your situation ... If going the crop route I would pick up a 40D body and invest the saving in Speedlights (either canon or other), strobes and glass. why 40D over 50D? because in terms of IQ and ISO performance, there seems to be very little difference between the 2 and although the 50D screen is great to have (during the day, without a hoodman loop, the sun's glare makes this useless in anycase), I don't really feel that I benefit so much from the added features of the 50D over the 40D as I still haven't got around to using the micro adjust function for example and I don't yet print my work in large format so don't need the added pixels. Knowing what I know now, I often think that I would have been just as happy with a 40D as I am with my 50D (although it is still a great body).

If going FF, I would probably pick up a 5D classic (check out the 5Dc users thread), this body rocks as is perfect for portraits (your no.1 priority) and amazing for the price !!

Of course the 5DmkII is the ultimate beast (excluding the 1D series) and brings many advantages, many of which you don't necessarily need for your stated purposes but of course you pay for that which means you would have less money to put towards other things ... an example of the things which you would be paying for but wouldn't necessarily use would be the 5dmkII's high ISO performance. For studio or strobe work, we generally stay at low ISO's (normally ISO 100) so if that's your no.1 intended use, then perhaps the mk2 is overkill. If for example you wanted to do concerts (or shoot parties or weddings) in low light, then the mk2 would be great. For the bird stuff the cleaner high ISO would also be an advantage over the 5D classic but even still my recommendation would be the 5D classic.

As a quick summary, the way I view things is that crop bodies are great for sports/wildlife due to their fast frame rates over the 5D series and due to the added reach of the 1.6x magnification whereas FF's are generally geared towards studio and landscape work.

[Brushy]

Hey man, thanks for the detailed advice! I really appreciate it. I actually picked up a 5D classic a couple of weeks ago :)

[puzzle]

Ah really, I guess thats what you get for posting on old threads :oops:

good choice ;) Enjoy the 5D, I'm jelous so to get over my jelousy I think I will have to go out and blow 2.5K on a 5dmk2 now haha :P

[DStanic]

How are you enjoying the 5D? Which lenses are you currently using with it?

I'm sorta in the same boat.. thinking of upgrading my 20D to 5D. Luckly only 2 of my lenses are "EF-S", which I'd probably keep the 10-20 to use with the 30D (for now).

[Brushy]

I haven't had much of a chance to use it yet. The only lens I have that will work on it is my 50 1.4, and the AF is busted on it. I've still been playing regardless though! I really love it. The IQ is so much greater, and just the feel of the camera I like a lot more. I'm in the process of searching for a good, used 35L right now, but they come and go so quickly, I'm finding it tough! After I get my hands on that, I'll do some more playing and let you know!

I actually decided to keep the XT and the EF-S lenses in case I want to bring something that's not worth as much $$ somewhere or something...

[puzzle]

Not a bad idea to keep a smaller camera for those casual days. If money wasn't an issue however, I would still prefer to have a G11 ;)

[Markitos]

You say that you feel like your current setup is "lacking," which is fine, but you don't specify *what* is lacking. I think you need to figure out what YOU NEED first, and then make decisions based on that. Are you unable to catch things because the AF is too slow, or because you shoot ambient light a lot and find the high ISO noise unacceptable? If that's the case, maybe you should be looking at a FF camera or at faster lenses (though you already have pretty fast lenses). Do you want to invest $$$ in shooting birds? Then you should start looking at some long (400mm+ teles). What you've got is fine for portraits and landscapes. You could look into an 85 or 135mm lens if you wanted a different look for a portrait lens....

The bottom line though is that ALL of my suggestions, and the suggestions of previous posters COULD all be good ideas, but you have to define--for yourself--WHAT the problem is before you can solve the problem. You may find that there's not a problem and you just want nicer gear. That is also fine, but not trying to rationalize it in this way will make it easier for you to just buy what you WANT, instead of trying to figure out what you NEED. Generally if you NEED something--i.e., it's preventing you from doing something important--you'll already know what that is.

I hope that's helpful!