advice re: what gear to hire

Hi all, just after some advice. I’m looking to hire a camera over the Christmas break and was looking at the 5D Mk II. I currently have the 400D and I mainly photograph my children. I have the cheapie EF 50mm 1.8 lens and my question is this – I can really only afford to hire the body and not a pro lens, but do you think the 5D would be completely wasted if I were to use it with such a cheap lens, or should I maybe look at hiring the 600D instead and also hire a pro lens with the money I’d save?

I’d appreciate your thoughts.

The lens is brilliant, look over in the lens sample section and you can see some of the superb results people are getting.

Why hire a 5Dii when you have a camera already, what is lacking in your present camera that you feel the new body would provide.
If you are unhappy with the quality of your pictures at the moment, the 5Dii alone may not improve them!

Canon makes 3 50mm lenses. A 1.8, 1.4, and 1.2. They made a 1.0 for a few years starting in 1989, but it was not very good.

Of those three lenses, at least one well respected review site has given the 1.8 higher marks then the other two for image quality. So while the 1.8 is not the most durable lens, it creates some great pictures.

What is it about the photos you're taking now, that leads you to want to rent/hire new equipment?

Vettori,
Unless you are printing quite large prints, that 400D should be more than enough. Even that 50mm f/1.8 lens should be more than good enough unless it is too long- in which case, I would suggest getting a kit lens like an image stabilized 18-55 or 18-135. The biggest problems I see with the 50mm is that they are highly recommended by those who know how to use them, and a lot that purchase them are not ready for a non-image stabilized lens, nor are they ready for a very thin DOF. If money is tight, and it sounds like it is, I would suggest putting your hard earned money towards a decent kit lens like the Canon 18-55 IS, and practice shooting with it instead of the 50mm. On your 50mm, what aperture are you using on it ? f/1.8 mostly, or are you stopping it down to something like f/2.8 ? After that, my next suggestion would be an external flash.

Hi everyone and thanks for your responses - it's been interesting reading!
I'm basically looking for really sharp, fantastic resolution and perhaps i'm a bit confused in thinking that simply lots of megapixels will produce that? I have a pretty good "eye" but just basic equipment and i guess i was hoping to hire pro gear as it will work out considerably less than hiring a pro photographer! We're going away for a week and i love the thought of having it for that time frame to go bananas with.
I don't need video functions or for the camera to make me a cup of tea, just take great portraits of my children with high resolution. I also don't want to hire something that will slip a disc carrying it.
I love using the EF 50mm on the widest aperture as i love a blurred background when photographing children.
Keep the opinions coming, i appreciate it.

(please, anyone who knows more then me, please correct me)

I am new to all this, but I am a techie, and love reading anything I can get my hands on, so here is some book smart advise (with little to know real work experience)

the 50mm 1.8 wide open is going to let a lot of light in. This means one of two things will happen with the other two parts of the equation (shutter speed and ISO)

You will have lower ISO, and a long shutter speed
You will have higher ISO and a fast shutter speed

If you plan to hold the camera, and want sharp images, you will need to up the shutter speed. This means the ISO will go up, and as it goes up, you get more noise.

If you have a good enough sensor, you can take high iso shots and they will still look good, but really at 1.8, your most likely going to want to steady the camera on a tripod (or something other then handheld).

Also wide open, you end up with an extremely shallow focal range. Gives you that great look, but is harder with moving objects.

If you want better looking photos, you can experiment with a tripod in the living room with the kids playing (if that's a piece of equipment you want to take on your trip), or just step down the camera to f2.8/3.5 or something, and sacrifice the DoF.

Thanks for the advice mafoo, that's good to know and from now on i'm going to try smaller apertures and see how i go.
I think i've decided on the 7D and i have another question - is there any difference in resolution between the 7D and the 550D, 600D or 60D? They all have 18MP and the only reason i ask is because i'm not interested in any 'extras", so to speak (such as video etc), just high resolution, and the other three models i have mentioned are cheaper to hire. I just don't want to pay for a function i'm not going to use.

For all practical purposes, those cameras will provide the same results. The only real difference that might matter to you across those models, is better auto focus systems (7D, 60D), and faster frames per second (7D) if you plan to do action shots (like your kids jumping into a pool).

If your kids run around a lot, or you plan on having lots of action, then the 7D is your best bet. If the cost delta between that and the 60D is large, that's the second choice.

All of them however, are great cameras. Oh and if video is important, the 60D and 600D have articulating screens. Makes shooting home movies a little easier.

I use my 50 f1.8 on my 5D2 alot of the time when I'm indoors. For taking pics of the kids it's brilliant. The reach on a crop camera is a bit too far for most indoor pics but on the FF bodies it's perfect. If you hire the 5D2 for the xmas period I would look at getting a good flash instead of a "pro lens" as it doesn't have a built in one and although it's good in low light it's often better to use flash and keep the ISO low.

mafoo wrote in post #13502403
Canon makes 3 50mm lenses. A 1.8, 1.4, and 1.2. They made a 1.0 for a few years starting in 1989, but it was not very good.

Of those three lenses, at least one well respected review site has given the 1.8 higher marks then the other two for image quality. So while the 1.8 is not the most durable lens, it creates some great pictures.

What is it about the photos you're taking now, that leads you to want to rent/hire new equipment?

small correction : they make also the 50mm f/2.5

I'm totally confused and am now thinking of purchasing the 600D body instead of hiring anything. Wahhh this sux!

vettori wrote in post #13507448
I'm totally confused and am now thinking of purchasing the 600D body instead of hiring anything. Wahhh this sux!

Two things:

• What's confusing you? Maybe I can help.
  
• you make good decisions when you are confused.
  

Thank you mafoo for listening to my insolent whining. This weekend i'll be heading out to test drive both the 600D and 60D. I have a feeling the 7D will be wasted on me and i'd rather save some money and try to get a better standard lens (am happy with the cheapie 50mm though).
I've read that the 60D has a faster auto-focus system...do you have any thoughts on that? I'm happy with how quickly my 400D focuses and can only imagine the 600D would have improved in that department?

I'd hire the dream lens and leave the other body in the store.

Why?

I usually get my biggest improvements by having the right lens for the job. When I get a new body, I miss shots because I have to figure out the settings or, "Wait! Let me try this" and my audience gets bored and won't perform in the same way again.

If you're going for the family gathering, once-in-a-lifetime shots this holiday, go with what you know.

[Now, if you go to family gatherings and are bored to tears and you need something to do, by all means, bring the hired camera and the manual...this will keep you engaged doing SOMETHING while the rest of family drama is in full force.]

Thanks cpam.pix, i bought the 60D - love it! Will be hiring the 28-70L for the holiday period and no chance of boredom with 4 kids under 6!