5D mark iii dilemma! What would you do?

i did a 5d mark iii + 17-40L + Sigma 50mm 1.4 + 135mm f2L for less than $5300. id vote for this so you can get some flash and poppers with the $6k budget.

CptTripps wrote in post #14207033
Hehe, I've been saving man, 5diii is non-negotiable and will be with me for years, it has everything I want in a camera (excellent af/iso performance). I am surprised yours is the first mkii comment, thought I would get that more I am a tonyz fan though and appreciate your input/work but am sticking to my listed options.

hope you dont regret it once you find out that your world class autofocus doesent let you see where youre focusing untill its too late.
Also consider the 70-200 f4 IS is a damn sharp lens. You will not be losing out much on skipping the f2.8 version. I recommend you go second hand on the 70-200 f4 IS so that you can sell it off without loss should you later decide that f2.8 is non negotiable as well

jacobsen1 wrote in post #14207587
ok, let me get this straight. You have a 60D and want to upgrade it to a 5diii. You also have a 18-135 and want to upgrade it to a 70-200 2.8L IS II... Methinks you're reading too much on the forum and not shooting enough.

what do you shoot that pays? for concerts in small clubs, I don't think I'd really want to bring in a 5Dii w/70-200II combo. That's a lot of $ someone could drop a drink on. And I'm assuming your current kit is insured, I still wouldn't do it.

Also, consider this. Why do you want the 70-200II? Yeah, it's a great lens, but it's stupid expensive. A 135L, 85 1.8, 50 1.4 and 28 1.8 COMBINED cost less. That would give you a much better portrait setup and a smaller setup for going into clubs. I'd bet you could add the 70-200 f/4 in there as well and still be under your budget.

I don't know, maybe it's just me, but you have 2 of the most expensive lust items on your list, and you're coming from a vanilla kit setup. I think you need to really assess what you want to shoot and how your current kit is keeping you from doing it. Then upgrade it over time. Especially because this isn't even YOUR kit, it's your wives...

As stated it is a lust item an not the only option listed. 24-105 or the 70-200 f4 would allow me another lens or two depending on which I choose. 50 1.4 or the 85 1.8 are definitely considerations. Thought about a 17-40 although I'd rather have the 24-70 and a 16-35.

That said I shoot every single day it's not snowing/raining (and sometimes then). Summer comes late in Alaska. I read forums at work and put everything into practice after.

eninety wrote in post #14208319
i did a 5d mark iii + 17-40L + Sigma 50mm 1.4 + 135mm f2L for less than $5300. id vote for this so you can get some flash and poppers with the $6k budget.

Thanks for the input, I do have some cactus v5 to fire my 430's. The 135 f2 really is a sexy beast

After using the sigma 30 I am definitely not afraid to purchase again from sigma. My local camera shop let me play with his 5dii with the sigma 50 and it was indeed quite nice, he was also considering selling his 50L as he likes the sigma so much.

Food for thought.

boerewors wrote in post #14208463
hope you dont regret it once you find out that your world class autofocus doesent let you see where youre focusing untill its too late.
Also consider the 70-200 f4 IS is a damn sharp lens. You will not be losing out much on skipping the f2.8 version. I recommend you go second hand on the 70-200 f4 IS so that you can sell it off without loss should you later decide that f2.8 is non negotiable as well

60D also does this. Flash after lock and no flash using servo.

vinmunoz wrote in post #14207103
option 1. worry about the lacking in short end later.

i prefer to secure the body that i want first. then worry about the lenses as the funds are up again.

Fantastic sexy cowboy shoot vin, those had me questioning myself.... Thanks for the support, I knew I was gonna take a beating

vinmunoz wrote in post #14207103
option 1. worry about the lacking in short end later.

i prefer to secure the body that i want first. then worry about the lenses as the funds are up again.

Ummmmm. How, exactly, do you shoot without the lenses?

amfoto1 wrote in post #14209317
Ummmmm. How, exactly, do you shoot without the lenses?

He stated option 1 which does include a lens and then stated to worry about the short range later. Come on now.

MakisM1 wrote in post #14207809
The gull is as much action as action gets... It didn't fly straight in a predictable fashion, but in a very errratic pattern. The AF, simple as it maybe for you, kept up fine, as demonstrated by the consecutive photos.

The missed focus in an argument is always a cheap shot around here. High ISO was the point...

However,...

If you read and interpreted the Exif you'd understand more about the point.

The photo is shot with the EF-S 18-200 at 18mm focal length at ISO12800 (f5.0, 1/100). It's DOF is from 4 ft to 13 ft, everything in this photo is within this range, yet the photo is not sharp.

That's why I am advocating lenses before body... I could have smoothed the ISO12800 'grain' at the expense of more softness.

I need sharper lenses. ...and so will you... all across the range.

...and I have a feeling that 5 grand is not enough... YMMV

Not intended to be a jab, I can't view exif on the iPad that I am aware of and wasn't getting your point obviously. That said, I've shot some nice glass at 12800 and although sharp(er) it still wasn't usable for my needs.

The 18-200 and 18-135 are both crap, I am aware and agree. . I understand the need for glass but honestly don't feel I need to own L lenses across the entire range to go full frame.

I also never felt the camera body is holding me back, but I do know the 60d inside and out, what it can do, and what it takes to do it. I also know that i am purchasing a camera for myself and want FF, better iso, and advanced af. I am not jumping on this camera because it's cool and new, I've been saving and waiting for this camera for quite some time. The af system is not simple to "me", I have no superiority complex, it's just simple in terms of canons current system. New servo modes are flipping amazing!!

Once again, no offense intended and I did appreciate your input. I also think 5grand will be plenty if I go 70-200f4is and a 17-40, I'm not afraid to toss the nifty in the mix either .

That said, I've made up my mind, thanks for the input all.

boerewors wrote in post #14208463
hope you dont regret it once you find out that your world class autofocus doesent let you see where youre focusing untill its too late.

Not sure what you meant here, but the 5D3 does let you see what you are focusing and then once focus is locked, the whole viewfiender flashes red.

dailydriver wrote in post #14213179
Not sure what you meant here, but the 5D3 does let you see what you are focusing and then once focus is locked, the whole viewfiender flashes red.

Now here we go, a guy with the 5d3, 70-200mkii and the nifty. Do you have an idea what lens you want next after shooting a bit? Also, Have you put the nifty on at all?

Just curious for your thoughts.

Manual AF selection is just fine.

Also, what you are griping (or better yet, trolling) about is exactly the way every Canon camera works except for the 1D series.

jacobsen1 wrote in post #14207688
see also my suggestion about smaller faster lenses. It's the length of the 70-200 that would be a pita in a club for me. Also, 2.8 isn't all that fast and IS doesn't make people hold still... So yeah, I'd go with smaller lighter faster primes personally. Better all around.

I shoot my 1ds2 in clubs with the 70-200mk2 with zero problems. It would be a pain the rear switching to my 85 or 50 all the time, and negating myself the long end also. With the 5dm3 the 70-200mk2 is way more than 'fast' enough...

CptTripps wrote in post #14209142
As stated it is a lust item an not the only option listed. 24-105 or the 70-200 f4 would allow me another lens or two depending on which I choose. 50 1.4 or the 85 1.8 are definitely considerations. Thought about a 17-40 although I'd rather have the 24-70 and a 16-35.

That said I shoot every single day it's not snowing/raining (and sometimes then). Summer comes late in Alaska. I read forums at work and put everything into practice after.

OK, that explains the 5Diii and 70-200 2.8 IS L II lust... They're both great items, don't get me wrong. But they're also VERY expensive items. I'd start smaller if you can, and with the budget you have you can get some great lenses now, then once you learn EXACTLY how they're holding you back, upgrade them specifically to suit the talk.

If you want/need a body upgrade now, consider the 7D. Close to $1k and the best cropper available. A 1Diii would also be a consideration IMHO. From there, lenses. Consider a tamron 70-300 VC. Amazing lens, $400. Then get some of those primes. A fast aperture will teach you more about photography than anything else. I'd also get a 17-55 for your 60D as your mid range zoom. Consider a 10-22 as well. The thing is lenses actually appreciate if you buy them in good condition used. So tie up your ~$5k now in good used glass, sell it to upgrade in the future. Just DON'T buy new if you can help it. New canon lenses will lose ~20% in the first few years, you have to wait out a price hike to get that back. But it smartly used you can at least resell it at no loss in weeks or months. I do this all the time. This way you can try the lenses you want and take baby steps towards you goal w/o putting all your money into one or two items.

But hey, if 70-200 (on FF) is the only FL you really want, the 5Diii and the new 70-200 IS is a wicked combo...

CptTripps wrote in post #14213193
Now here we go, a guy with the 5d3, 70-200mkii and the nifty. Do you have an idea what lens you want next after shooting a bit? Also, Have you put the nifty on at all?

Just curious for your thoughts.

I do have an idea of what lens to get. I'm getting the 50 1.2 next and the 24-70 II when it comes out. And the nifty was free. I sold all my other EF-s lenses when I sold my XSi. That's why i have what I have

The nifty works great also. The 70-200 IS mark II is great. Will never let that go. I shoot thatoutdoors most of the time.