Model selection help wanted

I'm a returning slr user after leaving the hobby about 15 years ago during which time I've been making do with a compact.

I'd narrowed my choices down to the canon eos 600 or 60d (after seriously considering the nikon 5100 too) but now see the 650 has hit the market and looks like a good buy.

Other than general use I'd like to get into some wildlife and macro photography and also shooting my reef aquarium inhabitants.

I was erring towards the 600d but now the new tech in 650 plus higher frame rate is an attraction.

I don't really have a need for video but guess if its there may well use but not prime concern which is has to be image quality.

The 650 now looks like my choice but I'm concerned about the new focusing system and how it will work with the non stm lenses which I developed for video rather than still use and will be slower to focus but how will the USM lenses perform?

Which would be the better choice for my needs and can anyone suggest the way to go with lenses a good macro and a mid range zoom

thanks guys

The ef 100mm f2.8 usm macro is a fun, sharp quality lens,
it allows you to have a slightly longer working distance than some of the shorter macro's.
Helps for shy aware of you insect shots.
The usm motor focuses really fast, if mine ever got damaged I would replace in a heartbeat.
There is also an image stabilized version if cost is not an issue for you.

Definitely get the hood, I use it to help focus in a lot of shallow dof macro shots.
It is handy to rest the end of the lens on and just slide forwards or back to help keep it steady.

cheers - how are you finding the hybrid focusing on the t4i? why did yo go with that and not a 60d?

If you're looking to do some wildlife photos you'll need a lot more than 100mm to capture wildlife. Anything between 200mm and 400mm will be your prime target reach. I have the 70-200 2.8 IS MKI which I think is a great camera on the crop sensor cameras. I also have an 80-400 Tokina which is an OK Lens. It gets very temperamental at 400mm even on my Full Frame camera. I can't shoot any slower than 1/400 of a second even at 80mm.

I hear real nice things about the 70-200 f/4 lens and if you're outside shooting wildlife then f/4 should be the widest you need to go anyway.

Rent some lenses and play around with them for a few days and get a feel for what you like.

I am used to the t2i's control system so having an extra wheel isn't high on my priorities.
If the 60d had micro adjust I would have went for it instead and almost decided to save for a 7d.
I went for the 650d because I wanted to try the digic 5 first hand.

I have only had the cam for one day.
The video focusing was not fast on the lens I tried it out on, but a sigma 70-200 2.8 isn't really built for that purpose. So hard to say. Still focusing seems to be improved for general photography it seems to focus faster and more accurately ...but that is just my opinion. I really dig the better iso performance in jpeg, was able to capture some available light shots I wouldn't have even attempted with my t2i.

I ordered a 650D for the wife when it was announced, it should be delivered tomorrow, as an update for her 550D and a good body to shoot video. I hope it will perform as good as it looks because it's has some better features than my 60D. The build quality and the ergonomics of the x0D bodies is still likely better than the 650D, and personally I don't get on too well without the rear dial anymore, but on the whole I think the 650D could be an excellent buy.

The 650D without the STM lenses will be just as good as its rivals, the IQ will be similar to the 550D,60D,600D and 7D as the sensor of the 650D is an updated version (with video highlights) of the similar sensor. Also the STM lenses can be used by any other dslr and will work the same as any other regular lens and the STM will only engage on an STM body (650D as yet and ? whe future).

Depending on budget, the 100 f2.8 L macro is a fantastic macro lens and can easily be used as a great portrait lens also. The non L version has the same optics IIRC and is only lacking in the hybrid IS of the L version. I have countless excellent photos from my 100 L so I can highly recommend it.
Also for a good mid range zoom, again depending on budget, the 70-200 L (all versions are excellent and run from £450 to £1800 new and around £350 to £1500 second hand) and there is also the kit 55-250 IS zoom which is an excellent performer for the cost and highly regarded on here and other forums and ranges from around £150 new to £100 second hand.
Hope this all helps and welcome to the forum.

Either the 60D or the 650 seem like good choices. With the 650 there should be no focusing issues at all with USM and pre-USM lenses. Even though it is a change, think of it more of as having an extra capability, not a loss. But I do not have any first hand experience with it.

Macro
If I was buying a new macro, I would go with the 100mm L. Someday I will probably replace my 100mm non-USM with it, if only for the IS. The 100mm FL because of its ease of use (reasonable working distance from subject), and (for me) more use outside of macro (or it did until I got the 85 and 135).

Mid-range zoom
Most people that have it seem to love their Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS. If you don't need a constant (and faster aperture) many like the EF-S 15-85 f/3.5-5.6 IS. I wanted a 2.8, but at the time I also needed to shoot some film (plus I was on more of a budget) so I opted for a Sigma 24-60. Turns out it is an awesome lens (for me). Many with say this is not wide enough nor have a long enough range. It works fine for me. If I would do it now, I'd probably go 24-70 f/2.8 by Canon (the L) or the new Tamron in the same range. The other slower Canon 24-105mm f/4 L. Your mid-range zoom just depends on you needs and your expenses.

For wildlife either the Canon 100-400L or one of the long Sigmas. I went with the Sigma 150-500, and love it for IQ but hat it for transport (it is long). The length in use and the weight do not bother me though, just length in storage/transport it around.

How focusing in live view?

Here's my thinking then

650d £587 (or with kit 18-55) £650

Kit 55-250 -£169 or tamron 18-270mm pzd at £340

Canon 100mm 2.8 macro £377 or Sigma 105mm 2.8 at £340 - or would at 60mm be limiting EFS 2.8 for £274

New 40mm 2.8 stm pancake £189 or 50mm 1.8 £85

Coming in within my budget of around £1200 any thoughts and ideas please

Body

Tamron 18-270 PZD is good enough you don't need all the other kit lenses

I have used the Sigma and liked it. But a Canon is Canon and the difference is small (100 mm).

Nobody should miss a 50 f1.8!

Don't waste your money on expensive macro lenses.

http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=wqRn3at0H60

This guy blows all "macro pro's" you see on youtube out of the water, with his crappy 28mm lens and a cheap flash.

Do get a 50mm 1.8 - you can't go wrong with it.

I'm also interested in that 40mm 2.8 pancake lens. Seems like it'd be a cool match with the 40D. I hear it's kind of loud though.

Can't help you much with the camera choice. I'd just suggest that image quality isn't going to be all that different between the three, so get the lowest cost to keep monies aside for lenses, which will be more important anyway.

The basic kit lens usually serves as a "walk-around". For wildlife, you generally need as long a lens as you can afford. The most affordable is the 55-250 IS.

Regarding the macro loens, I think you'll want to choose focal length carefully in order to be able to shoot aquariums. The 60mm might be a better choice than the 100mm for that purpose.

Either way, an old trick, get a flexible rubber lens hood for whatever macro lens you end up buying. Pressed up tightyly against the glass of the aquarium, it will eliminate reflections and make for much better shots.

It's even possible to use flash through the glass. Normally you can't use flash because of the strong reflections it causes, obscuring anything behind the glass. A polarizing filter isn't enough. The rubber lens hood trick works.

Of course, using a hood like this limits your working distance. There are "adjustable" rubber lens hoods, that might give a little more flexibility. The one at that link is for wide/normal/short tele. On a 60mm or 100mm macro lens you could use a normal/short tele/longer tele hood, if you can find one. Also, using this technique you can use a larger diameter hood, if it's a better fit, and a step ring to be able to fit it to you lens(es).

I don't normally like using those rubber lens hoods. They don't provide much physical protection against bumps or fit all that well. But the do come in handy whenever you need to shoot through glass.

A macro lens I find interesting but haven't had a chance to try yet is the Tamron 60mm f2.0. It's a full stop faster than most, so might also serve very well as a portrait lens. You might be able to hold off on buying a 40mm or 50mm, if you had this particular macro lens. Later add a fast "normal" lens to complement it... such as the Sigma 30/1.4 or Canon 28/1.8.

The video AF is pretty impressive. I played with the T4i[650D] at a camera show last week and was very impressed with the focus tracking. And this was with the kit lens. I never expected live focus tracking so this was a pleasant surprise. This was further made more cool when just like on the iPhone you can tap the screen to focus.

MakisM1 wrote in post #14624286
Body

Tamron 18-270 PZD is good enough you don't need all the other kit lenses

Reading some reviews quality doesn't sound great paying more for its relatively small size so think will go with the canon 55-250 but still undecided on the others