Ideas and advices for 10D companions

As I threated some time ago I will now make a post to get advices for my oncoming purchase. I know there are lot of similar threads but however I would still like to hear more second opinions for my choises.

As I'm slowly discovering photographing again, I already own a Ricoh film SLR camera and a newer Minolta digital compact camera. Now I just want to have a DSLR and start 'better' photograping again. I have chosen now to go with Canon and specially 10D but there are too many open questions and possibilities for gear choises that I need advices with.

I think I'm going to have a most greatest headache from choosing proper lenses for my system. There are just too many choises and one must balance between quality and cost. Oh, and then there is still this 1.6x crop factor to deal with (after what I feel like there are not enough decent lens choises..). I hear ya, the 'L' glass would give me most best image quality, but unfortunately that isn't cheap. Also I have always used zooms and would find primes little hard to use (maybe not limiting, but hard).

If we start first from the wide angle end. This might be one place where I could live with prime and save some money. I have been eyeing the Tokina AT-X 17 AF Pro II for awhile. It seems to suffer from chromatic aberration that appears quite visible on imagas. Not too bad, but still visible. Doubling the price I would get a Canon 17-40 4L and little zoom, equal to 27-64 in 35mm format (my Ricoh uses 35-70 for standard zoom, so I guess this would be fine solution).

Then we come to hard part if choosing a partner for earlier lens. L -series are out of game instantly. The 24-70 would be more then nice (except for the big size and weight) but I'm not yet ready to put all my pennies here. Seems that I would have two possible choises. Either to go for 24-85 or 28-135IS. The latter would be nice due to the IS but I don't know how much of use it would be for me. It might allow me to use couple stops slower exposures, but won't allow panning. So when I'm photographing sled dogs in action in low light I would just get blurry figures with sharp background. No, I'm not good at panning anyway but just a thought as this version of IS would not help me with it. 28-135 would give a nice range, especially in case that I will buy a decent tele zoom later and skip it by now.

Should I choose one or the other, I think both of them would be well coupled with 50mm 1.8 mk2. That is not too expensive and I guess I just can't go wrong with this one.. Maybe I should by this as my first lens and then think more about choosing other lenses..

The tele end I probably fill up later. Maybe I go for 70-200 4L for the price, but I really would like to have the 2.8L IS due to the image stabilizer. That would be both 'fast' lens and would provide IS with panning function. However it costs like a **** to me and I don't think it would be easy to find it as used unit for good price.

So, shall we take a look on accessories as well? A quick go through. I need new memory cards and I see that Kingston 1GB CF cards are not priced too high and I guess they also serves fine. If the speed difference isn't noticeably to these '42x' cards, I think I could choose these. Flash for indoors and for fill flash I think I will go for 440EX.

Battery grip is an interesting item. While it is for good help with vertical images it also gives space for additional battery. I will be photographing lots on outdoor during the winter and wonder would I benefit from this extra battery. I wonder if it still would be better to keep one battery on camera and another on warm pocket and switch them often.

I thank you if you managed to read this far, lots of questions and stupid ones. I just have to do some decisions at some point and all advices possible are being needed. I don't think I'm going to buy all this stuff instantly, but I need to get some sort of picture what kind of totality my gear would form. Looking forward to hear from you.

Unless you want everything right now (which would cost a bundle), you could make a long term plan.

Decide what lenses you really would like to have, and then buy one periodically, say each year. This will not satisfy, but at least quench your thirst a little bit at a time without making major mistakes.

If you buy many mediocre lenses now, you wouldn't be getting maximum usage and then would be unhappy. You will want to upgrade, like I did, and end up spending more than is necessary. The rich can afford to make mistakes and spend more than is necessary.

Cover your immediate needs now and buy more lenses later. Every year you will be excited to discover a new lens.

You are right, it would cost a fortune to have all that gear right now. But like I said I need to form some kind of picture of neat gear set and need help for that.

I have thought that I might start with body and 17-40L only. I already have a Compactflash to start with and I guess it takes a month for me to get know the new camera. Even longer to take all advantage out of it. Meanwhile I think I will be happy with this one lens and it should provide me some quality as well. I might miss telephoto already but I don't want to buy lenses that I know I will sooner or later replace for better quality. That would be just waste of money.

Well, I guess this original post was just a desperate attempt to have some more self-confidense, but I wouldn't mind having more advices or recommendations.

Thank you, lightandlife, there's a truth on your speech.

P.S. Is there any accessory for viewfinder that I should buy that would make photographing with glasses more comfortable?

I read your post, and you present a lot of good questions. I'll weigh in on the battery grip.
I went with the Digital Rebel, mostly to get in for less dollars. I can't fault the choice of the 10D. When I got to considering the battery grip, I decided to pass for the time being. The best part is the vertical shutter release and controls, but I didn't think the extra battery in the camera was such a pressing need. You don't need it for the zoom, and the LCD doesn't work as a viewfinder, so I don't think the demands on the battery are high enough that you can't switch one when you need to. But the kicker for me is that I have a spare battery and a 12 volt charger that I keep in the car. So if I need to change one out, and I still think I'll need more, I can put the dead one in the charger and have a fresh one in short order. The point is that if you use the grip and you think you need more battery, you need to have two spares to keep on going - and they aren't cheap.
Your requirements may be different if you are out in the tundra, not near your car.
Have Fun

I have noticed that my grip on the camera isn't that good on vertical images and more blurred images occurs. I have never had a vertical grip so I don't know how much it would help but I suppose it does as it's the intention for it.

Talking about batteries then, unfortunately I can't rely on charging on car as I may not have one with me in middle of wilderness. Though the 12V charger sounds a good thing to have so I will look forward for it. I won't be using the camera on tundra though, but during the winter the temperature is usual something like below -20 degree of celcius anyway. Ordinary NiMh batteries dies fast there, but 'recovers' after a while when keeping on warm pocket. I've been taking photographs below -30 too, but I got frozen. The camera did work fine however.

Don't forget to buy one of the 50 mm prime lenses... the 50/f1.8 or 50/f1.4

Especially the 50/f1.8 has a great price/performance ratio.

Regards,
Andy

Heh, thanks for the advice, Andy. You know I actually bought one today. 50/f1.8 mk1 as second hand and should be receiving it on friday. I might have saved few bucks (well, euros to be precise) if I had bought mk2 directly from germany but this did seem to be better option.

This is getting exciting . Now I need a body for my new lens but first I need to sell the house, car, dog.. wait, not the dog but hopefully will be able to place my order for body in couple weeks!

Oh, and I seem to start worry about dust on sensor somehow already

Various opinions....

The 28-135 IS is a wonderful lens, I don't use the IS too often, but appreciate it when I do need it. However, the range of the zoom is the best feature, no other Canon lens has the range this one does in the most important range bracket in my opinion*. The ability to go to 135mm gives some telephoto capability. It is also much lighter then either 28-70L or 24-70L

Other the that lens and the 50/1.8 (or the 50/1.4) I can not recommend anything but "L" glass on the wider end of the range and would voice that you might consider the 16-35/f2.8 versus the 17-40/f4. Although I would have gotten the 17-40 had it been available when I got the the 16-35.

On the Long side, While the 75-300 IS is also a wonderful lens for the price, I only use mine when travelling very light and the 70-200/2.8L IS is superior even with the 1.4x telextender on. Even if you don't use the IS often, it is very handy when you need it. But yes it will not be much help shooting moving targets.

As to the battery grip, except when travelling light, I definately prefer the feel of the camera with it on, but especially with the heavier lenses (like the 70-200 and 100-400) it seems to balance better in my hand with it on. That and I almost never run out of battery power. As to batteries, I have used 3rd party batteries that cost less then $40 a piece, they seem to work just as good.

Just my experience,

Notes: *=Technically there is the 28-200, but I have never heard anyone raving about it, so it must have something against it.

I agree with others; the 1.8/50 is an absolute must.

That 28-200mm zoom is my workhorse lens, and I use it mostly for nature photography out on the trail. The wide-to-long capability without changing lenses in a dusty place is important to me. But then, I even used it for a family portrait shoot one week ago.

---Bob Gross---

Okay, I got the 50/f1.8 mk1 today. I still can't believe that it is used one. It looks like a brand new to me and was affordable. Now if I could couple that with 17-40L.. And with a Canon EOS camera body, LOL.

I suppose you mean IS on 75-300 wont be much of help if panning is needed? Or do you mean that shooting moving targets confuses the IS if you are moving alot? I would be saving a lot of money when leaving the IS functionality out, and even little more if going for Sigma. f1:2.8 is what I want from long end.

Oh, and one other thing: Would it be possible for someone to post a picture of 420EX and 550EX side by side? I would like to see how big the size difference is. If it's not for too much of trouble, that is. I suppose I can use second curtain sync with 420EX but just need to go through some menus on camera (10D)? Is this how much of trouble and are the settings for flash quick to access in general? 550EX would provide a direct interface for different settings. Just weighting things, as I would like to go for 420EX due to the price.

Thank you for your thoughts this far, you've been very helpful.