Canon 5D, ready to take the plunge...

glasseye wrote in post #4057561
So, I have been dabbling in photography for awhile, but have never made the leap into the SLR world. So, I am pretty familiar with a lot of photographic terms, f-stop, ISO, etc.but not all. So, when I decided to choose which SLR would be the one for me, I then realized I knew nothing about how to shop for compatible lenses. Of course I could go to a photography store and get the sales pitch, but would be grateful if anyone would have any recommendations for me and explanation about how to make sure the lens I see is going to be compatible with my camera based on the specs.

I decided the Canon 5D is the one, I really like the idea of full-frame and the reviews are gleaming. I am a bit nostalgic of the film days as well. I thought of doing a Digital Rebel and then upgrading later, but then heard that because of the sensor size I would have to purchase all new lenses. Because of the high price my plan is to purchase the equipment and transfer the balance to one of those no-interest for 12 months credit cards so I can pay it off within the year. Therefore I want to try to purchase most of my equipment together and would appreciate anyone's help in the lens area.

I'm thinking that I want to be able to have a variety of lenses. I want a wide-angle lens(like 18mm or something), a mid-range lens, a 50mm prime lens, and a telephoto lens(70-200 or maybe 100-300). I also need stuff like flash and things, but I'm going to just stick to lens for this thread.

Here are some lenses I found, but again, I don't know if they will be compatible with the 5D or what to look for. I am open to trying Sigma or other brands if the lenses are high-quality. I've been told that the 5D tends to expose the flaws of poor quality lenses.

- Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 IS USM Lens (What does USM & EF mean?)
- Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 EF IS Image Stabilizer USM Autofocus Lens
- Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens
- Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Lens (what does the L mean in 2.8L?)
- Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Lens
- Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Lens
- Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro for Canon EOS (what is DG?)

So, in conclusion, I have an idea of what I want, but lack the knowledge of camera/lens compatibility. Also, maybe some combinations of focal length and aperture speed are preferably for someone who is not a seasoned pro. I would love to hear of any recommendations perhaps from someone who has the 5D.

Thanks

I took the plunge last year to 5D land, and have absolutely no regrets. You can see the lenses I have in my signature. EF-S lenses are not compatible, and give 5D is Full Frame, not really necessary.

I bought my lenses in this order:

50mm f1.4
16-35mm f2.8
70-200mm f/2.8
24-70mm f2.8
1.4x TC
These I would consider the basics for any 5D outfit.
I then bought:
100-400 mm for telephoto
Then some specialty lenses
180mm f3.5 Macro
24mm T/SE
85mm f1.2

I bought 24-105mm f/4 as a walkaround lens for a trip I took, and I had absolutely no space except for 1 lens. It worked great because of the IS and extra focal length and is now used a lot. But I still prefer to walk around with the 24-70. Had the 50 f1.2 been available last year when I bought my outfit, I would have had it instead of the f1.4.

The last couple of trips I have taken, I've used the specialty lenses more than the others! The 24 is a great wide angle, the 85 is for general use and the 180 is a decent telephoto especially with the TC. One's legs are good zoom lenses!
Next up is a long prime telephoto for wildlife, which I like to shoot. But a lot of $$$.:o

Thank you all so much for your posts. Yes, I think easy does it is good advice, but it is very easy to get excited about gear. I think you all have good suggestions, including advice on the order in which to purchase lenses. I'd love to hear more about the rebates when they come out. Is there an RSS to keep up on that news? So as long as I'm getting EF lenses, I should be okay with compatibilty. Then if I want to spend a few more bucks I can go for the USM and the L series, right? If anyone has any more suggestions for good accessories for the 5D, feel free to share, that is if anyone is still looking at this post. Thanks!

glasseye wrote in post #4057561
So, I have been dabbling in photography for awhile, but have never made the leap into the SLR world.

That was me right before I got a bonus at work in April of this year. I started off with:

Digital Rebel XTi
24-70mm f/2.8L
85mm f/1.8
430 EX Speedlight

That's covered the basics for me pretty well, with the normal zoom and one fast prime plus the external flash for when that's needed. I just recently picked up the telephoto zoom:

70-200mm f/2.8L IS

Next priority will be the 50mm f/1.4 lens. Down the line, I'd like to get whatever the replacement is for the 5D along with the 16-35mm f/2.8L lens (completing the zoom trinity).

glasseye wrote in post #4057561
I thought of doing a Digital Rebel and then upgrading later, but then heard that because of the sensor size I would have to purchase all new lenses.

Only if you're buying EF-S lenses. In what I gave above, every single lens is an EF that will work with full-frame cameras as well as the Digital Rebel. I've specifically avoided EF-S lenses thus far because I don't like the idea of investing in them and then being limited to crop sensors.

I wouldn't buy the 5D at this point in time unless I had a pressing need for it specifically. It's been out for a long time (relatively speaking for digital cameras) and is due for replacement probably in January. I'd look into whatever the 5D's successor is after that. For now, I'd just go with the Rebel XTi and invest in glass instead (which you can use equally well with the XTi or any other Canon SLR down the road). If you're looking for high quality, the zooms everyone seems to go with are:

24-70mm f/2.8L
70-200mm f/2.8L IS

After that I'd add a fast prime lens of some sort (e.g. 50mm f/1.4 or 85mm f/1.8). That's plenty to get started. Once you have that in hand and use it for awhile, you'll quickly figure out what else you want/need.