Think I'm ready to upgrade

I currently have:

24 2.8
50 1.8
100 macro (not the L)
and the 28-105II

The zoom is actually fairly sharp and fast, takes pretty good photos for a $200 lens. But I worry about getting really good landscapes out of it on the 5DII (which is the only reason i'd buy the kit.) It I could get photos out of it without upgrading to the L I'd keep it. For most garden work right now when I go out shooting for prints I grab the 24 and the 100, for vacationy type stuff it's the zoom.

For lenses I want, I'd either choose the 70-200 f/4IS or the 135L, and if needed the 17-40, but I'd buy the 35L first I think. But as of right now, the 17-40 can wait as I normally never went wider then 28 on the film camera.

On film my 3 most used lenses were the 35, 50 and 85. If it wasn't for my health I would just buy the 35L, a 50 and the 135 and leave it at that. With maybe the mid-range zoom as a walk around kind of thing. But I'm relying more on zooms (except for the low light stuff.)

I rented the 24-105 for my 30D and hated it. I worry about how I'll like it on FF.

And no it wasn't the FL I hated, I didn't like the IQ from the lens compared to my cheap 28-105. Only when printed big could you tell the difference.

Not forgetting that my landscapes on both lenses were stopped down to at least f/8. By that time it's hard to tell the two apart.

I like the 24-70 for what I shoot, but the 5D2 is your main concern for a future purchase. Is you are set on getting one new camera and you're willing to spend that kind of money for a hobby, make sure you can really afford it and will use it enough to make the purchase worth while. I went from the 5D to the 5DII and from the 20D to 40D to the 7D. It's how things happen. But if I could only purchase 1 new camera, it would be the 5DII.

Well I'm sorry about your bad experience with the 24-105 -- I get nice results with it, but it looks like you are in pretty good shape for lenses and you have a good feel for what you need, so it sounds like you are on a good track with the 5D2. Sometimes husbands can give useful advice!

Yeah aside from gardening it's the only thing I really spend any money on. And I haven't spent money on a lens in 2 years (well I bought one, but sold it since I didn't like the FL on the crop) and the camera is 4 years old. It's a ton of money for me (which is why I didn't buy it earlier) but I've been shooting since I could focus the A1 at four years old. I shoot everything. Much to the annoyance of family. Sure it's a hobby, and personally think I stink, but it's still what I love to do. As someone once wrote on here years ago "I take the most expensive snapshots on my block."

The only thing with the cost, is the fact I'll have to wait on the other lenses if I get the kit. I'd like more glass, but can't afford all of it. I'm going on a vacation this fall and would love to see how the other lenses would handle some of the stuff I'll be shooting, but the kit will have to do. But it's a place we go to every year, so there's always another time to do it.

tonylong wrote in post #10448333
Well I'm sorry about your bad experience with the 24-105 -- I get nice results with it, but it looks like you are in pretty good shape for lenses and you have a good feel for what you need, so it sounds like you are on a good track with the 5D2. Sometimes husbands can give useful advice!

I'm hoping the L will be great on the new camera. I'm assuming it'll be what I need for a walk around, and since the 28-105 is so cheap I may keep it, just to have something lighter for going to the local festivals. But I may sell the 24 for the 35 2.0 (until I can afford the L) since I think it'll be too wide on FF for what I use it for and I can use the zoom for the landscape stuff.

yeah he's awesome! Of course my buying him a guitar for our anniversary last year let's him brag on the guitar forums about how cool I am too!

gardengirl13 wrote in post #10448381
I'm hoping the L will be great on the new camera. I'm assuming it'll be what I need for a walk around, and since the 28-105 is so cheap I may keep it, just to have something lighter for going to the local festivals.

Your 28-105 USM II is a nice little lens. Sharp, quick focusing and compact. Light, too.

I don't use mine much because it's not really the focal length range I want on my 50D - so I use the 17-55 or the 18-55 (when I need a compact package).

But on a 5D2 the 28-105 will have the range of FL equivalent to 18-65 on your 30D, a very useful range for general shooting.

-js

I would say a T2i or a 50D (about $800 for each) and some nice glass. Considering you were going to spend ~$2500+ for the 5D2 kit, you're left with $1700, which you can pick up a used 70-200mm f2.8 IS I for ~$1400, and sell your 28-105 and pick up a used 17-40 (saw one go for $500 the other day) with your remaining $300 and whatever you get from the 28-105 sale.

Or you could go for the 5D2 kit, your call.

EDIT: Just read your reply from the top of this page, and I'd say get the 70-200mm f4 IS (recouping $400 from my suggestion of the 2.8 IS, scrap the 17-40 (recouping $300 and you keep your 28-105), and get a 135L for ~$900, only costing you $200 out of pocket.

Your husband wants you to get a 5d mkii - it must be love! Hold on to him!
I don't have the 28-105 usmii, but a friend of mine has and it works very well on my 5d c and excellently with my EOS film cameras, I would have thought it would be pretty good on a 5d ii. We both find the 24-105 better on both cropped and ff sensors but so it should be it's MUCH more expensive!
The 5d ii has iq equal, or nearly equal, to any camera you can buy yet it is a fraction of the price - as you don't need the bells and whistles it seems like it's the camera for you.
I would suggest you get it and worry about the glass later. There are some very good (non L) primes out there that are quite reasonable - even my cheap Canon 28mm f2.8 gives good results on my 5d c.

OK, I found a little camera shop locally that sells TONS of canon stuff. I never knew it was there!! Plus they have the same prices as the bigger online stores. Of course that means paying tax, but oh well! So I tried out ALL the cameras he had in stock from the T2i to the 5DII, minus the 50D which he was out of. Well they all felt horrible in my hands except, wouldn't you guess it, the 5DII. The other felt awkward to hold, the grips made my fingers hurt pretty bad. The 5DII balanced very nicely, the grip was more comfortable and it was nice to hold. I tried the kit lens which was fairly nice, but the 17-40 felt the best, but that one is last on my list to buy! But it felt great!!

Bad part (REALLY REALLY bad part) is by the time I got home my hands hurt and I was so tired I had to nap. Man, this really sucks. Even today, my wrists and hands are swollen a bit and stiff. sigh. I don't know what to do. I really want this camera. I have to save up for another month or so if I get the 5DII, I can swing the cheaper ones now, but after trying them I'm not sure I want them (strictly comfort reasons, not other reason.) My biggest worry is I'll love the camera to death, and use it as much as possible, but if my hands hurt this much I worry I'll regret it, since it'll sit in a bag instead of being with me. If when we go on vacation and I go to shoot and my hands feel like they do today, the DSLR (ANY DSLR) would be in my room, and I'd be cameraless or bring a p&s.

Don't get me wrong I do need to upgrade, but I think I'd like to try the 50D and see how close it is to my 30D in terms or ergonomics. Even then, I'm worried it'll be pushing it. The rebel still seemed heavy to me. The grip may have been making it worse, but I'm not sure. With the comfort of the grips the 5DII even with the weight, seemed easier to manage. But I'm now not sure how much I can use it. If it's only used 60% of the time, is it worth the cost? The good thing is I'd just keep my primes and probably only have 1 maybe 2 zooms, so that cost isn't a concern. It's just spending all my camera/lens funds to have it sit in my bag because of same damn disease would kill me. Even if the photos were awesome. Even if i get the rebel and a few nice L zooms to go with it, it'd be the same.

Sorry to vent this here. I just know you guys would understand a bit. Photography being so important in my life, and the possibility of my not being able to do it much longer hurts... a LOT.

While I'd say 5D MK II hands down - it might be an idea for you to go for a 7D.
It would be cheaper and would allows you more money to spend towards glass.

I'd think that the 24-105 would be fine on a FF sensor for most landscape shots - but others will say that 24mm is too narrow for them... - on that note, if you feel that 24-105 or 24-70 (there is a kit with the 24-70 on the MK II at least in Germany) gives you the reach you want you are better off with a MK II.
If you need a wider field of view then the 17-40 would be a nice add-on on FF - but then that costs money...

gardengirl13 wrote in post #10459090
Don't get me wrong I do need to upgrade, but I think I'd like to try the 50D and see how close it is to my 30D in terms or ergonomics.

I recently upgraded from the 30D to the 50D. They feel identical to me (except that the 50D has a bigger screen and the back buttons are below it rather than beside it).

The 30D weighs 700 grams (24.7 oz.) and the 50D weighs 730 grams (25.7 oz.). The 5D2 weighs 810 grams (28.6 oz.).

If you can manage the extra ounce, the 50D is a worthwhile upgrade.

But maybe you should be paying attention to the weight of lenses, too. For example, Canon's 28-135 IS is much heavier than your 28-105. And of course the 18-55 IS is a very light lens with good optics.

-js

js, that's one problem, with the Ls they're all going to be quite heavy compared to my non-L primes, and the 28-105. With the 5DII I would want the 24-105 and the 70-200, but with the crop I'd want to also add the 17-40 which would add weight to my bag, a lot more so then the 3ozs of the 5DII. I'm looking at upgrading the glass especially if I stay with a crop, so I can get the most detail out of my photos. So in really thinking about bag weight, not just camera weight, the 5DII would be better/lighter.

get it. Your husband sounds cool enough so im sure he would be willing to hold the camera for you untill you find something to shoot. I know I would do that for my wife..... however im the photo addict not her. I would love the 5Dmkii. Untill i can afford something like that the 500D with grip works great for me. The other Crop sensor upgrades just wouldn't really give me anything extra while Full frame would.

One thing for you to try. Ask if the shop owner has a battery grip for you to try with a rebel cameras. They really can help with comfort and might be a suitable option.

gardengirl13 wrote in post #10465593
js, that's one problem, with the Ls they're all going to be quite heavy compared to my non-L primes, and the 28-105. With the 5DII I would want the 24-105 and the 70-200, but with the crop I'd want to also add the 17-40 which would add weight to my bag, a lot more so then the 3ozs of the 5DII. I'm looking at upgrading the glass especially if I stay with a crop, so I can get the most detail out of my photos. So in really thinking about bag weight, not just camera weight, the 5DII would be better/lighter.

If weight is the concern that it seems to be, get primes and forgo the zooms. You get better low light performance and less weight. Otherwise to the quality you want things weigh what they weigh, you have to either sacrifice quality or personal comfort.