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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> I need help with lens choices
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 08/20/2007 09:38:21 AM · #1
My dear wife is letting me upgrade to a 40D which will be $1999 RRP according the the australian canon site. She has given me an upper limit of $5000. The enthusiast kit with an 18-55 IS USM is $2799 but the 18-55 without IS is $279. I have 3 questions;

Is it worth paying the extra to get the IS for the 18-55?

Should I stay with canon lenses or go third party?

What telephoto zoom lens should I get?

I want to be able to do nature and motorsport with my telephoto. I also need to get a flash, a diffuser for the flash and a remote release.
 08/20/2007 09:41:07 AM · #2
No

Yes

70-200 2.8 IS
 08/20/2007 09:41:41 AM · #3
I'd forget about the 18-55 with or without IS. Motorsport shooting on a budget I'd get the Canon 70-200mm f/4L, for wide angle I'd get the 17-40mm f/4L, and throw in a $70 50mm f/1.8. These should come well under budget.
Canon 17-40mm f/4L $679
Canon 70-200mm f/4L $579.95
Canon 50mm f/1.8 $79.95



Message edited by author 2007-08-20 09:46:13.
 08/20/2007 09:42:48 AM · #4
Originally posted by Delta_6:
My dear wife is letting me upgrade to a 40D which will be $1999 RRP according the the australian canon site. She has given me an upper limit of $5000. The enthusiast kit with an 18-55 IS USM is $2799 but the 18-55 without IS is $279. I have 3 questions;

Is it worth paying the extra to get the IS for the 18-55?

Should I stay with canon lenses or go third party?

What telephoto zoom lens should I get?

I want to be able to do nature and motorsport with my telephoto. I also need to get a flash, a diffuser for the flash and a remote release.


First of all, I'm jealous.

Is the 18-55mm IS THAT expensive in australia? It's going to go for $200USD here but then again I'm not sure what the exchange rate is. It would probably be worth it to have IS on a lens that slow so I'd go for it.

Doesn't matter if you stick with Canon or third party, it's just a matter of what you think is best. If you do go third party, just make sure to get the "pro" line for each brand (Sigma EX, Tamron SP, Tokina AT-X, etc).

70-200mm f/4L or 70-200mm f/2.8L with or without IS for each. Whatever your budget will allow. Those are the end all of Canon telephoto lenses.

Edit: For flash, I'd reccommend the Sigma EF500 Super. It's cheaper than the 430EX and performs most (if not all) of the same functions of the 580EX and has the optical slave as well (something Canon flashes don't have), yours for $200.

Message edited by author 2007-08-20 09:44:28.
 08/20/2007 09:43:50 AM · #5
tough questions, the answers are different for everyone:

The 18-55 kit lens is regarded as being bad (perhaps the IS version will be better, but I doubt it)

Third party lenses are cheaper and can match image quality (sometimes), but is almost always slower focussing

Canon's 70-300mm 4-5.6 IS has an excellent rating

Both the 430ex and 580ex flashes are excellent, and I use an omnibounce with no complaints all the time.
 08/20/2007 06:29:31 PM · #6
Bump for the evening crew. And remember, I am in Australia so everything is more expensive.

Message edited by author 2007-08-20 18:29:56.
 08/20/2007 06:41:02 PM · #7
Originally posted by Delta_6:
...And remember, I am in Australia so everything is more expensive.


They are tacking on almost $800 for the 18-55mm IS kit?
 08/20/2007 06:48:43 PM · #8
Originally posted by SamDoe1:
Originally posted by Delta_6:
...And remember, I am in Australia so everything is more expensive.


They are tacking on almost $800 for the 18-55mm IS kit?


Yup.
 08/20/2007 06:55:39 PM · #9
For your wide lens
//www.dpchallenge.com/lens.php?LENS_ID=1167

For your long one
//www.dpchallenge.com/lens.php?LENS_ID=2

And ofcourse the often recommended
//www.dpchallenge.com/lens.php?LENS_ID=9

and this maybe one, because it's a "normal" lens on a cropped sensor, although you really won't need it, primes are fun
//www.dpchallenge.com/lens.php?LENS_ID=1291

For the flash, the Sigma 500DG Super, unless you plan on becoming a "strobist" :-) Then maybe the Sunpak 383 or two :-)

As far as difusers go. Just don't waste your money on the lightsphere.

Message edited by author 2007-08-20 18:57:54.
 08/20/2007 07:03:45 PM · #10
Get IS, don't go 3rd party, 70-200 f2.8 IS
 08/20/2007 07:04:35 PM · #11
Agree with doctornick and fotomann. The 18-55 is a decent little starter lens, but if you have a lens budget, don't spend it there. I'm also not sure IS would be a great benefit in that range.
 08/20/2007 07:12:12 PM · #12
Originally posted by Nikolai1024:
Get IS, don't go 3rd party, 70-200 f2.8 IS


Even at photobuff, that lens is half my budget.
08/20/2007 07:13:15 PM · #13
Originally posted by Nikolai1024:
don't go 3rd party


I've never understood the reasoning behind that. Canon and Nikon both produce crap lenses too. The Sigma EX line of lenses are damn good lenses.
08/20/2007 07:14:28 PM · #14
Dave,

I'm in Melbourne and just made two purchases from

!photobuff

After a tip-off from roz who heard about them from Owen - SMILE!

I did a huge amount of local research for the best prices and ended up with HUGE savings on Canon lenses.

I bought the Canon 10-22 from !photobuff for $839AUS including a UV filter - list price at Teds Camera Store $1349AUS without a filter and on sale there for $1299AUS the week I made my purchase.

I then bought the Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro for $650AUS with filter - list price at Teds $999AUS.

So if you shop around even here in Australia you can end up with a LOT more for you AUS$5000 than you ever dreamed - GRIN!

Lisa

08/20/2007 07:14:47 PM · #15
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
For your wide lens
//www.dpchallenge.com/lens.php?LENS_ID=1167

For your long one
//www.dpchallenge.com/lens.php?LENS_ID=2

And ofcourse the often recommended
//www.dpchallenge.com/lens.php?LENS_ID=9

and this maybe one, because it's a "normal" lens on a cropped sensor, although you really won't need it, primes are fun
//www.dpchallenge.com/lens.php?LENS_ID=1291

For the flash, the Sigma 500DG Super, unless you plan on becoming a "strobist" :-) Then maybe the Sunpak 383 or two :-)

As far as difusers go. Just don't waste your money on the lightsphere.


Why are primes so highly recommended? I am considering getting the 50mm.
 08/20/2007 07:20:52 PM · #16
Originally posted by iamwoman:
Dave,

I'm in Melbourne and just made two purchases from

!photobuff

After a tip-off from roz who heard about them from Owen - SMILE!

I did a huge amount of local research for the best prices and ended up with HUGE savings on Canon lenses.

I bought the Canon 10-22 from !photobuff for $839AUS including a UV filter - list price at Teds Camera Store $1349AUS without a filter and on sale there for $1299AUS the week I made my purchase.

I then bought the Canon 100mm 2.8 Macro for $650AUS with filter - list price at Teds $999AUS.

So if you shop around even here in Australia you can end up with a LOT more for you AUS$5000 than you ever dreamed - GRIN!

Lisa


Yeah Lisa, I've heard of photobuff and have been scouring their site looking for the good stuff, I will wait to see what they price the 40D body only at, should be interesting. Even at RRP for the body, getting the lenses, flash and diffuser from PB is currently sitting at just under $4500, while that is without the remote I should have enough left for that from somewhere else.
 08/20/2007 07:24:12 PM · #17
Dave,

I just bought the remote from Ebay - I haven't got it yet, but went for a cheap third party - couldn't justify the expense of the Canon.

Also don't be scared to make Nenad (at !photobuff) and offer. His list price for both my items were higher but I got a further discount on both occassions.

My husband was there just last Saturday and had a good talk to him, said he had just had a HUGE delivery and was full of stock. Apparently the sudden drop in the exchange rate was biting and he was yet to decide whether to keep his prices as is, or hike them up to compensate for the hit he took.

Look forward to hearing how you do - I think it's WONDERFUL for you!
 08/20/2007 07:30:06 PM · #18
Well as long as it works the cheap remote looks to be the way to go. I got one for my sony and having discovered the benefits I want one for my new camera.

My thinking on lenses at the moment is;

Sigma 18-50 2.8 EX
Canon EF 50 1.8
Sigma 70-200 2.8 EX

The Speedlite 430 EX is looking tempting also as I like to use wireless for different angles from time to time.
 08/20/2007 07:30:57 PM · #19
Originally posted by fotomann_forever:
Originally posted by Nikolai1024:
don't go 3rd party


I've never understood the reasoning behind that. Canon and Nikon both produce crap lenses too. The Sigma EX line of lenses are damn good lenses.


All right. Let me say it this way...

Be extremely careful with 3rd party. There is a lot of crap out there.
 08/20/2007 07:37:10 PM · #20
Originally posted by Delta_6:
Originally posted by Nikolai1024:
Get IS, don't go 3rd party, 70-200 f2.8 IS


Even at photobuff, that lens is half my budget.


You have to buy a tool to do a job. If the tool is not right you can't get the job done or you will have to compromise somewhere. For example in high ISO noise.

70-200:
f2.8 IS
f2.8
f4 IS
f4

Figure out what conditions you will be shooting at and then take your pick.

Message edited by author 2007-08-20 19:37:26.
 08/20/2007 07:51:12 PM · #21
Originally posted by Delta_6:

Why are primes so highly recommended? I am considering getting the 50mm.


Well, they are simpler to engineer and construct, so you get high quality lenses for much cheaper than you would a zoom that is comparable in focus length and aperture size.

For instance the Canon 200mm f/2.8 lens is under $700 US. Whereas, the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L is about $1,300.

You do lose a bit of versatility though. But for the price of the 70-200, you could get the 85mm f/1.8 the 200mm f/2.8 and a 50mm 1.4 and still have money to spare. But, having to change lenses often doesn't appeal to a lot of people. I personally am digging the forced creativity the primes offer.
 08/20/2007 09:28:35 PM · #22
check out fredmiranda and check out the 3rd party reviews if you want to go that direction, but still be carefull
 08/25/2007 11:53:08 PM · #23
Hi Delta-6

I also got a cheap cordless remote from Hong Kong on Ebay. The brand was'JIANISI'(for Canon) and it has immediate shoot or 2 second delay (which is good because my camera and others don't offer 2 second delay only 10 seconds). Was cheap but works fine for what I want. Cost about $15.00 including postage if I remember.

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