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DPChallenge Forums >> Hardware and Software >> Just bought a Canon 5D body: need all the rest
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 01/24/2008 08:03:51 AM · #1
Hello everyone!
I just bought a Canon 5D body and now I have about 1000$ to spend for lenses and accessories. Here's what I think I need (I already have a tripod):

Lenses:
Tele zoom (55/200, 70/300?)
Portrait lens (50, 80, 100?)
Wide angle (24, 28?)

Other accessories:
Flash
Extra battery
Memory card
UV filter(s)
Lens hood
Backpack

I would appreciate very much general advice for finding my path among the thousands of options available for the above items (if you search a UV filter on B&H you get a frightening 33 pages of results!).

A bunch of questions:

Lenses:

Should I buy only Canon lenses?

What's the difference between "Digital SLR Interchangeable Lenses" and "Digital/Film SLR Interchangeable Lenses"? Can I choose among both categories?

Is my hypotesis of getting a zoom and two primes a good option?

Other accessories:

What parameters should I consider in choosing a flash?

As for the memory cards, is there any difference between the different producers (Kingston, Lexar, Sandisk, Sony)?

UV filters: should I buy one for each lens? I want them for protection purposes, I already read the threads suggesting to avoid extra glass in front of lenses permanently, so I would use it only at the seaside/dusty environments

Lens hood: again, one for each lens? can it be mounted together with filters?
Is there anything particular to take into account when it comes to the backpack?

Thanks to everyone who will take the time to give me a hint on any of my doubts :)
01/24/2008 08:36:04 AM · #2
Let's see what I can answer.

I seriously doubt you can get three nice lenses for under a grand.

You can buy the Canon 50mm for around $70 so for a portrait lens I would suggest that one.

Tamron has an awesome 28-75mm f/2.8 for around $300 used. Not sure about a tele you can do.

As for memory cards all IMO are the same. I use Transcend Cards and they can be had for around $35 for a 4GB.

Camera bags can be expensive as well. But the Canon 200EG can be bought on Amazon for aroun $35 and is a damn good camera bag.

I have a UV filter on each of my lenses for protection purposes only. I would suggest one for each lens to avoid having the hassle of changing it every time you change lenses and the thread size may not be the same on each lens.

So you only have $1000 for lenses and accessories?

Message edited by author 2008-01-24 08:36:20.
 01/24/2008 08:52:59 AM · #3
I think for around 1000$ the most useful stuff you can get is

a used Canon 100 f/2,8 macro or Sigma 105 f/2,8 macro ( ~300 - 400 $ ) - works very well for portraits, too
a used Canon 17-40 f4 L USM (~600 $)
a used Canon 50 f/2,8 8 (~70 $)
a second battery
a 4 GB CF card

You'd have to carry taht in a plastic bag, though :)

Message edited by author 2008-01-24 08:53:34.
 01/24/2008 08:59:55 AM · #4
Camera bag that is pretty good
//www.amvona.com/?page=shop/flypage&view=1&product_id=2710
the glass depends on what you want to shoot.
first off a zoom lense for portrait work is just fine as long as its a good lense. I recommend getting as good of glass as you can and it does not HAVE to be canon, most of my glass is Sigma and theh have some nice peices.
like
link 1
and
link 2

all together that will run you a little over $1000 (prolly $1170 or so) and get you good glass from 24mm up to 200mm all f2.8

Another thing to sonsider is a flash as the 5d does not have one :)
no matter what good luck
oh and I also recommend the transcend cards they are cheap and work great, newegg.com has them at good prices usually up to 8 gig.

Message edited by muckpond - changed large URLs to smaller links.
 01/25/2008 01:30:44 PM · #5
Did you ever think about waiting another couple months and getting the 7d? its rumored to be about $1899 which is less than the 5d refurbed. i
d go with the tokina 12-24($480)
canon 70-200f/4($550),
and the 50 f1.8 or 2.8,
your choice, this would be my dream setup. the tokina is amazing, check on fredmiranda. it is a really clean lens even though its a flat f/4 all round. if your shooting n dark areas, you might want to just go with a faster fixed or save your money for a nicer faster lens. as far as buying 3rd party lens's, id research before i spent any money in the other brands such as tokina, sigma, tamron..... but canon lens's are pretty pricey for the nicer models. if youve got the money, canons obviously the best bet for most lens's, but id read into it before you put all your hard earned dough into canons glass. if you wanted fixed focals, id go with nemisise1977 and get the 200f/2.8. that would be sick, but its all in your preference. youll find out that on certain lens lengths, you may use only either your max or you min or maybe inbetween. as for me, i would have gone with the 200 f/2.8 instead of the 70-200 cause im fixed on the 200 about 95 percent of the time. id go and see if a shop would let you test the lens and find out whether the focal length is too zoomed in or too wide before buying anything(or possibly in between). as far as getting zoom lens's, it will have a slower focus cause of the amount of elements, but youll get more range out of the zoom obviously.

Message edited by author 2008-01-25 13:31:49.
 01/25/2008 01:47:22 PM · #6
People are suggesting the 50mm for a portrait. I say no. It is too wide. For the 5D, you need at least the 85mm f/1.8.

I've tried taking a close portrait with the 50mm, and I got the "big nose" look :-)

-Chad
 01/25/2008 01:50:16 PM · #7
Originally posted by cpurser:
I've tried taking a close portrait with the 50mm, and I got the "big nose" look :-)

You got something against big noses? ;)
 01/25/2008 01:54:36 PM · #8
Originally posted by _eug:
Originally posted by cpurser:
I've tried taking a close portrait with the 50mm, and I got the "big nose" look :-)

You got something against big noses? ;)


For the record, I am not a Nosist!

-Chad
 01/25/2008 02:14:35 PM · #9
I'd suggest the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 and the Canon 70-200 f/4 or 70-300 IS to start.

28mm on a 5D is about the same angle of view as an 18mm on a 1.6 crop like the 40D.

the 50mm is a great lens (any one of them) but is too short for portraits on a FF. The 70-?00 would be your portrait lens.
01/25/2008 02:35:50 PM · #10
Originally posted by jaimeDp:
d go with the tokina 12-24($480)
canon 70-200f/4($550),
and the 50 f1.8 or 2.8,


I also recently got a 5D after owning a 20D for about 3 years. I also have the tokina 12-24, as well as 70-200 f2.8 and 50 1.8 (all purchased for the 20D).

I'd have to say the 70-200 range is fantastic! splurge for the faster glass if you can, but the f4 version is also excellent in terms of image quality.

The Tokina vignettes on the 5D; severely at 12mm, but much reduced around 17-18. So, in effect, you only get about 17-24 for that money. If I were starting from scratch I would get the 17-40 f4 ($600 or so). With money no object, the 16-35 f2.8.

I also agree with another poster. the 50mm is a little too wide for portraits. Use the 70-200 for portraits. works great on the FF sensor. Or if you are loaded, the 85 f1.2!

I have a nice Sigma 150mm macro, also f2.8, and that's really sharp. but probably not as versatile as the zooms. but if you're into close-ups, that's a great choice (as well as the canon versions, all great).

You got a fantastic body. Don't skimp on the glass. I have the 24-70 f2.8, and do not regret the $1100 spent on the lens. the combo is superfast, and I can take hand-held pics in candlelight! pump up the ISO to 1600 or 3200 and no noise!

edited to add info:

the Canon EF-S lenses are designed for use only on a crop factor camera. It will not work on the full frame. The optics are designed differently and the innermost element will interfere with the mirror operation. Digital/SLR interchangeable, even those that are designed for a smaller sensor (like the tokina) will mount properly, but vignetting could be a problem. Lenses designed for film camera (almost all the EF lenses) will work on both FF and crop sensor bodies.

Message edited by author 2008-01-25 14:38:37.
 01/25/2008 02:46:04 PM · #11
Originally posted by gattamarta:
Hello everyone!
I just bought a Canon 5D body and now I have about 1000$ to spend for lenses and accessories. Here's what I think I need (I already have a tripod):

Lenses:
Tele zoom (55/200, 70/300?)
Portrait lens (50, 80, 100?)
Wide angle (24, 28?)

Other accessories:
Flash
Extra battery
Memory card
UV filter(s)
Lens hood
Backpack

I would appreciate very much general advice for finding my path among the thousands of options available for the above items (if you search a UV filter on B&H you get a frightening 33 pages of results!).

A bunch of questions:

Lenses:

Should I buy only Canon lenses?

What's the difference between "Digital SLR Interchangeable Lenses" and "Digital/Film SLR Interchangeable Lenses"? Can I choose among both categories?

Is my hypotesis of getting a zoom and two primes a good option?

Other accessories:

What parameters should I consider in choosing a flash?

As for the memory cards, is there any difference between the different producers (Kingston, Lexar, Sandisk, Sony)?

UV filters: should I buy one for each lens? I want them for protection purposes, I already read the threads suggesting to avoid extra glass in front of lenses permanently, so I would use it only at the seaside/dusty environments

Lens hood: again, one for each lens? can it be mounted together with filters?
Is there anything particular to take into account when it comes to the backpack?

Thanks to everyone who will take the time to give me a hint on any of my doubts :)


more answers/opinions on some of your other questions.

when choosing a flash, make sure it's designed for use on the camera. For instance a Vivitar 285 will not work! The trigger voltage is too high and will damage the camera. In terms of choices, you will pay more for higher power light, and more features. I have Sigma DG500 Super's, which were equivalent to the Canon 550EX. And about $50-75 cheaper.

memory cards - probably not a consideration since they are so cheap now. the 5D is not firing at high frame rates anyway. stick to a brand name that you know and you'll be fine. I use 2GB Sandisk Ultra's and they are plenty fast enough, even on burst mode.

UV filters - I don't use them myself, but if you do: buy the 77mm version, and use step-up adapters on the lenses that have smaller filter threads. That way, you can buy one filter, and pay for $15 adapter rings. Much cheaper than separate filters. Another option: cokin system. adapters are cheap, and you can use a clear filter for protection. also good for graduated ND filters since you can rotate and slide to get the horizons in the proper place.

Lens hoods. get the ones designed for each lens. they are designed to block out stray light, while not getting into the field of view.

Backpacks - I have the Canon pack. Was about $40. built great, and quite sizeable. Only downside is that you need to unzip the entire bag to get the body out. Doing it again, I would consider a bag that allows for easy removal of the body without opening the entire bag.

Hope this helps.
 01/25/2008 05:31:20 PM · #12
ur not gonna b able to buy much with $1,000. you should have gotten a 40D and spent the extra money on some nice L glass. wanna trade ur 5D for my 40D??? :)
 01/26/2008 06:09:59 AM · #13
Thanks everyone for the great advice and the time you spent to help me!
I'll search the web to get more info on prices and available products, but there's one important decision I already took: I have to spend more money, maybe double my initial budget
At this stage I am considering to buy the following lenses (all of them, poor me!):
Sigma 28 f/1.8
canon 50 f/1.8 (because it's so cheap and fast)
canon 100 f/2.0 (for portraits)
canon 70-300 IS f/4/5.6

The 70-200 f/2.8 or the 200 f/2.8 would be very nice, but they are way too expensive! I'll keep them for the day I'll upgrade my equipment...
I wish to have fast lenses so that I can play with the depth of field, and the most affordable solution seems to have prime lenses and wait for the future to get a fast tele.
Anyway, I live in Italy and here no shop will allow you to try the equipment; in addition to that, american shops sell lenses/accessories at about 20-50% less than Italian ones (I wonder why), so to save on shipping costs I think I'll take everything from one shop (probably B&H).
For memory cards and filters I now have enough info to make my choice. As for the backpack, I'll choose a big one, so that I can bring also extra items I may need, and I'll take one rain resistant.
My last doubts are about the flash: B&H does not have Canon flashes; I was fascinated by this one Would it be a good choice?
Thanks again for your help, this community is fantastic!
 01/26/2008 07:03:07 AM · #14
I'd spend the xtra $90 and get the 100mm 2.8 macro for potraits and macro stuff. Multi-purpose.

ETA: It's super sharp on a 5D. Some say to sharp. Canon Flashes at B&H

Message edited by author 2008-01-26 07:06:09.
 01/30/2008 03:21:32 AM · #15
ONe more comment from the peanut gallery, ther ewill always be a better camera coming out, The rumors about a 7d or a 5dmk2 ar sketchy and change on a daily basis, people have even been producing fake pics that they are trying to pass off as one of these new wonder camers, but if you wait on rumors then you will be dissapointed because either they dont pan out or your always waiting.

I still gas get the best glass you can afford with a good range of zoom. Heck mst pro photogs do not bring an arsenal of lenses with them to a shoot instead of opting for one or 2 high quality ones and maybe a mid range as a back up, I even know some that just bring 1 lense and 2 bodies.
Bottom line is if on a budget go for the best flexible option you can find.
(btw lense baby3 is a 50mm lense for about $300 and is way fun, kind of a pain at times but fun.
 01/30/2008 03:28:51 AM · #16
Yep, go for the Canon 100/2.8. marvellous lens. And the Metz flash is OK, I own its predecessor.
 01/30/2008 04:41:26 AM · #17
Although not a Canon user, I would suggest the 70-200 f4 over the 70-300 IS 4-5.6. I could be wrong but in the case of Nikon gear it is hard to find a 70-300 that is sharp from 200-300 without stopping it down quite abit. Also this lens rotates when it focuses so if you decide to use a circular polarizer on down the line it will be a pain as it will be twisting around. Buydig.com has 70-200 f4 for the same price at $529 that you have in your bh link for 70-300. Just a thought.
 01/30/2008 12:04:43 PM · #18
Originally posted by gattamarta:
My last doubts are about the flash: B&H does not have Canon flashes;


B&H carries Canon flashes - did you perhaps misspell the search? Canon Speedlite

ETA: Nikon has speedlights, Canon has speedlites. =P =D

Message edited by author 2008-01-30 12:05:50.
 01/30/2008 12:19:30 PM · #19
Originally posted by jdannels:
Although not a Canon user, I would suggest the 70-200 f4 over the 70-300 IS 4-5.6. I could be wrong but in the case of Nikon gear it is hard to find a 70-300 that is sharp from 200-300 without stopping it down quite abit. Also this lens rotates when it focuses so if you decide to use a circular polarizer on down the line it will be a pain as it will be twisting around. Buydig.com has 70-200 f4 for the same price at $529 that you have in your bh link for 70-300. Just a thought.

There are a lot of reasons to go with the "L", but the 70-300 IS has a great reputation. Don't confuse it with the older 75-300 IS which was soft above 200mm.

See //www.slrgear.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/253/cat/11

Message edited by author 2008-01-30 12:19:56.
 01/30/2008 12:24:03 PM · #20
Originally posted by hankk:
There are a lot of reasons to go with the "L", but the 70-300 IS has a great reputation. Don't confuse it with the older 75-300 IS which was soft above 200mm.

I agree, it depends on what you value: the L will have better build quality and will undoubtedly be sharper wide open (f/4). But the 70-300 has more reach, IS, and does have great reviews.
 01/30/2008 12:46:45 PM · #21
In a way it's a shame that you spent all the money on the body, when really most should be spent in the lenses imho. That said you've got an amazing body there (ooo er!) and it would be a shame to put crappy glass on it.

Depends really on what you shoot. Me, I'm an out-and-about London kinda guy...so I need wide angles more than I need length. You might be a macro guy, or a portrait guy....that'll really influence what you buy. If you don't know then I'd go for a decent wide telephoto, like the 17-40. It's fast and wide enough for lots of fun but you'll obviously be limited (but obv you'll get right down to 17 on the 5). You could tag on the 50mm 1.8 which is cheap (and you should have anyway - generally everyone agrees it's the best value:sharpness ratio around) and/or the 85mm to give extra length. You're never going to shoot wildlife or macros with this setup though! Also you're limited in your framing options by being so low down. But it's good glass and will love you forever :)

If you want the length then sod the IS version, get el cheapo 70-300. I went through two of them over about 5-8 years and they did me proud (see my Mekong delta pictures via the flickr link on my profile - they're all 17-40 or 70-300..that's all I took). They're cheap, they work well enough, and they're tougher than you'd think. See if you can get the 17-40 and the 70-300 in your budget...

N

Message edited by author 2008-01-30 12:49:08.
 01/31/2008 06:17:21 PM · #22
Thanks again to all of you for kindly helping me!
Here's what I took (hoping they'll deliver soon, I can't wait!):

Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM macro
Canon EF 28mm f/2.8
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

Metz 48 AF-1 TTL

Additional battery, remote switch, small bag, big backpack, macro coupler, UV filters, CF card, Paint Shop Pro.

With shipping, taxes and customs it costed me sooo much more than I had programmed! And, what's worse, I think I still miss so many items...

well, I hope the fun I'll have with my new toys will pay me back!
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