10D on its way, I need goodies! - DPChallenge Forums

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

05/10/2004 08:46:46 PM · #1

Long story but I have a 10D on its way back to me from Japan. I currently do not have a lens collection or a flash I can use so I am searching for accessories for my new baby. Here's what I have in mind so far:

1. Canon 50mm 1.4 or 1.8
2. Canon 24-70mm 2.8 zoom
3. Lexar 512MB 40x CF card and a reader
4. Flash-not sure which one yet
5. Bag-again, not sure which yet
6. Maybe a tripod-I have a Manfrotto just can't remember which model but I don't know if it'll support the 10D

I liked the 28-80mm zoom I had with my X-700 and I thought that was a good all-purpose lens so I may or may not need the 50mm. Do any current 10D owners have any suggestions for me? I love to take macro, architecture, scenic and night shots if that helps. Many thanks in advance!

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

05/10/2004 09:10:23 PM · #2

Welcome to Team 10D!
Either of the 50mm lenses will be bery good performers. If you do substantial night photography, the 1.4 might be a good fit for you. The build quality is significantly better than the 1.8, but certainly not "L" quality (or even near it).
The 24-70 f/2.8 is highly thought of and seems to fit your style. I have seen quite a few posts regarding focus issues with this lens and the 10D; I would test at both wide and long ends wide open at near and far distances for any misfocus. The 24-70 is on my "short list".
For macro, go with the Canon 100/2.8 Macro USM. It's also a great portrait lens/short telephoto. One of the most versatile macro lenses available, and one of my favorite all-around lenses.

doctornick

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

05/10/2004 09:21:21 PM · #3

Originally posted by MrAkamai:

Definitely get the Canon 50mm f/1.4, I have it and it's amazing, I shoot at ISO 100 indoors with no flash and get great results, very nice bokeh, very sharp lens. It's more expensive than the 1.8 but much better build, metal mount and feels more solid all around.

The 24-70 f/2.8 is on my wish list, fantastic lens according to all the reviews I've read.

512MB card is not enough, especially if you shoot RAW, you'll get like 70 RAW shots on it, get one of those 4GB Hitachi Microdrives, you can get them for around $225 on eBay. I got 2 and they work very well! 500+ RAW shots on one drive!

Flash: You can't beat the Canon 550EX, Badassest (Jackoism!) flash! If you can get the ST-E2 flash remote too.

Definitely a tripod. Get a high quality one with a Ball head.

Message edited by author 2004-05-10 21:22:30.

TLL061

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

05/10/2004 09:23:13 PM · #4

canon 85mm 1.8

Natator

Canon EOS-5D

05/10/2004 09:25:11 PM · #5

A couple of accessories I have that I really love are:

Remote release whatsit - an absolute must

Off shoe flash - maybe not an absolute, but very useful.

I have the 420ex and not the 500 ex flash. The 420 is great, but the 550 looks like it is worth the extra if you can manage it.

I agree with doctornick that 512 Mb is not nearly enough. I have a 1 Gb and even then I run out sometimes and end up deleting pics in the field. However, I think I would prefer 4x 1Gb cards to a single 4 Gb card if price was not an issue.

alanbataar

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Lensbaby 1.0 (The Original)

05/10/2004 09:39:21 PM · #6

I have the f1.8 version of the 50mm and I can't complain -- I've really been enjoying using it as a portrait lens -- you have to like to get close to the subject, tho. Plus, if you add an extension tube or set of tubes you get decent macro capability. They're cheap enough to have just for the fun of it -- it's pretty nifty to stack up all of the extensions and be able to fill the frame with a single character from the headline of a newspaper.

My other favorite goody is the Sigma 12-24mm -- it's very nice for shooting indoors in a house or apartment. In a bigger room, such as an activities hall, the lens is actually too short. I've been thinking that one of the inexpensive 19-35mm variants might be useful.

My opinion on the flash: it depends on what you want to do with it. I opted for the biggest, badest hot-shoe type flash Sigma makes -- the 500sd -- and I'm happy enough, but I don't really shoot a lot of, or know a lot about flash photograpy. If you're technically adept with studio or interior shooting with lots of slave units, then either the 420ex or the Canon 550ex will make you happy.

Regarding the CF cards -- CostCo has 256mb cards in the $45 range, and USB2 8-in-1 card readers from SanDisk for $28. I blew big bux on a 4gb microdrive, and I'm sort of regretting it. With the highest quality JPEG mode selected, it'll store something like 2500+ photos. It's kind of tech weenie overkill (a type I'm so very retardedly prone to) not to mention dangerously high stakes if it ever takes a dump.

For the same money, I could have bought 9 256 cards, and each one of those will hold 70~80 images with the same settings. I think the fast cards are most advantageous for people who shoot long strings of shots such as sports photogs. "Normal" shooters don't need the fast write times. I shot a wedding for a friend using the Microdrive and never had to wait on it.

jmsetzler

Sony Alpha a6000

Sony 16-50mm f/3.5-5.6 E-mount

05/10/2004 11:01:39 PM · #7

One of my favorite accessories for my 10d is the Canon TC-80N programmable remote controller.

Natator

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

05/10/2004 11:09:41 PM · #8

Originally posted by jmsetzler:

One of my favorite accessories for my 10d is the Canon TC-80N programmable remote controller.

I have the basic one as couldn't afford the TC-80N at the time.

I would much prefer the TC-80N given the choice :)

05/10/2004 11:38:53 PM · #9

WOW! Thanks for all of the input! I just posted this before leaving work. I come home, eat and watch a little tv and, BAM! I see seven responses! DPC is amazing. :)

OK, so I've decided on the Canon 50mm f/1.4 and the 24-70mm f/2.8 for now. And I think I'll get two or three 512s vs the microdrive as 70 shots on one CF is adequate for me. With my 717, I have a couple of 512s and each JPEG is about 3MB each so I can really cram images on there and I rarely shoot over 60 images in one session for a challenge. When on vacation, I'll just swap media and/or transfer them to my laptop if available. I found the Lexar card at B&H for $99. Sandisk Ultra II media was more expensive everywhere I looked.

Doctornick, what do you mean by "nice bokeh"? I'm sure it was a typo but I'm curious what it means. I also heard about misfocus with that lens (24-70mm) and I will test it asap. Is it a problem that is more lens specific?

As far as flashes go, I'm not skilled at flash photography yet, either. Maybe a cheaper flash or third party one might suit me better than the 550ex. Anyone own one of the macro ring flashes or used one?

About RAW images, I use Photoshop 7 and a Macintosh. How do you convert the RAW images to a TIF or even a JPG? Do I need to get Photoshop CS? I'm wondering because sometimes I need to take pictures for product brochures and I think a RAW image would yield the best quality when converted to a TIF for use in InDesign. Heck, this is could be a whole new thread in itself. :)

Again, thank you for all the input!

Mo' stuff:
About third party lenses, I used to own a Tamron and Sigma lens for my X-700. How are they compared to Canon lenses? I know someone mentioned Sigma lenses and liked it but I can't see the names/posts while editing.

Message edited by author 2004-05-10 23:42:49.

doctornick

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM for Canon

05/11/2004 01:10:54 AM · #10

Originally posted by MrAkamai:

Doctornick, what do you mean by "nice bokeh"? I'm sure it was a typo but I'm curious what it means. I also heard about misfocus with that lens (24-70mm) and I will test it asap. Is it a problem that is more lens specific?

As far as flashes go, I'm not skilled at flash photography yet, either. Maybe a cheaper flash or third party one might suit me better than the 550ex. Anyone own one of the macro ring flashes or used one?

About RAW images, I use Photoshop 7 and a Macintosh. How do you convert the RAW images to a TIF or even a JPG? Do I need to get Photoshop CS? I'm wondering because sometimes I need to take pictures for product brochures and I think a RAW image would yield the best quality when converted to a TIF for use in InDesign. Heck, this is could be a whole new thread in itself. :)

Again, thank you for all the input!

Mo' stuff:
About third party lenses, I used to own a Tamron and Sigma lens for my X-700. How are they compared to Canon lenses? I know someone mentioned Sigma lenses and liked it but I can't see the names/posts while editing.

Bokeh is the characteristic of the blurred background when you are shooting wide open.

I haven't heard or read anything about backfocusing problems with the 24-70 f/2.8, might have been a bad batch or a camera problem.

Flash: I'd get the best available so that as you become more experienced you don't miss features that are not available on the lesser units. Macro ringlite Flash units are pretty specialized, for it to be worthwhile to have one of these you must do a lot of macro photography..nice to have though but since I hardly do any macro photography it's a luxury for me.

Photoshop7 by itself cannot convert RAW files into TIFF or JPG, you need an add-in called Camera RAW. Photoshop CS can do RAW conversions right out of the box. I have CS on a Mac and it works great. Some would say to get C1 Pro for RAW conversions...better, more control etc...I wouldn't know since I never used it.

Lenses: I've had a Tamron for my film camera in the past, never been really satisfied with it. Although I hear that the new generation are getting better. Sigma makes a few good ones too. But I have stuck with Canon lenses now and am satisfied.

wimbello

Canon EOS-10D

05/11/2004 01:23:08 AM · #11

After getting my 10D, I decided I needed a bag as well...

Tried the Lowepro "MicroTrekker". Way too freekin' small.

Then the MiniTrekker. Good for what I need. It wouldn't hold multiple telephoto prime lenses, but it does what it needs to.

I keep my 10D, my film EOS-100, 3 lenses:
Canon 35-135,
Canon 100-300,
Sigma 12-24
batteries, cards,
filters (although not many).
and other random stuff.

I love it!

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

05/11/2004 01:51:50 AM · #12

Hmm, now I need to upgrade my copy of Photoshop, too. This is getting really expensive. I'd forgotten how much all the parts cost since all I've used in the digital realm have been point-n-shoot cameras. I think it'll be worth it in the long run, however.

OK, stupid question #2 for the day: How does bokeh differ from DOF?

As for the bag suggestions, I'll check it out. I have a LowePro bag for my 717 and it's a great bag. I'll definitely buy another LowePro for my 10D.

Other ideas I thought about: filters and microdrives/battery life. My 717 has a 58mm thread so I can sorta reuse my Hoya Skylight 1B on the 50mm. As a second filter, I was considering a Hoya UV Haze or a polarized filter.

For the microdrive, how does it affect battery life? I saw a 2GB microdrive at B&H for $249 while a 1GB Lexar CF card runs about $239 (and the 512MB Lexar cards are $99). I'm also concerned about the microdrive crashing its heads. It is a hard drive after all and not solid-state like CF media.

Natator

Canon EOS-5D

05/11/2004 01:53:41 AM · #13

Originally posted by MrAkamai:

As far as flashes go, I'm not skilled at flash photography yet, either. Maybe a cheaper flash or third party one might suit me better than the 550ex. Anyone own one of the macro ring flashes or used one?

In that case I would strongly reccommend sticking with the real thing but going with the 420Ex, rather than a third party flash unit.

As for Macro ring flashes .... I want one desperately, but looked into it in detail a few months back. I had seen some flashed, Vivitar one one make for instance, that would fit the lens etc and they were very cheap. However, when I looked into it I found out that they will not work with the 10D flash metering system and everything has to be done in full manual, so I did not go that path. Unfortunately the Canon ring macro flash, though apparently excellent, is stupidly priced.

EddyG

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

05/11/2004 10:26:22 AM · #14

Originally posted by MrAkamai:

How does bokeh differ from DOF?

Bokeh is the quality of the out-of-focus areas.

Read here for more information about bokeh. It is actually an important lens characteristic to me, since "bad bokeh" is pretty distracting IMHO.

Here is another article on bokeh.

And here is a comparison of the Canon 50mm 1.4 vs. 1.8; the very first pictures show the difference moving to an 8-blade diaphragm (as used in the 1.4) can make in terms of bokeh.

Falc

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

05/11/2004 10:35:05 AM · #15

I have the 50mm 1.8, but to be honest very rarely use it because of the 1.6x cropping factor it ends up being the equiv of an 85mm.
As a 'standard' prime i usually have the 28mm f2.8 on the camera, a superb lens and reasonably priced too. Depends whether you want to compromise quality by going for the usablity of a zoom.

I have the 100mm f2.8 macro lens and cannot sing its praises highly enough.

Falc

mirdonamy

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

05/11/2004 11:04:18 AM · #16

If you can afford it, get a macro lens and a super telephoto lens with an image stablizer.

Otherwise, just get yourself a:
bag (lowepro is my fav)
tripod (you live near LA right? You'll want a tripod to get great night shots of the city)
remote shutter release (if you have a tripod, you need a shutter release... if you don't want camera shake)
Your 50mm EF lens is a great idea.
I have a 28 - 80mm lens and love it, but wish I had a wide angle lens. We have such great vistas in LA. I would consider a wide angle lens for sure!!!

Good luck!

TechnoShroom

Canon EOS-30D

05/11/2004 12:54:37 PM · #17

The one thing not mentioned in all of this is the one item that is, in my opinion, critical to the enjoyment of the 10D for every new user... a new neck strap or hand grip.

The included neck strap for the 10D is atrocious. It makes the camera feel like it weighs 3x as much as it actually does. I would recommend getting a nice Optech strap or the Canon hand strap if you are planning on buying the battery grip.

Carrying the Canon 10D all day doesn't have to be a pain in the neck!

mirdonamy

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

05/11/2004 12:56:57 PM · #18

Which optech strap do you recommend? I don't have a battery pack. Just a 10D with a lens on it to carry around all day. :) Arie

TechnoShroom

Canon EOS-30D

05/11/2004 01:16:44 PM · #19

I have a pro strap and recommend it but there are many option with their various offerings. Once you decide on a style you like (take into consideration how you wear your camera, around the neck or over the chest) then you decide on the connector. You'll want one with the loops and not the clips or the super pro. Clips, if you could get it on, would rub against the camera and the super pro cannot be attached to a 10D.

05/11/2004 06:53:52 PM · #20

I thought a 50mm lens (with 1.6x crop factor) would be 80mm not 85mm. Am I doing the math wrong?

Maybe for my first lens I'll get the 24-70mm and then add a macro or wide angle lens later. I'm getting a zoom lens first just so I don't need to carry multiple lenses with me. I might be still stuck in the point-n-shot mentality but I do like the convenience of one lens. And I've decided to get two 512MB CF cards for now as I don't mind swapping. I'll also hold off on the flash and remote for now and just try out the built-in flash. Most of my shots are done with natural light anyway, including my entry in Something New II.

I'll look into the Optech straps though and a new bag.

jkarsgaard

05/11/2004 07:03:03 PM · #21

Congratulations on purchasing a great camera. I've had mine for just over a year and really enjoyed it. I use a Tamrac 613 bag, sigma EF-500 DG ST flash with lumiquest softbox, Tokina 24-200 ATX lens, Sigma 12-24 lens, a few polarizing and Graduated ND Filters...

Definitly purchase as large a memory card as you can afford!!!

Otherwise don't worry too much about the equipment - get out and capture some images. Have fun!

www.jdphotographic.com

Falc

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

05/12/2004 12:02:29 PM · #22

512 Mem cards are a little weedy for the 10D. Especially if you shoot RAW with embeded jpeg at 8mb per shot as I do.

I carry a 1Gig CF in camera all the time, with a 4Gig Microdrive in the bag. Its very easy to fill the 1Gig (167images) in a couple of hours shooting. The 4 Gig microdrive is slower, but a great backup.

Go for mem is my advice.

05/12/2004 01:42:27 PM · #23

I looked at eBay yesterday for Microdrives and they were about $200-250 (4GB version) which is a great bargain compared to their new price of $499. I might pick one of them up just because the price is so good. And I didn't stop to think about storing a RAW and JPG version at the same time and how much space that would take. Thanks for pointing that out! :)

Mo' stuff:
WOO! I just bought a 4GB Microdrive for $203 shipped off eBay!

Message edited by author 2004-05-12 14:00:25.

Falc

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

05/12/2004 01:58:07 PM · #24

I picked up my microdrive from eBAY and had it shipped from US to UK for less than $200 total, a great bargain.