Looking for more advice, help me buy

06/09/2006 10:38:15 AM · #1

alright some of you may have seen my thread yesterday and for now I want you to ignore that I plan to start a business down the road and let's just help me get the best gear I can for personal use.

I'm ripping my hair out over here trying to find a winner so help me out with some suggestions. I'm a little sceptical about going from a 1-series to a 20D but some people have been telling me it's not too bad really.... anyways...

Here's what I've got now:
1Dmk1
80-200L 2.8
100mm macro (non usm)
17-35 tamron
50mm 1.8
lensbaby 2.0
550ex
and about $1000 to spend (give a little if necessary)

I'm willing to sell the camera, and possibly other things...

Option 1 is to dump the 1D and hope to get around 1200 for it, and then put up a little extra money to get a 1DmkII.

Option 2 is to keep the 1D and everything else and pick up a used 20D/30D so I have a backup camera.

Option 3 is to sell the 1D and buy 2x 20D's used. I could pick up a tamron 28-75 with the leftovers.

Option 4 is to get a used 24-70L 2.8 and possibly pickup a D30 as a backup.

Option 5 is to sell the 1D and 17-35 pick up a 20D, pick up a 24-70L, and a 17-40L.

(can you tell I'm thinking pretty much on the fly here?)

Option 6.... switch to nikon get a D200 and a D70 and rehall everything I own, start making fun of people who own canon.

Anyone see a better option than these? Different suggestions? Any help is greatly appreciated.

06/09/2006 10:53:47 AM · #2

How much does a 5D go for used btw? They're 2600 new at bh so 90% of that is $2340, does that sound right?

Prof_Fate

06/09/2006 11:07:15 AM · #3

The lenses you have are good - you could lose the 100 macro (for now) if you need a few extra bucks. If you live for macro then maybe not...

the only difference between a 30D and a 5D is the size of the sensor. Oh, and the price. The 30D does 5FPS, the 5D only 3 - and you'll need or want a bigger HD on the computer with it as the files are lots bigger, so maybe more CF cards too.

Sell the 1D. sell the 100mm. Gives you $1600 plus the grand, more or less.

A used 20D is 800ish, new 1100ish, and a 30D is $1250 ish. So IMO the only choices are used 20D or new 30D. here the differences are the 30D has slighter quicker start time, lots longer batt life, huge LCD, faster FPS, spot metering, longer shutter life (and quieter) and picture styles and probably some other something i'm forgetting. You can fake that last item in software. The others are real feature you;ll use.

So i'd recomend a new 30D and later on pick up a used 20D - photokina is this fall and new stuff will come out (a 5D replacement is rumoured). Once you generate revenue you can buy a backup (even a 300D will work in a pinch and they're about $400)

Get a tokina 12-24 - you'll want wider than the 17-35 (good lens that) on a 1.6 crop camera. You could trade the 17-35 off for the 28-75 tamron - a bit of lens switching but you'd have 12-24 af f4, 28-75 at 2.8 and 70-200 at 2.8. the little 24-28 gap is unimportant.

$1300 for 30D (the D30 is a canon camera too, the first dSLR - so don't get those letters/numnber scrambled or you won't like the camera :)
400 for the 12-24
350 for the 28-75
$2050 plus a battery and maybe cf or optech pro strap or a belt system.
this leaves you $700 plus whatever you get for the 17-35 lens - enogh for a 20D if you want.

06/09/2006 11:34:10 AM · #4

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

HD space is not an issue i have almost 400gigs free.

the 30D AFAIK doesn't shoot faster than the 20D you said 5fps they're both rated for that. The other features such as spot meter are a good benifit however!

so the last deal gets me:
30D (1300 total so far)
20D (2100 total so far)
12-24 F4 tokina (altho the sigma version costs more it does FF) (2500ish total)
28-75 2.8 (2800 total)
80-200L 2.8 (2800 total)
lensbaby (2800 total)

(i'm typing as I think bare with me)
1D i can get maybe 1200 for
1000 in cash puts me at 2200
tamron can fetch about 350 (2550)
100 macro can get up to 250 cause of the broken switch (2800)

man that's a CLOSE fit... Anything I missed?

edit: it also gets me the benifits of a backup body, longer battery life than the 1D and the ability to keep the 12-24 on one body and the 28-75 on the other only switching to use the 80-200L. More MP. Less noise. viewing with magnification. Orientation sensor.

drawbacks... Slightly worse AF (i love the 1D), less AF points, slower flash sync, Less files on a CF card, no external WB sensor, Less fast opperation in most cases. No grips! Loss of spot metering from the 20D. All those other 1D goodies.

Message edited by author 2006-06-09 11:38:17.

06/09/2006 11:41:55 AM · #5

So I'm really considering getting just a 20D to treat as a backup, and redoing my lenses. Putting the 12-24 on the 20D and the 28-75 on the 1D. The focal length crossover here would be...19.2-38.4mm effective on the 20D and 35-93.75mm on the 1D. If I fall inlove with the 20D I can sell the 1D and get a 30D. How's that sound for an option?

Prof_Fate

06/09/2006 11:45:08 AM · #6

strap...the stock straps suck. you may have one.

CF cards - sandisk Ultra2 is best option, 2Gb holds about 210 RAW on a 20D/30D. Twice that in Jpg Lrg/fine.

i know what you mean about the sigma 12-24, but the tokina is a bit sharper. the canon 10-22 is probably better and a bit wider but twice the price.

back up flash. if you're running 2 bodies this can be handy too. I shoot with both bodies at the same time and move the flash back and forth. not optimum.

on the 30D check dell w/ coupons (they charge sales tax!) or roberts camera (indiana or illinois) as they were the cheapest source for the 30D when it first came out. On the 20D check fredmiranda.com's buy and sell forum - great place to sell stuff too. no fees like ebay! I got my 20D there for $725 (4100 actuations on it). I have a sigma EF500DG Super with omnibounce coming from a sale on there - $170 deliverd (saves $80) and my metz and lightspehre i got there too ($300 - not the $420 new price). this all may help you stretch your budget a bit.

Debt...have you thought about it? I hate it, as it forces you to do things (like pay it back LOL) but it has it's place. once the business is generating money it works well. my 30D and 20D are actually on my credit card...i have 3 more weddings this year and that money will pay them off. so the interest for 5 months was my 'cost' to having the camera NOW and not later - it let me shoot 2 weddings, 1 event and a HS senior with the better tools, which hopefull gets better results and leads to more work...

Prof_Fate

06/09/2006 11:47:56 AM · #7

Originally posted by kyebosh:

the advantage to shooting 2 bodies simultaneaously is that they are both the same (20D/30D controls, file sizes, etc etc are teh same). a 1D body has different controls than a 20D (location, buttons, menu, etc) and take different batteries, so you have to carry more crap. it can be done - my buddy shoots a 1D mk2n and got a 30D for backup and now shoots 2 bodies. I tried a 30D and rebel 300D. i was very familiar with the 300 and found myself frustrated at the differences - it's one more thing to think about and scew up LOL.

06/09/2006 11:53:51 AM · #8

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

Originally posted by kyebosh:
So I'm really considering getting just a 20D to treat as a backup, and redoing my lenses. Putting the 12-24 on the 20D and the 28-75 on the 1D. The focal length crossover here would be...19.2-38.4mm effective on the 20D and 35-93.75mm on the 1D. If I fall inlove with the 20D I can sell the 1D and get a 30D. How's that sound for an option?

the advantage to shooting 2 bodies simultaneaously is that they are both the same (20D/30D controls, file sizes, etc etc are teh same). a 1D body has different controls than a 20D (location, buttons, menu, etc) and take different batteries, so you have to carry more crap. it can be done - my buddy shoots a 1D mk2n and got a 30D for backup and now shoots 2 bodies. I tried a 30D and rebel 300D. i was very familiar with the 300 and found myself frustrated at the differences - it's one more thing to think about and scew up LOL.

I see your point, I used to shoot with the 300D as well and it's a world of difference between the controls. Much easier to change on a 300D.

06/09/2006 11:58:37 AM · #9

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

CF cards - sandisk Ultra2 is best option, 2Gb holds about 210 RAW on a 20D/30D. Twice that in Jpg Lrg/fine.

back up flash.

Debt...have you thought about it? I hate it, as it forces you to do things (like pay it back LOL) but it has it's place. once the business is generating money it works well. my 30D and 20D are actually on my credit card...i have 3 more weddings this year and that money will pay them off. so the interest for 5 months was my 'cost' to having the camera NOW and not later - it let me shoot 2 weddings, 1 event and a HS senior with the better tools, which hopefull gets better results and leads to more work...

I have 2x 1gig cf cards, on the 1D i get 200 raws on a card, very nice. I also have a 256 card laying around somewhere... I'd probably need at least 1 more gig preferably 2-3.

yeah 2 flashes would be nice... the sigma 500dg is looking tempting.

debt is something i'm going to be going into any second if i don't find a job. Please keep in mind this is not going to be my source of income for quite awhile, more than half a year. However I still have to spend the money now because it's a gift, and I want to get the best setup possible ;-). Luckily I have the most generous parents I know, and they'd probably loan me some money down the road if I need it for a business, but right now I'm not looking for additional debt.

06/09/2006 12:00:38 PM · #10

a professional photographer from another forum has suggested dumping canon and getting the following.

D200
D70
17-55 2.8
70-200 2.8 VR
2 SB800's or I might get sigma 500dg's instead.

Note that my partner currently shoots with a D70.

06/09/2006 12:22:45 PM · #11

I'm gonna go get lunch and do some job searching... I'll check back later :-)

jprezant

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

06/09/2006 12:58:01 PM · #12

Kyebosh,

I think you should do whatever is in your heart. But i'm sure thats not much help, so I hope more people write on this forum!

06/09/2006 02:50:09 PM · #13

any other suggestions? :-)

maggieddd

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

06/09/2006 03:15:12 PM · #14

I just think it would be silly to dump all of your Canon equipment at this point