Dilemma - DPChallenge Forums

06/21/2006 07:11:33 PM · #1

OK, so I was thinking about that silly 24-105mm f/4 IS lens that Canon has. Checked the B&H website for about the 20th time, just to let the price make me stop that kind of thinking yet again, only it was out of stock. They have this "notify me when this comes in" button, so I clicked it. That was yesterday. Today they have the darn thing in! Why did they do that to me?

But here's the problem. If I get that lens, I'll be looking at new bodies next. I have the older Rebel and the two things that I would change are the time it takes to "wake up" and the speed at which it writes to the card, particularly when you take a bunch of shots at a time, not necessarily in burst mode. Given those two things, and realizing that yes, a full-size sensor would be nice with the 24-105, are there any 300D owners who've moved on? If so, what did you move on to? Did it cure the "slow write to card" and "slow to wake up" issues?

What I'll probably do is simply go mow and edge the lawn and realize that people who have two scores on their home page that are only 5s should probably stick with the equipment they have for now. :-)

Nuzzer

Canon EOS-7D

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

06/21/2006 07:30:39 PM · #2

I can't help with the lens question but I have decided to stick with my current equipment until I get scores above the 5's as I don't think spending $$$ is going to make me a better photographer - I need to learn to take good photos first.

That's just my theory ;)

JRalston

Canon EOS-20D

06/21/2006 08:08:55 PM · #3

I upgraded from the 300d to the 20d in October-ish. I would be doing a photoshoot and I would literally have to stop shooting to let the camera keep up with me. (And I never shot in burst mode!) The start up time sucked too. The 20d was WELL worth the upgrade. I would do it again in a heartbeat. The 300d was a great learning camera, and does a great job for landscape photography. (when you don't have to fire off rapid shots and startup time is not an issue.)

For me, a full size sensor is not that attractive, only because I like the extra reach I get with my lenses and the 1.6crop :)

Jenn

Prof_Fate

06/21/2006 08:56:14 PM · #4

I moved from a 300D to a 30D (and then got a 20D as backup). The difference is HUGE in wakeup. No comparison. 300d is 2 seconds, the 20D .2 and the 30D .15. Point one five is essentially instant - the camera can be asleep at my side, i can pick up and aim and hit the shutter and get teh pic - every time.
I never used burst mode on teh 300D - why bother? With the 30D you can shoot all you want and not worry about overflowing the buffer. at the highest speed 5 fps an shooting RAW you get 11 frames - that is over 2 seconds continous shooting - a long time, as most action is well over. Shoot large JPG and that goes to 30 frames - 6 seconds!
Lots of little ergonomic things that make a 20/30 a lot nicer than the 300D (the wheel, the top LCD with more focus and metering options). And both focus more accurately and faster than the 300. The 30D can go 1200+ shots on one batt charge. I went as far as 1,491 shots on one charge. Awesome, and the bigger LCD is cool too.

Buy the 30D. sell the 300D. buy the tamron SP24-135 for $400. Same (well, more) range and just as sharp. No IS? you don't need it IMO. As for speed, there is not much difference - the canon is F4 all the way, the tamron starts at 3.5 and is crosses over to 5.6 at 85mm so yo uonly lose a stop on the upper half of the range. The Tamron is a great studio and walkaround lens. If you need a fast lens, f4 isn't and the IS is a weak way IMO to try and make it faster. And at a very high price.

Full frame? Next time maybe. The 5D is a 30D with a full frame sensor - so that extra sensor space costs $2300. 8 Mp will make a very large print. and for $2300 I can buy an extra wide angle lens. What I want is a 70-200 2.8 for a 1.6 crop camera - and tokina is coming out with one in this fall (50-135 2.8)

06/21/2006 09:29:47 PM · #5

Originally posted by Prof_Fate:

Buy the 30D. sell the 300D. buy the tamron SP24-135 for $400.

Dude, you are making way too much sense. Stop that! :-) Seriously, though, you present an excellent case. The main reason I'm considering IS is I do have a problem with camera shake on the longer lenses - I have a bit of a minor tremor issue that's getting worse as I get older. The thing I don't like about the Rebel kit lens is the going up to 5.6 when I don't want it to, just because I zoomed. That's where the appeal of a fixed f-stop across the range comes in.

But you're coming awfully darn close to getting me to buy a 30D. I really don't need a full sensor. I shoot only for myself for fun, not for a living, so prints are just for me, too. But oh what I'd give to not have that card just keep churning away when I'd rather be shooting!

Thanks to all for the input!!

06/24/2006 07:33:24 PM · #6

OK, so I've decided to order a 30D when the B&H site starts taking orders again later tonight.

Now for the lens. I have been reading about lenses all afternoon - you'd think I'd know a lot more now than I do, but I don't. For the time being, I've talked myself out of the 24-105L glass, I think. I'm looking at the Tamron 28-70 which seems to be wildly popular, or the Canon 17-40L, which has that nice "L" thing appended but might not be as useful as an overall lens. Then again, the Tamron at 28 on the low end might be a problem, too.

The other worry I have with the Tamron is the "slower" focusing speed. For those that have this lens, how "slow" is it?

And there's still Prof Fate's reco of the Tamron 24-135, which seems to be an ideal range.

The idea is to replace the Canon "kit" lens, which I do find has a very useful range as a walkaround lens. So why don't they make an 18-55 in a better piece of glass, I wonder?

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 IF EX DG HSM for Canon

06/24/2006 10:46:26 PM · #7

OK, one more possibility, but again in that "you paid WHAT for a lens?" category is the Canon 17-85.

Any words of wisdom from those who aren't sick to death of "which lens should I buy" threads?

And yes, I know, better equipment doesn't a better photographer make. I just like new toys. :-)

coronamv

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

06/25/2006 12:32:56 AM · #8

I hope no one stated this one yet but have you looked at the EF-S 17-85 IS f4-5.6 USM?
Price is under $500 barely.. But it would make a excelent replacement for the EF-S 18-55. L glass is nice too many people like the 17-40L hope this helps