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StuW

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Stuart Walker
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I have just come into some money from an insurance claim a few years ago and now need to follow up on a promise that if I won I would spend it on a new camera. I've had my heart set on a 5D MKII for a couple of years but ever the pessimist I'm thinking there will probably be a replacement a month after I buy one or that I would be just as well buying a cropped sensor like the 7D! On top of that I'm told by all the UK retailers I spoke to (LCE, Jessops and Dixons) that they are in very short supply and on back order for potentially months with a body at around £1700 and a kit with 24-105 at £2350!!!!

Feeling like I could be left shortchanged paying a high price for an ??outdated?? body on backorder when something else might do the job better - maybe a pro body.

I am not a professional but have done some paid work, I shoot portraits studio style and candids/family shots, landscapes, motor-sports and wildlife probably in that order.

I currently have the following body/lenses:
Canon 20D
Canon 17-40L f4
Canon 50mm f1.8
Tamron 90mm f2.8
Sigma 100-300 f4

Moving to a full frame body like the 5D I was thinking I might trade in the Sigma EX 100-300 and buy a Canon 100-400 to replace it which would give me back some focal length. I'm also torn between buying a kit with a 24-70 f2.8 or the 24-105 f4. The 24-105 should be the obvious choice to fill the gap in my lenses but I like the idea of a walkabout f2.8 L lens, just not sure if I would ever use the 17-40 if I did!

Can anyone offer any advice, warnings, insight or other??? Are there new models coming any time soon?

Cheers in advance

Stu
 
I don't think that there will be a replacement for the 5D mkII for a while as it is relatively new. Warehouse express seem to have them in stock. £2295 with the 24 -105.

FF or APS-c is really your call, it depends on what you mostly shoot whether you need the advantages of FF or the speed and focus of the 7D

My way of looking at this issue is, if you take pictures of things that don't move much then FF may be the way to go. If you take pictures of skittery varmints, then APS-c (7D you mentioned) may be better. I tend to take wildlife stuff butterflies and I think a 5D would probably make it even more frustrating rather than less, although at the time I was choosing I was tempted by the 5D mkII. In the end I went for the 7D and I'm glad i did.
 
Seeing the varied type of subjects you like to photograph and the fact that you would like a full frame camera but at the moment have the 20D with a 1.6 crop factor i would suggest having a look at a late second hand 1DMKIII.

Should be able to pick a good one up for around £1500 which would leave you some money to invest in some glass and with the 1.3 crop you will get the best of both worlds.

As much as the 7D and 5DMKII are good cameras once you have used a 1 series you wont feel like using anything else.

Pop into your local dealer and see if you can have a play with one,and i bet you will find it hard to put it down when you leave the shop.
 
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I agree that Canon need to replace the 5DMKII soon to catch up with the D700, but will they?
 
GRECIAN said:
I agree that Canon need to replace the 5DMKII soon to catch up with the D700, but will they?
Click to expand...

What do you find missing on the 5D? I had a play with both and didn't seem to notice any differences.
 
fleaz said:
What do you find missing on the 5D? I had a play with both and didn't seem to notice any differences.
Click to expand...

It has an old autofocus system compared to the newer range of Canon bodies. I think essentially the AF will be the same as on my 20D which does not feel like much of an upgrade for £2,000. The AF is one of the only things that bugged me about my 20D, that and the tiny screen size! Then over and above that I want better IQ and usable ISO range and the chance to let some of my decent lenses shine with the full frame sensor.

Gadget-Guy said:
Seeing the varied type of subjects you like to photograph and the fact that you would like a full frame camera but at the moment have the 20D with a 1.6 crop factor i would suggest having a look at a late second hand 1DMKIII.
Click to expand...

Again a 1DMKIII (although I know very little about it) feels like I would be stepping back a generation or two in technology! Please correct me if I am wrong but it was the same generation as the 20D give or take a year? I guess you are paying a lot for the build quality but to be honest I don't really need it.

I struggle to define what type of photography I want to shoot most, my flickr account (if you ignore the first few gig shots) is a varied bunch for sure, but probably more suited to a full frame camera if I had a decent 400mm zoom to keep for any long range wildlife!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/31131681@N07/
 
GRECIAN said:
I agree that Canon need to replace the 5DMKII soon to catch up with the D700, but will they?
Click to expand...

They need to upgrade the 5D for sure - is it January when Canon release new models?
 
How about taking a different two pronged approach?

Get the 5D with 24-105, it has IS, its not going to be a problem as a walk about lens really and would suit your portrait work well.

Sell the 20D, and get a second hand 7D to use for sports and wildlife.

Anything left could be put towards the 100-400 canon along with either selling or PX'ing the big sigma.

The 90mm tamron macro isnt going to be an issue on either body or crop factor in fact on the FF its another great portrait lens in your kit bag as well as macro, but I think the 50mm would want upgrading at some point.
 
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StuW said:
They need to upgrade the 5D for sure - is it January when Canon release new models?
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Jan and August mostly. 5D -> 5DII took 3 years, after 1DsIII was released. 5DII is less than 2 years old and still has the latest and greatest sensor around. First, there will come 1DsIV, probably in January. Then there could be a 5DIII likely next autumn. There may only be 60D and, less likely, 2000D for now. Watch out for new lenses too.


You could get an old 5D or 1DsII cheap for that one year+. And your lenses look fine for FF. From my 1st hand experience that looks like an OK plan.
 
GRECIAN said:
I agree that Canon need to replace the 5DMKII soon to catch up with the D700, but will they?
Click to expand...

*We* know that 5D AF is not the best of the kind. However, in the real world 5DII is a far better landscape camera, and massively outsells D700. In fact Nikon is rushing to update D700 first.
 
Thanks for the advice, I'm still no further forwards in deciding what to do but I guess I need to bite the bullet sometime!

I think I am "likely" to buy the 5D, not time to think about which kit lens to buy with it, and whether to have a reshuffle.

I am very happy with both the 17-40 L and 100-300 EX so sensibly I should get the kit with 24-105 L.

I could get the 24-70 f2.8 - but then would I ever use the 17-40? If I did trade in the 17-40 is it worth buying something ultra wide - what should I look at?

Am I going to feel shortchanged from 300mm on a ff body - so should I trade in and buy a 100-400 L?

questions questions....
 
StuW said:
I am very happy with both the 17-40 L and 100-300 EX so sensibly I should get the kit with 24-105 L.

I could get the 24-70 f2.8 - but then would I ever use the 17-40? If I did trade in the 17-40 is it worth buying something ultra wide - what should I look at?

Am I going to feel shortchanged from 300mm on a ff body - so should I trade in and buy a 100-400 L?

questions questions....
Click to expand...

24-105mm is fine unless f/2.8 is a must have for you.

300mm on FF feels a little short, but 5DII has effectively the same 8MP 1.6x central area like your 20D does. 1.4x converter is the affordable and easiest choice.

Trading in is perhaps the worst option for you and the best for the shop. IF you must sell your stuff here or on ebay.
 
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