Canon jack of all trades set up for £2000.

scottduffy

scottduffy

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Guys,

I attended my induction for my camera course yesterday and as i knew beforehand my lecturers would prefer us to use Canon gear. I'm assuming this is due to ease of teaching everyone with similar gear. We are not being made to do this but we were gently nudged this way. Now i have a wee dilemma as i haven't been keeping an eye on newly released Canon gear and in case i miss anything i was hoping a couple of you could provide me with some advice.

The course covers everything from portrait photography to sports photography to forensic photography and the college do not have equipment to hire out apart from studio lighting equipment so i am thinking hard about what equipment will give me the best results at whatever part i participate in.

I was thinking that i could go down the route of

Body - 5Dmk2 - Reasons are very good quality images for portraits and still life. Not sure about the autofocus for sports but i can't imagine any camera within my budget will tick all boxes.

Lenses - one of the 70-200 variants might be useful along with maybe a 100 macro which could be useful for any macro/forensic photography plus on a full frame body will double as a good sharp portrait lens. Maybe a fast standard zoom like a 24-70L.

I'm thinking body would cost £550, macro sub £300, i could spend the rest on the 70-200L 2.8 IS mk2 (£1100) or get a cheaper one and a older 24-70L. (£600). I will probably need a speedlight too. I would imagine i could pick one of these up for £170 for a 580ex mk2.

I will also need a tripod and bag. I have plenty of CF cards.

Maybe i'd be better and even cheaper with a few good primes and a wide angle lens so any advice on these would appreciated as i've never really used any wide angle lenses apart from the 10-22 and that was obviously for crop cameras.

P.S. I don't need full frame so other suggestions will be considered. My budget is flexible but i don't want to bow a fortune if i don't need to.
 
Before you rush out and spend oodles of cash, which you may later regret first have a chat with your lecturer regarding the minimum kit you need to complete the course and then sit on your hands and wait until you see which way you intend to proceed in the future.
You might for example decide that your future lies in architectural photography and find you need a TS-E lens but have spent all the money!
 
I have spoken to him and he said that we could have a standard zoom lens and borrow any other lenses we might need from classmates or rent them. I don't really see this as realistic though as they will be most likely using them at the same time and what if something happened to them. I am wondering though whether a few good primes will be the way ahead. You rarely lose too much value with lenses so i'm quite happy to buy them then move them on if they're not required. I would rather have them though in advance in case i need one and nothing suitable comes up in the classifieds.

The different types of photography is a massive though as you're dead right i could end up taking a shine to any of them but i'm assuming the same time will be spent on all of them especially during the first semester.
 
Just my ten pence worth here and I'm no expert but if you went the 5Dii route, you could get a 70-200 f4L IS (500-550) which is a superb lens, a 400 F5.6 prime (550 ish) and a 16-35 f4L IS (550-600)?for the wide angle. Add a cheap nifty fifty which you can pick up secondhand for around £50 and you would have covered most of the bases imo. You may go over the 2k threshold but not by too much.
 
What about canon 700d kit 18-55 plus a 55-250 and a nifty fifty. I would think that this would cover most things for you
 
In that case buy a 5dMk2 and a 24-105 or a 24-70 .
Presumably during the course you will have various projects which will require specialist lenses, in that case do as you suggest and rent, my walking buddy who is a retired pro industrial photographer rented the majority of his lenses as he did not need them on a regular basis
These http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/ are pretty good but of course there are others.
Best of luck with the course
 
hi scott i have a 7dii and a 6d if you want a play with them we could meet up see if they tick what your looking for before you go the 5dii route i also have a 70-200 2.8 and a mk1 24-70 2.8 it may give you a idea what way you want to go before you shell out any cash
 
Beware buying S lenses as they may not be of any use after the course if you decide to go FF (or even 1.3 crop 1D series). Much as I think the 700D kit is probably a good start for a course I'd be wary of limiting myself post course.
Matt
 
This is a double edge sword not sure how long the course is, will you want to carry on and what are going to shoot if you do. No easy answer
 
hoochy1 said:
hi scott i have a 7dii and a 6d if you want a play with them we could meet up see if they tick what your looking for before you go the 5dii route i also have a 70-200 2.8 and a mk1 24-70 2.8 it may give you a idea what way you want to go before you shell out any cash
Click to expand...


Cheers rab I might just do that mate. I'll be in touch.
 
MatBin said:
Beware buying S lenses as they may not be of any use after the course if you decide to go FF (or even 1.3 crop 1D series). Much as I think the 700D kit is probably a good start for a course I'd be wary of limiting myself post course.
Matt
Click to expand...

With lenses as cheap as the 18-55mm and the 55-250mm that is of little worry. Just sell them and buy what you need for the future.
 
Depends on what your comfortable spending really, 2k to get started is a fortune to some but not others. Personally I think they should give you a little more guidance. I would start with a crop, nifty fifty, maybe 2 zooms like others have suggested. Buy the lenses second hand. That way if you have the budget to upgrade when you know what area interests you then you can sell on at minimal loss. I had the 60mm for my 550d, loved it. Sharp for portraits and doubled up for macro work. I'm also selling a 70-200 if you go down that route :)
 
It's only getting started in the course not really in photography as I've owned and sold tons of gear in the past as I've not had time to use it properly with work and family commitments. Now I have the time and the course I really don't mind spending it. I'll have a think over the next couple of weeks and see what comes up in the classified section. I would never buy new as I just don't think it's worth it with the savings in can make here. Also the feedback on here gives you a bit of comfort compared to other classified sections. Cheers for the advice guys.
 
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