Starting afresh....

photostar_1

photostar_1

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Carole
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As some of you know, I am currently sans camera and lenses. If you Canon lovers (sorry Nikons) were starting out fresh, what lenses would you go for, to cover the spectrum for a BEGINNER?

If the body is a 400D (which it most probably will be), where would you go from there? Max spend £3000.
 
24-105L F4 IS, fantastic all round lens then probably a 580 flash as well and a grip. Not sure about other lenses as I am new here and still catching up with what people like to photograph.
 
For an "general use" lens I think I'd go for the 17-40L or the 24-105L, prob the 24-105 due to the greater range. The 50mm 1.8 (nifty fifty) is a must for the price. Then for some longer range work the 100-400mm L. That lot would give you coverage from 24mmm up to 400mm, all L glass (apart from the nifty) and still leave you around £1250 out of your buget. The only other possibility would be something very wide if you feel you'd need it, something like the 10-20mm
 
24-70 F2.8, one of the 70-200 F2.8's and the 30D. Haven't checked prices lately but if you could squeeze either a 17-40 or a 1.4X into that you'd be sorted for most things.
 
dod said:
24-70 F2.8, one of the 70-200 F2.8's and the 30D. Haven't checked prices lately but if you could squeeze either a 17-40 or a 1.4X into that you'd be sorted for most things.
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Perhaps the Sigma/Tokina 12-24 to substitute the 17-40 if wide angle landscapes are your bag?

But I'd agree with the rest there dod, good choice.

JoeT makes a good suggestion too with the D200.

I'm glad I don't have £3k to wave on camera equipment. Where would I start?!?!:D
 
dod said:
24-70 F2.8, one of the 70-200 F2.8's and the 30D. Haven't checked prices lately but if you could squeeze either a 17-40 or a 1.4X into that you'd be sorted for most things.
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:agree:

Good allround choice..:thumbs:

The 400D is a very good camera but starting again with a budget of 3k go for the 30D IMO..:) It has so much more..;)
 
Looks like insur has come good, hope spending spree makes you feel a lot better. Mitch:) :)
 
Joe T said:
D200
17-55 2.8
70-200 2.8

There your £3k gone.... :D
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I thought about suggesting the D200 but she's already had enough trauma ;)
 
dod said:
I thought about suggesting the D200 but she's already had enough trauma ;)
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crackup.gif
 
:D

Sigma 12-24mm - £400
Canon 24-105mm f/4 IS L - £700
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L - £1200
Canon EF1.4x TCII - £230
Canon BG-E3 - £100
Canon 50mm f/1.4 - £220
Canon 430EX - £160

Goes £10 over your £3k budget(though not if you speak to Kerso!!!!), but some nice glass taking you from 12mm to 320mm and all body-upgrade proof :)
 
oops - body included in £3k? :embarrassed:
 
Hi,

I would base a new outfit on the 30D, it's an astonishingly accomplished camera. I have yet to hear anbody criticise it for any major shortcomings. I'd buy the 20-35 USM, which is superb given that it's not an 'L' lens, a 24-70L, and finally a new 70-200 f4L, or a used 70 - 200 f2.8L.

These lenses are all of unimpeachable quality, and will cover most eventualities. An EF II 1.4X would be a useful addition.

Good hunting, and I hope that everything works out well for you.
 
Buying from different places to get the best-ish prices:

30D £650
30D battery grip £120
Sigma 12-24 £350
Canon 24-105 L IS £650
Canon 100-400 L IS £905
Canon 550EX Speedlite £250

Sorted ;)

Total £2945
 
danza said:
Buying from different places to get the best-ish prices:

30D £650
30D battery grip £120
Sigma 12-24 £350
Canon 24-105 L IS £650
Canon 100-400 L IS £905
Canon 550EX Speedlite £250

Sorted ;)

Total £2945
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Given body needs buying too, :agree:
 
Although I have used Canon for many years now, given £3000 to start afresh I would certainly have a long hard look at a D200 + kit as an alternative.
 
30D is a must - honestly - a stunning camera and can be picked up if you shop around for a VERY good price these days. For the upper end of the lenses if it were me I'd go again for what I've got now - 70-200f2.8 and TC's. Outstanding lens - image quality which amazed me the first time I used it and even with the 2x TC on board still stunningly sharp. Nifty fifty isn't worth including in your insurance money spend - it's so cheap to pick up anyway you might as well discount that from your initial re-build of your kit. It was the Canon 24-70 L you had before and loved wasn't it? If so then why not buy it again, or maybe look at the Sigma I have - I've not used the canon so can't comment from that point of view but the sigma is a really nice lens and less than half the price of the Canon.

Remember to factor in the odds and sods - things like filters, spare batteries and remote release if you had one, as well as anything else in the bag that you've got to replace as all those bits can really add up also. Oh - and of course a replacement bag itself!
 
Thanks everyone. Perhaps I should have mentioned that Hubby has the 20D and I had the 350D because it fitted into my hand so well, which is why I don't want to go up to the 30D: and anyway can't possibly outdo Him indoors, can I???:lol:
 
LOL - well fair enough then. If you know the 350D/400D is the camera that you feel more comfortable with then makes sense to stick with it.

If you're potentially going to get a 100-400L or a 70-200L though, add a battery grip to that shopping list! ;)
 
Hi everyone, Guy here.

Thanks, for the great support you have shown Carole, she needed it and it worked wonders.


Thanks also for the ideas on lenses, I have an immediate problem as I’m off skiing next weekend and need to quickly get a longish lens but don’t want to rush and get the wrong one as this is an opportunity to get a suite that is ideal, rather than a hotchpotch.

I would love to have a 70-200L and crave those amazingly pin-sharp images everyone else gets but, in practice, I believe good pictures come more from the moment and how you frame it rather than the kit you use.

So I’m happy with a very small bag with a wide-mid and the 70-300 F4. Small, fast to use, very flexible, infrequent lens changes etc.

If we went for the bigger stuff I fear I would miss even more moments than I do now because I’d have the wrong lens on and great optics would merely give an improved appreciation of my camera shake.

On the other hand I do love long lenses.

Will I regret it if I grab a replacement 70-300? Am I over stating the disadvantages of big size and small zoom range?


Guy
 
photostar_1 said:
Thanks everyone. Perhaps I should have mentioned that Hubby has the 20D and I had the 350D because it fitted into my hand so well, which is why I don't want to go up to the 30D: and anyway can't possibly outdo Him indoors, can I???:lol:
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Hi - Presumably you & hubby (Guy) are usually on speaking terms in which case I also presume you share lenses both being Canon users? In that case surely you need to buy your new lenses with that in mind? Making sure you don't end up with some that clash & compliment so to speak - sorry if I'm talking bollards & are you sure we can't tempt you to the "dark side" :naughty:
Paul ;)
 
The 70-200mmL F.4 USM is a cracking lens for less than £400 from our friend kerso.:)
 
Seriously consider the 17-55 EFS f2.8 .... its an L series lens in an EFS package. Totally Stunningly sharp. I have one and can totally recomend it.
Its lighter and sharper than the 17-40L (tho might lose out on colour definition) :shrug:

Then go for the 70-200 f2.8 or f4 and the 1.4TC.
 
Do you know when you will get your money from the insurance Carole? If its going to be soon and it were me I'd get myself off to the NEC at the end of this month, with the exception of running your new list past our faithful friend Kerso, I'll think you'll find it hard pushed to find anywhere cheaper than doing a deal with the people at the Focus exhibition. If it were me I'd do this for sure, but its only my opinion if it helps, others may disagree?
 
If he really can't make his mind up then he could go for a short term fix of a Sigma 70-300 f4-5.6 APO - nice lens - although I've had no problems with mine some people have reported slow autofocus in low light (mine has been used more in low light than any other conditions and I'venot had a problem!) but in bright conditions it's a cracker. best thing is though that it'd only set you back £150 ish and you could probably get £100 of that back by selling on afterwards in as new condition.

As I said above, personally I would re-buy my 70-200f2.8L any day of the week - sure a crap photographer can't get good pics with whatever kit you give them, but there can be no question that the IQ on that lens is simply stunning. Yes it's heavy, but you get used to that. Sure it has a shorter zoom range but frankly the sharpness is so good you can crop more closely on it than on many of its rivals. It depends what you want to do at the end of the day - if what Guy will be shooting will stay still while he carefully frames it up and makes sure his focus is bang on then fine - sadly we don't all have that luxury though!
 
I borrowed a friends 70-300 sigma once and although it was quite obvious that the focusing was slower and it wasnt as sharp as my 70-200 f4L it was still more than adequate for tracking rallycars and the extra reach felt a lot more comfortable for me.

I dont think he would be disappointed in the sigma especially given the price.
 
Well, as radical as this may sound, I would buy 2 Nikon D2H's plus an assortment of prime lens.

Pete.
 
If I may add my belated 2c...

Do consider the 30 and if I were you I would not buy any ef-s lens again...

You will eventually have a 1D or something similar so start future proofing kit now..:shrug:
 
That's what I'm doing now.....next winter....who knows! :D
 
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