Upgrade Advice

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Sgt_Bilko99

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Dave
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Need some advice and help with regards to upgrading my current set up.

I have a Sony A700 and a Tamron 70-200mm 2.8 along with other Sony fit lenses. I have now been thinking of adding a Canon 7D and a Canon 70-200mm 2.8 non IS lens to begin with. I would add further lenses when finances allow. The Sony A700 and lenses would be kept and used as a second body but I would probably sell the Tamron lens.

I do understand that better kit does not make me a better photographer but I do think the faster AF and faster frame rate will help me improve.

Any comments and advice warmly welcomed.

Dave
 
I,m going to play devils advocate here.How does your current set up inhibit you?
What do you want to shoot that your current kit wont do?
What will £1700 ish worth of kit enable you to do that you can't do now?
 
troutfisher said:
I,m going to play devils advocate here.How does your current set up inhibit you?
What do you want to shoot that your current kit wont do?
What will £1700 ish worth of kit enable you to do that you can't do now?
Click to expand...

Good question Chris. I shoot mainly football so a higher FPS would be handy. The Sony A700 is a good camera but the AF when used with the Tamron is a tad slow. So missed shots due to failure to lock on and missed focus.
A second body in sports is also handy to have. I could look at the Sony A580 and the Sony 70-200mm 2.8, that would set me back about 2K.
Also the 100% viewfinder of the 7D appeals to me.
 
Dave I know just where you're coming from.

I shoot rugby and started at the begining of the season with a D5000 and a Siggy 150-500, but soon discovered that if I wanted to continue then I would need better kit.

I went for D300s and noticed a great increase in AF compared to the D5000 and I also acquired a Nikon 70-200 2.8.

It did cost me a few quid but it was worth it in the long run and now luckily I have a 2nd D300s body.

As for the 7D I cant see the sense of having 2 different cameras needing two sets of lenses.
 
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Sgt_Bilko99 said:
Good question Chris. I shoot mainly football so a higher FPS would be handy. The Sony A700 is a good camera but the AF when used with the Tamron is a tad slow. So missed shots due to failure to lock on and missed focus.
A second body in sports is also handy to have. I could look at the Sony A580 and the Sony 70-200mm 2.8, that would set me back about 2K.
Also the 100% viewfinder of the 7D appeals to me.
Click to expand...

In that case 7D+70/200 f2.8 , or ideally 300 f2.8( expensive).
It might be worth saving for a 70/200 f2.8 Mk11 as reading up on it it takes a 2* TCquite well and 200mm is a bit short for footy.
You could also look at a used Mk1D11n or upwards as they are considered the pro sports camera
 
troutfisher said:
It might be worth saving for a 70/200 f2.8 Mk11 as reading up on it it takes a 2* TCquite well and 200mm is a bit short for footy.
Click to expand...

If you were to use a 2xTC on a 2.8 lens you start by losing 2 stops so you wold be shooting at 5.6 which in winter months and ubder floodlight is certain death.

Go on the Talk Sport thread and look through that and the pro's will tell you if you want the gear then you will have to spend lots and lots of money.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I agree that having two different manufacturers is not ideal, but this would be a stop gap until I could afford to sell the Sony kit and be able to replace the body and lenses.
I know with the 70-200mm lens you need to wait for the action to come to you but I do have a budget. I did consider a second hand 1D mk3 but then I would defo need the 300mm lens due to the crop factor of 1.3x as opposed to 1.6x on the 7D. In good light I could use a 1.4TC.
I'm waiting for my local camera shop to get more stock of the 7D so I can go in and have a play before making a final decision.
 
Perhaps I'm lucky Dave as my D300s is a crop so my 200 turns into 300 approx.

I have dreamed of a D3s, but then my 70-200 would only be that and I would have to get a 300 or 400 2.8 and I cant afford the £6500 the 400 would cost.

Sounds like the 7D would be your ideal camera, and having a play is a good idea.
 
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Martin, as I do not make money from my photography (at the moment!) I can not justify/afford buying pro spec equipment. If my numbers come up on the lottery then that would be a different story. Hope you get your D3s some day.
 
The supposed 'crop factor' is less of an issue in this case than the ability to actually crop deep into the photograph if you are limited to 200mm.

The 7D with 200 will allow you to shoot out at least to the halfway from the goal line and still get a usable pic at 1500-2000px or so. Get your feet wet with that and then venture onto a 1D series later.

Any reason why you aren't selling the Sony system completely and moving across?
 
Sgt_Bilko99 said:
Martin, as I do not make money from my photography (at the moment!) I can not justify/afford buying pro spec equipment. If my numbers come up on the lottery then that would be a different story. Hope you get your D3s some day.
Click to expand...

I'm afraid I dont make money from it either.

I wont be getting a D3s as I am very happy with my D300s. I think.:lol:
 
DemiLion said:
Any reason why you aren't selling the Sony system completely and moving across?
Click to expand...

Would be nice to have two bodies. I will sell the Sony gear later when I know I have enough pennies to get another body and similar lenses. So in the mean time for football, it would be 7D with a 70-200mm 2.8 as main camera and the Sony could be used as a 2nd body for goal celebs etc or behind goal cam.
The Sony would be used for my other stuff such as landscape and portraits.
 
The 70-200 would be fine for goal celes and the 7D is great as an all rounder for portraits + landscapes as well. If you wanted a remote cam then you could source a 40D for a fairly reasonable cost.

The point I'm trying to make rather inelegantly is that if you're going to jump ship you might as well go the whole hog rather than opting for a half way house and trying to balance two different systems at once.
 
Or maybe wait and see what the long awaited sony A77 will be like(in july some time). Rumoured to be 1.5 crop sensor @24 mp and possible 10 fps.

The tamron is a slow focuser, Try a second hand minolta 80-200 hs apo super quick at focusing and sharp as a sharp thing at F2.8
 
pope said:
Or maybe wait and see what the long awaited sony A77 will be like(in july some time).
Click to expand...

Never thought about the A77, might be worth waiting to see spec & price. Not too sure about SLT and electronic viewfinder though.
 
Thinking about your options, it maybe better to sell the Sony kit aswell and get a second body/lens of the same brand you go down

just makes it more interchangeable when you are out and about. you can take pictures and swap cameras pitchside without needing to think about settings and camera settings
 
Having looked at what people have suggested, I will be waiting till I can have a play with the D7 when it becomes available from my local camera shop. If I like then I will do the sums and if they add up I will look to sell on the Sony gear. I could buy 2nd hand Canon gear, especially if it is from the classifieds on this site.
Thanks guys for your input.
 
If you can afford the 7D and 70-200 without selling the Sony, maybe look for a 300/2.8 non IS.

They are about £1k second hand. Only prob is getting them fixed if anything goes wrong.

Mine is very beat up and has dust inside but is still capable of this

p686600122-4.jpg


p593218100-4.jpg
 
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