Beginner Upgrade suggestions

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Shanks

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Hi, my passion is sports photgraphy especially cycling events with a few motor sports thrown in, MotoGP at Silverstone is an annual fixture in our family calendar. I currently have a Canon 450d matched with a Tamron 18-270 lens which has done me well for the last couple of years. But I'm beginning to find the limits of this setup, sharp, fast action shots in low light is challenging with the best but almost impossible with this pair. I've blamed inexperience and appreciate that this is still the root cause of some of my discard pile but I have a chance to upgrade so am looking for a setup which will help to improve my chances.

I've kind of settled on the Nikon D7100,it offers the right balance of improvement on my current body with good value for money at the moment. I'm very open to any comments or suggestions for alternatives which may be better for sports and fast captures. But my real dilemma is more about lens choice and I have much less of a clue about what would be good options for me. I do like the zoom options that the 18-270 lens offers I have found that focus does suffer in low light.

Does the NIkon 18-300 suffer in the same way? Would the Nikon 18-140 be a better option, despite losing the length? Are there any better alternatives?

Cheers
 
Hi Shanks I see a lot of views but no replies so let me start the ball rolling. I started in a similar place to you with the 350D and then added the tamron 18-270 a few years later and also found that frustrating in challenging situations. Eventually I bit the bullet and sticking with canon went for the canon 5dm3 and then began collection of a lot of fast lens. For sports action what I really like about this combination is the autofocus teamed up with lenses that can cope in low light situations and fast shutter speeds. I leave it open to Nikon shooters to advise on your suggestion however I would be surprised if another superzoom is going to satisfy. In terms of lens for most sports 70-200 f2.8 with IS is my go to option.
 
Brilliant thank you in Newbie1 that's a really helpful response I haven't checked out of that particular canon and will certainly have a look now. I was getting round to the concept that another superzoom isn't the solution for me at this stage and I'm going to have to look at something with a more restricted focal length to use. The compromise is just too great. Thanks for taking the time to help out.
 
Unfortunately, it's time to invest some serious money in a lens. For something like bikes at Silverston, unless you have a track-side pass, you'll need every mm of focal length you can get.

Suggest Canon 100-400, preferably the MkII version. Or Nikon 80-400 (the newer AF-S model).
 
As Hoppy suggested a lens upgrade. The canon 100-400mm mkii a great lens, personally I'd pluck for the sigma 120-300mm f2.8 sports, one in the classified at a great price. That'll give you a constant f2.8 aperture and the ability to take a 1.4x TC to extend the reach, that would be perfect combination and cheaper than the mkii. The 450D still a capable camera, it's all about the settings and technique. Keep the camera, buy a new lens.
 
Years ago the best advice I was given was always invest in good glass and all the above suggestions stay true that advice. A lot will depend on your budget if you can afford a body and lens upgrade both Canon and Nikon offer great options
 
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Thanks everyone, that has gven some really useful food for thought. HoppyUK, funnily enough, last year I hired that very lens - Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L and got a few reasonable results, tbh I hadn't even heard of TC's then so perhaps this year if I hire again I'll add one and see what I get.

I'd rather get something that will really help me with the cycling events, I'm unlikey to ever get trackside at silverstone, so when that comes up if what I have isn't going to get me close enough then I'll hire. It would really be wasted the rest of the year otherwise. I'm sorry I should have made that clearer when I first posted.

The Canon 5dm3 looks great but is a bit, well a lot actually out of my price range. I was hoping for a body for £500/£600 leaving me with another £400 or so for a decent lens. I hadn't really thought about keeping the 450d if adding some much better glass on this body would work then that may be the solution. I guess i thought that replacing both would give the benefits in both areas. I feel like I'm back to the start of this quest now ;-)

I'm new to the forum so don't yet have acess to the classifieds, I'll not spam in order to get access. If it's stil available then I'll take a good look.

Thanks for all your help
 
I got about half my stuff second hand with no problems; it's a good way to save. If you're thinking of teleconverters remember the 1.4x loses one stop and the 2x loses two stops of light. This means for example that 1.4x on the 100-400 at 400 moves f5.6 to f8 and I don't think your 450 will be able to autofocus with that. Could make the suggested sigma or similar a better bet.
 
Hi Newbie1, second hand kit is a very sensible option for me I think and certainly not one I have dismissed. Plenty of threads on here with people saying they have outgrown their kit, lenses that would probably be a real boost to my setup. thanks for the tips on TC's. I did read about the lack of ability to focus using some of the TC options on the 450d. It's one of the factors influencing my initial preference to go for a new body., Cheers
 
7D mk1 would be about 400 quid and a big step up from the 450D , but your biggest gain will definitely be on the lens - personally I like the sigma 150-600 (technically mines a 150-500 but basically the same thing) that would be nearly in budget with a 7D ... you can get them new for about 700 so second hand ought to in budget

keep the tamron to cover the wide end until you can afford something better (a benefit of staying with canon)... in the fullness of time you might want to look at something like a tamron 17-50 - about £2-300 depending on whether you go for the VC model
 
HI big soft moose, I hadn't considered the 7d before, I imagined it was a little above my price point and ability. But the 2nd hand prices are very keen thanks for the suggestions
 
Shanks said:
HI big soft moose, I hadn't considered the 7d before, I imagined it was a little above my price point and ability. But the 2nd hand prices are very keen thanks for the suggestions
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It is an absolute bargain currently, although so is a 1dIII
 
I'd say stretch your budget and get a used 7D2 and a Sigma 150-500.. if you have more cash then get a 100-400 Mk2.
 
Well thanks for all the comments and suggestions. As it turns out the matter was rather taken out of my hands. I got home today and my wife had bought me a new D7100 with an 18-140 Nikon lens, she said she had "seen me looking at it and thought it would be a nice surprise". So whilst it may not have been your first choice for body it does now leave me with more funds for some decent glass. Perhaps the sigma 150-600 might be on the cards after all.

Hey my week just got a whole lot better :-)
 
nothing wrong with the 7100, my father in law has one as his crop (twinned with a D750) - i'd say get the 150-600 second hand, and maybe sell the 450D, the tamron lens and the 18-140 , and use the funds (with any left over) to get a faster short lens like the 17-50 F2.8 VC
 
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Shanks said:
HI big soft moose, I hadn't considered the 7d before, I imagined it was a little above my price point and ability. But the 2nd hand prices are very keen thanks for the suggestions
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Shanks my 7D mk 1 will be up for sale this weekend in the classifieds section, once I sought shutter count and if I have the box
 
big soft moose said:
nothing wrong with the 7100, my father in law has one as his crop (twinned with a D750) - i'd say get the 150-600 second hand, and maybe sell the 450D, the tamron lens and the 18-140 , and use the funds (with any left over) to get a faster short lens like the 17-50 F2.8 VC
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I agree there's nothing wrong with the 7100, it was my first choice before I posted here and still rates quite well against many of the alternatives suggested. But when it comes as gift it flies above any of them ;-)

Now I'm going to do as you say and sell the D450 and Tamron, pool it with the funds I had and see what I can get in terms of a decent lens (after taking her out for dinner!). I like the idea of a fast short one to go with it so thanks for that.

Thanks Mazdaman, it looks like I'm settled for the moment. But good luck with the sale, I've no doubt it will go quickly it's a good choice for many out there.
 
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Shanks said:
last year I hired that very lens - Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L and got a few reasonable results
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Was this the MkI or new MKII version ?

Shanks said:
leaving me with another £400 or so for a decent lens.
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The MKII is a belter of a lens and I'd certainly recommend it - might be above your budget at the moment though...
 
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Shanks said:
currently have a Canon 450d
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Shanks said:
I've kind of settled on the Nikon D7100
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Shanks said:
I was hoping for a body for £500/£600 leaving me with another £400 or so for a decent lens.
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Any reason for wanting to swap systems ? The 450D is a good camera and can get some good results, especially when used with a very good lens - could be an option to keep it, upgrade your lens and then when funds allow upgrade the body ??? If you are wanting to swap your body, have you thought about the 7D, it's a very good camera and has a good FPS, it's a larger body than your 450D and can fit in your hands better, meaning less fatigue etc

I think as has been said, for Silverstone, you'll need all the length you can get for the MOTOGP...
 
Hi Andyred, thanks for posting, This was 2014 so very likely to be the MK1, I checked the recipt and it doesn't state a MK version so I assume it must be the MK1. I've heard very good reports of the Mk2 and am now looking at suppliers. Am also considering the Sigma 150-600 for the extra zoom, mind you the extra £ goes with it, but for Silverstone every bit helps.

I wasn't determined to change from Canon, I guess part curiosity led me that way part what value for money options there were. But as I said that has been decided for me now, and after a few outings with the new setup I'm very pleased with the results.
 
Yes, had missed that post...
Hope you're enjoying your new camera / lens.
Enjoy the MotoGP - I'm going to see if we can make it...
 
Thanks Andyred, it's a bit of a learning curve but I'm trying out some new stuff. I'm doing a lot more in full manual mode rather than the AV/TV safety net of the Canon ;-)

Silversone is in the diary and we hope to try and get to the Isle of man next year. Should get reallyup close and personal there and without having to shoot through the high wire fences.
 
Shanks said:
Silversone is in the diary and we hope to try and get to the Isle of man next year. Should get reallyup close and personal there and without having to shoot through the high wire fences.
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Oh yes, the TT (in good weather) is on my list to see ...
 
I recently got the Canon 100-400 MkII and I'm really pleased with it - it's a bit of a beast though compared to my 70-200 f/4!
 
If you can stretch to it you will get a 7D mk1 and the canon 100-400mm for under a grand second hand at a dealer and that is a cracking combination, I've used this combo for years only upgrading to the 7D mk2 recently. 7D mk1 can still hold it s own today and that says a lot about a camera released in 2009
 
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