Considering an DSLR - Lens advice please.

[MPoxon]

Afternoon,

I am considering upgrading my current compact camera to a DLSR as I am always impressed with the improved quality of the photographs. I have a Lumix TZ10 and a particularly like the 24mm wide angle and macro ability. I very rarely use the zoom.

I would be quite happy with the same 24mm that I have on my compact but on an SLR therefore I was considering a Cannon DLSR with a prime USM lense - around 24mm to start off with.

The question I have is with my compact I can take very very close pictures with no zoom 24mm:


Jaguar Spinner by Matthew Poxon, on Flickr

Using the same 24mm no zoom I can take landscapes:


Blenheim Palace by Matthew Poxon, on Flickr

Whenever I try to take close-up shots with a DLSR it will not focus, this is due to the fact that all lenses I have used have been a minimum focal distance of around 50cm. I appreciate that there are macro lenses available but I would assume that these are no good as landscape. Is there such thing as a Cannon prime lens that could take both of the shots above ie macro as well as landscape?

Matthew

[mattdaniels]

When you say the lens "will not focus" do you mean it will not auto-focus? You could get around that by learning to manually focus. I'm not sure what you focussed on with the spinner picture but the spinner itself is not in focus the image is blurred - although probably more down to camera shake as you've shot at 1/30th.

[jimmy156]

One of the problems you will have is that on anything other then top end DSLR camera body your focal length will be 1.6 (or 1.5 for nikon or sony) times the quoted figure, due to the "crop factor" of an APS-C sensor. So if you bought a 24mm prime, it would actually have a field of view roughly the same as 35mm optic in true terms.

I would imagine only having a 24mm prime would become limiting quite quickly, and as you say they tend not to be able to focus as close as you are after anyway. I would suggest looking at one of the Sigma zooms, such as the 17-70mm lens

This has a macro designation, and whilst it wont let you get to true macro levels (1:1 magnification) you will be able to get pretty close. 17mm works out as around 24mm on a crop body too, and you'll have the versatility of a zoom too.

[Gemm]

......and the closest focus distance of Canon 24mm should be 25cm, so I'm sure you can get closer than 50cm. But you also have to consider the crop factor (depending on which model you have/are going to get), so the wide angle may not seem as wide.

BTW, it doesn't seem your current compact camera can handle the close-up either judging by your first pic.

[andrewrob]

If he bought something like a 17-40 lens that would be near to his 25mm after adding the 1.6 crop factor for the SLR sensor wouldn't it?
Then get a set of extension tubes for the close ups. Would that work?

[MPoxon]

Many thanks for the replies.

The first photo is perhaps not a very good example, as has been pointed out it is not in focus. This is a better example of a close up that my compact will take but with my limited experience a DSLR with a standard lens would struggle with:


Musical Fidelity X-PSU & X-24K by Matthew Poxon, on Flickr

That sigma 17-70 lens looks to be perhaps a good option. One would assume that while you could potion yourself quite close to the subject with that lens you could make up the rest of the distance by using the zoom. Is there a cannon lens that does the same job as the sigma lens?

Aside from the quality aspect the reason for me wanting an SLR is also to get a wider aperture so I can throw the background out of focus.

Thanks for the heads up about the crop sensors, all very confusing to an SLR newbie but fortunately this has all been explained to be before. Of course not an issue if you have a full frame body such as the Cannon 5d.

Matthew

[Simpo Two]

To get real macro (eg a postage stamp will fill the viewfinder) you need a macro (1:1) lens. In Nikon-land these are 60mm f2.8 and 105mm f2.8; Canon will be similar no doubt.

DSLRs are powerful because you choose the lens that best suits the job. One lens won't do everything, which is what you've been used to.




Also note Canon has one 'n' or you may end up buying something that fires big iron balls.

[RobDickinson]

Nikon have a new 45mmf2.8 macro which looks rather good and is quite cheap.

Canon have a 60mm f2.8 EF-S macro that is one of the sharpest lenses available.

And thats just the start...

[mattdaniels]

MPoxon said:

The first photo is perhaps not a very good example, as has been pointed out it is not in focus. This is a better example of a close up that my compact will take but with my limited experience a DSLR with a standard lens would struggle with

Respectfully, whilst that is more in focus, the white balance is wrong.

What are you main reasons for wanting a DSLR? "DSLR's take improved quality photographs" isn't really a good one. The camera is just a tool, you still have to know what buttons you need to push and what settings you need to set in order to get the image you want, regardless of which type of tool you have. If you can't get the white balance correct on a compact, buying a DSLR isn't necessarily the answer.

[Simpo Two]

To be fair I think he can leave white balance for a bit later, and get to grips with topics one at a time. Today is focal length, magnification, field of view and minimum focusing distance

[MPoxon]

Simpo Two said:

Also note Canon has one 'n' or you may end up buying something that fires big iron balls.

that would indeed be a faux pas!

mattdaniels said:

Respectfully, whilst that is more in focus, the white balance is wrong.

What are you main reasons for wanting a DSLR? "DSLR's take improved quality photographs" isn't really a good one. The camera is just a tool, you still have to know what buttons you need to push and what settings you need to set in order to get the image you want, regardless of which type of tool you have. If you can't get the white balance correct on a compact, buying a DSLR isn't necessarily the answer.

I think you may have a point here. Perhaps I need to hone my skills on a compact first before making that leap.

The reason for me wanting an SLR is because quite often when I see similar pictures to mine but taken on an SLR they always look better even if taken at the same time and same angle. This is probably more down to photographer skill but the pictures do IMO look so much sharper. I also want to start experimenting with depth of field. I really like the SLR blurred background effect. My compact even in Aperture Priority mode will not blur the background on a normal shot as it only goes down to f3.3. Lasty I have been playing around with HDR and my compact will only autobracket 2EV (+1,0,-1) I would like a camera that will autobracket 4EV (+2,0,-2).

An option that I have been looking at looking about possibly purchasing a high end compact with full manual control and having a play with that. That may give me a better understanding of which feature I would want to carry forward into an SLR. The new Canon S100 looks like a great compact with SLR-like manual controls. The S100 should meet the two of the above requirements, Better Quality - yes bigger sensor & Aperture - yes F2.0 at 24mm.

[Simpo Two]

I think you're sufficiently interested to warrant a DSLR. You don't have to be an expert on Day One; learn as you go and there will be plenty of 'growing room'.

[Cabinet Enforcer]

OP the problem is that your two aims are contradictory, the small sensor on your compact which stops it from effectively isolating the background is the very same thing that allows it to take fairly closeup shots, the large depth of field is expanding the range that can be focussed.

Wideangle lenses also tend to be biased towards image quality at distance, since that tends to be what they are used for. The shots you have shown above are not macros and could be taken with a lens like the sigma 17-70, suggest you go to a retailer and have a bit of a play with one to see if it will do what you want.

[Gemm]

I'd say go for a DSLR too. But please do not become one of those people who start complaining from Day 1 about how crap 18-55mm kit lens is.

Also, as mentioned just above, these are not macro shots. Wide angle lens should be able to handle these situations (e.g. 17-40).

[Richieboy3008]

Just use your iphone, works for me!

[MPoxon]

Thanks for all the advice gents. I think I will start saving for a DLSR kit in that case. Perhaps a D550 or Nikon D90 with the kit lens.