Changing to Canon

[seandudding]

I have decided to change all of my kit to Canon.

Can people answer a few questions for me.

1) How good is the new Canon f4 70 - 200 L IS lens, I have read great reviews about it.
2) Also what speeds will the above lens be with a 1.4 or 2.0 TC? Will it still be Autofocus and will the IS Still work.
3) How good is the canon 28 - 300 L lens, I have read it's vey heavy.
4) Also I guess you can use a Sigma TC with both canon or sigma lenses. Is there any quality difference between the canon and sigma TC's

I think thats it for now.

Thanks Sean

[andybuk99]

seandudding said:

I have decided to change all of my kit to Canon.

Thanks Sean

The first question is why? What are you using at the moment and why do you feel the need to change.

[seandudding]

I have been using the Sigma SD10 for 2 years, and even though the camera is good, it's a little lacking in features and plus keeping up with technology. I used a friends Canon and really liked it.

[RobDickinson]

"1) How good is the new Canon f4 70 - 200 L IS lens, I have read great reviews about it. "

Sorry dont know anyone with one, the non IS f4L was/is incredibly sharp, looks like 300 notes on top for IS though, I'd rather go for the sigma f2.8 or spend a few quid more on the canon one. or more realisticaly find a non IS somewhere. Though what I shoot with my mates f4L is ususaly well lit (snowboarding/surfing)

2) Also what speeds will the above lens be with a 1.4 or 2.0 TC? Will it still be Autofocus and will the IS Still work.

f5.6 with the 1.5 I guess, f8 with the 2.. I think over f5.6 your looking at AF problems, not sure if this is body related tho.

3) How good is the canon 28 - 300 L lens, I have read it's vey heavy.
Cant help sorry. 10x zoom is pushing it, 1.4kg's is heavy. fredMiranda rate it at 8.8 which is quite good. Push pull focusing..? Seems a good one stop lens but expensive and not quite as good as say 2 or 3 L's over the range.

4) Also I guess you can use a Sigma TC with both canon or sigma lenses. Is there any quality difference between the canon and sigma

Sorry cant help here.

[UKBob]

seandudding said:

1) How good is the new Canon f4 70 - 200 L IS lens, I have read great reviews about it.

Several people on the interweb (never used it, want one, going by reviews) have said that lens is arguably one of canons two best zoom lenses. Its as good as you'll find, I gather. Get it

[monkeyhanger]

seandudding said:

1) How good is the new Canon f4 70 - 200 L IS lens, I have read great reviews about it.

Personally i don't see the point of IS on that lens. The f4 version was excellent without it and is hardly in the heavy category.

seandudding said:

2) Also what speeds will the above lens be with a 1.4 or 2.0 TC? Will it still be Autofocus and will the IS Still work.

f5.6 with the 1.4x and f8 with the 2x. You will retain AF on all Canon bodies with the 1.4x, with some loss of performance but with the 2x it will only AF on a 1D series body. IS should be fine in all cases.

seandudding said:

3) How good is the canon 28 - 300 L lens, I have read it's vey heavy.

Forget it. It was designed as a single lens solution for Photojournalists who don't want to carry multiple lenses. It's a huge compromise.

seandudding said:

4) Also I guess you can use a Sigma TC with both canon or sigma lenses. Is there any quality difference between the canon and sigma TC's

Not necessarily. I can't remember the exact details but the TC's are not fully compatible with each manufacturers lenses. IMHO it's best to stick to matched Convertors.

Edited by monkeyhanger on Thursday 23 November 20:37

[seandudding]

Ok Guys Challenge for you.

Te type of Photography I take is General out and about, City Nighttime shots, wildlife, trackdays etc. I spend lots of time in Oz taking wildlife etc.

I am going to Park Cameras tomorrow to buy my kit, I already have a Canon fit Sigma 24 - 70 EX DG, I already have memoty, filters, bag etc. What would you buy if you had a budget of £2000 or £3000. If I get substancially better for 3k I may be tempted to take that route.

Photography is just a hobby for me, so I have to be able to justify it all. But I do have this aim (I guess like most) to take the best shots I can.

So waist a few minutes on a friday and tell me what you suggest.

Cheers Sean

[megy]

seandudding said:

Ok Guys Challenge for you.

Te type of Photography I take is General out and about, City Nighttime shots, wildlife, trackdays etc. I spend lots of time in Oz taking wildlife etc.

I am going to Park Cameras tomorrow to buy my kit, I already have a Canon fit Sigma 24 - 70 EX DG, I already have memoty, filters, bag etc. What would you buy if you had a budget of £2000 or £3000. If I get substancially better for 3k I may be tempted to take that route.

Photography is just a hobby for me, so I have to be able to justify it all. But I do have this aim (I guess like most) to take the best shots I can.

So waist a few minutes on a friday and tell me what you suggest.

Cheers Sean

With that sort of list i would go for:

Canon EOS 5D 1600
Canon 70-200 F4L 450
Canon 580EX flashgun 270
Canon 100-400 IS 1000

Total 3320

Slightly more than the upper limit you stated, but those 2 lenses with the Sigma one you have would cover most things. You could look at getting the F2.8 70-200 and a 2x to replace the F4 70-200 and 100-400, if you can find a non IS version then would probably work out cheaper.

Edited to add, just looked on Park site, and they look to have the F2.8 non IS.

Edited by megy on Friday 24th November 08:46

[Andy M]

For £3k you're going to get quite a bit of kit BUT I'd tread carefully - dependant on your skill level, you may scare yourself if you went for a 5D/580EX etc, as they're aimed towards photographers who know exactly what they're doing (and don't have the hold-your-hand modes that the 350D/400D/30D etc have)

For somebody not as familiar with a dSLR I would choose:

Canon 400D - £400
Canon 17-40L - £450
Canon 50mm mkII - £60
2GB memory card - approx £35
possibly a Canon 70-300IS - £400ish?

Give it a few months messing about with that lot, and see where your photography takes you.

For £3k I'd go for:

Canon EOS 5D (which I think will be replaced in Feb '07) - £1,600
Canon 17-40L - £450
Canon 70-200L f4 - £450
Canon 50mm 1.4 - £250
Canon 430EX flash - £155
4GB memory card - approx £50
Flickr Pro account to show off your results - £12.50

Hope that helps

Edited by Andy M on Friday 24th November 09:33

[seandudding]

Thats good, I already have a flash gun.

[seandudding]

I have owned a DSLR for 3 years now, so know my way around them.

I was aiming to get a 400D to start, interesting that all suggestins say to go for a 5D instead.

[jcosh]

seandudding said:

I have owned a DSLR for 3 years now, so know my way around them.

I was aiming to get a 400D to start, interesting that all suggestins say to go for a 5D instead.

Hi Sean

Not our usual forum. Give me a call on this if you wish.

I have just bought the exact same gear as is being suggested here, along with a few other bits.

Cheers Jonathan

You could always spend the money on some tyres etc and keep the gear you've got.

[tinman0]

seandudding said:

I was aiming to get a 400D to start, interesting that all suggestins say to go for a 5D instead.

upgraded from my 300D to my new 400D last weekend. really nice camera, if a little small.

hasn't been used in anger yet, but i wouldn't say its a bad start. it has all the things i was looking for (partial metering and a large buffer (27frames)).

[f308 man]

i) the one major problem I find with the 5D is the buffer speed. If on "continuous shooting" you can be waiting for ages for the camera to come alive again after a lengthy burst - very frustrating when covering motorsport.
ii) I could be persuaded to part with a mint 20D, and even maybe a 17-85 (non kit) lens.
iii) I have just sold a 28-300 L ... a superb lens, so don't be put off by above comments. Although I must add, i am offshore and found the one lens very handy for the flight bag.
iv) the 2.8 70-200 L lens is the finest i have ever used ... a simply superb piece of kit - i would suggest buying the fastest lens possible.
v) Always spend half as much again than you can afford .... come the spring the grief from her indoors should be history !

good luck with your decision making and i'm sure you will keep us posted.

d

Edited by f308 man on Saturday 25th November 18:36

[seandudding]

Ok I got the following

400D
Sigma 10 - 20
Canon 70-200 F2.8 IS
2 x Tele

I am very pleased with the kit, but I am all ready thinking maybe get a 5D and use the 400 as a spare. I also need to get a Macro, will probably get the 150mm Sigma.

[UKBob]

seandudding said:

Ok I got the following

400D
Sigma 10 - 20
Canon 70-200 F2.8 IS
2 x Tele

I am very pleased with the kit, but I am all ready thinking maybe get a 5D and use the 400 as a spare. I also need to get a Macro, will probably get the 150mm Sigma.

Congrats

Get stuck into the 400d, if you're looking to buy again it may be an idea to get a few months use out of the 400d before it becomes a spare, and see what new models are released in feb

[RobDickinson]

Remember the sigma 10-20 will not work on a full body camera.

70-200f2.8IS and tele convertor, nice!

[poah]

for 3k (prices from www.camerapricebuster.co.uk )

30D - 769
10-22 - 466 (plus cash back too)
17-55 - £635 or 24-105 f4 L £600 from ajpurdy ebay site
70-200 f4 IS L £850
430ex flash + stofen - £170 (plus cash back too)
2 gig sandisk extreme3 CF card £50


primes 50mm f1.8 £70, 85 f1.8 £250, 100 f2.0 £290 ( not included but if you did not get 10-22)

just for reference I have

20D + 10-22, 17-50 f2.8 tamron, 24-105 F4 L, 100-400 L, sigma 30mm f1.4, 2x 430ex flashes

[Andy M]

poah said:

430ex flash + stofen - £170 (plus cash back too)

I was under the impression it was for the Speedlite 580EX?

[poah]

can't remember lol