New DSLR - Lens Decisions

[ks04]

Hi Guys,
Decided to take the plunge and getting a dSLR.
Have read many reviews and forums, probably to many, and have narrowed it down but i need some advice before making the final decision.

I think I am going to get a Canon 30D body, second hand. It came down to this and a 400D however I think the click wheel on the back is what has really sold me the 30D. Wise decision?

The bit I’m having trouble making a decision with is lenses; there are so many to choose from! I think I have narrowed it down to either the Canon 70-200mm EF f/4 L USM or the Canon 70-300 EF f/4-5.6 USM IS; From what I’ve heard the L series glass is meant to be superior glass however am I better off going for the bigger zoom and IS? Both lenses are within $50 of each other which makes the decision even harder!
Also looking at a Canon 50mm EF f/1.8 as from what i have heard its a good lens for low light and portrait shots; so should come in handy.
Also thinking of either a 28mm f/2.8 for wide angle or getting a cheap standard zoom lens such as a Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM? What are peoples thoughts on this? Is the 24-85mm a decent lens?

Also what’s the go with filters? Some people say you need them others say don’t bother? UV or Circular polarisers?

Help, criticism all appreciated,
Cheers,
Kyle

[gstark]

I think I am going to get a Canon 30D body, second hand. It came down to this and a 400D however I think the click wheel on the back is what has really sold me the 30D. Wise decision?

Yes, but probably for the wrong reason. The 30D is a far better body; more solid, built for more work. The 400D is lighter in feel and construction quality.

Importantly, which of the various bodies you've been looking at feels best in your hands? Which do you feel most comfortable using?

I think I have narrowed it down to either the Canon 70-200mm EF f/4 L USM or the Canon 70-300 EF f/4-5.6 USM IS; From what I’ve heard the L series glass is meant to be superior glass however am I better off going for the bigger zoom and IS?

Probably not.

There is not much that is more important than good glass. Get the L; worry about the extra reach later.

Also looking at a Canon 50mm EF f/1.8 as from what i have heard its a good lens for low light and portrait shots; so should come in handy.

Yep.

Also thinking of either a 28mm f/2.8 for wide angle or getting a cheap standard zoom lens such as a Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM? What are peoples thoughts on this? Is the 24-85mm a decent lens?

The prime is faster (optically) and will probably offer better acuity and resolution. The tradeoff is that it's not as flexible as the zoom.

Also what’s the go with filters? Some people say you need them others say don’t bother? UV or Circular polarisers?

Chalk and cheese spoken here . UV and CPL serve entirely different purposes, and can't be spoken of as a "one or the other" type of purchase. You will probably find a need for both at some stage, but at this time, do nothing.

Come to some meets, learn how to use your gear, have others show you what these filters can do, but without the interest of a salesperson behind the "advice".

And welcome to the forum.

[who]

I think I have narrowed it down to either the Canon 70-200mm EF f/4 L USM or the Canon 70-300 EF f/4-5.6 USM IS; From what I’ve heard the L series glass is meant to be superior glass however am I better off going for the bigger zoom and IS?

Probably not.

There is not much that is more important than good glass. Get the L; worry about the extra reach later.

And further to this, try an IS lens at 200mm and then turn the IS off....

I reckon you will want to spend the extra money on the 70-200 F4 IS lens.

After all, it is relatively cheap to do it now..... but try it first IMHO.

Canon have 4 70-200mm L lenses - f4, f4 with IS, f2.8 and f2.8 with IS.

Now the f2.8 is reputed to be a big heavy lens and it also has a high price tag.

Also looking at a Canon 50mm EF f/1.8 as from what i have heard its a good lens for low light and portrait shots; so should come in handy.

Yep.

Yeah I have a 50 - however I do not use my 50mm enough, I prefer to use a 28-70mm f2.8 zoom (this is a Nikon lens, I have all Nikon gear personally).

Also thinking of either a 28mm f/2.8 for wide angle or getting a cheap standard zoom lens such as a Canon EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 USM? What are peoples thoughts on this? Is the 24-85mm a decent lens?

The prime is faster (optically) and will probably offer better acuity and resolution. The tradeoff is that it's not as flexible as the zoom.

If looking for a cheap zoom - have a look around here and in a few other forums for second hand glass (slang for lenses).

If you are able to stretch to it - there is a Canon 24-105mm f4 L lens that may suit you? Not a super fast zoom at f4..... but seems popular with some Canon shooters.

Also what’s the go with filters? Some people say you need them others say don’t bother? UV or Circular polarisers?

Chalk and cheese spoken here . UV and CPL serve entirely different purposes, and can't be spoken of as a "one or the other" type of purchase. You will probably find a need for both at some stage, but at this time, do nothing.

UV is used as a lens protector - it is there to stop the front lens element getting any damage and from it needing to be cleaned frequently.

The choice of UV filter is important if you use one - as a cheap one may well degrade the quality of your images. Also some Hoya brand lenses have coatings that are very hard to clean when they get wet or salt buildup from being in salty air...... B+W is considered better and that is what I bought in the end.

The CPL is used to achieve a specific result with lighting. I will let someone else explain it as I am not confident I will get it right......

Come to some meets, learn how to use your gear, have others show you what these filters can do, but without the interest of a salesperson behind the "advice".

And welcome to the forum.

Welcome.

Also - on buying gear - Australian retail shops are expensive.

I would suggest you look at

http://stores.ebay.com.au/Hong-Kong-Supplies

-- for all your camera needs. This is Poon's ebay store (you will see this name often on here, and he is a member here as well, and also there is a special purchasing arrangement through this forum for established members - see the FAQ on the left of the index page for all the details).

http://hvstar.net

-- a good source for filters at a good price.

If you aren't in a mad rush to spend your dollars, try and get too a meet, ask others, see their gear, play with their gear most probably..... that will help you choose.

[blacknstormy]

I'd strongly suggest you also look at quality camera sales
http://www.qualitycamera.com.au/
great prices, and fantastic service

[TonyT]

Hi K

Go the best glass you can buy

remember you will have them for life

Later on if you undate the body you still have the best glass to put on it

Cheaper in the long run

Filters uv to protect the lense

Canon 5D sigma 12-24F4.5-5.6 Canon 50f1.4, 24-105f.4L IS,
70-200F2.8 L IS, 2* Extender Plus gear
Plus old lenses "cheaper"

My wife want a $12,000.00 Piano

[TonyT]

I agree with quaility camera sale I had good service as well

[TonyT]

Who is right the 70-200 2.8 L IS a heavy lense to the F4
but a sweet lense contast & colour are great my best lense

[ks04]

Thanks for the helpful replies.

The place I was looking at buying from is Discount Digital Photographs; I liked the idea of having the imports locally and been able to send back to somewhere in Australia for warranty, is there anywhere else like this with good prices?
How do people find that camera gear goes in terms of warranty? Are they the sort of products that if something is going to go wrong, it’ll happen in the first couple of shots? Or something that is likely to degrade over time?

Whilst it would be nice to get the IS version of the 70-200, but I can’t justify an extra $500 for it; especially seen I’ve gone from my initial idea of purchasing a 400D with kit lenses!
Will not having IS mean I will still be able to get decent pictures handheld with it? or am I going to require a tripod for longer zooms because of this and in which case be better off going the non L glass with IS?

Might look around and try and find a good second hand zoom instead of a new cheaper one, thanks for the idea; other then this forum where do people find are good places to pickup second hand gear, preferably from Australia?

Also what accessories should I be looking at getting for my camera? I've had a look at bags and i think I’m set on getting one of the LowePro’s. I’m also thinking of getting a battery grip and flash later down the line when finances come available again, how do people find the 430EX and the 580EX II hold up against each other? Is the 580 worth the extra?

Thanks again for all you help,
much appreciated.

[ozimax]

This year I have owned and used the Canon 70-200 F4 (non IS), 70-200 F2.8 (non IS) and 70-200 F2.8 IS. The F4 version is a superb lightweight lens and in my own experience, the sharpest of the three. The F2.8 IS is the least sharpest by quite a way. (I realize this is a very subjective comment as some copies are sharper than others). If you are starting out, I would try the F4 version.

As for IS, I almost never used it. Why? Because I do a lot of children's portraits, and they never sit still. To use IS, the subject must be totally still, and for my photo requirements this is almost never the case (eg wildlife, children, action sports). Having said this, many top drawer photographers swear by IS, especially wedding photographers etc.

You can't go wrong with Canon "L" series glass.

Welcome to the forum.

Ozi.

[ks04]

Cheers,
Is the 70-200 L a push-pull or two touch touch for zooming?

[garyr]

As a new user, the only problem with going for L glass to start is that you won't appreciate the difference from a kit lens, and you will always question your decision

All the advice about getting the best glass you can afford is good - generally the better glass also retains value better so you can always recoup most of your money if you need to.

Personally I don't know if the IS makes a huge difference on the 70-200 f4 - I have a 24-105 f4 IS and I hardly use the IS. It is a question of usage I suppose. But have a look at photozone.de or fredmiranda.com to read reviews of the lenses.

You did not mention what sort of photography you will be doing - and that really is key to choosing a lens ? My own opinion - the 70-200 may be a little too long for a single lens solution (especially on a crop). Unless you have other lenses to fill the lower range you will miss the closer/wider opportunities. As tempting as a nice 70-200 is, perhaps you should consider something a little more general? (Just thinking aloud).

Welcome to the forum, and hope you have heaps of fun with the DSLR!

Cheers