Camera lens problem...

[azza33]

Cheers Foxee, i think you've sold me on the 24-105 f4 IS L series

I see you have some serious dollars invested in those lenses.

I do have one question, the non IS lenses, how much of a problem does it present?

[azza33]

(f0xxee @ Jul. 05 2010,09:55) THe 24-105L Series lens retails in LOS for about 44,000 baht.

aussie ebay has them delivered for around $1200 well below the LOS pricing.

Of course possible GST and customs on top could add $200 more.

[f0xxee]

The 24-105 lens is IS.

Really? it's a useful tool on the longer, heavier lenses such as the 70-200 F2.8 L series as it gets bloody heavy afterwhile. Also it does mean you can shoot at shutter speeds of 1/60 everytime and 1/40 sometimes... It works. Its simply a gyroscope as far as I am aware. Again Azza note I am a techno-cripple. I dont read camera mags and such like. What I do know is if you are using the long lens (70-200 F2.8L) you cannot pan with the IS running as it wont work proper like.


Have a look for a second hand 24-105 around melbourne... They are a bit rare but you can often find one in a professional camera/cannon shop and save a few $$$. Dont be scared to buy 2nd hand this way... Its pretty safe. Take your camera body and give it a shot.

PS: sold the 70-200 in Singapore 3 years ago and got 80% of what I paid for it. It was 2.5 years old. Canon L series lenses are good for holding their value. (better than Ducati Motorbikes anyhow!)

[Chinaman]

(f0xxee @ Jul. 05 2010,09:55) As far as I know (and I am not a reader of camera mags) this is true for all low and medium end Canon SLR's up to the 7D model.

True, they all (incl. the 7D) have that 1.6 crop factor.
Otherwise you had to go full-frame.

BUT, this is only a problem when you want to use real wide-angle or want to have more flexibility when cropping yr pics. Otherwise, it might even be an advantage as it only uses the sweet spot of the pic.

[f0xxee]

Thanks Chinaman... so the 7D is same same. Good to know.

Very happy with the 50D body by the way. Can recommend it as a nice compromise between price and professional character.

[pacman]

Having a suite of Canon L lenses would be terrific & I am sure Foxxee loves his. Anyone who appreciates fine things would. But they do cost & putting them on a 550D is not the way to get the best out of them.

Not that I would criticize spending the money if you knew future cameras would be another Canon.

However, buying big telephotos can be an expensive mistake & I am so glad Foxxee mentioned the weight & inconvenience of the one he sold.

I believe a keen amateur is way better off with the 18-135 mm kit lens. With the big two (Canon & Nikon) the term 'kit lens' should not be considered as a cheap substitute for something better. This purpose built day-to-day lens is ideal to carry on a holiday. And the 18mm at the wide end is infinitely more usable than the 24mm of the expensive option.

As you will all discover. Trust me, when I started out taking photos many years ago, all I wanted was a big zoom. The damn things had to be refocused right through the zoom range. A major pain in the ass plus there was no such thing as autofocus in those days.

But I wanted it & paid what was then a fortune for it. I carried it through Asia for 9 months & used it maybe 5 times.

What Azza & Manarak need to consider is a wide angle zoom. Either the 10-20mm Sigma or the 10-24mm Tamron. These are miracle lenses IMO as they totally redefine the physical limitations of what is possible in lens design. And they aren't so expensive, especially as they don't require IS (image stabilisation), something that is imperative on a telephoto lens.

I would swap the 30mm prime Sigma for their 10-20 in a heartbeat.

[f0xxee]

Hi Paccers,

I see your point, but it depends on what you want to do.
If you buy a 24-105 F4L series the nice thing is it is uselful for all your traveling needs from landscapes to portraits.
While I see your point about the 10-24 Tamron being small and easy, where it falls down is basically only a landscape tool, which gets very boring very quickly.
I used to travel with a Canon 50mm F2. Not an L series. But a 500 USD lens none the less. It was beyond sharp, very light and useful.
But still not a scratch on the 24-105.

Lastly I often keep lenses and swap bodies. Thats the nice thing about CANON L series. . They continue to work well for around a 10-15 year product cycle.

[azza33]

All in good time Pac... the 24-105 L series will be my next acquisition

[manarak]

(azza33 @ Jul. 05 2010,08:47) The image quailty of the 70-200 f/4.0 L series even without the IS is really very good.

just try to shoot at 200 without IS...

[manarak]

(pacman @ Jul. 05 2010,20:39) Having a suite of Canon L lenses would be terrific & I am sure Foxxee loves his. Anyone who appreciates fine things would. But they do cost & putting them on a 550D is not the way to get the best out of them.

Not that I would criticize spending the money if you knew future cameras would be another Canon.

However, buying big telephotos can be an expensive mistake & I am so glad Foxxee mentioned the weight & inconvenience of the one he sold.

I believe a keen amateur is way better off with the 18-135 mm kit lens. With the big two (Canon & Nikon) the term 'kit lens' should not be considered as a cheap substitute for something better. This purpose built day-to-day lens is ideal to carry on a holiday. And the 18mm at the wide end is infinitely more usable than the 24mm of the expensive option.

As you will all discover. Trust me, when I started out taking photos many years ago, all I wanted was a big zoom. The damn things had to be refocused right through the zoom range. A major pain in the ass plus there was no such thing as autofocus in those days.

But I wanted it & paid what was then a fortune for it. I carried it through Asia for 9 months & used it maybe 5 times.

What Azza & Manarak need to consider is a wide angle zoom. Either the 10-20mm Sigma or the 10-24mm Tamron. These are miracle lenses IMO as they totally redefine the physical limitations of what is possible in lens design. And they aren't so expensive, especially as they don't require IS (image stabilisation), something that is imperative on a telephoto lens.

I would swap the 30mm prime Sigma for their 10-20 in a heartbeat.

I agree with you.

I do most of my shots at widest available angle.
A good 10mm lens would be a treat really.

But I've made the choice of buying the 550D over the 5D, so I'll continue with inexpensive equipment.
It's only logic.
It doesn't make sense to me to buy super-expensive lenses.
I think I'll keep my 550D for some time!

Again, my 30mm is for low light shooting only.
And it is great for doing that (if I fine-focus manually or in live view).
I made some stunning sharp shots yesterday with that Sigma.

My canon kit lens is also very sharp!

Another very useful & cheap lens:
Tamron AF 18-270mm /F3,5 -6,3 Di II VC LD
(also for crop sensors)
If I was to buy a 550D today, I would buy this lens instead of the Canon 18-135.

[azza33]

(manarak @ Jul. 06 2010,01:32)

(azza33 @ Jul. 05 2010,08:47) The image quailty of the 70-200 f/4.0 L series even without the IS is really very good.

just try to shoot at 200 without IS...

Tripod


What would be nice is to be able to easily access these different lens
and trial them to see what we like.

And i must admit looking at a lot the the specs on my recent photo trips using the 550 the wide angle def. would be used a good addition.

[pacman]

(f0xxee @ Jul. 05 2010,21:08) While I see your point about the 10-24 Tamron being small and easy, where it falls down is basically only a landscape tool, which gets very boring very quickly.

Basically only a what!!! Oh dear...

Apart from being brilliant for scenery shots, a wide angle perspective can allow the most interesting group shots of people. And provide a different style of portrait shot.

I see newspaper & magazine photos all the time that have been taken with a wide angle lens & I like the unique look that only wide angle provides.

Here are 2 pics taken with exreme wide angle to illustrate my point. The beach should look familiar but I didn't take the photos. Otherwise I would invite myself in for afternoon tea...

[Chinaman]

(manarak @ Jul. 06 2010,02:01) A good 10mm lens would be a treat really.

Has the Canon Objektiv EF-S 10-22mm 3.5-4.5 USM been mentioned?

I bought it some time back and have been quite happy with it. On the 550D and alike it becomes a 16mm but that is still sufficient.

Downside - it will not work on full-frame Canons but perhaps you will never buy one anyway ...

[Road Runner]

(pacman @ Jul. 06 2010,07:12) The beach should look familiar......

Skegness!

RR.

[f0xxee]

(pacman @ Jul. 06 2010,13:12)

(f0xxee @ Jul. 05 2010,21:08) While I see your point about the 10-24 Tamron being small and easy, where it falls down is basically only a landscape tool, which gets very boring very quickly.

Basically only a what!!!  Oh dear...      

Apart from being brilliant for scenery shots, a wide angle perspective can allow the most interesting group shots of people. And provide a different style of portrait shot.

I see newspaper & magazine photos all the time that have been taken with a wide angle lens & I like the unique look that only wide angle provides.

Here are 2 pics taken with exreme wide angle to illustrate my point. The beach should look familiar but I didn't take the photos. Otherwise I would invite myself in for afternoon tea...        

You're welcome for tea Paccie. Leave your Girlfriend with the long face.....

Look I get your point and yes you can do a "different" and interesting type of portrait.