Thread: Which DSLR?

Originally Posted by Col.Coleman

Now my list looks like this.
Out of Digital Rev, with my friends buying Duty Free in HK.

Canon EOS40D bundled with camera bag, gift pack and
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM $2950.41
Canon 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM $ 755.00
Canon 17-40mm f/4L USM $ 802.00
Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS USM $1169.00
Canon 1.4x Teleconverter $ 422.00

Total $6098

Now to start haggling

CC

I hope you are talking EF lenses NOT EFS???? if you want to spend that much money, better to buy full frame for the future IMHO. For your reference, the below are prices in Singapore currently in S$. S$1 = A$0.82, all excluding 7% GST (which you can claim back). Also, if you can stretch to it, buy the IS version instead - it's worth about 2 stops.

40D (body only): S$1390
EF 17-40mm f/4L USM : S$920
EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM : S$1399
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM : S$2,290
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM : S$1,620
EF 1.4X II Extender : S$415

if you bought all of that, you would get an extra few batteries, memory cards, decent bag for it all and at least 5% off.

Hi CC

Here's my two bobs worth:

Camera body

The 40D is a good body, but as EchiDna (and others) pointed out, you may want to consider a full size sensor instead (i.e. the 5D). Both bodies will depreciate rapidly over the next few years, although the 5D is likely to hold its value for longer as new models will be less frequent. It will allow you to invest in full frame sensor glass right away, and the bigger image = bigger pixel size = more light / pixel = less noise/greater sensitivity.

If you have a budget in mind and can't fit the 5D, I'd spend my money on quality glass first, and use what's left over to purchase a body (20D and 30D are dime a dozen and are also great bodies - upgrade to a 5D when the money becomes available). Looked after properly, quality glass will last you a lifetime.

Notes on choice of glass

IS is nice, if you can afford it and if you're going to use it. IS gives you 2 f-stops (or even 3) over non-IS ... but ONLY IF YOU'RE HAND-HOLDING!

On a tripod it is neither desirable nor required! You'd turn IS off on a tripod, as it actually CREATES vibration by amplifying signal noise. So if you're not using IS, its extra weight you don't need to carry and its additional complexity to break down later ( think Isuzu county Vs P38A ), never mind the extra $1000 you shelled out for it! (Use it instead to upgrade to the 5D)

From what I've read of your post, it doesn't sound like you don't need it.

As for your glass list, do you need / will you use all of them?

Considering the amount of money you're looking at spending, I'd recommend the following kit that gives you full range at the best speed / quality:

Canon EF 16-35 f/2.8L
Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L
Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L (non IS)
Canon EF 1.4 teleconverter (you may want to consder non Canon brands - Kenko do a 1.4 and 2 x teleconverters that are hard to fault at less than 1/2 the price).

The above should set you back approx $5200. If you go with Kenko teleconverters, you should be able to get both a 1.4x and a 2x for the price of Canon's 1.4x. This would give you the entire range you've had in your kit with better glass quality and the same (or better) speed.

The other advantage of the above kit is you'll be able to share filters accross all lenses (all 77mm). Circular polariser is probably first on the list (after 3 x UV filters for glass protection) followed by natural density (ND) filters and/or graduated ND filter. Everything else you can apply in photoshop.

I'd invest the difference into the 5D upgrade.

Lastly, notes on camera shopping in HK, know what price you expect to pay, and go to 10 different stores haggling it down further every time.

As a rough guide, look at what the cheapest equivalents are selling for out of HK on eBay, and expect to pay about 10% less. Only a handful of camera outlets specialise in high end gear (the type you're looking for) know where your shops are before you get there. I went to 7 different shops in 4 hours, with the list of gear I was after, and whatever quote I got at the last place, I took 3-5% off and said this is the XYZ quote, can you beat it, or should I keep going?

The line was OK, I've got 3 hours to get THIS gear (handing them the list) what can you do for me? Oh, you sure?... cos XYZ offered me this much?... Can you beat it? (Dealer:earrrmmm...) Turn around and start walking away (making sure he can ambush you on the way out - helps if you get them to the front of the counter before faking the exit). Worked every time.

Thanks guys,
this gets more confusing everytime I think about it.

Upon having a smidgen of spare time to think about this today, I came to the conclusion that the glass is the all important thing to look after first.

There are 5 lenses I am REALLY interested in.

EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM
EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM

And the 3 widely used Pro lenses
EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

I think I will concentrate on the latter 3 first and pick up the first 2 at a later stage. I do desire a full frame camera, but at this stage it looks out of the budget. The actual camera itself is really irrelevent at this stage.

At some stage in the future I am aiming at work which may go some way to paying for this EVENTUALLY, but that is not a given, but still as I think that this is what I am aiming at, and the fact that the lenses should last a hell of a lot longer than the camera, I will go for the best glass.

I am not going to HK, but giving a list to some people who will be there for 4 days who are willing to buy on my behalf. I just need to tell them my list and best price and they will see what they can do. I don't expect them to be trying as hard as I would, but it is still WAY cheaper than here. I'm not overly concerned with the warranty issue either.

I will probably change my mind 6 times in the time this post takes to load anyway

Thankyou all for your input, it has been very helpfull.


CC

I think you'll find you only need the three L lenses. As a forth lens I'd look at a good Macro instead. If you go full frame with Canon's current line up, you're looking at the 5D or the EOS1 mkIII. The 5D is now an old camera (very good still, but old in market terms) and has to be due for replacement soon.

Canon's body line up at present isn't equal to Nikon's and that's somewhat strange as they are the best at getting new product to market. Also its interesting to read a few reviews that compare the EOS 30D/40D/50D to the Nikon D80/D90 and not the D200/D300 like they always used to. This would suggest another Canon model is in the pipe to fill the gap.

In Nikon terms these are my 3 main lenses:
14-24 f/2.8
24-70 f/2.8 (main lens)
70-200 f/2.8 VR

As you can see very similar to your line up. I looked at the 17-35 lens but went to the 14-24 and have no regrets, my next body will be the full frame D700.

Still can't see why you want Canon over Nikon

I think all this talk of EF-S going away is a distraction.

At some point in the future yes, EF-S may go. But it'll be a long time yet, years and years. Also, even if it went away in the next two years there are a *very* large number of 300, 350, 400, 450, 1000, 20, 30 and 40D bodies (and soon 50D) around so a secondhand market for EF-S lenses is guaranteed for a long time from this point anyway.

The EF-S 10-22 is an excellent lens and the only choice for an EF-S camera if you want a true wide angle.

Col you are correct when you say the lens is the important thing to consider. As I said before, buying a 1000D with quality lenses is better than even a 1D with Canon's low-end rubbish built to a price.

I do not recommend you buy the 5D because you wanted to shoot a lot of sports and the 5D's frame rate is too low for that purpose. It's full-frame, but so what. For the sort of photography you describe that's not worth it. Had you said you intended to focus on landscapes or portrait with the intention of creating big prints that's another matter.

This whole full-frame / partial-frame thing is overblown. Try comparing prints from the two sensors. If the objective is to create quality images an EF-S will do that just fine.

IS is well worth it if you shoot general or sports, as Col says he will. It does not command a big price premium and it is highly reliable. I nor any other photog I know has had a problem with it. Even if it did stop working the lens would continue to function with it.

Offender90's buying technique is excellent and it worked for me in Singapore.

Col is quite correct to not budget in his paying work until the money arrives in his bank account.

That is excactly why I decided on the 40D. The features of the 40D are more desirable to me RIGHT NOW than the 5D. I know that I will be replacing it at some time, so I think of it as a diposable option. For the sports I will hand held as well as tripod, so the IS is desirable for me.

The 50D is billed as a step up over the 40D and will fill a gap and run along side the 40D for a while, not replace it. The only disadvantage in the smaller sensor I see is it is harder to get big wide angle shots, and you have to be mindfull when framing using the eyepeice. It is not going to effect me just yet.

CC

one more thing to consider is that $5-6k of brand new camera gear will not walk through Australian customs without attracting requests for proof of Oz purchase - so I'd expect to pay GST on arrival in Oz for the amount above the tax free threshold (dpends how many friends you have travelling together how much that will be).

If anyone every wants to save time on shopping around in Singapore, drop me a PM and I'll check out the market for you in advance - I've lived here for years and years and know all the local photography haunts....

Originally Posted by EchiDna

one more thing to consider is that $5-6k of brand new camera gear will not walk through Australian customs without attracting requests for proof of Oz purchase - so I'd expect to pay GST on arrival in Oz for the amount above the tax free threshold (dpends how many friends you have travelling together how much that will be).

If anyone every wants to save time on shopping around in Singapore, drop me a PM and I'll check out the market for you in advance - I've lived here for years and years and know all the local photography haunts....

yeh if you could check out the price of a nikon 70-200vr 2.8 i would appreciate it......looking to buy before oct so i can take it on my travels