| Author | Message | ||
     Mikej |
Agreed. I'm just trying to eliminate (or reduce) the camera as the limiting factor. | ||
| Davegess |
I have heard this, "the best camera is one you will carry with you". | ||
| Davegess |
trying to eliminate (or reduce) the camera as the limiting factor The camera is always a limiting factor. A view camera is wonderful for landscapes but not so hot for racing. A super tele on a DSLR is great for racing but not so hot for shooting the Grand Canyon. All modern cameras are better than almost ALL photographers and I include most pros in this. | ||
| Danger_dave |
>>All modern cameras are better than almost ALL photographers<< I don't buy that one. They are just tools. You either know how to use it properly or you don't. Whereas the art produced is generally commensurate with effort. (Message edited by danger_dave on April 19, 2011) | ||
| Mikej |
No argument here. Any suggestions? Or if you were looking today which would you consider? | ||
| Danger_dave |
Nah sorry - been running A D90 for a few years now. Happy with it but haven't been keeping up and the tech changes almost monthly. Like most consumer products I think the market leaders leap frog each other on a regular basis. | ||
| Dynasport |
Mike, the reason I said to avoid the 75-300 is that it is not a very good quality lens. The photos it produces will not be worthy of the cameras you are looking at. I had one years ago. They are slow to focus and thus not good for action shots. The glass is low quality and therefore the pictures will not be as sharp as your camera is capable of producing. Lenses are a subject of much debate and sometimes disagreement among gear heads. Kinda like oil debates on a motorcycle forum. However, I don't think there is much debate that the Canon 75-300 lens is a pretty poor quality lens. Before you buy any lens, think about what you will be using it for, and then do some research about what lenses in your budget will be good for your purpose. I don't have a big budget for camera gear, so I don't have any of the mutithousand dollar lenses I have lusted after, but I do have some lenses that are still pretty capable. While some photographers are definitely better than others, just as some riders are better than others, gear can be a limiting factor as well. If your lens focuses slow, it is going to be hard to get action shots in focus. If your lens doesn't have the ability to open up to let more light in, it is going to be hard to take low light photos. If you like to blur the background in your photos, a lens that opens up more is also needed, or at least beneficial. On the other hand, those lenses are bigger and more expensive so you may not want to spend the money or be bothered carrying the monster around. Decisions, decisions. Photography can be an addicting money pit. | ||
| Danger_dave |
I get by with a Nikon 18-200 VR lens. There is one race track where a 300 would be handy, but not worth it for the return I'd get. On the rare occasions I need wide angle I use the Go Pro in stills mode. Job done. | ||
| Dynasport |
You are obviously not a gear head. Me either. I used to spend time on a photography forum that had lots of great info, but also a LOT of gear snobs who thought you had to have a $3000 lens to get a photo worth sharing. | ||
| Danger_dave |
Oh yeah - you shoulda seen the guy at the camera shop's face when I won some big prizes with a kit lens. | ||
| Danger_dave |
The other qualifier is that I'm the 3rd string for the magazine. The staffer has more than 10 times what I have in kit value. | ||
| Barker |
It's not the arrow that kills, It's the archer. | ||
| Mikej |
The staffer might have 10 times more gear, but I'd wager that you have 10 times more fun. Correct me if I'm wrong (remembering back to my years on the high school swim team). ------------------- Thanks for the followup on the 75-300 lens. I found out at the camera store that it's a sub-$200 lens, so yeah it won't be up to par with the 7D. But I'm thinking it will be good enough to start out with if I can't afford a better tele/zoom initially. Otherwise I'll try to get a few dollars for it. The retail store wants $650 for the 70-300mm USM IS Canon lens (I took a cell phone pic of it to capture the model and price). I found a local store that has both a D7000 and a 7D in stock so I'm planning to stop in and see how each feels in my hands. | ||
| Mikej |
I'm watching Independent Lens on PBS (documentary type tv show) and I noticed one of the people is using a Canon 20D. Last year I would have taken notice of the brand, now I'm noting the model as well. I'm really leaning toward the Canon. Time for bed, 5am comes early. | ||
| 99buellx1 |
I had that same lens as a starter, is it great...no, but it does produce images. Since you have it, use it, learn from it. Find it's weakness so you have direction on what features you really need in it's replacement. On that note, I have been very happy with my innexpensive (for an L lens) used 70-200 f4. Are there things that other lenses have that I would like....you bet, but for the money, I really like it. I also use a Canon 1.4x converter with it when I need a bit more reach. | ||
| Dynasport |
I have bought a bit of gear from these guys. Fair prices and honest people. If you know what you want, I'd call them or check their website. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/397663-USA/C anon_0345B002_EF_70_300mm_f_4_5_6_IS.html http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/397663-USA/C anon_0345B002_EF_70_300mm_f_4_5_6_IS.html http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/680674-REG/C anon_3814B016_EOS_7D_Digital_SLR.html | ||
| Court |
B&H Photo . . at 34th Street and 9th Avenue . . is on the "must see" list if you are visiting NYC. That's where the TV stations buy their gear as well as all the famous recording studios in NYC. It's fun to walk around and be able to see ANYTHING in person. They have trial studios set up . . kinda like the sample recording studios in the basement Pro area at GC on 14th street. Adorama would have to go on that list as well. . . | ||
| Sayitaintso |
B&H is where I've gotten most of my stuff too. I'd love to visit their shop....I'd be like a kid in a candy shop. | ||
| Mikej |
We've talked about visiting NYC sometime, I need to make a list of things to see. Probably won't be this year though. | ||
| Court |
The list has to include places like:
I have 412 others . . . . We had Geoff May's wife and Mom here a couple weeks ago and I find something interesting every time I set out on an adventure. . . . | ||
| Ourdee |
I've not been to B&H's location, I buy through them online. Their catalog is impressive, but it's out on loan right now. I want a tilt shift for my pentax. | ||
| Mikej |
(Edit to add preliminary price checks) Thank you for the B&H Photo links. I think I'm going to put together a "dream" list of what I'd ideally like to eventually get. I am thinking the 7D will serve me well for several years, and a lot of the photographers who's images I really like were shot with Canon gear, plus I just like the Canon stuff. A couple of lenses I want to check out and price are: EF 17-40mm f/4L USM;(about $840) EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM;(about $1100-$1200) AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 G ED with a Canon adapter. ($1900 w/o the adapter) These are just taken from a magazine on what was used for various images, but it's one way to filter down to just a few options. And hopefully these aren't super pricey, but if they are then I'll just re-adjust the list. And I know there's overlap there and I wouldn't try to get all of them. Just looking at what others use and adjusting to what will work for my wants and needs. I really like low light stuff so of course I come across the EF 85mm f1.2L II USM lens for around $2150. Dang. I used to push b/w tri-x with my f1.4 lens a long time ago while playing around in the woods and hills east of Seattle, late Friday after work into early Saturday morning, then spend the rest of the weekend processing the film in my bathroom/darkroom and playing with prints and burning/dodging. I probably needed better ventilation in there. (Message edited by mikej on April 20, 2011) | ||
| Mikej |
Court, Is there an Accordian shop in town? (As I busily add to my list) | ||
| Court |
Sure . . .you have places like Main Squeeze. In addition . . even those I call it "Guitar Row" .. I guess the real "non-name" is NYC Music Row" . . . I've collected a bunch of super cool photos of the very high end brass instuments. By the way . . if you wander down by City Hall and the Woolworth building I can show you the center of the upright bass universe . . you have to stand in front of a camera on an unmarked stoop and push a button to be "buzzed in" . . but, once inside, it is incredible. There are some realy cool places . . easy to see why Paul McCartney sends his basses to my neighbor to be set up . . . along with Conan O'Brien, Joni Mitchell (who wrote about the store), Bob Dylan and others. | ||
| Mikej |
Neat stuff, thanks. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Not to belabor the point, but:
Great lens! That 14-24mm, paired with that camera, ends up being what... like a 23-44mm 35mm equiv wide angle? Now consider the Panasonic Lumix LX-3. it has a single non interchangable lense that is F2.0, and 24-60mm 35mm equiv. It includes real optical image stabilization, which is generally good for an extra F-Stop in low light. I'm not saying the LX-3 would replace that high end lens or camera. But I am saying, for $250 and under "buy it now" all day long on ebay (camera and lens and fits in a pants pocket), I don't see why anyone serious about photography wouldn't own one. Thats all. Sorry for the continued threadjacking.  | ||
| Mikej |
I don't mind the threadjack, and I appreciate the perspective. I have a Canon pocket camera which I like but has limitations and some focus issues, and I did like the Lumix non-SLR a relative had, but I'm looking beyond immediate needs and seeing ahead that I'll want several lenses. I still might make a budget decision and pick up a Lumix to work with if I decide I can't wait until I get more cash available. I think many Pro's and better amateurs regularly carry or have handy a pocket camera. Okay, re: 7D I just took notice that it uses CF cards, where as the 60D and the Nikon D7000 use SD memory cards. Is this an issue for anyone and would the memory/image storage card be a deal killer for you? I'm finding myself re-thinking this now. We had one point-n-shoot camera that used something other than an SD card and it got to where we just stopped using it due to cost and availability of the storage cards. I suspect CF cards cost more than SD cards, and then there is the adapter aspect to consider as well. Thoughts? | ||
| Dynasport |
I don't think CF cards cost more per GB. It has been the standard since the beginning for DSLRs. It has only been recently that SD cards could have the storage capacity that CF cards can have. CF cards are very durable and I am glad my camera uses them. I don't find it to be limiting at all. Practically all card readers have a CF card slot. Plus, you could just plug your camera straight into your computer if you want. The lenses you have picked out are very nice, but if budget is a concern, there are certainly less expensive choices that arguably can provide as good or very close to the same results. Instead of the Canon 17-40, check out the Tamron 17-50 2.8. Not as well built, but a larger aperature and excellent quality. My main lens is a Tamron 28-75 2.8, which I love, but many want something wider. I almost never care about wide, so I don't mind it not being wide. The 85 1.4 is a very special lens, but I bought the 85 1.8 which is excellent for less than $400. I can use the 85 1.8 for indoor sports such as basketball or volleyball as well, and love it. I also have the 50 1.8. It was my first prime lens. The build quality is junk, but I have been using mine for over 15 years without problems and it cost less than $100. I also use a Sigma 70-200 2.8. It cost way less than the Canon version. I would much rather have the Canon version, but I was budget limited and I bought my Sigma used for a very good price. The bike pictures I posted earlier were taken with it. If I had it to do over, I'd probably buy the Canon 70-200 4, as it is much smaller and lighter. Of course you lose an f-stop, but a smaller lens would be nice. Ideally, I guess I'd like both so I could chose between size and aperature. Remember, I am no pro and don't depend on my gear for a paycheck, so I can't justify the cost of some of the stuff I'd really like to have. If I had the money, my gear would probably cost more than my motorcycles. Nah, I'd just buy more motorcycles. Another lens to consider is the Canon 100-400L. It is an old design and some don't like it, but it is very versatile and I have seen some great photos taken with it. It is popular for wildlife photography. I think someone else posted this link already, but someone I trust in their reviews is the-digital-picture.com, although I don't think he likes the Tamron 28-75 and I love mine. | ||
| Rkc00 |
AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 G ED I have this lens and just love it. Got it last year for a job I am doing shooting a construction project in Brooklyn. It compliments the other lens I have which are the 24-70 f/2.8 and the 70-200 VRII f/2.8. Oh and Mark. One way to not worry about switching lens is to just buy more body's.  | ||
| Mikej |
Let's not talk about more bodies, I'm already thinking of justifying the 60D or T3i as a first body on a budget and later add a "better" second body if the budget catches up. On one cycling forum they refer to this as n+1 because nobody can have just one bike, they just seem to accumulate on their own. My concern on the memory is how much more market life that the CompactFlash cards have? I just checked BestBuy and they have exactly three CF cards (8-16gB,$50-$380) versus over fifty options on SD and SDHC cards starting under $20 for 8gB. I'm thinking that if I'm visiting relatives or if I find myself in some remote place, I'm fairly confident I'd be able to find an SD card somewhere, not so sure about the CF cards. Also I don't currently have a CF reader at home. Maybe this is a non-issue, but it's currently stuck in my head as a potential issue. As to lenses, I will keep those thoughts and suggestions in mind. Part of my memory card apprehension stems from one night I was taking some 2am starlight b/w photos of Mt. Rainier from the side of a mountain pass, 20-45 minute exposures. The dang battery died in the camera, and the nearest fresh battery for that SLR camera was two hours away. Which reminds me: Note to self: check into camera battery car chargers. |
