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The Official Camera Equipment Megathread
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Hcoregamer00
The 'H' stands for hentai.
ErnieMcCracken
Member
New lens just came in for my D90.
Looking forward to getting out w/ this one.
Looking forward to getting out w/ this one.
chaostrophy
Member
Just ordered the 16-35 2.8L...can't wait!
Marty Chinn
Member
I'm thinking about getting my first lens and if I feel comfortable enough, may even try to snag it in time for GDC. What I'm looking for is something to replace my kit lens with something that I can typically carry around and use in most situations without needing to swap lenses. Looking down the road, I'm thinking I only want to be carrying two lenses on me when I travel. So I'm thinking some sort of general zoom lens now and then maybe down the road a wide angle lens to compliment it. I've just got my first DSLR which is a Canon T1i and I've been lurking around on dpreview.com to read up on info. I was eying the Sigma 18-250mm and the Tamron 18-270mm but both of those seem to have a significant issue that holds me back from getting either one. Maybe the Canon 18-200? I'm just not sure what I should be aiming for right now. As far as price, probably around $500 but I can go a bit more if needed. I'm just in the research phase right now but would appreciate any advice.
I've been trying to find a zoom lens I really want many times now, but I always go "meh" in the end since you have to deal with so many compromises. They never go below f/2.8 (and you have to pay a LOT to even go that big), they're big, they distort at the extreme ends (which is usually where you want to be), et cetera.Marty Chinn said:
That said, these ones that are on my "may buy"-list:
Canon EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM - Basically a usable version of the kit lens
Canon EF 24-70/2.8L USM - A bit longer, would be a nice partner to my EF-S 10-22mm and perfect if I go full frame some day
Canon EF-S 15-85/3.5-5.6 IS - Boring aperture but would be nice as a travel lens
I've also been eying the Tamron 17-50 2.8 and 28-75 2.8 but optically they seem quite inferior to the Canon glass so I don't know if it's worth cheaping out like that.
Chorazin said:
I have the $20 version (it was like $9.95 on release).
It works as advertised, and even recently updated to use the 7D. It's mostly gimmick, as you still need to tether your laptop to the camera. If they had more time, I'm sure they'd develop a dongle for the camera with wifi or something, which would make it infinitely more useful.
That's not to say it's worthless, but most applications of it you can just use your computer for (if you have decent tethering software, and Canon has really good tethering software).
Marty Chinn said:
The three staples of a well-rounded set for me would include a wide-standard walkaround style, plus a short-medium/long tele, and a short tele prime with wide aperture.
If you don't have one, seriously consider getting a 50mm f/1.8 lens. It will change how you see/do photography for a good price.
VNZ said:
It really depends on how much of a stickler you are for pixel peeping quality.
I have an EF-S 17-55 IS - it has great optical quality, and the versatility (wide angle, wide aperture, short tele, IS, great focus, great quality) is unmatched, but its build is really crap for the price. It won't fall apart, but it's no 'L' lens if that at all matters to you. I've had my copy break down and serviced six times in its life.
I keep hearing about an update to the 24--70 to add IS. I dunno, it was supposed to be a lock at PMA, but it never showed (in fat, Canon never showed up).
The_Inquisitor
Member
For sure get the 50mm f 1.8. It's pretty much on my camera 100% these days. I'm using it to appreciate my camera minus any optical zoom before I get my 70-200mm L this summer.
Hcoregamer00
The 'H' stands for hentai.
VNZ said:
I love the 24-70, the build quality is superb, the colors are amazing, and the sharpness is astounding. Just buy it now, because waiting for an IS version means paying an extra $600 on top of the already expensive 24-70L price.
A version II also means a hefty price increase, just look at the jump from the 70-200 f2.8L to the 70-200 f2.8L II for both Canon and Nikon.
mrkgoo said:
That's probably the biggest reason I didn't buy the EF-S 17-55 2.8.
It has the L-lens optical quality (heck, most people say it superior to most L lenses), but the build quality is poor.
Hopefully in the future we see a EF-S 17-55 f2.8 II, EF-S 17-55 f2.0 or EF-S 17-85 f2.8 with great build quality.
Hcoregamer00
The 'H' stands for hentai.
Oh snap (pun intended), new Canon Rebates
http://www.canonrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/bigrebate.jpg
They are really pushing the Canon 5D mark II, maybe we will see future price decreases or even *gasp* hints of the Canon 5D mark III to battle the Nikon D700.
http://www.canonrumors.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/bigrebate.jpg
They are really pushing the Canon 5D mark II, maybe we will see future price decreases or even *gasp* hints of the Canon 5D mark III to battle the Nikon D700.
Hcoregamer00
The 'H' stands for hentai.
Chorazin said:Oh man, nice for you Canon guys! I wish Nikon would have lens-only rebates.
Don't feel too bad, most of these lenses have been through HUGE price increases lately.
The rebates don't even ding the price increases that all of these lenses have been through. For example, I paid $1,270 for the 24-70L (with the Winter Rebate), a year and a half ago the same lens was $1,100 >_<
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
Hcoregamer00 said:
For anyone that interested in a longer focal length prime, take a good look at the 100/2. Its said to be 90% of what the 135L is (the last 10% being that certain something special L lenses usually deliver). It'll be around $410 before shipping with the rebate.
Panasonic's leaking info on the G2 and G10
Looks like the G2 will have a tiltable swivel.
http://43rumors.com/
Looks like the G2 will have a tiltable swivel.
http://43rumors.com/
Marty Chinn
Member
mrkgoo said:
I'm still a novice and learning from a friend who knows photography pretty well so I've been going to him a lot for advice and tips. I know the rabbit hole can go quite deep but I'm just not sure I want to ever go that far. I'm pretty resistant on the concept of carrying three lenses right now. Two just seems right to me. A general lens that I can use in almost instantly in any situation and then a secondary lens on the cases where I have time to swap lenses and take the shot. I just don't like the idea of fiddling around with lenses in different situations right now. So maybe I'll eventually get the 50 f1.8 lens cuz its cheap at some point, but I think that'll be later than sooner. These are some of the lenses I've been looking at for the moment:
Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM IF Lens
Tamron AF 18-270mm f/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical IF Macro Zoom Lens
Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Standard Zoom Lens
Sigma 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC AF OS (Optical Stabilizer) Zoom Lens
Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Zoom Lens
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS UD Standard Zoom Lens
But I'm really not limiting myself to this selection. I'm a bit hesitant on 135mm thinking I would want more zoom capability, but maybe I don't need it and maybe they're actually better.
Instigator
Banned
captive said:
Why not just have a GH2 without the ridiculous lens bundle that doubles the price?
There's no need for a G2.
Hcoregamer00
The 'H' stands for hentai.
Marty Chinn said:
Get it, it is a wonderful lens. For something can be bought secondhand for around $250 it is probably one of the best lens values around.
I have a 24-70L, but I kept this one in case I needed the extra reach or didn't want to carry a 2.2lb behemoth.
Marty Chinn
Member
Hcoregamer00 said:
Curious but why get that lens over this Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS UD Standard Zoom Lens?
Marty Chinn said:
IT is designated 'L', which is the top of the line pro lenses. They typically feature special lens elements made of soupier-low dispersion glass, aspherical elements, or fluorite lenses. This means the top optical quality.
They feature builds that are typically weather-sealed to prevent moisture and dust from getting into it or the camera (if that is also weather-sealed).
They typically use an ultrasonic motor for autofocus, allowing for top-class speed and precision focusing, and allows you to adjust the focus even after AF is locked, while in AF mode.
Sometimes they are made of metal for robustness. Often the rings are damped, for smoother operation.
They also are typically of wider and constant aperture. The 24-70 in particular has an f/2.8 constant. This means the aperture is wider through out the range (it's a reciprocal value - f/2.8 means the aperture opens up to the focal length divided by 2.8 at a maximum).
A wide aperture value has two effects on your images:
1) Allows more light, thus allowing lower light photography, as well as allowing faster shutter speeds (hence the designation 'fast' lens).
2) Wide apertures narrow the depth of field, giving blurrier backgrounds.
In regards to 2), the higher optical quality glass of 'L' lenses tends to mean the out of focus areas of an image are actually smoother and more pleasant looking too.
Lastly, the EFS- mount of the 18-135mm is exclusively built for 1.6x crop cameras - it won't go on a full frame camera such as the 5D. The 24-70 f/2.8L is an EF mount meaning it can go on both cameras.
The_Inquisitor
Member
My friend is getting a 7D monday. I am so freaking jealous.
Photography is a wonderful thing. I met a very nice girl today on the dock. I introduced myself and we talk as I shot photos. Her friend decides she wants to take some photos with the girl I met making a pose on one of the piers. I snap a photo of her making the pose. I blinked and all of a sudden i see her losing her balance. Next thing I know she has fallen into the lake.:lol
I feel so freaking bad, but I laughed really hard as I pulled her out of the lake. :lol :lol
Note to self: Keep a towel in car just in case girl I just met falls into lake.
Photography is a wonderful thing. I met a very nice girl today on the dock. I introduced myself and we talk as I shot photos. Her friend decides she wants to take some photos with the girl I met making a pose on one of the piers. I snap a photo of her making the pose. I blinked and all of a sudden i see her losing her balance. Next thing I know she has fallen into the lake.:lol
I feel so freaking bad, but I laughed really hard as I pulled her out of the lake. :lol :lol
Note to self: Keep a towel in car just in case girl I just met falls into lake.
Hcoregamer00
The 'H' stands for hentai.
Marty Chinn said:
Check out of my favorite reviewers.
EF 28-135mm: "The Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens provides a great focal length range, reasonably sharp images and IS at a very low price point and in a relatively small package."
EF-S 18-135mm: Using the 18-135 there gave me the same impression that the chart did - the lens does not produce exciting image sharpness, but quite acceptable at f/8 for the cost of the lens.
mrkgoo said:
L class lenses are very special, the price may seem excessive, until you own one and see the color, the build quality, and the incredible sharpness of one.
Marty Chinn
Member
mrkgoo said:
Thanks for that awesome and clear description. In keep wanting to have a lower f stop but it sure gets pricey quick =) So I know that isn't in the cards for the time being. Now I just gotta decide if 135mm is enough for now or not. Lens decisions are tough!
Hcoregamer00
The 'H' stands for hentai.
Marty Chinn said:
Tell me about it >_>
Constant Aperture lenses are great, I love my f2.8L, but it comes with lots of extra weight. My 24-70L weighs TWICE as much as my 28-135 lens and has half the zoom distance. Frankly, I love the idea of having 2.8 across the whole range than having f3.5-5.6 when I zoom in closer.
A 24-105 or a 24-135 f2.8L would be around 3-4lbs and it would likely cost well north of $2,500.
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
Marty Chinn said:
You're shooting a crop camera (Like a Rebel or 30/40/50D?). On the long end, that 135mm will be 216mm as far as Field of View. So you'll be getting quite a bit magnification and "reach" from that lens. I think it would be pretty long.
Edit: Guess that lens is an EF-S lens so yep, you'll have some range with it
And 18mm-135mm is quite a span of focal lengths and would be very versatile, I would think (if you're really needing that all in one type of lens).
The_Inquisitor
Member
Quick question photo-gaf. As I said in a post earlier my friend just paid through the nose for a 7D. Glancing through Amazon I couldn't help notice this bad boy coming out soon.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035FZJI0/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Canon T2i. For HALF the price. Is the 7D really worth twice the price compared to this camera?
I may be looking into getting one of these in about a year or so, or whatever the next iteration is. How much of a difference would I notice stepping up from my Canon Rebel XS?
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0035FZJI0/?tag=neogaf0e-20
Canon T2i. For HALF the price. Is the 7D really worth twice the price compared to this camera?
I may be looking into getting one of these in about a year or so, or whatever the next iteration is. How much of a difference would I notice stepping up from my Canon Rebel XS?
BlueTsunami
there is joy in sucking dick
The_Inquisitor said:
Off the top of my head I believe the premium price of the 7D buys you a better body (physically bigger and better quality materials), much better viewfinder and better frame rate. With that said, the Rebels that come out after closely placed segments tend to meet or slightly exceed the (relatively) older tech in regards to sensor quality. It miffs some people but thems the breaks.
Rentahamster
Rodent Whores
You probably don't want to buy prosumer quality cameras unless you really have a lot of money to blow or actually have a plan to make money off of it.The_Inquisitor said:
As a hobby, you have to be really careful about what to buy. It's very easy to spend too much money on equipment that is far too advanced for one's needs.
Hcoregamer00
The 'H' stands for hentai.
BlueTsunami said:
I agree, there is nothing wrong with it.
The Rebels have regular refreshes that no other camera on the Canon line enjoy, so naturally they are the beneficiaries of technological improvements made from the 1D, 5D, 7D, and the xxD models. The rebels are not as reliable as the other models, but they are the beneficiaries of technology improvements. It is a two way street, the advanced technology trickles down to the Rebels faster, but the new technology in the Rebels also trickles up to the higher-end models.
Who wins? everyone does.
The Pro because the Rebels are a test bed of new features to see what works and what doesn't. The consumer because they get amazing SLR technology that the pro's have, but for a fraction of the price.
The_Inquisitor said:
I remember reading that the rule of thumb for DSLR's are to wait a couple of generations for huge technological improvements. I have an XSi, so a good time for me to buy an SLR with large enough improvements in ISO, picture quality, and features would be in a couple of years.
The_Inquisitor
Member
Rentahamster said:
I agree, which is why I find it weird he blew 1.6k on a camera. I think he got help from the school since he takes pictures for the University paper. One of the things I hate not having on my camera is the ability to shoot video. I also would mind the improved sensor all the latest cameras are getting.
That being said, I have a lot I can still learn using this Rebel XS of mine. Today I finally got enough dust on my sensor to where it showed up for the first time in photos which was a little disappointing but a good thing I can now look out for.
What do you guys recommend for sensor cleaning. A few resources pointed toward buying a Giottos Rocket Air blower. Any suggestions on methods/ what to use?
Hcoregamer00
The 'H' stands for hentai.
The_Inquisitor said:
I will give a standard answer and just tell you to improve your glass, and just buy a new camera if your Canon XS dies. If you do heavy photography, maybe get a second body, but focus on the glass.
I upgraded from a 28-135mm to a 24-70 f2.8L and 85 f1.8, that added a whole new curve to photography I had no idea existed.
The_Inquisitor
Member
Hcoregamer00 said:
Yeah my next purchase is the 70-200mm L lens. Purchasing it in probably 2 months. Practicing with my 50mm as much as possible until then to work on composition.
Rentahamster said:
I actually don't have all that much money to blow, but I like gadgets.As for why I picked the 7D to buy, it's partially that being in the US is much cheaper, and I'm still thinking about it in NZ dollars. In NZ, the 7D costs over US$2000 for body only, whereas in Oregon, I 'only' paid US$1699 (no sales tax).
I got a lot out of it. The more useable iso, higher MP, video (although this turned out to be a dud, at least for now - you really need a LOT more stuff to make the most out of the video), and something that is a huge deal to me is the new 100% viewfinder. Also, the new AF is something to behold. I don't think the T2i has that.
The_Inquisitor said:
Is there a self-cleaning auto mode on that model?
There's actually several tiers of how crazy you want to go with cleaning. It starts with just using auto modes and a blower, and ends with wet fluid direct application (I do the last :O ).
Globehopper
Member
The advantages the 7D has over the T2i that I'm aware of:
- 100% viewfinder, with on-demand grid lines and level meter
- 15 RAW image buffer vs 6 (huge for sports)
- 8fps vs 3.7fps (ditto)
- All-metal body with some weather sealing
- Top LCD screen (this is a pretty big deal for me... I would hate to try to use an SLR without a top LCD)
- Bigger/heavier (this could be a disadvantage, but it's more mass for more stable low shutter speed shots)
- Next-gen AF system (LOTS of reported problems with the 7D's AF on the forums though. Real or imagined? Who knows)
Is that worth another $800? Up to the individual I guess. It definitely would be for me. I'm currently having very impure thoughts about a 5dMkII though! However I probably won't upgrade from my 40D just yet, sigh.
- 100% viewfinder, with on-demand grid lines and level meter
- 15 RAW image buffer vs 6 (huge for sports)
- 8fps vs 3.7fps (ditto)
- All-metal body with some weather sealing
- Top LCD screen (this is a pretty big deal for me... I would hate to try to use an SLR without a top LCD)
- Bigger/heavier (this could be a disadvantage, but it's more mass for more stable low shutter speed shots)
- Next-gen AF system (LOTS of reported problems with the 7D's AF on the forums though. Real or imagined? Who knows)
Is that worth another $800? Up to the individual I guess. It definitely would be for me. I'm currently having very impure thoughts about a 5dMkII though! However I probably won't upgrade from my 40D just yet, sigh.
Globehopper said:
I upgraded from a 40D also, but a big deal from the rebel series is also the back wheel. When you shoot nearly exclusive manual, having a separate wheel to control shutter and aperture is a must.
I've had no problems with the AF, and haven't heard of many myself. That said, I'm not a demanding user of AF.
The_Inquisitor
Member
Yeah it has an auto cleaner. Did not work. A blower came with my lens cleaning kit. I just ripped off the brush portion and tried using the blower portion as instructed online with the camera tilted downward. No real effect. It was really windy when I was shooting, though I thought it had calmed down when I swapped lenses. I am having trouble finding a camera store that sells a decent wet solution. Any suggestions in the Dallas area? Otherwise I am calling that camera store in Irving everyone raves about.
Marty Chinn
Member
Hcoregamer00 said:
Ya, I keep wanting to get a nice low f2.8 constant lens but my wallet starts to cry when I look at what it costs.
BlueTsunami said:
I saw the 28-135mm lens at Best Buy tonight hooked up to I think a 50D, and the zoom wasn't as big as I thought it might be. Definite step up over what I have but not sure if it was enough.
I did see a 50-250mm lens that seemed pretty damn cheap though from Canon. Almost too cheap so it makes me question the quality of it.
I know I'm just all over the place at this point trying to figure out what a good general all in one lens is going to be that won't kill me in cost. Sigh...
Marty Chinn said:
There are no good 'all in one' lenses. There are always compromises. Also it defeats the purpose of having interchangeable lenses. Right tool for the right job.
There is a pretty crap 55-200 out there, but I heard the newest EF-S 50-250mm IS is actually pretty solid. Don't walk away with the notion that expensive is better. Often a lot of the expense is NOT optical quality, which has diminishing returns as you go higher.
You also have to realise that all of the modern lenses, even cheap EF-S mounts, tend to be much better than consumer lens models made decades ago. The resolving power of modern cameras are much more demanding, and hence why you are seeing a lot of really good EF-S lenses now.
The_Inquisitor
Member
mrkgoo said:
I kind of do actualy. So it's a big problem. My friend who bought the 7D has a friend who has wet cleaned a rebel before and is contacting him. It didn't seem so bad. Wrap the wipe around a modified spatula and wipe across. Easy right? :lol
Well I guess I will explain why I was in f22. I was trying to use the small aperture possible to make sure everything came into focus. Do you think I could get away with f/8 and get most everything still in focus? Also, at the same time I felt my photos today were not as sharp as some I took with my kit lens a few months back. When shooting with my kit lens at f/3.5 during that period, everything look nice. But today at f/22 with my 50mm prime, stuff came out a smidge blurrier than I would have liked.
Does sharpness degrade on the 50mm as aperture size decreases?
The_Inquisitor
Member
zombi said:
Ah the answer I was looking for to my edit thanks. So I suppose at f/8 -11 I really wont notice that dust huh? Still I think I will order some sensor cleaning supplies for when the day comes. I'm going to modify a rubber spatula and order some eclipse or something.
I think I am also on track to order that 70-200mm L f/4 lens in mid-may. I guess I am a little afraid I am going to fall so much in love with that lens that I will gag when I use my 15-55 kit lens for shorter range stuff. :lol
The_Inquisitor said:
What zombi said. After a certain point, images actually become softer because the aperture is small, you get diffraction.
I tend not to go over f/16 ever if I can help it, with 11 being pretty sensible.
I use the spatula, eclipse and special wipes. Just order the kit and follow the instructions.
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