Rebel XTi Lense Overkill?

[ChrisL]

Anybody have an opinion regarding the purchase ofa EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM for a Rebel Xti. Would this be overkill for this camera? Or....Do you think I would be better served to spend the $$ on a new upgraded body and lens?

[powers_brent]

My friend has that combo right now. Loves it. Yes it does seem overkill, but he is planning on upgrading soon to full frame. From what I have heard/experienced though, the best upgrades you can make are glass, not bodies. Eventually though if you have all this nice expensive glass, you have to upgrade the body to keep up. If you have the money to buy that glass you got the money to buy a new body.

[WAFKT]

Go for the new glass - that's a great lens on any body. You can always upgrade the body down the road and still be able to use the lens.

[Mark Elberson]

It may look a little silly since that lens weighs 3x's more than your body [:P] but I'd go for it!. Below you can see that Colin started out having his EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS mounted on a Rebel before he upgraded his body.I think you'll find that most replies are going to be in favor of buying glass over a body upgrade. You will get SO much more impact on your photography with the purchase of the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L ISover a new body.


Here's an excerpt from a post Colinmade about buyingglass vs. bodies. I think he sums it up pretty well...






...I got a70-200 f/2.8 IS L. I was freaking THRILLED! I got a kick out of how ridiculous my little rebel looked on that tank of the 70-200, and the images ROCKED!...All lenses werefar more expensive than the body, and they were SO worth it...If anything, I'd actually recommend, between the choices, going cheap on the body as opposed to the glass. Good glass you'll probably keep for quite a while. The body is far more likely to become obsolete compared to something cheaper, far sooner...
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[Jon Ruyle]

I concur. I used to use my 70-200 f/2.8 IS on a rebel XT.


There are some lens/body combos that IMO don't make sense because there is a better, cheaper option (eg, I think a 200mm f/2 on a 1.6 fovcf body would be a little silly, since a 300mm f/2.8 on a full frame body would be cheaper and better in most ways, or similar for a very wide lens on a 1.6 fovcf body). There are also some lens body combos that don't make sense because the ability of one far outstrips what the other can take advantage of.


I don't think the 70-200 f/2.8 IS falls into either category. True, most people willing to spend the money for the 70-200 f/2.8 IS will be willing to buy a more expensive camera than the rebel. But the rebel + 70-200 f/2.8 IS is by no means a silly combination.


I recall seeing a bunch of great bird pictures taken by some guy with a sigmonster (sigma 300-800 zoom, which costs like $8000) mounted on a rebel.

[Jarhead5811]

Get the lens. I've got an XSi and don't plan to upgrade bodies until I've got some really nice lenses. It doesn't matter if it looks like the tail is wagging the dog.

[ChrisL]

Thank you everyone the quick responses! Looks like I will be dropping some $$ for the glass.

[clemmb]

The XTi is a great camera. Get the lense. If you get the battery grip for the XTi it will not look funny having such a large lense on a small body and have plenty of battery to last all day.


Mark

[ShutterbugJohan]

Would this be overkill for this camera?


I don't think it is possible to put too nice of a lens on a body. It is possible to do the opposite and put too nice of a body on a cheap lens.

[Sinh Nhut Nguyen]

I shot with an XT and 70-200 f/2.8L IS for 1.5 years. Always invest in glass, camera bodies come and go. I've once seen a lady with an XTi and 500 f/4 L IS

[piiooo]

Would this be overkill for this camera?


There is no such thing.


I just looked at the June edition of "What Digital Camera". The winner of 2009 International Garden Photographer of The Year shot with EOS D60, not the prototype of the next mid range body, but the 6MP 60D from (I think) 7 years ago. The winning picture just knocks your socks off...


I think70-200 2.8 IS is a great investment.

[jusap]

I shot with an XT and 70-200 f/2.8L IS for 1.5 years. Always invest in glass, camera bodies come and go. I've once seen a lady with an XTi and 500 f/4 L IS
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+1 on this :)

[crosbyharbison]

just make sure you always hold the lens, you'll damage the lens mount otherwise...

[ChrisL]

The lens will be in my hands on Friday and I'll be shooting up a storm over the weekend! Thanks again for all the info &amp; help.

[jusap]

Wow that fast! I wish I could get one soon too :)


Congrats!





Post some shots when you do :)

[Maleko]

Decent glass is always the best option!


Glass you can keep, body's can be upgraded.

[peety3]

(I know you've already purchased and are expecting toys tomorrow.)


Great glass can breathe new life into an otherwise lesser body. With a 1D Mark III, 40D, Rebel XTi, and Powershot G9 in the house, most people can figure out which cameras are used first. A month ago, with my 1D3 in the shop (twice), I borrowed my friend's 85/1.2 for a trip to Philly. Three social events (one club, one bowling alley, one jazz club) were a blast to shoot with a 40D&amp;16-35/2.8 and an XTi&amp;85/1.2. The 85L feels real funny on the XTi, but who cares? ;)

[LoneSierra]

Personally, I don't think it's overkill. The lens makes the camera IMO. You have a kit lens 18-55, it's not going to take as good of a picture as the 17-55 2.8, whether it's on the lowest model Rebel, or the 50D. If he want's that range, with that quality, and doesn't mind the price tag, I'd say go for it. That's going to be my next lens.



Sure, the glass will be three times the price of the camera, but that camera will get a better picture with that lens, end of story.

[Dallasphotog]

Anybody have an opinion regarding the purchase ofa EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM for a Rebel Xti. Would this be overkill for this camera? Or....Do you think I would be better served to spend the $ on a new upgraded body and lens?
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I run the EF70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM on the front of my XTi all the time. It's a great body and a great lens. I like to put the EF400mm F/2.8 L IS USM on the XTi as well. The 1.6 crop factor makes the 400mm into a 640mm beast.