Re: If you were me, which lens would you buy? (24-105 vs. 70-200 f/4 IS)
Oh wait, the 70-200 f/4L IS is regularly $1210 not $1135! I had written down $1135 a little while back because that was the price with the current rebate. I guess that makes a refurb for $999 an even better deal.
Re: If you were me, which lens would you buy? (24-105 vs. 70-200 f/4 IS)
Quote:
Originally Posted by mattyg1027
Which brings me to my next question... how often does Adorama replenish their refurb supply?
No idea, but Bryan usually posts a News item when they do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mattyg1027
I saw a refurbished 70-200 f/4L IS on there a couple months back for $999 (reg. $1135), but it's no longer on there
I think the rebate prices change in tandem with the new lens prices. If there's a rebate, refurb and used lens prices go down to maintain the incentive. I would guess (but I'm not certain) that prices on the refurb, when available, will also rise now that the new lens has gone back up. That price must have been from a while back - the Oct 2009-Jan 2010 rebates. The more recent 7D and 5D+lens rebates were presumably in response to a Nikon rebate program, and the current 50D rebates aren't really that extensive. Historically, Canon's major lens rebates come twice per year - May-July and Oct-Jan. So, if you hold out for a month or month and a half, you may see prices drop again!
Quote:
Originally Posted by mattyg1027
I am kind of surprised more people didn't discount the 18-55 as even effectively "covering" me on the wide end. I guess I don't give the lens enough credit. Maybe I shouldn't have stuffed it away for good after buying my primes :). I guess the fact that it's slow isn't that important if I'm mostly using it for landscapes.
The 18-55mm IS kit lens isn't a bad lens, it's just not a good lens. It's optically decent if you use it stopped down to f/5.6 or f/8, but that's a narrow sweet spot. It will do fine for snapshots (indoors, you'll need a flash, preferably an external Speedlite).
For landscapes, I'd say it's tolerable. The kit lens gets optically softer beyond f/8, and that's also where diffraction begins to have an effect on your XSi's sensor. So, when you use narrow apertures for deep DoF in landscapes you're adding optical softness to diffraction. But, at the wide end you don't need as narrow an aperture for deep DoF, so you'd be ok, I think. The other notable hassle with the kit lens is that the front element rotates, making it a challenge to use a circular polarizing filter (which are nice for landscapes), but I hope you'd be using a tripod, in which case you'd have both hands free to hold the front element while rotating the CPL.
Re: If you were me, which lens would you buy? (24-105 vs. 70-200 f/4 IS)
Man... I'm so disappointed. I've been checking this site religiously since making this post and finally saw the news bulletin yesterday about Adorama refreshing their refurbished supply, went online to find the 70-200 f/4 IS WAS included this time, placed my order... and then a day later get an email saying that it is back ordered and they do not know when they are getting more stock. What the heck? Why have a refurb available on the site if you don't have it in stock!? I assume it could be months before they get more in stock, if ever.
Huge let down...
Re: If you were me, which lens would you buy? (24-105 vs. 70-200 f/4 IS)
Quote:
Originally Posted by mattyg1027
Why have a refurb available on the site if you don't have it in stock!?
They did have a refurb copy, or maybe two. But people 'troll' their site for discounts like that, and if you placed your order just after someone else who ordered the same lens, they got first dibs. I'm pretty sure the available stock level does not update in real time.
Re: If you were me, which lens would you buy? (24-105 vs. 70-200 f/4 IS)
I just got back from a 2 week vacation in California. I started in San Diego and worked my way up to San Francisco. I brought with me my T1i and three lenses - 50mm 1.4, 17-40 f4 and 70-200 f4 non IS. I barely used the 50mm (just a few portrait shots at my friend's home in San Fran). Since I wasn't shooting any subjects that were moving fast in a low light situation (you mentioned you likely won't be doing any indoor sports), f4 and not having the IS was not an issue. I had a tripod for situations where a slow shutter speed was required to solve camera shake or in a pinch, I just leaned against a tree or a post or something. I took close to 1400 shots and found in all but a hand full cases, a couple of steps forward or backwards was sufficient to cover the 30mm gap between my two zooms. The combined cost of lenses was just $200 or so, more than the 24-105mm.
I think the 70-200 f4 is absolutely fantastic when it comes to sharpness and IQ and the 17-40 is almost as good. Dropping the IS feature should make room in the budget for the 17-40mm. Although not super wide on a APS-C, I felt it was wide enough and you did mention you felt the 24mm was wide enough for your uses. Both these lenses are also a perfect fit on a FF should you go down that route at some point. The only drawback I see here is that it might render the kit lens totally obsolete. I don't even know where my kit lens is right now.
Clark
Re: If you were me, which lens would you buy? (24-105 vs. 70-200 f/4 IS)
Yea, I figured that was the case... but I thought I was quick enough this time. Oh well... are we expecting Canon to announce more lens rebates for spring or are they just doing the Rebel and 7D rebates this time? I don't know how much longer I can wait before I bite the bullet and pay full retail!
Re: If you were me, which lens would you buy? (24-105 vs. 70-200 f/4 IS)
Quote:
Originally Posted by mattyg1027
...are we expecting Canon to announce more lens rebates for spring or are they just doing the Rebel and 7D rebates this time?
An upcoming Canon USA rebate has been 'leaked' - the 70-200mm f/4L IS is on the list for a rebate, amount TBD (but probably $75, like 4 of the last 5 rebates on that lens). Not sure on the accuracy of the source, though.
Not sure on the timing - historically, the spring/summer lens rebates have started in April or early- to mid-May. Since it's already early May, I'd say they will start soon, or not at all...
Re: If you were me, which lens would you buy? (24-105 vs. 70-200 f/4 IS)
Nice... I just found a refurb on B&H for $1050!! Looks like they only give a 90 day warranty as opposed to Adorama's 1 year, but it's still Canon refurbished. I'll get over the $50 difference in price too. Got tired of waiting for the rebates, because I'm going on vacation in a couple weeks and would need the lens to arrive by the 15th to be able to bring it with me.
Very excited... lets hope I don't run into the same problem this time around!
Re: If you were me, which lens would you buy? (24-105 vs. 70-200 f/4 IS)
Great - enjoy your new lens, once it's in your hands! [:D]
(Personally, I just picked up anEF 24-105mm f/4<span style="color: red;"]LIS USM yesterday, to use primarily as an outdoor walkaround lens - it's weather-sealed and has a good range for that. It will supplement theEF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM which I prefer indoors for the wider end and faster aperture).
Re: If you were me, which lens would you buy? (24-105 vs. 70-200 f/4 IS)
Quote:
Originally Posted by neuroanatomist
Great - enjoy your new lens, once it's in your hands! [img]/emoticons/emotion-2.gif[/img]
(Personally, I just picked up anEF 24-105mm f/4<span style="color: #ff0000;"]LIS USM yesterday, to use primarily as an outdoor walkaround lens - it's weather-sealed and has a good range for that. It will supplement theEF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM which I prefer indoors for the wider end and faster aperture).
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I second all of that!! [Y] [:D]
For the few test shots that Iwas able to takeover my lunch hourwith my new EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM that just came today, it looks like it is going to serve my needs very well for an outdoor walkaround lens!
Denise
