Buying 7D - My shopping list Opinions/Criticisms please

[bob williams]

Currently I am in information overload reading thousand of reviews etc.

Sounds like you did some pretty good research and built a very nice kit here. But I would lke to offer you a couple of more things to talk about:


1. I have never heard anything good about the 2x extender. Though you cite the new one here, my guess is that it will be a little better than the current one, but still significantly damageing to IQ. I would suggest you consider the 1.4 extender instead of the 2X.


2. Dark cloudy days----wheres the tripod? Very very important. I never fully appreciated the IQ of my lenses until I started forcing myself to use a tripod----and a very good tripod is strongly suggested, even if you were to give up one of the lenses. Here is "something else" to add to your information overload bank: http://bythom.com/support.htm . Seriosly, my gitzo tripod did more to improve my photography than any of my lenses.


Good luck


Bob

[Daniel Browning]

1. I have never heard anything good about the 2x extender. Though you cite the new one here, my guess is that it will be a little better than the current one, but still significantly damageing to IQ.

I kindly disagree. Most people make flawed comparisons when it comes to TC: first they shoot with the TC, then they take it off and move closer to take a shot without the TC. The quality is definitely much higher if I move closer -- but that's not the time when I'm supposed to use TC. I'm supposed to use it when I can't move closer. In order to simulate this in a comparison, it's necessary to compare TC vs cropping. On a sharp lens like the 70-200 II, the 2X TC is definitely more detailed than cropping. Especially so if I correct the chromatic aberration in post.



<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="content-type" />

I would suggest you consider the 1.4 extender instead of the 2X.

FWIW, he did end up getting the 1.4, though I still think the 2X is more useful for wildlife.

2. Dark cloudy days----wheres the tripod? Very very important.

Agreed.

[Homer]

Comments have been great and is why i chose to sign up only to this fourm, keep them coming. Always all quality comments and some of my decisions made were from posts reading many topicson this fourm.


I did not decide to get the 50mm asI wanted it for video but my first interestis learning to use the 7D asI did buy it for taking pictures. I will use what I saved to get a monopod and some decent books as suggested. No polarizer lens yet as adds a level of skill I know I am not ready for.


I plan to just use the 24-105 until I learn the basic/advanced7D functions andfeatures before I move on. Once I feel comfortable and getting some decent shots, will I change lenses. I am jumping in with both feet but don't want to drown myself.


I did want the EX2 II extender but from what I read most were not that impressed as they were with the EX1.4 II. Choices I saw were. wait for the reviiews of the new EX2III version and then decide or buy now at a reduced price a 1.4 that performed much better than the current 2.0 and the 1.4AF was also better. Both new versions sre supposed to have improvement in this. I bought the 1.4 now and will see in spring what the reviews say andthan buy a EX2 ?


2 more sleeps


Homer