HELP need your advice with lens selection for a CANON EOS 1DS MARK III.

[GSPhoto]

I have a 16-35, 24-105L and 70-200 f/2.8 just got this one. I can shoot almost anything. If you have that kind money though I would buy 200 prime f/2.0 and every 100mm step above that to 800mm and there ya go. If it is on this planet you can shoot it. That is way too much to take on but hey if your up for the challange. Other wise i would take Eric's advice and get the 24-105 to see what you like to shoot. Wish I had your kind of money.

[Guy]

Thanks everyone for your help and advice. I think I got it figured out just shoping around now and figured for sure I would go to some of the local stores this whole on line thing is to scarry to deal with.

[peety3]

How many cameras are you going to have? If you have enough to not get caught with the wrong lenses ready, the 14/2.8, 35/1.4, 85/1.2, 200/2, 400/2.8, and 600/4 should work very, very well. However, you're looking at perhaps $22k in glass, and that'd be after $24-32k in cameras. To begin, you probably want zooms until you have enough bodies to live on primes.


I have a 1D3 and a Rebel XTi. If my girlfriend isn't shooting, I also have a 40D available to me. Two bodies isn't enough for me (and the XTi is so incomparable to the 1D3 that I have to choose my lenses very carefully for each shoot; even the 40D requires careful pre-planning). On sailing trips, we use 1D3/16-35 (usually aperture-priority to f/11 for waterscape shots), XTI/24-105 (Program, for candids on the boat), and 40D/70-200 (Av to f/2.8 for singular-theme shots). This covers us, leaving the 50/1.8 and EF-S 18-55 in the bag as spares. When we go on shore for dinner, I'll often switch to 1D3/16-35 and 40D/24-105 so at least the stuff hanging off my shoulders is black. I'm tempted to rent the 400/4 for our next trip, but I'll have to see how the economy is doing. Perhaps this gives you a better idea of lens choices, etc.

[SupraSonic]

17-40 L F4 it's wide enough but have stra cash go for 16-35 MKII.I use 17-40 L F4 and 20mm USM F2.8 for my 1Ds MKIII and 1D MKII i will use 135 L

[Colin]

I'll second the notion of get a basic zoom lens, 24-105 or 24-70, learn to use it, discover it's limitations in the context of what you find yourself wanting to accomplish, and then purchase the lenses that serve to better the purpose where the lenses that you have lack.


If you just dump a bunch of money into EVERYTHING, it'll be difficult to focus and really grow into what the equipment can do, and you'll just be a dude with a lot of gear who gets frustrated when the gear doesn't cooperate with what you think it should accomplish.


Now, if you want to turn the thread into a.... "What Canon lenses would you have if budget were no concern....", well, I think a lot of us would like to daydream

[SupraSonic]

I use EF 17-40 F4 L. EF 20 USM 2.8 .... bare in mind this camera is not good for fast action.... that is why they modelled it 1Ds "s" means studio.[]

[Jon Ruyle]

WRT suggestions that you consider a less expensive body, I have this to add. Camera bodies are a little like computers. You are paying to use the thing for a few years, since in a few years something better will be out. So if you're prepared to spend $8000 on a body every few years, by all means, go for it: the 1DsIII is a great camera if price is no object. But don't think of it as an investment to last for decades. (Not that the camera won't last- it's built like a tank... but my guess is, in a few years a $2000-3000 camera will be superior).


Now to lenses. They hold value better. I agree with others who say that you need to know what you'll be shooting.


That said, for portraits I would start with the 70-200 f/2.8 IS. If I found myself taking lots of portraits, I might later find that I wanted one or more of 85mm f/1.2, 135mm f/2, and 200mm f/2. (Which, personally, I do... all of them ) You would know which (if any) you want after using the 70-200 for a while.


For macro I would start with the 100mm f/2.8 macro. If I found myself taking lots of macro pictures but wishing for more reach, I would add the 180mm macro. If I found myself maxing out the magnification and adding extension tubes and never getting enough (which personally, I have ) I would think about adding the 65mm mp-e


I'd get a 16-35 f/2.8 or 17-40 f/4 for landscapes. If I found myself taking lots of pictures at the wide end (which personally, I don't), I would later add a 14mm prime.


If I wanted to take pictures of birds or do other long range nature photography, I would get a 100-400 zoom. After using this lens for a while, I might find I wanted a faster lens (300 or 400mm f/2.8) or a longer one (eg 600mm f/4 or 800mm f/5.6).


Why, with all of that, I might almost be happy.


That is, until the 1Ds Mark IV comes out. []