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Thread: Buying 7D - My shopping list Opinions/Criticisms please

  1. #1
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    Buying 7D - My shopping list Opinions/Criticisms please



    This will be my first DSLR.I live on the West coast(wet coast)of BC so my choices are related to my weather. It is cloudy, dark and wet most of the fall and winter. I do require great weather sealing as will be shooting in the forest, storms and outdoor events. Main use will beabout 20%landscapes, 30%nature and wildlife, 20% sports, 10% macro, 10% video and 10% protraits. My budgetincluding the 7D body is around $7500CAN and will be buying everything from Henry's in Vancouver. I do not plan on going full frame and will leave these to the pros. I will be buying inDecember and hopefully prices are a bitlower than now. Currently I am in information overload reading thousand of reviews etc.


    Here is my list. Thank you all in advance for your responces


    Canon EF-S 10-22MM 3.5-4.5 USM
    Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
    Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
    Canon Extender EX 2x III
    Canon EF 50MM/1.4 AF USM



    Filters

    B+W77MM UV XS-Pro MRC Filter
    B+W77MM CIRCULAR POLARIZER FILTER

    CF Card

    SANDISK8GB EXTREME CF CARD 60MB/S 400X

    Flash

    Canon SPEEDLITE 580EX II FLASH

  2. #2
    Senior Member thekingb's Avatar
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    Re: Buying 7D - My shopping list Opinions/Criticisms please



    I envy your budget []


    3 reactions:


    1. The 24-105 makes sense only if you are really going to subject the lens to the elements. Otherwise the EF-S 17-55 (or even one of its less expensive competitors), despite the shorter range, is worth considering for the extra stop.


    2. If you expect to use the prime in low light situations with ample space, consider the EF 85 f/1.8 instead of the EF 50 f/1.4. The AF is more reliable on the 85, and the 50 is essentially unusable at 1.4 anyway, while the 85 is very usable at 1.8.


    3. I suspect the 2x extender is just gravy -- something you plan to use every once in a while. If so, great. But if you plan to use the extender with the 70-200 most of the time, get the 100-400 instead.

  3. #3
    Super Moderator Kayaker72's Avatar
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    Re: Buying 7D - My shopping list Opinions/Criticisms please



    I have the 7D and it is a great camera. If the weatherproofing is that important to you, I would evaluate the EFS 10-22, as it is not weather sealed. But I can see why you may be willing to make that compromise. One thought for your wide anglelens would be the 17-40L, which is weather sealed. I know the 7 mm doesn't seem like much, but it actually results in 18 more degrees FOV (58.4 at 24 mm to 76.6 degrees at 17 mm). Of course, going out to 10 mm gives you 48 degrees more (all the way out to 106.6 degrees).


    Also, as others have noted to me:
    • 200 mm isn't very long, especially for "wildlife" photography.Think about what wildlife you will be photographing. Is it large (elk)or small (humming bird)?Willit be close or far?
    • The results for the 2x III aren't in yet, but there are plenty of concerns over the 2x II and it's impact on IQ.



    As thekingb noted, you may want the 100-400L (not weather sealed) or the new 70-300L (weather sealed).If I am adding the numbers up correctly, the following would be very close, andmaybe a little less,in terms of your original "lens" budget:
    • EF 17-40 L (wide angle-weather sealed)
    • EF 24-105 L (weather sealed)
    • EF 85 f/1.8 (portrait lens)
    • EF 70-300L (weather sealed)---new lens, I'd recommend waiting for reviews or 100-400L (not weather sealed)
    • EF 50 f/1.4 (per your post)



    But I've only heard good things about all the lenses on your list and will let others that own them comment more.


    Good luck,


    Brant

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    Re: Buying 7D - My shopping list Opinions/Criticisms please



    Quote Originally Posted by thekingb
    If you expect to use the prime in low light situations with ample space, consider the EF 85 f/1.8 instead of the EF 50 f/1.4. The AF is more reliable on the 85, and the 50 is essentially unusable at 1.4 anyway

    Unusable might be a little strong. I've gotten plenty of pictures with the 50mm f/1.4 wide open that are satisfactory to me. I own both the 50 1.4 and the 85 1.8, and if I had to keep only one, it would be the 50, especially on a crop body. Keep in mind also that the 50 is much more hand-holdable than the 85.



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    Re: Buying 7D - My shopping list Opinions/Criticisms please



    That sounds like a great kit to me, and it seems really well thought out.


    Other things to consider would be:


    UV Filter for all of your lenses.


    Extra Canon Battery.


    I also highly recommend the 1.4X extender, as it has better IQ, faster AF, and better sharpness than the 2X extender. The 2x is also good to have when you need it though.


    I don't think One 8GB is enough.., if you're shooting in raw, you will blow right through that. Two 16GB cards is more like it. Did you say Video.., then I say 32GB card. Buy as much storage space as you can afford.


    You'll have to ask the others what's better for Video; the 50/1.4 or the 85/1.8 But, personally I think I would rather have the 85/1.8 for portraits and faster AF for indoor sports.


    Think of some Camera Bags and Backpacks too.


    Nothing like a good Tripod with a remote wired switch and/or Monopod too. I'm just sayin..!


    Rich

  6. #6
    Senior Member neuroanatomist's Avatar
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    Re: Buying 7D - My shopping list Opinions/Criticisms please



    I'll second Rich's comments - if you're thinking UV filters for protection (there's no other purpose for them for dSLR lenses), you'll want one on each lens rather than swapping them.


    I'd definitely wait for the 2x III review and tests with the 70-200 II before getting that - the 2x II has a significant negative impact on IQ.


    Get a tripod. Not a cheap one. IMO, Manfrotto offers the best budget/quality compromise.


    One 8 GB card will hold about 300 RAW images. If you say 'that's a lot of pictures' you may find you're wrong if you hold the shutter button for a few 8 fps bursts. Get two at least. If nothing else, you can then follow a prudent workflow and keep the images on a card even after you've transferred them to the computer, formatting the card only after the images have been processed and backed up to at least one external drive.


    Quote Originally Posted by Homer
    Main use will beabout 20%landscapes, 30%nature and wildlife, 20% sports, 10% macro, 10% video and 10% portraits.

    That's 'a little bit of everything' - and you've got a nice collection of lenses selected. I will point out that the 'majority' (at least, the largest %) you list as nature/wildlife - for that, the 70-200mm will likely not be long enough, and you'd be better off with the 100-400mm. Don't plan on using even the 2x III with the 70-200 as a full-time solution, at least until testing shows the IQ is equivalent (and I wouldn't count on that by any means!).


    For tight portraits, I'd say 85mm f/1.8 over 50mm f/1.4 - IQ is better with the 85/1.8, build quality is better too.


    I should point out that you have no macro lens on your list. Don't be fooled by the 'macro' printed on the barrel of the 24-105mm...if you really mean 'close-up' (flowers, etc.) it will be ok, but then again, the difference between the 70-200 II + 2x III and the 100-400 would pretty much pay for the 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS.


    FWIW, I also shoot'a little bit of everything' (although not really video or sports, with more nature and portraits instead), and my most-used lenses are the 100-400 and 17-55, followed by the 24-105 and 85/1.2L. My 70-200 II delivers great results when I do use it, but IMO the focal length is more suited to FF use (on 1.6x too long indoors, too short for birds/wildlife). However, for that 20% sports it would be a great choice (unless they are indoor sports, in which case the 85/1.8 would probably be better).


    Good luck with your decisions!


    --John

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    Re: Buying 7D - My shopping list Opinions/Criticisms please



    Also, be aware that the UV filters are necessary to complete the weather sealing of the lenses.


    Furthermore, as Brant stated be aware that the 10-22mm and 100-400mm are not weather sealed. John and I were discussing this a couple of weeks ago; the 100-400mm is sharper from 200-400mm over the 70-200mm when it is used with the 2x extender, and the 70-200mm is sharper from 100-200mm and is especially sharper from 70-100mm.


    Rich

  8. #8
    Senior Member thekingb's Avatar
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    Re: Buying 7D - My shopping list Opinions/Criticisms please



    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Lane


    You'll have to ask the others what's better for Video; the 50/1.4 or the 85/1.8 But, personally I think I would rather have the 85/1.8 for portraits and faster AF for indoor sports.



    I have used both the 50 and 85 for video. Both are nice, but the 85 produces better IQ at the wide open apertures. Of course, if 85 is too long for your video needs, then it makes no sense.


    If you haven't shot video on a DSLR yet, it takes some getting used to. I shoot indoor school events with the 85 on a 7D all the time (I'm a teacher who doubles as the school photog). A tripod is essential if you don't want to get seasick when you watch your movies back. And it helps if you are shooting something without much movement. Changes in subject distance require you to change the focus (particularly at wide open apertures), and it's challenging to keep up.


    Have you considered removing the 50 and 10-22 from the list and getting the 35L instead? It's not exactly a wash in terms of $, but I hear nothing but praise for that lens, and it's a better all around focal length on the 7D. I guess it depends on how wide you like to shoot. If you expect to mount the 10-22 (again, as others pointed out, not weather sealed) often, then I understand. Pics at such a wide angle are unique.

  9. #9
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    Re: Buying 7D - My shopping list Opinions/Criticisms please



    Alot of choices, but you don't have to make them all at once. Spread the lens purchase out over a few months so you are continually getting new toys. Its much more fun that way.


    My favorite lens you listed would be the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM.


    Only recomendation I have is that the EX 2x extender might not be the way to go. I have the 2x II and the image degradation on a zoom lens is just not accetable to me. You might be better served by the 1.4x. (provided that when the new 2x III comes out that it doesn't have extremly great improvement)






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    Re: Buying 7D - My shopping list Opinions/Criticisms please



    Hmmm...let
    We're a Canon/Profoto family: five cameras, sixteen lenses, fifteen Profoto lights, too many modifiers.

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