Purchasing 7D - please help with lenses!!!!

[HDNitehawk]

[QUOTE=weewillo;60625]

Anyway, I'm heading over to Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia at the end of January and I'm wondering what the best lenses would be, not only for this trip, but in the future if I wanted to photograph landscapes , buildings etc, and I would really love to get into nighttime photography of buildings and lights (eg like the hotels in Vegas)!


Regardless of price - what are my best options?
[QUOTE]

For what you are wanting to do, and taking in to account "Regardless of price - what are my best options?" I would say go with a 5D II instead of the 7D. The TSE 24mm lens Neuro recommended, and get a good tripod. The lens, camera and tripod are going to cost you just short of 5 grand. If I were going to vietnam, thailand and cambodia I think a 70-200F 2.8L II would be in order to. That would add another 2 grand, plus if you wanted some shorter lenses you could either use a few good primes or something like the 24-70mm F2.8L (I am not a big fan of that lens but it really is one of the few options in the range). The 5D II is just better at landscapes and night work.

Now if price matters: I think everyone has given you good advice so far for getting set up with the 7D and it will be about half the price of the 5D II. Do keep in mind if you ever want to migrate to a full frame body the EF-S lenses wont work on full frame. Lenses do hold there value, but you will loose some off retail. If you build your kit off EF-S lenses and you decide you want a 5D II, it really puts you back at square one.

Some advice, buy your body to go with your lenses. What I mean by this is that your lenses will last for years and years. If you go for the 7D, the body will be replaced in a year or two, then it's replacement will last a few years and be replaced. Camera bodies are like computers any more, they loose there value faster than lenses and new technology renders them yesterdays news.

Good Luck
Rick

[Busted Knuckles]

Great price, great deal, had a much longer post that I have edited down since I saw that you had made the purchase

FYI I just got back from a trip and have several "almost perfect" but aren't..... I am so annoyed with myself for not taking that extra few moments to get it exactly right - relearning a lesson from long ago - as I am not going to be going back to retake those shots. Ergo my advice to you - are you ever likley to go back and take those "almost perfect" shots over again?

Have a great time and post pics