Lens for 5D2 or 1D3?

phototrek · Apr 17, 2009

I am thinking of buying a 5D2 or 1D3 and I already have the following len's: 20/f2.8, 24-70/f2.8L, 70-200/f2.8L and the 100-400/L. Are these len's good enough or do I need to buy additional glass? What about prime glass for the 5D2? I do mostly landscape and some wildlife photos.

Overread · Apr 17, 2009

Well the 5DM2 is a full frame camera - and all those lenses you list are EF lenses so they will work perfectly well on the fullframe camera - heck three of them are L rated glass and you don't get any better than that in the Canon line.
For landscape work you should be fine I would think - though you might look for a slightly wider lens if you want - I will let landscapers suggest options.
For wildilfe your going to notice the wider angle of view that fullframe sees and captures in your work - that 100-400mm won't feel so long as it does on a crop sensor camera body. With a camera like the 5DM2 you do have a lot of cropping capacity so you can crop your shots down - but you might also consider some longer glass - as well as some equaly long prime glass (to improve your results for cropping down). This area can get very expensive very very quickly - cheaper prime options would be the Canon 300mm f4 IS and the 400mm f5.6 and of the two (on fullframe) I would go for the 400mm even though it does not have IS.
If you want to go more serious with things there are lenses like the Canon 300mm f2.8 IS and the Canon 400mm f2.8 IS (getting heavy now as well). And beyond that there are 500, 600 and 800mm options - all very costly - all very very good - all rather heavy too (though the 800mm is the newest and is lighter than the 600mm)

JustAnEngineer · Apr 17, 2009

Have you tried any macro photography?

Montana · Apr 17, 2009

The lenses you have are great. What focal length do you feel you are lacking? What current camera are you using?

Sw1tchFX · Apr 17, 2009

I think you're fine. You'll know if you need anything after you get the camera.

Blank · Apr 17, 2009

I must have stared at this question for 15 minutes thinking of how to answer it. The link I have pasted here is one I use all the time. It is by far the best resource for Canon equipment I have found.

Canon Digital SLR Camera and Lens Reviews at The-Digital-Picture.com

Preferred lens' for landscape are wide angle, wildlife is anywhere from macro to 800mm.

phototrek · Apr 19, 2009

Thanks for all who replied. I am trying to see if the glass I have now will give me sharp pictures especially with the 5D2. I heard that this camera needs the best glass like primes.

anubis404 · Apr 20, 2009

phototrek said:
Thanks for all who replied. I am trying to see if the glass I have now will give me sharp pictures especially with the 5D2. I heard that this camera needs the best glass like primes.

Any L glass will give you excellent results on a full frame body. The gap between primes and zooms is quickly closing.

soylentgreen · Apr 22, 2009

I do not recommend the 100-400 for the 20+ MP cameras. There are a lot of gripes about the edge resolution of this lens on the higher resolution cameras. not a problem if you crop, but nagging. I borrowed one recently for some tests and was not convinced by the 100-400's quality for the newer sensors. It just appeared soft to me, and is slow. Probably why I have not purchased one. There is some rumblings about Canon updating much of their lens line-up and the 100-400 being one of them. It being one of the older L's with a first generation IS to boot. I will hold my breathe for a 100-400 f/4L IS and 24-70 f/2.8L IS!!!

Overread · Apr 22, 2009

the 100-400mm update has been in the rumour mill so long its not funny anymore. I guess Canon don't really want to risk ending up like sigma - with several superzooms having quality control issues pulling down the overall image of the company quality.

howieh · Apr 22, 2009

read Ken Rockwell's Your Camera Doesn't Matter
I think for you, you already have a very decent line of lenses (all L series?..common man) and I think you are set for pretty much every thing.
Just my two pennies.

table1349 · Apr 22, 2009

howieh said:
read Ken Rockwell's Your Camera Doesn't Matter

Why? Well unless you like fantasy.

The 16-35mm f2.8LII is an outstanding lens in a range you do not have covered.

elemental · Apr 22, 2009

howieh said:
read Ken Rockwell's Your Camera Doesn't Matter
I think for you, you already have a very decent line of lenses (all L series?..common man) and I think you are set for pretty much every thing.
Just my two pennies.

In which Ken presents proof that a correctly exposed image from a cheap camera beats an overexposed image from a nice one at 2"x3' on a computer monitor.

That man is an inspiration to all of us.