$1500 budget need advice please

[MLeeK]

Here is some information on lenses to help you understand what you are looking at.
Understanding Camera Lenses

The canon 24-105 f/4L would be an excellent choice for what she is wanting to do, however it's going to push you over your budget. The canon 17-40 f/4L is another option. Not as much reach as the 24-105, but it will cover the wider end that she needs and keep her in a high quality lens. Full retail on that one is running $739. Adding that to the 60D is pushing your budget. BUT!!! Adorama has a Canon refurbished 60D for $699 Refurbished Canon EOS 60D DSLR Camera Body Black, Refurbished 4460B110AA and a used 17-40 for $699 That route would be keeping you in Canon lenses
I would not really step down into the Rebel line only because she sounds as if she may take this further down the line. The rebel line is funky on buttons for changing aperture. THe 60D and higher have a thumb wheel. Much better and easier to use.
Another option to keep you in NEW lenses would be the 60D with the Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 or the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8. Excellent lenses that are definitely big improvements over any kit lens you could order. The added bonus with either of those lenses is the f/2.8. They will allow her to work in lower light than an f/4 lens. She's going to need to add light no matter which way she goes. With purchasing one of the tamron lenses and the refurbished 60D it allows you to also add in a speedlite flash. That would give her an incredibly complete start. The Canon 430EX II is at $254 bringing you in at just under the $1500 mark.

 

[Janthony]

Thanks! That's excellent. I definitely understand a lot more about lenses. It seems like the battle I'm facing is giving her enough reach while keeping her wide enough on the low end. The 17-40 gives her the low, but I worry about the reach if she can't afford another lens right away. The same question with the Tamrons, do you think she's limiting herself too much reach wise, with 17-50? What about the EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens that I posted? Is it not quite the quality I'm after? I was thinking since it's a pretty nice range 15-85, and IS and lower than F4 it would be good. Plus, she be able to get the 15-85 as well as the SPEEDLITE for a small stretch in budget.

Canon's premium wide-to-telephoto zoom for APS-C crop cameras. It has the same field of view coverage as a 24-135mm zoom would have on a full frame camera. It replaced the 17-85IS zoom and has both wider coverage and better optics.


The Canon EF 15-85.3.5-5.6 IS spans the range from a true wideangle at 15mm, suitable for landscapes and shots where you don't have the room to back away from a subject, to a short telephoto suitable for sports, travel and portrait work. The effective IS system means that it's also usable in low light for static subjects like indoor architecture shots.

 

[MLeeK]

The 15-85 is only f/3.5 when used at 15mm. The variable aperture (3.5-5.6) means that as she uses the zoom the aperture narrows from 3.5 to 5.6. At 85 mm the max aperture is much less light. As for quality it's a consumer lens. I have no personal experience with that one. If you are going with a consumer lens it seems as the 18-135 kit would give you the reach you are wanting. The thing with wanting a lens that goes from very wide to telephoto all in one is that you compromise. You lose some low light ability at the tele end and you compromise a bit on the sharpness in order to keep costs down. That's why the fixed aperture and L lenses are so much more $$.

 

[Janthony]

The 15-85 is only f/3.5 when used at 15mm. The variable aperture (3.5-5.6) means that as she uses the zoom the aperture narrows from 3.5 to 5.6. At 85 mm the max aperture is much less light. As for quality it's a consumer lens. I have no personal experience with that one. If you are going with a consumer lens it seems as the 18-135 kit would give you the reach you are wanting. The thing with wanting a lens that goes from very wide to telephoto all in one is that you compromise. You lose some low light ability at the tele end and you compromise a bit on the sharpness in order to keep costs down. That's why the fixed aperture and L lenses are so much more $$.

I see! That makes a lot of sense. Thanks. I think variable aperture was an important aspect I was overlooking.

 

[Janthony]

Alright my friend... I have one last (I think) scenario for you: here goes:

Option 1.

The Canon 60D w/ accessories... $875
USED EF 17-40 F4L from BH, 9+ cond... $679
USED EF 70-300mm F4-5.6 USM IS from BH 9+ cond... $369 (for when she does want something long reach)

Total... 1923

Option 2

The Canon 60D w/ accessories... $875
Used 24-105 F4L USM IS from BH, email for cond.... $869

Total: 1750

 

[MLeeK]

Is there a reason you are avoiding the Canon Refurbished? It is as new and completely re-built at Canon.

I'd avoid the 70-300 it is not a great quality lens by far. When she compares it to the L lens she'll REALLY not like that quality.
I think she'd really like the 17-40 f/4L or the 24-105 f/4L HOWEVER... that 24-105 at $869 and email for condition makes me think you aren't going to want it. It's a $1150 lens and that much of a price drop makes me think it's probably not top condition. As long as the glass and mechanisms are good to go I am pretty OK with a lens that isn't pretty, but...

How about one more option from me and the off brand lenses:
Tamron 70-200 f/2.8 $769 I have one of these. OUTSTANDING quality for the price. SHARP.
Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 $424
The refurb body (it comes with all the accessories) $699
Total: $1892
That would be a kit that will carry her WELL into professional work. I used both of those lenses for professional work until last year when I upgraded the 70-200 for one that can handle sports (faster focus.) I still am using the 17-50 for professional work to this day-rather expensive end professional work.

 

[Janthony]

I think I was just thinking so strongly in terms of lenses that I missed the refurbed camera suggestion - I will certainly look into that.

I emailed for condition: That 24-105 is a factory refurb at $869 with a 90 day warranty

Now, the Tamrons got me thinking...

What would you do, the refurbed 24-105 or the tamron setup?

 

[MLeeK]

I think I was just thinking so strongly in terms of lenses that I missed the refurbed camera suggestion - I will certainly look into that.

I emailed for condition: That 24-105 is a factory refurb at $869.

Now, the Tamrons got me thinking...

What would you do, the refurbed 24-105 or the tamron setup?

That's a tough one. The factory refurb condition is an awesome deal.
I'd probably go with the Tamron route only because it gives a FULL kit that will last from start to ???? Possibly her entire career. Lenses are something you keep forever. I still use both lenses heavily to this day. She'd only need a flash down the line. Whereas with the 24-105 she's probably going to grow and want MORE zoom and she's also eventually really going to want f/2.8.
Also almost all lenses are NOT at their sharpest wide open (at f/4 for the 24-105 or at 2.8 for the others) they need to be stopped down about 2 stops to hit their sharpest point. On an f/4 lens that is f/8. On a f/2.8 lens that is f/5.6. Each full stop that you give up cuts your light in half. F/8 is a big deal when you compare it to 5.6.
The only lenses that are incredibly impressive wide open right now are the $2200 canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM II and the Nikon version of that same lens.


HOWEVER... I forgot to caution you the 17-50 Tamron is a crop only lens. THe 28-75 will work on a full frame if she upgrades to full frame down the road. I can only use my 17-50 on my crop bodies. I can't use it on my 5D mark II. I wish I had purchased the 28-75 when I bought mine-but it's not such a big deal. I just use other lenses with the 5D2. I also like the 28mm range better than the 17 because of the natural distortion you get to. I am forever forgetting and shooting at 17mm and ending up with rounded walls that I have to fix in post. Is it worth me really regretting? NO!

 

[sactown024]

sounds like you already decided on a body, 60D.

The 18-135 is a great lens for a starter, you can get the entire kit for $1200 brand new or even get the 7D and 18-135 brand new for $1700. If she decides that she wants to upgrade later on then she can sell it on ebay for $200. Save yourself the money, she will be thrilled with any of those kits, and its a gift, you dont want to buy a used.

let her decide what lens she needs down the road, only she will be able to decide that. I would get the 60D kit and have some extra cash for the items like extra battery, memory cards, speedlite etc. If you get the kit lens which is a f/3.5-5.6 and a speedlite you will be able to take amazing landscapes and use it indoors as a portrait lens with the speedlite.

 

[jayla]

I just bought direct from canon the following :

ALL REFURBISHED

Canon 60d
Canon 18-135
Canon 70-300
Canon speedlite 270ex

Total cose including tax and shipping $1100!

11/26/12<--- purchase date

 

[Solarflare]

Neither landscape nor portrait needs the fast autofocus of a DSLR.

Best setup for her would probably be the Fuji X-E1 with the 18-55mm f2.8-4 zoom. Also get a polarizing filter for the landscape photography.