Couple Canon Pre-Purchase Questions

Higgs Boson · Nov 24, 2010

1) I really want a 7D. However, I don't shoot a lot of action, just some. I read a lot that the 7D is great for action due to the AF system, etc and a 5D is great for stills. However, I can't justify a 5D for goofing around like I do but I want something better than a plastic 60D to make upgrading from my Rebel worthwhile. Is the 7D fine for action and stills, too? I would assume so but I want to be sure I'm making the right body decision.

2) Is there a big image quality penalty getting lenses that have a wide zoom range (24-135, for example)? I've really only been studying L series and recently have become interested in primes as well. I see the large zoom range lenses aren't as fast and usually do not have a constant speed. Is there anything else? I'd like a couple nice primes but think it would be nice to have a lens with a wide zoom range to "walk around with." Will I find myself ditching a lens like this and going with a 70-200, 24-70 type of set up? Or how would a 50mm prime and a 70-200 combo work? Also, I am not a pro level photog but I like taking very nice shots and impressing my friends and family. Maybe one day I could sell one but I don't really care. Am I throwing away my money buying L series? Is canon's regular lenses quality suitable for my purposes at $1000's less? If the regular series gives me 90% of L series, I might go that route....

For reference, I am coming off a year with a Rebel XS kit. bottom rung canon. Heck I could get Sony, Nikon, or anything else, I have no accessories, lenses, etc invested. I just like Canon for whatever reason.

Thanks.

MarkF48 · Nov 24, 2010

I just recently went with a Canon 50D as an upgrade from previous X0D cameras. I have previous X0D series cameras, so the batteries and CF cards are compatible with the 50D. I felt the 60D was a downgrade in terms of features that I wanted and the 7D was overkill for the type of shooting I do (no sports or action type stuff) and I didn't care the least about having video in a DSLR. The 50D's are being discontinued and appear to be disappearing from retailers stock.

I'm not sure I like the way Canon went with the 60D as a presumed "replacement" in the X0D series and to get a more semi-pro camera one has to move up to a 7D which is more $$$ than I can justify. They don't have any mid graded cameras such as they have had in the past. Maybe a look at Nikon might be worthwhile.

The 50D I bought came with a 28-135 IS lens. Although I have other lenses, some Canon L series, this isn't a bad lens. I do however have a Sigma 18-200 that doesn't do to well when zoomed out to its maximum. I bought it as a general purpose "do-it-all" lens and for vacations or just tossing it in the car when I don't want to carry much it's OK, but not on par with other lenses I have.
If I were to recommend something to cover most situations, it would be like a 17-50mm f/2.8, 70-200mm f/2.8, and maybe a 50mm f/1.4 prime. Depends on your budget and what type of shooting you want to do.
Also keep in mind that you'll likely keep the lenses longer than a body, so investing in good glass may be more important than spending a lot for a body you may upgrade in a few years.

Photo Enthusiast · Nov 24, 2010

Higgs Boson said:
1) I read a lot that the 7D is great for action due to the AF system, etc and a 5D is great for stills.

Technically, even action shots are stills, but you're probably thinking of portrait, landscape, etc.

I have both the 5DM2 and the 7D. The ONLY two things I like about the 5D is that it is 1.5 to 2.5 stops better with noise at the high ISO range (1600+), and I have more options to shoot wide.

The 7D focusing, drive, features, and all else are superior. And where the 5D works best with wide shots, the 7D works better with telephoto. I have a 10-22mm with the 7D and it's worked great. Doesn't have the 2.8 like the 16-35mm does on the 5D, but definitely a great lens.

Higgs Boson said:
2) Is there a big image quality penalty getting lenses that have a wide zoom range (24-135, for example)? I've really only been studying L series and recently have become interested in primes as well. I see the large zoom range lenses aren't as fast and usually do not have a constant speed. Is there anything else? I'd like a couple nice primes but think it would be nice to have a lens with a wide zoom range to "walk around with." Will I find myself ditching a lens like this and going with a 70-200, 24-70 type of set up? Or how would a 50mm prime and a 70-200 combo work? Also, I am not a pro level photog but I like taking very nice shots and impressing my friends and family. Maybe one day I could sell one but I don't really care. Am I throwing away my money buying L series? Is canon's regular lenses quality suitable for my purposes at $1000's less? If the regular series gives me 90% of L series, I might go that route....

For reference, I am coming off a year with a Rebel XS kit. bottom rung canon. Heck I could get Sony, Nikon, or anything else, I have no accessories, lenses, etc invested. I just like Canon for whatever reason.

Thanks.

The zooms with the longest zoom ranges are inferior in nearly every regard, all things the same. For example, many telephoto zooms are sharper than wide primes. Long zoom ranges get more chromatic aberation, soft in the corners, soft throughout, lack of contrast, distortion, and are slower as you note. This is a great site that shows comparisons between lenses so you can see for yourself. Of course, this is just a tool, and won't serve everyone's needs:
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0 L IS USM Lens ISO 12233 Resolution Chart Results

The rest of your question rests on what type of equipment is best for a hobbyist. I'm a hobbyist, and I ended up buying more L lenses with less range than I had with consumer lenses.

It all comes down to what you shoot, money, and what you're willing to compromise.

If you primarily shoot landscapes or low noise with ambient light is critical then you should get a 5D. If you shoot mid to telephoto, or everything, then get the 7D. The 7D costs less and is likely the camera you will enjoy the most given your price range.

On lenses: You will not find a great walk around lens. You will need to compromise and buy a good walk around lens and forfeit some potential great shots, or you walk around with two heavy lenses to get great shots. Or you buy them all and choose.

The EF-S lenses are a good compromise in my book. Some have great optics (the price is usually a good indication), and some do not. Most do not have *the* best build quality, but sometimes that doesn't matter to some, including myself. Test them if you can. I chose to go with Canon because the focusing was so much faster (USM). Image stabilization can help, too.

Be aware that any EF-S lenses you purchase will not work with anything but the APS-C cameras. The 7D series is as big as you'll get. Not to worry. I had no issues buying the EF-S 10-22mm, it was a great lens, and am selling it for what looks to be a $100 loss after one year.

You can get as wide with the 7D with the 10-22mm, and other EF-S lenses
get that wide range as well. Some of them are very good.

The 70-200mm f/2.8 IS I and II have worked very well on my 7D. Works VERY well for sports, but I don't find myself using it for portraits, as the length is fairly long on a 7D. Most of the L Lens zooms are in an awkward range for the 7D as compared with their use on the 5D or 1D, and awkward compared to the EF-S zoom ranges on the 7D. But, that didn't stop me from using them and working around the issue.

If you're starting out, then I would buy a good mid-range zoom and take it from there. Buy what you are interested in, and sell what doesn't work. Buy used if you want. Do compare lenses, because only until you see your photos excel or flop will you know if you have the equipment you want. For example, I loved my EF-S 17-85mm IS zoom until I took a picture in Philadelpha where the buildings were bent around my subject in a horrifying way. The lens has terrible barrel distortion. I bought a 24-70mm and haven't used it since.

A 50mm is always nice to have, but I found it too much of a telephoto in many cases on a 7D. A 50mm and a 70-200mm is not a good combination in most circumstances, and especially not on a 7D, unless you're only doing sports.

This is what I'd recommend for now:
7D

In order of cost, low to high:
1) EF-S 15-85mm IS or EF-S 18-200mm IS (best range for 7D, good lenses)
2) EF-S 17-55mm IS (good range [wide to partial tele], great lens)
3) EF 24-70mm or 24-105mm IS (okay range [partial wide to tele], best lens)

Once you start here, you'll see you either want to go wide, or more telephoto. Go with the 10-22mm Canon or a Tamron/Sigma for wide, and the best 70-200 L you can afford. The 2.8 IS II is sharper than many primes.

Once you find a range, then start picking up primes. Some primes are lousy, so keep that in mind. A 50mm 1.8 is a good test bed for primes and a cheap trial test. I have a 50mm 1.4 and a 100mm 2.8 macro which are great.

Good luck, and have fun.

Higgs Boson · Nov 24, 2010

Wow, what a post. Thank you!!

Higgs Boson · Nov 30, 2010

Well, after careful consideration, I think I will wait on a body until the 5DM3 comes out if nothing more than so I can see what it has. I'll just focus on glass for now, I've seen some damn good shots with low end Rebels out there....

Big Mike · Nov 30, 2010

A great, very informative answer up there. I don't have much to add, except that I wouldn't be so quick to dismiss the 60D.

I too was disappointed in the direction Canon has decided to take the X0D series with the 60D (making it more like a Rebel) but it does fit well between the 7D and the T2i. I recently had a chance to get some hands on with a 60D, and it's not too bad. It has a good list of nice features and it's a fair bit less expensive than the 7D or 5D.

It won't be the right choice for everybody, and I can't blame anyone for wanting the 7D over the 60D...but don't dismiss the 60D because it's "plastic".
I've yet to see a plastic bodied Rebel, destroyed by an incident that would have been saved by an alloy body.