D200 or XTI & Best Lens

ccdan · Mar 4, 2009

Hello Everyone!

Need you all's opinion on both a new camera for our shop as well as the best lens for our needs (within reason). What I usally shoot (taken with our Digital Rebel & Standard Lens) http://www.ccwheel.com/files/img/wheel%20profiles/display/wheels/T10/photo_1000x1000.jpg

Our currents setup is an Original Canon Digital Rebel EOS (5megpix) with a standard 18-55mm lens. I've seen lots of photos taken with the Canon D200 and love the color depth they seem to capture. Not sure what lenses are being used with the D200 so I'm not sure if it's the camera or lens thats making the differance. Since I've used our old Rebel for so long I know it like the back of my hand and I'm hesitent to change brands as I've shot using the new Canon Digital Rebel XTi. Basicly the same functions as the orignal we have so I know how to use everything just the picture quality and size is larger. Anyone have any thoughts on weather one is better than the other or if it doesn't matter as much as a good lens?

This round I'd also like to purchase just the body and find a lens that's best for us and get a better quality lens. Right now on the standard 18-55mm Canon lens i usally max our when shooting our wheels. I've heard the shorter the range of the lens the better quality. Weither that is true I don't know. If it is I'd like a lens that would get me 35-45mm (min) to about 75-100mm (max) as that would be best used range for the things I shoot. Based off that does anyone have recomendations for a good lens (something not stupid expensive but not cheap)?

Thanks,
Dan

bigtwinky · Mar 4, 2009

You have to put a dollar amount to “not stupid expensive but not cheap”. Your stupid expensive can be $2000, but you are willing to put $1000. Or it might be that $1000 is too expensive and your budget only has room for $500.

I've heard the shorter the range of the lens the better quality. Weither that is true I don't know

What I think you are referring to is having an 18-200 lens and people commenting that the image is not as sharp due to the vast focal range…jack of all trades master of none type of thing. While a prime lens (lens with only 1 focal range), the quality is usually higher.

There are amazing lenses that are 24-70, 70-200, 17-50… basically, Canon lenses with an L designation (or a red ring around it) are their high end / professional lenses that give superb quality… at a high price.

As you are doing product photography, I’m thinking having a constant aperture of 2.8 through the focal range is not essential as you are in a light studio setting, not a low light situation.

So something like a 24-105L lens, with a constant aperture of f4.0 might be what you are looking for. It sells for approx $1100 USD.

If that’s too expensive, you can look at some third party lenses that have a really good rating, such as the Sigma 24-70mm or the Tamron 28-75mm, both around the $500 mark. Image quality is not as high as the Canon 24-70mm, but its half the price.

Dao · Mar 4, 2009

If the end result is for web viewing only or even product catalogue, I think your current equipment did a good job already.

What is the limitation you encounter that you think you need a new camera or the lens?

ccdan · Mar 4, 2009

Dao said:
If the end result is for web viewing only or even product catalogue, I think your current equipment did a good job already.

What is the limitation you encounter that you think you need a new camera or the lens?

As far as product photography not a whole lot. Takes 20-35 min of editing on each photo to get where I want. Seems like alot of tweeking takes place in the color depth/contrast area. Outside taking shots of cars whatever settings I use in whatever mode the color just aren't rich and deep. Again not sure if it's the lens or camera.

Here is an outside car shot that took me about 30min of editing to do. Looks great now but took me awhile of color tweeking using copys of layers cutting out certain peices to tweak colors, etc to get what I wanted. Basicly what I was seeing in person the camera won't deliver; luckly I know how to get it back using photoshop as long as lighting is right and the photo is clear. http://www.ccwheel.com/files/gallery/CHEVROLET/CORVETTE/C6/T10/zoomed/01.jpg

JustAnEngineer · Mar 4, 2009

I don't know about the original Digital Rebel, but the newer cameras make it easy to select a custom color profile directly in the camera, or you can do it systematically when you pull the RAW files into DPP or similar software.

Would you consider the Rebel XSi?

There are some good prime lenses available in the range of focal lengths that interests you.