First time SLR buyer - Canon + Lenses?

[PhotoDudeMS]

After looking at it again, it isn't quite as tall as I remembered. Just the leg extensions make it at 5 feet. Add the height of a camera onto that and it should come to about 5'3". You could look into something shorter, though I would recommend that you avoid "light-weight" tripods. As good as that sounds, with a SLR camera you need the stability of a heavier tripod, especially with longer and/or faster lenses. Remember, Vibration Compensation, or Image Stabilization are only equivalent to a shutter speed 3 stops faster.

If you hike or do a lot of walking and want to carry a tripod with you without the weight, I would recommend a monopod which can double as a walking stick (good sporting goods stores like Cabela's have these), or a shoulder mount. Shoulder mounts generally range in price from $50-$200 US and are shaped like a gun stock with a camera mount on the end.

All of the prices above are in US Dollars. Nothing against Canada...Just a habit.

 

[K8-90]

You could look into something shorter, though I would recommend that you avoid "light-weight" tripods. ... If you hike or do a lot of walking and want to carry a tripod with you without the weight, I would recommend a monopod which can double as a walking stick (good sporting goods stores like Cabela's have these), or a shoulder mount. Shoulder mounts generally range in price from $50-$200 US and are shaped like a gun stock with a camera mount on the end.

All of the prices above are in US Dollars. Nothing against Canada...Just a habit.

OK, thanks! Weight shouldn't be an issue... Unless they're really beastly, lol. I think I'd prefer a tripod to a monopod. I'm looking to eliminate any shake I could cause - same goes for the shoulder mount. But thanks for the idea!

Haha, no problem about the American prices, I pretty much take it for granted that they'll be USD.

 

[PhotoDudeMS]

I make the comment about weight, because a friend of mine who is a professional wildlife photographer, lugs a 24 pound monster everywhere. The Tiltall is 8 pounds, but can still get heavy. Think about having a gallon of milk hanging from your shoulder.

The general idea behind the shoulder mount is to be able to move the camera quickly for action shots and the like.

 

[K8-90]

I make the comment about weight, because a friend of mine who is a professional wildlife photographer, lugs a 24 pound monster everywhere. The Tiltall is 8 pounds, but can still get heavy. Think about having a gallon of milk hanging from your shoulder.

The general idea behind the shoulder mount is to be able to move the camera quickly for action shots and the like.

OK, so a 24lber would be beastly in my books! I just weighed my school bag to get an idea of it, and it is 27lbs, holding just the basics. I'm pretty used to it, I carry it for hours, walk to school, etc. But i also have one shoulder about 2 inches lower now, lol! I would not want to have a tripod that heavy, though! But I should be fine with aomething arround 10lbs. Thanks for the consideration, though. I never considered weight a factor!

I was looking at it on adorama, and I couldn't tell if it had a quick release...?

Yeah, the should-mount sounds good, but I don't think that's what I need at this point. My budget is already stretched, and I think a tripod is a 'necessity'. But I'll kee it in mind, for later shopping splurges

 

[K8-90]

I got the 70-300 IS a few months ago. It is not as well-constructed as my other two lenses (17-55 2.8 IS and 100 2.8 macro). It also focuses a bit more slowly and noisily than those two, and it's not as sharp. However, at $540, it was a lot less expensive than the $1700 70-200 2.8 IS and a $280 1.4x teleconverter.

images

Sorry, I must have missed your post earlier!
Thanks for all the example images, you've got some nice ones there! You're right though, they are not quite sharp... Were they all hand-held? How is it throughout the rest of the range (all those posted were 300mm)? Would you say it is worth buying?

 

[JustAnEngineer]

Yes, all of the shots were hand-held, even at relatively long exposures. Image stabilization works great in that regard. It doesn't stop a moving animal from looking like a blur, though.

I noticed that I have rarely used the 70-300 zoom at less than 300mm. Perhaps if I were patient enough to wait for the small critters to be closer, I wouldn't be zooming in so much, but I doubt it.

 

[PhotoDudeMS]

It does not have a quick release, but I see that as a goody. My old tripod a a QR and it tended to pop out at the slightest provocation. I dropped $900 worth of gear multiple times because of the QR. When you think about it it really doesn't take that long to simply tighten a thumbscrew, so I find the lack of a QR not to be a big deal.

Another gimmick that might seem tempting for your next vacation is the tripod mount on top of a water or soda bottle. It looks like a bottle cap with a tripod screw sticking out of it. AVOID THIS!
Unless you just want to use it for a point-and-shoot, the mount is much too top heavy to be worth the space it takes up in your bag. It is impossible, even with a P-&-S to leave it mounted and unattended, say for a self portrait. It will fall over at the slightest provocation.

If you want something small, consider a stiff-legged tabletop tripod. I have one that extends to about 15". It's great for taking shots from a really low perspective, or for the aforementioned self portrait.

If I overload you with information let me know. I like to be helpful without being annoying.

 

[K8-90]

Thanks both!

PhotoDudeMS, no where near annoying! I really appreciate you giving me so much honest opinion, especially on one if those repetative 'what should I buy' beginner posts. I can't get that anywhere else

Back to tripods... I think I need to go try them out in person. I dont remember seeing/noticing the thumbscrew before, and I'd like to try mounting a camera and seeing how easy/fast it is to remove it.

 

[PhotoDudeMS]

For me, it takes about 20 seconds. That with a little practice, though. You can't mount and un-mount for one shot after another. Take all the shots you can on the Tripod, and then take some off the tripod.