Help me spend my money...

bluelittlekitty · Jul 31, 2014

Hi all,

I was given a third-hand canon 300D with the 18-55 kit lens last year as my first DSLR. I've since purchased the 50mm f/1.8 which I love by comparison and now never touch the 18-55. I am new to, but passionate (my partner would say obsessive) about photography and have received a lot of positive feedback about my images. I've decided that I want to invest in myself - both to increase my own enjoyment/satisfaction but also with a view to becoming a professional specialising in family photo shoots, newborns and, eventually, weddings. I've been saving like crazy and have around $4000 - $4500 to spend. I'm now confused as to what to buy. I'm happy to buy 2nd hand where I can. I'm thinking I'll purchase the 6D (although 2nd hand mark IIs are cheaper) - I've also had it suggested to maybe purchase the 7d to save some cash that can be invested in lenses and invest in a full frame later. Then there's the lens. Currently I am mostly shooting my young kids (1,4 & 6), but I also shoot bands and nature. I would say that using the 50mm (on my 300D) has made me work hard on my composition, but I have often felt frustrated at missing the shot - either indoors/at concerts where I couldn't get wide enough or outdoors/from my seat where I didn't have enough reach. I'm drawn to the 70-200mm f/2.8 II to give me that extra for capturing little moments with my kids as well as birds/bats etc in the trees and musos on stage, but have frequently read or been told that the 24-70 would be a better first L lens. I've also had it suggested that the 85/1.2 would be better to start with as I'm going into portraiture, but I do have the 50 and since it shoots like an 85 on the crop body it seems a bit unexciting to still have the same focal length as I've been using all this time. I'm really confused. I'm not ready to set up a business yet and I'm still really green, but I want equipment that will go the distance for me. What do you think? What camera/lens combo should I buy?

Designer · Jul 31, 2014

Welcome, and good luck!

sscarmack · Jul 31, 2014

Welcome! I didn't read it all, try splitting up the sentences into paragraphs. Makes it a little easier to read. Its too early for me

D-B-J · Jul 31, 2014

I don't shoot canon, so I don't have specific recommendations for lenses/gear. But I can say buy used (from a reputable dealer), and you will save a ton. Best of luck!

Jake

tirediron · Jul 31, 2014

If you don't know what to buy, I generally recommend buying nothing as purchases made for the sake of making purchases seldom prove satisfactory. That said, if you were going to buy a lens, based on what you have now and your subjects, the 70-200 would be my suggestion. You have the 18-55 range covered, and you have a fast prime at 50mm, so while it might not have a red stripe on the barrel, it does do the job. If the 24-70 is anything like Nikon's, it is a fantastic piece of glass, but it doesn't give you the reach you seem to need/want. I would forget the 85 1.2; unless you need the 1.2 (very few IMO do), then save a LOT of money and buy either a 1.8 or a 1.4. There's a huge price step to get less than 1/3 of a stop from 1.4 to 1.2, and IMO, it's far of a status symbol than anything truly useful. I would like to emphasize the point Jake made. Save money, buy used. Most of my gear has been purchased used, and it has save me many, many thousands of dollars over the years.

Big Mike · Jul 31, 2014

Welcome to the forum.

As Tirediron mentioned, don't rush to make a big purchase until you really know why you are buying a specific camera or lens.
Sure, full frame is 'better' for many things, but it's certainly not a necessity. I'm sure you could easily get by for several years (or maybe forever) with a good crop sensor camera. But what you should probably avoid, if you can, is the mistake that I made. I shot with crop cameras for many years and built up a nice set of lenses, several of which were made only to be used on crop cameras. Then when I finally did upgrade to full frame, I had to sell many of my lenses and replace them with full frame compatible lenses.

A compromise might be to get a crop camera but avoid buying EF-S lenses (stick with EF).
But if you know that you will end up with a full frame camera, then it may make sense to bite the bullet and buy one up front and start building your lens kit to suit full frame.

The 7D, while a nice camera, is more suited to sports/action shooting, than say a 5D or 6D...and while the price may be low right now, it has recently become discontinued because the replacement is rumoured to be coming out this fall.

I do agree that a 70-200mm F2.8 L IS, would be a wonderful choice. That is, by far, my most used lens for personal stuff as well as weddings & portraits etc. The downside is that it's a huge beast of a lens, so make sure you see for yourself how it feels, before buying one.

I've also had it suggested that the 85/1.2 would be better to start with as I'm going into portraiture

That is a really, really expensive lens. And while I've seen plenty of great images from it, it's almost a specialty lens for people who want to shoot with really, really shallow DOF. For less than 1/4 the price, the 85mm F1.8 is a great value.

If you stick around here, I'm sure you'll be able to pick up a better idea of what you may want or need most. And of course, practising yourself is going to be the best way to learn that type of thing.

bluelittlekitty · Jul 31, 2014

"But if you know that you will end up with a full frame camera, then it may make sense to bite the bullet and buy one up front and start building your lens kit to suit full frame." (sorry couldn't work out how to do the quote thing)

I guess that's the thing. My goal is to spend the next 12 months learning everything I can. I desperately need to upgrade what I have and I'd rather upgrade to what I will eventually need rather than waste a lot of money buying and then selling something else. The 70-200 is big and heavy... I guess that's why I keep being told to start smaller. Whatever lens I buy, it's probably going to be all I have for the next 12 months, so I need to get it right and the only lenses I have experience with are the 50 and the 18-55(which I will no longer use on a full frame).

pgriz · Jul 31, 2014

I don't get the "desperately need to upgrade" part. When your current stuff doesn't get you the images you think you'd get.... "most of the time" is user error or lack of knowlwdge. Eventually (and that's more than a week), once you work at eliminating the user error, you'll get to the place where better equipment would have gotten a better result. THAT's when you decide to upgrade. Even then, it helps to know what exactly is holding you back. Is it the sensor's low-noise capabilities? is it the primitive AF capability? Is it the crappy bokeh with the 5-blade kit lens? Is it the fact that your best "fast" lens is working at effectively f/8? When you get to the point that something "specific" is holding you back, then you have a legitimate reason to upgrade. Otherwise, it's mistaking "want" for "need".

gossamer88 · Aug 1, 2014

Don't want to repeat myself, so here's what I wrote about going FF.

I did ended up getting a great deal at B&H. I went with the kit lens (24-105mm f/4 L) and they threw a few accessories (SD card, monopod, bag and an extra battery). Got it for $2249. With the current $200 rebate offer it came out to $2049!