Undecided on equipment upgrades

TooShay · Jan 18, 2012

Okay, here's the deal. Next Wednesday I'll have $3500 to spend on photography equipment. My plan was to purchase a 5D Mark II and 24-105 lens or the 24-70. Now I'm thinking maybe I should hold off on the camera body and get some prime lenses and lighting. I know what I WANT, but I'd like to get some outside perspective on what would be best. I know, I know, glass is everything, but I feel less than superior using my current camera body. I keep going back and forth between getting the 5D Mark II and a lens, prime lenses or investing in more lighting/modifiers for my home studio. Either way I definitely need a lens since I sold all of my lenses except my 50mm.

Current equipment: Canon Rebel T3i, 50mm 1.8. I also have an Alienbees B800 and giant soft box.

Background info: I love portrait photography. I do a lot of photography for friends and family to gain experience and I freelance for a local family magazine. Ultimately I'd like to focus on maternity and newborn photography and I'm gradually working on building a small business (forming an LLC, buying liability insurance, researching marketing strategies, setting up my website, etc.) I'd like to get all of my ducks in a row before I actually start charging.

I think, I just need someone to make a decision for me because I'm driving myself insane.

Basically... what would you buy?

Robin Usagani · Jan 18, 2012

I would buy a used 5D classic ($850), used 70-200 f/2.8L IS I ($1400), 35 f/1.4L ($1200)

TooShay · Jan 18, 2012

Wow, I never thought of looking into the 5D. I think you're amazing right now.

Robin Usagani · Jan 18, 2012

You CANT go wrong with used L lenses though. If you get a good deal on one, you can pretty much sell it for the same price later if you change your mind. I would start checking local CL everyday for used L lenses.

o hey tyler · Jan 18, 2012

Schwettylens said:
I would buy a used 5D classic ($850), used 70-200 f/2.8L IS I ($1400), 35 f/1.4L ($1200)

This too is what I would do. Well, I'm part of the way there.

TooShay · Jan 18, 2012

This is an amazing idea! Okay, now I'm excited again. I can get lenses and upgrade my body, and I'm using the rest of my tax return to pay off my car, I'll have an extra $600 a month to put towards lighting and start up business expenses. Sounds good to me!

Big Mike · Jan 18, 2012

I personally wouldn't buy a 5D classic. It's a pretty good camera, but it's old. The 5DmkII is even a old camera these days...and the mkIII (or whatever it will be called) is expected to out sometime this year.

If a used camera is an option for you, why not look for a used 5DmkII? I'm not sure what the going price is, but certainly less than a new one, and it should get even lower once the new model is announced. Although, I will say that the used prices I'm seeing, aren't great. Mostly because many people bought the camera for $2500-$2700 and now want to sell them for $1700-$1900. But the camera (new) has dropped in price, it can often be found for $1999, so getting a new one is worth the extra $200.

Yes, I do agree that good lenses are almost always a good investment. But when it comes to buying a camera, I also think that it's a good idea to buy the best camera that you can afford at the time...then build up your lens collection afterward.

Schwetty up there, is a big fan of fast prime lenses, hence the suggestion for the 35mm F1.4 L. I agree that it's a very nice lens, but it doesn't suit everyone's style (especially at $1200).
A nice combo of good, but less expensive prime lenses would be the 50mm F1.4 and the 85mm F1.8. I think they are around $400 each. The 50mm F1.8 is a nice lens for how inexpensive it is, but it's not a professional lens, IMO.

So if I were in your position, I'd probably get the 5DmkII ($1999 (if you can find that price) is a great price for a camera of this capability). The 24-105mm F4 L is a pretty good lens to go with it...and you can save a good deal by buying it in a kit. I bought a 5DmkII in the fall, and I wish I got the 24-105mm with it. Even if it was just to turn around and sell it, to offset the cost of the camera. But personally, I'd still be leary about buying an F4 lens. I'd like to stick with F2.8 zooms or fast primes.

I'm not sure what else to suggest for the rest of your budget. I would depend on what you want to do most and how you want to define your style.

You might invest in some more equipment for your studio...or just save it until you find something that you need...not just something that you might want right now.

MLeeK · Jan 18, 2012

I am not in love with my 5d2, but for portraits and weddings it's an awesome camera. The 5D classic is an awesome camera for those things as well. I am not sure I'd go that far with the new 5d3 on the horizon, but that is ME and I don't like to go with something too much older like that. Which is probably just plain stupidity. Then again, the 7d with rebate right now is only a couple hundred more than a 5d classic and that'd make more sense to me

I will say that I am in love with my 7D over my 5D2. I have gotten into shooting a lot of sports and that weak focus system in the 5d2 hurts like hell. The fact that the 7D's ISO handling rivals that of my 5D2 AND the amazing focus system has me sold. I also am loving the extra reach I get with the crop factor on the 7D-again sports. I have used it some in portraits and weddings and I am impressed. I was an incredibly hard sell on the 7D until some of the "big boys" in the sports arena pushed me at it and forced me to use it. Once I did I discovered I really love the thing.

If I were in your position I'd consider the 7D and the 24-70. Depending on what you have for a speedlite I'd add the 580EX II in there. Canon has extended it's rebates thru Feb 4th to include that first wave of tax returns. Both the 7D and 5D2 are on there. 5d2 $2169 and 7D $1345. The 24-70 with rebate is $1249; 580EX II is $424. 7d, 24-70 and 580EX II is a total of $3018 which leaves you room for extra batteries for the 7D and CF cards cuz I think yours is SD isn't it?

EchoingWhisper · Jan 18, 2012

No thoughts of jumping ships? :lol:

TooShay · Jan 18, 2012

Dang, I knew it couldn't be that easy.

MLeek - I briefly looked into the 7D and I think it's a great camera, but I've always associated it with "sports photography" whereas the 5Ds are "wedding and portrait photography" bodies. That said, I will never photograph sports. Ever. I'd be the worst sports photographer ever. In life. So anyway, you said you were impressed with the 7D as far as portraits. Would you say that it's comparable to the 5D Mark II?

Speedlite wise, I have two cheapo Yunguo YN-560s that I hate.

TooShay · Jan 18, 2012

Michael - Jumping ship? Do you mean switching brands?

Robin Usagani · Jan 18, 2012

5D classic is awesome. I cant wait to get rid of my 5D II when 5DIII comes out.

mjhoward · Jan 18, 2012

Well you're not heavily invested in Canon... perhaps some of the other manufacturers have something that maybe suits you more? Otherwise, the 5D2 is supposed to be great for portraiture. Their flash system is nothing to be desired, but in a studio environment, you can easily set your strobes manually for full control.

If portraiture is really your thing, you shouldn't have any problems with your T3i. You just need some good glass in front it. Along with that, I'd invest more in lighting AND modifiers. If outdoor portraiture is your thing, then get some reflectors and flash gels, etc. You don't need a high ISO, high MP shooter for portraiture... just good light and good glass.

Robin Usagani · Jan 18, 2012

Oooh.. what do you know.. my favorite shot taken from the last wedding was with a 5Dc!

MLeeK · Jan 18, 2012

TooShay said:
Dang, I knew it couldn't be that easy.

MLeek - I briefly looked into the 7D and I think it's a great camera, but I've always associated it with "sports photography" whereas the 5Ds are "wedding and portrait photography" bodies. That said, I will never photograph sports. Ever. I'd be the worst sports photographer ever. In life. So anyway, you said you were impressed with the 7D as far as portraits. Would you say that it's comparable to the 5D Mark II?

Speedlite wise, I have two cheapo Yunguo YN-560s that I hate.

The 7D is more of an all around camera than just sports. Yes, it handles beautifully for portraits and if you work any low light portrait stuff like this one the focus system is great. I have to be very careful of the outer focus points in my 5d2 for dimly lit anything. If I am careful and I pay attention to it I don't have a problem in portraiture.
As for the quality and handling? You'd be hard pressed to see a difference in the two. I shoot extremely high ISO (max that sucker out) with the 7D and it's handling is pretty amazing. I can go higher in ISO with the 5d2, but I have never really needed to. The 7D maxes out at 12800 where the 5d2 maxes at 25600. The noise handling is supposedly better in the 5d2, but I RARELY if ever push the ISO on it and I have mastered how to expose properly for high ISO's, so I really don't notice the difference. I think I might have shot a few churches at 12800 or 6400 on it, but that's about it.
Depending on how much you rely on the in camera meter (if you use the priority modes especially) the 7D's metering system is also better than the 5d2.
The 7D also has the new wireless flash control that the 5D2 doesn't have. REALLY nice if you add in that 580EX II. You can take it off camera with no trigger/receiver setup and use it to trigger your other strobes as well. BIG BONUS as far as I am concerned AND it's TTL.
You would need to get down to pixel for pixel to find any difference between it and the 5d2 in a portrait and from what I am told it's got a lot of pull over the 5d classic. I didn't own a 5dclassic and I don't think I have ever used one that I can remember, so I can't tell you.

As for the YN's, they are what they are and for a secondary unit? The price can't be beat. The 580EX II's rebate is pretty impressive IMO, although so is the 430EX II at roughly $270, so neither one would be a waste!

Sorry... forgot the image!