divo

<p>I can't comment on the 20-25, but I did own a 17-35L. It was robust and heavy--on par with other L lenses of the time. I liked mine, but the best I can say is that they seemed to have quality control issues. There were lots of people who complained about overall IQ and CA with that lens. My suggestion would be try before you commit to buy if at all possible. In the end, I upgraded to the newer 16-35 version of the lens because, to my knowledge, Adobe never produced a lens profile for ACR for this lens. I believe there was a profile provided in DPP, but I never used that.</p>

<p>You may also just want to read this thread from the past weeks.<br> http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00dKkP</p>

<p>I've been pretty happy with my Phottix system, but I'm a hobbyist, so it doesn't see heavy, daily use. I got it about a year ago when my set-up was much like yours. I have two 430EX(II), an older 550EX and a 580EX II. Trading it all in and buying the new 600EX-RFs was just going to be too expensive. Honestly, I also wanted the simplicity of just buying the 600s and being done with it, but after I looked at the Phottix line up and realized that I could combine flash and studio strobes (at some point in the future), I realized that it might be a good fit for me. There's always a trade off between the simplicity of one unit (600EX) or a flash plus a wireless trigger. Each gizmo requires batteries, space in your bag (which means weight) and could break, which could all be issues for a pro. In the end, there are a lot of variables to consider. I think knowing your goals and shooting style and identifying the pros and cons of each system for your shooting style is really the key. </p> <p>In the end, as a hobbyist, price was an important factor for me: I found a couple of sets of Phottix Odins on sale at B&H and Adorama, which helped me decide. However, even then, Phottix (plus a flash) seemed carefully priced to be just a bit less than buying the 600EX-RFs. The good thing is that there are tons of used flash units out there for sale, which may take the edge off for the budget conscious. Pros for me: I also like that you can combine the Odins with the non-ETTL Stratos system and have some strobes just fire in manual mode. Of the various wireless systems, Phottix seemed the most flexible to me. You may also want to check out Flickr, as there seems to be more strobist-type stuff going on there. They also have more gear specific groups. Canon wireless, YoungNuo, Phottix and PockeWizards etc. all have dedicated groups with discussion boards there.</p>

<p>While fact checking for my response, I noticed that B&H has a system of Bolt flashes that offer similar built in wireless control. I'd never heard of them before, but you could check them out.</p> <p>I think you pretty much covered it. My two cents worth: I think it comes down to whether you are selling all your gear and replacing it OR adding to an existing set up and keeping an eye on future expansion. e.g. I currently use the Phottix Odin system. I would probably seriously look at buying the Mitros+ units because I can use everything I have and continue to add to my system with portable studio strobes etc. if and when I decide to go in that direction. The Phottix system has legacy support and I can mix and match. You could probably do the same with the YongNuos although I'm not familiar with their system. The Canon units will probably give you minimum fuss and bother if you continue to stick with a 2 flash, Canon-only system, but they limit your expansion choices. Currently, B&H has two Canon 600EX-RT plus the ST-E3-RT for $1,159.95. Just keep in mind all the other parts of a flash system that also need to be replaced. Diffusers or any other flash specific straps or gizmos. That stuff all adds up when you switch systems entirely.</p>

<p>The same website also has this general look at the different options available for Canon... http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Canon-Lenses/Canon-Wide-Angle-Lens.aspx</p>

I'm not sure this is lighter or cheaper, but... http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-11-24mm-f-4L-USM-Lens.aspx

<p>If the YongNuos work out for you great. I've never used them, so I can't comment. If they don't and you're interested in ETTL and manual control from the camera, you might look into the Phottix Odin system if they are available near you. They are more expensive than YongNuo but cheaper than PWs. I went that route because it was cheaper than switching all 4 of my canon units over to the new Canon Speedlite 600ex-rt for radio support and the various Phottix systems seem pretty flexible. As a hobby shooter I've been really happy with my purchase.</p>

<p>I'm with <a name="00dALW"></a><a href="/photodb/user?user_id=19054">Ilkka Nissila</a> on this one. Everything I've read seems to indicate that the 5Ds is geared to studio/strobist or landscape/fine art work—think artificial lighting, a tripod or both. Canon frequently makes marketing decisions based on their conceptualized target user.<br> <br> Just out of curiosity, if the sensor hardware is capable of higher ISO, would activating them be something that <em>could </em>be changed in a firmware update (or hack)?</p>

<p>You mention the Phottix system, but, apart from their compatibility with various monolights, have you factored in Phottix' new Indra500 TTL studio light? It has a built in Odin trigger and has the option of battery and mains support. Along with the Mitros+ flash units that also offer internal Odin triggers, that would seemingly be one of the most versatile options for no (or few) cables. It also allows for use of existing speedlites or combinations by means of the external version of the Phottix Odin units. Personally, I've been using the Phottix Odin system with my Canon speedlites for a year now and have been quite happy, although I'm a hobbiest and admit that cost was one of the main factors that drew me to the Phottix system. Just to be clear, I do not have any experience with the Indra500 TTL, I'm just suggesting it in terms of a system that would seem to match your parameters. Although highly versatile (TTL, battery/mains, combinable) the Indra500 TTL does seem quite expensive.</p>