Need advice: Building on Elan 7 body

First of all, thanks to all of you from whom I've learned a great

deal by reading on this site already.

 

I'm getting my first non-P&S camera, an Elan 7 body. I need to put

together a fairly inexpensive starter kit that will serve well for a

broad range of usage: candids of the wife and kids, indoors and

outdoors; nature and landscape photography; and close-up/macro shots

 

I'm having a hard time deciding among several purchase options

because they are really apples and oranges, comparison-wise

(e.g. "is a battery pack more useful than a close-up lens?"). I'm

hoping some of you can help me understand what will be most useful

at first, assuming I will eventually accumulate all these items. But

this initial "big" purchase will be it for me for a while, at least

for $150+ items.

 

I'll list my question in two versions, simplified and detailed,

depending on how much more time you want to spend reading this. :)

 

Simplified version: Given only an Elan 7 body with the EF 28-105

f/3.5-4.5 II USM lens, and given that the following items are all in

the same price range, in what order would you get them if you could

only get one at a time: 50/1.8 lens; BP-300 battery pack; #500D

close-up lens; circular polarizer filter.

 

Detailed version: Given only an Elan 7 body, I put together 4 add-

on "packages" that coincidentally all work out to ~the same price,

within 20 dollars. Which would you recommend?

 

Package A: 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 II USM lens w/ hood; BP-300 battery

pack; 58mm #500D close-up lens

 

Package B: 50/1.8 lens w/ hood; BP-300 battery pack; 420EX Speedlite

flash; 52mm #250D close-up lens

 

Package C: 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 II USM lens w/ hood; 50/1.8 lens w/

hood; 58mm #500D close-up lens

 

Package D: 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 II USM lens w/ hood; 420EX Speedlite

flash

 

The 28-105 lens shows up a lot in my options because it seems to be

a versatile, good quality lens for the money. But I'm having a hard

time appreciating the tradeoffs with some of the other options

here... Any advice/experience would be most appreciated. Thanks!

Get the body and the 28-105, and some film. Take picutres. Decide later what you feel you might need based on your use of what you have. These two items will give you not only plenty to work with, but plenty to think about.

I'll go for option B for two reasons.

 

1. The 50/1.8 is much better than the zoom. To get sharp pictures from the zoom you will have to close it to f/8. The prime is very good wide open and gets even better at f/2.8.

 

2. A prime lens will teach you much more about photography than a zoom.

 

While BP-300 and 420EX are excellent additions, for a strict budget I'd advise you to get the 28/2.8 and 135/2.8 before anything else. I think that they will be more useful.

 

Happy shooting ,

Yakim.

If your going to buy this in a kit then option a is best and I would alos add a 50mm 1.8. The 28-105 that is listed here is an optical marvel. For a consumer zoom it is really nice and sharp with awesome color that you will love with that macro filter. I strongly suggest the BP300 as it greatly improves the handling of the camera. As for me, I hate the way it feels without it, plus you use the cheap AA batteries that will last forever,. This is a kit that you will have a good time with, and your images will be good enough to make you want to learn more and in turn grow. I have the above setup myself. The 28-105 onmy 630 led to my shelving a manual focus Canon system that I ahd used for 15 years with a pro body and lenses!

 

For a kit system it is pretty nice if the price is right. I bought my Elan7/BP300 for 400 and my 28-105 for 200, my 50mm for another 100.

To answer your simple question, I would rate in the following order: CPL, close-up lens, 50/1.8 and battery pack.

 

A CPL is an excellent tool for shooting scenery/landscapes. A close-up lens lets you take shots that you may not have gotten otherwise. A 50/1,8 is a better version of the 50mm on your zoom - while it is nice to improve your kit, I think you should atleast cover all your bases first. That is why 50/1.8 comes 3rd. A battery pack is nice to have also, but hardly essential. With the lenses you have, you can easily take vertical shots without the pack. And the 2CR5 batteries last long enough.

 

Another option you may want to consider is getting an extension tube to go with the 50mm/1.8 - that will let you get 1:1 magnification with the 50mm, and probably give you better quality than using a close-up lens with the 28-105.

 

Instead of giving you a direct answer to your detailed question, let me give you some suggestions:

- the 28-105 will probably be a more suitable lens for you than the 50/1,8, given your stated needs.

- you dont really *NEED* a battery pack with these lenses

- whether or not you need a flash depends on the photos you take. For landscapes, you wont need it. For close-ups, you will. For people shots, you may (depending on your shooting style) and an exteral flash will help avoid red-eye, unlike the on-camera flash

 

Hope that helps.

 

Regards,

Vandit

I recently bought an Elan 7 body to replace my old manual focus system, and I had the tough choice of purchasing lenses and accessories for it. After much deliberation, and a large budget increase, this is what I purchased:

 

Elan 7 body

BP-300

420ex flash

50mm 1.8

28mm 2.8

100mm 2.0

Lowepro Micro Trekker 200 (everyone needs a decent case)

 

I haven't been a big fan of cheap zooms, so I decided to instead get some reasonably sharp primes. Also, I usually buy lenses as I begin to need them. A beginner can start with a 50mm lens and then from there decide what lens they need next. Do you find you need a wider POV? Get a wide angle lens. Are you trying to take tight portraits? Get something in the 100mm range. Sports photography? Invest in a nice, high quality zoom. I don't have any zoom lenses because 1)I can't afford the ones I want; and 2)I mostly shoot things that don't move (ie portraits, landscapes, objects, etc).

The AF assist on the elan 7 is TERRIBLE!!

So if you intend to do a lot of Flash photography then

an external flash is a must.

CPL doesn't cost that much. Definitely get one.

 

Get 50/1.8 if you do low-light stuff, or want shallow depth of field.

 

Get 420ex if you do portraits.

 

Get BP-300 if you have large hands(makes it easier to hold), or want to use AA's, or want vertical shutter release.

 

250D or 500D, I'll leave that for later purchase because you might get a longer telephoto lens in the future that accepts 67, 72 or 77mm filters.

Just make sure you get the lens hood with each lens. I love my 420EX.

I think you are going to get a lot of contradictory answers with this sort of question :)

 

The best advice has already been given, buy the camera and the two lenses first, then you can add to your kit as and when it is needed.

 

The polariser won't be much use on your zoom lens without a tripod for starters, since it takes two stops off an already slow lens and the sort of pictures you need a polariser for usually require a small aperture to boot. The battery pack is not a necessity either, you won't miss any pictures because of it. The flash may well come in handy, but it depends on your type of photography. If you find that you prefer natural light a tripod or a fast lens may well be more appropriate.

 

I would get the camera and the 50mm prime, and take it from there. At most get the prime and the zoom and wait and see what else you feel you need later.

Philip, just one thing to mention about the 50 1.8. Beside the fact it is a great lens for almost nothing money wise, you don't really need the hood. Since the lens is recessed so far from the front edge, it doesn't really need the hood. I have it and never had a hood or problem with flare. Save a few bucks on the hood.

I would definitely vote for "B" but I would get the circular polarizer instead of the close-up filter set.

 

I personally have an Elan 7 with the BP-300(got to have it), and the 420EX Flash(love it), and I love using it with just a 50mm lens (either my Sigma 50 EX Macro or my Canon EF 50/1.4 USM -- the 50/1.8 would be great too).

 

I think using that combination you will have the most fun and the sharpest pictures.

Two weeks ago I bought an Elan 7e, 420ex, and 28-105 F3.5-4.5

 

I'm thrilled with the combination. So far I've ran a few rolls through just for candids of our 2 year old and the pictures have been fantastic. I can't wait to branch out into other areas.

The only thing I would add to the discussion is that I love my BP-300. Not only does it allow for better handling of the camera but it allows you to use AA batteries!

Ok, here's my opinion from experience: Get the 28-135 Image Stabilizer lens, even if you need to get the Rebel Ti instead of the Elan 7. The only reason I switched to Canon was for IS, and to me it is the best thing to hit photography in a long time. The lens also has a decent close-focus of .5m (a tad over 1 ft)at the 135mm end giving respectable magnification, so you can hold off on the 500D closeup lens. You also would be wise to get the 420EX used from a reputable dealer, as well as look for the Mark I version of the 50/1.8 (which has a metal mounting flange vs the abominable plasticky current version of this lens).

 

If you insist on getting the 28-105 lens, and you want you images to show improvement over your P&S, then no question, add a sturdy tripod to your must-have list--and *use* it, *always*.

I have tp disagree with Jay's statement of the 28-105 needing a tripod to get images better than a point and shoot. I am selling my 28-105 right now not because it isn't a good lens, but because it will fetch close to what I paid for it and half pay for the 1N I just bought. The 28-105 is a sharp lens and doesn't need stopped down as drastically as some would have you beleive. In fact I get sharp images with it all the time, and I just abpout never use my tripod. Its too bulky to carry around. The 28-135 also happens to be a slow lens in comparison with others in its class. at 135mm it has a aperutre of 5.6. IS or no that is still slow. The Elan7 with a BP300 and 28-105 and 50mm will serve you quite well. It has me.For that matter scarficing the Elan7 for a Rebel anything just to get a 28-135IS doesn't sound like a good deal to me.

I'd buy the following items in order:

<p>1) Camera body and 50mm f/1.8 lens -- use this simple combination until you are very familiar with your camera.

<p>2) 28-105 -- added for convenience and flexibility.

<p>3) tripod -- not on your list but a great photography tool.

<p>4) 100 f/2.8 macro (portraits, low-light and macro)

<p>5) Wider (20/24mm) or longer (100-300mm) lens, depending on your shooting style.

<p>6) Cable release

<p>7) 420ex Speedlite

<p>8) Filters, battery pack, etc.

I willn't take the time to rehash the above comments, but if you have banana-hands as I do, the BP-300 is a must. It gives room for all four fingers, not just 2.5.

 

I just jumped into the EOS collective with the Elan 7; LOVE IT!

 

Happy shooting!

Just get the Camera + 50/1.8 and go from there.

 

Get up close to take the pictures rather than using the zoom, etc.. use the money on film and developing.

 

If you absolutely have to do macro get a diopter/close-up lens, etc.. and it will do OK unless you're doing insects. About the only thing you mention that it won't do well is nature. But it can still get you good pictures for animals you can get close too.

 

Once you learn how to use it the 50 will be much better than the zoom for candids of the wife and kids, especially if you take the time to learn how to use it without flash.

 

I was perfectly happy for 6 months with just the camera + 50. After that I did get the BP-300 because I got some heavier lenses. But the BP-300 is not mandatory with a small lens like the 50, and without a big flash like a 420/550ex. I still like to take it off and just go out shooting with just the 50 and then the camera looks so much less imposing to people.

Thanks for all the great responses. I realized that this was a subjective question and would not elicit unanimous replies; nonetheless, I've gleaned some very useful information from you all.

 

I've continued to play with possibilities as I've watched your answers come in. As I hinted originally, I basically get to make one large-ish (for me) purchase now and then probably won't be able to again for quite some time (it's a forgiveness vs. permission thing <smile>).

 

I'm 85% settled on the 28-105 and 50/1.8 with the 250D close-up and a polarizer, but before I commit my credit card, let me run one more option by you. This one wasn't possible until I entered full denial about what my original budget was (ever happen to you??), and I may come back to my senses before long, but what about the 100/2.8 macro and 50/1.8 and basically nothing else? It means I have nothing on the wide end for quite some time. Also, I know the 100/2.8 is a great length/aperture for portraits but I've read that it's also *too* sharp for flattering portraits...

 

Thanks again!

The 50 1.8 + 100 Macro is a great combination, you will have two very high quality lenses which will be versatile, light and fast. Much better than a consumer zoom.

 

Next time you have permission you can get the 28 2.8 which is just as good, and pretty damn cheap. You will then have a complete and versatile high quality setup. Whatever anyone says, these lenses will blow the consumer zooms out of the water.

Ah, the joys of helping others spend their money!<p>

 

I own, or have owned, all lenses mentioned in this thread and, keeping <b><u>your</u></b> intentions mind, I suggest:<p>

 

<li>28-105 f/3.5-4.5 II USM lens w/ hood--it's a gem for family shots, travel, "walking around", etc. At any aperture it gives pleasing results; stopped down, it produces saleable results;

 

<li>50mm f/1.8--for low light situations, for near-pro sharpness, and for when you leave the zoom in the bag and work on developing your eye;

 

<li>Kenko extension tubes--more flexible than a 250D or 500D, fits all lenses, and will still be useful when you get your macro (see below).<p>

 

I don't find the BP-300 useful with light gear, and IMO the flash can wait.<p>

 

After checking the sellers carefully, buy everything used from this site or from you-know-where, and start saving for a Canon 100mm macro, either the USM or non-USM version, and perhaps a Canon 24mm f/2.8.

 

<p>Take your time, and wait for bargains; it your miss one, another one always comes along. I got a mint Canon 100mm non-USM macro for $285 on e**y. Try a "want to buy" ad on photo.net.<p>

 

Happy shopping, and shooting!