Canon 5D camera

[george_armstrong]

I a'm going out west next month and i want a nice camera to take wide angle

photos in the National Parks. I have a Power Shot A640 right now and have no

experience on an SRL camera. Could i learn enough in a few weeks to take nice

Pics? I'm not expecting to take professional pictures like most of you guys,

just better than a A640 can take. I was thinking of buying a canon 5D,16-35mm/

2.8L and one other lens for wild life shots. Thanks for your help. George

[zafar1]

Probably a better option will be Canon 40D with 10-22mm lens.

 

40D has full manual controls as well as the so-called "dumb" modes. These modes are actually quite smart and if you find yourself grappling with learning curve, you can set to these auto modes and be assured of great looking pictures.

[images_in_light_north_west]

dont get the 10-22, I would say get a 24-105 f4 IS, and a 70-200 f4 IS and you wont need a tripod most of the time, the 40D is a great camera and will be more than good for you, you cant go wrong with this setup, but if you want good landscapes you will still need a tripod

[martin_jordan]

Your first lens choice is excellant as long as it's the "L" series. I have the EF 16-35, 1:2.8 L

II USM & love it. Your question on the 5D...a 40D is a kick ass camera, has live view, does

frame burst, and with a battery pack under it, you can shoot all day. It has practically all

the features a 5D does. I have a 40D and love it. I have 3 "L" lenses, a 100mm Macro and a

50mm. I always shoot in RAW, convert to 16bit with Canons Digital Photo Professional

software (included w/camera) and I can print my images on my Canon iPF5100 into huge

prints. I mean 16" by 28" and are crisp as a bell.

 

The 40D is also about $2,000 cheaper than the 5D. So unless you absolutely need full

frame (which it doesn't sound like you do and most don't) you'll love the 40D and put the

extra 2K into glass, accessories, and a nice case to carry it all in. I've also read several

threads in the past that the 5D seems to have a constant problem with dust. But I have no

experience in that area.

 

The 40D camera is fun and pretty easy to learn. I'm 6' 3", pretty big hands and with this

lens and a battery pack under it I have a nice good chunk of camera in my hand but

nothing that will wear me out lugging it around all day.

 

Buy just the body and then go get your lenses.

 

Peace and have fun.

 

Oh..one more thing. Be sure to get a REAL GOOD Polarizer filter for that 16-35. You'll

need it where you're going.

[shambrick007]

If he wants a 16mm FOV on full frame, the 24-105 will not be wide enough on a 40D.

[PuppyDigs]

The 5D and EF 16-35 2.8L USM is an incredible and hard to beat combo for landscapes. The

40D and EF-S 10-22 is a quality budget combo but isn't on the same level for serious

landscape shooting. The zoom is a bit on the slow dim side. Plus you'll really appreciate the

5D's larger viewfinder and brighter view of the F2.8 aperture. Forget about the "dumb"

modes--Sports, Portrait, etc. They're a waste of time and don't allow user input, CF or RAW.

[martin_jordan]

I just read what Ross said and agree totally. Excellant choices and YES to a tripod. Now if

you're going to go hiking around BEWARE of the weight. You might want to opt for a carbon

tripod. About 3-5lbs vs 10-15 with an aluminum one.

[andrewmoore]

In short YES you can learn enough in 3 weeks.

 

i remember before i got my hands on an SLR camera i read about 6 [ though 1 or 2 will suffice ] books in two weeks about how SLR photography works. Got the Canon eos 1000 in my hands turned it to manual and hey presto i was off i knew all i needed to know and was straght into it happy.

 

I moved to the 5D two years ago from an eos 500 and switched to manual on me 5D never looked back. i learned in those first 6 books all these years ago what aperture and shutter speed and ISO does how they effect each other, id advise you do the same an you can turn whatever camera to manual and your off.

 

About the 5D:

It is a fine camera, it is suseptable to breaking down in humid conditions or where there is salty air, it does not like the wet so keep it protcted in a special waterproof bag.

[PuppyDigs]

"The 40D is also about $2,000 cheaper than the 5D."

 

The current price of the 5D is about$2100 at larger USA retailers like B&H, so where can

you get a 40D for $100!?

 

My 5D review:

 

http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/frary/canon_eos5d_01.htm

[colin carron]

Either the 5D and 16-35 f/2.8 L or alternatively 40D and the Canon 10-22mm. For the long lens the 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS is hard to beat though the 70-200 f/4 or f2.8 L lenses in their IS versions are slightly sharper, bigger and heavier.

 

Practise shooting in AV mode (aperture priority) to start off with to get some creative control and shoot in RAW mode.

[john_g10]

Are you planning to learn more about photography after your trip ? If you are serious then it's good to buy expensive equipments otherwise it's a waste of $$$.

 

John

[david_wu6]

"I'm not expecting to take professional pictures like most of you guys, just better than a A640 can take."

 

While you will certainly not go wrong with the 5D and 16-35 combo, I would suggest to just get a Canon S5 or G9. Remember any dSLR with whatever the lenses (with similar coverage) will be much heavier.

[g dan mitchell]

If you are a first time DSLR buyer, keep a firm hand on your wallet. Buying a bunch of expensive gear (body and lenses) that you don't yet understand will not

necessarily lead to professional looking photographs.

 

A better strategy would be to get a 400D/XTi (or maybe an XSi if it is out before you go) and the 17-55mm image stabilized version of the kit lens. For most

"national park" photographs this lens will perform admirably.

 

Clearly, an experienced landscape photographer would most likely take a rather different kit. I carry a 5D and a big tripod and four or five lenses, and photography

is my primary activity when I visit places like that. (And by primary I mean that I always have the camera with me and I'm always specifically looking for

photographs.)

 

Is that you?

 

Frankly, I think you would be very happy with the XTi (or XSi) and the kit lens on this trip.

 

Dan

[squareframe]

> Your first lens choice is excellant as long as it's the "L" series.

 

this is quite silly .. dogmatic and refutable.

[mendel_leisk]

If you stick with the 5D but sub. Canon's 17-40 for the 16-35II, you won't be that far in $'s from the 40D+10-22 combo.

 

Even the Canon 24-70 on the 5D will be wide enough for most landscape shots, and more versatile.

 

And yes, the 24-105 on 1.6 crop will be a letdown for wide angle.

[wooi_loon]

>> Your first lens choice is excellant as long as it's the "L" series.

 

To take good photo, you don't always need a L lens, lots of prime lens are good and also some few non-L zoom still serve you well.

If you are concern about not wide enough from your A640, why not just add a wide angle converter, this will bring to 24.5mm, which is considered wide enough for normal landscape shoot. I think the image quality from A640 is not too bad, as long as maintains low ISO.

 

If you really want to go via DSLR, then as suggested, 400D plus 17-55mm f/2.8IS would be a good choice. Add any of 70-200mm if you really want some wild life shoots.

 

If you have a friend who uses SLR, then is quite easy to learn some basic techniques in a short time. Have fun.

[hjoseph7]

I read some pretty great reviews about the 17-40mm F4 and the 5D. They seem to make the perfect couple.

[canfred]

I own this outstanding 40D but in MHO it is not a good landscape camera there is no lens wide lens good enough to do it justice.

For a budget the 5D or do as I will wait for the 5DII, it will outperform anything out there now. My order is in once accepted.

[nhut-nguyen]

Canon Rebel XTi ($520), EF 17-40 f/4L ($679) and EF 70-200 f/4L IS ($1059)

 

You'll need a study tripod and a good circular polarizer filter for your landscape shots (note the 17-40 uses 77mm filter and the 70-200 f/4 use 67mm)

 

You'll need extra batteries and a lot of memory cards and last but not least you'll need a camera bags.

[alan_myers]

Everybody is concentrating on the wide end of things here, for landscape. But you also mentioned wildlife. The "extra reach" of a 40D would be nice combined with a 70-200/2.8 IS. Add a 1.4X teleconverter for some additional reach.

 

Certainly the 5D is usable for wildlife, too, and might be a better choice if big, wide landscapes are your primary goal. But, you'll need a longer lens, perhaps a 100-400 IS, unless you want to get into the big tele primes.

[colinsouthern]

"To take good photo, you don't always need a L lens, lots of prime lens are good and also some few non-L zoom still serve you well."

 

Valid advice, of course, - but - I'd suggest that if that's what George would like to invest in, and money is neither "here nor there" (to coin a phrase, pun intended!) then don't feel that purchasing an "L-Series lens is a sin either.

 

I suffered much disappointment at the hands of poor lenses - purchased my first "L" - and decided right there and then that for my personal use, in the future it was going to be "L-Series or nothing" - and that was on a XT!

 

L-Series lenses are curious beasts - image quality is better than non-L counterparts - build quality is (in general) vastly superior - but it's more than that - there's just a certain quality & robustness about them. The EF16-35 F2.8L II is certainly one of the very best - mine is on my camera more often than not. I'm a very fussy old bugger - and I'm more than happy with the results I get from mine.

[george_armstrong]

Thanks for all the responses. I just got back from circuit city, they had a 40D i could look at, but they didn't have a 5D. For my wife and i, this is probably going to be a once in a lifetime type of trip. We are going for 4-5 months hitting every nice NP,and some SP's. Grand Canyon, Arches NP, Yosemite NP, Redwood NP, Oregon coast, Glacier NP, Yellowstone NP, ect, and every nice one in between. So you could get an idea of what i want to take pictures of.

 

I was wondering if the 5D would do a lot better for getting wide views in those types of settings? Also, in places like Redwood NP, where it could be a little darker without direct sunlight?

 

I have seen the 5D camera body for sale at 3 places online for 1300 dollars or so, is that some type of scam? I have seen the 40D and XTi much cheaper, so they are my two other options.

 

I think i could do a fair job at learning enough to run one, after reading some of your comments. I wish i thought of getting a couple of books on digital SLRs' while i was out. Thanks for that idea too. Do any of them have an option of a timer, so both of us could get in some pictures together. I have a pretty good tripod already,(amvona). It seems alright anyway.

[george_armstrong]

It seems like everyone says stick with the good lenses, that's what i'll try to do. I surely don't want to pay for things twice, i certainly have done that before. That's what i was thinking about with the camera body. If i got one of the better ones i wouldn't have to upgrade later on.

[JDMvW]

I think a common thread in the comments here is that the 5D is a lot of camera for someone coming to it from a point and shoot. I'd say get one of the smaller sensor cameras for now, and then you can always use it later as a back up if you decide to get more serious about photography. If you do not, then you just don't need all the features of the 5D.

 

As for lenses, it's fine to be Capt Ahab and go for the Great White lenses (the Ls are white), but this is overkill if you are not going to take up photography more seriously.

 

I really think that if you go for the XTi, as Sinh suggests, you'll be pretty happy. While you're learning you can use the 'program' modes indicated by the little pictures and as you learn, take more control of the camera in the non-'basic' modes. If you want ultrawide, get the 10-20mm Sigma or the Canon 10-22mm. But for wild animals you will want a modest telephoto. In all, a good choice would be the new IS kit lens, I think you'd find the 18mm wide enough for most purposes (equivalent to 29mm on the 5D).

 

On the other hand, if money is not an object, the 5D is a good choice, but most people I know with money are that way because they don't waste it. If status is your thing, then get a nice Leica digital camera and hang out at the Leica and Rangefinder forum.

[george_armstrong]

"On the other hand, if money is not an object, the 5D is a good choice, but most people I know with money are that way because they don't waste it. If status is your thing, then get a nice Leica digital camera and hang out at the Leica and Rangefinder forum."

 

I'm not even close to being rich, i just don't like spending money twice, by having to upgrade later. I'm probably the most down to earth guy you would ever meet. I would never do anything for status.

 

I just want the best camera that i can afford and run for this trip and for the future. We do travel quite a bit and i love taking pictures, it just seems like the right time in my life to get a nice camera. I'm actually excited to learn how to use a real camera.

 

Is it alright to post the names of the online companies selling the cameras cheaper? I would like to get some feedback so i don't have problems. Thanks