Lens/Body ideas

[chris_cross1]

<p>Hello all,<br>

Thanks in advance for reading. I am not trying to re-post a tired question of what lenses should i get for this or that. I am looking for specific recommendations/advice on the best path to take in upgrading my equipment. I am currently shoooting most images of people in the form of portraits, occasional events, and have some wedding opportunities coming up. I currently use a 50d and own a 50 1.4, 70-200L 2.8 IS, 24-105L f4. I am looking to probably sell my 24-105 to purchase the 24-70 as i am looking for a faster zoom. I am familiar with my lens choice options as i have had them in my hands, researched them, etc.. <br>

There are two things i want. I want a second body, and i want prime lenses. I have looked into a second 50d, a 7d, and even 5d. I have looked at the 24mm 1.4L, 28mm 1.8, 35mm 1.4L, 50mm 1.2L, the 85 1.8/1.2L, 135mm 2.0L etc...<br>

Though i am familiar with them i am having trouble deciding what i will be happy with when i throw in the body choice as well. If i stick with two 50d's freeing up some extra money for a few of these lenses to start and more to come, will i be just as happy with the primes when i eventually go full frame due to field of view difference? If i go with a 5d with the 50d i have am i going to have trouble making efficient use of two different body types (APS-C vs Full frame). I've heard some like having both, some don't.<br>

Also, last question, i like shooting wide open (or at least being able to) and getting good results (understanding that its tough to expect super duper sharp images). Am i going to be having to stop down these cheaper primes to get a decent image with them for the type of work i want to do and thus will be better off with the higher end primes? Hard for me to tell this part without extended use and various conditions. <br>

Hopefully someone has or is in the same spot and can just shed some light to help a fellow photog make a good decision.<br>

Thanks!<br>

Chris</p>

[john_a5]

<p>I think, as always, it is more a personal choice on the body thing. I have only FF cameras and wouldn't go any other way for what I do. I am not sure you need primes with a 5dII, or to get rid of your 24-105, but some really like primes.</p>

<p>Adding in a FF camera will certainly give you more flexibility with the lenses you have--giving you a wider view. Not sure you won't want two FF's once you taste it!</p>

<p>As to shooting wide open, you hit it on the head, digital cameras seem to have more defraction issues than do film cameras. I think it has to do with how the light is received. I know Hasselblad actually put in some prisms in one of their versions to try and correct this--at least that is what the rep told me.</p>

<p>Unless you don't want to deal with more pixels and really like the longer look (using your long zoom at 200mm a lot currently), I think a FF body would be the way to go. But again, it really is about how you shoot and what you like.</p>

[wgpinc]

<p>All this stuff is personal. If it was me I'd get another 50D and buy the Tamron 17-50mm 2.8 either VC or non VC to use with it. When Steve McCurry switched from Nikon film cameras (F100) to the D700 he had been a prime lens guy his whole photo career using primarily 35mm, 50mm and 85mm. With his D700 he went to a 24-70mm 2.8 lens. Only you can know for certain what will work for you. What about something wider in the 10/11mm to 16/22mm, maybe the Canon 10-22mm or the Tokina 11-16mm? The rest is 'what lens should I buy?' How should we know? Buy the one that frames the image you want to take and can afford. Good luck! </p>

[mark_pierlot]

<p>The 5D II is the full frame body I'd recommend without hesitation. I know several photographers on photo.net who like to use both body formats; I personally use only full frame bodies.</p>

<p>As for lenses, I have experience using the 35/1.4, 85/1.2 II, 135/2, 200/2.8 II, and 300/4 wide open, and can assure you that the results are outstanding. And they're even better if your able to microadjust the AF of your primes, which the 50D, 7D, and 5D II are all able to do.</p>

[philip_wilson]

<p>I have both the 5DII and 7D and find that for general use the two bodies work well together as the handling is almost identical - I am sure the 50D and a 5DII will make a good pair. The APS-C body is better for action and long lenses, the 5DII for low light, wide angle and portraits. It is over 20 years since I have shot weddings but a 5DII and 50D would make an effective pair. When I shot them I used MF and primes!<br>

Your lens collection is good and my advice on primes with a DSLR is get the best or just don't bother. I find that I don't use my 35 F2 or 85 F1.8 very often as they need to be stopped down a little and don't really perform a lot better than the 24-70 F2.8 or 70-200 F2.8. I have the old FD 85 F1.2 and FD 135 F2 and based on their performance I expect I will find a big improvement over the zooms. The FD85 F1.2 is my all time favourite 35mm lens (I own two! copies) and I plan to sell my 85 F1.8 and buy the F1.2 lens. Thus I suggest you get the top quality zooms and the odd prime.</p>

[arie_vandervelden1]

<p>My suggestion is to stick with the lenses you have, and to buy a 5D2. You already have the lenses for it. The 24-105 will effectively become a stop faster on FF (less dof, ability to crank up iso).</p>

<p>I also suggest picking up a 17-something zoom for the 50D. This will provide you with backup should the 24-105 fail. Usually I suggest crop-factor lenses for crop gear (Tamron 17-50/2.8 or Canon 17-55/2.8 IS) but in your situation maybe 17-40/4L could be a good move - it would double up as an ultrawide for the FF cam.</p>

<p>As for primes - I'd hold off. Maybe pick some up in the future when you have a better idea of your needs. They'll be supplementary to your zooms. Will you have to stop them down? That all depends on the situation, useage, etc. So the answer is: in some cases yes, in other cases no.</p>

[matthias_meixner2]

<p>The crop factor not only affects focal length but also the other parameters. The following two systems will deliver exactly the same image with respect to DOF, FOV and exposure (assuming a crop factor of 1.4 instead of 1.6 for simpler maths):<br>

FF: 70mm f/4, ISO 200<br>

Crop: 50mm f/2.8, ISO 100<br>

Therefore, you will get the same effect with respect to speed and DOF by switching the body or by switching to a 24-70 f/2.8. From this point of view adding a 5D MkII makes more sense as it fulfills two of your wishes: Higher speed / better DOF and it brings you a second body.</p>

[robertbody]

<p>If bodies were cheaper to rent i would recommend that first... so that you could see an improvement in quality with a FF body. However good bodies and specifically FF bodies cost $200 a week... at least. 1D4 goes for nearly $400 a week, crazy stuff.<br>

Going with a prime lens for portraits is a very good idea. Zoom lenses can have compromises and also the weight of the zoom can effect the experience, but mostly prime lenses make you think differently.<br>

Whatever you do should revolve around lenses, using a 135mm f/2 and 200mm f/2.8 in addition to some other great choices... and seeing what the fuss is all about why people recommend those lenses. <br>

A body is important too, but if you spend $5000 on a 1D4 and then have no $ left for lenses, that's bad situation... while a 135mm f/2 is $1000 and 200mm f/2.8 a bit less and there is 50mm f/1.2 and 85mm f/1.2........and all these are L lenses too.<br>

You could at least try a body in a rental store at no charge, just in there, use a lens from their lineup too, save the images to your card, look at them at home... you wouldn't get too much help out of that, that's not the normal subject/environment you shoot in, but at least it gives you some ideas.<br>

The focusing points are.... well only 9 of them and close to the center on the 5d2...... they are laid out quite nicely on the $5000 1d4, but that one is not quite FF, but I wouldn't mind, i would take it over 5d2...... most of the time. it wouldn't go very wide if you want to use ultra-wideangles [but in your case normally you probably wouldn't mind that either]</p>