moving on from 50D

[emilyray]

<p>I have just had some inheritance money through from my aunt and I know she wanted me to upgrade my photography kit with some of it.<br>

I currently have a 450D, a 50D and am now looking at either a 7D or 5D (my friend has the II) but I am just not sure what to do. I like taking photos of a variety of subjects incl fast moving, in low light, nature, macro, landscapes, buildings....<br>

I need to photograph a family wedding next year and my friend has recommended the 70-200 2.8 to go with whichever camera I do get, and the 24-70 and the macro 100mm</p>

<p>having said that, would just getting new lenses and using them on the 50D be just as good?!</p>

<p>I would be grateful for any suggestions based on the info above - I can provide more details if required</p>

<p>to get an idea of some of the subject matter I like to photograph, please flick through<br>

www.emilyrayphotography.com</p>

<p>Many thanks in advance<br>

Em.</p>

[phule]

<p>[[but I am just not sure what to do.]]</p>

<p>You need to identify where your photography is being limited and what is causing that limit. Then you need to see if the 5D or 7D can solve either one of those problems. If you cannot do that then buying a camera to simply by a camera would be a waste of money. Similarly with the lenses. How are you being limited by your current lenses? </p>

[jesse_barba]

<p>You already have two capable bodies. I would go with the glass.</p>

[emilyray]

<p>cheers Rob; I have been told it would be nice to have the faster lenses to capture things like animals, people at weddings (possibly low light in the UK!), my toddler nephew.... in an even better way than I can at the moment with Canon 35-80 and Sigma 70-300. I think I would just like the luxury of having an expensive lens too, a treat as it were.<br>

Anyway, there seems to be so much info out there re 7D or 5D but not so much from a comparison point of view. Or maybe I am just not finding the right websites. One website said the 5D was great for taking films, but I don't need that so much, I just need to know how it is at taking photos! lol</p>

<p>I think I also need to look at the weight of the bodies, as I have little hands and a slightly weak right wrist!</p>

[emilyray]

<p>Thanks Jesse. New lenses are definitely on the list, and maybe I can add some accessories and a new camera bag to the list too!<br>

reIt's not often I get the chance to treat myself re camera bits and bobs as most of our 'spare' money used to go on my husband's computer equipment and now it seems to go on our 5 rescue cats and current batch of fostered kittens!</p>

[peter_mckone]

<p>Hi Emily, The pictures are very nice. Where do you live? It looks like you do some traveling, as well as photography. Since the pictures are mostly taken in daylight, you might not use the low-light capability of the 5D2. Still, it's nice if you find yourself in a dark forest (or in-doors) Pictures like the bumblebee and the butterfly would be easier to get with a 7D or a 5D2 because the auto-focus is better. I used to discard about four of every five honey bee pictures, due to focus. After upgrading from a 350D to a 5D2, I get mostly keepers. People say that the 5D gives you better colors. It's logical that the bigger sensor should give more detail in images, and I think it's true.<br>

Good luck in your choice. Peter McKone</p>

[sravan]

<p>I just looked at your site and the photos are beautiful. Based on the range there i think you would benefit from better glass first and foremost. And then you need to decide if going full frame means anything to you.<br>

I think some of the photos might look better if they were a bit more wider to give the user the feeling of standing in the scene more than just looking at the scene.<br>

I would suggest going with lenses first - but lenses that can be used on full frame and then jump full frame next.</p>

[emilyray]

<p>thank you all and thanks for comments re my photos - they are a combination of ones from the past few years, including some taken on the 350D and 400D, I can't remember which ones are which offhand<br>

I used to live in the UK for a while and travelled quite a bit then (school hols are great!) and now I live in the Middle East.</p>

<p>just a quick question re that technical aspect mentioned by Sravan - how do I know which lenses can be used on full frame?! do I just have to check out each one and see, or is there a table available somewhere?</p>

<p>Many thanks</p>

[KenPapai]

<p><em>how do I know which lenses can be used on full frame?</em></p>

<p>If it is an EF-S lens then it will NOT work on a full frame sensor; otherwise, all EF lenses work on all EOS SLRs. Really simple. (EF-S are just a special case - digital only lenses for cropped sensor bodies)</p>

[emilyray]

<p>thanks Ken; much appreciated</p>

[jim_mcdonald3]

<p>Hi Emily<br>

Anyone who accommodates rescue cats is definitely talking my language - brilliant!<br>

I have recently added a used 5D to my 40D and the combination is working really well together. In fact I seem to be finding more and more depth in both formats. I go with the camp that talks about upgrading lenses because I feel that + my technique + my embyonic skills in post are my bottlenecks rather than the latest sensor. Your pictures are super and I'd personally go for glass. Here in the UK, prices on 2nd hand lenses are not particularly attractive when compared with new if you hunt around. I tend to avoid *bay.</p>

[emilyray]

<p>thank you Jim and nice to hear your story.<br>

I will go with the glass for sure and see how I feel on the day I get to the (limited) shops we have here re the body! lol - may have to search internet for that, if the prices here are not great. Will see.<br>

(off topic: yes, rescue cats are the best! I am highly allergic to cats.... had been cat-less for 7 years and then my husband said we should rescue the one which came up to us at the hotel over the road one day... got her, then one day another one miaowed at us at the bottom of our appartment building... she was about 1 week pregnant.... had 2 live kittens. She died recently after her spay op (undetected liver and gall bladder probs), so we rescued a 3 legged kitten who was v small and who now looks somewhat catlike and not ratlike.. then we rescued another kitten, beautiful all white with different coloured eyes... now fostering v v small and underweight kitttens. Had 8 but 2 have died in past couple of days, we think to do with parasites, infections etc - they have had good vet care, but not any use - one is poorly at the moment. Other 5 doing OK.)</p><div></div>

[William Michael]

<p>If I have the summary correct you have two cameras and two lenses:<br />the 450D and 50D<br />one of the incarnations of the Canon EF 35 to 80 lenses<br />one of the incarnations of the Sigma 70-300 lenses</p>

<p>How much money do you want to spend?<br />In priority and taking into account your comments thus afar:</p>

<ul>

<li>Buy a 5D</li>

<li>Sell the 450D</li>

<li>Perhaps sell the 35 to 80 (with the 450D?)</li>

</ul>

<p>Buy a fast (F/2.8) zoom from this list or similar to these which fit YOUR needs on BOTH a 50D & 5D:</p>

<ul>

<li>16 – 35LMkII**</li>

<li>24 – 70L**</li>

</ul>

<p>** but read the last sentence, before choosing which one.</p>

<p>Think about your usage of a Prime Lens.</p>

<p>Buy a:</p>

<ul>

<li>100/2.8Macro - splendiferous Macro on both cameras and a great portrait lens too</li>

<li>OR buy the MkII IS L version - but the former is a good deal ATM</li>

</ul>

<p>After thinking about you usage of Prime lenses then if you want a fast then think “Lens” and “Lens X1.6” for example you want a fast lens for Kids and for Weddings . . . in England.<br />Consider:</p>

<ul>

<li>24L MkII</li>

<li>50/1.4</li>

<li>135L</li>

</ul>

<p>Rethink the usage of the Sigma and decide if it is too slow (aperture) – decide if you are using it anyway remembering that you have the 135L and a 50D and you can get a x1.4MkII to give you even more reach with the 135L and the 50D.</p>

<p>Consider</p>

<ul>

<li>Selling the Sigma.</li>

</ul>

<p>Maybe you want to do some Rugby as the kids grow up, then the 70 – 200/2.8L IS, is the answer and you already have the x1.4MkII anyway so that rig on then50D is pretty powerful even shooting in Pommy Soup.</p>

<p>Buy a</p>

<ul>

<li>Monopod</li>

</ul>

<p>Pretty neat kit you have now – but just going back to the first thought of buying a fast zoom lens – like the 16 to 35 or the 24 to 70 . . .<br />Remember that if you decide you want the 70 to 200/2.8L . . . then with a 50D and a 5D the 24 to 70 lens is superfluous in terms of Field of View.</p>

<p>This last point is the premise of the several <strong><em>two format kits </em></strong>I have made – it only requires two zoom lenses and three primes and one tele-converter and provides massive coverage at very fast apertures, viz:<br />50D; 5D;<br />24LMkII; 50/1.8; 135L; x1.4MkII;<br />16 to 35L MkII and 70 to 200/2.8L (IS if you wish)</p>

<p>WW</p>

<p> </p>

[William Michael]

<p>PS - there's other funky stuff about the 50D + 5D combo like functionalities and batteries which the 450D doesn't share and the 5DMkII doesn't share either (I think? - I am open to correction on those comments)

 

</p>

[markonestudios]

I agree fully with what Rob (Bernhard) wrote. Figure out your gap FIRST before you spend any money...

[isaac sibson]

<p>You've two bodies there that have plenty of capability. </p>

<p>I had the canon 35-80 USM, and the 70-300 APO Macro. </p>

<p>Start with the 35-80. It is, by all accounts, dismal. It also means you have nothing approaching a wide-angle. </p>

<p>The 70-300 was ok - optically on a par with canon's alternatives (with the exception of the 70-300 IS), but mechanically rather irksome (rotating barrel with focus, no FTM/USM, etc). Nothing special though, and that was on film... digital is rather more ruthless with lenses. </p>

<p>I would be very very inclined to spend the money on some lenses to go with the two bodies you have. </p>

<p>For a wide-angle, the 18-55 IS is a very nice little lens. To improve significantly upon it optically you need to go with the much more expensive 17-55 F2.8 IS. However, that might be a good lens for future use if you stick with crop-frame. </p>

<p>Canon sell 4 70-200s currently. All of them are fantastic lenses. For our lovely lighting conditions here in the UK (read grey) I think IS is invaluable and to that end just spent a fair bit of money on upgrading my 70-200 F4 to the IS version. Given the lenses you have, you might find the F2.8 version just too cumbersome, plus at just shy of £1700 it's far from cheap either. </p>

[philip_wilson]

<p>I think you do want decide what gap you are trying to fill. I own both bodies and while they are physically similar they get used for different purposes. The 7D is a good general purpose camera but is really at it's best for sports shooting (fast action, lowish light etc...). In this role the 7D performs as well (possibly better!) than my 1DIIN although it needs fast glass. THe 5DII is my favourite camera as it produces higher quality images than the 7D. Everyone knows that at high ISO, for very big prints or to get very wide angle shots the 5DII will beat the 7D. I find that even at more modest settings I get a more pleasing image from the 5DII than the 7D. The picture seems smoother and the colours tend to be more natural - in addition the DoF and Bokeh are more pleasant. I am sure that 7D owners will object to this but I have taken well over 10,000 shots with each body and thi is what I find.<br>

In terms of lenses I love my 24-70 F2.8 but it is a big and heavy lens - I find that it is very rarely used on my 7D but gets used on the 5DII a lot. My 7D seems to work better with my 16-35 F2.8 II which is also a great lens on the 5DII.<br>

In terms of tele zooms I use both the 70-200 F2.8 non IS for sports and the 70-200 F4 IS for general use. I bought the 70200 F2.8 non IS over the IS as I found it was sharper wide open (the digital picture tests show the same thing although the F2.8 IS II is sharper still) and for action sports I don't need IS. I later added the F4 IS as the F2.8 lens is a lot to carry for general use (the F4 is half the weight). Thus if you don't really need the F2.8 I would suggest that you go with the F4 IS. For wedding use the 5DII is the better camera and was camera of the year for the Uk wedding pros.</p>

[emilyray]

<p>thanks all and WW much appreciated - will spend some time contemplating!</p>

<p>my friend wants me to get the 70-200 / 100 macro 2.8 ones - will have to see what I can find here in this country tomorrow and go from there!<br>

I have no kids, only cats and currently live in one of the sunniest countries in the world, so no pea-souper fogs for me for a while! lol</p>

[William Michael]

<p> . . .sorry . . . my must have been my mis-read on "kids" and "pea soup fog" . . .</p>

<p>have fun contemplating</p>

[jim_mcdonald3]

<p>Hi Emily<br>

I agree strongly with WW's advice and was going to offer something similar, if less eloquently. My own experience has been to add a 5D1 to my 40D to squeeze best advantage out of my 17-40. Otherwise it would have been a 10-22 on the crop with all of the limited functionality of EF-S lenses. (Yeah I know they can be re-sold further down the line but I'm trying to simplify my life and maximise my kit as has been said.)<br>

By all accounts, the 5d2 and the 7D are superb cameras but it's about priorities. I see you've been shooting since you were 10 so that suggests you're in this game for the long haul. Your site demonstrates that you are interested in quite a wide range of subjects including landscape work. Also you mention an upcoming wedding and some portraiture. All of that suggests building up a kit of the finest and most versatile lenses you can afford. Landscape and portraiture also are served well by the FF sensor though that's not to knock the 7D.<br>

As has already been said, I would certainly think in terms of replacing the 450 with a used 5D to increase your options and then spending any balance on maybe a 17-40 as a low-cost, decent quality WA lens. The 24-70 is heavy though I've only used one for a weekend and found it OK in this respect and optically superb. I guess you could always hire it for the wedding and see what you think.<br>

Good luck with your choices and sorry for repeating what others have said. I always hesitate to guide others down the same route I've chosen because I know everyone's needs and tastes are different.</p>

 

[emilyray]

<p>thank you all very much for your help, ideas, hints, tips, own experiences....<br>

we did manage to get to the shops which are about 2 hours away (one way!) and the range was pretty good in the biggest electronic shop in town. They will be ordering in one lens for me, which they didn't have and re a couple of others, I compromised with regards to what they did have/could get so that I can have fun using new kit on hols next week... Photos of turtles, mountains, buildings, forts, beaches to come.... fingers crossed it will all work out fine!<br>

so to summarise:<br>

5D MkII<br>

(7D to come when I go back next week to collect the lens on order....) hubby decided he would like the 50D to start to learn what to do rather than just being my assistant, lol<br>

70-300 4-5.6 IS USM (for hubby's 50D!)<br>

70-200 2.8 L IS USM<br>

100 2.8 Macro USM<br>

17-40 4.0 L</p>

<p>and hubby wanted to use my old camera bag... cue couple new ones, tripod, monopod and a little Sony TX5 for when we go snorkelling/fits in my small handbag! Pink so that hubby won't want to use it, lol</p>

<p>so there you go; that's me done for now!</p>

<p> </p>

[jim_mcdonald3]

<p>Thanks for telling us the result of your deliberations Emily.<br>

You've bought some great kit and I hope you get real pleasure from using it.</p>

[jim_mcdonald3]

<p>Thanks for telling us the result of your deliberations Emily.<br>

You've bought some great kit and I hope you get real pleasure from using it.</p>

[William Michael]

<p>That's a creamer kit! . . . you've got some beautiful glass and the 7D and 5DMkII will serve you well, I am sure.<br>

Have fun with it. Thanks for sharing the outcome.</p>

<p>WW</p>