suhaskulkarni

Going as per the rule for lens buying "what you pay is what you get", I am

confused about how to make choie in available budget

 

 

I am getting following lenses, for the same price (which is my budget : 750

AUD)

Sigma 170-500 APO DG

Canon 70-200 f4 L

Canon 70-300 IS

 

 

I want to buy the lens for telephoto applications. I already have 80-200 f4-

f5.6 lens which is not great (its ok when stopped down), but which at least

covers range between 80 to 200

 

 

 

I wonder if 170-500 APO DG is that bad, as this is the lowest cost lens that

reach 500mm. Even if I can go upto 400 mm this should be nice for me.

I read it somewhere in dpreview that the prices are slashed.

It was reflected immediately from stores like Camera Action, Digital Camera Warehouse which normally sell at near official prices. The prices were high before I read this post in DPreview.

However, as you mentioned, Canon Australia website still shows $1999 price. Not sure why...

Manfred Feuser wrote:

"no import duty from the USA to Australia."

 

But did you pay GST / customs for the item? What is the all inclusive final cost in AU$ that you paid for your 40D?

Hi

 

I have been keeping watch on the EOS bodies price trend

 

I observed that Canon Australia officially slashed prices of 40D and now

reputed shops are offering 40D at about 1300 AUD (which is less than internet

direct imports!) However, 450D is still offered at about 1000 AUD. there is

about 300 AUD difference in price of 40D and 450D.

 

What could be the reason?

 

With such a small price difference I doubt if there are many reasons to buy

450D instead of 40D....If I compare same for Nikon, Nikon D300 is priced at

about 2150 AUD while Nikon D80 is priced at about 1000 AUD... such a huge

price difference!

I think 1dsmkIII provides convinience and mobility while MF digital backs provide finer definition of details and colors within their limit. Digital backs are still best for studio kind of work (including studio fashion photography). The limitations of digital backs are slower frame rates, high ISO performance does not match idsmkII, file processing is a bit teduios.

This is what dpreview says in comparision of 400D and 350D

"There's really no advantage in moving from eight to ten megapixels, the additional 432 horizontal pixels and 288 vertical pixels produce no more detail that can be seen. Indeed if anything the eight megapixel (EOS 350D) image looks slightly sharper 'per pixel' than the ten megapixel image from the EOS 400D."

I use circular polarizer on my 18-55 IS lens.

After you focus, you need to use other hand to rotate the polariser (must take care to rotate in proper direction just not to unscrew the polarizer from the lens) and look through the viewfinder till the desired effect is achieved. Its somewhat difficule but you will get used to it!

perhaps you are looking for this one below -

http://www.rugift.com/photocameras/canon-eos-super-wide-angle-lens.htm

but then it wont effectively remove the crop completely, but you will have 1.6*.45 = 0.7 crop.....(which is lower than full frame!)

Not sure if this is the way the lens above works.

Sorry guys for confusion.

I am using Canon EOS 350D camera. 18-15 IS lens

In manual mode. Shutter speed about 1/15. When used with flash - picture gives a definite indication that its camera shake. But when used without flash, at 1/15 the blurr is gone. For example if there are any printed matter on the subject (boxes / books) I can read it clearly. But the picture is underexposed in some areas. Basically I am looking for "fill in" the dark areas of the subjects with flash.

I can understand limitations of IS. However, I dont understand that with same shutter speed IS works with flash off. The picture is sharp. But with flash on, it gives dreadful camera shake.

I will try to put some pictures of both with flash off and flash on.

Hi guys

 

When I try to use IS lens indoor at slow shutter speed, and with on-camera

flash then i am getting a blurr. This is very huge amount of blurr which makes

the picture unusable.

If I swith off the on-camera flash, then I am able to get sharper shots

without blurr at the same shutter speed and aparture. but they are obviously

underexposed. This gives me impression that IS and slow synch flash do not

work together. Any experince on this?

 

I also tried the same with Canon 380EX flash. With IS on and flash on I get

same problem - blurry pictures.

 

I wonder if my lens is faulty? But in all other cases I do get sharp pictures

with the lens.

 

Thanks for your answers

I have Canon 100mm USM macro, and I can tell that this is excellent lens for macro purpose. on 400D you will get good working distance, the USM works great (althouh for some shots you may need manual focus) and the lens can also be used for portraits / zoo photography which is a bonus.

From what I know 17-35 is older design. Newer lenses are built more competatively because as soon as the lenses are out all popular websites are flooded with tests for those lenses and 100% crops and MTF charts... in that sense the lens would be inferior to new 17-50 f2.8 from Tamron I suppose. I would suggest 17-50 would be better alternative (although costlier).

This applies to almost all lenses - e.g. my old 80-200 lens is nowhere compared to new 55-250 IS lens although the price I paid for 80-200 was same as the new 55-250 will cost today.

Thanks for update Rohan.

 

I am confident about the shop now. However, I did not get time to proceed with my purchase. Hope to find some time next week.

I dont know why, there aren't lot of people talking about 18-135 lens. Photozone review showed excellent resolution of this lens. But I dont hear priases of this lens from lot many users. Here in Australia the price difference between 18-70 and 18-135 is hardly 100 AUD. With such affordable price, I am not sure why people prefer 18-70 over 18-135? Might be I am missing something?

Thanks for the replies.

 

I think I would you give it a try. I am thinking of Sigma 170-500 DG APO. The cost shown there is $750. I will talk to those guys and decide.

http://www.quikshop.com.au : the prices are too low to believe

 

There is no information on reseller ratings website.

 

Anyone has any good / bad experience with this shop?

When people say that their old 5D still takes great pictures - so why update; this still holds good for 25 year old medium format camera technology so why did we upgrade to what we are now? Of course for "features"!

 

Featurewise, I think 5D is no more competative in market due to new APS-C cameras in game like Nikon D300. The new APS-C sensor prosumer cameras give image quality almost comparable with 5D and have lot of more features live view, auto sensor cleaning, "real" auto ISO, in camera Dynamic range adjustment, In camera CA adjustments, lens focus adjustment for muliple lenses, upto 8 fps frame rates (with additional battery) and what not.

Hence Canon has left 5D to die its natural death.

Thanks for the responses....I think I will start with 50/f1.8 instead and think over the Sigma vs. Canon meanwhile.

Thanks for the answers... yes I can figure out which is which :-)

 

Leopold - I already read that review and the ISO crops. But I find the problem with that site is, even if any third party lens is equal to or exceeding in IQ from Canon lens, the reviewer still praises Canon lens. For example Tamron 17-50 lens. Hence I am still confused if he recommends the lens or how bad he rates the lens against Canon Lens. I know Canon is going to be always better. Just trying to figure out that the difference in price justifies difference in IQ / featuers for me.

>>"Thus, the 5D is the most forgiving of glass. "

 

>>I have heard the exact opposite? (That, it is important to have better quality lenses when using a FF.)

 

I agree that 5D is more forgiving to glass compared to for example 40D - based on theory of course. Here is what I heard - not sure if this is correct or just junk..

 

If R1 is the resolution power of lens and R2 is resolution power of Camera sensor, then the resolution power of combination (R3) can be obtained as

1/R3-square = 1/R1-squre + 1/R2-square

 

Since 5D resolves more than 40D or any cropped sensor, 5D is more likely to give better results with junky lens compared to 40D

Hi

 

Anyone with experience of Sigma 24-70 EX DG lens on 5D? How is the optical

quality and how is the handling? What are the shortcomings compared to Canon

24-70L?

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

Suhas

We will have to see image quality - I am also waiting for couple of reviews before getting this lens. From the trend that Tamron has, the resolution would be excellent (I expect better than Canon) but Tamron lenses generally focus very slow. Also none of the online lens test quantify "contrast" of lens in the test, which is generally better on any Canon L lens. Other factors like bokeh are also not quantified in any lens test, for which we have to depend on user reviews.I hope the lens would also deal with cheapo Tamron 1.4x and 2x tele converters more effectively.

The specifications look attractive, including the minimum focus distance and the magnification.

Sorry for the typo - I meant Nikon's D60 and not D6. Also I forgot about D80

My guess is there is unwritten understanding between Canon and Nikon. As you can recall till couple of year's back Nikon users were complaining of Nikon not catching up with competetion and not introducing at least 2 new DSLRs each year as Canon does. Canon was in full swing that time and very aggressively replacing SLR models at regular time interval. Also Canon was providing more options in the DSLR line up. Now the case is reversed I guess Nikon introduces D200, D40, D40x and now D3, D300, D6 hence updated most of the camers in lineup. But Canon is refusing to update the old 5D. May be next year will be year of Canon when Nikon will keep quiet. Then Nikon then Canon.....

 

Of course this is my guess....because this is how it is happening now a days.

I think my existing canon lenses is not a limiting factor for selection of my second camera.

My lenses include 18-55 EF-S (IS and non-IS both versions) and 80-200 EF II lenses. I have 100/f2.8 USM macro which I can use for Full Frame, but that wont cover much. so anyway I have to buy separate lenses if I decide to go full frame. Yes I can use those canon lenses on my 350D too if I go for pro Canon body. But then D3 also provides DX format so I can have two cameras FF and cropped body in one...