Messages

1

Lens Gallery / Re: Canon EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

« on: April 14, 2013, 05:42:12 PM »

Here's one from the 24-105 I recently picked up.  For some reason I held off on getting it as a kit w/my 6D and eventually "settled" on it.  In other words, I wasn't super excited about it.  So far I've been very happy with the results.


Signs of Spring, MA by PeteLyneis, on Flickr

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Lenses / Re: Best lens for baby portraits?

« on: February 24, 2013, 05:33:46 PM »

+1 for the 85 1.8.  It was my first prime and I got it right before I had my daughter.  I used it first on a Rebel XT and now a 6D.  The length was a bit long indoors on the Rebel but I still really liked it.  Liked it so much I may get the 135 next.  Oddly it forced me to take photos from a different perspective which produced results I really liked.

Here's one from the 85 1.8 on a 6d from yesterday.  It doesn't show off the bokeh (she can't sit up so there's not much distance between her and the background!) but I like the color rendition and sharpness.  I should have shot it at a slightly narrower aperture so her full face is in focus but it still came out pretty good. 

Either way, rent or buy the lens before the baby comes so you have some time to practice.  I got mine a week early and it wasn't quite enough time with it prior.

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Canon General / Re: Canon Inc posted a 17.9 percent drop in quarterly operating profit

« on: January 31, 2013, 07:51:55 AM »

I'll be the first to admit that I know nothing about how Canon operates as business.  Do the DSLR and lens segments operate separately from the compact segment?  I guess what I'm getting at is do compact camera sales help subsidize the R&D for lenses? If that's the case and sales of compact cameras continue to decline due to the increasing viability of smartphone cameras that may start to show up in prices of their higher end products.  Who knows.

Maybe Canon is diverse enough to be sheltered from that.  And I'm probably missing something obvious.  Just a thought I had when reading this.

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Lenses / Re: Lens Help - 17-40 & 70-200 f/4 or 24-70 f/4

« on: January 30, 2013, 11:23:19 AM »

You can buy from Amazon a day or two before the rebates expire and select the free super saver shipping which takes a few days to process and if the rebates are extended, cancel your order and then reconsider which route you want to go.  If they aren't extended, then at least you were able to jump in on the deal.

Thanks again guys, and this is great advice on the rebates.  After spending far too long reading the endless debates over the 70-200 f/4 IS vs the 70-300 f/4-5.6 (and determining that both are really excellent) I'm going to follow the above advice and order the 70-300L via amazon while the rebates are intact.  As a hiker I'll be outside a lot and think I'd appreciate the compact size and newer IS more than the downside of the variable aperture.  Sounds like you can't go wrong either way.

I'll then start hunting around on ebay and craigslist for a good deal on a whitebox 24-105.  With the current kit pricing on the 6d I'm hoping I can get one in the $700's.  We'll see.  Maybe that way I can pretend I didn't make a mistake not getting it at first :-)

And Niterider - I would love to see some of your photos from the 14mm samyang.  Not going to get it now but would be interested down the road for sure.

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Lenses / Re: Lens Help - 17-40 & 70-200 f/4 or 24-70 f/4

« on: January 28, 2013, 07:17:49 PM »

Thanks for all the great advice guys.  Wasn't surprised to see no one recommend getting the 24-70 f/4 right now.  You confirmed my suspicions that I made a mistake and got a little too "cute" by not grabbing the 24-105 as a kit with my 6d.  I'll take a look at white box options on ebay as they seem to go for around $800 which is still reasonable.

Also will check out the tamron as I have heard good things.  Just not thrilled with the weight.  Getting a 24 non-L prime and a 135 was also an interesting idea. 

6

Lenses / Lens Help - 17-40 & 70-200 f/4 or 24-70 f/4

« on: January 28, 2013, 02:05:36 PM »

I've been a long time reader and finally thought I’d ask for everyone’s advice on a lens purchase dilemma I’m having.  I realize the “which lens should I buy” posts can get annoying after a while so I’ll preface this by saying that I've tried all the lenses I’m deciding between and am really stuck!

First though thanks to everyone for all the incredibly usefully information that I've read over the years on these boards.  It has certainly helped improve the quality of my photos. 

About Me:
I currently have a 6d that I got for Christmas.  Before that I had a Rebel XT for 8 years that I used with a the EF-S 17-85 and the 85 F/1.8.  I just sold the 17-85.  I am loving the 6d so far.  Coming from an XT it’s one heck of an upgrade.  I’m up north so I can’t wait for winter to clear so there’s more time to get outside and shoot!

What I like to shoot:
Landscapes
My 4mo old daughter

What I like to do:
I do a lot of walking/hiking.  I don’t like carrying a ton of stuff, and almost never bring a tripod.  So my landscapes tend to be handheld wherever I am.  I wasn't into people pictures until we had our first kid.  Now she seems to dominate my subject matter.

So at first I was going to get the 6D with 24-105 the kit lens.  I wanted to learn more about the 24-70 f/4 and was hoping it would be available as a kit option alongside the 6D.  As a result I kept waiting and waiting for it to be released.  I finally gave up and bought the body only as I didn't want to miss any more shots and figured the 85 F/1.8 would get the job done in the short term.  I also picked up the 40 F/2.8 for something a little wider while I made up my mind.  I was attracted to the 24-70 f/4 because of the IS (handheld), small size (for walking/hiking) and macro features (I've been wanting to do more of this but couldn't commit to a dedicated lens).  In hindsight I should have just gotten the 24-105 as a kit.  I just wasn't excited enough at the time and felt like I'd regret it.

I went back and looked at photos from the last few years and realized that on my 17-85 I took almost all of my photos at either the wide or zoom end.  Very few in the middle.

Through a stroke of good fortune I received a $1,250 gift card to Amazon as a perk from work.  I netted $375 selling my 17-85 and an old 70-300 so I have $1600 or so to spend on the lens I've been waiting for.  After doing some research and trying out a lot of lenses I’m down to the following options:

Option 1:
EF 24-70 F/4 IS - $1,499

Option 2:
EF 70-200 F/4 IS - $1,099
EF 17-40 F/4 - $699

I realize there are rebates ending on the option 2 items Feb 2nd.  Not sure how likely it is that they will be extended but those prices include the rebates.

Here are my thoughts:
Option 1: Great size for walking/hiking, very useful focal range, brand new IS, and can do my macro thing when I want to try it out.  When I tried one at a local store I was impressed with how small it was.  Cons are the price (I feel like I’m overpaying as an early adopter) and the fact that it doesn't seem to “wow” everyone on these forums from an IQ standpoint.

Option 2:  I’m really excited about the 70-200.  From my brief experience renting one it is an awesome lens and I've never really owned a good telephoto.  The 17-40 also intrigues me as I love wide angle stuff.  The cons are the added weight and I worry about the 17-40 as my primary walk-around.  It doesn't have IS (is that ok for my handheld landscape needs?) and I’ll be missing the 40-70 range in my kit.  Not that it’s essential to have everything covered.

My questions:
1.   Is there some other combo for around $1600 that I should be considering?  Perhaps even non-canon lenses?  Blow it on a prime instead?
2.   Is the 17-40 ok for general purpose use?  Without a tripod?  How much will I miss the 40-70?
3.   How is the 70-200 as a portrait lens?  Is it usable indoors?  I have my 85 f?1.8 and absolutely love it so indoor use isn’t a necessity.
4.   Are these canon rebates that are ending Feb 2nd likely gone for a while?

Thanks in advance for all your help!  Sorry for the long post.