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Lenses / Re: Lenses for 650D
« on: February 25, 2012, 05:13:48 PM »Hi,
I agree with the other poster who said get a used body, it's much cheaper, and you'll be wanting to upgrade in a year or so. The 550D is very good, and you can get a more solid camera like a 30D for about 150 used, and even a 50D for about 350. If you want to get a new body that's fine as well. Here's what I'd do:
~Body - 650d/550D/30D/50D = ~$800/$400?/$150/$350
~Lens 1 - 50 1.4 (mk I or II if it comes out) = $320
~Lens 2 - 17-40 f4L = ~$750, cheaper used, maybe ~$400-500
~Manfrotto 190XPROB w/ 498 RC2 head = ~$250
~Speedlite 430EX II = ~$275
~Filters, hoods, etc = ~$200
~Bag = ~$150
Total cost: ~$1745 - $2745 (depending on body choice and whether you choose to get the 17-40 used)
I'd choose the 30D out of the bodies, it's more solid than the rebel series and so can take a better beating, and it's cheaper. By a lot. It also has a reasonable feature set for a beginner, and 8.2 megapixels is enough as a starter if you're not printing big, and few beginners do. I say save the money, one because it's just saving money, and it's always nice to have a bit more of it, and two, because in about a year you'll want to upgrade it.
I picked the 50 1.4 over the 85 1.8 because while I prefer the 85 on a fullframe, it's a very weak and awkward focal length on a crop body. Good for sitdown formal portraits, not much else, and as your one fast prime (think of it as f2.8/ maybe f2.2, regardless of sharpness, DOF is almost always too thin an wider apertures), you want a good allround focal length. I also like using 1.4 creatively and for silly bokeh photos. You can correct any sharpness and what not in PhotoShop, but at least to me, at f2.8 it's damn sharp, sharper than any zoom.
The 17-40L becomes roughly a 27-64mm zoom on a crop body which is a pretty useful little range. I picked it because it's cheaper than the 17-55, has similar if not very very very slightly better image quality on a crop, has better build quality, and includes a hood and bag. Who can argue with free stuff?It's also more versatile, you can use it on a FF if you choose to upgrade.
The Manfrotto 190XPROB and the 498 RC2 head are just the best in the 200-300 price range that is portableish, and hence usable. 'Nuff said.
Don't skimp out on filters, I like Hoya HD on the 50mm, and B&W Pro Slim on the 17-40. Just get a cheap ebay hood for the 50, the 17-40 comes with one.
Lastly invest in a good bag. You can get a cheap TSTAR or whatnot that'll kind of do the job for $20, but it's uncomfortable and you'll upgrade to a nicer bag that you'll use and can fit more stuff in it, why not save the 20 bucks and buy a better bag now that you'll prefer to use anyway? I like the Lowepro fastpack range, especially the 350 as backpacks, if you prefer shoulder bags look at the Lowepro Nova series, etc.
The 430EX II is really the only option here, I don't think it needs to be justified.
And that's just my three and a half cents,
Thomas.
Hi,
Where possibly could I find a 30D/50D for $150/350 ? I am really interested. Ebay sellers are asking for more than double.
Thanks.