Canon 60D-- need help on which kit to go with..Thanks

[aranieri]

HI,

I am in the market for a 60D and their are a couple of different kits.. Just wondering which one you all believe is the best deal. I will be using the camera for family shots mostly...not a photographer my an means..

Here are the different options....thanks for your suggestions..

1) Canon EOS 60D 18.1MP DSLR Camera With 18-200mm IS Lens Kit - Black - $1199.99

2) Canon EOS 60D Digital SLR Camera With 55-250mm IS & 50mm f/1.8 Lens Kit & Bag $1099.99

3) Canon EOS 60D 18.1MP DSLR Camera with 18-135mm IS Lens Kit, Accessory Kit (comes with bag, strap and battery, and EF 40mm f/2.8 Lens  $1299.99

4) Canon EOS 60D 18.1MP DSLR Camera With 18-135mm IS Lens Kit - $1149.99

These are my options.. I actually bought option number 2, but im not sure if it was the right decision. Please help.. Thanks

[Mendolera]

I would have gone 2 as well. Optics are probably fractionally better with the 18-135 then the 55-250 IS but you also get the 1.8 and save almost $200.

Not sure what budget is so I guess the only worry would be you dont have anything below 50mm (~80mm on 60D) so if you dont have any other lenses I would maybe even pick up used 18-55 IS for $65-$75 or so.

[bschaefer]

I like wide angle shots and low light photography so I would go with option 4 and buy a 50 1.8 for ≈$110 and it's still cheaper than option 3.

However, I agree with Mendolera. With your purposes you mentioned... the 55-250, 50 1.8, and buying a 18-55 would also be a good option.

You'll enjoy learning the 60d either way. Lots of fun.

[kubelik]

I like your choice of purchasing package 2.  frankly, if you end up wanting a wide-to-standard zoom lens, none of the 18-whatever lenses are really that great.  it ends up being the lens that you sell at a major discount in order to pick up a 17-55 f/2.8, 10-22, or 15-85 in the future.  18 is annoyingly not-quite-wide-enough for a lot of things that you'll encounter when walking around.

[alexturton]

if you're after nice family shots get the 60d + sigma30mm1.4. I get wonderful family shots with shallow dof with that combo.

30mm wont be wide enough for group shots though so you'll need to paid with something wider like 17-55 later if thats what your after

[well_dunno]

I would also go for option 2.

None of the 18-135 are the new STM lens, right?
 
Cheers!

[well_dunno]

  18 is annoyingly not-quite-wide-enough for a lot of things that you'll encounter when walking around.

+1
I went with a Tokina 12-24 during that very annoyance 

[aranieri]

strange.. the if you were to buy each item separately the 18-135 with the extra battery, bag and 40mm lens works out to be the best deal.. but not sure if its the right choice

[East Wind Photography]

Option 2 is a good choice for a starter kit.  Once you figure out what you really like to shoot, you can trade up the lenses for something more toward your desire.

Enjoy.  60D has given me quite a joy over the years.

[Ryan708]

option 2 is a great starter kit, but it is missing a "normal/wide" lens
couple options:
1)get a 18-55 IS lens, they are pretty cheap used, about $75
2)I like my sigma 17-70 2.8-4 a lot better than the 18-55 I had,(sharper, wider/longer/faster) And can be had for about $425 new (with sigma I would Go new, because the warranty is good, and if there is an autofocus problem you can have it taken care of)
3) get a sigma/canon/tamron 17-50 F/2.8 they are all nice lenses but expensive.

[kubelik]

strange.. the if you were to buy each item separately the 18-135 with the extra battery, bag and 40mm lens works out to be the best deal.. but not sure if its the right choice

was your original question just about mathematically the best absolute savings?  because that's easy to calculate.  I think most folks here are responding to what the best deal is in terms of useful lenses.

[verysimplejason]

For that kind of money, I'd go for 5Dclassic + 50mm 1.4/1.8 + Yongnuo TTL flash.  I'll build the lens lineup afterwards.

[christianronnel]

With the options you've given,  I'd go with option 1.  18-200 might not be the sharpest lens in the box but you will not notice this if you don't have anything to compare it to.  The range is very useful.  it covers wide to tele-photo.  Most beginners I know tend to not want to swap lenses.  Later on when you decide you want to upgrade, the resale value of that lens is better than the lenses offered in the other options (unless Canon release a version 2).  Having a 10x zoom would also help you figure out which focal lengths you use more often. This will guide you to decide what focal lengths of better lenses to upgrade to.

Personally, I started out with a 60D myself.  If I knew then what I knew now, I would buy a T3i to start with and a 24-105L.  If you get into photography, I mean really addicted to it, the next upgrade path for you would be to go full-frame and 24-105 is a good full-frame lens.  T3i and 60D have the same sensor and flipy-swively screen.

Here's a link on Amazon for T3i with 18-55mm kit lens for only $529 http://www.amazon.com/Canon-T3i-Digital-Imaging-18-55mm/dp/B004J3V90Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1354077680&sr=1-1&keywords=t3i
Someone posted a link to ebay for a 24-105L for only $749 but I don't know if it's still available.  But you can always get a shorty forty or the nifty-fifty if you need a faster lens.

[M.ST]

Forget all the kit and travel lenses an go for the EF-S 17-55 2.8 IS or the EF 17-40 L lens and the EF 70-300 IS.

Warning:
Canon is working on a new versions of the EF-S 17-55 2.8 IS and the EF 17-40 L (II or IS). If Canon release the new EF-S 17-55 2.8 IS II in the first or second quarter of 2013 you maybe loose a lot of money.

A few days ago I test the EF-S 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS II lens. It´s totally junk (image quality) compared to the latest non IS version of the kit lens.