First trials with the amazing 7D

FatDaddyJones

Quidquid latine dictum sit, altum videtur
Dec 24, 2010
147
0
The amazing 7D deserves an L lens or something like the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM. I got mine with the 18-135 and I absolutely despise the lens. Maybe it's just my copy... I doubt it... but the IQ is terrible. Vignetting is terrible. CA is terrible. Lens creep... (guess) terrible. The AF/MF switch is hard to change. Even the little silver ring around the lens is peeling off.

The 7D really is an amazing piece of technology. But to use it to it's full potential, you'll need better glass.
 
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Aug 11, 2010
827
4
glad you're having fun with a wonderful camera, congrats on the purchase! I'm going to go against the grain and say shoot for a while with your kit lens, until you know where you think you want to take your photography next.

besides, if you can learn to shoot excellent photos with a kit lens, you can pretty much shoot excellent photos with anything.
 
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To expand on what kubelik and scalesusa said, hold on to that kit lens for a little bit. Practice, learn the camera, and the craft as a whole. On that journey you will also learn what you need in a lens to fulfill your goals.

It's real easy to say the 18-135 is less than the perfect lens, but a lot harder to say what is the perfect lens for you. Everyone is quick to spit out an opinion; and yes, the guidance you receive can be valuable; but it's ultimately up to you to determine what is best.
 
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K3nt

"No good photo goes unnoticed!"
Feb 3, 2011
269
1
Finland
www.flickr.com
I really enjoy the 7D, just wish I'd thrown out the SuperZoom compacts earlier.. :)
I now have the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens and currently waiting for the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II to arrive.
I think that together with my kit lens, these three will tide me over for quite a while.
I'll post some more pics later today that I took with the 50mm lens and the 430EX II flash unit.
That flash unit is...well... WOW.... is the only word I can think of to describe. Never did I think it would make such a difference.
More to come. ;)
 
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I wouldn't look down too much on the kit lens you have... the MTF charts on this lens appears to be nearly as good if not better than L lenses at this range, however, other factors such as construction/sealing/durability tip the scales in the L lenses favor. You've got a nice piece of equipment and heads and shoulders better than its original 28-135 lens. Learn your gear. I heard one seasoned pro say that when he gets new lenses, he would play non stop with that lens/camera for 6 months to a year (minus other photoshoots that may need other equipment) so that when he was done with that period he was confident he knew everything about that gear so when situations popped up in which he needed to use that gear, he would know not only what f-stops worked best for what he wanted to produce, but where was the sweet spot in the lens, in what conditions the gear worked best so he can get the best shots when he wanted it. This is a lost art now-a-days where people dont get as intimate with their equipment and dont learn it good enough, and when they get missed shots, they blame the gear, not themselves.
 
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K3nt

"No good photo goes unnoticed!"
Feb 3, 2011
269
1
Finland
www.flickr.com
Well, I have now played around with the gear for a while and I think I'm getting to grips with how the whole thing works. The CA on the 18-135mm lens *is* bad, but luckily can mostly be corrected in post-processing.
I did get myself a 50mm f/1.4 prime and the absolutely MAGNIFICENT 70-200mm L IS USM mk II lens. That thing is what is mostly attached these days.
One thing though for people doing long shoots with this lens, get a Black Rapids R-Strap or Sun-Sniper one. My neck and shoulders were killing me after a day at a dog show with the standard 'Steal Me'-strap. Now with the shoulder strap, the camera is instantly available, protected a bit better and no pains.
 
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