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I took the plunge
Finally
Thank you for all your advice
After settling on buying my DSLR, 5D III, I was initially wondering which 3 primes to buy with it
So, I asked you for advice
I bought the 5D Mark III, as already planned
But, not body only
I bought it, with kit lens, following the advice of so many of forum members
Yes, you convinced me
The whole package cost me £2608, from e-infinity in Hong Kong (It included all duties and Tax), on eBay
That is around £1000 cheaper than Jessops
Here, is just under 2 minutes of silent video, showing the box unpacking, and includes a written description of my buying experience on YouTube
Please skip it if you are not a camera anorak, and get annoyed easily. It reminds me of watching paint dry.
Bought from E-infinity. Box contents: Canon EOS 5D Mark III + 24-105 f/4L IS USM Kit lens صامت
As you know, initially, I was thinking of just buying primes
I asked for advice
And, a certain non-prime kept appearing in your messages
It was the Canon 24-105 f/4 L
I initially thought "f/4?, what? No way!"
Which shows you my ignorance, and the desperate need of the likes of me, to seek advice
What really clinched it for me, are 3 main things
1- As mentioned, the repeated suggestion of the 24-105 f/4, which was not even in my initial list. It kept coming up in many forum members replies
2- As a video lens, which I was planning to use as a significant proportion, you do not want to use a wide open lens. So, anything wider than f/4, will have a very narrow depth of field, and probably have only a part of subject in focus. Then, with any movement, this will go out of focus. Especially that the 5D III (unlike the 650D, which is a bit surprising), does not autofocus on video mode

In addition, with video, you will not be able to tell the difference between top of range and a much cheaper lens, even in highest resolution HD (Note to self: 650D is probably a much better choice for video, with its swivel screen and autofocus on the move. Sadly, neither is available on 5D III, for unknown reasons)
3- This message, made a lot of sense
robbymack said:
Honestly, my best advice, buy the kit 24-105, use it for a bit then decide what else you need
What a fantastic idea
As a beginner, I had no clue which focal length I will be using, most
So, with a 24-105 zoom, and after a while of use, I can check which focal length I was choosing most, then buy the relevant prime
I really wished that the 85mm, comes up as one of my frequent uses
Unfortunately, whenever I check, it seems to be around the 50mm, which I keep choosing again and again, unconsciously
There are other quotes that tempted me into buying the kit lens
So, thank you for all
neuroanatomist said:
I'd recommend getting the kit lens (a great value when bought with a body).
Mt Spokane Photography said:
Get the 24-105mm L kit lens with your camera. It is ideal for outdoor use and may become your most used lens.
gmrza said:
I have to agree about the 24-105 - there is a reason why it is so popular (apart from being sold as a kit lens with the 5DIII) - because it is so versatile.
OK
I already bought my 5D III with 24-105 L Kit lens
A 100L Macro is on its way (bought from the same dealer, for £569)
A 50/1.2L may be the next step
For video, who knows, I may buy a 650D (or 700D next year), and stick my 24-105 on it all the time, then use it as a video-camera and a holiday workhorse, while keeping the 5D III and the primes for more artistic leisurely use