Ok question for the camera buffs..

I just got my Canon 5D and also bought the follow lenses, what my question is did I pretty much cover the bases for anything I would even need to take a picture of or should I have bought a different lenses...if so why and which one. If your now sure of the lense I've attached links to canons site.


EF 400mm f/5.6L USM
Super Telephoto Lens

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=154&modelid=7314#ModelDetailAct

EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
Telephoto Zoom Lens

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=150&modelid=11922

EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Macro Lens

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=155&modelid=7400

EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
Standard Zoom Lens

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=149&modelid=11924

I know nothing of all things camera, but judging from that list you are gonna take some sweet pics at the track!

If you were a friend of mine, I'd speak very openly with you....

What is your photography background? How long, how often, etc? Ever had a DSLR before? What are your intentions for using this camera...what type of pics will you be taking most often?

My opinion is that you bought too many lenses. For someone just starting with a DSLR, I recommend a high end, wide angle zoom, like a SIgma 15-30. Buy the widest, fastest wide tele you can afford. Don't worry about the upper end. You'll see in short order how wonderful a super wide can be. A 70-200 2.8 Sigma or Canon L lens is the other one I'd strongly consider. I've found that unless I'm doing something special, I almost always use my 15-30 as my walk around lens. The 70-200 2.8 is my other, grab it and go lens. If you need more zoom, get a Canon or Sigma 1.4X or 2X converter until you decide if you really want a 400mm prime. That's a tough lens to shoot with. I had a 400mm 2.8 and while it was super cool, made me look like a pro and had every other photographer within a mile drooling, it was a very tough lens to use anywhere other than at an airstrip, etc. Sold it and bought a Sigma 50-500 and a 1.4X and 2X converter. Saved me a ton and much more usable lens. I have other lenses, but I really only use the 15-30, 70-200 and the 50-500. Once in a while I pull out the 28-135 IS for birthdays and such.

When I bought my 10D, I did what you did...I bought a whole bunch of lenses and ended selling all but one, then bought the ones I really wanted. Most folks do the same thing.

AV8R, I'll answer a few of your questions in a moment but here are a list of others which one or one do you think would be good...

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=150&modelid=7344

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=150&modelid=7341

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Digital_SLR/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A0389031

av8r wrote:If you were a friend of mine, I'd speak very openly with you....

What is your photography background? How long, how often, etc? Ever had a DSLR before? What are your intentions for using this camera...what type of pics will you be taking most often?

hmmmm background... just having fun with a point and shoot since high school, I'll post the P.A.S camera's that I've had in the past.

how long.... about 10-15 years
how often.... about every other day I'm taking a picture of something
I've never had DSLR before
uses for the camera are taking pictures
indoors, of the kid, fish, boiler, house, and other items
outdoors, bikes at the race track, wildlife, bugs, plants,


BTW you can tell me what you think I have thick skin....... I work in corprate america as a post senior field engineer for big business customers in IT systems.....

I'll post my useless (but camera related reply):

I just ordered over the weekend a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8K. It's a BIG step up for me since I've been using the same ancient Sony 1.3MP camera for the past 6 years. The FZ8K is a glorified P&S camera, but it does have a pretty decent Leica designed zoom lens on it.

But, I also have a very mint Canon FTb camera with the 50mm f/1.4 lens. I have taken some amazing pictures with it, even though it is quite limited with the single focal length and being 100% manual with only light metering. I had thought about getting some vintage Canon glass to upgrade the setup, but the digital age is just too strong a pull for me.

One day I'll move up to a decent dSLR like the Rebel XTi and get into 'real' photography.

Let's see, we have 2 Canon Rebel 2000 Bodies, 1 - Canon Rebel Digital XT body along with....
28-300 Tamron Zoom (most used)
18-70 Wide Angle (2nd mostly used)
90mm Macro
100-500mm super Zoom
28-105 small zoom
2x adapter
and a bunch of other stuff (Filters, flashes, remote, etc...)
I forget all the brands and F stops on them.

Here's a good photo forum to hang out on http://www.photo.net

Here a few we have taken previously, mostly 35mm (scanned), haven't posted much digital stuff in a while.
http://photo.net/photodb/member-photos? ... nclude=all
Enjoy!

av8r wrote:If you were a friend of mine, I'd speak very openly with you....

What is your photography background? How long, how often, etc? Ever had a DSLR before? What are your intentions for using this camera...what type of pics will you be taking most often?

this is what I have and used..

I gotta ask, what did you take that picture with?

U25a4 wrote:AV8R, I'll answer a few of your questions in a moment but here are a list of others which one or one do you think would be good...

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=150&modelid=7344

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=150&modelid=7341

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Digital_SLR/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A0389031

A very good friend once gave me some very good advice, which I completely ignored. He said..."Don't get caught up in the lens race. Buy one good lens and learn how to use it. Then see what you need next" I just went out and bought a bunch of stuff...heehehe..I ended up doing just what he told me to do, only it took me twice as long!

the 70-200 is a great, great lens. I prefer the Sigma version. I don't like the Canon L lenses white color, but the Sigma black is perfect for my tastes. I use my 70-200 all the time. Add a converter and it's a 140-400 on a full frame camera like yours. You can do everything from portraits to action stuff with the 70-200.

I'd pass on the other lenses. I try to buy lenses that don't overlap with something I already have. You may not care about that.

The Tokina 12-24 is considered by many to be one of the best wide zooms out there. Nikon has that lens OEM'd for them and charges a lot more than what it's worth.
Here's the Tokina http://cgi.ebay.com/Tokina-12-24mm-f4-A ... dZViewItem

For me, it's a super wide tele, a 2.8 70-200 zoom, a big boy zoom (50-500) and a 28-135 IS for aerial stuff. I have some others, but they seldom see the light of day.

spc wrote:I gotta ask, what did you take that picture with?

DOH! You beat me to the punch line! I thought the same thing!

spc wrote:I gotta ask, what did you take that picture with?

A canon 5D with no flash and a idiot behind the wheel

I just thought I'd post here with a question but not to take it off topic. I've been shopping around for a new camera myself. I'm not a photographer by any means but I can't find a PAS that can take a picture I wouldn't consider throwing away(such as the one posted). Perhaps it's my fault (as I am behind the wheel) but is there a camera I can pick up (complete package) for under $1000 that with learning a few things I can take a decent picture with? I currently have a Sony DSC w200 and hate it. Previously had several cybershot models and some of the older Olympus stuff. I've heard good things about the Canon's but I don't know anybody who's owned one.

Don't be intimidated by the the DSLR's, they all a have auto mode which will make them just as easy to use as a consumer PAS. Once you get into the $400 and $500 range for camera its almost pointless not to get a DSLR.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/control ... tp=&clsgr=

Note that those are sorted low to high and some are the body only which of course would require the purchase of lens. They do have package deals for getting started. There's one listed there $450 with the lens.

I was looking at that 350D you mentioned and I like the idea of a separate flash. All of the cameras I've had before had an integrated flash and were all quite poor in my opinion as I'm often in less than ideal light conditions. I'll have to check this out a little more and see what fits for me. Thank You