Canon Upgrade Path help

[TheDrift-]

Hi

Just trying to workout which lens to buy next and would appreciate some advise from anyone kind enough to help.

Where I'm at.

Got my first DSLR last year (canon 500d/rebel) had plenty of fun, finished a begginers 10 week course and starting an intermediate one in Jan.

Ready to get my first piece of L glass, but these things are expensive and want to start with the end in mind! I have a 18 55 kit lens, 55 250, 50 1.4, and the 85 1.8 all ready.

I am still experimenting and would like to be flexible of focal length, and appreciate no one lens can do it all.

I was thinking of the 24-70 2.8 complimented by the 70 200 f4 is. Then maybe look to go full frame. The end being maybe two camera's a full frame 5dmk2 with a 24-70 and my rebel with a 70-200 f4 is.

I considered the 24 105 and 24 70 and eventually decided on getting the 24-70, After that going on to get the 70 200, f4 is, (i would love the 2.8 is but its a bit outta my league right now).

I think the 24 70 would be most useful right now for me, but i'm thinking of getting the 70 200 first as the 24-70 is kind of old (2002 ish), and it keeps being rumoured about an upgrade.

If i got the 70 - 200 now (which i want anyway) it would give me some time to see if there is a new 24 - 70 on the horizon and get the new version if its announced this year or a slighltly cheaper one as they get phased out.

So, right lenses?, right idea? and right to wait a few months before jumping on a 24-70? I'm sure I will have fun with the 70 200????

Any help?

 

[Designer Dale]

Look at the focal length that you use the most a start there for your lens upgrades. Don't add to your lens bag, sell the ones you replace with the more expensive ones. Don't overlook Tamron or Sigma. There are a lot of options ut there that won't break the bank.

Dale

 

[jabbott]

Ready to get my first piece of L glass, but these things are expensive and want to start with the end in mind! I have a 18 55 kit lens, 55 250, 50 1.4, and the 85 1.8 all ready.

I am still experimenting and would like to be flexible of focal length, and appreciate no one lens can do it all.

I was thinking of the 24-70 2.8 complimented by the 70 200 f4 is. Then maybe look to go full frame. The end being maybe two camera's a full frame 5dmk2 with a 24-70 and my rebel with a 70-200 f4 is.

Not a bad approach at all. For my general purpose zoom lens I use a 24-70mm f/2.8L USM on a Rebel T2i and have been very happy with it. I also use an EF-s 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM for wide angle and a 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM for telephoto. That combination allows me to have a wide variety of framing options with only a single 2mm gap in focal length. You would do well with a 70-200mm f/4L IS USM over the 70-300mm DO or new 70-300 f/4-5.6L IS USM, unless you need more portability or focal length range. The f/4L will get you superior optics at about the same weight as the DO, and quite a bit less weight than the 70-300 f/4-5.6L.

I considered the 24 105 and 24 70 and eventually decided on getting the 24-70, After that going on to get the 70 200, f4 is, (i would love the 2.8 is but its a bit outta my league right now).

I think the 24 70 would be most useful right now for me, but i'm thinking of getting the 70 200 first as the 24-70 is kind of old (2002 ish), and it keeps being rumoured about an upgrade.

If i got the 70 - 200 now (which i want anyway) it would give me some time to see if there is a new 24 - 70 on the horizon and get the new version if its announced this year or a slighltly cheaper one as they get phased out.

So, right lenses?, right idea? and right to wait a few months before jumping on a 24-70? I'm sure I will have fun with the 70 200????

Any help?

I purchased the 24-70mm earlier this year, despite reading all the rumors of a new version with IS. Those have been floating around for quite some time (2008?). My opinion is that an image stabilizer is one more thing to break (it is a weakness in many Canon lenses), and I want my general purpose zoom lens to last 30 years. While a 24-70mm with image stabilization might be alluring, I am very happy to just use a 50mm f/1.4 USM prime lens for when I am in low light. That way I can stop both camera and subject motion using a wide aperture, not just stop camera motion via IS.

I should mention that until Jan. 8th 2011, the 70-200mm f/4L IS USM has an $80 instant rebate at B&H and other retailers. The rebate is doubled to $160 with the simultaneous purchase of a new DSLR body such as the 1D Mark IV, 5D Mark II, 7D or 60D. When I purchased my 24-70mm lens in March, it had an $80 instant rebate. If you are shopping with rebates in mind, it would make the most sense to grab the 70-200mm f/4L now while it has a rebate and then grab the 24-70mm f/2.8L when it has a rebate again in the future.

Before you buy anything, give this article a read. It is one person's story of lens/camera/gear collecting that has a lot of useful advice. Best of luck with your purchase(s)!

 

[harcosparky]

I went with the 24-105, IS is a plus.
I've had many IS lenses for long time without a problem.

I actually revamped my outdoors kit down to two lenses ....

24-105mm IS L
100-400mm IS L

I can say that sometimes I wish the 24-105 went up to 150mm or that the 100-400mm was a 70-400mm.

If I had a 70-200mm I would probably go with the 24-105mm as that slight overlap can prevent a lot of lens changing at times.

Just another way of looking at it.

Note: I took the expensive solution to my problem and bought another body, so lens swapping has been cut down to not being done.

 

[TheDrift-]

Thanks for the help

Just bought a 70 200 f4 is, hoping they announce a new 24 70 2.8 next year.

Thats gonna be my next lens, then a 5d I think.

Looking forward to my first l glass