Canon Thread: "I tried to give an EOS-M to a clown at the circus and he punched me"

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > Creative Convention > The Dorkroom > Canon Thread: "I tried to give an EOS-M to a clown at the circus and he punched me"

Anubis: Oct 9, 2003; It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.; Fun Shoe

Ok, stupid person question time. All apologies for interrupting with ignorance.

Wife has a Cannon Rebel XS, something like 5-6 years old by this point. We have the standard 15-55mm that came with it and then picked up a Sigma 50-200mm f/4.0-5.6 DC for a vacation awhile ago. She enjoys the camera, mostly taking portraits and child/animal action shots. Now we are planning a nice cruise up to Alaska this year and are talking about all the scenic stuff we were planning. Which got me thinking that a 200mm might be pretty weak for trying to do anything like shooting wildlife from the balcony or whatever. Which made me think that it'd be nice to gift her something that can handle a little longer distance...

After looking online for awhile I found the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM, with a $200 rebate. It's a little pricey but not completely out of range if it'll do what we want, which I'm not really sure 400mm would totally do but it would get us closer without turning it into full manual mode at a price that isn't a new car. Then I started looking at a Tamron 2x Teleconverter, which of course looks interesting but is getting well beyond my personal knowledge or experience.

So, I guess I'm just looking for any kind of thoughts or opinions on if I'm just about to piss away money or if I'm missing a better solution for our amateur vacation pictures and her hobby photography. I got a couple weeks before I'd have to order anything, so thanks to anyone who puts the effort in responding.

Alternatively: Buy a 60D, rent a long distance lense like the one listed above and have both cameras to shoot with.

Anubis fucked around with this message at 03:47 on Mar 10, 2014

# ¿ Mar 10, 2014 03:15

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 12:50

Anubis: Oct 9, 2003; It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.; Fun Shoe

Thanks for all your help guys, I'm certainly looking into the Tamron 150-600mm at this point based on your recommendations. Unfortunately, it looks like it's back ordered everywhere online currently. If it doesn't get back in stock by a month I'll end up going with the Sigma 150-500mm since she'll want to play with it a bit before the trip (and just in case there is anything wrong we can replace it before flying out too). Either way I'm currently hunting for a used 60D now, so if you know of any good deals...

Thanks again, everyone.

# ¿ Mar 10, 2014 13:29

Anubis: Oct 9, 2003; It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.; Fun Shoe

So, awhile back I asked this thread for help picking out a rather large lens and a new dslr for use during our Alaskan vacation. The vacation went pretty great and the used 60D + 150mm-500mm Sigma did a fairly wonderful job of everything. It did make me a bit of "that guy" on the cruise but the pictures turned out well for a couple of amateurs and we certainly have some stuff that (perhaps after some post work) we might print off on canvas and put up somewhere in the house. Only complaint is that I wasn't at all prepared for the juvenile humpback to breach 15 feet from the ship, so we missed that picture! :sigh:

What can you do?

Some examples, no post production work on them yet. We just got back yesterday. These might not even be the best examples, just what I was able to find this morning.

ftp://jherndo.no-ip.biz:7000/Alaska/Alaska/Day%202/Camera%201/IMG_3074.JPG
ftp://jherndo.no-ip.biz:7000/Alaska/Alaska/Day%203-4/Camera%201/IMG_3857.JPG

Extra bonus: playing around with it in Vancouver on the boat before we left, I was taking pictures of a helipad a ways off. People walking to and from the helipad, aircraft taking off and landing, ect. Eventually during a lull there was a guy who got out of his car and starting wandering around near the security fence which I thought was weird so I snapped a few shots. So, after looking at them that evening I now have photographic proof as to why you shouldn't urinate in public! (Note: you can't see anything real interesting but consider yourself warned.)

:nws:

ftp://jherndo.no-ip.biz:7000/Alaska/Alaska/Vancover%20backup/Camera%201/IMG_2490.JPG

If anyone is really bored enough to start poking through the gallery there, realize it's our vacation pictures. Not all of it is really interesting or all that good, we haven't taken out any of the "soft" focus shots and there are lots of repeats, especially of wildlife when we were in sport mode. You might also see an ugly fat guy posing and smiling in some of them, full apologies on that mark.

# ¿ May 7, 2014 13:21

Anubis: Oct 9, 2003; It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.; Fun Shoe

Could be worse, I just ponied up the money for my wife to get a 5Ds as she's starting to get a little bit of kid shoot/casual wedding gigs now. We get that next week so if anyone wants me to try something specific and post results let me know. (So broke... so very very broke...)

I seriously considered the sony A7 alternative but in the actual pictures that I've been seeing I think the canon is just more appropriate for what she/we will use it for. Keeping the 70D around as a backup/wildlife camera, though. Anyone know a good deal on a 70-200L II or an off brand that's equivalent for semi-pros?

# ¿ Aug 15, 2015 15:42

Anubis: Oct 9, 2003; It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.; Fun Shoe

KinkyJohn posted:

What made you choose the 5ds? It's basically a camera made for the studio (controlled lighting situations) and it might under-perform in natural low-light situations. (like churches)

That is a great camera for product photography though.

Most of what she does (beyond vacation pictures) is controlled lighting. Kid/family/senior picture portraits are usually done with pretty controlled lighting conditions. The churches out here in the midwest mostly have stage lighting and don't suffer badly from that old world cathedral gloom you are referring to. I've also seen the reviews featuring outside photography with it and it has appeared to be very solid there. As a bonus, I have a small interest in macro photography and I'm pretty interested in what I can get out of this thing in crops compared to our current 70D.

One of the biggest complaints about the 5Ds that I've seen people say is the post processing time and space requirements but my day job is computer programming and the server rack in the corner of my living room with like 12tb raided along with really current computers makes that completely moot. I wasn't about to go swap over to nikon and try to have us both learn a whole new system and swap out our existing lenses so this made a lot more sense to me than trying to find a good deal on a, say, used 5diii.

Oh, and I really wouldn't mind her taking more of an interest in product work since it typically won't involve me walking around behind her in uncomfortable clothing on my weekends carrying gear.

Thanks for the advice on the 70-200 everyone.

Anubis fucked around with this message at 04:25 on Aug 16, 2015

# ¿ Aug 16, 2015 04:18

Anubis: Oct 9, 2003; It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.; Fun Shoe

Seamonster posted:

I would venture a guess and say that 1, maaaaybe 2 goons actually own a 500mm f/4L IS. Hell, I could sell every last piece of gear I own including my 5D3 and come up short of the 500mm's price tag.

E: I mean the 2nd version.

Well yeah, why would they buy the 500mm when there's that 600mm available for only 2.5k more?

# ¿ Aug 31, 2015 05:43

Anubis: Oct 9, 2003; It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.; Fun Shoe

A Saucy Bratwurst posted:

Why are 5ds worth so much more than 6ds? Does the naming convetion of bigger number = newer not work on the Xd range?

With canon you gotta figure out what your needs are and then match those needs with the camera. You can't just grab the latest/greatest and have everything. I (really my wife) own a 5ds and it's great for anything you can have reasonable control over the light or if you are tripod shooting before late dusk/after sunrise. It's really an almost medium format studio camera that is more portable. I haven't tried to shoot birds or sports but I feel like it'll likely fall short there. And it fails as a "walking around" camera because without a pop flash, and middling low light performance, you really can't be inconspicuous at all. So, non-sports event, controlled (or at least augmentable) lighting, studio and tripod landscapes the 5ds (or 5dsr) are great choices. If you're looking to shoot other things you'll end up with one of the other options.

Anubis fucked around with this message at 15:18 on Sep 1, 2015

# ¿ Sep 1, 2015 13:51

Anubis: Oct 9, 2003; It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.; Fun Shoe

toxicsunset posted:

is the 70d good, is it worth selling an old t2i and upgrading, i shoot sports and video (of sports) for fun

If you're looking for a good crop and already have canon lenses, yes. We still own one as our crop camera, the step up from the 60D in autofocus and general quality is significant if you are shooting fast moving things, but depending on your budget and planned use the 60D is perfectly fine too.

# ¿ Sep 12, 2015 01:46

Anubis: Oct 9, 2003; It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.; Fun Shoe

0toShifty posted:

I come from a family of photographers. The whole family was shooting Nikon. I went out and got babby's first DSLR - a T3i Canon. After that I started converting them all like some kind of religion. Only two Nikon holdouts left.

If the last one standing gets all the glass and equipment that's been shed by everyone else that's gotta be a great deal.

Wife and I's first wedding shoot this weekend. Just an informal jeans wedding, they weren't even going to have a photographer until someone complained about family pictures. She's shooting the 5DS with the 70D as backup and I rented a 5Diii and enough extra glass that we don't have to fight over the good stuff. I'll have a day to play with it before the wedding but any weird quirks worth mentioning on the 5diii? I'm used to shooting on either a 70D and the wife's 5DS.

Fingers crossed that we don't get picketed!

# ¿ Oct 7, 2015 03:57

Anubis: Oct 9, 2003; It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.; Fun Shoe

TheAngryDrunk posted:

How cheap? Tamron 150-600 is $1k.

Edit: Ah, I thought 500ish referred to the focal length. 00

I bet he can find the now older Sigma 150-500 somewhere for near $550-650. It's not the best picture quality but it's been more than usable for me in the "I need a ton of range at a cheap price" category.

Really, what are you shooting at what approx distance (and are you using crop) because telephoto means anything from 24-70 to the 200-400s that were previously mentioned.

Anubis fucked around with this message at 02:53 on Oct 8, 2015

# ¿ Oct 8, 2015 02:45

Anubis: Oct 9, 2003; It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.; Fun Shoe

Does anyone do the Canon Professional Services Gold or Platinum? I found I qualify and am tempted, as it would work as a mild maintenance plan with an added benefit of a flat yearly rate to test gear before I buy. Not sure how generous they are on loaning stuff to gold level but just curious about other people's experience with it.

# ¿ Feb 11, 2016 14:53

Anubis: Oct 9, 2003; It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.; Fun Shoe

InternetJunky posted:

Gear discount only applies to "pro" gear. For camera bodies that means 1DX only, for lenses it's just L glass. It's a crazy discount though (~10%). When you call up a Canon dealer you need to ask them what the CPS pricing is for whatever you're interested in, and have a CPS member number ready for them.

If you were going to purchase something significant (like a big telephoto) then it's well worth it to grab a used 7D or something for the second body requirement.

The crazy thing is that this discount isn't documented anywhere, even when you sign up for CPS membership. The only reason I found out about it was because I saw someone make an offhand comment about "CPS pricing" and I messaged them to ask what they meant.

Huh... Since I was about to pick up an L lens in the next few weeks sounds like a perfect time to see if it works in the States. Thanks a bunch.

# ¿ Feb 11, 2016 18:03

Anubis: Oct 9, 2003; It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.; Fun Shoe

InternetJunky posted:

If they don't offer the discount in the US I would call up Canadian camera stores and try to use your CPS membership there to get the discount. With the ridiculous exchange rate right now you should be buying from Canada anyway if you live in the US.

Oh snap, that hadn't even crossed my mind. And apparently the service plans are good across the border, from what I've read. I contacted them and the person I talked to said Canon Canada wouldn't ship to the US, but I found a few online places willing to do it. You got a preferred 3rd party dealer up in the great white north? Right now I'm looking at just ordering from Henry's.

# ¿ Feb 13, 2016 20:09

Anubis: Oct 9, 2003; It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.; Fun Shoe

InternetJunky posted:

I would recommend http://www.thecamerastore.com/

No US shipping, based on their website. Got a 2nd?

# ¿ Feb 14, 2016 16:09

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# ¿ Apr 28, 2024 12:50

Anubis: Oct 9, 2003; It's hard to keep sand out of ears this big.; Fun Shoe

InternetJunky posted:

https://www.vistek.ca/

Although it might be worth the effort to call up the camera store just to confirm. I could swear I've heard of them selling to the US.

Thanks, didn't check on the US CPS in Canada but just ordering from vistek saved me just over 21% vs Canon US on a rather large order. I appreciate it a bunch.

# ¿ Feb 15, 2016 03:58

The Something Awful Forums > The Finer Arts > Creative Convention > The Dorkroom > Canon Thread: "I tried to give an EOS-M to a clown at the circus and he punched me"