Camera Labs

Hi
I'm an amateur photographer and about to buy a lot of gear because I'm moving to Greenland, above the arctic cirkle.
I have to get some new gear and my budget is 3.000 euro.

I have a canon EOS 400 and a 28-135 IS USM, wich has served me well for the last four years, including in Greenland.
So it's time to get some new gear
What bothered me with the 400D was the feel of it, it was too small for me, and the stuff inside from 400 to todays 550D I guess is completely different, so they dont compare.
As for the lens I always lacked a little ind both ends. Either more wide angle or more tele, depending on the motive.

The pictures I want to take is northeren lights and landscape views, and some wildlife, seals, whales, raindeer etc. So I need some wide angle and some tele
I have a crush on for the 7D, but it needs a good "eye" to look through
So I hought about the canon 10-22 mm lens
I have looked at the 100-400 mm, but maybe it is overkill for me

As for a tripod, what would you reccomend? Some materials get fragile as glass when they get really cold. I think aluminium is one of those.

But as for tele, well im not rich and it is just as a hobby. If it is so big and bulky, so I never bring it with me, then its just a waste of money.

My budget is preferly no more than 3.000 Euro. Is it unrealistic to get quality at that price?


Michael

Ps
Sorry about the spelling and the gramma

Hi Michael,

May I offer you a warm welcome to the CameraLabs community.

While the author has, if memory serves, defected to Nikon (some suggest the reason was monetary) you might find the article 7D #1 Weather Sealing of interest. There are links to further pages of interest from that page.

Bob.

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OM-D E-M5 + ED 12-50mm, H-PS14042E, H-F007014E, L-RS014150E, M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 45mm 1:1.8.
Gitzo GT1541T, Arca-Swiss Z1 DP ball-head.
Astrophotography: TEC 140 'scope, FLI ML16803 camera, ASA DDM60 Pro mount.

Impressive testing and thank you for the warm welcome.

The lenses he uses is a bit out of my reach. I simply dont have the money for those.
I saw he had the 70-200mm f/2,8
Do you think the 70.200 f/4 IS USM would work for me or is there not enough tele?

Is the 100-400 too heavy?
It doesn't have a weather seal.


M

The 100-400mm is a great wildlife lens - unless the wildlife is really small or very very far away! I used it with the 7D on a recent rip to Alaska and thought it was a great combination. See the article on the front page of the site. It is quite big and heavy though, so don't get it if you want something light.

The 10-22mm is a fantastic ultra-wide lens, but unless you really want extreme wide angle, the 15-85mm is one of Canon's best general purpose zooms.

If the 7D is too expensive, consider the 50D if you don't need video.

Yes I saw your pictures and the review, they were amazing. The videos and tutorials are great too.
I've always dreamt of seeing that. But one dream at the time, next up is Greenland. Even though I have lived there before.
The thing that stunned me and never stopped to amaze me, and I never could capture with my 28-135mm was the landscapes. It was just so amazing, and offcourse the northeren lights, that takes up pretty much of the sky as well, so I hated only having segments of a great view, or the northeren lights. I have taken some fantastic pictures from Greenland, but this time I want to get those pictures I couldnt get last time. That's why I'm thinking of the 10-22mm. But I don't know if the last 5 mm makes all thedifference.

I have thought about getting the 15-85 as a kit lens, it would be cheaper than the 10-22. Then I can see if I really need the extra wide angle or if the 15-85 is enough for me.
If I do need a wider lens, then christmas is coming up, I just might spoil my self.
Or get all three and just dont look at the total amount, when I enter my account number.

Like a friend of mine says "who needs a house when you can have gear" - I don't know if it translates very well.

Seriously though, is there a lighter alternative than 100-400? as far as I can see the all pretty much weigh the same. I will propably be shooting pictures from a small boat some times, so I won't be abel to use a tripod. Not all the time anyway.

Personally I like that option.. If you can afford it. To me there's a huge difference between 15mm and 10mm.
you could go this way too, 50D + 15-85mm,10-22mm, and a telephoto.
550D + 15-85mm,10-22mm, and a telephoto. I'm not sure how much better or worse the 550D is compared to the 50D but from what I know they'll be about the same if you don't do a lot of continuous shooting.
Also aluminum gets that brittle when cold for real?

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Check out: http://www.eagle1337.deviantart.com/
Camera: Canon Rebel T1i
Lens: Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm OS DC HSM f/2.8-4, ef-s 18-55mm IS, ef-s 55-250mm IS. EF 50mm F/1.8
Tripod: Giottos MTL9351B with a MH 5001 head.
Bag: lowepro Slingshot 202 AW. Cards: Sandisk Ultra 2, Lexar MicroSDHC.

I might buy all three of them, then I'm pretty much covered.
As for if I can afford it or not, it's a matter of priority, food or photography LOL
But if my skills aren't good enough that type of gear or if i buy an expencive lens and don't use it. That's not spending money, that's wasting money.
On the other hand money has no value if you don't spend them.

So an aliminum tripod in cold weather is a no-go?
A friend of mine had a badminton bracket (I think it's called) shatter when she started the game, because she had been out in the cold.
Someone told me that aluminum didn't get fragile, because Boeing and Airbus have great experiences with it in -40 degrees at 30.000 feet

So I really don't know about that one alu or not.

my aluminum tripod survived winter jammed into a creek for some shots without an issue. If carbon fiber is an option I'd get a carbon fiber one due to the weight difference. I'm pretty sure you can make use of the 10-22mm in the long run too. If you long wide angle photography the 10-22mm you'll love... I know i love wide angles.
Most badminton Rackets I've seen aren't aluminum.

_________________
Check out: http://www.eagle1337.deviantart.com/
Camera: Canon Rebel T1i
Lens: Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm OS DC HSM f/2.8-4, ef-s 18-55mm IS, ef-s 55-250mm IS. EF 50mm F/1.8
Tripod: Giottos MTL9351B with a MH 5001 head.
Bag: lowepro Slingshot 202 AW. Cards: Sandisk Ultra 2, Lexar MicroSDHC.

I had someone send me this link about tripods and the materials
http://www.warehouseexpress.com/home/?/ ... guide.html
It says that carbon has a tendency to shatter, and the alu is better. Weight is important, but so is money. If I buy a cheaper tripod, I have more money for lenses.

Sigma 150-500 is it a good alternative? Or is it just cheap. Some say its better than canon 100-400 but I've also read some bad reviews.

For all round is it better to have the 24-105 or will it be my christmas gift for my self this year, or propably next year?


EOS 7D
15-85mm
10-22 mm
100-400mm
Tripod
assetories

That's easily 5.000 Euro. But if I get what I want, then so be it.

Just a quick question, as an amateur photographer, I will not set up a studio and generally not do a lot of indoor photography. Do i need a flash and if I do will I be missing out on something if I get Canon speedlite 430. Or shold I just forget about flash and spend my money on lenses, since I propably won't use it very much?
I do hate the build in flash on my EOS 400 and it ruins the picture when I use it. Or is it another thing for santaclaus? Or maybe my birthday.
He he he

The sigma shouldn't be bad, Everyone I know with a sigma likes theirs.
Set the flash comp Exposure lower to have the f lash not as obtrusive, i tend to shoot at -2 when using the flash.

_________________
Check out: http://www.eagle1337.deviantart.com/
Camera: Canon Rebel T1i
Lens: Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8, Sigma 17-70mm OS DC HSM f/2.8-4, ef-s 18-55mm IS, ef-s 55-250mm IS. EF 50mm F/1.8
Tripod: Giottos MTL9351B with a MH 5001 head.
Bag: lowepro Slingshot 202 AW. Cards: Sandisk Ultra 2, Lexar MicroSDHC.

OK, so I'll wait till later to buy a flash.

The 100-400 has a push-pull zoom, doesn't it feel a little acward? Or do you get used to it pretty fast?
Is it ok to hand hold?
I might be on a small boat on whale watching, and because of the water splasning, depending on the boat, I might not be abel to use the reeling for support

What about tripods?

Or should I go to another part of the forum?

Should I buy new or used?
I wouldn't know what to look for if I'm buying used, so I'm a bit uncertain about that.

M

A tripod on a boat will probably drive you mad....I'd opt for a monopod instead.

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

As for the boat I was thinking hand held.
Whale watching from smaller boats is a bit challenging, because you never know where the whale comes ups 10 min later, it might have passed you. Besides all of the shakes and waves from the boat goes rigt into your picture. So I was thinking of hand held for whale watching.

The tripod was from shooting on land

Any reccomendations?
I have read the reviews, but is there any in particular that comes to mind? or something I defenetly shouldn't get?

And as for a backpack, is it better to have a photo backpack? It seems they contain the camera and not any room for al lot more. Or is it better to have a top load etc bag, and just put it into the backpack you bring. Some times I will propably go on 1-3 day trips, so I will be using a larger backpack, and the bag/backpack will be put in the bigger backpack.

Maybe having a look at Pentax you may find everything within your budget.
My camera has awesome weather sealing that has been tested on numerous occasions.
My Sigma lenses work just fine for me...well within my budget also.
My other half might disagree on that point

Aluminum will not be effected by cold,if it is...you...won't be out there with it

No matter what gear you buy it will ALL be effected by the cold.
Batteries will be your biggest concern...Pentax's take rechergeable AA's
Might want to check the availabilty of replacements for Canons and their cost where you are going.
I'm quite sure it will differ greatly from where you are shopping right now.

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Pentax K-5
Pentax 18-55mm,Pentax 50-200mm,Sigma 17-70mm,Sigma 70-300mm, Sigma 50-500mm

Will a 50 mm lens be a good thing to have?
People say they take great pictures, and at low light.

I've never tried lenses without a zoom, so won't it bother me not to be abel to zoom in?
Or do you learn to live with it?