What camera do you own?

[SJS]

Originally Posted by Son Of Coco

I kind of get the argument that the 24-70mm is meant for the full-frame, but it's an argument that still confuses me a little, as basically everything you put on a crop camera is magnified by 1.6. So whether it's the 24-70, the 10-22, the 17-55, the 50mm, the 70-200mm, or anything else, it's focal range will still be magnified by 1.6.

To my way of thinking, if you have a 10-22mm and a 70-200mm then the 24-70mm fits perfectly in between those two. I do understand that, on a crop, the 24-70mm might be a bit too narrow a focal length at some point when you're walking around. But then I guess these are the decisions we make when we choose which lens to use for a certain situation.

The downside to the 24-70mm is that it's pretty heavy by all accounts. I'm not sure, quality-wise, that it's too far ahead of the 24-105mm either. People have written good things about the latter lens.

I think you'll probably find other uses for the 70-200 too SJS, they make for quite nice people shots and if you go to any events they're fantastic. I wish I had one! haha

Oh 24-70 is a great lens without doubt - one of the best Canon lenses. I have a bit of an issue with its not having IS and the rumour of an IS version coming shortly has been around for so long people wont believe it when it actually does happen.

For me it just doesn't make sense with my crop frame 7D and the 17-55 which is effective 27-88. If I had a full frame camera, the 24-70 would have been my very first lens.

I agree also on what you say about the 70-200 taking great people pictures. I have taken a few and they are lovely. Two of the very first pictures I took with this lens were of my nephew and his wife in a cramped tea shop in Nongpoh on the way from Guwahati to Shillong. Even in that situation and with a hand held 70-200 they show what this lens is capable of.

I had posted them here earlier

My point is that if it was on a full body, I could get much more of what's happening in, say a bazaar, without having to go back farther to get everything in, if you get what I mean. I need something for that. I can do it with my 17-55 but then for a tight face crop its not long enough. When I walk around the city with just one camera I need something with the range of the 24-105. Actually ideally what one needs is the range of 24-105 on a full frame. That would be lovely.

Other than for this one use of just walking around, I am reconciled to carrying two cameras and with even my present three lenses (10-22, 17-55 and 70-200) I can cover almost all uses from landscapes and cityscapes to indoor sports, birds and wild life, assuming I get the tele-convertors Mk II when they are out next month for the latter uses.

Once I decide to get a full frame, as I may eventually do, I will discard my second crop frame (550D) and replace my EFS 10-22 for an EF 16-35.

I am also looking forward to one day shooting more with primes but I have to feel more confident about my photography before I do that.

Just now I am learning the basics :-)

[GotSpin]

Wish I had the money you have to spend on equipment

[Son Of Coco]

Originally Posted by SJS

Oh 24-70 is a great lens without doubt - one of the best Canon lenses. I have a bit of an issue with its not having IS and the rumour of an IS version coming shortly has been around for so long people wont believe it when it actually does happen.

For me it just doesn't make sense with my crop frame 7D and the 17-55 which is effective 27-88. If I had a full frame camera, the 24-70 would have been my very first lens.

I agree also on what you say about the 70-200 taking great people pictures. I have taken a few and they are lovely. Two of the very first pictures I took with this lens were of my nephew and his wife in a cramped tea shop in Nongpoh on the way from Guwahati to Shillong. Even in that situation and with a hand held 70-200 they show what this lens is capable of.

I had posted them here earlier

My point is that if it was on a full body, I could get much more of what's happening in, say a bazaar, without having to go back farther to get everything in, if you get what I mean. I need something for that. I can do it with my 17-55 but then for a tight face crop its not long enough. When I walk around the city with just one camera I need something with the range of the 24-105. Actually ideally what one needs is the range of 24-105 on a full frame. That would be lovely.

Other than for this one use of just walking around, I am reconciled to carrying two cameras and with even my present three lenses (10-22, 17-55 and 70-200) I can cover almost all uses from landscapes and cityscapes to indoor sports, birds and wild life, assuming I get the tele-convertors Mk II when they are out next month for the latter uses.

Once I decide to get a full frame, as I may eventually do, I will discard my second crop frame (550D) and replace my EFS 10-22 for an EF 16-35.

I am also looking forward to one day shooting more with primes but I have to feel more confident about my photography before I do that.

Just now I am learning the basics :-)

Can I make a suggestion SJS?

Take some time to work out exactly what you need from your next lens and maybe practice changing lenses on the go before you jump in with the next camera and lens. Unless you're shooting moving things you should be able to change lenses while you're out and still do the job with 1 camera (it takes me about 10 seconds to change a lens, I'm hoping to get quicker with practice!). Then you can direct your resources towards a full-frame in the future and use the 7D as back-up. The only time I can see two cameras with different lenses on them being useful is if you're shooting sporting events or you're in a busy area where something spontaneous might happen and you run the risk of being too short or long in focal length. For landscapes and shooting your family though you'll work out what you need, when, and where, with more experience.

I think you'll find out as you get more into photography that most of the problems you're facing at the moment with gear can be solved by being more familiar with your gear and what you want to shoot each time you go out.

I understand what you mean with the 24-70mm too, the 24-105 isn't going to solve your problem in a tight bazaar though, but you're right, you do have more to play with on the long end. I think this is where it comes down to knowing what you're going to shoot too, as if you know you're going into a tight bazaar area I'd have the 10-22mm on from the outset. Or, if you wanted people shots you could go for the 24-70 (or 24-105). If you wanted to see inside their head you could go for the 70-200mm

My main issue with selecting 24-70mm or 24-105mm is the aperture. I'm kind of swaying towards the f2.8 at the moment though as I've been caught in situations with the 70-200 where I'd like more speed.

If you go full frame then you might look at getting rid of the 17-55mm and keeping the 10-22mm too, this gives you more width on the crop camera (if you're going to keep it) and you'll still have the 24-105mm to use on both. It means you can have a wide-angle on either, but then that's a bit of overlap too I guess.

[GotSpin]

Novice question here but what do you mean by referring to a difference in crop-frame and full-frame Cameras?

[Son Of Coco]

Originally Posted by Got_Spin

Novice question here but what do you mean by referring to a difference in crop-frame and full-frame Cameras?

The small sensor in a crop-frame camera means when you put a lens on in it acts like its been magnified by 1.6/1.3 etc (Mine's a 40D so it's 1.6, I think yours would be the same). So if you put a 100mm lens on a full-frame camera then the focal length you see through the view-finder is 100mm, but on a crop camera it would look like it's 160mm (or 130mm).

So basically, when you stick a lens on a crop camera its focal length is magnified by whatever the ratio happens to be. So my 10-22mm is effectively a 16-35mm, the 17-85mm is effectively 24-130(ish)mm, and so on.

Personally, I kind of think it is what it is on your particular camera and you get used to what you need for different situations regardless of the crop. Especially in the middle ranges. If your maximum is 200mm though then you might find yourself a hell of a lot shorter in focal distance once you put it on a full-frame. You're effectively getting 360mm with the crop sensor.

[GotSpin]

Thanks!

[SJS]

Originally Posted by Got_Spin

Wish I had the money you have to spend on equipment

I am 60 (closer to 61) and retired after working for over 35 years - I should have some money after all those years - no ?

And I believe at my age if there is one person I need to indulge, it is myself :-)

[SJS]

Originally Posted by SJS

I am 60 (closer to 61) and retired after working for over 35 years - I should have some money after all those years - no ?

And I believe at my age if there is one person I need to indulge, it is myself :-)

Remember I got my first SLR this year - for my 60th birthday. You are doing far better my friend :-)

[GotSpin]

Only 60 and retired? Living life to the full SJS mate.
Just some jealousy. I have a whole list of equipment written down that I need to save for!

[SJS]

Originally Posted by Got_Spin

Only 60 and retired? Living life to the full SJS mate.
Just some jealousy. I have a whole list of equipment written down that I need to save for!

I retired more than 4 years ago. Everyone was stunned at my decision. It was the best decision I ever made in my life :-)

[Son Of Coco]

Originally Posted by SJS

I retired more than 4 years ago. Everyone was stunned at my decision. It was the best decision I ever made in my life :-)

That's awesome SJS, and you're right you should be indulging yourself after working all those years.

[SJS]

Originally Posted by Son Of Coco

That's awesome SJS, and you're right you should be indulging yourself after working all those years.

And the story of how my retirement came about is a fascinating one and holds a great lesson for all those who think their work is their life . . . as I did till I was made to realise how wrong I was.

[Langeveldt]

Originally Posted by Son Of Coco

Nice shots mate, I particularly like this one. The light pole directly behind is a little bit distracting though, it's unfortunate as he's in the perfect spot...and so is the pole!

Well spotted, i actually didn't spot that

[jack_sparrow]

Red One

[SJS]

More flowers . . .