If buying 'Body Only'...
 

If buying a 5D body only, what would you suggest being the best & affordable lens solution..?

-- peer

All of the old Nikon lenses will do fine. I've also adapted some Pentax lenses. You can use these to shoot with the iris set as you desire, then work on the other setting in the auto exposure mode lock.

I have a bunch of Nikon stuff. Even a vivitar 70 -205 zoom, and Nikon 43-85 zoom, and all can be made to perform with the camera. I also have a Pentax 135mm, and Pentax Takumar 28mm to 85mm that I have used. I did have to snip of a flange or two to make them fit, but it wasn't major surgery for any of them.

Of course, you have to buy the proper adapter, Nikon or Pentax, etc, to Canon Eos. I used the Kawas for $16.00 net apiece, found on ebay. Work fine. Lenses also can be bought on ebay...

'Best' and 'affordable' are both very subjective terms. You may want to explain what you hope to achieve.

If you are only getting one lens you will likely need a zoom for the variety of focal lengths. However, zooms are less likely to give you the shallow DOF that is a huge plus on this camera. For that look, you will have to zoom all the way in like on a standard video camera.

If I had only one lens on my camera it would be my 50mm 1.4

I would like to get 35mm f1.4 if there is such lens at all - it will cover wider angle and has a tad more DOF than than 50mm 1.4 (not so shallow as 50mm that is)
You definitely want a lens with f2 or faster aperture.
Also my favorite lens is and was Kiron f2 28mm.

T

Well, since there's a $800 discrepancy between 'body only' and the 24-105mm kit, I thought there might be other options that could be as good as the kit lens, or perhaps something that cost as much but offer more flexibility.

So how do you think this lens will work in regards to the shallow DOF: Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro DF Lens for Canon EOS - eBay (item 300293510360 end time Mar-14-09 15:38:57 PDT)

Looking at the other threads about Image Stabilization, I wonder what will make most sense; the kit lens or a lens without IS but cost $400 less and has better aperture.

Btw, I already have a Sigma 15mm prime lens that I'm quite happy with. I also have an old Canon FD 50mm 1.8., a 135mm, etc, etc.

-- peer

The kit lens in this case is an L-series from Canon, which is a really nice, versatile lens. If you get it bundled, it is actually a slightly better deal. This is not a throwaway kit lens that comes on a low-end camera. It is a good all around stabilized 'video' lens for the 5D.

The Sigma is still not a very fast lens. At $400, you are halfway to a really quality piece of glass. If you want to take that $800 and get something else, I would get the 50mm 1.4 ($360) or an 85mm 1.8 ($355) and a nice wide lens like a 28mm 1.8 ($450).

When I have been shooting with the 5d I wish I had the 'kit' lens. There are many times I want to get a variety of compositions of the same image just quickly without a lens change. You just end up wanting a little of the flexibility of the a video camera (in my experience). Under more controlled circumstances, a nice fast prime is great.

That's why there are 31Flavors... everyone has a preference..

The 24-105 is a $1300 lens. Getting it in the kit for $800 aint a bad deal.

If you are mostly shooting daytime/handheld get the 24-105L IS
If you are shooting a lot of night stuff, go for the f2.8.

Well, that might be so, but then I'd rather have this (equally expensive) lens:
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM Lens Review

Wonder if someone would bundle that one instead of the 24-105...

-- peer

A lot of people that don't want the 24-105 but do want the 24-70 get the body with kit
lens (24-105) and then they sell the 24-105 and make a little extra to go towards purchasing the 24-70.

The 24-105 lens is a pretty nice lens. Canon put it on the 5DMKII because with the IS of
the lens you get three more stops in low light conditions.... this way Canon can show off
the 5DMKII to its fullest low light, high ISO capabilities...

What some folks forget or don't know is that the faster the lens, like the 24-70 2.8, then
the 5DMKII kicks in extra AF sensor sensitivity... even more is kicked in when you put a
faster lens like a 1.4 or 1.8... and no, the 5DMKII will not adjust the sensitivity if a Nikon
lens is on the body...

another option would be to get the kit lens 40-105 and mate it up with a 17-40...

Why do you say that Michael?? I do have that lens, so it is nice to hear your statement. I also have an 85mm 2.0 because I kept reading those were both lenses to have, but I am not really sure why. I have always used zoom lenses in the past, so fixed lenses are new to me.

Bruce

I say that based on what I tend to shoot, which is mostly documentary (people). The 50 gives me a good general framing plus it is very fast so I can shoot in a wide range of environments. Now, it's not great for travel shots because you can't get wide enough, but it is great people lens. I also think it is a really good value.

I can't disagree with you. It would have been nice if Canon had offered kits with either the 24-105 or the 24-70.

Whaddaya do? :)

So is there anyone out there who would trade a 24-105 with a 24-70...? If so, I'd get a 5D kit before you manage to say "24-70"....

-- peer