Moving to DSLR

[Ben Turvey]

So, the time has come, my Z1E's are sold, and I've got my eye on the Canon 7D. I've spent the last few days reading up on lenses, and I'd appreciate some advice.

The 7D comes with the 18-55mm and 55-250mm kit.

I've narrowed it down to:

Canon EF-S 10-22mm
Canon EF-S 17-55mm
Canon EF 70-200mm

My budget is around £1000 for now.

Perhaps there are cheaper third party versions which are of equal quality?

Any information will be greatly appreciated!

[Khoi Pham]

I wouldn't get the 7D, go with 60D or T3i, you will have more money for lens, same video picture quality but you will get better video camera feature support with magic lantern, with 7D you can't get ML, plus you have swivel screen on the 60 or T3i, not with 7D.

[Jon Fairhurst]

The 17-55/2.8 IS would be my #1 choice for any Canon APS-C camera.

Note that Canon is likely to release a next generation APS-C camera within the next months that will eliminate aliasing/moire and will have better ISO performance (based on the characteristics of the 5D Mark III.) You might consider buying a used 7D (or 550D...) and being prepared to turn around and sell it as soon as the next gen announcement comes.

Note that the yen is high right now, so the price of the next gen cam might be a solid step above a used current cam. If aliasing elimination and high ISO are important to you, this could be worth it.

[Ben Turvey]

Originally Posted by Khoi Pham

I wouldn't get the 7D, go with 60D or T3i, you will have more money for lens, same video picture quality but you will get better video camera feature support with magic lantern, with 7D you can't get ML, plus you have swivel screen on the 60 or T3i, not with 7D.

The swivel screen doesn't concern me, but is the video quality truly the same?

[Khoi Pham]

Same video quality from the T3i to 60D to 7D, but if you are not in a hurry, you might want to wait like Jon said and see if Mark III technology will trickle down to their low end camera or not.

[Ben Turvey]

Magic Lantern does sound appealing, I thought the 7D had it, but apparently not.

The 60D could be ideal then, as it's much cheaper than the 7D. I'm in a hurry to get a pair of DSLR's, so I can't wait for the MKII to drop in price.

I apologise for any silly comments, I'm still learning about DSLR's.

Canon 60D
EF 50mm
EF-S 17-55mm
EF-S 10-22mm (for wide's)
EF 70-200mm

This is within my budget.

[Donald McPherson]

Don't forget a nifty fifty f1.8 or lower.

[David Lavender]

Just my 2 cents, but I'd take a long, hard look at the Tokina 11-16 for your wide. Here's a good discussion with people weighing in on both sides:

Tokina 11-16 vs Canon 10-22 - Steve's Digicams Forums

I use the Tokina on my Blackbird (Glidecam), and I like it a lot. It's sharp and has served me well. Depending on availability in your area, it could be $150 cheaper, and it's faster with a constant 2.8 aperture. It feels weighty and well built.

My only knock on the lens is that I've sent my copy in for repairs twice because the aperture petals kept sticking. Both times it was under warranty, though, so I only paid shipping.

[David Lavender]

Also, depending on your usage, the 70-200 may not be quite as useful as you think. We own a copy, and since we got out of event videography, it tends to gather dust. We have a 24-70 and an 85 f1.8 that carry us on the longer end.

The 70-200 produces great-looking images, but its color temperature is somehow different from our other lenses. At the far end of the zoom, it takes serious stabilization to keep shake out. For better or worse, the DoF is also suuuuper shallow at the far end of the zoom - for better or for worse.

[Ben Turvey]

Originally Posted by Donald McPherson

Don't forget a nifty fifty f1.8 or lower.

Added to the shopping list, nice and cheap.

[Ben Turvey]

Originally Posted by David Lavender

Just my 2 cents, but I'd take a long, hard look at the Tokina 11-16 for your wide

I've decided on the Canon 10-22 purely for the extra range, however it wasn't an easy choice. I spent an hour reading reviews and comparisons.

You say your 70-200 is barely used. Would the 85mm alone be a viable replacement for the longer shots?

[Simon Wood]

If you don't mind working full manual with vintage primes then the best bang for your buck is:

- Canon T3i
- EF to F adapter (Fotodiox make a good one)
- Set of second hand Fast Vintage Nikon Prime Lenses (24mm, 35mm, 50mm, 85mm)

This is the set up I went with. Old Nikkor lenses can be found on ebay and second hand shops quite easily and very cheaply. You just need to get the fastest (lowest f stop) that you can find.

A lot of DSLR shooters (including Philip Bloom & Hurlbut) rate Nikkors very highly. Due to the design the lenses can be used very easily on a number of different camera platforms with adapters - the same can not be said of Canon EF lenses though. So its something to bear in mind in case you invest in Canon lenses, but then change camera brand down the line.

[Tom Hardwick]

I'm with David - the Tokina is a wonderful lens on my 60D and before you plonk for the Canon 10-22, have a read of this:

Tokina 11-16mm

Of course it's devoid of OIS and if you're planning to hand-hold the DSLR you may want to think again.

[Ben Turvey]

I could pick up a second hand Nikon set of primes for around £875, which is much better than £1500+ on the Canon lenses.

I'll be using a tripod or rig at all times, so there's no need for IS. The Tokina 11-16mm does look fantastic, however it would take up a large chunk of my budget.

[Buba Kastorski]

Originally Posted by Ben Turvey

The swivel screen doesn't concern me,

that's probably because you never shot with DSLR, the flip LCD is huge add-on, and the quality is the same, and 60D doesn't overheat like 7D,
if there is no need for IS, nikon primes set for cheap is your best option