Advise on 50D

[Crysania]

Hi guys,
am considering getting a 50D. This will be my first formal DSLR so would appreciate some advice.

I would like to get the camera with a lens for general usage. At the same time, I take mostly macro shots of food/flowers. I am bad with numbers and the different options are kind of confusing to me.

So my question is, which option would be more suitable for me?

 

[hammie]

Budget?

 

[Crysania]

I guess will be within the 3k price range at the moment... of course any cheaper alternative will be good.. hehe

 

[Rubber_Duck]

Hi guys,
am considering getting a 50D. This will be my first formal DSLR so would appreciate some advice.

I would like to get the camera with a lens for general usage. At the same time, I take mostly macro shots of food/flowers. I am bad with numbers and the different options are kind of confusing to me.

So my question is, which option would be more suitable for me?

What is your budget?

For macro shot you may need a macro lens. what kind of macro you are looking for??
and that is not in your 3 options.

General usage?? example?? indoor or outdoor? low light condition?

I would recomm you get a 17-55mm F2.8. ( Since you have 3K budget)

If not just get a 3 option. 18-200mm able to cover more range and able to do as a walk around lens. but for in-door with low light, you may need a flash.

 

[PrimePhotog]

get second hand tamron 17-50 + a tamron 90 macro

 

[eosdigital]

get second hand tamron 17-50 + a tamron 90 macro

My sentiments too.I advise that you do not spent the extra money on the higher Kits but instead either choose the Tamron 17-50 F/2.8 or the Kit I 18-50 as they are suitable as a starter kit.
Then along the way down the road, when you have saved up money(and skills), it's where the upgrade to a better lens such as an L awaits you

My recommendation:

Canon EOS 50D Body
Canon Battery Grip BG-E2M(if im right)
Tamron AF 17-50 F/2.8
Tamron 90 macro

OR:

Canon EOS 50D Kit I
Canon Battery Grip BG-E2M
Tamron 90 macro

Save up for the next upgrade lens, such as Canon EF-S 17-55 or the EF 17-40 F4L

 

[sanfong]

Get Kit II and explore which genre photography u prefer first, but i personally started with 18-55 non IS. Use ur rest of money get a proper tripod, filters such as Hoya CPL, better UV filter such as Hoya DMC UV filters, remote, grip, extra batt, dry box or cabinet and a proper bag. Mine Canon bag had spoil zipper, Canon tripod shaky, finally I own 3 Lowepro bags and a entry level Benro tripod (not the best)

 

[ballwackers]

if this is your first camera, then i would say...get a good second hand 40D (lots available now), the Tamron 17-50, the Canon EF-S 60 (for macro). Your next lens can be longer (70-200? 70-300?) or wider (10-22) depending on your needs.

I personally do not suggest a battery grip, at the beginning.

 

[iloveEG]

i think normal kit lens 18-55 is good enough for starters.
(i'm new too )

I heard about the distortions for 18-200, any comments from anyone who tried?

 

[Crysania]

Newbie here so do pardon my ignorance.

Tamron 17-50 is a general lens, am I right? Comparable to the kit lens? How much is the price?

Thanks all for your kind guidance.

 

[eosdigital]

Newbie here so do pardon my ignorance.

Tamron 17-50 is a general lens, am I right? Comparable to the kit lens? How much is the price?

Thanks all for your kind guidance.

Yes, a General Lens but the build quality and peformance is a notch higher than Kit Lens. Typical price is $600+ brand new but there are second hand sets going for a hundred or two cheaper if you dont mind.

It's up to you if you want to fork out the extra money(The Kit I addon is only $100-200 more?) for the better build quality and the F/2.8 aperture of the Tamron. If not, the IS of the basic Kit 1 can suffice for a beginner like you until it's time for you to upgrade. For example the 24-70,24-105 if you like that range.

Please, find the focal range u use most. More lens make the person jack of all trades but skills of none(i cant rmb exact phrases lol)

 

[Russ]

EF 17-40 4/L used $750.

The Tamron and EF-S 17-55 may be sharper, But the 17-40L is much better built and in the long term, will be a cheaper and more flexible proposition - as it can be used on FF. It is a great lens with nice colours and contrast.

 

[calebk]

Get Kit II and explore which genre photography u prefer first. Use ur rest of money get a proper tripod, filters such as Hoya CPL, better UV filter such as Hoya DMC UV filters, remote, grip, extra batt, dry box or cabinet and a proper bag. Mine Canon bag had spoil zipper, Canon tripod shaky, finally I own 3 Lowepro bags and a entry level Benro tripod (not the best)

The Kit II lens performs worse in terms of optical performance than the Kit I lens. Why pay more for an optically-worse lens?

 

[chenws]

If you are just doing food / flowers macro;

FORGET about getting 50D.

Just buy a EOS 1000D, EF100mmMacro or Tamron90mm (used if you can find one) and the rest of the money, buy a mini studio lighting, light boxes, light meter or extra external flash.

Why bother buying a 50D for AutoISO, fast AF, burst 10.5 fps, semi-weather proof when you don't need them for food and flower macro. :nono:

Buy if you can afford all that, then by all means get the 50D. Superb camera. :thumbsup:

 

[sanfong]

The Kit II lens performs worse in terms of optical performance than the Kit I lens. Why pay more for an optically-worse lens?

calebk quite rite, as for me I started with kit I non-IS for 3 mths and then switch over 2nd hand kit II lens with IS and USM, from what I have compared, u have to avoid using 17mm but for other focal length its still ok for me, for kit I it is front focusing and will affect ur CPL unlike kit II.

Compare the price of Tamron 17-55 f2.8 and the Kit II then make ur decisions, as I mentioned earlier, spare ur extra cash for the accessories.

 

[vee5]

My sentiments too.I advise that you do not spent the extra money on the higher Kits but instead either choose the Tamron 17-50 F/2.8 or the Kit I 18-50 as they are suitable as a starter kit.
Then along the way down the road, when you have saved up money(and skills), it's where the upgrade to a better lens such as an L awaits you

My recommendation:

Canon EOS 50D Body
Canon Battery Grip BG-E2M(if im right)
Tamron AF 17-50 F/2.8
Tamron 90 macro

OR:

Canon EOS 50D Kit I
Canon Battery Grip BG-E2M
Tamron 90 macro

Save up for the next upgrade lens, such as Canon EF-S 17-55 or the EF 17-40 F4L

A newbie here too. May I ask why is the Battery Grip that essential?

 

[eosdigital]

A newbie here too. May I ask why is the Battery Grip that essential?

It can greatly help in vertical shots where u can avoid having your albow up all the time, which is uncomfortable aka chicken wing syndrome :bsmilie: and can increase the ergonomics of the dSLR by making it bigger(1D body style) so it's easier for larger hands to hold.

However, the advantages and disadvantages of the battery grip varies with people. Some people who have small hand may not like the bigger overall size while others may baulk at the even heavier weight. As the saying goes, "One Man's Meat is an Another Man's Poison". Suggest you borrow or try somebody else's dSLR with grip to see how the weight and size goes with you before committing to it.

 

[calebk]

calebk quite rite, as for me I started with kit I non-IS for 3 mths and then switch over 2nd hand kit II lens with IS and USM, from what I have compared, u have to avoid using 17mm but for other focal length its still ok for me, for kit I it is front focusing and will affect ur CPL unlike kit II.

Compare the price of Tamron 17-55 f2.8 and the Kit II then make ur decisions, as I mentioned earlier, spare ur extra cash for the accessories.

Front focus can be corrected by going to CSC for a quick calibration.
Front element rotation can be remedied by focusing first, before operating the CPL

I feel that these are minor inconveniences to work around, for the sake of image quality. You get the 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM, for better build and feel, yes, but in the end, image quality is worse off, and I don't know about you, but the thing I want people to see are my photos - that is the final product, not so much how good I feel handling my gear. It's not as if the 18-55 is a major pain to handle.

 

[charlesleong]

after all that, if TS wants to do macro photography, probably get the Kit I for general shots as well as a macro lens:

tamron 90
canon 100

are feasible options.

 

[akdwivedi]

Just go for the best you can afford. I will vote in favour of getting just the 50D + tamron 17-50mm f/2.8.. Get a tripod and or an external flash. Spend the rest of the cash for a spare battery and high capacity compact flash cards. You will need lots of them, when you start experimenting with the DSLR.

and then shoot enough and see if you need the battery grip and the macro lens later..