What's your kit look like vs. what you *want* it to look like

[cab1024]

I just got my first L-series glass lens, the 100-400, and with just a taste of what it can do to help me see improvements in my photo technique, it's also got me dreaming about the future. I want a reasonably affordable, well-rounded professional gear bag.

Here's what I have, and here's the order of what I want to fill it out. What do you carry, and what do you want next? What's your favorite piece of equipment, and why?

I have a:
EOS 40D
100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS
EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
EF-S 18-35mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

I require, in order:
Canon 50mm f/1.4
Extension tube
1.4tc
EOS 5D Mark xx
24-105mm f/4L IS

That makes it pretty round. Then I'd add:
70-200 f/2.8 IS
Then, what?
a 500 f/4 IS?

So, does anyone have any good get-rich-quick schemes?

-chuck

[Roy C]

I just got my first L-series glass lens, the 100-400, and with just a taste of what it can do to help me see improvements in my photo technique, it's also got me dreaming about the future. I want a reasonably affordable, well-rounded professional gear bag.

Here's what I have, and here's the order of what I want to fill it out. What do you carry, and what do you want next? What's your favorite piece of equipment, and why?

I have a:
EOS 40D
100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS
EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
EF-S 18-35mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

I require, in order:
Canon 50mm f/1.4
Extension tube
1.4tc
EOS 5D Mark xx
24-105mm f/4L IS

That makes it pretty round. Then I'd add:
70-200 f/2.8 IS
Then, what?
a 500 f/4 IS?

So, does anyone have any good get-rich-quick schemes?

-chuck
I am curious as to why you particularly want a 1.4tc.

[cab1024]

I am curious as to why you particularly want a 1.4tc.

I figure it could turn the 50 into an 70mm f/2 (with a 112mm eqv), which seems like a useful high-speed action or portrait setup, but mainly to give a little more high-quality reach to the 100-400 for a 560 f/8, if I chose to focus manually.

It would provide a smaller thrill, but fun nonetheless, while saving for the 5D.

Is a 1.4tc ill-suited for either of those purposes?

chuck

[Ash1456]

My Kit:
Canon 1D MKII
Canon EF 400mm f/5.6
Tamron 70-300 5.6

What I want:
Canon 400/2.8
or
Canon 500/4
or
Canon 600/4
Whimerley head
1D MKIII or MK4 (if they make it) ;)

But Ill never afford all of this!!!!! :-O

[Roy C]

I figure it could turn the 50 into an 70mm f/2 (with a 112mm eqv), which seems like a useful high-speed action or portrait setup, but mainly to give a little more high-quality reach to the 100-400 for a 560 f/8, if I chose to focus manually.

It would provide a smaller thrill, but fun nonetheless, while saving for the 5D.

Is a 1.4tc ill-suited for either of those purposes?

chuck
Just make sure that you do not get a Canon tc as it will not fit the 50/1.4.

[cab1024]

Now I've been poking around and am thinking the 50+1.4tc is a bad idea. So hopefully it does alright with the 100-400.

Perhaps I should insert a good flash in front of the tc.

[Vectis Birder]

My gear:
Canon 40D
Canon 20D
Canon 400mm f5.6
Canon 70-200 f4 L
Canon 18-55mm 'coke bottle' kit zoom
Velbon tripod
Manfrotto monopod

What I would like:
Canon 1D Mark II or Mark III
Canon 500mm f4
Canon 600mm f4
A good macro lens
A decent wide angle zoom
Canon 1.4x extender
Manfrotto or Gitzo tripod with ball and socket and Wimberley mount.

Dream on...

[Overread]

My gear:
Canon 400D
canon 400d kit lens
Canon 70-200mm f2.8 IS
Sigma 150mm macro
Sigma 70mm macro
1.4TC - canon and sigma make
2*TC canon and sigma make
speedlite 580M2
manfrotto junior geared head
manfrotto 322RC2
basic manfrotto 3way head
manfrotto 055XPROB tripod legs
Kenko extension tubes
Raynox DXR 250

What I would really like to add to the above
Canon 300mm f2.8 IS L
Canon MPE65mm macro
Canon twinlight macro flash
a small light flash with ettl, full manual control, with slave feature (cable/remote triggors), about the size of the canon 270ex (it fails on the no slave feature :()
Some longer bit of glass - 500mm/600mm sort of range - way too far off to be thinking about now
A wideangle lens - probably sigma 10-20mm
Some better camera body - again a good long while off not to worry about - and the 50D does not impress - 60D might be interesting to see
Gitzo tripod legs - carbon fibre

That is mostly what I can think of at the moment - shame it all costs to blooming much!

[postcardcv]

my current gear:

Canon 1Ds mkII
Canon 1D mkII
Canon 30D

Canon 500 f4 IS
Canon 300 f4 IS
Canon 70-200 f4
Canon 28-70 f2.8
Canon 17-40 f4
Canon 50 f1.8
Sigma 105 f2.8 macro
Canon 1.4x tc
Kenko 1.4x tc
Sigma 2x tc

Canon 580 EXII

What I'd like to add...

Canon 1Ds mkII (I know I have one but I want another...)
Canon 50D

Canon extension tubes
Canon 400 f4 DO or Canon 300 f2.8
Canon 85 f1.8/f1.2
Canon 580 EXII (or similar)
one of the Canon tilt and shift lenses

favourite stuff:

When shooting birds my favoutire set up is the 500 f4 and the 1DsmkII often with the 1.4x on, I really like the results this can deliver, I'm definitely the weak link in this set up. The other lens I use a lot is the 28-70 f2.8, it's a big hunk of glass and performs amazingly, definitely my prefered portrait lens.

[paul goode]

Current stuff:
1d mkIII
24-105f4
85f1.8
70-200f4
300f4
1.4x
580EXII

What I'd like:
D3
D3x
14-24f2.8
85f1.4
24-70f2.8
70-200f2.8
200-400f4
SB900

Sadly, I think I've got more chance of waking up next to Kylie Minogue than I have of getting my hands on that lot:-C

[postcardcv]

What I'd like:
D3
D3x
14-24f2.8
85f1.4
24-70f2.8
70-200f2.8
200-400f4
SB900

Sadly, I think I've got more chance of waking up next to Kylie Minogue than I have of getting my hands on that lot:-C

:t: nice wish list... I'd rather have that lot than wake up with Kylie ;)

[Nikon Kid]

You can see what I have got below, and what I realistically want

Monopod, 300 f4, 2x canon TC, Indian Gimbal head, 60d/7d, 16-35mm f2.8L USM mkII.

[tjsimonsen]

What I have:

EOS 350D
EOS 40D

Tamron 17-50/2.8
EF 100/2.8 macro
EF 100-400L IS

Speedlite 420ex

What I want (in addition):
EOS 1D3
EOS 5D2 (for macro)

Tokina 10-17 ATX Fisheye
EF 100/2.8 macro USM
EF 300/2.8
EF 500/4
MP-E 65/2.8 ultra macro
EF TC 1.4x
EF TC 2.0x

Speedlite 24ex macro
Speedlite 580ex2

That would do it. At least until EOS 1D4 is out...

Thomas

[macshark]

Here's what's in my kit most of the time:

EOS 40D
EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS
EF 400mm f/5.6L

These two lenses cover 95% of my shooting needs.

I sometimes add the EF-S 10-22mm or the EF 70-200 f/4L IS into my bag if I am going to shoot landscapes.

I do own an EF 100-400mm L IS but I use it so seldom that I am thinking of selling it...

If Canon comes up with new lightweight supertelephoto like an EF 500mm f/5.6L IS, I would consider getting that, especially if the price is below $2500. I would like to get a 500 f/4L IS one day, but most of my birding is done on foot where I walk 3-8 miles a typical birding day.

As for a new body, I am still quite happy with the 40D. Since I am at 40K clicks, investing in another camera may be in order, it would be interesting to see what the specs for the new EOS 60D or 1D MkIV will look like. If the 1D MkIV ends up being a 16MP 1.3x crop 10fps body with an improved AF system, I would strongly consider upgrading to that as the only two problems I have with the 40D is servo AF tracking with busy backgrounds and FoV for birds in flight within close distance.

[cab1024]

:t: nice wish list... I'd rather have that lot than wake up with Kylie ;)

Ha! Me too!

What's the deal with her? It's not lack there's a lack of hot women in Australia...

[cab1024]

Here's what's in my kit most of the time:

EOS 40D
EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS
EF 400mm f/5.6L

These two lenses cover 95% of my shooting needs.


Good info. And backs up the overall plan of my acquisitions -- the reason for which I think I failed to state in the first.

The 100-400 covers all of my telephoto needs, except for low light action. So the next item I need is something for low light and with great bokeh, thus the 50/1.4 -- also inexpensive enough to pick up fairly soon, and without emptying the kid's college fund (ok, there is no college fund, she better get a scholarship!).

After that I need to address the lesser quality glass I currently have -- but it's still damn good quality glass, so that's why the 5D/Mx comes into play. I already have the 28-135 so I would have wide coverage immediately on the 5D, just not wide enough, and not pro quality. So the 24-105 f/4L IS fills the extra-wide angle, and quality, gap. That would stay on the 5D and the 100-400 would stay on the 40D, most of the time.

If we're lucky Canon will have another alternative though, like maybe a 24-105 f/2.8 IS. That would be perfect, though probably huge and expensive.

And then I'm done, except for the dream lens 500 f/4. Dreaming of anything bigger and faster than that would do me no good. Then again, I though the 100-400 was an out-of-the-question dream, yet there it sits, waiting in the living room for me to get home and pet it...

Ok, "done" is absolutely the wrong word to use there. Once I have a FF body, the 70-200/2.8 will probably keep me dreaming about the immediate future. And my last film-system lens was a 17-35 ultra-wide, before I took several years off to play with P/S's while waiting for D-SLR bodies to get as cheap and awesome as they are.

And I should add that I'm very happy with my kit, as is. I just need the 50/1.4 and an extension tube.

[Roy C]

My Gear:
40D and 30D for back-up
100/2.8 macro
17-40
70-200/4
400/5.6
Plus a few other kit lenses
Canon 1.4 tc
Kenko Pro 1.4 tc
Teleplus (Kenko) 2x tc
Extension tubes
Feisol 3372 CF tripod
Jobu Jr Gimbal head (with horizontal mount)
Manfrotto 680B Monopod with 234RC head
Manfrotto 055 ProB Tripod with 488RC2 ball head
A couple of older tripods

Most of the time I use
40D
400/5.6
Canon 1.4tc (50% of the time)
Feisol tripod (50% of the time)

I want
You tell me, I change my mind every day. Cannot choose between the 300/2.8 , 500/4 or staying with what I have with maybe a 1D mkIII for AF at f8.
I have readies waiting but just when I decide to go for one of the big guns I go for a long hike with my 'toy' lens and when I come back I realise that I could never have done it with a heavier lens. Other days I go out and see b****r all , whatever lens I had would not have made a jot of difference if there were no birds to shoot.
Just when I decide to stay with what I have, up pops another thread on one of the big gun lenses and my interest is re-kindled. This is driving me nuts :C

[Adey Baker]

I want
You tell me, I change my mind every day. Cannot choose between the 300/2.8 , 500/4 or staying with what I have with maybe a 1D mkIII for AF at f8.
I have readies waiting but just when I decide to go for one of the big guns I go for a long hike with my 'toy' lens and when I come back I realise that I could never have done it with a heavier lens. Other days I go out and see b****r all , whatever lens I had would not have made a jot of difference if there were no birds to shoot.
Just when I decide to stay with what I have, up pops another thread on one of the big gun lenses and my interest is re-kindled. This is driving me nuts :C

Ha ha! You are not alone - except that I don't even have any readies burning a hole in my pocket ;)

If we could learn to be satisfied with what we've got and work within its limitations, I'm sure we'd be a lot happier. I cheer myself up by saying that if a bird only covers about 4mm on the camera's sensor with my 400mm lens then it'll only measure 5mm with a 500mm and the portability of my 400mm makes it a go-anywhere lens.

My 400mm focuses closer than 'normal' enabling 'long-range' macro possibilities but for most of my insect photography I use my 50mm lens, which is small enough to carry around in my pocket. Whenever anyone asks for macro lens recommendations on Birdforum the advice is always to go for something longer (and more bulky and expensive!) and yet...my mate has the excellent Sigma 150mm macro but, almost without exception, whenever a butterfly or dragon/damselfly allows him to get a frame-filling shot, I can go in afterwards with my 50mm and get a similar shot (doesn't stop me lusting after a newer lens, though - mainly because my 50mm is an older version before the 'DG' lens coatings, etc)

I reckon that the best accessory for a 400mm lens is probably some kind of portable hide, though it'll probably be less 'portable' than a 500mm lens...oh dear:eek!:

[Roy C]

If we could learn to be satisfied with what we've got and work within its limitations, I'm sure we'd be a lot happier. I cheer myself up by saying that if a bird only covers about 4mm on the camera's sensor with my 400mm lens then it'll only measure 5mm with a 500mm and the portability of my 400mm makes it a go-anywhere lens.

:
You are absolutely right Adey. I feel like this most of the time then I get seduced by all the 300/2.8 and 500/4 hype.

[Highcountry]

Here's what I have:
1Ds MkII
40d
24-70mm f2.8
70-200mm f4 IS
500mm IS
Canon 1.4x
Canon 25mm extension tube
580 EX II
Gitzo 1325/Arca-Swiss B1/Wimberley Sidekick
Lowepro Mini Trekker AW
Lowepro 600 AW

Desires:
400mm f5.6
Canon 180mm macro
300mm f4 IS

[wrogers]

What I have got
400D
18-55 plastic toy
50mm 1.8
Sigma 100-300 F/4 (going up for sale PM's accepted!)
Sigma 150-500 OS

What I want (can possibly afford but not at once)
Canon 50D/1Dmk2N
400 F/5.6
300 F/2.8 non-IS
1.4x and 2xTc's
Photography Hide

What I would Love to have
1Dmk3 (or Mk4 which will probably come out soon)
1DsMk3 (or Mk4)
XL-H1 for HD videos
Sigma 200-500 F/2.8
Sigma 300-800 F/5.6 (for when I my back breaks from above)
70-200 F/2.8 IS
400 f/5.6 (for BIF)
Sigma 180mm Macro
Sigma 105mm Macro
Canon 16-35mm F/2.8 Mk2
Canon 28-70 F/2.8
and of course a canon 1200mm f/5.6L but they are super rare and super expensive
a Sherpa to carry it all!!

although a 300mm F/1.4 would be lovely!!!

Will

[mrmarklin]

For birding I have all that could be reasonably desired except the 800mm lens, that frankly would be too big and bulky to be used regularly. I can acheive the same effect with autofocus with my 600mm=1.4x TC.

I have a very extensive lens set. To list them would seem like bragging. Suffice it to say I want for nothing.

[Fowl Mouth]

For birding I have all that could be reasonably desired except the 800mm lens, that frankly would be too big and bulky to be used regularly. I can acheive the same effect with autofocus with my 600mm=1.4x TC.


Isn't the 800 the same size as the 600 and 2 lbs lighter?

FWIW, I have:

20D
350D
70-200 1:4 L
150-500 DG OS


I want:

1Ds3
1Ds3
28-300 L
800 L...

or I could just put my kids through college. One or the other...we'll see. |:D|

[davem]

Have:
40D & 20D
70-200
100-400
17-85

Want:
1D MkIII (new, for about £800 would be OK).

[lmans66]

I have the following:

Canon 450
Canon 300 / F4L
Tokina 80-400mm
Canon 18-55mm Kit lens
Canon 1.4 tc
Monopod

I would love to shed the kit lens and equip myself with L series since I really am sold on the ones I have seen and the one I own. So....

Canon 24-105 F4L
Canon 17-40 F4L
Canon EF 100mm Macro F2.8

Or to go cheaper in some sense...
Canon EF 100mm Macro F2.8
Canon EF 17-85 F4

The latter having the kit lens replaced with the 17-85 still having a wide open range and a good walk about and using the Tokina for shots in the 80-200mm range....

[Shaggy2070]

I have,
OES 450D + 18-55mm kit lens + Tamron 80-210mm

Happy with camera but would love,

Cannon 400mm 5.6L or Cannon 100-400mmL
Cannon 100mm 2.8 Macro or Tamron 90mm 2.8 Macro

and I'd be a happy man.

[lmans66]

Oh, since we are just wishing....why not throw in the 500mm as well. I would think that would be an awesome addition. Has anyone used one and although I have read reviews posted on B&H, would it live up to them?

[AndyMc]

:t: nice wish list... I'd rather have that lot than wake up with Kylie ;)

If I were in bed with Kylie, I wouldn't be asleep dreaming of camera kit.:eek!::eek!::eek!:

My gear:
Canon 400D
17-40L
100-400IS
Velbon Tripod.

Pointless dreaming about what I'd like as kids are parasites so will never get the cash together:-O:-O:-O

Oh, I dream of Shania Twain instead.:t::t:

[QuantumTiger]

I have readies waiting but just when I decide to go for one of the big guns I go for a long hike with my 'toy' lens and when I come back I realise that I could never have done it with a heavier lens. Other days I go out and see b****r all , whatever lens I had would not have made a jot of difference if there were no birds to shoot.
I feel your pain Roy. I've been hours away from buying a 500m f/4.5 on at least two occasions and have talked myself out of it because of the weight issue. I love my 400mm f/5.6. It's a fantastic lens, but it's the top edge of what I feel comfortable lugging around for a day.

Recently looking back at my photos I realised that the ones I like most are the abstracts I took with my old Minolta A2. Small and light enough to fit in any rucksack on any walk (but not quite up to birding!). I gave it to my brother when I bought my 20D. Now I'm wondering if I should ask for it back :)

[Techuser]

Have today:
Canon S5 IS
Sony 1.7 TC

Wish list:
Canon XSi
Sigma 150-500 OS
Set of kenko tubes
1.4 kenko TC

the xsi kit I will probably get in the end of the year, dont know about the sigma =P

[Simmo1111]

What I have:

Panasonic FZ28
Olympus 1.7 teleconverter

What I,d like:

A big breasted, blonde, nymphomaniac, formation swimming team member ...

Sod the camera !!!

[rioja]

What I have:

Panasonic FZ28
Olympus 1.7 teleconverter

What I,d like:

A big breasted, blonde, nymphomaniac, formation swimming team member ...

Sod the camera !!!

Why aim low, why not the whole team !

[tjsimonsen]

Why aim low, why not the whole team !

No time to take pictures - that's why B (:

Thomas

[Vectis Birder]

If I were in bed with Kylie, I wouldn't be asleep dreaming of camera kit.:eek!::eek!::eek!:

My gear:
Canon 400D
17-40L
100-400IS
Velbon Tripod.

Pointless dreaming about what I'd like as kids are parasites so will never get the cash together:-O:-O:-O

Oh, I dream of Shania Twain instead.:t::t:

Oh dear this thread's headed for the gutter. Actually, forget 'headed' it's already there! :-O

[hollis_f]

What I,d like:

A big breasted, blonde, nymphomaniac, formation swimming team member

...whose father owns a brewery!

[Nikon Kid]

You can see what I have got below, and what I realistically want

Monopod, 300 f4, 2x canon TC, Indian Gimbal head, 60d/7d, 16-35mm f2.8L USM mkII.

I now want a flash, but don't know which one yet for macro, must be cheap.

[tjsimonsen]

I now want a flash, but don't know which one yet for macro, must be cheap.

A 420ex with a Stofen Omni-bounce works pretty well for me. Granted, it is not a Twin Lite 24ex, but it does the job.

Thomas

[AndyMc]

Oh dear this thread's headed for the gutter. Actually, forget 'headed' it's already there! :-O

If I bought the gear I wanted, then I'd be living in the gutter :eek!:, that's what she told me anyway :-O(the wife that is not Shania).

[dlleno]

I went ahead an invested heavily in APS-C glass for my 40D:

10-22 (amazing). 22mm is like a 35mm on a full frame, so its not that radical and can really deliver stunning close-ups. I love to correct horiz and vertical perspective distortion, producing shots that just arn't otherwise available without a full frame sensor.

17-55 f/2.8 IS. great for low light "normal" ranges. I struggled long and hard over this one versus the 17-40 L, but the 17-55 has L glass, IS, a better zoom ratio, and is silly sharp.

100mm f/2.8 macro. in a word, stunning.

28-135 IS kit lens. Dont count this one out I've got some great shots with it. While it isn't frequently on the camera during an outdoor shoot, it does a good job.

100-400 L: rented this. well it needs no further comment...

Triopod: THe Taiwan-based Fiesol produces a great product. I have their tournement tripod with spikes. Its 80% of a Gitzo for half the price.

The comments here have highlighted two distinct but very interesting approaches to long lenses:

1. Some appear to stop at 200mm with the zoom (e.g. 70-200) and then add one or more long primes.

2. Some prefer the flexibility of the 100-400.

If I had a 70-200 f/2.8 I might not be as tempted to add the 100-400. While I frequently used the 100-300 range of this lens (during a recent rental), whenever I was at 400mm I nearly always wanted more. THat got me to thinking that the 70-200 would be wonderful for low-light closer-in shots; the 1.4x TC (well reviewed with the 70-200) would produce 100-320 which gets you 80% of the way to 400mm. The 100-400 doesn't play very well with a TC, from what I have read.

So I guess for my telephoto lens wish I see a couple of options:

The $7,800 option:

1. ($2K) 70-200 f/2.8L IS with 1.4x TC. That delivers two very attractive focal length ranges: 70-200 f/2.8 and 100-320mm f/4, while retaining the portability of the 100-400. Yes, you could go with the 2x converter but that will cost you one additional stop, poorer optical performance, and yields only 25% additional reach.

2. ($6.8K) 500mm f/4.0. The 1.4x TC also gives you 700mm f/5.6. nice!

The $1,600 option:

1. ($1600) 100-400 L IS. If I could only spend $1,600 this is what I would add to my bag right now. But I'd have to live without 500 and 700mm as above, which (if purchased in addition to the 1-4) would add over $7K and still wouldn't give me the venerable 70-200 f/2.8.

[cab1024]

($1600) 100-400 L IS. If I could only spend $1,600 this is what I would add to my bag right now. But I'd have to live without 500 and 700mm as above, which (if purchased in addition to the 1-4) would add over $7K and still wouldn't give me the venerable 70-200 f/2.8.

Ah, but if and when you save up the additional $5,400 to get to 700mm, then you can sell the 100-400 and recoup almost all of your money. Or decide by then that you're rich enough to keep ALL of 'em!

[dlleno]

you make a good point! now if Canon would just surprise us all and update the 12 year old 1-4, at least put the latest gen IS in there. Frankly I don't see the need to go faster. the existing size and weight is really quite good

I wonder if anyone has done image comparisons between:

1. 70-200 f/2.8 L IS with 1.4x
2. 100-400

[tjsimonsen]

I wonder if anyone has done image comparisons between:

1. 70-200 f/2.8 L IS with 1.4x
2. 100-400

There you go:
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=113&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=0&LensComp=103&CameraComp=9&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=5&APIComp=0

Thomas

[cab1024]

you make a good point! now if Canon would just surprise us all and update the 12 year old 1-4, at least put the latest gen IS in there. Frankly I don't see the need to go faster. the existing size and weight is really quite good

I wonder if anyone has done image comparisons between:

1. 70-200 f/2.8 L IS with 1.4x
2. 100-400

Ironically, I was up til 3am last night comparing my 100-400 to the 70-200 f/2.8 WITHOUT IS that I borrowed from a friend yesterday. OK, and without the 1.4x. And I was mainly comparing bokeh. (The buttery bokeh of the 2.8 is making me even more desirous of the 50mm f/1.4)

But one thing I learned immediately -- 12 years old or not -- I got very useable handheld shots in a dim living room at 400mm with the IS on, and got nothing steady from the 200 2.8 w/o IS. So, other than the 50mm, I doubt I'll ever choose the non-IS version of anything. I simply find myself in low light situations far too frequently to go without it. So more money will have to be saved for future purchases...

(I used a tripod for my primary comparisons, BTW.)

[dlleno]

amen on the IS. I got a lot of useful shots of wildlife near dusk and overcast conditions with the rented 100-400. Grizzly, Pelicans, etc. I agree 12 yrs old or not its a great lens. IS is the primary reason I went for the 17-55 instead of the 17-40 L.

[cab1024]

Also means I need to update my list from the OP. I'll need something f/2.8 or faster with IS, for low light hand-holding and bokeh.