Anyone have the Canon 10D? (1 Viewer)

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eric s

Well-known member

• Jul 24, 2003

• #21

I'm mixed on using the 100-400 for flight. Some really good pros say it’s a wonderful flight lens. I find that it depends on the size of the subject.

Things like Great Blue Herons it works fine on. They fly fairly slow and they are large enough for the AF to detect and lock on. The same applies to the red tail/shoulder hawks I see... or even crows. They are large enough and move slow enough that it works.

Things like terns are another matter entirely. They are so small the AF doesn't always find them and then hunts. And when it does that you are dead in the water because the view goes completely blurry and they are long gone before you can find them. But if you can track the bird, it can lock on to something even that small.

paulh, my vote is for Doppler radar to guide the camera in following the swift or swallow in flight. That would solve all my problems.

Eric

 

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DuncanBerenice

Member

• Aug 30, 2003

• #22

I'm just waiting for my D10 to arrive, I've got an old Canon EOS 1000F and I telephoned Sigma to find out if my lenses would work on the D10 before I had ordered. Some Sigma lenses may need to be re-chipped to work on the D10, I'll gradually work towards the dearer lenses but at the moment the lenses I do have will do for now

Duncan

 

Walther Loff

Well-known member

• Sep 1, 2003

• #23

I Have just read with great concern the demise of the Canon 10D, due to autofocus problems the service departments are flooded attempting to fix the cause to correct this.
I found this information in Dpreview.
I had my sights set on this unit, but now the pressure is off..
cheers
Walther

 

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helenh

Well-known member

• Sep 1, 2003

• #24

Walther Loff said:

I Have just read with great concern the demise of the Canon 10D, due to autofocus problems the service departments are flooded attempting to fix the cause to correct this.
I found this information in Dpreview.
I had my sights set on this unit, but now the pressure is off..
cheers
Walther

Click to expand...

Seems like a rumour based on Canon announcing the new 300D. Within the same forum there is an official Canon statement which refutes the suggestion that the 10D is about to be dropped. It states that the 10D will be on their catalogue of current products until sometime in '04. Sounds to me like a case of someone putting 2 and 2 together and getting 8 (or 300 ).

helenh

 

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George McCarthy

Active member

• Sep 9, 2003

• #25

When buying a digital camera today, even if it has just been launched, you have to accept that it will very soon be replaced with a new model. Chances are that, in Japan the next generation is already on the designers screen if not the shelves and it will not only be better it will also be cheaper.

If you are considering changing from film to digital my advice is to buy in at the best level you can afford. Learn just what digital is all about and only when you have done so then will you be able to assess new models when they arrive and finally ditch your film bodies as you surely will!

George McCarthy

 

cspratt

Well-known member

• Oct 21, 2003

• #26

As the Canon 10D doesn't come with a lens what would be a good "middle of the road" (price wise) lens to buy? I'm thinking about either the 28-135 IS or the 75-300 IS.

Thanks.

 

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eric s

Well-known member

• Oct 23, 2003

• #27

The 28-135 is not bad, I own it and several others. It's not the sharpest lens, but not the softest by far. It's weight and size are good.

What do you expect to use it for? Don't forget that will be longer because of the 1.6x

Some of the flavors of the X-300 are not good. There is one good one, though. I don't recall which is which, though. So I'd do my research before purchasing one of them.

Eric

 

cspratt

Well-known member

• Oct 23, 2003

• #28

Thanks Eric.

I will be using it for birding. I need a lens to start out with (the camera doesn't come with one) and the 100-400 IS is too expensive for me right now. I will get that in a few months.

 

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eric s

Well-known member

• Oct 24, 2003

• #29

I can highly recommend the 100-400. It isn't as sharp as the 400 f5.6, but it's more flexible. For me, that matters (of course, sharpness does too.)

It's a very difficult choice. If you plan on getting the 100-400, I wouldn't get at X-300, unless it was really fast (i.e. the speed is the reason to get it, not the zoom range.) Since I don't believe anyone makes a fast zoom in that range this wouldn't be the case. I would get the 28-135 because its just a handy lens for general photography. Not very wide after the 1.6x, but still nice.

The reality is that for most birding the 28-135 isn't long enough. Heck, I'll amend that to "the vast majority of birding." Sure, you can get close to some birds... but not many. The 400mm though the viewfinder (which doesn't have the 1.6x) is basically the same size as 8x binocs. I just compared it to my 8.5x Swift Audubon's and its slight smaller in the view. That makes the 135mm really only about 2x through the viewfinder.

Eric

 

cspratt

Well-known member

• Oct 24, 2003

• #30

Thanks for the reply. I've read some reviews on the 75-300 IS and I think I will pass on that one. I know the 28-135 IS isn't that great for birding but I do need some sort of lens (they sell the body only here) and it will get me used to using the camera.

The 100-400 IS lens is high on the purchase list but I'm on a limited retirement income so I will have to wait for that.

 

tarves57

Well-known member

• Oct 26, 2003

• #31

My 10D has been working very well since I bought it end of August. I have the 28-135mm lens and the 50mm. Both produce excellent pictures. As for birding, I haven't been able to afford a longer lens yet, but it's on my list!

The only thing I miss from my Nikon CP990 is the macro facility - I need to buy a 100mm macro lens to do this on the 10D and I won't have any spare cash for a loooooong time...)

Susan

 

gene

Walk softly and carry a big lens!

• Oct 26, 2003

• #32

eric s said:

I can highly recommend the 100-400. It isn't as sharp as the 400 f5.6, but it's more flexible. For me, that matters (of course, sharpness does too.)

It's a very difficult choice. If you plan on getting the 100-400, I wouldn't get at X-300, unless it was really fast (i.e. the speed is the reason to get it, not the zoom range.) Since I don't believe anyone makes a fast zoom in that range this wouldn't be the case. I would get the 28-135 because its just a handy lens for general photography. Not very wide after the 1.6x, but still nice.

The reality is that for most birding the 28-135 isn't long enough. Heck, I'll amend that to "the vast majority of birding." Sure, you can get close to some birds... but not many. The 400mm though the viewfinder (which doesn't have the 1.6x) is basically the same size as 8x binocs. I just compared it to my 8.5x Swift Audubon's and its slight smaller in the view. That makes the 135mm really only about 2x through the viewfinder.

Eric

Click to expand...

I agree with Eric on his recommendation of the 100-400 IS. It is a very felxible lens and with its Image Stabilization, I never use a tripod (though I suppose I should). For birding you will always use it at 400mm. It is slightly soft @ 400mm f5.6 (wide open), but f6.7 is fine and you can back off to 380mm or so @ f5.6 and get back the sharpness.

The f4 400mm is sharper, especially wide open. I might have bought it, but it doeen't have image stabilization. If you are a full time tripod birder, I would recommend it over the 100-400, if utmost sharpness is important to you.

Gene

 

Paul Rule

Well-known member

• Oct 26, 2003

• #33

Hi Susan,

Rather than buying a 100 macro, how about some extension tubes, to use with your existing lenses. You should be able to get a set for £80 or so. The Canon ones will be more expensive but as there are no glass elements involved, you may as well go for a cheaper set.

Paul

 

tarves57

Well-known member

• Oct 26, 2003

• #34

Paul Rule said:

Hi Susan,

Rather than buying a 100 macro, how about some extension tubes,
Paul

Click to expand...

Yes Paul, quite right. I was hoping to find the 100mm on Ebay for around £300 but unfortunately most being sold are from dealers outside the UK. They may sell at a good price, but they forget to mention the import duties and various other postal taxes/charges on top of that!
I've not seriously considered extension tubes, but I might have a closer study of them (no pun intended!) and see what they have to offer.

Susan

 

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eric s

Well-known member

• Oct 27, 2003

• #35

I posed a question about extention tubes vs. macro lenses on the George McCarthy forum. His answer confirmed what I thought. Take a look here:
http://birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=8903

I will get extention tubes at some point. But I will also get a macro lens some time as well.

cspratt
I can appreciate being on a retirement income. As long as you plan to get the 100-400 at a later date, then the other lens should do ok for simple stuff (and its a nice walk-around lens.) But remember that plan when you can't get the shot because the bird it too far away. And you'll be surprised, too far away is only about 10-15 feet.

Eric

 

Geoff Brown

Well-known member

• Oct 27, 2003

• #36

Good news from Jessops the photo dealers. They phoned tonight to say my 10D body is on its way today. Thank goodness as I had several EOS lenses not doing a lot but they should soon be all gainfully employed yet again. Not too worried about telephoto range as I am still practicing with my coolpix 4500 + attached Nikon Telescope, and this will have to do for the time being. Like Susan this set up will have to do for the time being as my pension has taken a bit of an hammering with all this new optical and digital gear but what the heck. You can't take it with you, so you might as well enjoy! :clap:

 

Last edited: Oct 27, 2003

cspratt

Well-known member

• Oct 27, 2003

• #37

Have fun with it!