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Archive 2009 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

Kent R. Klein
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p.1 #1 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

Hi. I can either afford a Canon 200mm F2.0/L lens or the Canon 1D Mark IV camera, but not both. Currently I have a Canon 300mm F2.8/L and a Canon 5D Mark II.

My photo interests are indoor sports photography, including diving, basketball, volleyball and wrestling. Would I get a bigger bang from the lens or the camera for low light action?

Thanks,
Kent

Nov 20, 2009 at 06:35 PM

tchan748
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p.1 #2 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

Canon 5D Mark II is not the best choice for sports regardless it is indoor, low light or what not. that's my take.

Nov 20, 2009 at 06:41 PM

Coach-Z
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p.1 #3 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

I'm thinking Lens... 3.9 frames and the ISO performance from the Mark II and a 2.0 aperture lens, should make for some great photos

Nov 20, 2009 at 06:45 PM

joezasada
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p.1 #4 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

the lens and a 1D mark 2 until you can get the mark 4 later

Nov 20, 2009 at 06:52 PM

Andrew Burnett
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p.1 #5 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

I would go with the lens. The 5D II is fairly decent for indoor sports but if you're having trouble with the auto focus and ratio of keepers to OOF, you might want to consider the camera with the more professional level AF.

But since you have the 300 2.8 already and are considering another telephoto I'm assuming the 5D is working alright

Nov 20, 2009 at 07:57 PM

elader
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p.1 #6 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

I have a 5D and a 1 series - i cant believe you are considering all this money on glass with a 9 point AF system. why not buy a 200mm f/2.8 and a used 1dmkIII and think about it for a while?

Nov 20, 2009 at 08:31 PM

wickerprints
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p.1 #7 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

Bodies may come and go, but good glass is forever.

Five years from now, are you going to get the same value out of the 1D4 as the 200/2L IS? I suspect not.

The 1D4 will take great pictures, and your keeper rate will be higher than with the 5D2, but it has an APS-C sensor, so you may find yourself still wanting the 5D2.

Personally, I would rent each and find out. That will be the true test.

Nov 20, 2009 at 09:03 PM

elader
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p.1 #8 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

wickerprints wrote:

Personally, I would rent each and find out. That will be the true test.

Agreed, make it so.

Nov 20, 2009 at 09:08 PM

zino
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p.1 #9 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

I would recommand switch your 5d mark 2 to 1d mark 3, then buy 200mm 2.0L (if you don't want to spend much money).

I agree 'Bodies may come and go, but good glass is forever' & 'Canon 5D Mark II is not the best choice for sports regardless it is indoor, low light or what not'.

Nov 20, 2009 at 10:27 PM

Grantland
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p.1 #10 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

i suggest you sell the 300 2.8 and buy both

the 200 2.0 takes a 1.4x very well making it a 280 at f/ 2.8? (i think)

for sports you really NEED a 1d series.

Nov 20, 2009 at 11:31 PM

Kent R. Klein
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p.1 #11 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

Thanks everyone for your recommendations. You've given me a lot to consider. Now I'm wondering if I can sell my 5D2, 70-200 2.8, and 300 2.8 for $5K, so I could afford the 1D4 and 200 2.0 + $5K.

- Kent

Nov 21, 2009 at 04:38 AM

rcheliphotog
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p.1 #12 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

I would never drop two lenses for one. Period. My question to you is, do you feel that you are missing "the shot" because of the AF system of the 5D? If not, then go for the glass, because as others have said, it'll last a life time. If you are getting a restrictively low keeper rate, then spring for a used 1D3. IMO it will be all you need. A lot of the features in the new 1 series are more marketing hype than actual leaps in picture taking technology.

Of course this is all just my worthless .02

Nov 21, 2009 at 04:51 AM

wickerprints
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p.1 #13 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

Kent R. Klein wrote:
Thanks everyone for your recommendations. You've given me a lot to consider. Now I'm wondering if I can sell my 5D2, 70-200 2.8, and 300 2.8 for $5K, so I could afford the 1D4 and 200 2.0 + $5K.

- Kent

Don't do that.

You should get more than $5K for all three of those items, but don't do it. I don't think it's a step up, because the 1D4 is APS-C and not 24x36mm. No matter how good they make the 1D4 sensor, it will not match the 5D2.

Furthermore, the 300/2.8L is an excellent lens. I don't know if you have the IS version or not, but both are very good. You're giving up on a lot in order to get both the 1D4 + 200/2L IS, which in the current economic conditions, doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

As I mentioned before, rent. The worst mistake you can make is to sell existing gear to finance the purchase of equipment you are not sure will serve your needs.

Nov 21, 2009 at 04:55 AM

Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #14 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

wickerprints wrote:

The 1D4 will take great pictures, and your keeper rate will be higher than with the 5D2, but it has an APS-C sensor, so you may find yourself still wanting the 5D2.

.

APS-C

APS-H 1.3 crop

Nov 21, 2009 at 03:07 PM

Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #15 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

how often do you use the 300/2.8 and how much do you need the extra stop of 2.0 v 2.8?
If you dont use the 300 so much then selling it and getting the 200/2 + a 1.4 TC could make a bit of sense
But also how much headroom do you have to up the ISO and gain that stop back (the Hi ISO performance of the 1D4 needs to be seen first)
could you get the 200/2 and a good working 1D3?

Nov 21, 2009 at 03:12 PM

Steve Spencer
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p.1 #16 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

For your interests I don't see where you need the 300mm lens. Perhaps this is a reasonable compromise: sell the 300 f/2.8L IS, get a 7D and the 200 f/2L IS and a 135L.

Nov 21, 2009 at 03:29 PM

wickerprints
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p.1 #17 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

Ian.Dobinson wrote:
wickerprints wrote:

The 1D4 will take great pictures, and your keeper rate will be higher than with the 5D2, but it has an APS-C sensor, so you may find yourself still wanting the 5D2.

.

APS-C

APS-H 1.3 crop

Oops, huge mistake on my part, thanks for pointing that out. Not sure what possessed me to write that!

Nov 21, 2009 at 05:04 PM

Coach-Z
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p.1 #18 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

Get a 7D in stead and the 200 mm f:2

Nov 21, 2009 at 05:23 PM

M Vers
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p.1 #19 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

Tough choice...personally I'd sell the 5DII and pick up a 1DIII and the 200/2.

Nov 21, 2009 at 05:27 PM

LynnP
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p.1 #20 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

I feel that you would have more versatility using your 70-200 f2.8 on the 1DMarkIV. With wrestling you will be too close with the 200mm f2. The high ISO capability of the Mark IV will cover any lack of the one f stop advantage. Also with volleyball you can get both sides of the net or individual players. A non zoom lens for these sports will put a cramp into your versatility. I too would hate to see you getting rid of both the 5DMarkII and the 300mm f2.8. But one of them has to go to get anywhere near the money you need for the MarkIV.

Lynn

Nov 21, 2009 at 06:08 PM

Velu01
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p.1 #21 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

I would get the 200L f2 along with a 1.4 extender.
That way you have the opportunity to find out if this combination could possibly replace your 300 2.8 !
Some say the quality is more or less the same, for you to find out at your own pace !
Meanwhile the 1DIV will be operational and depending users experiences you might want to walk a different path and decide to go for a second hand 1DIII or so.
Coz regarding camera's, the best thing would be to have a full frame AND a 1D serie.
The 5D has it's charm and a 1D serie will provide you with a higher keepers rate when shooting sport.
In case the 1DIV delivers, prices will go down "soon" so ya make some extra money by waiting.

Rgds
Velu

Nov 22, 2009 at 12:26 AM

abam
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p.1 #22 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

i'm really liking my 5D2, but i wouldn't use it as a sports camera -- i've no confidence in it's af for fast moving targets. if i were a sports shooter, i'd go with the 1 series.

Nov 22, 2009 at 01:19 AM

carrg1954
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p.1 #23 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

I think those that are advising you to sell a 300 2.8 are not giving sound advice. What are your other 3 ?
I'd also keep the full frame 5dmk2.
Back to YOUR original question, get the glass.

Nov 22, 2009 at 01:38 AM

Grantland
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p.1 #24 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

carrg1954 wrote:
I think those that are advising you to sell a 300 2.8 are not giving sound advice. What are your other 3 ?
I'd also keep the full frame 5dmk2.
Back to YOUR original question, get the glass.

i gave the advice to sell the 300 for the 200 from personal experience. for me it would have been ideal to have both but no such luck. sounds like the OP is in the same position. i shoot high school sports, drama, dance, etc. and i get more bang for the buck with a 200L and 1.4x (when needed). and for sports shooting there isn't much debate on which camera is better a 5d2 or a 1d series.

how i see it you have a budget of $10,800 ($5,000 cash, $2300 = 5d2 and $3500 = 300 2.8IS). Therefore a 1d4 plus 200 2.0IS and 1.4x is what i recommend. with the 300 you can never get f2.0 (and you will use f2.0 for high school indoor sports) but with the 200 you can get a 280 at 2.8.

Nov 23, 2009 at 08:42 PM

Kent R. Klein
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p.1 #25 · Need Advice: Camera or Lens

I'm convinced now the glass, 200mm 2.0 IS, is a better investment for me than the body, 1D4. (Thank you!) I'm still debating, though, whether I should trade my 5D2 and 300 2.8 IS for the 1D4. I'm not crazy about the 1D4 having 1.3 crop. Will the 1D4 deliver far superior indoor sports photography performance over the 5D2 using the 200 2.0 IS?

Nov 23, 2009 at 10:09 PM


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