Replacing a complete kit

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I had my beginner's kit stolen, and with the insurance plus savings I need to buy a new kit from scratch. I'm pretty much decided on the Eos 5 (A2E) body, but I'm getting stuck after that. My current thoughts are 28-105 3.4/4.5 usm, 75-300 IS and the 50 1.8. That still doesn't deal with the problem of wider than 28mm or which flash. Most of what I do is candid portraits, but I also need to take general 'recording' shots in the school where I work including sports, school plays etc. I'm also likely to be in Africa for the summer so factor in safari shots as well. Obviously I'd love to be able to buy better lenses if I had the cash, but I want to do as well as I can for the cash I have. All in, my maximum spend will be about $1500.

-- S Allen (sallen@st-andrews.ie), April 24, 2002

Answers

How about:

-For candit portraits (what you say you do most) 85 f1.8 and 35 f2.0

-Wide angle 20-35USM 3.5/4.5 (good lens at a good price)

-Safari: Rent something decent like 300 F4L, or buy a used 300 F4L and sell it when you come back

Its easy and fun spending other peoples money!

-- Kenneth Katz (socks@bestweb.net), April 24, 2002.


gr8 advice kenneth. allen does need such a kit.

-- sajeev (chack74@yahoo.co.in), April 24, 2002.

With your 75-300 and your 50, I would skip the 28-105 and get a 17-35 zoom (is there a non-L Canon version?) or just a 28 mm prime (I myself could live easily, and happily, with 28, 50, and 75-300).

The 550 EX and 420 EX are both excellent flashes.

I agree with the above, that for safari you should rent a Canon cannon.

-- Preston Merchant (merchant@speakeasy.org), April 24, 2002.


Figured I'd chip in as well. Here's where I'd go, it's pretty much what I use right now and I'm really hapy with it for all pusposes. Canon Elan 7e - $455 Canon 28-105 f3.5-4.5 - $250 Canon 100-300 f4.5-5.6 - $240 Canon 24mm f2.8 - $290 Canon 50mm f1.8 - $90 Canon 420EX Flash - $165 Assorted Filters - $150 LowePro Minitrekker Case - $120 Monopod or tripod - $100

Total $1960 - So a little over, but I wanted to make sure you didn't forget things like a case and filters when your looking at how to spend the insurance money. Course, if they don't need replacing the total for this kit is $1490 (B&H prices).

Have fun on the Safari

-- Marcus (Citizensmith@lanset.com), April 24, 2002.


About three years ago, I bought into the EOS system for the first time. My budget was the same as yours--$1500. The prices have declined since I bought my initial outfit and, in 1999, I bought an EOS A2E (virtually the same as the EOS 5), 20-35/3.5-4.5, 28-105/3.5- 4.5 and 100-300/4.5-5.6 for just a little over my $1500 budget.

The IS feature on the 75-300 is nice but it's not going to make the lens any sharper. I would still go with the 100-300 and save the extra money and buy a good Manfrotto tripod.

A quick look at the B&H website showed the following highest prices: EOS 5QD--$470, 20-35--$370, 28-105--$250, 100-300--$240 for a total of $1330. The 75-300IS lens is $415 which, instead of the 100-300, would make the total of $1505. While your posting sounds as if you are located on the east side of the Atlantic and you may face higher prices, I would try to stretch the budget to get the 20-35 by switching to the 100-300 with a tripod.

Good shooting!

-- Lee (Leemarthakiri@sport.rr.com), April 24, 2002.



Oops! I overlooked the 50/1.8 II. It's now $75 at B&H--$10 less than when I bought mine last year. Not a budget buster but a great little piece of glass for the price.

-- Lee (Leemarthakiri@sport.rr.com), April 24, 2002.

If you do go for the EOS 5 over the EOS 30/Elan 7, you will not need to purchase an E-TTL capable flash. I think Sunpack's AF5000 would be the best flash for the money with this system. Roughly camparable to, and in some ways, a little better than the Canon 540EZ.

I would have a hard time doing without a wide lens. 20mm, at least. I personally find it more useful than the 75-300 USM IS. In fact, I'll sell you my slightly used one. I seldom need/want a long lens. But if you want to save your money on the wide lens, the Tokina 19-35 f/3.5-4.5 is a very good buy at less than $200

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), April 24, 2002.


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