5D mark II Starter lens suggestions?

Promac

Hi folks,

I'm getting a 5D mark ii soon but it's body only so I need to find a nice starter lens. I've been using the canon 18-135 but it's EF-S so that's out. I have a nifty fifty which I'll probably use quite a lot now but I'd like a wide/zoom walkabout lens.

I've seen a few of these around the intarwebs:
http://www.adverts.ie/lenses/canon-ef-28-105mm-f3-5-4-5-ii-usm/410186

Anyone any experience with them? Sounds like a good deal for the price but might be a bit finicky with avoiding distortion/vignetting.

Any other suggestions? The body on its own is breaking the bank so I can't afford proper L glass (or the kit lens) so I'll likely be at the 300 or lower category for now.

Borderfox

For the 5dmk2 all your lens selection is going to end in L. For the budget stick to primes as any of the consumer lenses wont be up to the grade. Perhaps try the 70-200 f4?

pete4130

Borderfox wrote: »

For the 5dmk2 all your lens selection is going to end in L. For the budget stick to primes as any of the consumer lenses wont be up to the grade. Perhaps try the 70-200 f4?

As Borderfox hs said, lenses for a MKii should be expensive (by choice). You've got one of the best bodies out there with amazing image quality. You'd be fooling yourself not to put on the best glass possible to compliment it.

I do totally understand your position though. I got a Nikon D3 3 years ago and could only afford Sigma "pro" lenses (24-70, 70-200 etc...) and regretted it instantly. upgraded ASAP to Nikon lenses and never looked back. I know its not good news to hear you'll have to spend some big bucks on lenses but it is really, really worth it. The 50mm will be fine on it. I choose it over pretty much every other lens I have.

Full frame adds the expense of expensive lenses.

preilly79

to follow on from the previous posters, if you can stretch to some premium L glass you'll never look back. A 17-40 f/4 L USM lens makes a great walkabout lens if your style is for wide shots and don't mind losing a telephoto focal length.

You're welcome to try any of mine if it helps you make the right choice:

17-40mm f/4 L
50mm f/1.4
85mm f/1.8
100mm f/2.8 macro
200mm f/2.8 L II

Sleepy

If you can find one, keep an eye out on ebay for the Mark I of the Canon EF 28-80 3.5-5.6 USM lens. It's easiest identified by it's metal mount. It's not as good as an L series but you can pick them up pretty reasonably on eBay as the later models (Marks 2 through 5/6) were nasty crap.

I got one myself for about €30 which I generally leave on a 300v but I've used it on my 450d enough to know that, while it doesn't have the speed of the nifty fifty, it's IQ is not as far away from it as you might imagine for such a cheap lens.

http://emedia.leeward.hawaii.edu/frary/toolbox2.htm#28-80Anchor

Thecageyone

Nice one promac Savage camera - As I always say, that is THE one that I would make the switch to Canon for, tasty.

The guys are dead right though, you could go buy some cheap lenses while you're saving for better glass, but you won't be getting the best from that mega-sensor. Your 50mm will be deadly on it though. How about something like a 28mm f/1.8 prime to go with? Just do without zoom for now, go for ultimate quality you can afford.

Promac

Cheers lads - that's kinda what I expected. The way I'm looking at it is that I can get the nice 5D body now and use the 50mm while I save for a decent L lens.

I might see if I can get a 5D kit lens cheap on ebay as I hear they're good lenses. Might be interesting actually - and I'm keeping the 450D anyway as the wife wants to start getting into it too so it's not like I'll be missing out.

Thecageyone wrote: »

Nice one promac Savage camera - As I always say, that is THE one that I would make the switch to Canon for, tasty.

The guys are dead right though, you could go buy some cheap lenses while you're saving for better glass, but you won't be getting the best from that mega-sensor. Your 50mm will be deadly on it though. How about something like a 28mm f/1.8 prime to go with? Just do without zoom for now, go for ultimate quality you can afford.

Yeah, it was the 7D thread that convinced me in the end - didn't realise they were as "cheap" as they are.

I was actually lookin at the 28mm Canon recently for the ould 450D - comparing it with the Sigma 30mm too actually. How will a 28/30mm prime look on a full frame camera? Is that into the wide ranges at that length? It's too late on a friday afternoon for my brain to work out ratios :rolleyes:

Promac

preilly79 wrote: »

to follow on from the previous posters, if you can stretch to some premium L glass you'll never look back. A 17-40 f/4 L USM lens makes a great walkabout lens if your style is for wide shots and don't mind losing a telephoto focal length.

You're welcome to try any of mine if it helps you make the right choice:

17-40mm f/4 L
50mm f/1.4
85mm f/1.8
100mm f/2.8 macro
200mm f/2.8 L II

That 17-40 sounds quite nice actually - I'm moving to New Zealand in the spring and doing some landscape stuff for a book so that might be just the job.

challengemaster

24-70 f/2.8 L
70-200 f/2.8 L
nifty fifty

Just about all you need, really

DougL

I went with the 24-70 L f/2.8 as it was important to me to have at least one multi-purpose lens that was f/2.8. If that isn't important to you, you could go with the 24-100 L or the 17-40. If you want super-wide at f/2.8, you're stuck with the rather expensive 16-35 f/2.8.

Thecageyone

Promac wrote: »

How will a 28/30mm prime look on a full frame camera? Is that into the wide ranges at that length? It's too late on a friday afternoon for my brain to work out ratios :rolleyes:

28mm on the Full frame body will be equivalent to around 18mm on a cropped sensor. You'll get the same width you'd expect on a cropped sensor at 20mm with the 30mm. You'll notice more width with your 50mm even, will be like a 34mm on your old cam. Off top of my head that, give or take a mm

I spotted a D3 going for €600! I could sell my D90 and DX lenses and maybe afford it plus an FX lens, but I can't afford FX yet really, even at that price. The lenses I'd want for it are just way out of my reach, like the 70-200 f/2.8 VR ... Mmmmmm.

Borderfox

I have the 17-40L and find it excellent, I was going to go for the 16-35L but cant justify the cost

kelly1

Gotta be the 24-70 f/2.8L surely!? Not cheap though.

Thecageyone

I know you're on a budget, especially after buying the body, but if you did sell your current camera [yourself and the wife could share the 5D?] you could make an offer on this:

http://www.adverts.ie/lenses/canon-ef-24-105mm-f-4-l-is-usm-lens-mint/389611#comments

He's down to €690 currently.

Or, there's an 85mm f/1.8 prime on there listed at €300, but I bet you could take that down a peg, he's only offer thus far is 210. Would give you some more reach on top of your 50mm and sounds like a great lens [from the quick peeks at reviews I just checked]

http://www.adverts.ie/lenses/canon-85mm-f-1-8/409711

Promac

I think I'm gonna squirrel away some money over the next few months and go for a 17-40L. I can make do with the 50mm until then as I'll still have to get used to the actual camera too.

24-70 sounds feckin lovely but it's way out of my range now.

Thecageyone

My old 50mm was on my old D200 90% of the time. Zoom doesn't matter much in most general situations. Look forward to seeing your first shots with that baby

ThOnda

5D suits only 24-70/2.8. Honestly.

Promac

ThOnda wrote: »

5D suits only 24-70/2.8. Honestly.

Convince my wife of that and you have a friend for life!

Thecageyone

There's only one lens that's great for a 5D mkII?? Knock it off my wish list in that case!

Thecageyone

Just so you know:

http://www.adverts.ie/lenses/canon-17-40mm-l/419064#comments

smash

28-135 are pretty cheap

Promac

Torn now between getting a zoom like that 28-135 or just getting a 28mm prime.

Might go for the latter and save for something nice in the zoom category later.

Borderfox

Get the prime, at least the quality will be there

kelly1

Promac wrote: »

Torn now between getting a zoom like that 28-135 or just getting a 28mm prime.

Might go for the latter and save for something nice in the zoom category later.

28mm on a FF body is quite wide isn't it?

Thecageyone

It would be like an 18-19mm on a cropped body. Pretty wide for general use.

Promac

It'd be for landscapes so it should be nice and wide yeah. Not too much though I wouldn't think.

Promac

50mm on a 5D2 is lovely! Can't wait to get out during the day and do some real damage with it. Or possibly the burlesque show in The Village tomorrow night ...

Thecageyone

Nice one, enjoy

I am actually jealous!

angeleyes

Promac wrote: »

50mm on a 5D2 is lovely! Can't wait to get out during the day and do some real damage with it. Or possibly the burlesque show in The Village tomorrow night ...

I am totally in love with mine - ISO at 6400 fabulous as this image will show. This was taken today in college.