Buying Canon 50D - would really appreciate some help

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altyfc

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Hi all

I've decided to buy the Canon 50D.

I would also like to get a lens or two and don't know whether to go for a bundle, or whether to buy the lens(es) separately.

I notice one of the lens bundles offers a 18-200mm lens which would cover most bases for me, but that sounds like it offering such a wide range that I wonder if I get better quality by buying separate wide/normal and zoom lenses. Is the quality of an 18-200mm inferior necessarily because it's trying to accommodate such a wide range of focal lengths?

Finally, I'm a bit bamboozled by the various prices. If I look at body only (which allows me to compare like for like fairly easily), then I find the following:

Panamoz - http://panamoz.com/index.php/canon-eos-50d-digital-slr-camera-body-only.html?___store=default £530
...and various others in the £530-£590 range, but all retailers that I've not really heard of before.

But retailers such as Amazon and Tesco who I would consider as reputable/reliable and usually competitive, have the same item priced at £670.95 and £699.97.

Then there's the likes of Digital-cameras.com (who I've bought from before so I think I'd trust) - http://www.digital-cameras.com/product1.asp?ProductID=5763 at £590.

What's my best option here? Something like the digital-cameras.com one??

Thanks.
 
Had my 50D for about 15 months now. Very happy with it, but like you, lenses have been a complete nightmare. I got the kit 18-200 with mine, it's not a bad lens, but I find it a bit soft. After much deliberation I finally settled on the canon 15-85 as my main walkabout lens, nice and sharp but not very fast. I also bought the canon 60mm macro which is brilliant. I would like something faster, probably next purchase will be 85 f1.8. Don't really have much need for anything over 85mm atm so will keep the 18-200 for rare occasions when I need the extra focal length. I was thinking of buying the 17-55 f2 but couldn't justify the extra so went with 15-85.


PS. Check out any companies on the forums before you buy, and warranty offers - a lot of grey imports that need to go back to country of origin to be fixed.
 
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Thanks, guys.

I noticed Amazon does a good price on the bundle with the 18-200mm Canon lens (£999). I like the idea of just lugging one lens around at the moment as I often travel and have other stuff to carry.

Is there an argument for getting just the body, though, and a different lens? eg. the Tamron AF 18-270 f/3.5-6.3 Di-II VC LD Aspherical MACRO ...? Is there an alternative lens that would serve me better for everything from wide angle to zoom?

Thanks.
 
Not sure what your lens options could be - depends on what you want really. I think you need to do your sums for all the various options.
 
Just as a hang about a minute thing... there may be a new canon coming shortly, when do you need your new camera. If your like me and cant wait for anything then go for it, but just a heads up when the new ones launch normally other canon stock goes down slightly in price.

That said if you did get a very good price off someone then why not go for it!
 
You would get better quality by getting two separate lenses to cover that focal range.

I would recommend getting the body + tamron 17-50 F2.8 (£299) and something like the canon 55-250 IS.
In all honesty it depends on the focal length you will use the most, if its the long end then plough the majority of the cash into a half decent long lens, the canon 70 - 300 IS comes to mind as affordable, then just get a cheaper short end lens such as the kit 18-55 IS for now.
If its the other way around then as already said put the money into a lens covering that end, theres the one I suggested or the tamron 28-75 f 2.8, etc.

I just bought a 500D, I bought just the body and added a 50mm and 85mm F1.8 as they where the main focal lengths I wanted, I then bought a cheap tamron 55-200 zoom for now to cover the long end of things, as it was under £100 it was cheap enough to get now and upgrade later.
 
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Thanks, everyone. I'm wanting to shoot everything from family snaps to landscapes to wildlife. I go on holiday in 9 days so time is kind of of the essence. Will prices come down a lot when the 60D comes out or will it be relatively negligible now?

Thanks for the ideas on the lenses. I think the convenience is a bit too much of a pull for me at the moment. It might sound a bit strange but with young children in tow, right now I find I don't really have the time to deliberate about which lens to choose, etc. I'm sure other parents here can probably relate to what I'm trying to say. :)
 
iancandler said:
You would get better quality by getting two separate lenses to cover that focal range.

I would recommend getting the body + tamron 17-50 F2.8 (£299) and something like the canon 55-250 IS.
In all honesty it depends on the focal length you will use the most, if its the long end then plough the majority of the cash into a half decent long lens, the canon 70 - 300 IS comes to mind as affordable, then just get a cheaper short end lens such as the kit 18-55 IS for now.
Click to expand...

This.
 
If you are going abroad (aka flying) then try contacting the Dixons Duty Free at the airport and see if they have a deal going. Last year I got a 40D with 17-85mm lens for £600!

You just need to be able to read the manual as in-flight entertainment and charge the battery as soon as you arrive at your destination.
 
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