5D and 24-105L or 40d and 17-55 f/2.8

[Richard Duncombe]

I am going travelling in September and need a good general purpose/walkaround set up. I will be concentrating on street portraits and landscapes with occasional architecture thrown in.

My choices as per the title are around the same price and I do not have any EFS lenses to be worrying about compatibility issues and will be combining whatever i choose with my 20d backup which i imagine will be mating with a 70-200 f/4 the entire two years

Right now i am leaning toward the 5d but have seen some great photos with the 17-55 lens and that combination MIGHT save me £150 or so to spend on insuring it all. I am a little concerned though that as ill be living in a tent and travelling on buses and horses and whatnot that the L glass build might prove more important than price or IQ in the long run?

Does anyone have any reasons for me to choose one over the other considering what i want to use it for? I know i could buy great equipment for less, but this really is a once in a lifetime trip so i want the best glass/equipment i can afford.

I should mention that everything will need to be second hand!

Thanks

 

[WillieL]

IMHO go for the 5D with 24-105 better body & just as good lens, while the 1.6x crop factor of the 40D will make the 17-55 effectively 27-88. If shooting outdoors you will not miss the 2.8 of the 17-55, you can just bump up the ISO for any occasional indoor stuff.

If as you say you can buy both combos for around the same price then definately the 5D

 

[tdodd]

Richard, for the use you describe, which doesn't appear to include shooting fast action, I'd personally favour the 5D and 24-105. You'll have a broader focal length range, L build on the lens, superior DOF control and wonderful, lush IQ.

In favour of the 40D it has Live View, which you may find useful, and built in sensor cleaning. Also the peripheral AF points should prove superior, and with the f/2.8 lens you may find focusing to be more accurate.

I do have a 40D (which I no longer use) and 17-55 (which I keep as a backup to my 24-70, for use with my 7D), which I've used in my travels and for weddings. They make a nice combination. I also have a 5D2, but not the 24-105. For my money I find the IQ from the full frame sensor to be a joy, and while the 40D is no slouch, for a cropper, at the end of the day it is still a cropper. Sticking your long lens on your 20D (112mm to 320mm equivalent) and having the 24-105 on a full frame body will complement each other very well.

The only concern I'd have with a second hand 5D is that little problem of the mirror falling off - http://www.slashgear.com/canon-5d-mirror-design-flaw-calls-for-immediate-repair-0332974/.

Now, with all that said, my 40D is boxed up and available for sale, as is my 30D and 17-85 lens, although none are currently advertised.

 

[Dylanlewis2000]

I would go for the 5D also, especially if you are going to be subjecting it to a bit of abuse. One or two of my mates have had problems with their 17-55's collecting dust inside the front element, nothing to degrade image quality but just annoying more than anything.

Also the 5d will give you better tones than the 40d.

 

[trevorbray]

I've had both these at the same time. Never used the 40D once I got the 5. Have to say though that often wished I had the 24-70 2.8 instead of the 24-105. For me f4 wasn't fast enough....but that's another debate. 5D Classic is a very good camera.

 

[wack61]

The 24-105 and 5D is a good combo, it'll be a purchase you won't regret, I think you get the picture now

 

[Richard Duncombe]

Its pretty unanimous isnt it! Thanks guys, I will now traul the classifieds for a 5d 'classic'. I really dont think my budget will reach for the 24-70 and I think i might miss the IS for landscapes at the longer end. I have a 35mm f/2 which should give me a low light option to play with.

 

[Tugster]

I have the 24-105 and 24-70 2.8, the one full stop is sometimes useful but I tend towards the 24-105 as the extra reach is so useful. Don't get me wrong though, I wont be selling either in the near or distant future. I use both lenses on my 5d2's and also on my 1DS3.