Best camera x lens?

friesianfan69

friesianfan69

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Donna
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I'm doing mostly equine photography indoor and outdoors.
What is the best canon camera and lens for the job? At present I have a canon 450d and a sigma 70-300 f/4 , I'm finding it's not taking clear pictures if the weather is dull or if indoors!
 
Within that budget, probably used 550D/50D and sigma 70-200 f/2.8 (the 550D has a newer better sensor with better high ISO performance, but the 50D has faster operation (faster max frames per second continuous shooting, better AF, more external controls)). You can get 550D's new pretty cheap at the moment since the 600D came out. Personally out of those two I'd take the 50D for it's faster operation, but the 550D will be more similar to the 450D you're used to (might be a good thing or might not).

The sigma 70-300 is f/4-5.6, which is really too slow (slow refering to it's small max aperture) to be used indoors. You won't be able to get a fast enough shutter speed, so you end up with motion blur and/or camera shake. Even with the 70-200 f/2.8, you'll probably be pushing the ISO up a lot indoors to get fast enough shutter speeds.

I'd wait for someone to advise you which version of the sigma 70-200 f/2.8 though, there have been quite a few different versions over the years, each with a slightly different spec and some seem to perform a lot better than others.
 
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Thankyou very much that's helpful.
Yes I'm getting motion blur indoors which is a pain!
If I saved a bit more could I use the new canon mk 2 with my 450d, or would that not work still?
Or the sigma equivalent to the canon mk 2? Can't remember the lens it was though!
 
The minimum lens you need is f2.8 for indoors

For indoors you would be better off getting either or both a 100mm f2 prime and/or 135mm f2 prime and perhaps a 5D that can handle the higher ISO settings, check out the 2nd hand market

5D for around £600 (used)
135mm f2 for around £650 (used)
100mm f2 for around £350 (new, little difference in price used)

and perhaps a 200mm f2.8 £450 (used)
 
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Do you really need a new camera or just a lens for the 450D. A good 70-200 2.8 of either canon or sigma will give you the light you need to shoot indoors and if you're likely to be shooting with fast shutter speeds IS isn't really a necessity although it is very helpful to have.
As Adam mentioned the 550D is a good all rounder for a new body. It does well at high ISO and has a great sensor and gives you a great IQ.
 
Lens speed is important, but so is ISO. If you want to overcome motion blur, use both to your advantage. if you need 1/500 in poor light, good luck finding the mythical f/1.2 telephoto. Instead, sometimes you just have to bit the bullet and bounce off the ISO ceiling. Grainy sharp is better than silky smooth blur..
 
I'm doing a lot of indoor equestrian photography for my wife's riding club and use a 7d and a 70-200 f2.8is and last Sunday ended up shooting at iso 12800:eek: Edited in LR3 and the results aren't too bad, certainly good enough for their website and I reckon prints won't be too sad, as long as they aren't enlarged to much!!
 
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