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mjb123

mjb123

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Ok I have canon 450d, my plan was to upgrade to a 550d and get a sigma 50-500 for birding! Problem is £££££££!!!
The Q is would the sigma lens produce good results on my 450d or would it be a bit of a waste and I should upgrade the body as well??
 
You need good light for the 50-500mm to focus efficiently. I know nothing about Canon, but you may find that it will be slow to focus. Not the best thing to happen when shooting birds.

Kev.
 
lens >>> body

to be fair I would bother upgrading from an xxxD body to another - if I was happy with my lenses I'd save a bit longer and go for an xxD body
 
Uneducated_Rick said:
lens >>> body

to be fair I would bother upgrading from an xxxD body to another - if I was happy with my lenses I'd save a bit longer and go for an xxD body
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I was also looking at 60d but concerned about its bulk!!
 
mjb123 said:
I was also looking at 60d but concerned about its bulk!!
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It's not particularly bulky.
 
odd jim said:
It's not particularly bulky.
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It is a bit compared to the 450d!
What about the 50-500 on my 450d is it worth getting or shall I wait till I get a new body??
 
Always lenses first then body. The 450d is capable of very good images.

However, you might want to consider a grip for the 450d if you are putting such a lens on the front, small bodies don't handle well with long heavy lenses!
 
mjb123 said:
I was also looking at 60d but concerned about its bulk!!
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If you are considering that Sigma, the 'bulk' of the 60D is a non-issue. I would agree with the above that you'd see more benefit moving to an XXD body rather than another XXXD body.
 
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If you're worried about budget you could do a lot worse than go for the Sigma 150-500 OS instead of the 50-500. I have the 150-500 and while it is bulky and fairly weighty it works great with my 7D and 5D2 and the wifes 550D and at around £600 new from www.panamoz.com you can't really go wrong with it. It's AF system is fast enough for birding and gives great IQ. If you have a look at panamoz you could pick up the Sigma 150-500 OS and a 550D body for about the price of the 50-500 OS.
 
modchild said:
If you're worried about budget you could do a lot worse than go for the Sigma 150-500 OS instead of the 50-500. I have the 150-500 and while it is bulky and fairly weighty it works great with my 7D and 5D2 and the wifes 550D and at around £600 new from www.panamoz.com you can't really go wrong with it. It's AF system is fast enough for birding and gives great IQ. If you have a look at panamoz you could pick up the Sigma 150-500 OS and a 550D body for about the price of the 50-500 OS.
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Good stuff thanks! I have considered this lens! Will take a look at this site later!
The other reason I was going to go down the route of the 550d is the controls are practically the same and as I've just got used to mine changing to a xxd or xd model might be like learning to walk again!!!
 
I used a Sigma 150-500 on my 350D for a year before getting my 7D, apart from the 350D limitations, it gave me some excellent shots.

Img_5951c.jpg
 
odd jim said:
It's not particularly bulky.
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That depends on hand size, though. I use a 550D, which is the same size as and 6g heavier than the 450D.

Out of interest, tried a 60D in Jessops recently and realised that if I want to upgrade body, I'm going to have to completely skip the XXD range (assuming they stay roughly the same externally) and go straight for a 7D or its successor (again, assuming it's physically similar.)
 
Carousels Spin said:
That depends on hand size, though. I use a 550D, which is the same size as and 6g heavier than the 450D.

Out of interest, tried a 60D in Jessops recently and realised that if I want to upgrade body, I'm going to have to completely skip the XXD range (assuming they stay roughly the same externally) and go straight for a 7D or its successor (again, assuming it's physically similar.)
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Why wouldn't you consider the 60d, it's quite an upgrade from the xxxd series? I'm pretty sure when the 70d comes out, ergonomically and control wise I'm sure it'll be more like the 50d again than the 60d.
 
mjb123 said:
Good stuff thanks! I have considered this lens! Will take a look at this site later!
The other reason I was going to go down the route of the 550d is the controls are practically the same and as I've just got used to mine changing to a xxd or xd model might be like learning to walk again!!!
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A 550d wouldn't be an upgrade. Tbh you wouldn't notice a difference. Always make the upgrade worthwhile or you simply end up wasting cash.
 
odd jim said:
Why wouldn't you consider the 60d, it's quite an upgrade from the xxxd series? I'm pretty sure when the 70d comes out, ergonomically and control wise I'm sure it'll be more like the 50d again than the 60d.
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Yeah, I could have made it clearer. :bonk:

I can't hold and use it. I can just about hold it, but from shooting position I can't reach a lot of the buttons - they seem particularly spread across the body, which is a problem when you have an 12/13cm hand span. I've handled a 7D and, whilst it is slightly bigger, it doesn't have this spread and therefore can be both held and used.

All a moot point for myself, I'm not really looking for a change in body. Just pointing out that the 60D is bulky for some people.
 
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Thanks all for input! I think I may hang on and upgrade my body properly will go and test them!
Just checked out that panamoz and seems really cheap 50-500 £900 150-500 less than £600 I could get a 150-500 and 60d for less than I was going to pay for 50-500 and 550d!!!! Thinking
 
Ok I've been to have a look at a 60d in jessops and it is a bit bigger and heavier than my 450d and 550d!
There seem's to be alot more controls and seems very serious! So it's obviously a huge step up from my camera. Would it be wasted on someone who doesn't do photography every day and just treats it as a hobby!!
Or should I treat it as a camera to grow into!!thinking
 
mjb123 said:
Ok I've been to have a look at a 60d in jessops and it is a bit bigger and heavier than my 450d and 550d!
There seem's to be alot more controls and seems very serious! So it's obviously a huge step up from my camera. Would it be wasted on someone who doesn't do photography every day and just treats it as a hobby!!
Or should I treat it as a camera to grow into!!thinking
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You'd grow into it, and it would keep you busy for a good few years, think of it as a body you'd not have to upgrade for a long time!

But ask yourself this (if its between one or the other). What is it you want to shoot? What advantages will the new body have to contribute to this (with your current lenses), and what advantages would the lens give you? If you can afford both, then go for it!
 
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Here's another one taken with a 150-500mm/350D combination - if you want the lens for birding and you're concerned about the moolah then get the 150-500 - you will rarely if at all need the 50-150 end of the range. The 450D is capable enough in terms of IQ. Depending on other usage/requirements, you might want to consider a second-hand 50D if you can find one at a reasonable price - it would be both an update and an upgrade to the 450D, and much better build quality and controls for field-work.


robin2 by felix rufus, on Flickr
 
weybourne said:
Here's another one taken with a 150-500mm/350D combination - if you want the lens for birding and you're concerned about the moolah then get the 150-500 - you will rarely if at all need the 50-150 end of the range. The 450D is capable enough in terms of IQ. Depending on other usage/requirements, you might want to consider a second-hand 50D if you can find one at a reasonable price - it would be both an update and an upgrade to the 450D, and much better build quality and controls for field-work.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/felix_rufus/4648934081/
robin2 by felix rufus, on Flickr
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Thanks nice shot!!
I have to make some sort of decision because I think I've just got shot of my camera on classifieds just waiting for an exchange of funds to go through!! My brain is all a pickle I'm terrible at making decisions it drives my wife insane from toaster to torch I think to much about it and in the end make the wrong choice!!!
 
I recently bought the 50-500mm for my 50D. I thought about the 120-300mm f2.8 for a while but soon decided it would get left home 99% of the time so went for the cheaper option.

Not used it much as the weather has been rubbish but this is one I recently took.

Rather pleased with the lens.
 
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mjb123 said:
60d and 150-500 decided!!
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I think that's a capable combination for birding :). For the best results with that lens, try to make sure there's plenty of light on your subject and keep the aperture around f8 - f11 (it resolves best at those apertures) - not always easy with our weather and if the birds are in the trees. And remember (to paraphrase a quote), a long lens won't bring the far-away close, but it will bring the close closer ;).
 
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