Lens or body?

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Jeff

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Jeff
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Just some recent thoughts:
Lets face it, in today's digital world, the DSLR body you use makes very little difference to the quality of your images (assuming you use it correctly), but as always, the lenses do make a difference. So, I'm thinking, forget the latest body and spend your money on lens quality instead. What do the top bodies offer over entry level models? Build quality and weather sealing probably, but at a price. On the other hand, in every new camera body there seems to be a better processing engine and improved sensor when compared to older models and with entry level models being supplied with 24mp and more nowadays, pixel count is no longer an issue. So by having a budget body, you can maybe afford to upgrade it more often without taking out a mortgage and take advantage of the latest in processing software and sensor technology whilst saving your hard earned cash for what really matters - glass. Also, if you happen to smash your entry level model, well it was cheap(ish) so you can afford to upgrade sooner than expected. Feel free to disagree.
 
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I'm sure you'll get two sets of very different answers depending on whether the poster has an entry level or pro camera!

I'll watch with interest before giving my views! ;)
 
I have the bottom Nikon D3100, but I also have....


Sigma 10-20mm
Sigma 17-700mm f/2.8-4
Nikon 35mm f/1.8
Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 OS HSM
Sigma 50-500mm OS HSM

I think every lens costs apart from the Nikon costs more than the body, the 2 big Sigmas cost 3-4 times the body.

Why do I have the d3100, it does everything I need, I don't have to go into the menus for the main controls. I haven't found I've missed shots due to being in the wrong mode. I am still learning, but people say you need the extra controls etc., but do I really, how many controls so you use on an average day out? You may set some settings first thing and then only play with 1 or 2 settings which are easily accessible.

I am not against upgrading, I just don't want to upgrade for the same of upgrading. I need to be at the point of I NEED..... before I upgrade.

Check out my Flickr photos - the British wildlife photos were shot at ISO 800 and 1600 and I think they look great.
 
I would say if your happy with your current body then buy glass.

I went 10D and 17-40 f4 L then bought 70-200 F4 L then 300f4 L then 1D MkIIN in 2006 then bought 500 f4 L and this year 1D MkIV.
 
i took the plunge on a 5D3 this year with a 24-105"L" ... and a 70-300"L" ... was a bit of an upgrade from my 600D,
but my thinking is: i'm not gonna buy another body for 5 years at the very least (i hope it lasts that long)
just wanted to get the equipment bought and spend my next few years learning to take better shots!!! ...i now have no excuse on the equipment side of things

thats just me! ...wanting to go to the next level
 
For me Lenses first anytime, having said that my main problem with bottom of the range consumer camera bodies is the awful pentamirror design they have.
 
Rolex said:
i took the plunge on a 5D3 this year with a 24-105"L" ... and a 70-300"L" ... was a bit of an upgrade from my 600D,
but my thinking is: i'm not gonna buy another body for 5 years at the very least (i hope it lasts that long)
just wanted to get the equipment bought and spend my next few years learning to take better shots!!! ...i now have no excuse on the equipment side of things

thats just me! ...wanting to go to the next level
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I've recently made the exact same purchases but have come from a 400D. It has been a huge and expensive upgrade, but it has been everything I've ever wanted. Achieving blazing AF speeds, incredible ISO performance and build quality. The sharpness and detail improvements of jumping to a full frame body with my first set of L glass are staggering.

I would agree with Jeff that glass should be chosen over a body. Glass is (and always will be) a solid investment; bodies will come and go but good glass will see you for years and years. Glass is ultimately the most important factor to capturing high quality images.
 
Basic body with a great lens can give you great results.

Great body with a basic lens can give you great results.

Loads of variables (chiefly including what you shoot) will affect what combination will be the most effective for you if you have to compromise.
 
I should have mentioned that I'm talking amateur use here - I guess a pro will abuse their equipment more and in that situation the extra expense for build quuality will be worth it (and tax deductible!)
My only issue with entry level bodies (apart from their plasticky feel) is the amount of modes that for me are irrelevant, which leads to too many buttons and menus. I think pro cameras also are over specified. I use manual for 90% and aperture priority for the other 10%. It would be nice to have a camera custom built as you can do with a PC. A sensor that goes to ISO 5 would be nice, or alternatively, a dial in ND filter.
 
Jeff said:
I should have mentioned that I'm talking amateur use here - I guess a pro will abuse their equipment more and in that situation the extra expense for build quuality will be worth it (and tax deductible!)
My only issue with entry level bodies (apart from their plasticky feel) is the amount of modes that for me are irrelevant, which leads to too many buttons and menus. I think pro cameras also are over specified. I use manual for 90% and aperture priority for the other 10%. It would be nice to have a camera custom built as you can do with a PC. A sensor that goes to ISO 5 would be nice, or alternatively, a dial in ND filter.
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those "modes" you mention are now installed on even pro/enthusiast spec camera's (5D3 being one... ) for me its an added feature even if i only use that particular feature just the once!... its there if i want it.
i would like to see someone go along to say Canon and ask for a CUSTOM camera built just for them!... i suspec you will pay many thousands more than the "shelf" bought ones
 
Rolex said:
i would like to see someone go along to say Canon and ask for a CUSTOM camera built just for them!... i suspec you will pay many thousands more than the "shelf" bought ones
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I realise that, I'm just dreaming!
 
A wise man said quite some time ago that lens sharpness isn't an issue and generally I agree. I mostly buy on specification and features and on the overall look produced. For example I like wide aperture lenses that give a nice bokeh so f1.4/1.8 and nice bokeh are more important to me than ultimate sharpness either in the centre or across the frame. Other than that USM/HSM and IS are lovely things.

I've recently been shooting with cheap old manual Rokkor and Zuiko lenses and loving them so whilst some may think, and it may be true, that the very latest lenses using the very latest design thinking and manufacturing techniques are the best lenses ever personally I don't print images at barn door size and examine them with a microscope and therefore think that almost any lens that matches my spec and bokeh requirement is good enough.
 
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It depends what camera you've got, your intentions with your pics, what lenses you already have and what you photograph.
 
I'm not so sure that the latest budget body is the way to go - as a Canon owner, I like the size, rear wheel and ease of use that you get with the xxD models - so I went 2nd hand for a 50D (upgrading from a 350D). The 350D was a good camera with an IQ that my mediocre photography could not find wanting but I wanted the ergonomics and lack of button-pressing-menu-delving of the 50D (plus the bigger lcd screen etc). The 50D, albeit a discontinued model, still gives IQ and performance good enough for my use.

A body is next to useless without a lens and vice versa but I agree in principal that almost any modern body will give adequate results and that it is the lenses that make the difference. Also the type of photography governs the choice of lens more than the choice of body - so it is definitely the lens that makes the most difference.

Lenses are something that I'm always going to covet and I agree that that is where the serious money should go but I'm an amateur with a restricted budget and an other half who doesn't appreciate the finer points of expensive lenses - and my inner 'adult' voice sounds remarkably like I anticipate hers to be when itching to spend some cash.

I'm not going to be in the L-glass league without a windfall but I reckon there are some very good 'budget' lenses out there. I have a Sigma 10-20mm, a Sigma 150-500mm and a (2nd hand) Canon 28-135mm lens and I believe all of them to be very capable lenses even if not the sharpest or the fastest. I'm very close to pulling the trigger on a Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 - it'll probably be some time before I take the plunge.
 
I have a 5100, and I wish I got a D7000 because or the pro style body and the weather sealing. I personally feel taking great photos iss more about flexibility and being able to get the photo than raw image quality, that being said the pro lenses are beautiful and I want many of them in my house.
 
brad28 said:
It depends what camera you've got, your intentions with your pics, what lenses you already have and what you photograph.
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It would appear that Jeff has a Canon 5D MkII so I don't think his post is about looking for advice for himself? :thinking:
 
I started out with a 550D and I loved it. I was totally happy with the photos I got from the body and lenses I had. However, after receiving a legacy from my gran I decided to upgrade and get a 7D and 5D2 pairing. The 5D2 IQ was amazing and the 7D AF system was superb, but I really could of done with the best of both in one. So along came the 5D3 and in went my order. Finally, I had a body I knew would be good enough to see me through the next few years.

All this time I'd been gathering lenses as well, a 100 L macro and a 100-400 L were the first really good lenses I got and I used them both with the 550D a lot. It wasn't till I got to the 5D2 and then the 5D3 that I really got the best out of them though.

Good glass is essential, but also having a great body for it to go on helps a hell of a lot. If you slowly upgrade both you will get the best of everything. I know now I can shoot in low light and have the ISO up to 12,800 on my 5D3 and still get a fantastic photo, try doing that with an entry level camera.
 
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