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Woodsy

Woodsy

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Jonathan
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Hi all. I have a bit of a dilema. As of the 6th of Febuary, i will have about £300 to spend on camera bits.

Now, my current kit is in my sig, as well as a Marumi 67mm CPL for my 18-70 DX, and a 62mm Hoya R72 for which im going to get an adapter ring to fit this onto my 50mm when I need to. I also have a Lowepro trekker AW camera bag, 3rd party grip and loads of spare batteries.

My current tripod is a crappy jessops effort that i want to replace, I would also like some ND grads (possibly Cokin, as Lee are a tad much for me.)

So my dilema is as follows. With my money, Do i get the much sought after Sigma 10 - 20 EX DC HSM and virtually deplete my cash, or do i get a new tripod and head (Was thinking of the 055PROB tripod and the 486RC2 head) that will come in at around £150 and then spend the rest on some cokin ND Grads?

Help!

Many thanks for any input girlies and geezas :D
 
Hmmm... difficult decision. Which would you get the most benefit / use from? I suppose it all depends on what you like to shoot :shrug:
 
No sub for a decent tripod and you've identified a good choice - the ND grads will be about £10-12 each - leaves you with a bit left over to keep saved toward the lens later :)
 
A good point sir. I would love to shoot more landscapes and cityscapes. but then I would use a tripod all the time. Also the ND Grads would aid my ability to take landscapes...
 
Minimeeze said:
So there you have it... you've just answered your own question!
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In a way, but the 10-20 would be the lens i would take most landscape shots with... See my point? :(

Jonnyreb said:
the ND grads will be about £10-12 each - leaves you with a bit left over to keep saved toward the lens later
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Sorry i didn't mention that i will need the mount and adapters as well, not just the filters themselfs, my bad.
 
Woodsy2k said:
Sorry i didn't mention that i will need the mount and adapters as well, not just the filters themselfs, my bad.
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Less than the filters themselves - you should get a good deal from WE or similar........
 
soz - Warehouse Express. Seem to have most filters available
 
How bad is the tripod? Would you like to get a new one or if you got the 10-20 would it be ok with it? I've got a £30 Argos one that I still sometimes use as its lighter than my £300 Gitzo combo. I should get a better Manfrotto one but its not a *real* need just yet.
 
Woodsy2k said:
Sorry, WE? I dont know this place.
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Warehouse Express - FWIW I would get the 10-20mm while you have the money as its easier to save a smaller amount & get the filters / pod stuff when funds permit again ... Paul ;)
 
petemc said:
How bad is the tripod? Would you like to get a new one or if you got the 10-20 would it be ok with it? I've got a £30 Argos one that I still sometimes use as its lighter than my £300 Gitzo combo. I should get a better Manfrotto one but its not a *real* need just yet.
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The tripod is quite bad. The legs are fairly sturdy i suppose, but the central column is a joke and when the head (i say head its an all in one unit) is tightened, the camera is miles off level, so much so, I have to adjust the leg length quite a lot...

On the flip side, once set up it isn't to bad. it took a battering the other month though when it fell over onto concrete (camera not attached thank goodness) and is still in one piece.

I suppose, as the 10-20 isn't a heavy lens, the tripod would do.
 
Woodsy2k said:
The tripod is quite bad. The legs are fairly sturdy i suppose, but the central column is a joke and when the head (i say head its an all in one unit) is tightened, the camera is miles off level, so much so, I have to adjust the leg length quite a lot...

On the flip side, once set up it isn't to bad. it took a battering the other month though when it fell over onto concrete (camera not attached thank goodness) and is still in one piece.

I suppose, as the 10-20 isn't a heavy lens, the tripod would do.
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I think you made your decision chap :)
 
Tough choice there.

On the one hand, you do already have a tripod and if you feel that you can carry on making do then a nice wide lens would open up possibilities that must be currently out of reach.

On the flip side, having a really frustrating piece of kit can start to turn you off going out to shoot at all and that's bad. Really bad.

Only you can decide how much your current tripod is going to upset you if you don't change it but it does sound like you can get it set up right if you take the extra time.

The third option might be to try and save a little extra cash and scour the second hand market to try and get a lens and a tripod. You might not save a whole heap on the lens but the tripod might be eaier to pick up on the cheap. :shrug:
 
I didn't realise just HOW bad my old tripod was until I got my new manfrotto 190PROB - I honestly don't believe you'd regret replacing your current 'pod one bit - the levelling on the ball head is SO much easier than fiddling about with leg lengths on an all-in-one pod.

Tough call though - that's the thing with photography - the decisions don't get easier or cheaper!
 
Personally I would go for the glass first ... much better investment imho ... although you would pay as much for a good tripod you will be able to use the lens both on and off support whereas you cannot use a tripod unless you put something on it ... :shrug: ... no contest for me ... ;)

And you don't have to have a tripod to do landscape or anything else ... but you do have to have decent glass ... simple really ... cart and horse thing going on here ... :D



:p
 
As you already have the excellent 18-70mm lens I would go for the tripod before the 10-20mm lens which will only give you an extra 8mm. The 18-70mm is fine for landscapes and should meet most of your requirements, couple that with a sturdy tripod and some ND grad filters and you will be well set up for landscapes.
 
Hi,

I would regard a tripod as being much the more important purchase. There is nothing that helps make a better capture than a good solid tripod and head.

If sharpness is your ultimate aim, it's the better purchase.

I'd go as far as saying, that on occasions a cheap consumer lens, used on a tripod, will produce better results than a more expensive piece of glass, which is being hand held, this is especially true with long telephotos.

There's a real bargain here:

A high end Gitzo 'pod, with their really excellent off centre ball head. It's very versatile, and exquisitely made. Price is unbelieveable.

http://www.secondhanddarkroom.co.uk/30540/info.php?p=6&pno=0

4053_784859.jpg


If you go to the bottom of the page you will find more used 'pods, some a lot cheaper, but all good quality, no rubbish.
 
I personally would also go for the tripod first, when i got my 350d the first lens I purchased was the 10-20 thinking I would use it loads, I don't, but it is a very good lens, I just don't use it enough to have justified the rash purchase £312. If you can save up another £100 you can just about go for the lot, someone on here got a 10-20 the other day for about £273 ish you'll then have enough for the tripod and filters, go into your local shop or do some research online and get the job lot from the same place but as I say do a deal or price match. HTH
 
DoubleT said:
how about a flash?
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Don't do this to me!

Hmmmm, The problem is i still have a month before I'll have the funds to purchase what ever it is I purchase. Now thinking about, In terms of money only, Id rather Get the lens with my "free money" (Xmas and Birthday money) and spend less of my own money on the other items, or atleast spread the purchases out over time. With the lens first I can do this, The other way, I cant.

But that of course is just the bank balance point of view if you will. I am open to second hand kit, So if anyone has this lens and is willing to sell in a months time, please PM me. I shall also look on that site you posted, dougdarter, and see what bargains they have on there.


Many thanks guys :)
 
I bought some ND grads just before Xmas. After much research Hitech ones seem to be the best quality/bang for buck (apparently the Cokin ones are not truly neutral).

I got mine from here:

http://www.teamworkphoto.com/hitech.html

and they just plug into the Cokin P holder.
 
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