Beginner "Starter" lenses to match a Canon EIS 7d II

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Blowsy

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I am shortly going to be buying the above camera and I'd like some advice on a couple of 'all-rounder' starter lenses to get me going.

I am a complete photography newbie but I am going to sign up for some courses so I'd like something that's reasonably 'future-proof'. I am mainly interested in shooting 'decent' holiday photos (off to Indonesia shortly) and portraits.

I've been recommended a prime 50mm f.1.8 lens for portraits and low light but I'd like an 'all-rounder' zoom lens to compliment this (ideally with image stabilization).

Any advice would be warmly welcome.

Thanks,
Blowsy
 
Does it come with the 18-135 kit lens? Or are you buying body only? Will you be shooting anything else? Wildlife, landscapes etc
 
thanks for the quick response.

I was planning on buying body-only because I figured it gives me more options but happy to buy a 'bundle' if there's an appropriate one out there. I will be shooting landscapes etc. as well whilst on holidays but probably not so much wildlife.
I don't really want to be spending more than £1,500 - £1,700 all in.
 
the 18-135 STM kit lens isnt bad for the money if you buy it with the body, Canon make some good STM lenses which would be an affordable option for starting out, the 10-20 STM, 50mm STM and 18-135 would probably all suit your needs.Although you may not need the wider end if you had the 18-135 as its a pretty versatile all round lens. But obviously only you know what you really need.

What has made you pick the 7d mark 2?
 
just had a quick look at wexphotographic as they do different bundles,

the 7dm2 with 18-135 = £1573
the 7dm2 with 17-55 f2.8 = £1769
and 7dm2 with 15-85 = £1803

personally out of those i would pick the 7dm2 with the 17-55. The constant f2.8 aperture would help in low light and the lens is much better in low light then the other two. If you went that route you may find the 50mm 1.8 is needed and you could potentially get away with just that one lens untill you work out what you really need. It goes into the wide end of the scale and gives you a pretty decent step into the mid telephoto end for your portraits.
 
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Muzzieman said:
If you're going to skimp on glass don't bother buying a pro level body.
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thats why im wondering on the 7dm2, maybe the 70d and better glass would be a better way forwards if you dont have the budget for a decent lens or two to go with it
 
AdamTudor - To be perfectly honest, the only reason for the 7d II was a recommendation from a friend and the subsequent reviews I have read online.

Muzzieman - My thinking was that I am pretty committed to improving my photography and I wanted something that I wouldn't "outgrow" any time soon. If you think I'd be better off cutting my teeth on an entry level DSLR and buying better lenses then I'm open to recommendations.
 
Canon 6D body from Panamoz for £803
Tamron 24-70 f2.8 from DigitalRev for £579
Canon 50mm f1.8 STM from DigitalRev for £85

All well within your lower budget. Full frame, shallower depth of field and awesome in low light. You may get a small discount on the lenses from DR if you ask in their 'best price' thread.
 
minnnt said:
Canon 6D body from Panamoz for £803
Tamron 24-70 f2.8 from DigitalRev for £579
Canon 50mm f1.8 STM from DigitalRev for £85

All well within your lower budget. Full frame, shallower depth of field and awesome in low light. You may get a small discount on the lenses from DR if you ask in their 'best price' thread.
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With the added bonus of being a lighter body for travel
 
You could look for a used 7d. They go for around £400. I started with a 550d that's a pretty good starter body. We all want the best, me in particular but better glass on a lower body will get you better images than cheap glass on a better body. The principles of good photography are the same on any camera. If you haven't nailed the basics it's a big spend to find that you don't have it. Not that I'm saying you don't but a lot of people have the best gear and take terrible photos. Better gear won't make you a better photographer. Practice and passion will.
 
Blowsy said:
AdamTudor - To be perfectly honest, the only reason for the 7d II was a recommendation from a friend and the subsequent reviews I have read online.

Muzzieman - My thinking was that I am pretty committed to improving my photography and I wanted something that I wouldn't "outgrow" any time soon. If you think I'd be better off cutting my teeth on an entry level DSLR and buying better lenses then I'm open to recommendations.
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The suggestions for the 6D sound up your ally if you're going to be taking it more seriously and your budget allows. The 7D is great if you're looking for a fast crop camera with the telephoto goodness, but if you're not shooting birds or motorsport then the 6D may provide a more capable solution, assuming you're going to be doing a bit of everything!! Lots of choice so have fun reading the different opinions!
 
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the advice. I've been doing a bit more reading and chatting to the pal of mine who bought the 7D II and I think the 6D is looking like the better option. My friend does a lot of Motorsport photography so the 7D makes a lot of sense but my plans are more landscapes, tourist sites and portraits so I think the 6D is a good bet.

Can anyone recommend a reasonable starter flash to go with it as I notice it doesn't have one built in?
 
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I bought a yongnuo for my canon and although I now use Nikon it's still going and I just use manual instead of TTL
 
Right, ordered the 6D with lenses recommended above by minnnt, also picked up a small Cannon 270EX II flash which should get me going.
Booked in to an intensive photography course and looking forward to plenty of practice before I go on holiday.

I'm sure I'll pick all this up but any software recommendations for picture filings/organizing or is Apple/Cannon's default worth sticking with?
 
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Adobe's Creative Cloud subscription is very popular. Can be had for £7-9 a month if you do a bit of Googling and it will always be updated.

Kudos for getting yourself onto a course.

Look forward to seeing some of your images!

David.
 
Blowsy said:
Right, ordered the 6D with lenses recommended above by minnnt, also picked up a small Cannon 270EX II flash which should get me going.
Booked in to an intensive photography course and looking forward to plenty of practice before I go on holiday.

I'm sure I'll pick all this up but any software recommendations for picture filings/organizing or is Apple/Cannon's default worth sticking with?
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The lenses are a good choice, the camera is great... But...
Is it too late to cancel that flashgun?

It's a low powered and very un versatile unit. You'll get more bang for your buck with a Chinese flashgun. A yongnuo YN600 ex RT if you're starting from scratch.
 
For the sake of £50 I've gone for something as small and compact as possible. Plus it's Canon OEM so for a numpty like me it'll help for it to integrate with the camera. I fully expect to have to upgrade it in the not too distant.
 
Blowsy said:
For the sake of £50 I've gone for something as small and compact as possible. Plus it's Canon OEM so for a numpty like me it'll help for it to integrate with the camera. I fully expect to have to upgrade it in the not too distant.
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Honestly if there's a return policy, send it back, for £50 you can get a fully featured flash. The 270 is a complete waste of time and money, it does the same thing as an onboard flash. The very least you need from a flashgun is to put it on the camera and be able to bounce the light off something. The 270 has no tilt or swivel.
 
Can anyone recommend a range of camera bags?
I'm after something small with a shoulder strap to carry the camera round in during the day... enough space for flash and a spare lens but not too bulky.
 
what about buying second hand? MPB or London Camera Exchange. 6 month's warranty and you can go to one of their branches (LCE) and see and handle before you buy - very important!
 
Think tank retrospective are pretty well regarded, a cheaper option is something like the lowepro event messenger, various sizes available in both
 
With camera bags it's always best to try it on, recommendations from people can only help but they don't know your body type. Once you get your camera gear take it with you when you try the bags. The weight of the gear in the bag plus how you can adjust straps so it doesn't strain your back is all important when you lug it it around for hours on end,
 
Phil V said:
Honestly if there's a return policy, send it back, for £50 you can get a fully featured flash. The 270 is a complete waste of time and money, it does the same thing as an onboard flash. The very least you need from a flashgun is to put it on the camera and be able to bounce the light off something. The 270 has no tilt or swivel.
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Yes it does, tilt at least.

I disagree with you in saying it is completely useless. Limited yes, but as an always in the bag lightweight flashgun it is pretty much unrivalled. Better the flash you have than the one you leave at home.
 
RichardtheSane said:
Yes it does, tilt at least.

I disagree with you in saying it is completely useless. Limited yes, but as an always in the bag lightweight flashgun it is pretty much unrivalled. Better the flash you have than the one you leave at home.
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Yes, I too like the little Canon 270, mostly because it is so little - it's shirt pocket small. It's got a tilt-head with two-position zoom settings, and also does high-speed sync (y)

The 27 guide number seems lower because it relates to coverage for a 50mm lens, not the more usual 105-200mm quoted for bigger guns that inflates the GN by a stop or more. By the same measure, the 270EX would have a GN of 38-40 or so. It's way more powerful than any pop-up flash.

It has its imitations of course and I wouldn't recommend it as an only flash, especially when there are much bigger and better Yongnuos to be had for less money.
 
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