what canon body would you pair with the 135L ?

catspaw

Well, title says it all. "what canon body would you pair with the 135L ?"

Basically, I am looking for something fun to play with. I'm thinking crop camera (plus those are CHEAPER) or 1.3 crops (??) like the 7D. Good ISO performance is a plus. But I'm a nikon gal, so the 40d, 50d, 60d, etc make my head spin. I've at least SEEN the new 60D but, yeah.

This would be a rental for a week of fun, BUT should I fall in love, it could be a purchase -- so cheaper the better. However, I don't want the camera to limit the lens' capabilities. I'm not going for a Rebel, sorry.

Feedback for those who have shot with the 135 and the bodies you've used?

(added: decent sized hands here for a gal, but I can handle the smaller bodies without issues that some run into)

thanks! :bow

ziggy53

The Canon 7D is a crop 1.6x camera body. The only 1.3x/APS-H bodies are the 1D series, like the 1D MKIII or the 1D MKIV.

A 1D body would be very sweet with the Canon EF 135mm, f2L USM, but my preference is to use that lens with a FF body like the 5D MKII. While the lens is up to sports usage, the 5D MKII is not quite as capable for sports, but for most other usage it's a very nice combination. Of particular interest are portraiture, landscapes, some wildlife, many indoor applications and wedding and event work.

The 1D MKIV is a wonderful pairing with the 135mm, f2L and sports are particularly suitable. All of the above applications (that I mentioned for the 5D MKII) are also good with the 1D series cameras.

The 7D would be the excellent Canon first choice in crop 1.6x/APS-C format bodies. For anything above except indoor sports it would be extremely good. For indoor sports it's not bad but the 1D bodies have a much better AF section for indoor sports.

I use a Canon 40D with the 135mm, f2L and it is quite nice too.

catspaw

well, for indoor sports I've my D3 But yes, I'd like to be able to get good fast shots as needed - mostly outside. Which is why the 7D is so appealing, but I KNOW there are cheaper cameras that are still VERY good in the Canon lineup.

I admit that Canon's funky 'crop' systems confuse the heck out of me. Is there a good explanation I can find here or elsewhere? translating headache :P

thanks Ziggy!

ThatCanonGuy

catspaw wrote: »

well, for indoor sports I've my D3 But yes, I'd like to be able to get good fast shots as needed - mostly outside. Which is why the 7D is so appealing, but I KNOW there are cheaper cameras that are still VERY good in the Canon lineup.

I admit that Canon's funky 'crop' systems confuse the heck out of me. Is there a good explanation I can find here or elsewhere? translating headache :P

thanks Ziggy!

Canon FF:
1Ds series
5D series

1.3x:
1D series

1.6x:
everything else:D

The 1DII is half the price of a 7D, and just as good if you don't need the hi-res or video. But I don't know where you can rent that

catspaw

ThatCanonGuy wrote: »

Canon FF:
1Ds series
5D series

1.3x:
1D series

1.6x:
everything else:D

The 1DII is half the price of a 7D, and just as good if you don't need the hi-res or video. But I don't know where you can rent that

Thanks! was just googling and reading up, but it's annoying when sites just say 'crop' for canon, when it could be 1.3 or 1.6 .... meh!

I'll look into the 1DII. At least available used! although harder to rent, I might be able to borrow to play with it. The 7D is nice, but the 60D (which more cheaply made, etc) might do well for this too. Still, hard to find either of those used, at least for no more than a hundred or so off of 'normal' prices (not retail, but like Adorama pricing, etc).

ThatCanonGuy

Actually, after the recent release of the 60D, I've been going around recommending the 50D over the 60D. 3 less MP, I think same AF, and 1 more fps w/ the 50D. It's built much better and the only knock against it is that it doesn't have video. See, the 60D wasn't an update to the 50D. The 50D was the last of its kind. Canon didn't want to hurt 7D sales, and a direct update to the 50D probably would have done that. So they slotted it in right between the Rebel line and the 7D.

catspaw

yeah, I'm not caring much about video, and I know the build (and scroll button) on the 50D is much better. after 12 MP, a few more doesn't make a big difference. The 60D articulating screen is REALLY not a big deal for me. I doubt I'd use it except for self portraits, but I don't really DO self portraits :P I'd consider a 40D but it looks like something I'd find limiting after a short while.

and yes, the 60D should have been called something like the 4D or something. a slimmed down cheap 7D. course, then that gets confusing with the 1D and 5D mark series, which are an entirely different beast. Camera companies so do NOT plan out these things in advance :P see example: where the new Nikon D7000 fits in their line up :P

er, and really I'm just looking to rent and play. REALLY. *cough*

So, thanks! looks like used 50Ds are cheaper than 1DmarkIIs ....hmm.

ThatCanonGuy

looks like used 50Ds are cheaper than 1DmarkIIs ....hmm.

I thought they were each about $600...

ThatCanonGuy

Adorama has the 1d2 for $600, cond. V, which is actually better than it sounds, I bought mine in that cond and it's just some chipped paint...

catspaw

ThatCanonGuy wrote: »

I thought they were each about $600...

I probably have to go searching more .... so far the used 1Dmark11s that I've found are in middling condition in $600, but in better condition (without affecting image quality) in the $800-900 range.

Which then just makes a new body-only 50D look that much better.

If I were SURE about quality, I'd consider the T2i ... but .... dunno.

choices choices :P

catspaw

ThatCanonGuy wrote: »

Adorama has the 1d2 for $600, cond. V, which is actually better than it sounds, I bought mine in that cond and it's just some chipped paint...

ha! they must have just updated it. I checked and they had a G for about that, otherwise an E-. Thanks

ThatCanonGuy

If I were SURE about quality, I'd consider the T2i ... but .... dunno.

You might already know, but the T2i has ZERO AF.

EDIT: just to be clear, it does AF, but it's slow even on 2.8 center cross-point.:D

catspaw

ThatCanonGuy wrote: »

You might already know, but the T2i has ZERO AF.

did not know. LAME! that's not an upgrade to anything but a rock

I *am* surrounded by Canon friends, near and far, but they all seem to have 5DmarkXX cameras :P As such, my Canon-education is limited.

ThatCanonGuy

I edited my previous post... it does have AF, just really horrible AF.

catspaw

ThatCanonGuy wrote: »

I edited my previous post... it does have AF, just really horrible AF.

heh. and coming from Nikon, that's unacceptable! I love my 52 point focus..... (one reason the 7D is so appealing!)

ThatCanonGuy

You're gonna get D3-type AF only in the 1D and 1Ds series. The 7D is a very good close 2nd. The 5Ds have not-so-good AF. The 5Ds are like the D700, FF, but the 5D is hi-res and the D700 is hi-speed, basically.

divamum

If you're going to rent, then I'd stick with either the 5dII (for maximum, full-frame-goodness image quality and amazing high ISO performance) or 7d (for superfast AF, flash commander and extremely good ISO performance for a crop camera). Once you've tried them, if you decide to buy and don't want either of them you can work backwards and see if the xxD's would have what you need and felt good in your hands; I quite liked the 50d, although I like the 7d a whoooollleee lot more

Btw, the way I think of Canon's crops is: 1-series - not quite crop. Everything else: 1.6x

I use the 135L w/my 7d and lurrrrve it (I sound like such a fangurl when I talk about that lens that it's a bit pathetic. BUt it really IS that good!!)

From yesterday:

(Ah, the joy of the 7d's pixel density - you can pretty much crop as much as you want and still have resolution to spare )

catspaw

thanks divamum I'd love to play with a 7D, but ... yeah. I know if I DO play with one, then I'll WANT one, so playing with a safer ( aka cheaper! ) 50D might work better

ziggy53

The Canon T2i has an AF section similar to the older 20D/30D cameras. It's not horrible but in low light you need to switch to center AF point for any speed and accuracy. It is not a good choice for action/sports, but for most other sorts of photography it's not too horrid.

The 60D AF section does appear to be very close to the 40D/50D.

The 7D has a brand new cross-type AF section "and" the 7D has dual processors which speed up the AF acquisition. Accuracy is otherwise supposed to be similar to the 40D/50D/60D.

The 1D/1Ds series cameras are a completely different type of AF, Area-SIR, and it is both faster and more sensitive than the cross-type in the other Canon cameras. It holds its speed and accuracy better in lower light levels than the subordinate cameras. The 1D MKII has less dynamic range and the imager has poorer high-ISO performance than more recent cameras, but the AF section and responsiveness in general still feels quite modern. I still use ISO 1600 without too many problems, but ISO 3200 is mostly for those occasions when flash is inappropriate. The Canon EF 135mm, f2L USM is lovely on that camera.

catspaw

If anyone's curious, renting the 7D from borrowlenses (40% off right now sure helps!!) for three days and a local friend is lending his 135 L.

thumb

Jeremy Winterberg

I have the 135L and a 5DMKII. Havent gotten to play with it much, YET, but it seems like an amazing combination.
(Recently switched back to Canon from the D700, just got the 5DMKII on Wednesday :ivar)
I'm shooting a party on Saturday, and I'm sure I'll use it at some point during the night. Keep an eye open for a post in the people section if you're interested!

tomnovy

Def. Canon 5d mk 2