DSLR camera recommendations

[Miles Monroe]

Yeah this camera is awesome, when I actually learn some of the settings its gonna be a lot of fun. I was amazed with some of the pics I got just walking around. I'm already looking for a wide angle lens to add to my bag.

Thanks for the advice on the seat Pete! I found 2 rather large web forums that deal just with my model of bike (crazy right?) It seems to be the biggest common problem everyone has with this bike. There's a member at one of the sites that has redone like 200 seats for other members. He's rather cheap too maybe even less than a new airhawk. Its a hot bike, yami sells a gel comfort seat but you'll see tons of them for second hand sale because supposedly, they are like sitting on hot coals in warmer climates. I agree with the handle bar setup affecting the seating pos, I have already played with it and think I'm gonna put a set of risers on it that bring them up and back a bit.

I love this bike for where I'm at right now but I'm not sure its what I wanna ride cross country. I'm now struggling with the decisions to put any more into it eyeing something a little more geared toward long distance touring.

Ya gel seats are bad with extreme temps in either direction. They hold the heat, and cold more then standard seats. I took a reading with the inferred thermometer on a black seat at noon one day. 146 degrees, and the ambient temp was 89. I like seats done with atomic foam. We do lots of riser sets, and peg lowering kits. Just be careful with cable and break line routing with risers. Most common thing we see is cables too tight, and causing the throttle to be pulled when you turn the bars hard or to the stop. Sucks when you go to swing into a parking space, and turn the bars and have the bike take off on ya.

I'm not a fan of peg lowering. Makes things awkward IMO.

 

[HOF44]

Canon guy here, I have the 7D. Right now I have a Sigma 17-50 2.8 EX and Sigma 50-150 2.8 EX. I am strongly considering purchasing the new Sigma APO 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM. It gives me about 50 more mm reach and adds image stabilization.

• 
  
  
  

 

[Elephant]

Canon guy here, I have the 7D. Right now I have a Sigma 17-50 2.8 EX and Sigma 50-150 2.8 EX. I am strongly considering purchasing the new Sigma APO 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG OS HSM. It gives me about 50 more mm reach and adds image stabilization.

Just curious Bob, why did you go with the 50-150 in the first place? The 70-200 is one of Canon's best lenses...

 

[HOF44]

The reason I went 50-150 was twofold. First my camera history is Minolta Maxxum 7 with mainly a 70-210 F4 lens. I then moved up to a Canon Rebel XT when the DSLR started to really take off. About a year and a half ago I upgraded to a 7D. I went with the 50-150 because with the 1.6x mag it was essentially a 70 to 210 equivalent that I was used to.

Now I find I will be shooting some night football and I think the extra reach could really be beneficial.

I have been using the Sigma EX lenses and have been very happy with them. The price difference between the Canon and Sigma 70-200 2.8 IS is almost $1400. To my eye and using the crop camera I just can't see paying that extra. I would only consider that if it was my living and still not sure i would do it at that price difference.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Elephant]

The reason I went 50-150 was twofold. First my camera history is Minolta Maxxum 7 with mainly a 70-210 F4 lens. I then moved up to a Canon Rebel XT when the DSLR started to really take off. About a year and a half ago I upgraded to a 7D. I went with the 50-150 because with the 1.6x mag it was essentially a 70 to 210 equivalent that I was used to.

Now I find I will be shooting some night football and I think the extra reach could really be beneficial.

I have been using the Sigma EX lenses and have been very happy with them. The price difference between the Canon and Sigma 70-200 2.8 IS is almost $1400. To my eye and using the crop camera I just can't see paying that extra. I would only consider that if it was my living and still not sure i would do it at that price difference.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

CANON Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens

 

[HOF44]

Good price but slower than what I like to shoot with, I have to catch up with all this editing stuff. I'm used to making it count from shooting film and could probably make a lot of photos really great or save some I think are crap. I plan on checking out the software you recommended and will probably be getting it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Elephant]

Yeah, that lens is only good if you're shooting during a nice sunny day. I just saw it and thought of you.

 

[HOF44]

Just downloaded the Lightroom 5 trial, making my head spin!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[Elephant]

Just downloaded the Lightroom 5 trial, making my head spin!


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Have fun with it. I have used it. It hasn't changed too much from LR 4, but with what I am doing the tilt/shift option is a huge plus.

 

[Dead Money]

Any suggestions/recommendations for a wide angle lens for my d5200? Want it for both up close detail and the majority of my riding pics which are mostly landscapes.

 

[Elephant]

Any suggestions/recommendations for a wide angle lens for my d5200? Want it for both up close detail and the majority of my riding pics which are mostly landscapes.

Kevin, again, it's all about how much you want to spend. You have a Dx format Nikon camera, so every lens you have shoots 1.5x...which means an 18mm length is going to be 27mm. You should be able to get most of what you want with the 18-55 you bought w/ the camera, but if you want a nice Dx wide angle, I would suggest a Tokina 11-16 or there 12-24. The 11-16 is probably the best Wide angle lens for a Nikon DX format body. The 12-24 is a little less expensive and is their previous generation wide angle, but would be a good lens to have as well. Any Nikon lens you look at wide angle is going to run a pretty penny and you're not getting a much better quality lens.

Adorama has a couple used of the above mentioned lenses, and you could go to Amazon too.



Not sure exactly where in the LA area you are, but this swap meet could be something for you to consider while looking for glass. I wouldn't necessarily buy a camera body from them, but you could probably find good lenses and other accessories. Might be worth an afternoon ride on the bike just to go see what they have. I would love to have something like this near, I need studio equipment.
Check this out: Huge Camera Swap Meet Aug. 11

 

[Dead Money]

Kevin, again, it's all about how much you want to spend. You have a Dx format Nikon camera, so every lens you have shoots 1.5x...which means an 18mm length is going to be 27mm. You should be able to get most of what you want with the 18-55 you bought w/ the camera, but if you want a nice Dx wide angle, I would suggest a Tokina 11-16 or there 12-24. The 11-16 is probably the best Wide angle lens for a Nikon DX format body. The 12-24 is a little less expensive and is their previous generation wide angle, but would be a good lens to have as well. Any Nikon lens you look at wide angle is going to run a pretty penny and you're not getting a much better quality lens.

Adorama has a couple used of the above mentioned lenses, and you could go to Amazon too.



Not sure exactly where in the LA area you are, but this swap meet could be something for you to consider while looking for glass. I wouldn't necessarily buy a camera body from them, but you could probably find good lenses and other accessories. Might be worth an afternoon ride on the bike just to go see what they have. I would love to have something like this near, I need studio equipment.
Check this out: Huge Camera Swap Meet Aug. 11

I've seen that same tokina lens for sale used here a couple of times. And yeah that swap meet is great, but its on sunday and I work on sundays... Dammit. Thanks for sharing that though, maybe I can sneak away? New lens? New seat for the bike? Dammit! Thanks Brian!

 

[HOF44]

Well after much research and going back and forth I decided on the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens. After really researching image stabilization I decided for the types of pics I mostly take its not a big advantage for me. I generally take pics of fast moving objects in challenging light. It seems IS is more for still objects. It doesn't really do much to freeze rapidly moving objectives. So here is my new lens should be here in a week.

On my camera this will equate to a 112-

 

[Elephant]

That's the Mac Daddy HOF! Have fun! I bought my Nikon version about 4 months ago and can't wait to take it to a few Skins games...of course I got a D3 to go with it...no longer have that D300 you saw last year. Neo got the Sony version of the 70-200 earlier this year...or was it late last year Neo? Anyway, how is your's treating you? I have discovered that this lens if FANTASTIC for candid portraits...best lens I own.

Glad to see you went with the Canon lens HOF, it's a much better investment than the Tamron. I have decided to be cheap with glass a couple times and ended up getting burned for it...spending more in the long run. For instance, when I made the switch to FX, I needed an FX wide angle lens. Since I'd had so much success with the Tokina I suggested for DM, I decided to buy the Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8 for $720.00 brand new. It's a nice lens, crisp...but it has bulbous glass. I can't put a filter on it. Within 2 weeks I scratched it! Aaaaah! So I scanned Craigslist for a deal because I needed a lens quick. I found the same lens for $450.00. I bought it. I scratched it within 2 weeks. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! I finally just said **** it! and bought the lens I wanted in the first place.

The lens I wanted in the first place was the Nikon 16-35mm f/4 for around $1400.00 new. I ended up with a used one in great condition for $1100.00. I took my 2nd Tokina to a friend who was able buff out the scratch so I have that as a backup, but the first one is trash. Well, I took it to a pawn shop and got $230.00 for it so I recouped that from the nearly 1200 I spent on the 2 Tokina's I could have just spent on the damn Nikon in the 1st place! Lesson learned. I have a filter on the Nikon and it's a superior lens treating me well.

 

[HOF44]

Mine won't be here until sometime next week. Really the cost difference between the Sigma with IS and the this lens was negligible. Kind of made it a no brainer. Not to mention how well the Canon L lenses mold their value if I should ever decide to sell. Did you get the IS Nikkor lens or the regular one. This lens with IS was 1k more and a pound heavier too.

 

[Elephant]

Mine won't be here until sometime next week. Really the cost difference between the Sigma with IS and the this lens was negligible. Kind of made it a no brainer. Not to mention how well the Canon L lenses mold their value if I should ever decide to sell. Did you get the IS Nikkor lens or the regular one. This lens with IS was 1k more and a pound heavier too.

Canon is IS...Nikon calls their's VR, Vibration Reduction and yes, I have the VR. They have the VRII out now but that would have cost me 1k more and the difference just wasn't that noticeable when I rented one last year to what I have now.

Edit: And you better believe I have a filter on that lens too.

 

[HOF44]

I was reading up on the IS VR thing and it says to really pay attention to when you have it on. Some people just leave it on all the time and if its not helping you it gives a small image distortion as compared with it being off. If you can shoot with your shutter speed equal or greater than the focal length you generally don't need it.

 

[Elephant]

I was reading up on the IS VR thing and it says to really pay attention to when you have it on. Some people just leave it on all the time and if its not helping you it gives a small image distortion as compared with it being off. If you can shoot with your shutter speed equal or greater than the focal length you generally don't need it.

Gonna have to test that out. I usually do just leave mine on, but have noticed no distortion that I can see.

 

[HOF44]

Gonna have to test that out. I usually do just leave mine on, but have noticed no distortion that I can see.

I do kind of take that stuff with a grain of salt sometimes. Some of this stuff is measurable but not really visible in real world application. It's worth testing out though. Think if you get even sharper pics!

what shutter speed/iso you think you will be able to get a nighttime skins games with the 2.8?

In those conditions I shoot aperture priority with it open to 2.8 and then adjust the ISO to get a shutter of 1/200 or better.

 

[Elephant]

I do kind of take that stuff with a grain of salt sometimes. Some of this stuff is measurable but not really visible in real world application. It's worth testing out though. Think if you get even sharper pics!

what shutter speed/iso you think you will be able to get a nighttime skins games with the 2.8?

Last year for the Seattle playoff game I set the shutter speed a 1/800th with the ISO at 800 at f/2.8 and was pretty good. Slightly darker than I'd like, but that was with the D300. With the D3 I will have no problem getting up to 1600 ISO and not be grainy. I'll still probably shoot at 1/800th of a second at f/2.8. Can't wait to fire off 9 frames per second...with my battery pack on the D300 I could get about 6fps but 2 or 3 usable images. Here's a shot from my from last year's Seattle game.


N3H_7122 - BGObsession Gallery