next purchase?
 

What's at the top of your list for a new photographic purchase?

As you'll probably have gathered from a BF thread ;) my next purchase was going to be a good quality tripod but as I'm going to be made redundant some time in the new year I'll have to put that on hold for a while and look for book called something like 'How to make Stacks of Money from your camera!'

Bad luck Adey, not a good start to a year :( Build a crappy website and stick adsense on it? works for me ;)

Not sure what my next one will be - looking out for a new, long, prime Nikon lens - when they eventually get around to bringing some new ones out, and catch up with Canon.

Optically and AF speed, the AF-S & AF-S II long primes ARE pretty well the same as the Canons... just that missing element of I.S. I reckon 12 months away but hard to predict. I'd be unwilling to recommend buying a new Nikon long prime at the moment. You can pick up a used AF-S 500mm for around £2.5k.

After Digi from Birdforum planted the idea in my head, yesterday, Im thinking longingly about purchasing a Canon 300mm f/4. Ive noticed, in particular for certain bird/wildlife shots, that the 400mm focal range is that touch too long. Thats my excuse anyway ;) A purchase thats a good way off yet!

Tom

I can't remember a situation when I though 400mm was too much for a bird... but other wildlife it's a possibilty, that's why 300/2.8 is a popular choice amongst pro's. I notice South African Mybs on BF is using a 200-400 f4, that must be absolutely ideal for safari type photography, and birds as well.

Hi Andy,

I felt the same, regarding the 400, but yesterday, whilst photographing a pair of Tree Creepers, I couldnt believe how close they let me get to them, in fact I could have done a macro shot on them lol. Just got me thinking about an alternative lens. I thought 200mm, so must have a look at Mybs' setup.

Tom

Hi, Tom,

I have the 300f/4 L IS + the 70-200 f/2.8 L IS..... Take a look at my gallery on BF for examples with both, particularly "I've got my eye on you", this lovely hen blackbird was pretty close! I need a longer lens though since adding TC to either does slow down the AF somewhat.... not good for little twitchy fellows at a distance. Don't like using tripod, so what do I choose for my long lens that I can handhold? Cash not really a problem, fortunately!
Don't fancy the 100-400... bye the way..... push pull zoom is not for me.

Trev

I fully agree with you on that 100-400, Trev. That was on my shortlist before I bought the Canon 400mm prime, but I decided against it due to too many negative comments off and online. So maybe the answer is another DSLR with a shorter focal length lens. I WISH! LOL

Tom

My next buy will the Canon 400mm f5.6 Prime.

Well I'm getting a Kenko 1.4x tc for Christmas... it arrived today but I don't get to play with it until Christmas...

Next purchase will probably be a Sigma 100-300 f4, as I want a good quality mid length lens to use along side my Sigma 500.

That's really not fair... come xmas day it will dark and cloudy ;)

I'd have to disagree with the first bit. Now, I've not much experience of safaris (only been once - Botswana and Zambia two months ago) but what I did notice was that I spent more time wishing I had more width than yearning for more length (I was using a 70-300 mm on a 20D).

It was amazing just how close we got to the animals. Often so close that I couldn't fit the whole beast in the frame at 70mm. If I'd been restricted to 200mm then I'd have missed a lot more, I'm sure.

But I would have liked the 400mm for many of the birds.

After much deliberation (prime over zoom) I've decided to save my loonies (that's Canadian dollars) for the Sigmonster, the 300-800mm zoom. I think the clincher was some shots I saw on another forum by a Filipino member who has posted some amazing images with his Sigmonster, full out at 800mm, with a 2x, etc. Just spent two weeks in Florida, mostly hanging about Ding Darling, with my Bigma (50-500mm) and a 2x always on, but felt the extra reach would have come in handy with some of the warblers and other songbirds. Also, I really enjoy shooting the smaller birds, so the Sigmonster would be a nice fit.
Why not a prime? Well, I feel the Bigma is an excellent lens at 500mm, and pretty workable at 1000 with the 2x. The next step would be a 600mm (Canon) plus TCs, but that still would only get me to 1200mm. The Sigmonster's reach with a 2x is 1600mm.
And cost is also a factor. In Canada, the 600mm Canon goes for about $11,000 (before taxes), while the Sigmonster cashes out at about $6,200 (before taxes).
And it also has the zoom, which I find more practical for the type of bird photography I do. So many times, I see fellow photogs with primes having to back up or close in on a particular bird (because of the fixed focal length), while I stand and rotate the zoom ring.
cheers,
jim

For me it's more like next purchases,
im currently using a Canon EOS 650 35mm SLR and a Cosina 100-400mm f4.5-6.7 Af lens, and a Canon 35-70mm f3.5-4.5. I inhereted this kit of my dad, and it still works well.

The upgrade, A dslr, planning on going for canon, with the lens thats usually supplied, and a sigma zoom, possibly the 175-500mm.

Think that's not fair? Pete postie sold me a monopod, and I'm not allowed to use it until xmas!

Yes, Romy is a great advert for the Sigmonster. I had the decision to make as well, but a 600/4 won when the AF aspect comes in to play... it's a longer lens where AF is concerned, with a 1.4x tc it will AF as fast as without and at 850mm f5.6 (with a 1.7x tc, AF is still rapid)... the ability ability to shoot at f4 is pretty important in the U.K. as well as the amazing bokeh of an f4 (i hate that 'word' but it's general parlance these days).
Value wise, the Sigmonster has it, the zoom offers great flexibility as well.

Building websites is beyond my capabilities, unfortunately, so shelf-stacking in ASDA is looking quite atractive...:o

300 f4 is lens
 

I can think of a number of reasons why the 300 lens would be a good buy. Would be the perfect lens for butterflies and dragonflies with a 1,4 converter with a close range of just 1,5m. Also for taking shots of wildflowers with a nice blurred background, flight shots of small birds at close range and mammals,not too small in size.I think we better start saving,Tom. :)

Digi

Saw this thread too late!

This isn't my next purchase - it was today's purchase!

I went by 2 local shops before deciding on the Manfrotto 488RC2 ball head. It's nothing real fancy - it just something that gets the job done. Since I already have Manfrotto heads and use the RC2 quick release system it had a edge on other brands/systems.

It joins the 486 and 322 model heads in my arsenal

Just about to order EOS 20D and 100-400 IS lens, hope to have my "new toys " by the weekend! ;)

Youre right there, Digi :) You mention flowers and other close-up shots, I quite fancy the Canon 100mm f/2.8 macro lens. That seems a little beauty, good for portraits and apparently a dream for macro work.

Tom

I have the standard 75-300mm usm lens and think it is great for butterflies and dragonflies. For photographing flowers though I do think that maybe the 100mm macro would be a great lens to have.
I have just bought the sigma 170-500mm apo dg cos i got fed up of waiting for the canon 400mm f5.6 but am still considering buying the 400mm because I love the sharpness of this lens even though I have been impressed with the sharpness of the sigma. Maybe I should scrap the idea of the 400 and go for the 100mm f/2.8 macro lens instead? :eek:

In order:

* Canon EF-S 60mm macro
* Canon 500mm f/4L
* A good bankruptcy lawyer

My list is very long and VERY!!!!!!!! expensive soooooooooooooooo I'll have to make do like another Pete on here Kenko pro 1.4 converter.

Buttering up wife constantly.

Pete

Probably a 4gb CF card, a Sigma 50-500mm DG then a Nikon D200. I'm looking forward to using a D200, it looks like it will be a virtually flawless camera.

I've been thinking!! If you have a non-DG sigma lens and stick a DG teleconverter behind it, surely you have the equivilant of a DG lens... the DG versions no more than a coating on the first element to stop reflections from the sensor of the camera?

Sigma 180 macro.

Tom just had a look at your pictures on your website(the bird section) very impressed, the Redshank shots are perfect

Graham, thanks for taking the time. Glad you liked them :)

Tom

Canon 300L 4.0 and the new Sigma 150 macro lens will be my next buy. These two together with my 400L 5,6 and Tamron 28-75 zoom + a Kenko 1,4 converter will keep me occupied for quite some time. :)

Christmas Present
 

I have just bought the Sigma 120 - 300 f2.8 and 1.4 & 2 x teleconverters, wrapped under the tree! Can't wait till boxing day when I will get released to use them! Have a good Christmas:D

Alex

I suspect that today I will be purchasing the Nikon D50 so you guys might not see much of me for awhile - while I scratch my head a lot and figure out what I am doing with a dslr ;)

Nice one K.C. From what I have heard, it is quite a straight-forward camera to use. Moderator AWOL? ;)

I've just sold my Nikon 80-400 VR... Maybe get something in the new year, if the money is still there ;) probably the 70-200VR, so I can utilise my Nikon teleconverters with it and sell the little Kenko that I kept to use on the 80-400... but the 300/2.8 VR is crying out for me :(

LOL, I suspect it will be that or a pain-in-the-A Moderator asking a lot of questions ;)

The D50 is very easy to use - everything is logical and pretty straightforward. The only thing that puzzled me at first was the inability to change metering modes - then I saw in the small print that the default setting was for a simple menu - first thing to do is change that to advanced then you have everything you need. I really hate it when you have to read the manual!!

Well, I'm back home and the Camera shop bag (big) is sitting on my counter and I have just stared at it for the last 1/2 hour. ;) Like you, I seldom read a manual until a couple of months down the road after I've played with my new toy. Then, while reading, I find myself saying "that's why it did that" ;)

Beware Greypoint (Sue) is an undercover Nikon saleswoman in disguise that has infiltrated this and other forums.:D

Well we can't let Canon take over the whole photo world!