fast telephoto or new body or......?

dirtyghettokid

ok, i have a weird sort of issue. i was all nikon up until a year ago when i took the plunge and went canon. i sold my car and bought a 5D MKII with the 24-105mm lens. the only other lens that i have for canon is an EF 50mm f/1.8.

my nikon gear consists of
D80 body, 18-135mm kit lens, 50mm f/1.8, sigma 10-20mm, sigma 70-300mm macro f/4-5.6.

i knew i wanted to go full frame over a year ago, because i like to shoot alot of landscapes. i was first dead set on getting a D700, but the 5D was also a strong contender, and i loved the results i saw from canon quality lenses. in the end i chose the canon.

the ISO sensitivity on my D80 is dreadful. anything over 200 is just terrible. i can rarely use it handheld. it's not necessarily a problem, as i have the 5D .. but i mainly use the nikon with the telephoto these days or the 10-20mm if i want super wide (as 10mm crop is a bit wider than 24mm FF) .. so you can imagine what it's like trying to use a telephoto lens of f/4-5.6 on a body with shít ISO..

i'm in two minds here....
a) do i just buy a faster telephoto lens to use with the d80 (because i like to shoot birds and macro stuff now and again

b) do i just sell the nikon gear altogether and buy a crop canon body with better iso sensitivity and get a telephoto lens for that

it's hard to know what to do. i've quite a bit of nikon accessories, and two SB flashguns too.. so it'd be a big deal fully going over to canon, as i wouldn't be able to get the same amount of stuff for canon if i sold off all the nikon gear.

also, i'm always broke (unemployed long term) .. so anything i want has to be funded by selling something else.

thoughts? :P thank you-please

the_tractor

You could maybe pick up a used D90 cheap enough.

dirtyghettokid

the_tractor wrote: »

You could maybe pick up a used D90 cheap enough.

i haven't checked prices, but i wonder what would be cheaper - a fast telephoto or a better nikon body..

i'm open to recommendations for fast telephoto or long primes (nikon)

24-105 and a 50mm 1.8 are two fairly versatile lenses to have. One for solid low-light work and one an excellent all-rounder.

If I were in your situation (and I sort of was before, with both Olympus and Canon gear), I'd say flog everything that's Nikon and stick solely to Canon gear (or vice versa, though it seems you're happier with your canon equipment?).

Having two brands is a pain in the jock, as you can't switch around lenses and stuff. I'm not sure how much you'd make from selling the Nikon gear, but a Canon 70-200 f/4 L IS will set you back around a grand, and it'll be the best money you ever spend. It's light as a feather and sharp as anything you'll ever buy (I love mine, but I don't use it as much as I'd like).

Alternatively, I've heard the 100-300 IS L is a good buy, too. Never used it myself though, and the variable aperture would put me off a little, but the extra reach is handy, too. Similar price to the 70-200 f/4 IS.

Most recent canon crop bodies all have the same sensor so you'd pick up a 550D second hand for a decent price I'm sure. 7D is, in my opinion the best value camera on the market, but wouldn't bother with it unless you actually need/use it's advantages over the other bodies.

But at least then you'll have interchangeable lenses and stuff to suit you. L lenses work on crop bodies, so you'll have no compatibility issues, which is something I found frustrating a lot of the time when using two different brands.



That's just my own personal take on it. Only you'll know what you prefer yourself.

If you're around Drogheda at all, feel free to give me a bell and you can try out the 70-200 f/4 IS if you like.

dirtyghettokid

i appreciate your input! i'm about 10 mins south west of balbriggan, so not that far away. might take you up on that offer sometime.

with the FF, i'd really like something a bit longer than 105mm alright. it's handy to have a backup camera, even if it's a different make. i do love the 5d - it does everything i need it to.. probably would be sensible to sell off all the nikon gear and get a lens or two for the 5d.. but then i'd be down the second body. ARRGGHH if i had money, it wouldn't be an issue! lol

Well I'm usually around, so if you want to pop in some time, I've the 70-200 there. I've also a sigma 30mm f/1.4 that'll work on full frame, and a few different flashguns that you can play with if you like.

Just give me a bit of advanced notice so I can let you know if I'll be around or not.


EDIT: Keep in mind you'd pick up a used 20D for €200 or so these days too. Fantastic camera. Built like a little tank, and a great back up. I actually have one as a rarely-used backup and it does the job. So depending on how much you think you'd get from the Nikon gear, you could be set up with a lens and body.

The Snipe

You could also consider a Canon 200mm 2.8L You can get em cheap as chips, For about 600/650.

I've one and its sharp as a pin, and super fast and light (its an amazing prime! ) Although, I may need to sell it cause I need the money and don't use it as much as I'd like.