Christmas Kit Additions

[Mike_182]

Well, a very kind person sorted my kit out for me this Christmas! I'd got a couple of bits (the body, 17-85mm EFS lens and the 50mm f/1.8 II) but it's since been supplemented with:

Canon EF 35-105mm f/3.5-4.5
Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 (on order)
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L

Canon Speedlite 430EX II

Jessops 67mm Circular Polarising filter
Jessops 67mm UV filter

Manfrotto 055XPROB legs
Manfrotto 804RC2 head

Sandisk 8GB Extreme CF card

Pics! (From my old Ixus!)

I'll get some photos from using the kit over the next few weeks, but first impression of the 70-200mm are it's just fantastic...

 

[Ian]

That's quite a haul! Recognise that little nifty fifty. Hope it does you well mate, was a crackin' lens for me. The 70-200mm is amazing as well, still surprises me every time I use mine.

 

[Gaz.]

Jammy git.

 

[Omid]

Jealous, very jealous, everything in my wishlist in your picture

Hope you enjoy it buddy

 

[Mike_182]

I'm not quite done yet - I'm going to go for a relatively cheap *-400mm lens, but then it'll be done until I decide whether I go for a 7D or a 5D MkII this time next year.

Cheers all just need to learn how to get the best of it all now! Thinking of maybe doing an evening class.

 

[Andy.]

Good choice with the tripod.

I've not seen the 35-105 before. Is it an old model?

 

[Mike_182]

I think it's as old as me, but I think it takes better pictures than my 17-85mm. Downside is mine being a crop then the 35mm is around 50mm, so it doesn't venture to wide-angle. Shame, as the 17-85mm is 'average' as they go.

 

[dk]

similar to my setup now mike, i got the 430 yesterday too lol, first impressions are good, just need to learn how to use it properly, not a big indoor shooter at the moment.

my kit is now:

350d - spare
50d
17-85 IS
10-22
50 f1.8
17-55 IS F2.8
70-200 f4 L
24-70 f2.8 L
430 EXII

not been a big year for photos really for me, so need to ramp it up this year. Think I have the tools to do so, so just need to see if i can bring the talent to match it!

 

[Revels]

Nice haul that, Mike. Just like you showed me last week! Lol.

I got a few extra memory cards and a little pouch for them!

I did an evening course and it was the biggest waste of time ever. I spent more time showing the Grannies that had been bought a camera for Christmas how to photoshop than anything else. 'Now we're going to work out how to crop and image' Complete shite!

Obviously all places will be different and yours might be fine, but I've learnt far more from just playing.

 

[Mike_182]

Haha! Yeah, well she took my advice on the most of it and my mum found the 35-105mm in one of the boxes when she moved, asked if it fitted and hey presto. Another lens!

Yeah, got me the memory card for Christmas as the Ultra II 2GB I've got is too small. Advice taken on the course - I've got enough books on it to learn how to read so I'll have a nosey through those to start with!

However, back to the 35-105mm - not a bad lens at all!

 

[Revels]

I only roll with 2GB. Got a fair few of them.

I'd rather change cards than one corrupt and lose all pics or something if I was using 8GB..

 

[Ian]

4Gb is a happy medium I find. 2Gb soon runs out (bearing in mind the 450d produces quite large files in RAW) and 4Gb are cheap enough. I agree about 8Gb being a bit on the large size atm though.

 

[Andy.]

I also use a 4gb for day to day stuff. I have a 16gb card for HD film though as it takes up a huge amount of space.

I was shooting jpg and raw for a while but it was clearing nearly 60mb a photo so I stopped before I had to invest in more hard disks for the pc!

 

[Andy.]

I just checked my files as the 60MB seemed a little high... 21MP RAW+jpg = 30MB not 60. Doh.

 

[Mike_182]

I empty the card every day at worst, and usually every 6 hours when I'm using it so TBH it'd have to corrupt long before I'd fill 2GB to warrant it, just nice to have that extra space should I need it!