Wish list

[Alun100]

Recent posts have led me to some confusion over equipment. As mentioned in asking for assistance with another item, my interests are developing towards action shots and wildlife photography. My camera is only an entry level SLR the 1000D that came with two lenses as a package canon EFS 18-55mm and sigma 70-300mm.
I have no intention of runing out and changing everything. I have become fond of my camera and I am still intent on learning with it. However it would be nice to know in other more experienced opinions what I would be heading towards as I seek to aquire lenses that can be used on both present and future camera.Also of course the camera body, which are best suited to what?

[Nathaniel]

Re: Wish list

Welcome Alun and I am sure you will enjoy the forum. I myself had a few problems,in my "head" when I joined the forum but things have panned out brilliantly via reading the comments of experienced members on various threads,seeing their photos displayed; also by raising my own questions. The first lesson is not to be undone by peer pressure. I regard photography as a serious hobby of mine and nothing more. Very often I see something NICE and think to myself that it would be nice to paint or to take a photograph of it so that I have a picture of what I have seen. So I thoiught of the type of lenses that would give me the pleasure of photographing what I have seen. Over the years I have bought and sold various cameras and lenses via big mistakes of mine. But now I now I think I know where I am going with the sort of photos/pictures I wish to take and keep.

Your 1000d is a very very good camera, and it is very highly rated by Consumer Which?- a magazine I have been involved with for over 30 years. I value their comments. Your lenses I don't know much about but I know that the EF-S 18mm-55mm IS lens(I have one now) is better than the non IS version. I sold the non IS version to buy the IS version. I don't know anything about the Sigma lens. I have a 55mm-250mm IS lens which I find is very good. The lenses you wish to invest in for your future depends on how your interest in photography develops. For instance I ,personally,won't bother with Macro photography- I hate spiders,beetles and all these small insects; but I got interested in interior church photos and bought a 20mm canon lens, which I will change to a Sigma 10mm-20mm lens; I use a Canon EF 28mm-105mm lens for every day use which I will change for the Canon 24mm-105mmL lens when funds permit.

So my advice to you is to use your present 1000d to it's maximum capability and check out the two lenses you already have and read what other members have to say on the forum. I am sure your lenses (better to invest in lenses rather than camera bodies) will evolve along with how you see your photography develops.IMO the worst thing you could do is to buy some books on photography, which then suggests certain things to explore and then go and buy lenses to try and fit "bookish" suggestions. Keep photography as a personal thing- painting with light, and I am sure you will be happy with your hobby.

[colin C]

Re: Wish list

Hi Alun

If you are looking at action/wildlife and are very serious, or have just won the lottery, then it's a pair of 1D MKIV's, a 70 - 200mm f2.8, 300mm f2.8, 500mm f4 and both extenders. If most of your work is hide based, then ignore the 300mm and 500mm and go for the 400mm f2.8 and 600mm f4.

In interim measure would be a 7D body and 300mm f4 and a 1.4 converter. From there, add the 500mm and a 1D MKIV at a later date, with the 7d being your second body.

An intro level solution would be the 100 - 400mm zoom on your existing body.

Hope that helps?

Colin

[Alun100]

Re: Wish list

Hi Colin
No I dont think waiting for the lottery is practical. Looking around for subjects to photograph I found a preference for action shots. Not bothered if its racing cars, rallye cars, bikes etc. (Cannot see myself doing anything from a hide either).
As for wildlife; well as my first use of the camera was in kenya, I suppose I started with the ultimate location. I have been very impressed with some of the UK wildlife shots I have seen on this forum; from the wet kingfisher emerging from the water with a fish in its mouth to examples of deer in forest locations. I dont know if I should post pics here, but they are relevent to my questions. The first is a shot taken of a jet ski, which came between myself and the sun and I used the 300mm lense and sports mode because they came along without warning. Also a 2nd shot taken of the lake I mentioned. Niether worth posting because one was taken in haste and the other too far away.

[Alun100]

Re: Wish list

The first is typical of the images I want to take and the other is typical of the problems of getting close enough

[Muscat]

Re: Wish list

Alun, As Colin has suggested the 100-400L would probably be a great starting place as it has more reach than your current 70-300 lens, it is faster focusing and sharper so you would be better placed to capture your 'haste' type shots and it would pull them in better in image #2.