Looking to bring my phtotgraphy to the next level

[bethanyanna]

I have always enjoyed photography. I can't remember a time in my life when I didn't have a camera!
I currently have a point and shoot Sony Cybershot. It does good, for what it is. But now that I have children, I really want to hone my skills. I can take decent stills and landscapes all day long, but I want to get nice portraits without having to pay a photographer.

So I've been doing some research, and I think I've narrowed my search to the Canon EOS 7D. It seems to have gotten pretty good reviews, and it looks like it would be a nice middle of the road camera to get my feet wet with.

I think I read that it shoots in RAW, but I honestly am not going to even pretend that I know what that means. lol

So before I go drop a grand on a camera, I would love some feedback!

Thanks for the help!!

[RobertTheFat]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

"I'm not sure how the 70-200 got into this discussion, but there it is."

Ahh, this.....

"One of my favorites is my EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM with the focal length out near 200mm and the focal ratio down near f/2.8 or f/4."

On a crop this lens is just a tad bit too long.   At 112 to 320mm?  You think that is a good protrait length?  To each his own I guess.

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When I was using a film Nikon, my portrait lens was a 135mm prime. Some people preferred 90mm or 105mm, but I thought the 135 worked just fine for the purpose.

Today, of course, with a variety of zooms available for my 7D's and mmy 5D3, I wouldn't use a 70-200 for portraits except in a large room when I can't get close. But if I didn't have a 24-105, I think I could make do with the 70-200.

[ebiggs1]

Well there ya go.  I still have my FD 135mm f2 and FD 85mm f1.2.  I considered the 85 vastly superior to the 135 for protraits.  It is still a fabulous piece of glass.  My home studio was not big enough to really use the 135 comfortably.  It is a fantastic lens though.  But there is just something about f1.2.

I talk to many photographers that now have gone to the EF 70-200mm f2.8 as THE goto portrait lens and I can't say I don't disagree.  It just may be the best so far!

[jazzman1]

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@RobertTheFat wrote:

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"One of my favorites is my EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM with the focal length out near 200mm and the focal ratio down near f/2.8 or f/4."

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If I understood correctly, the point of the discussion was which lens produced the "better bokeh" for portraits.

[RobertTheFat]

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@jazzman1 wrote:

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@RobertTheFat wrote:

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"One of my favorites is my EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM with the focal length out near 200mm and the focal ratio down near f/2.8 or f/4."

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If I understood correctly, the point of the discussion was which lens produced the "better bokeh" for portraits.

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It wasn't I who said that. and I don't think it represents my opinion very well. I do think the 70-200 has its uses a a portrait lens, but I'd use it that way at its long end only under rather special circumstances.

[jazzman1]

I agree , I would use all the lens with capability over 100mm mentioned, at the long end also.  I know I can use the 50 or 85mm focal point with my 24-105 L.... But I had not heard before that my 24-105 L would be good for portraits, at the 105mm focal point for better bokeh.  That was good to hear.  I will test this out...soon as I can get a subject to work with. 

BTW...I know that quote was not from you, I just used it to make my point, since you used it in your message.

[RustyB]

i agree with the 7D, or 7D II, plus the 24-105mm and 10-22mm lenses. The 28-135 mm has a nice usable zoom range, takes some nice images, i still have one in my lense collection, but it is what some call a 'dust pump', you slide it within itself to focus which can pull dust or moisture within the lens body, i have a friend who loves shooting wildflowers and insects, his 28-135 appears to have mold inside and has stopped focusing properly, he keeps a plastic trash bag with him to cover his equipment if caught in a rain storm, but humidity was too much.

Years ago i had a Rebel XT with the 10-22mm ( sold it to a friend who is still using it to do portraits and group shots at his church) , it was one of my go to lenses for wider group shots or landscapes with that reduced sensor camera.

Recently one of my coworkers purchased the 7D II prior to his last vacation (i recommended these lenses and camera combination) and he and his fiancee brough back some great shots and love the lense and camera combination they put togethor. Should be a Camera you can enjoy getting the shots you're looking for, and learn using camera settings to get the depth of field and background blur you want in the portraits.

[ebiggs1]

"... but it is what some call a 'dust pump', ..."

I hear and have heard this a for a very long time.  But I don't know how much I believe it.  Some lenses seem to get this attribute associaled with them.  I suppose there must be some truth in it, however, all lenses move. It is a fact of life. It is simply, how they move that seems to garner the reputation.

I have had two, and still do have one, of the EF 28-135mm and neither was any more or less dusty inside than any other zoom I have.

To this, I would not worry and use the lens with out concern.

[bethanyanna]

Awesome Information! I love it! Thank you!

'course it will take me a few read throughs to catch it all, and I'm sure there will be some trial and error on my end to see what works for me and what doesn't.

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@TCapmbell wrote:

"You specifically mentioned wanting something nicer for portraits.  Of course any camera can take a "portrait" (even a phone), so when someone mentions wanting something "nicer" it occurs to me that you might be thinking of the effect in which the subject has tack-sharp focus and yet the background is beautifully blurred."

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Yes! Exactly! Although I'm sure I could probably achive some of that effect through editing, my assumption is, it would be much more effective if that's just how I took the photo.

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@TTMartin wrote:

"For a general use camera I would choose the 70D over the classic 7D.  The 70D is very close to the classic 7D in its performance feature (fps, 19 focus points, etc) and adds some nice features for general use like the tilt swivel touch screen, much finer more even noise characteristics, and Dual Pixel AF for video."

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My initial reaction, and subsequent reply to this is that my preference would be to go with the 7D, as it's a little higher (don't know if that's the right word) model, and I also have no interest in video. But after handling the 6D, T5i, & 70D earlier this week, I am hesitant to purchase a hefty camera like the 6D (which I'm assuming is similar to the 7D since they both that metal frames).

The 70D, weightwise & sizewise, is more what I had in mind. But if I go that roiute, would I be better searved to go with the newer T5i even though it has fewer megapixels?

The only thing that I don't care for on either model (70D & T5i) is the flip-out/ rotate in almost any direction screen that just seems like it's just one more moving parts that could eventually lead to costly repairs. It almost screams "Break me now".

Has anybody encountered any problems in regards to the flip screens?

[bethanyanna]

Although... it occurs to me now that weight may not be attributed to the camera as much as the lens.

Would that be a correct observation?

[RustyB]

one  of my coworkers (mentioned in earlier reply) bought the 7D version2, and loves it because it does well with the portrait and family shots he takes , plus has a higher 'frame per second count' so he can capture action shots, including airshows, and the kids running around the yard with more 'keeper' shots that are in focus , and when he wants 'portrait' quality shots can adjust the aperture setting / depth of field, to fade the background to the degree he wants also.

Another one of my co workers has a 60D; plus the 6D you mentioned because he wanted a Full frame camera that was better in Low light situations, where you can actually take more shots without necessasarily needing to add flash (better sensor high ISO capability), but it has a relatively smaller frame per second ability, not good for rapid action shots, slower to focus, the 6D is a larger camera than the reduced sensor sized Rebels, 60d, 70d, 7d, 7d2 crop sensor cameras, but is not actually that much more in weight,.

As far as lenses go, professional lenses that are also better in low light , and have larger max aperture sizes (smaller f numbers) , will have more glass in them also will weigh quite a bit more...

You would think my 1dx was a cinder block :), but it has a heavier build, 3 processors, heavier battery, etc., but it is what works for me in a greater variety of situations.