Let the games begin -- design the best all round 20D kit

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

> All suggestions welcome from tri\monopods to cases on buidling the
ultimate
> vacation outfit

Here's the ultimate vacation kit.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sp [...] _sd500.asp
Coupled with a 3gb mini drive and a couple extra batteries.

This is one you'll always have on you, even if you're just going out to
dinner, unlike the big heavy 20d. The best photo is the one you don't miss
because you left your camera at home.

--
Mark

Photos, Ideas & Opinions
http://www.marklauter.com

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Thanks

I already have a few P&S digital Olympus C-750UZ and C-5050Z -- they work
fine, but looking a for an always in the pocket ultracompact is a good idea

steve


"Mr. Mark" <e.cartman@southpark.com> wrote in message
news:Ahlme.49471$VH2.16994@tornado.tampabay.rr.com...
>> All suggestions welcome from tri\monopods to cases on buidling the
> ultimate
>> vacation outfit
>
> Here's the ultimate vacation kit.
> http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sp [...] _sd500.asp
> Coupled with a 3gb mini drive and a couple extra batteries.
>
> This is one you'll always have on you, even if you're just going out to
> dinner, unlike the big heavy 20d. The best photo is the one you don't
> miss
> because you left your camera at home.
>
> --
> Mark
>
> Photos, Ideas & Opinions
> http://www.marklauter.com
>
>

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

"David J Taylor" wrote

> > This is one you'll always have on you, even if you're just going out
> > to dinner, unlike the big heavy 20d. The best photo is the one you
> > don't miss because you left your camera at home.
>
> I was going to suggest the Panasonic FZ5/FZ20 for just the same reasons!

Small cameras are like the American Express card. You never leave home
without them.

--
Mark

Photos, Ideas & Opinions
http://www.marklauter.com

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

> Thanks
>
> I already have a few P&S digital Olympus C-750UZ and C-5050Z -- they work
> fine, but looking a for an always in the pocket ultracompact is a good
idea

Actually, I swore that I'd never buy another Sony anything, but some of
their super compacts are so light and thin that I might change my mind. I
also love their large LCD's.

Oh, I just thought of some things you need for your 20d -

1. you need extra battery, charger, and you need a european adaptor for
their wonky power outlets over there.. unless you're european and then you
need an american adaptor for our wonky power outlets over here.

2. an off camera shoe cord (so you can hold your flash at different angles)

3. and most of all - I want one of these myself... an "angle finder"

http://www.canoncompanystore.com/e [...] 2882A002AA

or

http://tinyurl.com/a92el

I'd kill my best friend for one of those.

--
Mark

Photos, Ideas & Opinions
http://www.marklauter.com

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

Speaking now from a bit of experience, I'd suggest you get two lenses,
maybe three:

The widest angle lens you can find. Wide angle turns out to be a tall
order on these 1.6:1 cameras. You mentioned your motivation of
photographing scenery. You need wide angle to do landscapes and
waterfalls and so on. I've been frustrated even with the 18mm end of
the 18-55 kit lens (which feels crummy, but does not perform badly).
I'm now in the market for something like a 12mm prime, and I want a
really, really good one.

Then you probably want a 200mm prime. For those situations where I
think I want a zoom lens (birds), I'm realizing that what I really want
is just the long end of the zoom. And a prime will certainly be much
better than a 70-200 zoom at 200mm.

On the other hand, the IS zooms are really great lenses. People are
getting results with a 20d and an "L" zoom that are good enough for any
pro quality standards. [They'd better! A 20D and an L Zoom is a $3000
camera!]

One lens you would probably enjoy having is the 50mm f/1.4 (NOT the
f/1.8!) It is a great lens; the only one I have so far that I actually
consider to be very good.

I have a Tamron 28-200mm zoom. It's not at all good for wildlife or
birds, very soft at the long end. But at moderate lengths it's pretty
good! Definitely worth the sub $300 price. (I know I need and EF/L
zoom, but that's not going to happen unless you buy me one. So I'm
working with the lenses I *can* have.)

There's another issue that you might want to consider. You can get so
*close* to great results with these cameras, that you may end up being
frustrated to the point that drives you into the medium format film
world, or worse.

I've seen guys show up at several places I've visited this spring with
their hassy's and so on, and once even shot a lighthouse after waiting
for a guy to do one with his field camera. (He was quite quick about
it, it was impressive. I think there must be something very satisfying
when you take your shot with your view camera and you have good
confidence that you got the exposure you expected.

Oh well...

As for tripods, I'm really happy with my Velbon GB347. I'll be in the
market soon for a carbon fiber tripod with a ballhead (something that
substantially contributes to the cost of the $1600 zoom lens I'm
looking at!), but the Velbon is pretty nice, and plenty portable, it
doesn't encumber me at all, even on fairly difficult hikes.

One thing I'd consider also, as an "accessory" to your 20D, is a small
Canon camera, one of the better Powershot models. They are very high
quality, and in some situations have performed better than equivalent
photos taken with the 20D (which is a bit disturbing). Canon
point/shoot cameras have quite similar exposure controls to the SLRs,
so they translate well.

Gotta go board my plane, right now.

Archived from groups: rec.photo.digital.slr-systems (More info?)

> Then you probably want a 200mm prime. For those situations where I
> think I want a zoom lens (birds), I'm realizing that what I really want
> is just the long end of the zoom. And a prime will certainly be much
> better than a 70-200 zoom at 200mm.

I'm finding that to be true on both ends of the spectrum. I shoot either
full short or long, almost never in the middle except at events. But 200 is
almost never long enough. In 35 mm terms I'd like a 15mm, 50mm, 100mm and
400mm. I think that would cover every situation I am likely to encounter.

--
Mark

Photos, Ideas & Opinions
http://www.marklauter.com