Canon Shooters

Phil2360 · October 28, 2014

Hey all,

Just wondering if there are any Canon DSLR shooters amongst those here.

Wondering what you choices of lens's are for shooting from the boat.

Currently using a 50D and switching between an EF-S 18-200mm and a EF 70-200mm f2.8L.

The 18-200mm is only mid range & does not focus super fast

While the 70-200mm is superb, at times it is too long at the short end.

So currently considering either an EF-S 15-85mm, or a EF 24-105mm f4L.

Anyone like to offer up any comments on what they are using & the pros & cons.

Cheers

Phil

Kelvin · October 28, 2014

I'm not a Canon guy, but the 50D is a crop sensor so the 70-200mm will act more like a 105-300mm in 35mm equivalence. Instead of getting a new lens, you could consider an upgrade of the camera to one of Canon full frame sensors.

BrennanKMN · October 28, 2014

6D is the first (cheapest) camera that is full frame from Canon. I'd love to have a full frame camera, it's on my list, but they are mighty spendy.

SM · October 29, 2014

Most of the time with a crop sensor camera you will find yourself shooting at about 50mm. The Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM is a great lens for this application albeit a bit pricey. IMHO, good glass is more important than the body.

baja · October 29, 2014

Focus manually for each line length as soon as the line in tight or the skier gets up. Focus at max zoom then pull back to your desired frame. They will always be about that same distance throughout their pass assuming your sitting close to the pylon. No autofocus to slow down the camera. That may solve your slow focus issue with the 18-200mm. Then try full manual with a slower shutter speed and higher f-stop for some fun shots that capture the blur of speed.

Waternut · October 29, 2014

Agree with @Baja. If you're in the boat you should be using manual focus. Makes every shot immediate and professional looking. I use an 18-135mm lens and have been very happy with it.

Just for the record, I'm not a camera brand snob but my current Canon 40d does everything I need it to do. Not bragging on myself or the camera but I've had a few people who shoot professionally ask how I get some pictures. My answer is usually, I gave the camera to someone who knows nothing about cameras and told them focus, switch to manual focus, and take a lot of pictures.

Zman · October 29, 2014

Also might upgrade Canon DSLR body. What significant advantages are there for a full frame sensor over a crop sensor? Given all the current models produce excellent pics, my priority is to have at least 5 fps burst mode.

Phil2360 · October 29, 2014

@Kelvin & @Zman,

Full frame is not on my want list.

I personally get more value out of the extra reach of the 1.6 crop.

Also have 3 other EF-S lens (wider) that would not be of use on full frame.

I currently have a 7DII on Pre-order for when they ship in November.

For my purposes the extra reach of a good lens on Crop sensor serves me well.

Also use a 100-400mm L & have a 1.4 Extender that WILL Auto focus on the 400 on the 7DII.

I've run a lot of shots through ExposurePlot http://www.vandel.nl/ and find I shoot mostly between 50 & 120mm from the boat.

My boys are just starting to ski lengths up to 28 off, so that will change things in the direction of needing less length.

I did shoot full frame in the film days & the 70-200mm was perfect back then, but on crop is too long.

I know the EF-S 15-85mm is sharp & focuses fast, but just not sure if it has enough reach.

That's why i'm also considering the 24-105mm f4L.

Cheers.

MrJones · October 29, 2014

My mind is in a different place. I was thinking "cannon". I was also thinking this was going to be a cool thread!

jhughes · October 29, 2014

I have the 70-200 F4 L IS as my tele and for everything else the EF-S 18-55 F2.8 IS. The 18-55 is L-quality glass though not officially an L lens. People beat it up for picking up dust but it is a KILLER lens for walkaround and everything else. It's usually my recommendation for crop sensor guys looking for a great wide angle zoom. Running a 70D FWIW.

bbirlew · October 29, 2014

@jhughes‌,

Throw a nifty 50 in there and our kits are identical!

I jumped up to the 70d from an old 350d and love it, but do have occasional focus probs (on stationary targets). Time to start playing around seriously with afma it seems.

Roger · October 29, 2014

A 50D is a 1.6 crop camera, so the short end of your 70-200 is 112mm equivalent (compared to a full frame body). If you like shooting sports, I'd look for a good used 1.3 crop Canon like a 1D Mark II which can be had in as new condition for under $1000 these days. 1.3 would make the short end of that lens 91mm which should be fine. I use the 70-200 f/2.8 L from the boat with my 1D Mark IV (also a 1.3 crop) with no issues for field of view. From shore, I use a 300mm f/2.8 L II if the course is close or that lens with a 2XIII extender. One of the nice things about a used 1D Mark II, Mark III, or Mark IV is they give you a much higher frame rate (8.5, 10, and 10 respectively) and are pretty much bullet proof in build.

Whoever said the 6D is the first full frame Canon DSLR needs to do some research. There have been full frame DSLR bodies from Canon almost from the beginning (look for the S series in the professional bodies or the 5D series).

jhughes · October 29, 2014

@bbirlew‌ I have a "plastic fantastic" 50 as well so we definitely have the same rigs!

BrennanKMN · October 29, 2014

@Roger‌

Please re-read my statement. By first I meant cheapest in the lineup. The 6D is the cheapest full frame DSLR cannon offers.

Phil2360 · October 29, 2014

@ Roger,

Am upgrading to a 7DII in a few weeks (Can't wait).

Early reviews have it hard on the heels of the 1DX in performance.

10fps, huge buffer & fantastic focus tracking.

I don't dismiss the merits of Full Frame, but crop suits my interests more.

Really looking forward to being able to have AF on the 100-400mm with my 1.4 extender.

Extra reach from the bank with AF will be good to play with.

Slightly tames the desire to own a EF 600mm f4.

@jhughes & @bbirlew, a 50mm is a little redundant for me as I have an EF-S 60mm f2,8 macro,

It is razor sharp & very distortion free. 10-22mm is a killer too. Loved adding it to my kit.

All still brings me back to either a EF-S 15-85mm or a 24-105mm f4L.

Cheers

Roger · November 3, 2014

@BrennanKMN, I can't read what you meant, only what you posted: "6D is the first (cheapest) camera that is full frame from Canon." If you had said "6D is the first affordable or something like that, I might have understood what you "meant."

Roger · November 3, 2014

@Phil2360, the 7DII looks like it will be a great camera. Equal to a 1DX in performance might be asking a lot, but better than 95% of shooters need anyway. I shoot a crop body also (1D Mark IV is a 1.3 crop) and find that to be just right for me. The 1.6 crop of the 7D is more than I need for what I do and I like the Professional Series Bodies much better anyway. I've been shooting Canon since 1970 starting with my Dad's F1. Got an F1 myself, and A1, F1n, T90 (multiple bodies of each) before mount change. Then EOS-3, 1D Mark II, and 1D Mark IV.

However, when someone asked me what camera to buy for professional level photos, I say go try the Nikon and Canon and buy the one that fits your style and hand the best. Can't really go wrong with either.

GaryWilkinson · November 4, 2014

@Phil2360‌ we've been shooting Canon 7d for 2 years now and love 8fps!

Manual focus at each drop and over expose by .5 stop seems to work well.

From the boat, we use the 4.0 70-210 and it does great, although like @SM said you cannot beat buying good glass and some of our best shots come from our L F 1.8 85mm prime lens. Spectacular!

But my number 1 recommendation is this:

Get out of the towboat!

The best slalom pics I've ever seen including this one of me is from another boat.

Roger · November 4, 2014

Shot from the main judging tower at Okeeheelee Park. 300mm F/2.8 L II.

thager · November 5, 2014

@Roger Nice picture!! Is that a Bayliner? :smiley:

Phil2360 · November 5, 2014

@GaryWilkinson,

7DII arrived Monday. Absolutely phenononal! 10fps shutter is so smooth.

AF controls brilliant. Focus tracking lightning fast on my L lenses.

Ended up added a 24-105mm f4L to my kit for boat shots & now have

Autofocus on the 100-400mm L with the 1.4 extender attached.

Looking forward to that extra reach for shooting from the bank.

Only shot a handful of frames, but 16,000 ISO performance clean blows my 50D's

3200 ISO clean out of the water.

Cheers

Phil

dchristman · November 5, 2014

@thager A Bayliner at Okeeheelee.... riiiiight :)

thager · November 5, 2014

@dchristman Couldn't resist but it does look just like my buddies Bayliner from that angle! Come to think of it I never saw any Mastercrafts during my winter visits to Okeeheelee either. Hmmm...

Roger · November 6, 2014

@thager - that is changing now. There are 3 2014 Mastercrafts that I know of there now.

Roger · November 7, 2014

If anyone wonders how good Canon's latest glass is, here is a shot with my 300mm f/2.8 L series II with 2X series III extender on my 1D Mark IV (effective focal length 780mm, hand held):

link to full size image

Zman · November 8, 2014

very impressive

Phil2360 · December 2, 2014

7D Mark II got it's first run at a tournament on the weekend.

All shot with an EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L

Focus tracking is phenomenal.

My Eldest Boy. Had a bad weekend.

http://g3.img-dpreview.com/310DC5570F8944E992887BC91249191E.jpg

http://g3.img-dpreview.com/509F249BBF7A4A4FB297B383D5F72DB7.jpg

http://g1.img-dpreview.com/99ED3AA105F14F6DAD9920DA3D4BAC34.jpg

http://g1.img-dpreview.com/AA7587FFDA1F404E8FCEA91B2BCB4FC4.jpg

http://g4.img-dpreview.com/11DB51F37B4449EF8CD05AA8C82B0B69.jpg

http://g1.img-dpreview.com/604A1A60B8954D5C8F0EF0ADE462B830.jpg

http://g1.img-dpreview.com/1AEC6A083A28424E93026B91BA39DB08.jpg

http://g3.img-dpreview.com/3F24EAF7F7BB4797A16D323D7B51DBC7.jpg

My youngest Boy. Won his division & skiied a new best.

http://g3.img-dpreview.com/01A115C2742F4764B4252CEA1CB7E067.jpg

http://g4.img-dpreview.com/459D84F85040444EAA6FD0AD078C2067.jpg

http://g4.img-dpreview.com/18556827D43B4B14971B617AEF118CE1.jpg

http://g2.img-dpreview.com/5C6CB8CD3EB442D4A9CA71C590F53CD2.jpg

http://g4.img-dpreview.com/6604479413AC44C088D3841CA0E47AE3.jpg

Phil2360 · December 2, 2014

Hmmmm

Don't know why that did post properly.

Any ideas @horton?

A better look can be had over here....

http://www.dpreview.com/forums/thread/3760673

Cheers.

Phil.

Horton · December 3, 2014

@Phil2360‌ looks like where your images are hosted does not let you serve them to other web sites - like this one.

Horton · December 3, 2014

@Phil2360‌ and tell the guy on the yellow V-Type to get the darn Rookie sticker off his ski.

Horton · December 3, 2014

oooo and I have shot nothing but Nikon since about 1986

Phil2360 · December 3, 2014

Always Canon since 1980 @Horton, 7D II totally rocks, with either the 100-400L, or the 70-200 2.8L.

One hell of a camera.

Phil2360 · December 3, 2014

Guy with the yellow V-Type?

Which skiier are you refering to?

Did boat video while one guy there did 2 @ 39.

his 38 was faultless.

Kelvin · December 4, 2014

I've been a Nikon guy for the past 8 years or so - mainly shooting a D300. Nikon hasn't provided a real update to that camera line in 5 years. From the specs, the Canon 7D II is the D400 I've been waiting for. Hopefully Nikon will step up to the plate on this one. I really can't afford to switch brands at this point.

Phil2360 · December 18, 2014

Finally fixed the photos in my previous post.

Here they are again though.

Hopefully links work to bigger images.