Canon 40D lens Options

Hi Jim,

They are still useful for digital shooting. You can shoot them using the manual power control knob on the strobe - I think you get 3 power settings plus adding the diffuser.

Cheers

James

This thread is esp. great since I returned from the Philippines last eve. after a week's diving there with my trusty Nikonos 5 with 15 mm and ext tubes.

Boracay by any chance? I love it there!

Duane

I'm contemplating selling my 5D w/ Aquatica housing and getting the 40D to a) put less money underwater and B) get the 14 bit color in the 40D.

Anyone used the 17-55 f2.8 Canon EF-S lens underwater? That seems like it would be a great compromise lens with an effective 27-88mm length.

I've gotten fairly comfortable shooting in manual with the DS-125 strobes on my Aquatica housing but would like the luxury of having TTL control of the strobe provided by Sea and Sea with their Canon housings. Or am I just being lazy?

Of course I could always spring for the huge bucks and dive with my mark III but that violates premise (a) above and would require me to actually be selling more of the photos!

I would stick w/ the 5D personally. But that's my opinion

Cheers

James

Tony,

A few wedding photographer friends are buying the 40D, mainly for the "Highlight Tone" feature.

Most already shoot a Canon 5D and are selling their 30D units, and keeping the super capable 5D as the main camera, though.

IF, and it's a big IF, I was looking to house a totally new Canon dSLR, the 40D would be it for me.....I could buy 2 bodies, have great new features and money left for lenses and travel

Food for thought......

dhaas

Having just joined and also about to invest in a 40d this thread is a god send.

My choices at the moment are as follows.

1. canon 40d body

2. canon 60mm lense

3 iklite housing

4. Ikelite DS 125 (one) strobe

Do you guys think this will be adequate to start? Money is an issue.

Thanks

Ajith

Having just joined and also about to invest in a 40d this thread is a god send.

 

My choices at the moment are as follows.

 

1. canon 40d body

2. canon 60mm lense

3 iklite housing

4. Ikelite DS 125 (one) strobe

 

Do you guys think this will be adequate to start? Money is an issue.

 

Thanks

 

Ajith

That would be more than adequate for a nice macro rig. If you want to do wide angle as well, you'll need to add another lens.

Mike

Well thats done. Just purchased my equipment and waiting for it to arrive. (paying the credit card bill will be considered later

Well thats done. Just purchased my equipment and waiting for it to arrive. (paying the credit card bill will be considered later

Congrats on pulling the trigger on a new rig. Will be looking for your posts on how it is working for you, as I have everything you listed except I have 2 DS 50 strobes, and I haven't been able to get the housing yet, but soon I hope!

Duane

Thanks to those above for the advice.

My 5D just got out of its one-year checkup and I dove with it this weekend shooting both fish and models and I really like the shots the 5D produces.

I think I've resisted the urge to "buy new stuff" successfully for now . . . of course, when the new 5D comes out, I'm sure it will start all over again!!

Hi all,

I too am making the move - from an Oly 7070 to the 40D. As an utter newbie to the DSLR I am bewildered by the choice of lens.

Should I just run with the Canon 18-55 to begin with or invest more credit card for something like the Sigma?

And what of IS vs non-IS....what is the consensus?

I intend to house it in a Nexus when my credit card is released from the reactor....

Many thanks

Pauli

Hi again all,

After some quick homework and a huttle with the folks at home my choice will be the Sigma 18-50mm f2.8.

It's 3 x the price of the standard Canon lens but seems to have everything on it's side......

Any feedback from the masses out there?

Pauli

I would buy a specialised macro or wideangle lens as a first underwater lens (I used the 60mm macro as a first).

After some quick homework and a huttle with the folks at home my choice will be the Sigma 18-50mm f2.8.

Pauli

Some love the Sigma lenses, others do not. The biggest problem I've seen with Sigma is the focus speed, but if you are looking at their "new" HSM version of that lens then perhaps it will be better.

For UW I have the Canon 10-22mm and a Canon 60mm Macro, both seem to work well and are quality lenses. I love the 10-22mm, I don't leave home without it...its been on every vacation and road trip and gets frequent use. I then use a Canon 24-105 for my "primary" lens, which has quite the reputation for being phenomenal. I also have a Canon 70-300 IS, but it is likely my least used lens and I find it being the one I leave behind the most.

If you are looking for all around lens info (not just under water), I'd suggest DPreview.com's forums for Canon Lenses, or Fred Miranda's forums...Google will help you find both. In my research it seems to get more difficult to match up an ideal underwater and surface lens, so good luck

I have used the Canon 17-85, the Canon 60mm and the Sigma 50mm, all with good results.

The Canon 60 is the crispest lens of them all in my opinion, with the Sigma not too far behind.

One big advantage of the Sigma is the field of view. The Canon 60mm field of view is 24 degrees and the Sigma is 46 degrees. So if you are shooting anything other than macro you have to get pretty far away to get anything of any size.

If you plan on using the camera for other than macro, the Sigma 50mm has some advantages to consider.

Hi guys,

Have been shooting with my 40d and I find it awesome after the little P&S I was used to. Of cpourse its taking me some time to get used to handling the strobe properly. I also find that I cannot press the shutter button halfway for AF since it seems too sensitive and just goes all the way and takes the picture. Any ideas what to about that?

Also at the moment I only have a canon 60mm macro. Wha should my next lense be?

Thanks

Hi guys,

 

Have been shooting with my 40d and I find it awesome after the little P&S I was used to. Of cpourse its taking me some time to get used to handling the strobe properly. I also find that I cannot press the shutter button halfway for AF since it seems too sensitive and just goes all the way and takes the picture. Any ideas what to about that?

 

Also at the moment I only have a canon 60mm macro. Wha should my next lense be?

 

Thanks

One potential solution to your half press problem is to autofocus with the AF-ON or * button (through Custom Function IV). You autofocus with one of those buttons and only do shutter release with the shutter button. Give it a try and see it it works for you.

Your next lens should probably be for wide angle. I would recommend the Tokina 10-17 fisheye zoom, the Canon 10-22 or the Tokina 12-24. Check to see which ones will work with your housing and find what dome port you'll need.

Mike

n2addict,

Not sure what housing you're using, but as Mike says the * button (or AF On button if you have an Ikelite housing) is a little easier to use and then pull the front trigger to fire.

The last Ikelite 40D system I delivered (and played with myself in the pool) I used the AF On button to focus rapidly and simply pulled the trigger with my index finger.

Worked for me, especially since I'm considering getting a 40D

dhaas

also, when you're set up with the *, you can use it to autofocus, then make a fine manual adjustment for macro if necessary before pressing the shutter release

if you're shooting fish, you can use the AI servo and * to follow the fish, then release the shutter (very difficult to maintain a half-press above or below water with the AI servo)

also, when you're set up with the *, you can use it to autofocus, then make a fine manual adjustment for macro if necessary before pressing the shutter release

if you're shooting fish, you can use the AI servo and * to follow the fish, then release the shutter (very difficult to maintain a half-press above or below water with the AI servo)