Best place to shop for a lot of camera kit?

[LotusJas]

I will be buying a lot of camera kit soon, to get back into SLR photography after selling my old Pentax SLR kit a few years ago. I used that kit for over 20 years but eventually got tired of working with film when I bought a digital compact Ixus 400

I plan to buy "advanced amateur" kit, and have budgeted to spend approximately £4k.

I am buying:
Canon 5D (or 5Dii)
Sigma 12-24mm F4-5.6 EX DG - mostly for buildings and indoors
EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM - for macro, portraits and lower light
EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM - walk around lens (moderate range eg. for zoos)
EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM - walk around lens (general)
EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM - for range (eg. for safari)

I'll also buy a few other bits and pieces like batteries, memory, bags and filters.


Given the budget I thought it best not to buy in the UK thanks to rip off Britain

Options I have considered are to buy in New York, Washington DC or Hong Kong.

It appears that both US locations have sales taxes. So far I think Hong Kong appears to be the best location to do my shopping.

Has anyone any comments, or better ideas for a location pls?

[tank slapper]

It's worth buying the body here as Canon's warranty isn't worldwide for them. It is with the lenses, so you can get them wherever.

[LotusJas]

tank slapper said:

It's worth buying the body here as Canon's warranty isn't worldwide for them. It is with the lenses, so you can get them wherever.

Thanks - good point! I'll do that

[cannedheat]

Even after 8% sales tax NY prices are still pretty damn good! There are ways to avoid it, I think...

[Andy M]

Buy the 5D here: http://www.bristolcameras.co.uk/p-canon-eos-5d-bod...

Or the 5D + 24-105L kit here: http://www.jacobsdigital.co.uk/index.php?target=pr... (minus £170 rebate)

For everything else contact Ian: kerso1123 at msn.com (eBay member 'kerso').

[190Evoluzione]

LotusJas said:

I will be buying a lot of camera kit soon
I plan to buy "advanced amateur" kit, and have budgeted to spend approximately £4k.
I am buying:
Canon 5D (or 5Dii)
Sigma 12-24mm F4-5.6 EX DG - mostly for buildings and indoors
EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM - for macro, portraits and lower light
EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM - walk around lens (moderate range eg. for zoos)
EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM - walk around lens (general)
EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM - for range (eg. for safari)
Has anyone any comments?

Can't advise on suppliers, but;
May I suggest revising your kit?

Canon 5D - Good camera, damn good
EF 16-35mm f2.8L II - for buildings and indoors
EF 50mm f1.4 USM - for life, in general
EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM - for macro, portraits and lower light
EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM - walk around lens (moderate range eg. for zoos)
EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM - walk around lens (general)
EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM - Hold off on buying this until you get used to the other kit, I bet you'll never need it. A used 300mm Prime or 1.4xTC for the 70-200 is a far better purchase

Just my 2p fella, but a 50mm f1.4 prime belongs in EVERY photog's bag. Failing that a 35mm f2, but Canon's effort sucks majorly (I should know...)
Good luck, happy shopping

Edited by 190Evoluzione on Sunday 14th October 21:49

[Luca Brazzi]

T4Cameras swindon - top guys

[VxDuncan]

Yup. I'd swap the 100-400 and 70-200 F4 for a 70-200 F2.8 and a couple of matched teleconverters. Will still give you 400mm F5.6 at the top end with IS, but you get a decent fast 70-200 for everyday use ;o)

[SCHOEY01]

try "the gadget shop" on ebay.

new lenses in greater manchster at REALLY cheap prices and 12 month warranty.

I've just bought:

24mm TS-E
50mm 1.4
135 ~F2.0 L

£1,184.37 with 6% discount for paying cash outside ebay ;-)

also try sending your list to EVERYONE and see what happens. i did this when i kitted my studio out and got some good prices back from: calumet, warehouse express, dale photographic.

good luck!

rick.

[JohnS]

Contact Ian Kerr (Kerso) on Ebay (http://stores.ebay.co.uk/FLASH-CAMERA) for great Canon lens prices. Work out similar to prices from HK, but without worries about import duty and VAT etc. Delivered within days of payment from within the UK.

[Wyvern971]

190Evoluzione said:

Can't advise on suppliers, but;
May I suggest revising your kit?

Canon 5D - Good camera, damn good
EF 16-35mm f2.8L II - for buildings and indoors
EF 50mm f1.4 USM - for life, in general
EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM - for macro, portraits and lower light
EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM - walk around lens (moderate range eg. for zoos)
EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM - walk around lens (general)
EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM - Hold off on buying this until you get used to the other kit, I bet you'll never need it. A used 300mm Prime or 1.4xTC for the 70-200 is a far better purchase

I've got;
5D
24-70 F2.8L
70-200 F2.8L IS
300 F4L IS

The 24-70 is a very good lens, and having had a play with a friends 24-105 F4L IS, I'd rather have the extra stop over the tiny amount of additional reach and IS. The 24-70 is heavier though by quite a bit.

I don't really know how good the 70-200 F4L IS is as I've never used one, but the 2.8 version is fantastic, and still works well with a 1.4 TC

The 300 F4L IS doesn't get used very often, in fact other than for taking track photos or wildlife I wouldn't bother, I doubt you'll use it much.

The 16-35 F2.8L II is next on my shopping list, although I am considering a Sigma 12-24 as well (That thing is very wide). The Sigma will be very hard pressed to use filters with (especially on a full frame camera like the 5D). The results to be had from this lens can be very good.

I somewhat regret giving my nifty fifty to my little sister, and am considering getting another, or possibly the F1.4 version. Definitely a great lens for hand held low light shots.

A couple of things you don't seem to have budgeted for, Monopod and Tripod & Cable release are all definitely worth having.

[SCHOEY01]

I've got the 70-200 F4 non IS

image quality is spot on BUT suffers from barreling a bit. check out the verticals in this:



great for shots with no straight lines:



got the 135 F2.0 now to avoid bendy looking walls :-)

[LotusJas]

AndyM, Schoey, John and Luca, thanks for the suggested sources and I will compare these to HK/NY prices. Good idea to send the list to suppliers and see what they can do.

190Evoluzione, I also considered the EF 16-35mm f2.8L II and was extremely tempted by this lens. However I concluded that the technically inferior Sigma 12-24 has so much extra range that it will allow me unique creative opportinites. I agree about the 50mm f1.4 and will get it if I find I need a faster lens.


VxDuncan, I have considered the alternative of the faster 70-200 and a couple of TCs. The reason I am not going for that lens to start with is its weight. When I used an SLR I used to leave my heavy lenses behind all too often.

In fact I am questioning whether I really need the 70-200 f4 at all.

Wyvern, I have handled the 24-70 and found it too heavy for a walk around lens. Otherwise I would have chosen it over the 24-105. The 70-200 f4 is again *much* lighter than the f2.8 version. I kept my tripod and some other bits from my old SLR kits some years ago

[JohnS]

Kerso will also give extra discount if you don't go through Ebay and don't use Paypal, as he doesn't have to pay the fees involved.

[Tracksport Dave]

JohnS said:

Kerso will also give extra discount if you don't go through Ebay and don't use Paypal, as he doesn't have to pay the fees involved.

Was across at Glenrothes this morning for a meeting. Wish I had known about Kerso and I could have nipped along to Buckhaven. I'm looking for 100mm F2.8 MACRO USM lense and see he has them for sale at £309.

[cannedheat]

Wyvern971 said:

I don't really know how good the 70-200 F4L IS is as I've never used one, but the 2.8 version is fantastic, and still works well with a 1.4 TC

The 70-200 F4 IS is an awesome lens, the one I have is great, very compact and sharp. It seems to be regarded by many as one of the best lenses Canon have ever produced, well going by the reviews on fredmiranda anyway...

[baz7175]

Not sure if it's already been mentioned but normally you can get around the state tax in the US if you buy the product in one state and have them ship it to another state (say to a relative or colleague out there) and then have them ship it to the UK (obviously then it's a gift from them too )

I've used this method various times since I moved from California in 2002 - I still get things delivered from the likes of NY to Cali and then have friends ship them to the UK for me as a gift...

[F308 MAN]

hi jas, is that you ?
have yer numbers come up, at last ?

i will also endorse the services of kerso .... he is as honest, courteous and as reliable as the day is long.
i would try him for all of your listing, but just be wary re the warranty available on the bodies.
i think the warranty on a canon body is only relevant in the country of source, whereas their lenses are covered world-wide.
(having used only canon for the past thirty odd years, i have never had any serious issues, so cannot confirm)
ian (kerso) enjoys homes in both the us and scotland, and is therefore able to import without "hurdles".

warehouse express are currently offerin' some good deals, and if you speak to the guys at photomart, they are always happy to trump any enquiry.

good luck with your search jas, and keep us posted .... at least you've made the most important decision in deciding not to go down the nikon road.

d

[LotusJas]

Schoey, thanks, good pics and I am surprised about the barrelling as I thought this lens does not suffer from it. Clearly it does!

John, I will contact Kerso for prices

Cannedheat, yes that is exactly why I am buying this lens. Otherwise it's one I could really have managed without given the others I am buying. The reviews suggest its sharpness is far beyond other zooms, and close to very good primes. I'd guess the 24-105 will not be as sharp.

Baz, thanks yes I had read this too.

[RobDickinson]

IF the UWA is for buildings get the TS-24 instead.