Which Digital SLR?

[fozzi]

I'm looking to buy a Digital SLR camera for taking action/motorsport pictures and need some advice on which camera and lenses would be good for an SLR novice looking to learn fast.

I'd like to stick to an initial budget of £1,200 max, so the Canon EOS 30D seems like a decent candidate.

Please can someone give me some advice of this or a similar camera, and on which lenses I'd need?

Thanks in advance,
David.

Edited by fozzi on Monday 19th March 20:51

[RobDickinson]

Ya the 30D is prolly a good option. Canon are better fotr motorsports than nikon usualy, 30d is better than the 400d for sure for this.

Try get a 70-200f2.8 lens, sigma makes one for 400, canon for a fair bit more without IS or even more with.

30D + sigma 70-200f2.8 + sundreis should come in your budget.

[poah]

from camerapricebuster.co.uk


400d + 18-55 £465 or
Tamron 28-75mm f2.8 XR Di £240
sigma 70-200 £619
4 gig CF card £40

or

30D body only £660
canon 18-55 off ebay for £50
canon 70-200 f4 £430
4gig cf card £40

Edited by poah on Monday 19th March 21:42

[monkeyhanger]

Hang on a few weeks before you pull the trigger on a 30D.

Canon Germany have just announced some cash back deals on the 5D/30D and 400D as part of the 20th Anniversary of the EOS range.

Canon UK may well do something similar

[gf350]

The 30d is the one to go for for motorsports. I've got a 30d and a 350d and the 350d is too small with a big lens attached and isn't fast enough, I'm guessing the 400d is the same.
Lens wise the one you want is the Canon 100-400mm IS L.
It's a great all rounder for motorsports and it has very fast focusing, obviously this lens will blow all your budget and more on its own but they can be found secondhand.
Most of the photographers at the tracks even some pro's will be using this lens.
I've just ordered a 1d mk3 so I'll have a 6 month old, mint conditioned, boxed 30d with very little use to sell soon if your interested.
Gareth.

Edited by gf350 on Tuesday 20th March 07:46

[fozzi]

gf350 said:

The 30d is the one to go for for motorsports. I've got a 30d and a 350d and the 350d is too small with a big lens attached and isn't fast enough, I'm guessing the 400d is the same.
Lens wise the one you want is the Canon 100-400mm IS L.
It's a great all rounder for motorsports and it has very fast focusing, obviously this lens will blow all your budget and more on its own but they can be found secondhand.
Most of the photographers at the tracks even some pro's will be using this lens.
I've just ordered a 1d mk3 so I'll have a 6 month old, mint conditioned, boxed 30d with very little use to sell soon if your interested.
Gareth.

Indeed, that does sound interesting!!!!

Whereabouts in the South East are you?.... I'm in Sevenoaks!


ps. Cheers to everyone else for their advice!!!

[sidaorb]

Ok heres my tuppence worth (and prepares for the fall-out)

Save yourself a bit of money and get a s/h 10d c/w battery grip (really improves balance with a long lens). Built like a brick shouse.

Or wait a few months a see the price of a s/h 1D MKII when the MKIII is launched and that is the ultimate motorsport camera.

Then spend the rest on a decent bit of Canon L glass 70-200 F2.8 or similar, I have the Sigma 70-200 F2.8 and that is a good choice too.

Carl

[fozzi]

Sounds good apart from the bit about wait a few months!

[monkeyhanger]

sidaorb said:

Ok heres my tuppence worth (and prepares for the fall-out)

Save yourself a bit of money and get a s/h 10d c/w battery grip (really improves balance with a long lens). Built like a brick shouse.

Or wait a few months a see the price of a s/h 1D MKII when the MKIII is launched and that is the ultimate motorsport camera.

Then spend the rest on a decent bit of Canon L glass 70-200 F2.8 or similar, I have the Sigma 70-200 F2.8 and that is a good choice too.

Carl

Hmm...the 10D is a fine piece of kit, but if we're looking at used kit then a 20D would be a much better choice, particularly for motorsports.

[TonyHetherington]

Gareth's 30D is the way forward. Opportunities like that don't come around very often. I bought his 20D from him a little while ago; fair price, at the right time, and it worked out perfectly for me.

[gf350]

TonyHetherington said:

Gareth's 30D is the way forward. Opportunities like that don't come around very often. I bought his 20D from him a little while ago; fair price, at the right time, and it worked out perfectly for me.

Cheers Tony,
I've just spotted your website, the pictures are really good, are they all with the canon?

Gareth.

[TonyHetherington]

Thanks

Yup every single one is with the 20D. Thing is, the pictures span right from my very first shots with it through to recent so there are some paps on there, but some I'm very proud of too! As I build a better portfolio, the poor ones will get taken off.

Thanks for looking!
Tony