Body Upgrade & Lens Decision Help

[Fr0dders]

Hi Guys

I Currently have a Canon EOS 40D and am looking to upgrade. Based upon what I can afford, I'm going for an EOS70D.

However my EOS40D has a canon EF-S 17-85mm which is playing up. The manual focus works fine, however auto focus often results in the focus attempting to "hunt" where it goes off into the distance, then back again, before giving up.

its a known issue and i've been quoted at least 100 to sort it. However, looking on ebay its easily possible to buy a good quality second hand lens for that much.

I had planned to buy the 70D body only, and get the lens fixed. But now I'm not so sure.

I'm wondering whether it would be better go buy the 70D with the 18-135mm STM lens. This costs about 300 new, but costs an extra 170 when buying the camera. Cheapest new one I can find on ebay is over 200 so definitely a good buy.

So my choices are

1) Sell the 17-85 as "spares and repairs" and let somebody else try and fix it and then buy the 70D with the 18-135mm lens

2) Fix the 17-85 and use it on the 70D.

3) Sell the 17-85 as "spares and repairs" and buy something Else. Bearing in mind I've already got a Canon 50mm, i need a good basic zoom but not sure what else is affordable given the only other kit I can see is with the 18-55mm kit lens.

I've been thinking this over for weeks and i'm just going round in circles. Help please !

 

[Vertigo]

Don't think the 18-135 would do the 70D justice. For circa £300 you can pick up a good used 15-85 and that would be my choice in your situation.

 

[Fr0dders]

cheapest used one on ebay is 350 buy it now.

Theres one going for auction, but it's passed 250 already with 2 days to go so I can easily see them passing 300 by the time it ends.
I'll watch it and see how much it goes for. There's another there for auction, but its got a starting bid of 345 and hasn't had any bids with 2 hours left, so 350 seems about top whack at auction for one.

Is the 15-85 that much better ?

I don't necessarily have to have a canon lens. Anything else worth looking at from Tamrom or Sigma for this money ?

 

[Phal]

Don't think the 18-135 would do the 70D justice. For circa £300 you can pick up a good used 15-85 and that would be my choice in your situation.

The 18-135 STM is pretty good so it's fine for the 70d as a first/kit lens. You can wait a little while perhaps and get the new 15-85mm that may or may not be coming out this month.

 

[Vertigo]

cheapest used one on ebay is 350 buy it now.

Theres one going for auction, but it's passed 250 already with 2 days to go so I can easily see them passing 300 by the time it ends.
I'll watch it and see how much it goes for. There's another there for auction, but its got a starting bid of 345 and hasn't had any bids with 2 hours left, so 350 seems about top whack at auction for one.

Sold mine a few weeks ago for £320

Is the 15-85 that much better ?

The 15-85 is very good indeed. The 18-135 isn't a bad lens at all, just it won't be quite as good as the 15-85

The 18-135 STM is pretty good so it's fine for the 70d as a first/kit lens. You can wait a little while perhaps and get the new 15-85mm that may or may not be coming out this month.

Is the new 15-85 a replacement though or a lower-cost alternative? Can't see them replacing the existing USM model with the STM.

 

[Phal]

Sold mine a few weeks ago for £320



The 15-85 is very good indeed. The 18-135 isn't a bad lens at all, just it won't be quite as good as the 15-85



Is the new 15-85 a replacement though or a lower-cost alternative? Can't see them replacing the existing USM model with the STM.

Pretty sure they said it wouldn't be STM but I think it's a new kit option for the 7d mk2 - http://www.canonrumors.com/2014/09/a-rundown-of-canon-at-photokina/

Since it's not STM then I'm not entirely sure it's any different to the current 15-85... It's probably just the same lol. Also, it's not official yet so it could just be wrong

 

[Vertigo]

Hmm, maybe they just mean the existing 15-85 but that it'll be offered as a kit lens with the 7D2. Can't see them replacing it this soon.

 

[Phal]

Hmm, maybe they just mean the existing 15-85 but that it'll be offered as a kit lens with the 7D2. Can't see them replacing it this soon.

Quite possibly. Not sure if it's ever been offered as a kit option with any other bodies though which is why it stood out to me.

Either way, I'll probably be getting the 7d2 but I doubt I'll get a kit lens with it :E

 

[Vertigo]

Quite possibly. Not sure if it's ever been offered as a kit option with any other bodies though which is why it stood out to me.

Either way, I'll probably be getting the 7d2 but I doubt I'll get a kit lens with it :E

Haha, well what's the point when the 200-400 will be bolted to it permanently?

 

[Fr0dders]

Hmm, maybe they just mean the existing 15-85 but that it'll be offered as a kit lens with the 7D2. Can't see them replacing it this soon.

I read that as meaning it comes with the existing lens.

Don't think that's an indication a new one is coming.

The 15-85 is a good 150 pound more over the kit lens. (the 18-135mm is 170 more when buying with the camera) That's money I could put towards better lenses next year.

 

[Janesy B]

If you want good pictures get a good lens, why are you actually upgrading body?

 

[Phal]

Haha, well what's the point when the 200-400 will be bolted to it permanently?

I read that as meaning it comes with the existing lens.

Don't think that's an indication a new one is coming.

The 15-85 is a good 150 pound more over the kit lens. (the 18-135mm is 170 more when buying with the camera) That's money I could put towards better lenses next year.

Na it's not on there permanently Just a lot of the time lol

I had the 18-135mm STM as my kit lens with the 650d I had originally and it was alright but looking back I think the 15-85 would have been a better kit lens really as it's more versatile.

 

[Fr0dders]

If you want good pictures get a good lens, why are you actually upgrading body?

specifically want one that does video.

I've previously had both a camcorder and the 40D and lugging both around together on holiday is too much of a hassle Plus it means you've got two devices to keep charged, two sets of batteries to carry around etc... The fact the 70D has continuous auto focus should mean its more than capable as a video camera for family holidays. I'm well aware of the drawbacks of SLRs as a video camera vs dedicated devices. But the compromise is worth making for the sake of convenience. I've tried it the other way round last holiday, and aren't interested in doing it again.

Plus it means I get a shiny new camera with built in Wifi I'm not under any illusion that upgrading from 40D to a 70D is going to suddenly let me take better photos.

Na it's not on there permanently Just a lot of the time lol

I had the 18-135mm STM as my kit lens with the 650d I had originally and it was alright but looking back I think the 15-85 would have been a better kit lens really as it's more versatile.

Is it worth trying to fix / replace the 17-85 I've got already or ?

 

[Vertigo]

The 70D is currently by far the best Canon DSLR for video because of the dual-pixel sensor tech so that's a very good reason to upgrade. The 7D2 is going to get this tech too but will likely be far more expensive (like 2-3 times the price at launch!).

If video is your primary concern then the 18-135 may serve you very well as video obviously places less demand on the lens performance & resolution than do stills.

If you can get the 17-85 fixed for under £100 then it may be worth doing.

 

[Fr0dders]

I contacted canon's UK repair agent who gave me the following

"The issue is either down to a faulty aperture unit, or USM. Depending on which part is at fault, you are likely to be looking at £105 plus VAT and postage, or £150 plus VAT and postage"

If it is the USM that's faulty - thats 180 Plus postage. Not worth it when considering the value of a used one.

Symptoms are that the auto focus doesn't usually work. It will "hunt" going backwards and forwards in focal lengths before giving up and settling on something, that something usually being wrong.

Works fine in manual focus however. But annoying when you're trying to take photos of fast moving stuff and actually want the auto focus.

 

[Janesy B]

70D makes perfect sense in that case and an STM lens will be well suited to that so yeah, get the bundle and add a decent prime lens in the future.

 

[Phal]

The 70D is currently by far the best Canon DSLR for video because of the dual-pixel sensor tech so that's a very good reason to upgrade. The 7D2 is going to get this tech too but will likely be far more expensive (like 2-3 times the price at launch!).

If video is your primary concern then the 18-135 may serve you very well as video obviously places less demand on the lens performance & resolution than do stills.

If you can get the 17-85 fixed for under £100 then it may be worth doing.

The 7d2 won't be quite as handy for video if the rumours are true due to the lack of touchscreen

 

[Vertigo]

The 7d2 won't be quite as handy for video if the rumours are true due to the lack of touchscreen

That's true actually. Whilst I won't be in the market for the 7D2 (or indeed any other crop camera again), I will be interested to see what the sensor is like in it as there have been rumours of some kind of new tech.

 

[Phal]

Yeah I'm curious too I get the impression it'll be my next camera but I'd miss the touchscreen

An upgrade would either be the 7d2 or a 1dx but neither are cheap and neither have a touchscreen so meh!