tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post2434504936748006092..comments2023-07-02T09:22:57.566-05:00Comments on Confessions of a Train Geek: Choosing a New LensCanadian Train Geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-80670104843238086622015-11-16T18:29:59.165-06:002015-11-16T18:29:59.165-06:00Good to know, Chris - thanks for the recommendatio...Good to know, Chris - thanks for the recommendation/confirmation!Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-87412342514449987912015-11-16T17:23:40.175-06:002015-11-16T17:23:40.175-06:00The Canon 17-55mm f2.8 works well. We have used th...The Canon 17-55mm f2.8 works well. We have used that model many times on various assignments with great success.Chris BIGDoer Doeringhttp://www.bigdoer.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-74465032593976240222015-11-15T21:50:26.307-06:002015-11-15T21:50:26.307-06:00Hi DaveM my plan is to get the Canon 17-55mm. I ha...Hi DaveM my plan is to get the Canon 17-55mm. I have too many misgivings about the Sigma. I'm just waiting for a better sale and/or more income. :)Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-74434935297341076812015-11-15T21:49:19.946-06:002015-11-15T21:49:19.946-06:00Thanks Brian for your comments on the latest mirro...Thanks Brian for your comments on the latest mirrorless cameras. I guess one would have to try the cameras to really see how the focus performance is.<br /><br />Gear obsolescence is always a problem. Hopefully you can find someone to buy your old lenses at a reasonable recovery.Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-49304047392312809622015-11-13T21:57:23.538-06:002015-11-13T21:57:23.538-06:00So what was the final decision?
DaveMSo what was the final decision?<br /><br />DaveMDaveMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14058463713656836821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-33704255331785634692015-11-09T08:23:19.666-06:002015-11-09T08:23:19.666-06:00Good Morning Steve. The Olympus mirrorless body I...Good Morning Steve. The Olympus mirrorless body I would need to buy so that I could use my current lenses apparently focuses faster than the E-5 slr; and the E-5 was noted for very good focusing performance. I think the focus speed of mirrorless cameras is now much better than it was when they were first introduced. My problem is that my lenses are Four Thirds mount. They will work fine on a Micro Four Thirds mount (with an adapter) but I would loose the benefit of the smaller gear size which is the big draw of mirrorless for me. And because Olympus has shifted all their efforts to m4:3 and discontinued the original 4:3 system there is no residual value in my old lenses to help pay for new stuff. Oh well; such is life.Brian Smallnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-82005568979425226122015-11-09T08:05:49.397-06:002015-11-09T08:05:49.397-06:00Hi Brian, I would definitely be tempted by a mirro...Hi Brian, I would definitely be tempted by a mirrorless camera these days. I'll be writing a post about them in the next month or two. My only concern about mirrorless cameras is focus speed - right now they are slow to focus and that's not good for train watching, sports, etc. Otherwise they have a <b>lot</b> of advantages and if I were buying a camera from scratch, with no legacy lenses, I'd really consider a mirrorless camera.Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-61447642210427637372015-11-09T08:04:03.999-06:002015-11-09T08:04:03.999-06:00HI DaveM, great suggestion on the 11-16 lens. I do...HI DaveM, great suggestion on the 11-16 lens. I do intend to get a true wide angle lens at some point but first I want to get a sharp mid range lens. I only have so much of a budget! :)<br /><br />Fisheyes to me belong in the same class as Lensbabies, tilt-shift lenses and so forth... novelty lenses that create a neat effect but not very useful in everyday use.<br /><br />I am tempted to rent the lenses. It's a bit annoying here in Winnipeg because there aren't a lot of places to rent them from, and they're not convenient to my location, but I should consider that.<br /><br />My 70-200mm f/4 lens is heavy enough! I considered the f/2.8 very briefly but the price and the weight both scared me off.<br /><br />Primes have their use, for sure, and they are very inexpensive for their quality. It just doesn't fit my need for a walkabout lens.Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-54513729354954546812015-11-08T21:17:56.724-06:002015-11-08T21:17:56.724-06:00I'm in the market for a new camera body to rep...I'm in the market for a new camera body to replace my trusty Olympus E-3 which is on the fritz and not worth repairing. I'll probably end up with an E-5 (probably the last Olympus slr) but those newfangled mirror-less units sure are tempting.Brian Smallnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-9348069175751264022015-11-08T21:12:19.050-06:002015-11-08T21:12:19.050-06:00Hi Steve,
If I was to make a suggestion, I'd ...Hi Steve,<br /><br />If I was to make a suggestion, I'd go for two lenses, not one. :) I know this violates your specs, but I think would give you better results.<br /><br />When I travel, I always bring my 11-16 f/2.8 lens with me. It is great for shots within the station, shots on a platform, or when you are close to the track. I would then pickup the Canon 24-70 f/2.8 to cover the rest of the range. Everything I've read about the 24-70 seems very positive (except the price).<br /><br />I would stay away from any impulses you have for a fisheye. I have a 8.5mm fisheye, but have only used it a couple of times for rail images, and those were mostly of interior shots within cars (sleeper compartments, etc), and wouldn't recommend buying one.<br /><br />What might be a good idea is to rent the lenses for a day or two before purchasing it to really put it through its paces. I picked up a 70-200 f/2.8 zoom lens, but didn't try it out before i bought it. I then realized that a 1.5kg lens isn't that comfortable to lug around. :)<br /><br />BTW: Don't be too down on your prime lenses. I typically pull out my 35mm f/1.8 when shooting trains at night. The extra stops help me keep my ISO lower since I need a decent shutter speed.<br /><br />DaveMDaveMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14058463713656836821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-62123402285517167542015-11-08T21:11:21.554-06:002015-11-08T21:11:21.554-06:00This comment has been removed by the author.DaveMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14058463713656836821noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-64982852801105158362015-11-08T18:38:20.682-06:002015-11-08T18:38:20.682-06:00Thanks Sean for your comment. Lightroom does a pre...Thanks Sean for your comment. Lightroom does a pretty good job of correcting for lens distortion but it's better to not have it in the first place. :) If I didn't already have a great 70-200mm lens I would consider the 18-250.Canadian Train Geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05525092107895665275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18600515.post-43407669928754943692015-11-08T16:16:11.664-06:002015-11-08T16:16:11.664-06:00+! for the Sigma lens. I've had the 17-70 on...+! for the Sigma lens. I've had the 17-70 on my Wish List for a couple years now. For now I've settled for a Sigma 18-250. It's not amazing in any focal length, but it's better than the Kit lens I had at 18-55, and it's quite flexible up to 250mm. The catch to such a wide focal range is you'll have to correct the lens distortion if you intend on using the photo for anything.Sean Rogowskyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04896041663044571019noreply@blogger.com