Any Canon photographers here ?

[Peripatetic Phil]

My wife is off to Tokyo in a couple of weeks, and I have the EOS 40D in England (she is in Abu Dhabi).  She wants a camera for the trip, and we can't afford an EOS 5D Mk III, which would be the camera of choice.  Should she (a) buy an EOS 7D, which will make a serious hole in in our 5D budget but which will nonetheless be a good step up from the 40D, (b) buy a cheapo point-and-shoot (

[goncalo]

Can't offer any advice as I'm quite clueless when it comes to photographic/video material, but wanted to say the EOS 5 mk3 is on my list and comes to show it's an incredibly sought after camera. I understand you are looking to solve a current problem, but why not save for the one you want (or even try to buy it in tokyo? although japan is somewhat expensive)

[Peripatetic Phil]

Can't offer any advice as I'm quite clueless when it comes to photographic/video material, but wanted to say the EOS 5 mk3 is on my list and comes to show it's an incredibly sought after camera. I understand you are looking to solve a current problem, but why not save for the one you want (or even try to buy it in tokyo? although japan is somewhat expensive)

I would indeed prefer to save for the 5D, but having "stolen" our 40D I do feel an obligation to ensure that LK has a camera for use in Tokyo, and unless one of her colleagues pays a flying visit to the UK in the next week and can take it back with him/her to Abu Dhabi, it is almost certain that LK will want to buy a camera, either before she leaves Abu Dhabi or when she arrives in Japan ...  So, should I encourage her to make do with an

[goncalo]

That's the million dollar question. If it's a matter of opinion, or WWCD, I would get the el cheapo "to get through" (and the el cheapo is generally the one you don't need as the average cellphone beats them now) and save for the proper one. :-)

[Peripatetic Phil]

That's the million dollar question. If it's a matter of opinion, or WWCD, I would get the el cheapo "to get through" (and the el cheapo is generally the one you don't need as the average cellphone beats them now) and save for the proper one. :-)

Ah, now she /has/ one of those modern all-singing, all-dancing HTC cellphones; why didn't I think of that ?!  Thanks, Goncalo :  let's see if that will suffice for this trip

** Phil (two monochrome cellphones, a Motorola Timeport and a Nokia 8310e !).

[goncalo]

These videos about iceland fascinate me, recorded with the mkIII
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adNuFv_AXyQ

[Peripatetic Phil]

You may also enjoy this collection of stills, also taken on a 5D but in this case a Mk II.  The photographer is a Swiss hobby photographer who enjoys world travel.  Lenses were 16-35 f/2.8 II, 70-200mm f/4 L IS and the 50mm f/1.4.

** Phil.

[Gav Iscon]

I recently bought a 60D and now wish I'd paid the extra and got a 7D. My mates just bought one and for a semi-pro camera its excellent, although the file sizes are massive  ;D.
I got mine from http://www.hdewcameras.co.uk/ who offer a 3 year warranty. Grey imports are only guaranteed for 1 year. Mine is covered for one year manufacturers and then 2 years by hdew cameras who send it to a Canon service centre for repairs. My Sigma lens bought of Amazon uk actually came from Germany and the same thing applied, one years manufacturing warranty unless I sent it back to where it came from. The motor in it did break after a month so its already been back.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I recently bought a 60D and now wish I'd paid the extra and got a 7D. My mates just bought one and for a semi-pro camera its excellent, although the file sizes are massive  ;D.

A friend who had just retired as a professional photographer has sold all of his Canon pro kit (twin 5Ds, etc) and bought instead a 60D, with which he is extremely pleased.  Because he makes considerable use of live-view, the positionable LCD panel was the selling point for him.  Grey imports and warranties are indeed a nightmare, through which I have gone painfully too many times to really want to repeat the exercise yet again.  But there is now hope :  LK suggests I fly out to Tokyo to join her, in which case I can take the 40D with me, come back without it, and then buy a white-import 7D in the UK (assuming, that is, that we don't hold fire and keep saving for the 5D Mk III).  I am also going to sell the whole of my Olympus analogue kit on Ebay (OM4Ti, 300mm/f4.5, 55mm/f1.2, F280 flash, varimagnifier, motor drive, etc) to raise funds for the 5D ...

** Phil.

[Salvador Dhali]

As a self-confessed camera nut since the age of 15 (albeit a Nikon man. Currently a D700 and D300s) I fully appreciate your dilemma, Phil.

But after years of taking pictures, I've learnt that the most important thing a photographer needs on a trip (or, in fact, anywhere), is a camera of some sort. It really doesn't matter what it is.

Interesting article on the subject here:

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/notcamera.htm

Worth a browse around this guy's site, as he's got a wealth of information and kit reviews on there.