Thoughts on new lens on old camera

[jani3]

I have the old Canon T1i that I got when I was just getting into photography a few years ago. I am not a professional but I do love photography. I have been thinking about buying the new Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 for our upcoming WDW trip. Will that new lens and old camera handle the indoor/night shots enough so that I won't have much noise?

I've tried pushing the ISO beyond 1600 using a 50mm f1.8 and wasn't happy with the noise, even after trying to clean up the raw image. They were shots of the interior of an old church, in the middle of the day so lots of light was coming in from the windows up high.

So, will I need to fork over the money and get a better camera with higher ISO setting to get great shots with the Sigma 18-35?

I also thought about renting the lens and a camera (7D mark II) but after taxes and shipping, it comes out to around $400. If I use that $400 into purchasing my own lens, I'd be happier.

Second question -- what has been your ISO setting when using an f1.8 with your indoor shots? If it's <1600, I think I'll be ok with the new lens + old camera. Right?

Thoughts? Suggestions? TIA.

 

[mom2rtk]

I don't know if they have made improvements on that lens, but if you do buy it, make sure you buy from a place that takes returns. If you get a good copy you will love it. If you get a bad copy you will be racing to return it. I really looked forward to that lens last fall. The shots where it hit focus were beautiful. But it missed focus about a third of the time. I had never had that experience with a lens. Thankfully I bought from B&H and they took it back (actually after the 30 return window) in exchange toward my new 6D.

 

[jani3]

I don't know if they have made improvements on that lens, but if you do buy it, make sure you buy from a place that takes returns. If you get a good copy you will love it. If you get a bad copy you will be racing to return it. I really looked forward to that lens last fall. The shots where it hit focus were beautiful. But it missed focus about a third of the time. I had never had that experience with a lens. Thankfully I bought from B&H and they took it back (actually after the 30 return window) in exchange toward my new 6D.

I'll be buying from either B&H or Adorama. I wanted to buy it now so I can have about a month to play with it and exchange if needed. But I want to make sure it's even going to work well with my old camera first.

 

[havoc315]

I have the old Canon T1i that I got when I was just getting into photography a few years ago. I am not a professional but I do love photography. I have been thinking about buying the new Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 for our upcoming WDW trip. Will that new lens and old camera handle the indoor/night shots enough so that I won't have much noise?

I've tried pushing the ISO beyond 1600 using a 50mm f1.8 and wasn't happy with the noise, even after trying to clean up the raw image. They were shots of the interior of an old church, in the middle of the day so lots of light was coming in from the windows up high.

So, will I need to fork over the money and get a better camera with higher ISO setting to get great shots with the Sigma 18-35?

I also thought about renting the lens and a camera (7D mark II) but after taxes and shipping, it comes out to around $400. If I use that $400 into purchasing my own lens, I'd be happier.

Second question -- what has been your ISO setting when using an f1.8 with your indoor shots? If it's <1600, I think I'll be ok with the new lens + old camera. Right?

Thoughts? Suggestions? TIA.

A great lens will not improve ISO performance. If ISO 1600 is too noisy, then lens won't change that.

But putting a great lens on an older camera reaps other benefits. Your low ISO images will be sharper with the Sigma 18-35. Additionally, by using a 1.8 aperture, you can get away with a lower ISO than you would with the kit lens. So for example, if you are currently shooting with your kit lens, at 35mm and F4, at ISO 1600... With the Sigma 18-35, you can probably shoot at 35mm, F1.8, ISO 400. And get the same exposure.

So if you really need to shoot higher ISO, then you need to upgrade camera body. If you want to use a lens that lets you shoot lower ISO, and/or want a sharper lens in general, than you get great benefit from upgrading the lens.

 

[jani3]

A great lens will not improve ISO performance. If ISO 1600 is too noisy, then lens won't change that.

But putting a great lens on an older camera reaps other benefits. Your low ISO images will be sharper with the Sigma 18-35. Additionally, by using a 1.8 aperture, you can get away with a lower ISO than you would with the kit lens. So for example, if you are currently shooting with your kit lens, at 35mm and F4, at ISO 1600... With the Sigma 18-35, you can probably shoot at 35mm, F1.8, ISO 400. And get the same exposure.

So if you really need to shoot higher ISO, then you need to upgrade camera body. If you want to use a lens that lets you shoot lower ISO, and/or want a sharper lens in general, than you get great benefit from upgrading the lens.

That's exactly what I'm thinking. The more I look at that lens and newer camera body, the more I want them. This hobby is expensive.

 

[havoc315]

That's exactly what I'm thinking. The more I look at that lens and newer camera body, the more I want them. This hobby is expensive.

You aint seen nothing yet... If you ever get into full frame, where the lenses tend to cost much more (while there are great crop lenses for $300-$750... great ff lenses really start at around $500 and easily go to $2000-$3000+)... And lighting equipment... and editing software...

I do some professional work on the side, just to justify my "hobby."

 

[jani3]

You aint seen nothing yet... If you ever get into full frame, where the lenses tend to cost much more (while there are great crop lenses for $300-$750... great ff lenses really start at around $500 and easily go to $2000-$3000+)... And lighting equipment... and editing software...

I do some professional work on the side, just to justify my "hobby."

Oh yeah, I've seen them and drooled over them.

 

[kidneymomma]

I have that same camera and we're going to Disney in Feb. There's is no way that camera will be in my camera bag on our trip it just plain sucks in low light.

I'm considering several

CROP sensors:
T6s
7d mark ii

Full frame
6 d
5 mark ii

I'm looking at refurbished. At a local camera store where you can trade in your old equipment I currently found a deal where a refurb 6d & 5d mark ii are only $50 in price.

 

[havoc315]

I have that same camera and we're going to Disney in Feb. There's is no way that camera will be in my camera bag on our trip it just plain sucks in low light.

I'm considering several

CROP sensors:
T6s
7d mark ii

Full frame
6 d
5 mark ii

I'm looking at refurbished. At a local camera store where you can trade in your old equipment I currently found a deal where a refurb 6d & 5d mark ii are only $50 in price.

I'd skip the 5dii. It's really an older generation of sensor technology. While the camera does carry advantages in terms of pro build quality, it won't approach the newer cameras in image quality and some of the newer features.

The 6d "wins" for low light performance. Downside being a need to get new lenses and full frame lenses usually aren't cheap.

The 7dii has good low light performance for a crop camera and has a ton of bells and whistles. It has the best AF system among Canon crop cameras (and better than the 6d). Iirc, it shoots 11fps -- much higher frame rate than any Canon short of the 1d series. The camera may be overkill for some users-- it's really a pro level sports and wildlife camera.

The t6s is a very good enthusiast/mid level crop camera. For casual shooting, it has a lot of strengths over the 7dii. Much smaller, flip out screen. It's actually higher resolution than the 7dii, with about the same image quality. Lacks some of the pro grade features though.
The "problem" with the t6s is that it faces a lot of competition from mirrorless cameras that can do the same things but better. (Faster AF, even smaller package, same or better image quality, larger 100% EVF vs smaller 95% ovf). But for someone who doesn't want to spend the price of full frame, who owns Canon lenses they want to continue using, and/or have an attachment to traditional dslrs, the t6s is really a very very solid choice.

 

[bob100]

I have the old Canon T1i that I got when I was just getting into photography a few years ago. I am not a professional but I do love photography. I have been thinking about buying the new Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 for our upcoming WDW trip. Will that new lens and old camera handle the indoor/night shots enough so that I won't have much noise?

I've tried pushing the ISO beyond 1600 using a 50mm f1.8 and wasn't happy with the noise, even after trying to clean up the raw image. They were shots of the interior of an old church, in the middle of the day so lots of light was coming in from the windows up high.

So, will I need to fork over the money and get a better camera with higher ISO setting to get great shots with the Sigma 18-35?

I also thought about renting the lens and a camera (7D mark II) but after taxes and shipping, it comes out to around $400. If I use that $400 into purchasing my own lens, I'd be happier.

Second question -- what has been your ISO setting when using an f1.8 with your indoor shots? If it's <1600, I think I'll be ok with the new lens + old camera. Right?

Thoughts? Suggestions? TIA.

my thoughts - if "noise" bothers you get Neat Image www.neatimage.com/

I easily go to ISO 6400 on that same 18 megapixel sensor !

smithsonian by c w, on Flickr

Untitled by c w, on Flickr



.

heck, why stop at 6400

go to ISO 12,800 !!

Untitled by c w, on Flickr