# First trials with the amazing 7D



## K3nt (Mar 8, 2011)

First day playing around with the 7D and the 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens. Nothing more than RAW to JPEG conversion done. The RAW image looks so much better. Suggestions and comments appreciated. (Dog is a 5 year old Great Pyrenean).



bythetree by K3ntFIN, on Flickr[/img]


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## K3nt (Mar 8, 2011)

Here I was sitting in my living room going through the settings of the camera when my dog decided I should play with her instead. Modifications done: Crop and RAW to JPEG conversion.
Comments appreciated.



playwithme by K3ntFIN, on Flickr


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## gbaturin (Mar 8, 2011)

Nice photos. The 7D is indeed a brilliant APS-C camera. But the 18-135... Well, let's just say I was happy myself when I bought a 50D with an 18-200 a couple of years ago, but now I fell like crying because I didn't get the 24-105 instead :'(


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## FatDaddyJones (Mar 8, 2011)

The amazing 7D deserves an L lens or something like the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM. I got mine with the 18-135 and I absolutely despise the lens. Maybe it's just my copy... I doubt it... but the IQ is terrible. Vignetting is terrible. CA is terrible. Lens creep... (guess) terrible. The AF/MF switch is hard to change. Even the little silver ring around the lens is peeling off. 

The 7D really is an amazing piece of technology. But to use it to it's full potential, you'll need better glass.


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## kubelik (Mar 8, 2011)

glad you're having fun with a wonderful camera, congrats on the purchase! I'm going to go against the grain and say shoot for a while with your kit lens, until you know where you think you want to take your photography next.

besides, if you can learn to shoot excellent photos with a kit lens, you can pretty much shoot excellent photos with anything.


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## Admin US West (Mar 8, 2011)

Excellent first photos. 

A good photographer can take excellent photos with any Canon EF lens unless its broken or defective.


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## bvukich (Mar 8, 2011)

To expand on what kubelik and scalesusa said, hold on to that kit lens for a little bit. Practice, learn the camera, and the craft as a whole. On that journey you will also learn what you need in a lens to fulfill your goals.

It's real easy to say the 18-135 is less than the perfect lens, but a lot harder to say what is the perfect lens for you. Everyone is quick to spit out an opinion; and yes, the guidance you receive can be valuable; but it's ultimately up to you to determine what is best.


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## bvukich (Mar 8, 2011)

P.S., Congrats on the camera, and that's a beautiful dog you have.


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## K3nt (Mar 9, 2011)

I really enjoy the 7D, just wish I'd thrown out the SuperZoom compacts earlier.. 
I now have the EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens and currently waiting for the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM II to arrive.
I think that together with my kit lens, these three will tide me over for quite a while.
I'll post some more pics later today that I took with the 50mm lens and the 430EX II flash unit. 
That flash unit is...well... WOW.... is the only word I can think of to describe. Never did I think it would make such a difference.
More to come.


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## K3nt (Mar 9, 2011)

PS. bvukich: Yes, I think she's beautiful too.  She's very easy to photograph as she has the patience to actually be still. Which the two other ones don't really do...


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## K3nt (Mar 14, 2011)

If you don't mind the extra work, please, go take a look at my photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/k3ntfin/


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## bycostello (Jun 27, 2011)

nice, was thinking of getting a 7d aas my 2nd shooter camera.


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## Peter Canon (Jun 27, 2011)

I started to read this forum and was waiting for the new 7D. Then after a few weeks of following I realized why wait, when I could be taking photos now. 

I didn't get the kit lens and got the EF28mm f/1.8 USM. So far the pictures look great. 
I can get great photos of my 1 month old baby without needing a flash, which is just what I wanted.


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## awinphoto (Jun 27, 2011)

I wouldn't look down too much on the kit lens you have... the MTF charts on this lens appears to be nearly as good if not better than L lenses at this range, however, other factors such as construction/sealing/durability tip the scales in the L lenses favor. You've got a nice piece of equipment and heads and shoulders better than its original 28-135 lens. Learn your gear. I heard one seasoned pro say that when he gets new lenses, he would play non stop with that lens/camera for 6 months to a year (minus other photoshoots that may need other equipment) so that when he was done with that period he was confident he knew everything about that gear so when situations popped up in which he needed to use that gear, he would know not only what f-stops worked best for what he wanted to produce, but where was the sweet spot in the lens, in what conditions the gear worked best so he can get the best shots when he wanted it. This is a lost art now-a-days where people dont get as intimate with their equipment and dont learn it good enough, and when they get missed shots, they blame the gear, not themselves.


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## K3nt (Jun 29, 2011)

Well, I have now played around with the gear for a while and I think I'm getting to grips with how the whole thing works. The CA on the 18-135mm lens *is* bad, but luckily can mostly be corrected in post-processing. 
I did get myself a 50mm f/1.4 prime and the absolutely MAGNIFICENT 70-200mm L IS USM mk II lens. That thing is what is mostly attached these days.
One thing though for people doing long shoots with this lens, get a Black Rapids R-Strap or Sun-Sniper one. My neck and shoulders were killing me after a day at a dog show with the standard 'Steal Me'-strap. Now with the shoulder strap, the camera is instantly available, protected a bit better and no pains.


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