I've been shooting with a Rebel XT since it first came on the market. Last year I was ready for a major upgrade to my system and decided to invest in good glass instead of a new body. I bought the Canon 24-105 f/4L and will never be able to buy anything other than L glass ever again.
Now I want to upgrade my camera body. The Canon 50D is very appealing, but the 5D Mk I is a serious contender also even though it is at the extreme edge of my budget. I'll have to spend a lot of political capital with my family CFO to make that purchase.
Reviews I've read on the 50D are all over the board. The review at DPReview says it's Highly Recommended, but barely because the image quality is not that much better than the 40D. However, the feature set on the 50D is awesome:
The 5D Mk I is a classic that still gives incredible image results largely due to its full frame sensor. Despite the fact that it is old technology, the 5D Mk I is a solid camera capable of spectacular images.
I'm still figuring out my photographic niche and my subject matter is all over the board: portraits, sports, landscapes, and a lot of kid pictures. I need a body that is versatile.
Just to complicate matters, I also have a Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6 EX DG HSM that won't work on the 5D. I could still use it on the Rebel XT, but it would be stuck there. I also have the Canon 50 f/1.8 II, but that works on either EF or EF-S mounts.
Which camera would you recommend?
Now I want to upgrade my camera body. The Canon 50D is very appealing, but the 5D Mk I is a serious contender also even though it is at the extreme edge of my budget. I'll have to spend a lot of political capital with my family CFO to make that purchase.
Reviews I've read on the 50D are all over the board. The review at DPReview says it's Highly Recommended, but barely because the image quality is not that much better than the 40D. However, the feature set on the 50D is awesome:
- 15.1 MP
- Digic4 processor
- 3 inch screen
- LiveView mode
- Integrated sensor cleaning
- Burst up to 16 RAW images @ 6.5 to 3 fps
- High ISO sensitivity
The 5D Mk I is a classic that still gives incredible image results largely due to its full frame sensor. Despite the fact that it is old technology, the 5D Mk I is a solid camera capable of spectacular images.
I'm still figuring out my photographic niche and my subject matter is all over the board: portraits, sports, landscapes, and a lot of kid pictures. I need a body that is versatile.
Just to complicate matters, I also have a Sigma 10-20 f/4-5.6 EX DG HSM that won't work on the 5D. I could still use it on the Rebel XT, but it would be stuck there. I also have the Canon 50 f/1.8 II, but that works on either EF or EF-S mounts.
Which camera would you recommend?
10 comments:
I just upgraded to the 50D from the 30D - here are some handheld shots I took indoors, largely at high ISO, with flash.
5D. Yes there are major improvements between the 50D & the Xt, but they're at the margin: low ISO will help you in low light, but most images will still be taken in reasonable light levels. Pixel count will help when you want to print a 4 foot by 6 foot image, but 99% of the time you'll be seeing them at 1440x900px. Etc.
But the full-frame sensor of the 5D is NOT a marginal difference. Suddenly you have a f/1.8 normal lens. And an actual wide-angle lens in that 24-105.
If you want to see a difference in your pictures, go with the 5D.
The 50D has made a difference in my photos coming from the 30D - better low-ISO tonality, and considerably more room to crop. And the new UI, the new HUD, the auto-ISO, the superior focusing system, and the huge LCD (which is big enough to make focusing and DOF evaluations) all make for a camera which is in fact a significant upgrade superior from the XTi.
That being said, full-frame does bring in a whole new set of advantages - and good lenses are required for both 50D and 5D. However, I think buying a *new* 5D at this point is a poor decision; if one wishes to go full-frame, then either pony up for the 5D Mk II, or buy a used 5D for ~$1500USD.
I also started with a Rebel, then bought an L zoom, and decided to upgrade. I thought about the 40D vs the 5D (the 50D and 5D Mk II were not out at that pt). I tried out both, and they are very different in terms of interface and specs. I would spend some time and see what you prefer in that dept. But what ultimately made the decision was the image quality; the sensor seems to be the biggest differentiation between cameras of any kind in my experience, and the 5D's sensor has stunning quality that no other factor can make up for.
I just upgraded from an XTi to the 40D. Prices on the 40D dropped like a rock when the 50D came out. You might want to look into that. The 5 extra megapixels that the 50D gives you aren't going to make a difference for most of us (and, as the reviews show, you pay for them in noise). I don't care about liveview mode so the improvements there didn't interest me. About the only improvement that I might care about is the higher resolution LCD, but that wasn't enough to justify the price difference to me. So if you're considering the 50D, I'd think about whether the 40D is enough camera for you and save some money for glass. Either way, upgrading from an XT to a 40D, 50D, or 5D should be worlds better.
I went from a Digital Rebel (original) to a 40D to a 30D (yes, I downgraded) to, now, a 5D. I like the 5D a lot. Like you, I am addicted to the L glass (although the non-L primes are quite nice). I have the "f/4 Trinity": 17-40 f/4L, 24-105 f/4L IS, and 70-200 f/4L IS. Since I got the 5D, my 30D has sat unused. I am going to sell it soon. And yes, the 24-105 is incredible on the 5D. It *almost* negates the need for an ultrawide, IMO, and it's got great length as well, *almost* negating the need for the 70-200 (for my shooting needs, at least). It is my "90%" lens on the 5D. Sell your Sigma 10-20 to help fund the purchase of the 5D.
Of course, you should buy used, and if you go the eBay route (what I've done for a lot of my camera buying) be sure to use the MSN Live Search rebates. I got $200 off my gently-used 5D, putting the price at $1150 after the MSN rebates. If you don't go for the 5D, I would say that you are better off looking for a used 40D in the $600-$700 range than spending >$1000 on a 50D. I think the 50D is an improvement on the 40D, but the 40D is quite good and the 50D is not worth the extra money; if you're spending >$1000 then you should get a 5D. JMO. Another option would be to go for a used 20D or 30D. You can find them for like $400 pretty easily.
Based on the comments here, it sounds like I should look at a used 5D. Thanks for the tip on the MSN Live Search rebates.
Any tips for buying used cameras on eBay?
I upgraded to the 5D from the 20D. "Full frame" changed things in a way that an APS-C sensor upgrade never would. (I started using my 50mm a lot more, for example, because it was both fast and not always too long; all my existing lenses felt more useful.).
My vote would be for the 5D mk 1 over the 50D unless you really need the high rate (6.5fps) for some reason.
On eBay, I look for camera body listings having all original materials (box, software, manuals, etc.) and a positively stated shutter actuation count (depending on the camera body, it can be hard to get an exact number, but most serious photographers will give at least a ballpark, say to the nearest 5,000). It is great when you can find a pro selling off one of their backup bodies. Also the amateur who decides that it is too much camera for them. Both will usually have <10k actuations and will be able to give an exact count because the image number increment has not rolled over yet. (Shutter life on the 5D is rated at 100,000 actuations MTBF. Cost is around $200 for a replacement by Canon.)
Obviously, photos of the body are important. On a used camera, some wear and tear is normal. On the magnesium-bodied pro/semi-pro Canons, you will find white scratches but they will not affect anything structurally. You will usually find this around the bottom edges and corners of the camera, as well as around the shutter button. Also, if the flash hot-shoe is painted black (as on the 5D and 30D, but not on the 40D; not sure about others) then that paint will be worn as well. The most important cosmetic wear and tear will take place on the LCD's (top informational LCD and rear review LCD) where obviously any scratch is a downer, but some scratches are less visible than others, especially when the screen is lit up and in use. It is nice if the seller has protected the screen with a cheap screen protector.
Craigslist is a good source as well. If you search constantly (and live in a big city) then you will come across ridiculous deals. I bought my gripped 30D for $330 because the guy had too many cameras (it was his 2nd backup) and needed some money to fix his car.
Of course, as with buying anything used, there is always an element of risk involved. The 30D that I got so cheaply has a very dirty sensor that makes itself painfully obvious on solid light-colored backgrounds when I'm stepped down past f/9 or so. Also it occasionally has trouble and will hang up with a newly inserted CF card (have to remove battery to fix). Not a huge deal, but annoying. So "buyer beware" always applies, but the fact remains that most people are honest, and if you are buying from a reputable seller with a good, descriptive listing then you will likely be okay. And even if not, Canon charges reasonable prices for repairs, and you can sell damaged/as-is cameras for a pretty good price too, if it comes down to that.
Thanks for the tips, Brock. I'm also considering the factory refurbished option.
Post a Comment