Messages

1

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 40D vs. 6D AF

« on: May 15, 2013, 04:37:28 PM »

The 6D definitely got some bad press, but like you, the more I look into the details and actual user reviews, the better it sounds. It'll definitely be nice to have an extra $1500 to spend on other items to improve my kit.

Does the 6D have face recognition? Never heard about that...

[edit]
On rereading your post, I realize you're not referring to face recognition as in the auto face detect found in some P&S cameras, but rather the effectiveness of the 6D's AF at recognizing faces.

2

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 40D vs. 6D AF

« on: May 15, 2013, 12:30:09 PM »

...I looked at both the 6D and 5D Mark III and have chosen quality over cost for a couple of reasons which I think will be important for your consideration...
...The existing 7D isn't enough and the 6D is a downgrade (in part) for the reasons above. That has left me with the 5D Mark III, which in every which way you look is a pretty amazing upgrade (but at a cost)...

Jd

You make some good points JD, and trust me, I've gone back and forth MANY times over the past 8 months. Since I'm living in South America right now, I've needed to wait till I return to the U.S. to pull the trigger. If I were still stateside, I would've made a decision long ago! =)

But I agree - compared to the 40D, the 6D is a downgrade in the two key areas that you mentioned (FPS & AF). And that had me hung up for a while. I feel like I can live with the slightly lower FPS - 4.5 vs. 6 is close enough for my purposes. But AF has been the sticking point for me, hence my original question. If it's similar to or better than the 40D, then that would be ok with me. I know on paper, it's not...except for the -3EV center point, but it sounds like it does pretty well in real life.

To be honest though, the other major sticking point for me is price. In nearly every way that counts, the 5DIII is the better camera, but I've been increasingly frustrated with Canon's pricing structure. As of right now, the 5DIII kit is $4099 at B&H. The 6D kit is $2599. If the difference were $500, it's a no-brainer, I'd be getting the 5DIII. If the difference were $1000, I'd be on the fence, but might still end up justifying the 5DIII. But a $1500 difference?!? It's not THAT much better. I can get a new L lens, a grip and other accessories for the price difference and I'm starting to believe those items will have more of an impact on my photography than the extra features of the 5DIII. Everyone has different priorities though...

I should also note that I don't intend to upgrade for a long time after this, but I suspect that I would be tempted to if I chose the 6D.

Even with all my reasoning so far, this one still gives me pause. I will likely outgrow the 6D faster than the 5DIII. And, I can see the 5DIII holding it's value better than the 6D. So, does that make it worth the extra cash? Not sure.

3

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 40D vs. 6D AF

« on: May 12, 2013, 07:40:37 PM »

I'm inclined to suggest that you hold off on buying a 50mm prime until you've tried your 85mm on your new FF body - you may not feel any pressing need for a wider one (you can experiment with your 24-105).  And while the 135L is a fantastic lens, 135mm isn't much different from 105mm; for a bit more variety you might want to consider the 200 2.8, which creates images that are very similar to those taken with the 135mm but gives you extra reach.

Thanks for the sound advice sdsr. You're right that my 85mm might be enough for what I need. I'll probably just buy the 50 1.8 for now. It's cheap and seems like one I should have in my bag. If I like the focal length, I can always upgrade to a more substantial 50mm in the future.

The 135L is pretty close to 105, but the 2 extra stops of light and the background blur are what I'm after. I had initially ruled out the 200 2.8 because I think the reach would be a bit too long for indoor shots (indoor volleyball, basketball, etc). But, I'm also used to crop, so I'll give it another look. Thanks!

4

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 40D vs. 6D AF

« on: May 12, 2013, 01:27:03 PM »

Thanks for the responses, all. Sounds like the two AF systems are pretty comparable. After doing a little more research, I think I've decided on the 6D option. For action shots, the 5D3 AF could very well get me 90% keepers, but I think I'll be ok with the 50-60% that I've heard the 6D offers.

And the 135L looks and sounds awesome...I can't wait to get my hands on it!

5

EOS Bodies - For Stills / 40D vs. 6D AF

« on: May 11, 2013, 03:22:28 PM »

I'm currently living in South America, but will be returning to the U.S. in June and plan to upgrade my aging 40D. I've got a budget of $4000. Current lenses are 17-40mm f4L, 85mm f1.8, 70-300mm IS (non-L). I teach yearbook at a private K-12 school down here and do much of the photography myself (sports, events, mugshots, candids, etc). My 40D has started to show its limitations. ISO performance is by far my biggest reason for upgrade. Given my budget, these are the two options I've been looking at:

Option 1 - 5D Mark III Kit
- 5D Mark III Kit w/ 24-105mm f4L
- 50mm 1.4 or 50mm 1.8 (depending on kit price)
- Accessories (CF/SD cards, filters, etc)

Option 2 - 6D Kit
- 6D Kit w/ 24-105mm f4L
- 135mm f2L
- 50mm 1.4 or 50mm 1.8 (depending on kit price)
- Accessories (SD cards, filters, etc)

So, the 6D option also gets me an awesome lens. Lenses first, right? I use my 85 1.8 a TON, so I imagine the 135 f2L will see a lot of use. I love everything about the 5DIII and it would be a great all-around camera for me, but I'm starting to wonder if the 6D + 135mm might do more for my photography in the long-term.

So, I'll get to my question. I would certainly love to have 61-point AF, but if the 6D AF is equivalent to or better than the 40D AF, that'd probably be good enough for me. Has anyone upgraded from a 40D to a 6D who could share some thoughts? How are the outer points? The 40D has 9 cross-type, the 6D has only one. In actual practice, has that been noticeable?

Thanks so much!

6

5D MK III Sample Images / Re: 5D MK III Images

« on: March 16, 2013, 12:48:43 PM »

Model Helicopter

Looks like it's in trouble!   

Love the blurred rotors though.

7

Landscape / Re: How Would You Edit This Landscape Photo?

« on: March 08, 2013, 06:37:02 PM »

Fun little 5 minute project (Lightroom 4). Thanks for posting this!

8

Speedlites, Printers, Accessories / Re: post your best photographic gear for under 100 euro (100$)

« on: February 01, 2013, 10:14:31 AM »

Blackrapid  sport strap!

+1
Easily the best piece of gear I've purchased for under $100.

9

EOS Bodies / 6D Coming Nov. 30th?

« on: November 16, 2012, 12:05:27 PM »

Was just searching for news on the 6D release date and found this, posted just minutes ago. Not sure if it's a reliable source, but it almost makes it sound like there'll be a 6D + 24-70 f/4 L kit and another 6D + 24-105 f/4 L kit released on November 30th.  Like all these rumors, I guess only time will tell if it's true...

http://insidechina.onehotspots.com/canons-decision-on-november-30-digital-camera-info-the-launch-of-the-eos-6d/80039/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=canons-decision-on-november-30-digital-camera-info-the-launch-of-the-eos-6d

10

EOS Bodies / Re: First 6D review up - does [KR] read [CR] ?

« on: November 15, 2012, 09:37:31 AM »

The Canon 6D adds an eight-way up/down/left/right control to the big rear control dial, and thus eliminates the need for the old thumb nubbin.

I am over the complaints about the joystick. The 6D grip has a joystick on it, so if people are really that crushed by it, go buy the grip.

That would be cool (I guess) if the grip had a joystick, but according to this photo, it doesn't. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/87290329@N05/7995600430/#

I've never used the joystick/control dial combo like on the 60D, but it seems like it would at least make diagonal moves a bit easier.

11

Lenses / Re: from 28-135 IS to... the new 24-70 f4 or 24-105?

« on: November 07, 2012, 01:24:41 PM »

Since you apparently have enough money (~$1600) for option #3, here's another option:

Sell the 28-135, buy either the 24-70mm f/4 or 24-105mm f/4 and a fast prime or two (50mm 1.8, 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.. That'll give you decent range plus additional low light capability if you need it. Plus, you might find you like shooting with primes!

As far as the debate between the 24-70 f/4 and the 24-105 f/4, you might want to wait for some reviews of the 24-70. To me, it seems a bit pricey compared to some of the other options, but the price will probably come down a bit over time.

12

Pricewatch Deals / Re: Sigma 35 f/1.4 Available for Preorder

« on: November 07, 2012, 10:56:05 AM »

Maybe a little on the pricey side for a Sigma prime, but the USB port is intriguing. It'd be cool if it solved some of the AF issues without having to send the lens in for service. Is this feature new? Haven't seen it before.

13

EOS Bodies / Re: How often do you go through a body? Why do you upgrade?

« on: October 31, 2012, 12:40:38 PM »

It's fun reading through this year-old thread. As someone who's on the verge of a big upgrade, it's also fun looking back on my own history.

1990s - EOS Rebel (my dad's camera that I used throughout high school)

1996-2000 - Gave up photography during college

2001 - EOS Elan 7E (Decided to get back into it. I'd always wanted an Elan 2E. This seemed better!)

2004 - Digital Rebel (An inexpensive digital SLR...no more costly fim processing)

2007 - SD800IS P&S (Wanted something more portable)

2008 - Sold Digital Rebel (Wasn't using it much anymore)

2009 - 40D (Caught the photo bug again and chose this over the 50D.)

2012 - S100 P&S (Needed to upgrade my point & shoot)

That's how it stands today (40D + S100). But, I've recently been taking more photos than I ever have in the past, including volleyball and basketball in a dimly lit gym. And the 40D is starting to show its age. I still love a lot of things about the 40D, but the high ISO performance, AF, and lowish megapixel count are starting to matter.

It's between the 6D and the 5D3, but the 6D seems like a bit of a downgrade is some key areas (FPS, cross-type AF, build quality). Unless the 6D sensor is game-changing, I'll be getting a 5D3 before long...especially since the price keeps dropping! I'm hoping the 5D3 will give me at least 4-5 good years.

I change the body once its limitations begin to hinder my shooting ability.

14

EOS Bodies / Re: Suggested upgrade path?

« on: October 20, 2012, 02:04:50 PM »

I think it's better to get the camera he wants and not waste money on another APS-C in between. Though I do agree he should do both glass and body at the same time. A 6D w/kit lens (24-105L) would be good start. If you can, wait until the price comes down after initial release.

True. Probably just depends on the overall budget. The 6D kit is currently close to $3k.  But yeah, if you can wait for the price to come down and/or save up, that's probably the better route to take.

15

EOS Bodies / Re: Suggested upgrade path?

« on: October 19, 2012, 03:15:25 PM »

Overall, good glass is going to be a better long-term investment, but body upgrades are a fact of life.  Unfortunately, you have to do both at the same time. One possible path is to do a modest body upgrade now (T4i?, 7D?) and put the rest of your money into some good lenses (85mm f/1.8, 24-105mm f/4, etc). That'd improve your shots all around and would still give you better ISO performance, AF, FPS, etc. Then, when you make the jump to full frame, you'll have a few decent lenses to make it worth it.