70d out in time?

[Don Haines]

...I have learned that the limiting factor is me, not the camera sensor...

So true. So easy to get caught up in the "Bigger is Better," "Newer is Better," "More Expensive is Better" mindset. Especially when you take part in a forum where there is always someone who has a bigger, newer, more expensive toy.

We throw numbers around here like they mean nothing and tend to forget that for most people, spending $1,000 on a camera is one huge investment, not to mention $2,000 to $3,500.

So true.... and we tend to forget the law of diminishing returns...a $5000 camera is not 5 times better than a $1000 camera.

 

[jdramirez]

I remember when I was hesitant to spend $100 on a digital camera... and what is REALLY funny is that for about 2 minutes I was thinking of buying a digital camera that was a combination camera/binoculars. What the hell was I thinking.

Over the past 2 to three years I have bought and sold enough gear that I can afford to buy guilt free a 5d mkiii (though it is still on my to do list), a 24-105mm, a 8mm fisheye (rokinon), a 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro, a 70-200mm f/2.8L IS mkii, and a 50mm f/1.4 which I will be upgrading to a 35mm f/1.4 sometime in the near future.

It's crazy... soon I'll have more camera gear than my car will be worth...

 

[xps]

...I have learned that the limiting factor is me, not the camera sensor...

So true. So easy to get caught up in the "Bigger is Better," "Newer is Better," "More Expensive is Better" mindset. Especially when you take part in a forum where there is always someone who has a bigger, newer, more expensive toy.

We throw numbers around here like they mean nothing and tend to forget that for most people, spending $1,000 on a camera is one huge investment, not to mention $2,000 to $3,500.

So true. Thanks for that reminder.

In my opinion the quality of an picture ist depending on an dynamic interaction between the camera and the photographer. Most times the photographer ist the limiting factor, sometimes the hardware you use. The ratio between is dynamically variying from situation to situation.
Sure, if you spend 10.000 € in your hardware, the probability to get an sharp, colourful and well exposed picture is higher than with an 700€ equipment.

But the real "photographical glance (German: Fotographischer Blick)" is something you have to learn sometimes very hard. And some of us will never get the feeling how to get an extraordinary photo. And some of us are aritically more inventive then others.

Some of you are posting great shots, where I say "wow". I often wonder, how and where you took the shot. Tipps to train getting better pictures are often missing.
I own many books, but only some of them are really teaching how to become a little bit better in photography. Most of my books show superb shots, but do not tell you how they got it. Or they use equipment, you will never own. (I just read an book on studio photography. Very interresting. But the writer uses an extraordinary expensive lightning system.)
So, it would be great, to learn from your experience.

But to answer the question:
I would buy an 60D too. the price/performance ratio is very good.
If your budget is limited, you can buy Canon EF-S 4-5,6 17-85 IS (~500€) and the Tamron 4-5,6 70-300 DI VC USD SP (~350€). A polarisation filter should not be missing.
A friend of mine, who is working in an crisis region, uses this equipment as it could be that he has to leave the region without his equipment. He is satisfied. The 60D and these two lenses are working good togeather. We checked it in an german photographic magazine.

 

[Snook]

So I went into my local photography store the other night and compared between the 6d and 60d. I tried out probably upwards of 10 different lenses on each. I absolutely loved the 50mm 1.4, 24-70 2.8 II, and 70-200 f/2.8 IS. (Maybe someday on the latter two )

After spending well over an hour pouring over details and features of the lenses and cameras, I just ordered the 6d w/ 24-105 f/4L kit. I got it from B&H for $2400 (including the $200 rebate). I think the greatest features attracting me to the 6d is the FF sensor, because I anticipate shooting a lot of landscapes, and the high ISO performance. I actually already have my eye on a 17-40 f/4L for even wider angle landscapes, but that is further down the road.

So what I will be bringing on my trip is the 6d and 24-105 and my iPhone

Thanks to everyone who helped me out with this decision!

 

[Surfwooder]

IThe amount that I want to spend is tentatively $2000, but I could see myself selling the Tamron, and forking up a little bit more to get a 6D w/ 24-105mm f/4 IS, but then again, I don't know if I could justify the price for essentially a "first-time" DSLR. The GPS feature will be great for traveling being that I will be in 7 different countries while I am in Europe.

this is the best option in my opinion

the tamron 18-270 is possibly one of the very worst lenses ever made by anyone

even though you have the 50 1.8 I would still recomend the 40mm pancake on the 6D just because that lens on a high iso FF camera is such a nice light walk around combo that would be prefectly suited for travel and 50mm can be a little tight also you need to stop the 50mm 1.8 down to around 2.2 anyway

The OP said he is going to buy a 6D, this is a full frame camera. The Tamron 18-270 will not work on the FF body. For Full Frame bodies like the 6D he should be looking at the Tamron 28-300mm XR Di VG, This combo would make a excellent walk-around lens for European travel. I would also take a ultra wide angle too. I think a Canon EF 16-35mm 2.8L II would be great. The building are so close together, and close across from each other a ultra wide is needed to get good shots. Like the plaza in Rome with Trevli Fountain is very tight with close in buildings all around.

I did see an ad for the 6D at a ebay store for about $1500, body only. They also have a new 7D for $859, but this is a crop sensor, and the Tamron 18-270mm will work fine with this camera. I own a 18-270 and it is a great walk-around lens, for Europe, I would get a Canon EF-S 10-22mm for those close in shots.