How often do you go through a body? Why do you upgrade?

[TexPhoto]

I'm amazed at how many of you change/acquired so many lens and cameras in such a short period of time.

I wish I had that luxury :'(

There will always be somebody with a newer/more expense camera and lenses. The key is to outshoot that guy, out sell that guy, or at least have more fun than that guy depending on why you take photos.

Me I buy a new camera when I have the money, and the improvement warrants it. That was every 12/18 months for a while, but now I've had my 5DII for 3 years, and it is still awesome. I think progress in DSLRs has slowed, and there is less need to upgrade, but in the end it comes down to want/need and the avaiablility of $$.

Do what you can to buy low and sell high though. I minimize my cost by ussually buying used, especially with lenses.

 

[CowGummy]

I bought my 400D when it first came out in 2006.
So far it's the only digital slr I have ever owned. I do often feel that a lot of people shoot with equipment way over qualified for the job. Now I totally understand that there will always be people who earn very good wages and have photography as a hobby,so can afford to spend a few thousand pounds/dollars/yen/euros etc on new equipment every year. No problem with that at all! But I sometimes chuckle when I see flickr photostreams that are shot with 5DMkII's or 1D's and then you realise that all they post is a snapshot of their family sunday roast once a week...

The bottom line is (as well we all know...) that gear alone doesn't make a photoghrapher. I've taken 20000 shots on my 400D in the last 5+ years, and although I'm not a photographer by trade it does flow into my work - I'm a graphic designer. That being said, I've had some great successes with it - a selection of my images were picked up by Getty, I've shot numerous record sleeve covers and even won a photographer of the year award last year with my trusty 400D.

The camera will only ever be as good as the brain behind the viewfinder.

 

[Takuma]

I still have my first dslr body, the 30D for 5 years soon. I'm shooting wildlife mainly (as hobby) and am planing a trip to africa next year. I will upgrade before then, probably to a 7D or 7DII if it is out by then.
I want the best camera I can afford there, as I can't afford to go there again soon. Crop body for the extra 1.6x + the only FF I could get would be the 5DII and from what I hear and read I'm not sure if I would be satisfied with the AF and the fps.
My upgrades have been on lenses so far:
started with a Sigma 70-300 in may 2007 and added a Sigma 18-50 later that year (both cheap but I could take some nice photos with them). I upgraded the zoom to a Sigma 50-500 in januar 2008 and then I decided I would need IS this year, so I got the EF 100-400 L IS and a bit later the EF 24-105 L IS. Next think will be something for landscape as the 24 mm is not really wide enough at a crop body. My idea for that is the EF 8-15 L.

 

[Chewy734]

Powershot S10 - 11/1999
20D - 09/2004
5D2 - 07/2011

I don't switch bodies often.

 

[lol]

My DSLR history would go something like:

1st: Sony A350, now sold.
2nd: Olympus E-510 used, bought at a price I couldn't refuse with the 70-300 lens.
3rd: Canon 50D and my first step into Canon. I wanted a more serious body that neither Sony nor Olympus could provide at the time. Sold the Olympus kit to fund it. Two systems are more than enough.
4th: Canon 300D used, I wanted a dedicated IR camera so got this cheap to modify myself.
5th: Canon 7D - I really wanted the updated AF over the 50D and just went for it. This is still my main camera.
6th: Canon 5D (mk1) used. Traded in the 50D towards it. I wanted full frame. Found I didn't need it though, so didn't keep it long and sold it again towards some lens or other.
7th: Canon 450D used. Intended for modification for astrophotography, I left it unmodified as I found myself needing it more as a 2nd body now that I no longer had the 50D or 5D.
8th: Canon 1D used (mk1, no "s"). Too cheap to say no. I don't really have any other reason than that! Currently mostly used as a paperweight.
9th: Canon 600D. This is my new 2nd body, allowing me to get the 450D sent off to be modified. The tilty screen helps in many applications. Couldn't see the extra value in the 60D to pay for it, and a second 7D seemed excessive.

So that's 9 DSLR bodies in erm... just over 3 years. I still have 5 of them. Oh, I also have a film EOS 300 I never used. I bought that just to get the lens it came with.

If/when Canon bring out the sub 1D level full frame high MP body, that will be next on my shopping list. I really don't like the 1D series bulk.

 

[K-amps]

Of digital SLR bodies I've had and used, I've had the D30, 10D, Digital Rebel, Digital Rebel XT, Digital Rebel XTi, 20D, 30D, 40D, 1D MK II, 1D MK III, 5D, 5D MK II, and the 7D over the past 10 years. Usually at least two at the same time. Most of them I bought used and sold them after a year for more than I paid, but my 5D MK II will be three years old in about three weeks. I also had a Kodak DCS 620, but it was mostly as a collectible, and not used other than to test.

In order of IQ, I'd say 5D MK II, 1D MK III, 7D, 1D MK II was what I saw. Certainly the 1 series cameras have a lot more going for them besides IQ, the ability to AF at F/8 or even f/11 (with stacked TC's) is a huge plus, and will be missed with the 1Dx, if I decide to get one.

- Kodak DC-120 1997 went kaput in 2001
- Nikon CP-4500 2002 went kaput in 2005... decided to go Canon
- 350D / Rebel XT Oct 2005 Gave to daughter in 2011, still works just fine.
- 1D mk.II Mar 2011
- 5D Sep 2011 (Sold 1D2)

I found the IQ of the 5D much superior to the 1d2. However performance wise the 1d2 was much better. On RAW's the 5d is slightly better, but in jpegs it sweeps the 1d2 away.

 

[K-amps]

I'm amazed at how many of you change/acquired so many lens and cameras in such a short period of time.

I wish I had that luxury :'(

Buy and sell used...

e.g. I bought the 1d2 for $875 then sold it for $831 after 5- months... for $44 extra spending, What I got was a a wonderful experience

 

[parsek]

I went from 30D to 40D to 7D over the course of 5 years. Next up is 5D Mark III if it turns out to be a great camera, otherwise I will wait for it´s successor while I stock up on L series glass.

 

[LuCoOc]

I still have my first dSLR: The trusty 1000D.
Within the last 3 years I shot at least 20.000 Pictures with it and quickly found out, that glas is more important therefore got 2 L lenses. Currently I'm trying to justify a 7D. The 10 MP from my 1000D are enough for 23x35 inch prints but the AF is a pain as well as it's viewfinder.

 

[WildBill]

First camera: Old Konica [late 60's/Early 70's] (hand me down from dad)
2nd camera: Canon FTB [~1972] (another hand me down)
3rd camera: Canon EOS 650 [August 1987]
4th camera: Canon 7D [September 2010]

Would like to get a full frame camera someday. But for now the 7D is great for my needs.

 

[Bob Howland]

I'm still using a 5D ordered two days before its introduction. (Canon Espania leaked a spec sheet.) I'm also using a 40D ordered the day it was introduced. That makes the 5D over 6 years old and the 40D over 4 years old. The 5D replaced a 10D, which just didn't cut it when photographing rock bands and jazz ensembles. The 40D gave me more reach and better focusing than the 5D with my 100-400, although I try to keep the ISO at or below 800. I might have bought a 5D2 and 7D except their benefits over what I have didn't seem sufficient.

 

[KevinP]

I've only owned one DSLR, my 40D. I've put more into my lenses and lighting which to me is more important. Having said that, I do plan on buying a 7D very soon. I'd like to have two bodies with different set ups for some of the shooting I do. Switching lenses and lighting systems back and forth between one body can be a lot of work and time. It was between a 7D or a 5DMkII, but I just can't swing the price increase for the 5D right now and I have much more use for a wireles flash controller like the 7D has.

 

[jonvillaphoto]

First camera for me was a Canon Rebel 2000. Eventually upgraded to a Elan 7 and the Rebel 2000 would be my second body I would keep B&W film in while the Elan shot colour. Only actually upgraded to digital 8 months ago and got a Canon 60D. Picked up a Canon S95 as my walk around camera. Eventually sold that (for about 40 bucks less than I bought it for) and got a Panasonic GF2. Now I shoot my GF2 a whole lot for personal stuff and my 60D is just for business.

 

[Picsfor]

First digital was a Nikon 5700 bridge. Loved it, but missed the flexibility of an SLR.

Got a 30D, then a 40D as well when i had a wedding to do. Looked at doing stock photography for where my wife worked and struggled with the requirements of the agencies, getting too many shots rejected on quality to despite using tripod and L glass. This was just as the 5D2 came out, so my wife sanctioned the upgrade to a 5D2 as a replacement to the 30D.

It became clear that neither 30D or 40D would ever come up to the IQ of a 5D2, so sold both and ran with a single 5D2. Now have a second 5D2 as i had a wedding to do, a party to do and a few portrait shoots to do. Now getting a bit more work so 2 bodies are fine.

That said, if i won the lottery, i would love a 1DX - love the focusing and high ISO facility - but my budget doesn't reach to that. I'd have to sell both 5D2's and a lens or 2 to cover the cost

 

[gmrza]

Of digital SLR bodies I've had and used, I've had the D30, 10D, Digital Rebel, Digital Rebel XT, Digital Rebel XTi, 20D, 30D, 40D, 1D MK II, 1D MK III, 5D, 5D MK II, and the 7D over the past 10 years. Usually at least two at the same time. Most of them I bought used and sold them after a year for more than I paid, but my 5D MK II will be three years old in about three weeks. I also had a Kodak DCS 620, but it was mostly as a collectible, and not used other than to test.

In order of IQ, I'd say 5D MK II, 1D MK III, 7D, 1D MK II was what I saw. Certainly the 1 series cameras have a lot more going for them besides IQ, the ability to AF at F/8 or even f/11 (with stacked TC's) is a huge plus, and will be missed with the 1Dx, if I decide to get one.

The other interesting point is what number of releases people are getting on their shutters - it is always a matter of debate how long a shutter is likely to live relative to the spec given by the manufacturer. I have seen references to 5DIIs doing over 1 million shutter releases, but have not seen anything to corroborate the accuracy of that information.
Given how long it has been since the 5D was introduced, it would be interesting to know how many clicks some of the (still) hard working 5Ds have on them..

 

[ferdi]

Pentax Espio 140M (1996, analog, still works)
Fujifilm FinePix S602 Zoom (2002, 3mp, still works, bulky)
Sony DSC-T1 (2005, 5mp, dead battery, fits in shirt pocket)
Canon EOS 7D (2010)
Canon EOS 5D Mark II (2011)
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV (in about two weeks)
Fujifilm X10 (postponed to 2012)

 

[dppaskewitz]

My first digital was a G-1 in 2001 (I continued to shoot film in my used T-90 for anything that moved). In 2004, a Digital Rebel. In 2006, a 30D (I wanted two bodies and the 30D seemed like an obvious upgrade to the Rebel as well). Shortly thereafter, my first L glass (100-400). In 2008, added a 5D with the 27-105L (I think its was 2008 - but anyway it was just before the 5DII came out --- I was setting up two cameras with different lens and changing between them as subjects (trains) moved through the scene. I found it difficult to switch between the Rebel and the 30D because of different control locations, etc. The 5D and 30D controls are nearly identical so, problem solved). Since then, I have added the 24L T&S (Version I) and the 70-200 4 L. I continue to lust after a 5DII and a 7D, but every time I think about it, I think of new glass I would rather have (50 1.4; 100 L macro; an UW). I am not professional, so (as someone else has said), until I win the lottery, I will probably stick with what I have. Although not relevant, really, to this forum, I did buy a Crown Graphic on E-bay last year and just took my first shots with it (finally) last weekend. Light years apart from any DSLR.

 

[docsavage123]

Started off with Pentax optio 555 and Canon Powershot A40, realised I wanted to take more photos so bought a 350D in June 2006, then got hooked, bought my first L lens 400mm F5.6 the following year, got the 40D when it came out in 2007, gave my 350D to a friend who is no longer here. Bought 7D in March 2009 was amazed by it, decided to trade 40D in November 2010 for a 5D Classic (I seem to use this more now) and love the full frame - could not justify getting the 5D Mark II. In September this year got a 2nd hand 1D Mark II for £400 from Jacobs Digital, which is still an amazing piece of kit if built like a tank. Oh and through all this I still have a IXUS 700 which is my trusty compact and cant see the point of replacing it.

 

[awinphoto]

I had access to the original canon D30 and D60 way back when and purchased the 10D when it came out... Proceeded to leapfrog from the 10D to 30D to 50D but ditched the 50D as quickly as I could when the 7D came out... Now got the 7D and 5d2. Basically I dont upgrade JUST to upgrade... you get a feeling when you've outgrown your camera and if there is a new camera that does stuff my current camera doesn't and can make my photography better/more consistent/faster/etc then I will bite the bullet. (30D-bigger/faster/responsive, 50D-supposedly better/microadjust/better interface, 7D-superior IQ compared to 50D/flash triggering/AF, 5d2-better IQ and low light performance)

 

[willrobb]

Wow, I started the post last night before bed and get to have a good read on the packed Friday morning Tokyo rush hour train

So here's my time line and reasons for upgrades (other than the "want factor")

Late2006/early2007: Bought a 2nd hand 30D. I was shooting film with a canon EOS 7 and a Mamiya 7II, I wanted to stick with film but I was getting job offers with a very quick turn around and needed digital so I dipped my toes in the water, slipped and fell into a big digital pool which I only climbed out of (slightly) last week.

2008 summer. Bought my 5D new. Things were going well workwise and I wanted full frame with better IQ, the 5D was in my price range and I went for it. I was very happy with the results. Kept the 30D as back up.

Summer 2009. Bought the 5DmkII, sold the 30D. I bought the 5DmkII as an agency I worked for deemed only photos taken in RAW on a 12 megapix camera or more could be submitted. They hinted at an increase to come, so I plumped for the 5DmkII. Another factor was I had started shooting fashion week in Tokyo and I wanted something with really good high ISO capabilities. For a while I was shooting with the 5DmkII and had my 5D as a back up.

Late 2010. Bought 7D, sold the 5D. During two consequtive wedding shoots I had problems with my 5D. The first time turning it on and off worked, the next time the shutter stopped working and I had to shoot with only the 5DmkII. I took my 5D to canon, got it fixed and decided to sell it. Got a good price for it and bought a second hand 7D that was in mint condition, so essentially I swapped bodies. I was getting married that month and really wanted the 1DmkIV but I had still to pay for the honeymoon and I felt it better to make sure I got that right, money well spent as a happy wife makes for a happy life ;-)

This week. Sold the 7D for slightly less than I bought it for and got another 5DmkII. I was really happy with the 7D, for runway shoots it was my main camera, for group shots at events I often used the built in wireless speedlite controller which was a real life saver, the AF and FPS was much better than the 5DmkII, but overall I felt the 7D wasn't so good for me in terms of IQ when I cranked it up over ISO. In that respect the 5DmkII wins hands down IMO, I shoot a lot of indoor events and I was worried that if my 5DmkII stopped during an event the IQ of the 7D wouldn't be good enough. The 5DmkII prices have dropped a lot here recently, the selling the 7D and a decent hire paid for the new body, it gives me more peace of mind so I felt it was worth it.