Newbie need help to pick a used camera please

[nc0b]

For landscape and portraiture I would strongly recommend full frame, thus the 5D. Image quality is wonderful as earlier stated, buy my main reason is how my lenses work. For your purposes, assuming video isn't the driving factor, I rarely use my crop bodies compared to full frame (FF). I started with the original Rebel, and when it quit working after 8 years bought a 60D, which I shot today, so I am not knocking the 60D. I have a 5D, 40D, 60D and 6D, one crop and one full frame at each home. If I am doing general shooting, I always go for the FF since I prefer the standard effective focal length. A portrait with an 85mm and FF is better for me than the 136mm equivalent on my crop bodies. For birds in flight (BIF) I will usually go with my 6D rather than the 60D, depending on the size of the bird. If shooting raptors with a 400mm f/5.6 handheld, I will go for the FF. Smaller birds, then the crop body is likely better. My zooms are 24-105mm f/4 IS, 70-200mm f4 IS and f/2.8 IS II, and usually the FF is preferable to the 1.6X focal length crop factor for general shooting on a vacation, hiking or just walking around a park. Wherever I am, I can grab a FF or crop, but it always comes down to how I want the lens to play, not image quality. When I am on a vacation in the car, I take everything, and have at least three bodies with mounted lenses to be ready for whatever pops up. Neither of my FF have built-in flash, so if I need on-camera flash the choice is obvious.

 

[Richard8971]

I am going to suggest a slightly different camera body. Grab a 40D. You can find very lightly used bodies for $200-300 and the fps is fast and the image quality is fantastic. You cannot really tell the images apart from the 40D and 50D and viewing them normally, they are hard to tell apart from the 7D.

I know several people who still use the 40D (myself included) and I know you won't be disappointed. Invest instead in better glass so that once you have figured out where you want to go with photography you have the glass you need without wasting a bunch of money on a body.

I have owned 2 40D's and they are great cameras.

D

 

[ezpop]

I am going to suggest a slightly different camera body. Grab a 40D. You can find very lightly used bodies for $200-300 and the fps is fast and the image quality is fantastic. You cannot really tell the images apart from the 40D and 50D and viewing them normally, they are hard to tell apart from the 7D.

I know several people who still use the 40D (myself included) and I know you won't be disappointed. Invest instead in better glass so that once you have figured out where you want to go with photography you have the glass you need without wasting a bunch of money on a body.

I have owned 2 40D's and they are great cameras.

D

That' a new idea. I heard quite some people mentioning positively about this body. Great built, not bad iQ, low, low cost. I can still use my bro's t3i for video if I need to. Search on the local ads, find some 10k to 20k SC no scratch etc etc for $250 or less. May start to search and buy one and shoot for a few months till big sales on in a few months and then decide which one to buy and replace.
Finally...... thanks guys for all your suggestions. Really appreciate.

 

[sagittariansrock]

I am going to suggest a slightly different camera body. Grab a 40D. You can find very lightly used bodies for $200-300 and the fps is fast and the image quality is fantastic. You cannot really tell the images apart from the 40D and 50D and viewing them normally, they are hard to tell apart from the 7D.

I know several people who still use the 40D (myself included) and I know you won't be disappointed. Invest instead in better glass so that once you have figured out where you want to go with photography you have the glass you need without wasting a bunch of money on a body.

I have owned 2 40D's and they are great cameras.

D

That' a new idea. I heard quite some people mentioning positively about this body. Great built, not bad iQ, low, low cost. I can still use my bro's t3i for video if I need to. Search on the local ads, find some 10k to 20k SC no scratch etc etc for $250 or less. May start to search and buy one and shoot for a few months till big sales on in a few months and then decide which one to buy and replace.
Finally...... thanks guys for all your suggestions. Really appreciate.

If you are thinking 40D then you should definitely think 5Dc. The difference in FF vs APS-C is quite significant for your usages.
Here's an inexpensive, guaranteed option::
http://www.keh.com/camera/Canon-Digital-Camera-Bodies/1/sku-DC029990897980?r=FE
They have 40D as well:
http://www.keh.com/camera/Canon-Digital-Camera-Bodies/1/sku-DC029991024110?r=FE

 

[nc0b]

Nothing wrong with a 40D, as per my previous post, I own a 40D and also bought one for my daughter-in-law. Have a Canon grip on both my 40D and 5D Classic (5Dc). If you do go with a crop, don't buy a lot of EF-S lenses because it is likely you will want FF in the long run. I have one crop lens, the fine 15-85mm f4/5.6, which has a nice zoom range and takes nice pictures. Only problem is it is slow, and in low light it forces me to push my 40D to ISO 1600 or 3200. The 40D is kind of noisy at ISO 3200. You can use a 32 GB Compact Flash card in both the 40D and 5Dc, so that is no limitation. If you go with a 5Dc, get one with a serial number that starts with 2 or 3, not 0 or 1. They improved the rear LCD screen with the later production models. Also it is unlikely the mirror will fall out on the later production units. I assume Canon will still fix for no charge a mirror failure on a 5Dc. I paid $900 for a 5Dc 2 years ago, but now they can be had for $500. A 40D for $300 or less should be no problem. As others said, buy good glass that you can keep for years longer than your first body purchase. Again consider the equivalent zoom range when you decide between FF or crop.

 

[nc0b]

You said if you bought a 40D you could use it for a while and then sell it! Bad idea. You always need a spare body. Imagine going on a trip with a few lenses and one body and it breaks or you drop it. As people say, the camera you have with you is better than the camera on the shelf at home. A spare body, even if it is in your motel, is better than the $200 you might get for it a year from now.

 

[sdsr]

The OP specifically indicate that he/she wants a body other than Rebel. Whilst T2i/T3i are capable cameras, they don't match his criteria of choice.

True, but the reasons ezpop gave for wanting a more advanced APS-C than Rebel are that they look better and are "more sturdy", and maybe he also wants AFMA. But unless he really needs AFMA (and maybe he does - I have no idea), really cares what it looks like, and would really benefit from the difference in sturdiness; and since he plans to take landscapes and portraits - it's far from obvious that a Rebel won't meet his actual criteria. A recent Rebel, including the SL1, will likely have better image quality than a 7D or the others he mentions, especially at higher ISOs.

Or he could try something entirely different; for instance, a Sony a6000 is inexpensive (its immediate predecessor is now much cheaper still) and, with suitable adapters, can be used for any Canon lens he already has and just about any other lens you care to mention. It's mirrorless, so AFMA simply isn't an issue, and the wide range of good, old manual focus lenses available extremely cheaply provides a rather different and perhaps even cooler way to learn photography - and in the looks and handling department they win hands down (well, to me, anyway). (Better sensor in many ways too, probably.) Just a - perhaps irrelevant - thought....

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Folks.
I've told this before, we went to AZ on holiday, I packed and repacked my bag, taking out and putting back in my 300D, my spare body just replaced by my 40D. Every time I took the 300D out of the bag I said the new 40D won't break, well it did, error 99 which turned out to be shutter failure, half way through a wildlife park trip fortunately the last decision on packing was to take the 300D so I still got some pics even though I missed a lot because of the lower frame rate! Always have a backup plan!

Cheers Graham.

You said if you bought a 40D you could use it for a while and then sell it! Bad idea. You always need a spare body. Imagine going on a trip with a few lenses and one body and it breaks or you drop it. As people say, the camera you have with you is better than the camera on the shelf at home. A spare body, even if it is in your motel, is better than the $200 you might get for it a year from now.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi Folks.
Is there anyone that doesn't want AFMA? I know a few of you say that you need no AFMA on your lenses, but when you do get a lens which is not perfectly matched to your camera you will find it invaluable.

Cheers Graham.

But unless he really needs AFMA (and maybe he does - I have no idea),

 

[sagittariansrock]

The OP specifically indicate that he/she wants a body other than Rebel. Whilst T2i/T3i are capable cameras, they don't match his criteria of choice.

True, but the reasons ezpop gave for wanting a more advanced APS-C than Rebel are that they look better and are "more sturdy", and maybe he also wants AFMA. But unless he really needs AFMA (and maybe he does - I have no idea), really cares what it looks like, and would really benefit from the difference in sturdiness; and since he plans to take landscapes and portraits - it's far from obvious that a Rebel won't meet his actual criteria. A recent Rebel, including the SL1, will likely have better image quality than a 7D or the others he mentions, especially at higher ISOs.

+1. The T4i can use the latest features with the RT speedlites, has touchscreen, STM, etc.
Plus, the 60D doesn't have AFMA.

 

[Oneand0]

Throwing my 2 cents in! Owning a full frame now, but shooting with the 7D for a while before that, I would not be afraid to get the 7D for landscape. Just make sure you get some decent wide angle glass for it. I have come away, and seen other landscape photographers come away with winners time and time again, even though it's not FF. Most of all shoot, and shoot as much as you can. Invest in good polarizer and ND too

On a second thought you can get the 60D and come away with the same quality pictures I believe, as I have seen great landscapes with this model too. You will have some money left over for some of those filters, or lens. It's not so much the camera, but more the experience and clear glass that gets you the shots you are after. Have fun and respect mother nature when doing landscape work.

Mario
http://mariomarez.smugmug.com

 

[East Wind Photography]

Hi Folks.
Is there anyone that doesn't want AFMA? I know a few of you say that you need no AFMA on your lenses, but when you do get a lens which is not perfectly matched to your camera you will find it invaluable.

Cheers Graham.

But unless he really needs AFMA (and maybe he does - I have no idea),

particularly when you use your lenses wider than f8.

 

[sagittariansrock]

Hi Folks.
Is there anyone that doesn't want AFMA? I know a few of you say that you need no AFMA on your lenses, but when you do get a lens which is not perfectly matched to your camera you will find it invaluable.

Cheers Graham.

But unless he really needs AFMA (and maybe he does - I have no idea),

Not having AFMA is a major constraint. I had to sell an otherwise nice 50mm/1.4 for this reason.
However, since I wanted an FF backup and cannot justify a 5DII or 6D at this moment I can live with the inconvenience.
What did people do before AFMA?

 

[verysimplejason]

Those 3 cameras you mentioned just have the same IQ as the T3i. I'd rather buy a 5D and a 24-105L lens. But since you want video, then starting with the 50D sounds a little bit better if you are really not into sports. You can invest the 300bucks into a good landscape/video lens such as the new 10-18mm IS. If you are buying APS-C, don't forget to buy also the kit lens 18-55 IS (STM if possible) as they are light and a good value for money. It also has a very good IQ. Good luck with whatever your decision will be.

 

[ajfotofilmagem]

Those 3 cameras you mentioned just have the same IQ as the T3i. I'd rather buy a 5D and a 24-105L lens. But since you want video, then starting with the 50D sounds a little bit better if you are really not into sports. You can invest the 300bucks into a good landscape/video lens such as the new 10-18mm IS. If you are buying APS-C, don't forget to buy also the kit lens 18-55 IS (STM if possible) as they are light and a good value for money. It also has a very good IQ. Good luck with whatever your decision will be.

You forgot that 50D does not have video recording? :-X

 

[sagittariansrock]

Those 3 cameras you mentioned just have the same IQ as the T3i. I'd rather buy a 5D and a 24-105L lens. But since you want video, then starting with the 50D sounds a little bit better if you are really not into sports. You can invest the 300bucks into a good landscape/video lens such as the new 10-18mm IS. If you are buying APS-C, don't forget to buy also the kit lens 18-55 IS (STM if possible) as they are light and a good value for money. It also has a very good IQ. Good luck with whatever your decision will be.

You forgot that 50D does not have video recording? :-X

I thought the same thing (I owned a 50D) but it seems you can now record (RAW) video on a 50D with Magic Lantern.
That sounds pretty magical to me!

 

[michi]

I have seen used 5D Mark II's on Craigslist for around US$1,000. Honestly, that sounds like the best body for you. Full frame for portraits, has MFA, video and you already have two EF mount lenses that you can use. Spend the little extra cash and get that still amazing camera. I have both the 5DII and a 7D and I hardly use the 7D anymore.

 

[sagittariansrock]

I have seen used 5D Mark II's on Craigslist for around US$1,000. Honestly, that sounds like the best body for you. Full frame for portraits, has MFA, video and you already have two EF mount lenses that you can use. Spend the little extra cash and get that still amazing camera. I have both the 5DII and a 7D and I hardly use the 7D anymore.

Really? I don't see anything below ~ $ 1300 either on CL or on FM.com. I wonder how this body still commands such prices with the 6D often available for similar prices.

 

[unxpectederror]

If your looking to shoot landscapes your looking at the completely wrong system.. I own Pro and Semi Pro DSLR from both Canon and Nikon.

my recommendations for a camera in your price range would be a refurbished D7100. the reason for this is simple, it has more pixels and it has a much larger dynamic range then any thing canon offers. It also lacks a AA filter which allows for more detail. the dynamic range is worlds better on Nikon cameras. I own a D7100 as a back up body. I bought it nikon refurbished for $850 at the end of last year. Its massively better than the 7D i used to own. that thing was horrible for landscapes as the dynamic range was very limited and you couldn't push the shadows at all with out seeing noise and vertical lines...

if you cant afford the D7100 the D7000 is also a nice camera which offers a huge improvement in dynamic range over the 7D at the cost of only 2mp 16vs 18 of the 7D. not a huge factor in my book.. the run around the $600 mark these days used. also both the d7100 and d7000 are superior in low light to the APSC canon bodies by about a full stop.

 

[sagittariansrock]

If your looking to shoot landscapes your looking at the completely wrong system.. I own Pro and Semi Pro DSLR from both Canon and Nikon.

my recommendations for a camera in your price range would be a refurbished D7100. the reason for this is simple, it has more pixels and it has a much larger dynamic range then any thing canon offers. It also lacks a AA filter which allows for more detail. the dynamic range is worlds better on Nikon cameras. I own a D7100 as a back up body. I bought it nikon refurbished for $850 at the end of last year. Its massively better than the 7D i used to own. that thing was horrible for landscapes as the dynamic range was very limited and you couldn't push the shadows at all with out seeing noise and vertical lines...

if you cant afford the D7100 the D7000 is also a nice camera which offers a huge improvement in dynamic range over the 7D at the cost of only 2mp 16vs 18 of the 7D. not a huge factor in my book.. the run around the $600 mark these days used. also both the d7100 and d7000 are superior in low light to the APSC canon bodies by about a full stop.

You probably missed the part where the OP mentions having access to Canon lenses which he can use...

I am surprised that someone who has used both systems has such strong feelings against one system.
Would you mind sharing some of your 7D landscape images where the 'horrible' limitation in DR was exposed, just for everyone's edification? Thanks.