Upgrade: aps-c or full frame

[erda]

I know it's been beaten almost to death...

I'm looking to upgrade my 30D. Are the differences between the IQ and noise of the 7D, 70D, and 6D when used in good light that great? I'm trying to be cognizant of price-performance; not sure if the performance of a 5D Mark III would be 'worth' the 2-3 times jump in retail price.

Thanks.

 

[ScottyP]

Question is what do you shoot?

If quick autofocus for sports, birds, etc., is most important, then go with 7D or 70D, or spend way up and get the 5D3.

If you need the 1.6x crop "boost" to lens length, because you cannot afford thousands for a high-quality long telephoto lens, then go with the 7D or 70D instead of the 5D3.

If you shoot important things in lower light and really want a couple of stops of better high-ISO performance, go with the full frame 6D or 5D3.

If you want the shallowest DOF go with the FF 6D or 5D3.

If you need these two things and thus need FF, and you don't want to spend the extra on the 5D3, go 6D.

If you have about $10k to spend for body plus lenses to get you back to the same max focal lengths you would have with a 1.6x crop, go 5D3.

Personally, I am going with a 2-body solution instead of trying to get one body that does it all. I went FF but got the 6D instead of 5D3. When the 7D2 comes out, I intend to either buy it or buy a 70D, which will become my outside sports body. The 6D will be my regular shooter and indoor sports shooter.

 

[Sporgon]

The key to your question is 'in good light' and 'price : performance ratio'. I've been a FF user since 2005 when the 5D came out, but I am amazed at the image quality my daughter's 1100D is able to produce when using good lenses. If anyone is really serious about price to performance ratio, and you're not needing high ISO performance or ultra shallow DOF, I don't believe FF can compete at the present time. Wide angle isnt the issue it used to be with asp-c, but you still have better choice with FF, but you're paying a lot for it.

However the high ISO capability of the 6D has to be seen to be believed, it opens a whole new aspect of photography, but again you're having to pay the extra to have it.

As has been said before, there's never been such choice !

 

[erda]

I shoot more landscape than anything else, although animals, birds, sports, and motorcycle racing are also of interest.

 

[RGF]

If you need reach, go with a crop sensor.

If you need low sensitivity, go with a full frame sensor

If you have EF-S lenses, stick with a crop sensor.

Others?

 

[Loswr]

I shoot more landscape than anything else, although animals, birds, sports, and motorcycle racing are also of interest.

At f/8, ISO 100 from a tripod,it's going to be hard to tell APS-C from FF. If you need to crank up the ISO for a fast shutter, FF will have an advantage. If you need to track a fast-moving subject, the 70D/7D AF will be an advantage over the 6D. If you need both high ISO and AF tracking (which you often do for animals, birds, sports, and motorcycle racing), the 5DIII delivers.

 

[jdramirez]

I shoot more landscape than anything else, although animals, birds, sports, and motorcycle racing are also of interest.

At f/8, ISO 100 from a tripod,it's going to be hard to tell APS-C from FF. If you need to crank up the ISO for a fast shutter, FF will have an advantage. If you need to track a fast-moving subject, the 70D/7D AF will be an advantage over the 6D. If you need both high ISO and AF tracking (which you often do for animals, birds, sports, and motorcycle racing), the 5DIII delivers.

I'd agree with all that, though I will say if you plan on using EF L lenses, then a 17-40 (or 16-35)will be a 27-64 on a full frame. And if you need something really wide because you can't walk backwards, full frame will deliver. Though the Tokina 11-16 works really well from what I've been told, so there are options.

I think you could do sports and motorcycles using the center point of the 6D, but if you try movement on the other AF points, it won't do nearly as well. Obviously, you would adjust your composition of the shot in post.

This also has been beat to death, but your lenses will usually make more of an improvement than a new body (usually), so it depends on what you have no and what you are willing to part with.