Upgrade Path Dilemma

[IgotGASbadDude]

FD lenses were not marketed as being EOS compatible, that's not a good example, but it was painful.

I was bummed that I couldn't use my old FD lenses when I got into the digital game for real 3 years ago.

But I quickly got over it when I realized that the lenses I had were basically low end junk.

A 5D3 and several "L" lenses have made me forget the past equipment!

And I just recently acquired an EOS 1V HS in MINT condition and the kicker is it works with those new lenses. Life is good ;D

 

[dsut4392]

Hi Graham,
I'm sure you're right about the dual harness options, as I said I haven't carried two bodies since film days. Back then I was a student and specialist gear like that simply wasn't available at the cheap prices we enjoy now. If the OP were doing this commercially that would certainly be a good option.

Having to power cycle between every shot would certainly count as a complete failure for many users, but it's something you could work around for landscape/travel use. Annoying for sure. As far as problems I _have_ had: the worst was an electronics issue in an OM10 that had me stuck on 1/125s for an 8 day backcountry trip (and I was shooting KR64, d'oh!). Incidentally on the same trip my friend was changing the battery in his camera and dropped the new battery down a chasm, on day 3...for the rest of the trip we were swapping the battery back and forth so he could meter (he had a mechanical shutter, so we could get by with sunny16 much of the time). On digital I have had faulty CF cards (use a different card), and intermittent AF problems (use MF), broken VC (turn it off) and a temperamental shutter button on a 60D (press it harder), but nothing that stopped me shooting.

For "long, difficult to return to vehicle" do you include 12 day unsupported hikes in the mountains? Hmmm, carry food for 12 days, or carry food for 10 days plus a spare camera body? ;-) Or carry both, and end up failing to get to the intended shooting destination due to being overloaded (has almost happened to me, had to offload my tripod and some food to friends after injuring my knee on a challenging 4-day off-track hike).
Everyone has different requirements.

Hi dsut.
On the first point, there are some fantastic dual harnesses out there, some at ridiculously low prices! No excuse to disrespect two expensive bits of gear by allowing them to collide!

On the second point, is a complete failure having to power off and back on between each shot? If so it happened to me on a very low mileage coddled and loved 40D early in my digital "amateur career". I will not be more than a reasonable walk from my backup (old) body, if the event involves park and ride "long difficult to return to vehicle" and is a rare occurrence I carry two bodies.

As for unlucky it could just be a D'oh moment that leads you to grab the second body rather than miss a shot! :-[

Cheers, Graham.

The benefit of not having to swap lenses is often outweighed (pun intended) by the nuisance and discomfort of having two cameras dangling around your neck clacking together.


And you would have to be extremely unlucky (or clumsy) to need a 'backup' body - touch wood I have yet to have a complete camera failure in 25 years of shooting, including some pretty hostile environments (e.g. skiing, climbing, canyoning, kayaking, deserts and jungles, between -28C/-20F and +51C/+123 F).

 

[dsut4392]

I need a bit more motivation and justification to "lie" to myself that I need full frame. =p

These were my justifications:
#1 - low light. On the 60D I wasn't satisfied with noise levels at ISO 1600, and would only use it at a pinch. On the 6D I'm happy shooting up to ISO3200. It really is that much better.

#2 - depth of field. If you like shooting with restricted depth of field, you'll get so much more from full frame.

#3 - will I regret in future that I have taken images that could have been better. My chief camera regret is not upgrading from my original 350D before travelling through S America and Africa. I bought my 60D before my first child was born (5DII being too big and heavy for my needs, as much as the price), and 6D when I was disappointed with noisy images after hours spent out in the cold & dark doing aurora photography.

In theory the GPS and WIFI are nice and can provide extra motivation, but in practice I never use them

If you're happy with your 60d, by all means keep it and hold off upgrading. Ditto if you have better things to do with the cash, such as feeding your kids, or anything else that is worth more to you than an incremental change in your photography. But if you have the desire, and have the means, and will be taking images you'll look back at later and regret they weren't better...

 

[Hjalmarg1]

I'd suggest to keep the two bodies if you can afford it and need it. I'd go with the 6D and a 24-105 + Sigma 50mm. You can also use the 60D for wildlife for the extra reach and sell the 17-50.

 

[Halfrack]

Go with #4 - save most the money, keep shooting what you have, take a class or rent an item or to for a week and give it a go.

Learn more about what you as a shooter want - keep it a hobby, make some coin on the side or...? You really need to have an 'issue' to fix with gear, otherwise we'll all say spend as much as possible on what ever you can.

Keep in mind that the holidays are coming and that seems to be when we see the lowest prices on new gear, plus lensauthority.com will be doing their annual release of camera gear.

 

[Valvebounce]

Hi dsut.
Why don't you ask me a difficult question?
Point and shoot and food for twenty days because I'm totally food driven!
On a serious note, not having done anything like that it never occurred to me. To me it would seem sensible that you carry the food and survival equipment first then add luxuries camera etc up to the limit of your sustained ability to carry less some% for comfort / margin of error!

Cheers, Graham.

For "long, difficult to return to vehicle" do you include 12 day unsupported hikes in the mountains? Hmmm, carry food for 12 days, or carry food for 10 days plus a spare camera body? ;-) Or carry both, and end up failing to get to the intended shooting destination due to being overloaded (has almost happened to me, had to offload my tripod and some food to friends after injuring my knee on a challenging 4-day off-track hike).
Everyone has different requirements.

 

[Helios68]

I would choose the first solution.

Buy a 6D and then save money for a wide angle lens like 17-40mm f/4 or even 16-35mm f/4 IS.
If I did not do so much animal photography I would have gone to FF know.