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Archive 2009 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

Jkan2001
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p.1 #1 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

I posted another thread about upgrading my old 10D that has been sitting in my closet now that I think I am going to start shooting more. I noticed over the years that my friends newer camera bodies created some very sharp/vivid pictures (even consumer level DSLR stuff with kit lenses). I know there have been several different/upgraded Digic processors and AF systems since the 10D.

This got me to thinking. Is it new lenses or bodies that make images more crisp/sharp/vibrant? If you took the same lens, say a 85 F1.8 and took a portrait on a 10D and a 50D what would the difference in image quality be? Should I think about keeping my old 10D and adding some good glass or start with an upgraded body and use my current 50/85 F1.8 and 18-50 F2.8 setup? I would love some better high ISO performance especially at 800/1600 but other than that do the newer bodies just produce an overall better picture?

Nov 16, 2009 at 06:51 PM

Jarvone
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p.1 #2 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

Glass. Jarv

Nov 16, 2009 at 06:57 PM

Jkan2001
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p.1 #3 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

So the processors, newer sensors, AF systems from the 10D to the 50D (4 generation jump) still don't outweigh say going from a 18-50 F2.8 EX Sigma to say a 16-35L?

Nov 16, 2009 at 07:04 PM

dolina
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p.1 #4 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

I own a 10D and I'd buy L glass in your position. It is still a very competent high light camera. Just keep to ISO 100-400 for low ISO noise.

Nov 16, 2009 at 07:31 PM

Dpic_arctic
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p.1 #5 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

Definitely the glass is what makes a difference. Once you have lots of good glass, then you can think about upgrading the body.

Nov 16, 2009 at 07:32 PM

GC5
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p.1 #6 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

I'll play devil's advocate here. If you are happy with the focal length and apertures of your lenses, get a new camera body. The lenses you have are all decent performers. This is all personal choice, but I think you would enjoy the increased performance, features and useability of one of the newer camera models.

Nov 16, 2009 at 08:10 PM

jecoe
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p.1 #7 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

I agree. I recently upgraded from a 10D to 50D and feel like the new camera is a different world. The 10D served me well for 5 years, but the technology really has evolved since then.

Actually, that upgrade seems to have been contagious, because now I am eager to replace lenses....

Nov 16, 2009 at 08:28 PM

trung hoang
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p.1 #8 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

Agree.I will go for 50D first then buy a replace for ur Sigma

Nov 16, 2009 at 08:48 PM

reno.peterson
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p.1 #9 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

I'll still say get the camera, and the lens choices may change. Use the ones you have and if they aren't sufficient then look to replace them, Good Luck.

Nov 16, 2009 at 09:08 PM

Sobax
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p.1 #10 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

I would buy used original 5D....if not for action photography.My way: Nikon D2H - Canon 20D - Canon 50D...and finally used 5D....I will never buy cropper again.
Cheers.

Nov 16, 2009 at 09:17 PM

akilah
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p.1 #11 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

It depends on your lens. I have the Rebel 300D, which is in essence a 10D without the alloy body and some advanced options, and the newer bodies are *definitely* an improvement in quality. Or split the difference, get a 40D and a decent lens.

Nov 16, 2009 at 09:20 PM

Jkan2001
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p.1 #12 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

I don't shoot too much action and the 50D is probably a big upgrade for the 10D but still pretty similar in some aspects. I've never shot FF digital before and really enjoyed shooting FF film so I might give that a shot.

Moving to a 5D and then selling my 18-50 I would probably still have to add some money back to get a 17-40 or 16-35L. Also I have an old 420EX speedlite for a flash.

Nov 16, 2009 at 09:33 PM

pinball_pw
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p.1 #13 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

40D is a great value purchase right now. If you want a nice printer, there is a great rebate on the 50D and printer at B&H that is worth considering. All depends on budget and what you want to do. I use a 40D now and it was a big step up from a 20D for me. If you went the 5D route, you could keep your 10D and have two bodies for those times when it is helpful.

Nov 16, 2009 at 11:18 PM

Sobax
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p.1 #14 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

Jkan2001 wrote:
I don't shoot too much action and the 50D is probably a big upgrade for the 10D but still pretty similar in some aspects. I've never shot FF digital before and really enjoyed shooting FF film so I might give that a shot.

Moving to a 5D and then selling my 18-50 I would probably still have to add some money back to get a 17-40 or 16-35L. Also I have an old 420EX speedlite for a flash.

Yes...try it and you will ask yourself why didn't you buy FF before.
I have 50D...and if you got that talking (like me 1 year ago when I bought 50D) about how good LCD is, MA, and dust protection..well those are good things to have...but not necessary....the IQ and shallow DOF if you shoot portraits are the things to go...FF is the way.
I should buy 5DII instead 50D ....now I have 50D and used 5D ...I know that 50D I will use only for macro shooting. with 5D you can ISO 1600 and no worries about noise....and that shallow DOF is something beautiful.
and one more thing...I upgraded 20D to 50D...beside resolution I don't see big improvement.Be smarter then me and buy FF...instead another cropper.

Good luck.

Nov 17, 2009 at 12:39 AM

Michael White
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p.1 #15 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

Glass first then a body. Good glass will give better images than a new body with crappy kit lens.

Nov 17, 2009 at 01:00 AM

timpdx
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p.1 #16 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

In this case, body over glass, as long as you are happy with your lenses. The 50 and 85 are fine lenses, don't know much about the Sigma.

Or a 40D and a lens, best of both worlds.

Nov 17, 2009 at 01:03 AM

SloPhoto
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p.1 #17 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

If you can learn to shoot in raw, the image processor in the camera is eliminated from the equation.

Bodies can make the task easier, Glass can make the results better.

All you need to decide is which one is more important for you to upgrade right now.

Nov 17, 2009 at 01:04 AM

Asmodeous
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p.1 #18 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

I recently went from a 300D (plastic version of your 10D) to a 40D. There is a sizable benefit to your photography in what the 40D and similar generation cameras has to offer.

You'll never have to wait for the buffer ever again, instant turn on and shoot, 6 fps, bigger screen on the back, brighter & bigger viewfinder, blah blah blah on and on. The difference in the "extras" between the 300D/10D and the later generations is huge. Did I mention the Live view, 4 metering modes, 1/8000 shutter speed & 3200 ISO? I can go on and on. Point is, the better features will help your versativety and creativity when shooting. The extra MPX is really just the cherry on the cake.

The lens you have a pretty decent. I think it's your camera body that's holding you back more so than your weakest link lens, the siggy zoom.

Nov 17, 2009 at 02:41 AM

saincteye
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p.1 #19 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

hmm look @ you gear, you have quit a good setup, I would say get an older body( 30D/40D/50D) used depends on how much you have, then try to find some good glasses. Like they said glasses are the one that really matters. But still a new body with newer tech and higher MP doesn't hurt.

Nov 17, 2009 at 12:13 PM

Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #20 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

For questions of this sort I would usually say get glass always. good Glass wont loose value like a body, and good glass will enhance your image taking better than a new body.
But at some point a body upgrade can be justified and I would guess the 10D has given you some good years of service.
As to what to get if you are doing portraits and want higer ISO performance then they are 2 good reasons to go FF if you can afford it. If not the 500D/T1i is supposed to have better performance than the 50D, personally I like the 40D I have now and also the 450D/XSI that I had before

Nov 17, 2009 at 01:02 PM

abam
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p.1 #21 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

i'd normally say glass as well, but going from a 10D to a 450D/7D/5D is a considerable leap in sensor technology.

if i were in this situation, i might swap the sigma out for a tamron 17-50 (for the tammy 28-75 if going FF), but otherwise, i'd upgrade bodies to one of the above-mentioned three.

cheers

Nov 17, 2009 at 01:11 PM

mikethevilla
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p.1 #22 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

I'll play devil's advocate here. If you are happy with the focal length and apertures of your lenses, get a new camera body. The lenses you have are all decent performers. This is all personal choice, but I think you would enjoy the increased performance, features and useability of one of the newer camera models.

Agreed. Also, people tend to forget how big of a role pp plays. Assuming you have a solid photo to start with, good PP technique really helps bring out the photo. My friends see my photos straight out of camera and say, "great photo." Then they see the edited version and don't say anything. They just gawk

Nov 17, 2009 at 01:23 PM

Lars Johnsson
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p.1 #23 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

Dpic_arctic wrote:
Definitely the glass is what makes a difference. Once you have lots of good glass, then you can think about upgrading the body.

Definitely the body. When your camera is that old and have been upgraded four times, then it's time. If waiting until having lots of good glass, it mean waiting ten more years for most people

Nov 17, 2009 at 01:37 PM

matthewm
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p.1 #24 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

Perhaps you could do a little of both...

You could always get a 40D instead of going with the 50D to replace your 10D and get a 17-40 f/4 L lens to replace the Sigma 18-50/2.8. I realize the 17-40 f/4 is slower, but the image quality, in my opinion is greater than that of the Sigma.

I'm not really sure what the going rates for those things are, but I just paid $550 for a good used 17-40 f/4 and I've seen 40D's as low as $650ish. So maybe for around $1200 you could get your camera and lens upgraded, keep the 50 and 85 as they are great performers and move up from there as your funds allow.

You could probably sell your 10D and 18-50 Sigma setup. I'm sure someone would buy one or both of the items and that would cushion your expense.

As far as what makes the difference...Good glass will create sharper, more vibrant photos. They're usually faster and more accurate in focusing. The Canon L series lenses are usually really sharp with very little issues (I've never had to send one back). However, a newer camera (40D, 50D) will give you higher ISO performance, faster shooting, a larger, more accurate LCD (so you can chimp on your photos and really get under people's skin!

), and with the improved sensors and technology, you'll likely get more accurate color reproduction. I'd personally prefer to upgrade the body to the 40D and then grab a decent lens to go with it (the 17-40 is a REALLY nice option for you).

Best of luck!

Nov 17, 2009 at 01:58 PM

Jkan2001
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p.1 #25 · Upgrade body or Upgrade Lens?

SloPhoto wrote:
If you can learn to shoot in raw, the image processor in the camera is eliminated from the equation.

Bodies can make the task easier, Glass can make the results better.

All you need to decide is which one is more important for you to upgrade right now.

Unfortunately my only computer now is a Dell Mini 12 Netbook with a weak 1.6 Atom processor and only 1 GB or ram so I will probably shoot JPEG and avoid any post processing (just hobbyist anyway).

I don't think that laptop can run Lightroom or Photoshop. I would like to shoot RAW but it may just be too much work for me right now. Any post processing knowledge I have is from 4+ years ago so I would have to re-learn.

After reading all your great posts I think I definitely need an upgrade to both which probably means a used 50D (not much more than a used 40D) and maybe a 17-40L plus a 28 or 35 prime.

Nov 17, 2009 at 09:39 PM


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