I shot quite a bit in college and bought a 10D when it was fairly new. Haven't been shooting actively for several years but would like to pick it up again. I mostly shot concerts/promotional events for a radio station locally and some landscape and motorsports on my own. I'm thinking about picking up a newer camera body and giving my 10D to my little brother who is taking some beginner digital photo classes in college now.
I would like something with better high ISO performance as I mainly like to shoot available light and the newer cameras tend to produce a crisper cleaner picture. My current lenses are the 50 F1.8, 85 F1.8 and Sigma 18-50 F2.8.
What camera body would be the most fitting step up from the 10D and why? I'm interested in a 5D mk1, 50D, 7D or maybe a 1dmk2N.
Having owned (and still have) the 10D, I would say that the 50D would be the most intuitive upgrade but a 5D(mkI) would also make a VERY attractive (affordable)upgrade over the 10D but I would only suggest that route if you you have the FF/wide aperature lenses to to take advantage of the 5D sensor. The 7D is very attractive too but much more expensive and VERY different than the 10D/50D. Before I purchased the 7D, I was on the fence between it & the 1DIIn...I went with the 7D for it's video capabilities & larger LCD screen but I still think the 1DIIn is very capable and very affordable right now. However, just as with the 5D, you will need FF lenses (even though it's a 1.3 crop)
If I was making this "Leap", I think with the tecnology available, the 7D would be the 1st choice in my list, if my budget would allow it. For all the new features, the AF module, and the video just for fun at first, but I think that would become a very useful feature very quickly.
I won't by any stretch say the 5D, 50D, or 1DIIN are incapable, and would be happy to shoot with any of them. I love my 5D, and the images with it are amazing. It's my 1st choice in my kit, almost always, unless I need the cropped "reach", then I will pick up my 40D.
I think with the 7D you have so much of everything it's would be my 1st choice among croppers for a new camera. Oh, and coming from a 10D (WOW), the 7D should get the same type of milage if you so choose. Another thought is a new lens, Tamron just introduced the 18-50 F/2.8 VC, a nice upg. from the Sigma. Just a thought...
You might consider the AF of the 50d vs the 7d. If you want/need it - get it. My budget puts me in a 50d and I've been very pleased.
If money was no object I'd have a 5dmkII - no question.
Since you shoot concerts and sports the faster frame rate and overall faster 50d might be better than say a 5d - even though the 5d image quality is supurb.
I use a 50d with 2.8 lenses to shoot concerts and have been quite satisfied that the gear is better than my abilities so far.
Hard choices! Each one of those cameras is a great one, however for me, the 7D was my choice (moving from a 30D) because of its excellent, configurable AF along with the improvement in AF sensors (19 cross-type), improved high-ISO performance, improved metering, wireless flash control from the pop-up flash, the list goes on. That said, the 50D appears to be an outstanding camera as well with many of the features found on the 7D, and the reputation of the excellent 1DIIN is already well known. I don't have a 5D and haven't used one, but the advantages of FF weigh pretty heavily. I'd personally vote for the 7D because it's an excellent 'do-everything' camera, and is one of the nicest EOS bodies I've ever owned but the other choices are superb too. It may come down to what you want to spend. I'd also be happy with any of these bodies. I don't think I helped much...
I think you can't go wrong with any of your presented choices. They are all good values for what I see today. I think the best value for your current lineup might be either the 50D or the 7D. Since you don't seem to be a rapid gear changer the 7D should still provide a good value over its lifetime.
I traded a 1D2 for my 7D + cash and I think it was totally worth it for the newer features. So the 'n' might be the only thing I don't recommend, unless you need any of the 'pro' features like data redundancy.
Only problem I see for you and the 5D would be the need to replace the 18-50/2.8 which will not cover FF and will give you an odd, roughly circular vignette on the wide end.
Grant808 wrote:
I think you can't go wrong with any of your presented choices. They are all good values for what I see today. I think the best value for your current lineup might be either the 50D or the 7D. Since you don't seem to be a rapid gear changer the 7D should still provide a good value over its lifetime.
I traded a 1D2 for my 7D + cash and I think it was totally worth it for the newer features. So the 'n' might be the only thing I don't recommend, unless you need any of the 'pro' features like data redundancy.
Only problem I see for you and the 5D would be the need to replace the 18-50/2.8 which will not cover FF and will give you an odd, roughly circular vignette on the wide end....Show more →
Thanks for all the advice guys. I think the 7D might be a bit out of my budget to be honest and a 5D mk1 or 50D is more ideal to what I want to spend ($1.100 or less, used is fine with me)
Would you mind elaborating what wide/zoom lens would be more compatible with the FF body? I'm not up with the technical aspects of what causes the circular vignette when using the 18-50 with a FF body. I do know that sometimes I wish I could shoot a little wider (I wouldn't miss the 1.6X range as much as I would like to gain the wider angles soemtimes).
BTW would the 50 and 85 F1.8 still be fine with either body?
In your position I would get the 40D. The reason is that you've been not doing much for the past few years -- quite a while. If the return is short-lived, you are not out much money and can resell the camera for nearly what you would pay for it. Meanwhile the 40D is a great camera, and if you do stick with it, you can resell it -- if you want to -- for nearly as much as you paid for it and move to a 5DMII.
Jkan2001 wrote:
...Thanks for all the advice guys. I think the 7D might be a bit out of my budget to be honest and a 5D mk1 or 50D is more ideal to what I want to spend.
Would you mind elaborating what wide/zoom lens would be more compatible with the FF body? I'm not up with the technical aspects of what causes the circular vignette when using the 18-50 with a FF body. I do know that sometimes I wish I could shoot a little wider (I wouldn't miss the 1.6X range as much as I would like to gain the wider angles soemtimes).
BTW would the 50 and 85 F1.8 still be fine with either body?...Show more →
If you go FF (5d):
General zooms:
Cheap, but good: Tamron 28-75 f/2.8
Good, but not cheap: Canon 24-105 f/4 IS - a little slow at f/4, but the IS makes up for it with static subjects
Ultra-wide: 17-40 f/4
With a 40D/50D:
Genral zooms:
Too many options to list - 17-55 f/2.8 IS is nice, but pricey. The 18-55 IS "kit lens" is actually quite good optically.
Tamron 17-50 f/2.8 is cheap and gets many positive votes.
The big thing to decide is do you need a fast, responsive body. If you do then the 40D or 50D is the way to go.
Want FF, better DOF control, your lenses to act like they would on a 35mm and a silly big VF? Willing to give up some responsiveness and fps - then the 5d is the ticket.
50 1.8 and 85 1.8 - the 85 is a much better lens in terms of focus speed, bokeh, build, etc. The 85 is a little better FL on the 5d for portraits.
Thank you for updating your budget situation. Along with a couple of the others here, and by recent acquisition, you could really benefit from the 40D!!! I picked one up 2 weeks ago at a super steal, $600 for a 40D +28-135 IS Kit, + 8gb Ex III. I can't say you'll find that deal, but a good condition one body only you can find routinely for $600-700.00. Which is well below your target. Also all of your lenses will perform just as they did on your 10D. The 50D is nice also, but I'm not so sure it's worth $300 or more than the 40D. Do your research, thouroughly, and you'll most likely be very happy with whatever you get. And again, I think you could pair a new Tamron 18-50 f/2.8 VC, with either and have a killer setup.
Make sure your 1st shot is a good one, because you have to post the very first shot you click as the new owner.
I would get the 5D if I had your budget, if you don't want to shell out that much cash, a good used 20D would be huge upgrade from your 10D... probably wouldn't cost you more than $100 if you sold your old 10D at the same time...
So I guess the general concensus is that the 50D is not much better than the 40D? I don't have to have the latest and greatest but if the money is close I'm definitely going to get the more updated version. The last time I was following updates closely the 20D and 30D were not much different, if that's the case between the 40D and 50D maybe I can save some cash.
Will my 18-50 F2.8 work fine with either the 40D or 50D? What is the advantage of the new Tamron 18-50 F2.8 VC (what's VC?) over my current lens?
I know i just made the 50D sound superior, it's just a little newer, and they were able to load the more recent technology, but the 40D is a phenomenal machine also !!!!
The Sigma 18-50 will definately work and do fine. The new Tamron 18-50 f/2.8 VC (vibration control) will act like the Canon "Image Stabilization" lenses the help supress camera shake at shutter speeds under 1/focal length. It's spec'd to assist up to I think 3 stops, but even if reality is 2, your images are crisper, and it's engineered more recently along with the higher demand cameras with more megapixels (which I've heard/read will benefit from a better glass). It's just a suggestion though, and your Sigma will definately produce great results on a 40D or 50D, just as it did on your 10D. Good luck
One month ago via the Canon Loyalty Program, I upgraded from my trusty old 10D to what Canon calls a refurb. Cost for the upgrade (includes you sending back the 10D) is $629 for a 50D with in my case only 10 clicks on the shutter.
Hard to beat the price and going from the 10D a 5 model upgrade.
While I still have my MKII, the 50D starts getting pretty close in performance.
if you stick with the 1.6x crop, then the EF-S 10-22mm is your best bet.
if you go full frame or 1.3x crop, then the EF 17-40L or the EF 16-35L II would be your best bet (one is half the price of the other. the 16-35L II is better but it gets expensive)
Or, get a used older lens such as the 17-35L or 16-35L I or one of the third-parties like a Sigma 12-24....
A used 5D would be excellent. Also a used 1D2 or 1D2N would be good if you want the better AF. If you want new a 40D is excellent... the 50D is better at most things but it may not be worth all the extra cost over the 40D. a 7D would be good for certain but at that cost you are close to the cost of a used 1Ds2....
My first Canon DSLR was the 10D, and I loved it. I still do. I look at some of the files that camera produced and they still hold up quite well.
I would say that, out of the cameras you've listed as possible upgrades, the one that would give you the most noticeable and substantial improvement in IQ (above all else) is the 5D Mark 1, which I also owned and only recently sold. I had a 40D for awhile and actually preferred the 10D files to those of the 40D.
The 7D ... also on your list ... is, I'm sure, a great camera and a worthy successor to the other XXD cameras. It's fast, supremely well-built, and it's a crop camera ... allowing you to migrate your current lenses without a problem.
But it's not a 5D, which remains a very special camera. At $1,000-$1,200 ... the going prices these days ... the 5D is a bargain ... but only if IQ is what you're ultimately after. If speed, AF accuracy and other specs are equally as important, then the 7D or perhaps a 50D might fill the bill.
