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Grimace

macrumors 68040
Feb 17, 2003
3,568
226
with Hamburglar.
These cameras are night & day different. For example:

1. Full frame vs. 1.3x crop
2. 3fps vs. 10fps
3. 24MP + video vs. 10.1MP or 16MP + video
4. AF designed for portraits, landscapes vs. 45-point sports/action purposed AF
5. $2700 vs. $3700 vs. $5000

What do you shoot and how would you be using this camera?
 

xPAULx

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 14, 2009
34
0
Wales (UK)
im just looking to upgrade.
more swayed towards the 5D mk 2.
also iv been told that standard 18-55 kit lens does not work on the 5d as it is full frame?

thanks!
 

OceanView

macrumors 65816
Sep 16, 2005
1,094
39
what do you like to shoot?
5D II is an excellent camera for most uses.

Honestly, people should focus on technique more than camera gear.
I know many people that have $10,000 or more of gear but their photos are average. On the other hand, I know a photographer that has an entry level DSLR and can produce terrific images.
 

OreoCookie

macrumors 68030
Apr 14, 2001
2,727
90
Sendai, Japan
With all due respect, if you need to ask whether your 18-55 mm kit lens will work, I have a strong hunch all of the cameras you've proposed are not right for you.

What is your current equipment? Only the 1000D + 18-55 mm kit lens? In what ways do you find it limiting? If you only have the kit lens, updating your body is not the right thing to do. Instead, you should invest into glass and an external flash. Both will do a lot, lot more to give you more creative freedom than to take a cheap lens and put on a cheap lens.
 

Grimace

macrumors 68040
Feb 17, 2003
3,568
226
with Hamburglar.
The 1D will do nothing for you. Look at good glass instead. If you really want to upgrade the body, look at a 50D, 7D or the 5DII.
 

xPAULx

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 14, 2009
34
0
Wales (UK)
With all due respect, if you need to ask whether your 18-55 mm kit lens will work, I have a strong hunch all of the cameras you've proposed are not right for you.

What is your current equipment? Only the 1000D + 18-55 mm kit lens? In what ways do you find it limiting? If you only have the kit lens, updating your body is not the right thing to do. Instead, you should invest into glass and an external flash. Both will do a lot, lot more to give you more creative freedom than to take a cheap lens and put on a cheap lens.


Im not intending on using the kit lens on such a high end camera. I was told by a friend that you can only use some of the high end lens as it is full frame.
 

Phrasikleia

macrumors 601
Feb 24, 2008
4,082
403
Over there------->
If you don't know the differences between the cameras you've mentioned, then you probably don't need any of them. Someone has already asked the best question for you: what are you unable to do now that your new equipment should enable you to do? Before we can offer a solution, we need to know the problem.
 

CrackedButter

macrumors 68040
Jan 15, 2003
3,221
0
51st State of America
Heck even a 5d mk1 will suit your needs; when you realise what they are.

Paul, any EF lens will work on the cameras you're thinking of getting, not 'some of them. Go to wikipedia and learn the difference between EF-S and EF lenses.

Where in Wales are you?
 

fiercetiger224

macrumors 6502a
Jan 27, 2004
620
0
Don't upgrade your current setup unless you've got an arsenal of lenses. It seems like you've only got an 18-55mm, which won't work for either of those cameras mentioned.

Good glass is really all that matters for cameras, and the photographers eye and technique is what matters the most. ;)

What I would suggest is, if you get a new camera, be it the 5DII or 1DIV (which is overkill for your needs by the way), buy a couple new lenses along with it. Get a couple general purpose lenses, or a standard zoom + prime. You haven't really stated your budget, but it sounds like you'd have enough money to spend since you've got a 1DIV mentioned. If you have enough money for that, get a 5DII instead, and grab 16-35mm and a 24-105mm. That'll cover your needs, all under the price of the 1DIV, or rather, for the same price.

Whatever you decide, get good glass.
 

flosseR

macrumors 6502a
Jan 1, 2009
746
0
the cold dark north
ok just to i get this straight:
I do alot of HDR stuff, landscape, portrait and product stuff
x
You currently do "a lot" of this with just the Kit lens? You know nothing of the "in between" cameras like the 50D, and 7D which would be already a huge step up for a LOT less than even the 5D MK2. You want to jump from a 300 USD camera to a 2000+ or 4000+ camera? .. for what reason? Do you have THAT much money to burn? Because the next thing , for those subjects you shoot " a lot " of, you will need a wide Angle, and a medium telephoto (like the 85mm f1.2L) lens AT LEAST. And they have to be REALLY good glass in order to bring out the quality of the camera(s). So you are looking at a grand total of about 5-8000 USD.
So you can do a LOT more of the HDR,Landscape, portrait and product stuff.... Care to show some of that in order for us to help which camera to recommend? It should be quite easy to see your shortcomings if you need that much of a jump.
 

rouxeny

macrumors 6502
Jan 22, 2008
275
18
If I were you, I'd wait until the 1Ds-MkIV is out.

That body will be a killer.

I'm just not sure if it will be sufficient for your needs.
 

xPAULx

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 14, 2009
34
0
Wales (UK)
Im a Bsc Hons Multimedia university student and my course is heavily based on Photography.
As I get student loans/Grants from the government this allows me to buy equipment for my course.

Im just trying to get the best camera for the money really!
Also Im just tired of my old plasticy 1000D:(

Iv just bought a Canon 50mm 1.8 II lens


Here is some of my HDR work. - let me know what you all think!
beach-export-final-edit.jpg


Thanks for the input!:apple:
 

wheezy

macrumors 65816
Apr 7, 2005
1,280
1
Alpine, UT
Do you really need video? As a multi-media student I can believe that you do. The best upgrade would be the 7D, it'll still take your kit lens until you get a solid L wide angle, and it'll do video. The 5DII will show every flaw in your lenses, and as it stands right now you don't have a worthy piece of glass to put on it. The 50 1.8 makes the cut barely. 21MP is a HUGE file, to give you an idea, a full 21MP image from the 5dII spans across TWO 30" displays with pixels to spare on the side - it picks up details you'll never see with your eyes. And if you have a cheap piece of glass in front then all those details will look like *****.

Stay below $2K or whatever currency you're using; so that means 50D or 7D. Spend the rest on good glass. Your current lens lineup is holding you back on picture quality more than the camera is.
 

xPAULx

macrumors member
Original poster
Nov 14, 2009
34
0
Wales (UK)
Do you really need video? As a multi-media student I can believe that you do. The best upgrade would be the 7D, it'll still take your kit lens until you get a solid L wide angle, and it'll do video. The 5DII will show every flaw in your lenses, and as it stands right now you don't have a worthy piece of glass to put on it. The 50 1.8 makes the cut barely. 21MP is a HUGE file, to give you an idea, a full 21MP image from the 5dII spans across TWO 30" displays with pixels to spare on the side - it picks up details you'll never see with your eyes. And if you have a cheap piece of glass in front then all those details will look like *****.

Stay below $2K or whatever currency you're using; so that means 50D or 7D. Spend the rest on good glass. Your current lens lineup is holding you back on picture quality more than the camera is.

What lens can you recommend?
im looking for a wide angle and a good macro
Thanks!
 

compuwar

macrumors 601
Oct 5, 2006
4,717
2
Northern/Central VA
Im a Bsc Hons Multimedia university student and my course is heavily based on Photography.
As I get student loans/Grants from the government this allows me to buy equipment for my course.

1. Don't go into debt for something you're not going to recoup the cost on in a relatively short time. That's just bad financial management.

2. Any camera body you purchase will be obsoleted by a newer model inside of three years. Any lens you purchase will be good for the next 3-5 camera bodies you purchase- so a smart purchaser would pick the best glass possible for what they'll want to shoot in the future.

Im just trying to get the best camera for the money really!
Also Im just tired of my old plasticy 1000D:(

But the point is that getting the "best camera" is silly if you don't have a *requirement* for a particular feature.

Here is some of my HDR work. - let me know what you all think!
beach-export-final-edit.jpg

There's no real "subject" in the image. All of the lines in the image lead off to the sides, not to anything central. The reflections in the pools map too brightly and detract from the image- my guess is that the image is probably pretty pedestrian prior to tone mapping it-- I see a lot of people try to substitute post-processing for shooting an image well- HDR should start with a great compelling normal image that requires more exposure latitude than the camera can capture- given the backlight, I can appreciate that the exposure probably exceeded the camera's dynamic range, but I really don't see what you saw that was compelling enough to take the shot- it's a hugely busy scene that doesn't project your interest in the scene to me as a viewer. The horizon placement doesn't work well for me either- there's way too much sky and the cloud formations aren't interesting enough to support the framing. If you cut the sky off at the top of the lower cloud on the right, the composition *starts* to get more compelling, but really the image needs to be simplified- it's a busy hodgepodge of shapes and tones mapped into cartoon-land without a message. You need to use the bright parts and leading lines to draw the viewer into an image and give them something to focus on.

Paul
 

fiercetiger224

macrumors 6502a
Jan 27, 2004
620
0
21MP is a HUGE file, to give you an idea, a full 21MP image from the 5dII spans across TWO 30" displays with pixels to spare on the side - it picks up details you'll never see with your eyes. And if you have a cheap piece of glass in front then all those details will look like *****.

The 7D has filesizes equivalent to the 5DII. 18MP vs 21MP, not much of a difference. I know since I have both cameras :p

Anyway, I agree on picking up a midrange body, and buying awesome glass. If you're getting a 7D, you might want to pick up a 10-22mm for the ultra-wide angle, and for whatever else, do some research on. I have to warn you that if you do decide to pick up cheap glass, that these cameras won't like it. And by not liking it, I mean photos will look like crap. :rolleyes:
 

El Cabong

macrumors 6502a
Dec 1, 2008
620
339
Im just trying to get the best camera for the money really!
Also Im just tired of my old plasticy 1000D:(

Iv just bought a Canon 50mm 1.8 II lens

Don't take this the wrong way, but the only two lenses you seem to have are a kit 18-55 and a nifty fifty. Why would you want to use "old plasticy" lenses on Canon's newest, most expensive cameras? I hope you realize that better lenses are a better investment than newer cameras, and that only one of those lenses will work with the cameras you suggest. However, as others have stated, it seems like you're just out to burn through some money, so on that note, here's my suggestion:

Buy a 1D Mark III for now, until the Mark IV is available. It can serve as your backup body when you actually have the Mark IV, although it'd probably be a better idea to buy a second Mark IV or a 1Ds Mark III (for higher resolution). Don't waste your money on a 5D; it costs less money.
 

Troglodyte

macrumors member
Jul 2, 2009
92
0
I've got a 1000D and it's not a bad little camera. It has it's weaknesses for sure (slow frame rate for starters) but still makes nice images.

As others have recommended to you here, I've spent my money on glass and now have the 10-22, 17-55 f2.8 and 70-200 f4L IS. You can easily see the difference better glass makes even on a 1000D. Given the choice between a 7D and better glass - the glass wins. IMO if you get a 5dII then it will show up inferior glass and you'll need the good stuff to go with it (16-35, 24-70 and 70-200 Ls)...a lot of money.

Another thing to consider is perhaps getting a grip for the 1000D. It won't change the way the camera works but it will change the handling.
 

Ruahrc

macrumors 65816
Jun 9, 2009
1,345
0
If your only complaint about the 1000D is the plasticky feel (seems to be the only thing you have mentioned about it thus far, aside from it being "old"), then perhaps a new body isn't the best choice for you at this time. Unless the plasticky construction is hampering your ability to shoot (read: dropped it and it broke, or lack of weather sealing affecting your ability to shoot in some environments) then it seems like your complaint is superficial and spending upwards of $3000-5000+ on a body to fix that "plasticky feel" using loaned money is not a very smart decision.
 

El Cabong

macrumors 6502a
Dec 1, 2008
620
339
Unless the plasticky construction is hampering your ability to shoot (read: dropped it and it broke, or lack of weather sealing affecting your ability to shoot in some environments) then it seems like your complaint is superficial and spending upwards of $3000-5000+ on a body to fix that "plasticky feel" using loaned money is not a very smart decision.

Great. You've just convinced him to throw his camera off a building/into a tub of water just to justify spending upwards of $3000-5000+ on a body.

*splash*... *sizzle*... "I can't believe this awful weather sealing! Oh well, time to take out a loan to buy a camera!"
 

Grimace

macrumors 68040
Feb 17, 2003
3,568
226
with Hamburglar.
• An $8000 camera paired with a $150 lens will take $150 shots, at best.
• A $1000 lens paired with a $350 body will take $1000 shots, at minimum.

You do the math.

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