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05/28/2013 08:32:16 PM · #1 |
Kinda complicated but here goes: I upgraded from a 30D to a 6D package deal (24-105). Instead of selling my 30D, I started letting my 10-yr-old son use it. He loved birding with me, so I bought a used EFS 55-250 for him from Craigslist for $100.
Fast-forward to Mother's Day: he dropped it in the river while trying to get a photo of a bird. Even though I retrieved it, I just knew it was a goner, so I started shopping around for an inexpensive replacement. I found two folks nearby selling a 40D and a 50D. Just before purchasing, however, the 30D came back to life - everything but the flash works. The lens is history (and is now a heap of parts because we took it apart trying to dry it out -- not the best idea).
By that time, I had decided that an upgrade would be good because I could also use it as a backup and use it when I really needed that extra reach when birding in certain situations. So I was bit by the upgrade bug again. Money is an issue, but the person selling the 50D was also selling an EFS 55-250 II with it, and said he'd cut me a deal. So I did it. Only to find I'm not sure what I think of the 50D after shooting with the 6D for a month now, and also trying out a friend's 7D one weekend.
Is it the lens? Or the 50D? I took the 50D birding and the detail is really missing for me, even on the 100-400. Not to even mention his 55-250 (but he's 10, so he'll just have to deal with it for now, even though he paid for the add'l cost of the lens - he just can't afford much more. I'm selling my EFS 17-85 to add to our lens fund).
If I return the 30D back to Canon under the loyalty program, I can get a refurbed 60D for $100 more than I paid for the used 50D.
Choices:
- keep the 30D, sell the 50D and see what I think of the new 7D2 (whenever it is released) but that will be much more $$$, and I'd rather put it into glass right now
- keep the 30D, sell the 50D, and wait until I can afford the current 7D whenever the new one comes out
- keep the 50D and sell the 30D
- sell 50D and send 30D back to Canon for discount on 60D (although having only one custom setting bugs me - I've grown accustomed to two, but if I'm just using it mainly for birding, then I can set my BIF settings on that one C setting)
- or....?
I know many of you on here shoot with the 50D and some with the 60D, so I welcome input. Thanks for any advice... It is much appreciated. :)
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05/28/2013 09:03:44 PM · #2 |
i enjoyed my 60D, it doesn't have the AF the 7D has but since they share the same sensor the image quality will be nearly identical.
if you do birding i'd expect you'd want the best AF you can get, and that's the 7D, im guessing the 7d2 whenever it comes out will be good but up until the 5d3 came out (not withstanding the 1dx) the 7d was the king for AF on canon bodies.
i guess i'd wait for the 7d2 and get a bargain price on the 7d. |
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05/28/2013 09:28:32 PM · #3 |
Keep the 50D, sell the 30D and wait for 7D2. Then if required sell the 50D. Why did you go full frame if birding was your thing?
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05/28/2013 09:42:30 PM · #4 |
I really like my 60D - so glad I shot the extra $$ rather than go with a 4Ti or 3Ti. I use a Tamron 18-270 lens, but that just doesn't cut it for birding. Never tried a doubler, but the concept is tempting, as is a mirror 500mm lens (but there has got to be a reason they are so much cheaper than their 500mm brethern). Just went to the Piezo version of the Tamron, and glad I did so. Retail on that lens new is now $450. Got my 60D new right at $900 (body only), but I think they've come down in price since.
Local camera shop folks were telling me to just use the manual focus - with practice you can get better and faster than the AF. Just my eyes are not so great, so I have a hard time telling whether I'm in or out of focus. I really miss the split focus screen (back in the all-manual focus, non-digital age, when I used to run a Tamron 70-210 on a 35mm AE-1). |
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05/28/2013 09:48:05 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by Tiberius:
Keep the 50D, sell the 30D and wait for 7D2. Then if required sell the 50D. Why did you go full frame if birding was your thing? |
Because birding wasn't my thing until I participated in a birding side challenge here in April, and was hooked. Prior to that, I didn't know a sparrow from a swallow, and only photographed an occasional osprey near our home. I got over 90 unique species in April for the side challenge. Now I'm birding whenever I can - and enjoy BIF the most (my personal challenge in swallows in flight - haha - which is great practice because they're so erratic).
So I upgraded in the midst of the birding challenge to a 6D, and I fell in love with the IQ. I really miss the cropped sensor, though, and would like something a little better than the 30D but still inexpensive, since money is an issue here. |
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05/28/2013 10:11:00 PM · #6 |
I see. The 50D is with 7D2 on the wish list.
BTW there are 2 cameras listed under 6D. I already brought this to the SC. |
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05/28/2013 11:24:11 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by mariahdc:
So I upgraded in the midst of the birding challenge to a 6D, and I fell in love with the IQ. I really miss the cropped sensor, though, and would like something a little better than the 30D but still inexpensive, since money is an issue here. |
Bear in mind that there's no real-world IQ difference between an uncropped shot on an APS-C sensor and the same shot cropped out of the middle of your 6D sensor. So don't obsess over this; use your longest lens and crop to get the "crop factor", you'll be fine :-) |
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05/29/2013 01:43:40 AM · #8 |
| It's the lens. The 50D looks pretty good. Although, compared to a 6D, it's not really a fair fight. :) |
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