XTi to 30D Upgrade?

[rixhobbbies]

I am about ready to pull the trigger on a move from an XTi to a 30D. I really

like the larger camera body, larger finder and better build. I was going to

wait for the 40D but since that isn't likely to see the light of day this

spring, I am thinking I will just go for the 30D now with the idea of upgrading

to the 40D if the features are worth it.

 

So, before I do this, I wanted to get a quick sanity check. Based on the

feedback I've gotten so far from the MP difference, this shouldn't really be an

issue.

 

Has anyone else made a move like this? Would you recommend this move?

 

Regards,

 

Rick

[gdanmitchell]

Besidees your subjective impression of the larger body and its (supposedly) better build, what

are you expecting to gain from the switch? Your image quality will not improve and it may, at

least marginally, decrease.

[robert lee]

"I am about ready to pull the trigger on a move from an XTi to a 30D."

 

Not an upgrade. If the XTi is too small for your hands, the optional vertical grip should help. Wait to see what the 40D has to offer. If you _really_ want to spend money now, the 5D is worthwhile. Of course, there's always getting better optics, better tripod, lighting equipment, software, etc.

 

"I really like the larger camera body, larger finder and better build..."

 

Get a used film EOS-3 or EOS-1 for a few hundred. This should tie things over as far as the psychology is concerned.

[jimstrutz]

Since this is just a hobby, you don't have to justify purchasing anything. If you want it, and can afford it, buy it. That said, not everyone would agree that this is a step up. I think it is, but not in image quality. The extra controls on the larger camera kept me from buying the Rebel.

 

Personally, I would wait for another 2 weeks, just to make sure Canon isn't hiding something until the last minute before PMA. Not likely, but...

[terry_smith2]

I would not do this at the moment. Buying a 30D now and trading it for a 40D later this year is bad economics. The 40D is expected to be a 400D in a better body with the same performance. A 30D will be a small step backwards as far as performance goes even if the handling will be better. As someone suggested, get the battery grip for the 400D and live with for a few more months. If you have money burning a hole in your pocket at the moment, buy a lens. Maybe a short L prime (24, 35, 135) or the 17-35, 24-105, or one of the 70-200s depending on your needs and what you already have.

[chinoloco93]

I have a 30D and I like the feel of it better then the Rebel as well. However, besides that, I don't know if its really an upgrade. They both are crop view, they both have the 2.5 inch LCD, the size is an improvement in my view, but other then that, there really isn't much.

 

If your final answer however is a long awaited 40D, you might be well off to get a used 20D and then trade up. You can save a few bucks and it will be a great backup camera in case you sell the XTi.

[mars c]

I always complained about my 350ds small grip and planned to upgrade to 30d , but after trying and purchasing the batt. grip, I'm very satisfied with it now. Since I dont need the 5fps and I dont mind plastic bodies. My urged to upgrade to 30d is gone.

 

I figured out that instead of spending more on bodies, I'm better off buying more/better lens.

 

I"m sure you can afford the upgrade , go ahead, the 2mp diffrence is almost invisible, but remember, your photography wont improve just by upgrading from xti to 30d.

[steve torelli]

The 30D,IMO, is an upgrade from the Rebel unless your entire criteria for buying a camera is pixel count. In almost every other way the 30D is superior. Alloy as oppossed to plastic, better VF, longer shutter life. The Rebel has about a 10% advantage in resolution and the anti-dust thing. I guess you need to decide which feature set is more important to you. That's why they make chocolate and vanilla. Good luck.

[patrick tom]

There's a lot of things to improve photography besides a new body...tripod,using shutter release chord,mirror lock up...and others...Have you explored all the ways...especially since I assumed landscape is one of your interest from your nice shot(doesn't look like it was shot off a tripod)...that said if you want something that fits better in the hand get whatever camera you like...if you're able to handle it better you'll be able to use it better that will be the upgrade for you...Thanks

[gdanmitchell]

mars c wrote: "I figured out that instead of spending more on bodies, I'm better off buying

more/better lens"

 

Right on! In almost all cases it makes a lot more sense to invest in lenses (that you'll keep)

than in DSLR bodies which, compared to the film era, come and go.

 

patrick tom is also on the right track when he points out that whatever (probably illusory)

effect switching "up" from your 400D will have on your photography, it will probably be

much less significant than a whole lot of other things. A 30D (or whatever) with a mediocre

lens and hand held is unlikely to produce a photo with anywhere near the quality of a

photo made with (for example) a 350D with a grea lens, tripod, MLU, remote release... and

vision.

 

One more thing. Waiting for a 40D (at least beyond PMA, if you think it might still happen

then) may turn out to lead to a long wait.

 

Whatever you decide, enjoy.

 

Dan

[rayyeager]

The battery grip took away all my desires for the 30D. Plus I still have the option to travel really light without the grip.

[jim_larson1]

I am with the others: The 30D is not superior to the XTi in terms of image quality. The AF system is the same. The 30D is just "bigger".

[wandern]

The answers to your question are actually a bit humorous- obviously, few people recommend the "upgrade"; however, the three differences you listed- larger body, larger finder, and better build- are some of the most significant differences between the 30d and XTi.

 

I personally found the ergonomics of the XT to be very poor for me, and the miniscule viewfinder made manual focusing nearly impossible. I loved the images, but didn't love the camera. I managed a nearly zero cost upgrade to a 20d, which I was extremely happy with. The 20d was quickly stolen, and I replaced it with a 30d. The 30d fixed many of the little annoyances of the 20d.

 

The XTi has most of the electronics of the 30d, so, as people have noted above, you're not going to get many improvements in that category going to the XTi. If I were to take most pictures in situations where I was leisurely changing camera settings, and I wasn't handholding often, I'd probably happily stick with the XT or XTi. However, I find the 30d so tremendously more convenient for adjusting settings that it's worth the price difference to me.

 

I guess it comes down how you think the camera holds and handles- and whether that difference is worth the cost to you.

 

Fow what it's worth, I can't think of a single category in which I'd consider the XTi to be superior to the 30d, except in the quite debatable resolution category.

[glenn nk]

First, let me say that I come to this website primarly because of the very high creative level of the photographs produced by members of this website. I have checked several others out (in fact, I belong to four photo websites/forums), but I feel that this site is superb. This is not to say, that photos on the other sites aren't as creative, they just aren't as creative as often.

 

However, when it comes to technical expertise of the members on Canon products, I rely on another forum that deals exclusively with that brand. This shouldn't be hard to understand.

 

On the forum portion of the "other website", there are countless users that have made the switch from the XTi (aka 400D) to the 30D, and virtually everyone has stated satisfaction - in fact many have used superlatives in their testimonials. Perhaps one out of many hasn't been totally satisfied.

 

Thus it should not come as any surprise that I agree with Brian P's asessment - it concurs with the majority of Canon users that have made the "upgrade".

 

I ask that users of the 400D not become offended, but rather check out the facts for themselves on that website/forum; it won't be hard to find.

[DickArnold]

I am going through a process to upgrade from my D60 to something more modern. My D60 is virtually worthless as a trade. It is less than four years old. It takes quite good pictures. I will keep it as a second body. I have been through probably eight Canon bodies since I bought my first 650 in 1987 or 8. I ruined two of them shooting sports until I got an EOS 1n that lasted for a while. The bodies depreciate faster than a new car leaving the dealer. What makes a qualify picture more than anything else is the lens. Quality lenses don't depreciate near as fast. I have an L lens that has lasted in professional service for over ten years that still produces high quality pictures. Based on my recent trade of a 28-70 2.8 L, quality lenses really hold their value if in good shape. So where should I put my money particularly now that I no longer have my business; Into lenses without question. So I have about two grand to spend. That and five or six hundred bucks will get me a 5D. Or, that will get me an XTi and a 300 F4L and a 1.4 X or a 100-400 4.5-5.6 and I will still have five hundred left over. The XTi I buy will be replaced in less than 18 months if Canon holds to its paradigm. So then if warranted I can buy another inexpensive body. You know what? I think I will still be quite satisfied with the pictures I produce. So this makes sense to me. To me it is all about the quality of the picture not the quality of the camera. If I were still doing sports, and running my one man photo business I would be looking for the toughness of the EOS 1n and the hard bodied 70-200 2.8 over megapixels and bells and whistles. That's my story and I will stick to it and walk my talk by putting my money where my mouth is. In my humble opinion, the proposed trade does not make much financial sense and you won't it improve picture quality to a signicant degree. That is, if I know what I'm talking about and that has been is certainly open to question.

[images_in_light_north_west]

Get an L lens and upgrade later