Which Canon DSLR camera should i buy?

[amjad_e]

<p>If i was to buy it right away, the three DSLR cameras within my budget would be the Rebel T4i, the 60D and the 7D. All of course with the kit lens. But the cheaper the camera i buy, the more money i have for an extra lens. After doing some calculations, i realized that if i waited two months, I could buy the 5D Mark II new with the kit lens.<br>

So, now i'm torn between buying one of the three first choices right away, or waiting two months to buy 5D Mark II...<br>

I am a beginner, but i want a good camera that i won't have to change in a few months. Plus, If i'm going to spend the money, i would like to start out with decent camera. <br>

But i'm not really sure, if as a beginner i'll need a full frame or a crop?<br>

I need the advice from people experienced in photography, any help would be much appreciated.<br>

Thanks in advance.</p>

[paddler4]

<p>If you are a beginner, you don't need to spend the $$ on a 5D II, or even a 7D. I have been shooting SLRs since 1968, and I use a cheaper body than either the 7D or the 5DII.</p>

<p>What you need to realize is that by far the biggest factor in determining the quality of your photos is you: what you learn about composition, how well you handle the camera (aperture, exposure, ISO), and how well you do postprocessing. A very distant second will be the quality of your lenses, and a distant third will be the body you buy (given the quality of even cheap bodies now).</p>

<p>Forget the full frame issue. Full frame provides a few advantages, some of which are important for some uses, but it is in my view a very bad investment for a beginner unless you have some specific reason to need it, e.g., if you are going to be doing a lot of low-light shooting. I shoot with a lot of very experienced folks, and almost none of them owns a full frame DSLR.</p>

<p>The current Rebels are very good cameras in terms of their sensors and the quality of images they can produce. If I recall correctly, the sensors in the T3i and 60D are the same. There are a number of advantages in stepping up to a 60D--in particular, the controls are better--but it's not going to produce better images if you have everything else set up correctly.</p>

<p>Even though lenses can make a difference, I would not buy anything really expensive yet. First, you don't know which types of lenses will be good for you, once you find out what you like to shoot. Second, it is likely to be a long time before the bottleneck is lenses.</p>

<p>So my advice would be to stick with nothing more expensive than a Rebel or a 60D with a kit lens. Both are excellent cameras, not just 'decent' ones, and unless you learn this stuff really fast, you won't outgrow it for quite a while. If you find that there are types of shooting that you want to do but can't do with a kit lens, then and only then start thinking about more glass.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>If you'd need to wait only two more months to afford the 5D Mark II, I'd say go for it.</p>

<p>But I do a lot of low light shooting at high ISOs and the benefit of full frame would be a huge plus for me. I don't really care about the sensor size issue in terms of depth of field, wide angle lenses and the other issues often associated with full frame. But the better high ISO performance is a major factor for me.</p>

[SCL]

<p>What Dan said. No matter what camera you buy at this stage, its capabilities will far outweigh your skills for quite a while, at least several years, unless you are quick to grasp and apply technical nuances. Get a serviceable body and lens with a good warranty and let the fun and learning begin. You may be permanently and happily engaged in snapshots and posting on social networking sites, in which case lower end (consumer level) cameras with gobs of automatic features which do the thinking for you, can be a real plus. When you get serious, you'll have experience under your belt to make decisions with full understanding of the consequences.</p>

[puce]

<p>I have shot with a Canon Rebel type (film and then digital) camera for about 20 years before I upgraded to a 7D. In my opinion, I would save my money and get a Rebel and then you can acquire lenses as you go (beyond the kit lens you will get). What lenses etc. you get will be determined by the interests in photography you develop. If you are clever, then when you decide to upgrade your camera body, your lenses will be transferable and you will save lots of $$$. I was also able to sell the Rebel body (which was in great condition) to someone who was looking to upgrade from a point and shoot. The 7D is a great camera, but probably has a lot of features that require a bit of training with. </p>

[amjad_e]

<p>Thanks so much to all of you. Everything you said makes perfect sense...<br>

I'll just buy the Rebel to start learning, So when the time comes for me to upgrade, i'll spend the $$$ fully knowing just what i need in a camera. Plus, a more advanced DSLR will have much more features to understand and master, which could get confusing.</p>

<p>@Aina Exactly, buying transferable lenses makes it easier for you to upgrade at anytime without starting over :)</p>

[Mattman944]

<p>All of those are better than decent cameras. 10 years ago, that Rebel would have been better than 99% of the digital cameras in use. And plenty of great shots were taken 10 years ago.</p>

<p>Spend some time and learn photography, it is more about lighting and composition than pixels. If you don't, you will become a pixel peeper and will only care about the sharpness of your lousy photos.</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>You are, when talking about a kit lens on a 5D, not meaning the EF-S "kit lens"? - it will not fit on the 5D models. </p>

<p>The 5D "kit lens" is the EF 24-105mm L lens, which <em>is</em> much cheap<em>er</em> when bought with the body, but not 'cheap' in the sense of the APS-C kit lenses.</p>

<p>You do get what you pay for, mostly. Each price hike up will give you improvements in different areas -- better weather sealing, better control system than the Rebels have, more pixels, etc.</p>

<p>The 7D is essentially a pro-am top end APS-C. It has a very sophisticated focus system and will be very durable in use. The 5D mk 2 is a good deal right now (I just bought one myself) but is more camera than you really need right now. However, you can always "grow into it" as me old mom used to say.</p>

[limitedten]

It's simple, get the 5dmk2, or do extra time and get the mk3, the topic here, i assume, is what you want.

I say, never rush this kind of decision, though your gut is telling you to do the purchase right this instance.

Wait the extra months, perhaps by then you'll really know what you need.

[ljwest]

<p>APS-C sensor cameras are perfectly fine these days for general photography. You certainly don't <strong><em>need</em> </strong>a full frame camera to take great photos. Whether you want one, is another story!</p>

<p>As for kit lenses, they're not so bad as many would lead you to believe - especially the 5DII/III's "kit" lens! Regardless of what camera you choose, the kit lens allows you to get out right away and take photos, and usually over a wide range of focal lengths. This allows a beginner, such as yourself, to explore what it is you like to photograph most. From there, you can decide what other lenses you would like to add to your collection. If you shoot portraits, get a lens appropriate for that. If you shoot wildlife, you might want a long telephoto lens. If you prefer to shoot flowers, etc. perhaps a Macro lens. If you need to shoot indoors without a flash, that's another lens, too.</p>

<p>I could tell you that you should add a Canon 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L IS to your arsenal, but of you don't shoot the same things I do (wildlife - primarily birds), that's not a good recommendation for you!</p>

<p>I was nearly in your situation about 2 years ago. Not a real beginner - I'd had a lot of experience shooting with film SLRs a long time back - but the whole digital thing was brand new to me. The best advice I got was to go to a shop and <strong><em>handle</em> </strong>the cameras I was considering. I tried out a couple Nikons, a Rebel (probably the T2i), and a 50D. I was pretty close to settling on the 50D, as I found I preferred the ergonomics and build of the Canons, and I did not like the smaller size of the Rebel. Then I tried out a 7D, and I was hooked. The 19-point AF and the "intelligent viewfinder" sealed the deal for me, and now, almost 20,000 shutter clicks later, I'm a very happy camper!</p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<blockquote>

<p>i want a good camera that i won't have to change in a few months</p>

</blockquote>

<p>None of these cameras will need a change in a few months. Very very few people "outgrow" a DSLR that quick, if at all ever. Instead, do consider that high-end cameras (as the 7D and 5D) add a lot of options and settings. I see enough people starting out seriously with a DSLR getting only confused by all these options ("which AF mode should I use while doing macro photography") and instead of focussing on exposure and composition, they waste time on camera options. And this happens to me too still :-). The simpler cameras have extra options to help you out, and make you learn instead.</p>

<p>Get a camera that fits your hand and logic, as Larry says, and keep it simple. Learn photography first of all, and a simpler camera may very well help with that. A higher-end body is not giving to give you better photos, or add a great deal to your creative options while you learn. Better lenses do improve image quality and creative options way more (and they don't loose value as fast as bodies do). If I'd restrict my choice to Canon only, I'd probably choose the 60D (for me it handles better than the rebels) with a nice selection of lenses. Much nicer than a 5D Mk. II and having to go economic on the lens.<br>

But, I would not restrict myself to Canon only at this point, and certainly also check the Pentax, Nikon etc. options in the store.</p>

[jaydesi]

<p>One thing to consider between these cameras are the controls. The 60D and 7D have a rear dial, whereas the T4i does not. If you plan to invest in a flash and likely shoot in manual mode, the second dial is convenient. Not necessary, but quite handy. Weighing against that are ergonomics. The 60D and 7D are bigger, and if you have small hands, you may not find them comfortable. You're less likely to stick with photography if your camera is uncomfortable to use. Definitely go to a store and hold the different bodies to make sure you like how they feel.</p>

<p>You may find that a good tripod is a more useful first additional purchase, vs a second lens. As has been said, until you learn where your kit lens is limiting you, you won't know what lens to get that will complement it. There is something to be said for covering a broad range of focal lengths, but if your photography develops into a love of portraiture, for example, an ultrawide lens is likely to be money wasted that could have been spent on a better portrait lens, flashes, etc. You may quickly find that the built-in flash is unsuitable, and need a speedlite. This is likely, as the built-in flash is low power and right on the lens access, usually making for unflattering images. But don't run out and get a flash until you know what you need. Again, see where the built-in flash limits you, and buy to fill the need.</p>

[zensphoto]

<p>I own a Canon 60D and use it for my professional work, I have a Canon Powershot SX30 IS, I use the AE-1 Program, and many other camera's in my collections some are digital some are film, you might look at the new Canon T4i. </p>

[pablomatsumoto]

<p>Let me put a short and (in my honest opinion) practical answer. If you are a beginner but believe your are entering photography rather seriously, go for the 60D. It is almost the same price as the Rebel t4i but it is much better in terms of built quality and usability. You can also make some light pro work with them to start with, like event photography.<br>

If you are unsure and just want to get an idea of what is this about, go for the t4i or event the t3i which is on discount now. Picture quality won't be a compromised, you can take stunning pictures with all these three cameras. <br>

Buy the kit lens (the difference is very small) and learn. Then you will have time to step-up.</p>