Canon upgrade dilemma CANON PROS LOOK

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Johnk81

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Hello all I am in need of advice I am now in the market for an upgrade from my last DSLR. I am desperate to go for a Canon EOS. My budget is a reserved £600 to a stretched £700. Now I dont mind buying used gear from a trustworthy seller.

The 4 options I have looked at are as follows ...

7D - Way out of my budget

60D - This I can stretch to if I go for an eBay sale from one of the Hong Kong sellers (trusted one only) but be limited to 1 lens and no budget for a flash

550D - Which really was my first choice with 2 lenses and limited budget for a flash

and now popping its head in is the 50D and I could get 2 EF lenses for that and next month get an f1.8 prime plus still have a budget for a flash .....

I am wanting to use the camera for event photography so fps is very important to me aswell as all other disciplines in my spare time. So the dilemma is do I go for the 550D with 3.7fps and also get HD video (Which is not massively important but may be useful) and the 18mp CMOS or look at the 50D with a very useful 6.3 fps and the 15.5mp (Is it CMOS?) sensor and be happy that you can get the bodies quite cheap now (sub £500) so I can get extras ...


Whats the Canon crowds take on it as I am set on Canon but need some advice, as you can see Ive looked into it but want to hear from those who have used this gear.

All the best and please help!
 
Get 40D used <£400 (or 5D mk1 or 1D mkIIN which are better) and put the rest to a good glass, Lightroom and speedlite. There is really nothing special extra in 50D or 60D, while 550D, as you said, is aimed at a different buyer.
 
Thanks man that is what I thought might have been the case but Im not clued up as I havent used any Canon EOS gear as of yet andI have also looked at the 1d also great build quality and also sub £500 body only, Do you think EF lenses will cut the mustard on the 50D and 1D bodies? Im shooting for web at the moment and have a few weddings booked for next year so Im investing a heck of alot of time in finding the right body first.
 
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I'm not a "pro" in fact I'm at the opposite end of the spectrum, but for what its worth I'd go for the 40D and get good glass, or the 50D if you can get it at a good price (few extra megapixels, micro adjust and other minor improvements).

Be warned, if you do go for new, I think you might be slightly disappointed with the kit lens so it will cost extra for decent glass on top of the "new cam price"

You mentioned you are doing weddings next year, expect the real "pros" will step in here with some good advice.
 
I have had a 40D, a 50D and now a 7D. Personally I would go for a 50 over a 40, but if budget is tight, the40D will be fine, and it will be about £100 cheaper. You need to arm it with some decent glass, which in my experience, is more costly than the body....

Depending on what focal length you're aiming for, but there's always a few EF-S lenses on sale here, just ask in here about their suitability before making a purchase.

HTH

Steve
 
I would also third/fourth/fifth a 40D. Sold mine last easter for a 5dii but I would still love to have another 40D over anything newer. It has all you need on it, and for the price, I would put the rest of the cash towards glass.
 
If you want super fps then you need a 1 series. If not, a 40D would be fine.
Let us know what lenses you're looking at because twin lens kits would be disappointing for event work. Dim venues need fast lenses for good pics.
If you're booking weddings and getting paid then you need at least 2 bodies and at least a couple of 2.8 (or 1.*) lenses for indoor work. f4 is ok for outside, but churches can be dark.
Then there's insurance, liability cover, indemnity... ;-)
 
Just out of interest, what are you currently using?
 
I've seen a few wedding togs using 5D and some using 50D. I have both of these, the IQ on a 5D is overkill, the 50D is a decent camera, however some people have mentiond 1D (mk2) and as it happens I have one of those too, it would be my choice out of all 3 cameras as it does everything really well. The 5D does landscapes/portraits/studio stuff well, the 50D does lots of stuff OK. But, the 1D is a brick outhouse and will take virtually anything you throw at it in teh way of knocks, spills and abuse, which if you are doing pro stuff i.e. getting paid is an absolute must have quality and it outperforms the other 2 by a mile. I hear the 7D is pretty robust too, so I'd narrow my choice on those two with a 40D as back-up.
AF and frame rate on the 1D is as good as Canon can make.
Flashguns - 2nd hand 420/550 - probably hardly ever used, I wouldnt go for the latest 580 unless waterproofing is that important to you, if it is then you will need to dig deep for the 580 mk2.

Matt
 
Depends on price but for the relatively little difference in cost,I'd go 50D over 40D. Larger picture so you can crop harder, at least one stop better noise and a very good screen.

I'm not sure what ef lenses you are looking at that fits within your budget after buying a body though.

Also, you asked for pros to look. Are you expecting to sell and if so what's your market. If it's websites etc then a camera body with HD might give yo uan additional market.
 
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If fps is important then 1d series is the way to go. Also better build quality, faster focusing, buit in drive, weather proof and last for years. £550 will buy a good S/H 1Dmk2 (I know as I have one for sale HERE with a couple of spare batteries and a rain cover :thumbs:). This will enable you to start building your system up to a good pro level.
 
Hmm, you've identified fast fps for sport, but you might also want to consider reasonable high ISO capability for weddings. With that in mind, I'd suggest going for a 50D. You're still going to need fast glass though and you will struggle with your current budget.
 
Johnk81 said:
Im shooting for web at the moment and have a few weddings booked for next year so Im investing a heck of alot of time in finding the right body first.
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I don't want to be overly rude, but if you can't do the basic research in to camera bodies, have no idea of your basic shooting requirements and need to ask others for help, are you really sure that you should be representing yourself as a professional photographer and getting people to book you to record one of the most important days of their life?
 
If you're doing this professionally then consider backups too. What camera system do you use at the moment, if you have a fair bit of kit for that you'd be better of buying a second/better body in that range and keeping your existing one as a backup.

If you don't have a camera for £700, you'd struggle to get two good used bodies (40d's) never mind glass, flashes, insurance etc.
 
I think if you are selling a service, you may have to spend tripple your budget on the right kit to avoid being chased out of town or creating a bad rep.

Sorry to be blunt :)
 
To my mind, the biggest advantage the 50D has over the 40D is that you adjust the lens focus yourself. No need to send it back to Canon!
Add into that the bigger resolution and it's well worth the extra cost over a 40D for me, I have a 40D incidentally!
Whichever way you go, all the best!
Regards
John
 
I have a 40D but I would personally buy a 50D if I were you- the extra MP for cropping would be great over a 40D. You will struggle to get a good lens and flash with the money left over from any camera body- Speedlites are £150-£200ish IIRC and a good lens- well....
 
TCR4x4 said:
Just out of interest, what are you currently using?
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Currently Olympus E-410 with a 2 kit (14 - 42 & 40 - 150mm) this has proved really useful and does the job but Im wanting better light capture, Ive gone over many options and found Canon could fit both event and wedding / portrait work. The Oly is great but low light is a bit of a pig even with the 14 - 42.

Basic I know
 
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DemiLion said:
I don't want to be overly rude, but if you can't do the basic research in to camera bodies, have no idea of your basic shooting requirements and need to ask others for help, are you really sure that you should be representing yourself as a professional photographer and getting people to book you to record one of the most important days of their life?
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Wow forum warrior , what is it illegal to ask advice now? Ive shot with Olympus since starting many years ago and would just like user expierience is that too much? maybe you shouldnt take forums too seriously and realise everyone needs advice at some point and not react like that??

Hmmm?

Oh and to add Im happy to admit that I still like to learn new things about photography, its an evolving process as is purchasing equipment, now I need to find equipment that fits all of my requirements both for my personal photography hobby aswell as my professional aspect. So please instead of interjecting and assuming you know all then please think before replying like that and disrupting what I thought to be a pleasant thread, you know nothing of my work which to this point has been professional event photography to which I have been asked by close friends and by recommendation from said work to start doing weddings .... so yes on approval by others I have started to do wedding photography to which I have had no complaints only very positive feedback and on another note I am also asking for advice as unlike some I dont assume to be the know it all.

Not to be rude.
 
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event togging 1DIIn, especially if you go in the rain as well

Merc
 
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POAH said:
look for a decent 40d second hand or on the canon eBay store
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Thanks Im hearing alot of love for the 40D that would free up some funds for good glass as I will need the better light capture for events, I do many low light gigs using my Olympus and its hit and miss.
 
Chris Y said:
I think if you are selling a service, you may have to spend tripple your budget on the right kit to avoid being chased out of town or creating a bad rep.

Sorry to be blunt :)
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No I understand but we all need to start somewhere Ive got myself into a field with great competition and even with limited resources I have held my own. I know its not all about the gear its the eye behind it too. I wont even attempt to big myself up but I enjoy what I do and people who know me see that and see my passion for photography regardless of the 1000's of pounds everyone else carries.
 
Hi John

A 40D or even a 30D is a great camera to use (I actually preferred ISO 1600 on the 30D to the 40D). I'd still recommend at least a 2nd body if you are shooting pro weddings though. Even a very basic Canon EOS 300D or 350D (which should cost an extra £100 - 150) would be advisable in case the main cam broke down :)

Good luck with your new venture!
 
1D mk2 - a great all-round, reliable body. Bombproof, unlike some of the smaller bodies
 
manualfocus-g said:
Hi John

A 40D or even a 30D is a great camera to use (I actually preferred ISO 1600 on the 30D to the 40D). I'd still recommend at least a 2nd body if you are shooting pro weddings though. Even a very basic Canon EOS 300D or 350D (which should cost an extra £100 - 150) would be advisable in case the main cam broke down :)

Good luck with your new venture!
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Thanks thats great advice I will be getting a backup :)
 
You should be aware that the subject of part-timers doing weddings etc on a shoe-string is a very contentious subject with some folks around here ;) Search a few (long) threads!

Personally, I don't subscribe to the antis point of view at all, but if I was attempting this line of business I would want to work to a high professional standard, as opposed just getting paid for doing a basic job.

That's just a personal point of view, but with that thought in mind I would have two full frame bodies, one with a 24-70L and another with a 70-200L 2.8. Plus a 16-35L in the bag, and three 580EXII guns. That would be minimum. (Not sure why you are so keen on a high frame rate; these kinds of subject don't tend to move anywhere fast.)

More importantly, my (very limited) experience of weddings is that the photography is very much the easy part. I would try and get some experience as a second shooter.
 
Johnk81 said:
I wont even attempt to big myself up but I enjoy what I do and people who know me see that and see my passion for photography regardless of the 1000's of pounds everyone else carries.
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Let me just say to start with that I have never photographed a wedding and never will. (I don't have the ability, the inclination, or the people skills.) But maybe that makes it easier for me to see both sides of the debate.

When people say you need a certain level of gear to shoot weddings "properly", there is a reason. It's *not* because you need good gear to get good photos. We all know that gear is not a substitute for talent. But the pros argue that you do need to have the right gear to *ensure* that you get the photos, whatever happens. So that's why people recommend fast glass, backup everything, etc. You only get one chance and you have to deliver, even if it's dark and gloomy and raining and some kid has just knocked your tripod over. (I'm sure the pros here have worse horror stories, but this isn't the place.)

I'm sure that's the situation with event photography too; it only happens once and you don't get a second chance. But I think the nub of the issue, and the one that causes some wedding photographers to have a sort of Messianic fervour about gear, is that the stakes are much, much higher. For most people their wedding is the biggest day of their life. (Mine certainly was.) And it's also very stressful. So what they need is someone who can be absolutely relied upon to capture the day in photos: not 99%, not 99.99%, but absolutely 100% reliable. No excuses whatsoever.

Hope that makes sense. Of course we all know that there are photographers out there who will cover weddings with an entry-level DSLR and a kit lens, and there is a market for that. (People who don't realise that what these 'expensive' photographers are really charging for is the guarantee that they *will* deliver; and people who simply cannot afford better.) Maybe that's the kind of market you're aiming at. But I think that, when you're looking for advice with regard to doing weddings, some people here will assume that you want to do them 'professionally'; and I'm sure you will agree that professionalism is about your approach far more than it is about money.
 
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HoppyUK said:
More importantly, my (very limited) experience of weddings is that the photography is very much the easy part. I would try and get some experience as a second shooter.
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lol you trying to start a riot

I do agree with you though
 
I am currently learning the techniques with a seasoned professional wedding photographer so I have 5 or so weddings expierience as a second shooter so have the ideas there and a book full of everything I saw happening that day.

I also am aware that this is a persons most treasured day and that it is extremely important to get everything 100% right and I take nothing from the pros what so ever they do an amazing job, I really just popped here to ask equipment advice and ask what would be best for both disciplines. My main target is event photography and I am doing weddings for friends mostly and going from there. I really really never meant to demean the wedding photographers in anyway but someone has asked me to do it and dont get me wrong Im very nervous, but I will remain relaxed and (eventually) have the advice as regards the equipment from members here.

I never wanted to start a storm in a teacup ....... I just want a Canon :bonk:
 
If by events you actually mean mostly weddings (which most people consider separate from events work), then I'd look at 5D Mk1, a 1D II, or a 30D or 40D. My first choice would probably be the 5D, but by going full frame or APS-H (1D) you loose the ability to use EF-S (specifically for crop sensors) lenses, some of which which are common and cheap 2nd hand.

If you actually mean events, like proms, parties, gigs, etc. Then I'd go for the 40D. You don't need full frame in my opinion.

Lastly, make sure you actually handle the body you are thinking of buying, or at least one that is the same shape. I really hate the small canon bodies, and wouldn't buy one just because of the handling, nothing to do with the specification.
 
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