DSLR --> CPC Upgrade?

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theshortstack

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Simon
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Hi there,

With a first child due to arrive next year, I'm toying with the idea of upgrading my Canon 600D partly for the better quality of camera but mainly for the ability to take video.

It seems that if I'm going to upgrade to another DSLR, then there's not a whole lot of point unless I go full frame which is obviously going to be costly.

The alternative is to go for a more compact CSC camera, but I really don't know a whole lot about them. Are they a viable alternative to a DSLR?

Can anyone let me know their thoughts on this and what sort of thing(s) I should be considering if/when I do upgrade?

Thanks very much in advance
 
I've had a Canon Eos-M for a couple of weeks now and i'm really liking it, the IQ in my opinion is outstanding, can be picked up with a kit lens, and 90EX flash for less than £200, and with with an adaptor i can use all my canon glass, i won't give up my DSLR's but the M is what i'm using most at the moment.
 
theshortstack said:
With a first child due to arrive next year, I'm toying with the idea of upgrading my Canon 600D partly for the better quality of camera but mainly for the ability to take video.
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The Panasonic GH3/GH4 are very well regarded for video. Sony also has a decent reputation for video with their CSCs. Fuji doesn't prioritise video in their designs and aren't as well suited, but will do ok. I'm not familiar with the video performance of the Nikon 1 or Canon M ranges.

theshortstack said:
It seems that if I'm going to upgrade to another DSLR, then there's not a whole lot of point unless I go full frame which is obviously going to be costly.
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The 70D is well worth a look as an upgrade to you current camera and will be compatible with all of the lenses you already use and most of the accesories - it's also very well suited to video. It's wrong to think that TOWIFF (the only way is full-frame), so don't let that prejudice your decision making.

If it's purely for the video, it's worth looking at some of the Sony compact cameras. The HX range have fantastic video performance and make a handy pocket-sized alternative for those days you don't want to carry a larger ILC.
 
I swapped full frame Canon plus L lenses for Panasonic micro 4/3rds + decent lenses. Very happy with the swap :)
 
Don't upgrade just for the sake of upgrading. In fact, it may not be an upgrade at all. The EOS 600D shoots great video, and is especially versatile with Magic Lantern installed.
 
I've videoed a wedding and all I can hear is the bloody photographer snapping away. Mirrorless cameras are nice and quiet.
 
Stay with a DSLR!

I added a Fuji XPro to my bag and while it is a wonderful camera, for kids, a dslr is better. When they are moving fast the Fuji misses so many shots compared to the DSLR, dslr is quicker and has better AF.
 
cambsno said:
Stay with a DSLR!

I added a Fuji XPro to my bag and while it is a wonderful camera, for kids, a dslr is better. When they are moving fast the Fuji misses so many shots compared to the DSLR, dslr is quicker and has better AF.
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Thats an xpro not the new gen of csc cameras.
 
Xpro's are pretty well regarded though.
 
theshortstack said:
Hi there,

With a first child due to arrive next year, I'm toying with the idea of upgrading my Canon 600D partly for the better quality of camera but mainly for the ability to take video.
Click to expand...

Why upgrade just because you have a child on the way? Surely that's a reason to avoid spending money as much as possible? What's wrong with the quality of images and video from the 600D? What makes you think you'll be getting better quality with a non DSLR system?
 
DSLRs just aren't good for video - yes I'm sure you'll point out that house was once filmed on one etc etc - however for the average user they're clunky and oversized and generally just not that great whereas something smaller may be better suited, now I know nothing of video but I understand the Panasonics are very good, but then again so are dedicated camcorders.

Edit: Could be worth poking round here - link
 
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When my little girl was born 4 years ago, I found myself taking more pictures with my dslr than my compacts as it had the high ISO capabilities were better. This meant that I could keep the shutter speed high in lower light rather than use flash. Babies and younger children tend to be either very still or move suddenly. I'm not well up on CSC's (other than the Fuji XPro which I have), but I'd say that you would want one that is capable of shooting as well as your Canon at 1600 and above and that has good AF.
 
viewfromthenorth said:
^this. The XPro is a belting camera, works quite well at higher ISO's and some fabulous lenses, but my D700 has much better AF.

I'm told that some of the other mirrorless systems have really quick AF, never used them though.
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The X-T1 is a massive improvement over X-P1 in terms of AF, the newer Olympus cameras are also very good, so are the new Sonys A5100 and A6000.
 
twist said:
The X-T1 is a massive improvement over X-P1 in terms of AF, the newer Olympus cameras are also very good, so are the new Sonys A5100 and A6000.
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As are the better Panasonic cameras (no idea why people seem to dismiss them as able to make a decent camera...). In fact, the GH4 is supposedly better than any of the other micro 4/3rds on focussing. With the correct lenses, they are as good as DSLRs for 90+% of moving things these days - IMHO of course.
 
cambsno said:
Stay with a DSLR!

I added a Fuji XPro to my bag and while it is a wonderful camera, for kids, a dslr is better. When they are moving fast the Fuji misses so many shots compared to the DSLR, dslr is quicker and has better AF.
Click to expand...
The X-Pro1 is notoriously slow to focus. That doesn't mean all mirrorless system cameras are.
The Sony Alpha a6000 has really set a new benchmark for autofocus speed and continuous autofocus reliability among mirrorless cameras. Gordon Laing has a fantastic article about his experience shooting this year's Tour de France with the a6000 and the Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 OSS. http://www.cameralabs.com/features/Best_mirrorless_camera_for_sports/

The Olympus OM-D E-M1 is also far better than the X-Pro1, though it's still not a tracking champ, as written in Laing's article. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4, though, is said to be excellent when used with Panasonic lenses, as it has a neat trick with those lenses: Based on the out of focus areas, it can know how much it should move the focus backwards or forwards, to get the subject on the focus point in-focus. It reportedly does that very quickly, and I remember that at its release it was touted as great potential for tracking, though I haven't read any article that confirms or denies that.
 
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