Upgrade - 50D or 60D?

weybourne

weybourne

Suspended / Banned
Messages
1,223
Name
Adrian
Edit My Images
Yes
I'm planning on upgrading my 350D body. I've been looking at the 60D for about £800-£850 but I've just seen a refurbished 50D going for £600.

The video would be nice but it's not important. I'm tight and don't like spending money for the sake of it. Do you think I should go for the 60D or keep £200+ in my pocket and go for the 50D?
 
If video doesn't interest you I'd go for the 50d.

Had mine for about 12 months now and I love it.
 
+1 for the 50D, I bought mine just as the 60D came out. As video on camera did not interest me I felt the 50D was a better camera for the money.
 
Have you considered second hand your £800-£850 would allow you to get a secondhand 7D Body or if you are into landscapes a secondhand 5D on your £600.00 budget or what about a 1D mk2n again within your budget i have had all three and they all bring something different to the table.
Regards
Richard
 
I moved from a 350d to a 50d a couple of years back and it’s a big step up in quality, I have been very happy with the 50d.

My friend has a 60d and it’s a nice camera but I don’t like menu and control method, I guess it’s just due to be used to my 50d but everything seams in the wrong place.

The screen on the 60d and better iso are nice.

For me I think I would get the 50d and save the money or spend a bit more and get a 2nd 7d...
 
60D has video, better sensor and rotating screen
50D has faster FPS and magnesium body

You take your pick, I would get the 60D or a used 7D
 
weybourne said:
I'm planning on upgrading my 350D body. I've been looking at the 60D for about £800-£850 but I've just seen a refurbished 50D going for £600.

The video would be nice but it's not important. I'm tight and don't like spending money for the sake of it. Do you think I should go for the 60D or keep £200+ in my pocket and go for the 50D?
Click to expand...

If I were you I might even spend less and go for a 40D - some people say the 40D performs better than the 50D in terms of noise. Its also got a slightly faster FPS - but a worse screen.

The 60D is nice, I have one - and the articulating screen is fantastic - I actually think the 60D has a better layout, but that might be because I haven't handled a 40/50D extensively.I don't like the joystick thing on the older cameras!
 
I would choose slightly older 40D or go straight for 60D or better 7D. From my limited experience 40D has better / cleaner / IQ over 50D. Hopefully 60D is a slightly improvement apart from a regular MP increase.
 
I know that the 60D has better IQ/cleaner than the 50D, my father has a 50D and I'm often suprised at how much noisier pictures under similar conditions are.
 
Very pleased with my 60D - controls are very intuitive and easy to programme. Plenty of features and good image quality. Slower than a 7D, but I am very satisfied with my choice.
 
Anyway I think if you ask that kind of question you will get lots of people saying 'I have this and I love it....' but most people will recommend what they have.

I think it would be a good idea to think through what you really want -

If its image quality you crave, then a used 5D mk1 would be a good choice.

If its all-round usability and usefulness (tilting screen, electronic level, video, etc etc.) then 60D might be a good choice - also if you want to print big!

If you aren't fussed about megapixels or are into sports, then a used 40D might be good.

I'm considering selling my 60D and going for a 40D and 5D mk1 setup.
 
daugirdas said:
I would choose slightly older 40D or go straight for 60D or better 7D. From my limited experience 40D has better / cleaner / IQ over 50D. Hopefully 60D is a slightly improvement apart from a regular MP increase.
Click to expand...

From my experience the 50d has the cleaner and better IQ over the 40d. I tested them side by side and expected to go for the 40d as I didnt think there would be much in it, not relative to price at least. However, I went with the 50d.

Its just the 50d isn't sympathetic with poor or clumsy post processing at high ISO, where I found the 50d (shooting indoor show jumping) to be vastly better than the 40d IQ and noise wise.
 
Last edited:
I am also considering whether to get a 60D or 50D don't know if it would be a worthy upgrade from the 500D
 
Hmmm.

Used discontinued kit with a limited (if any) warranty and a past you can never be really sure of or a brand new latest model camera with warranty.
 
Just one other item to throw into the wash...

Your 350D uses CF cards, so does the 50D. The 60D uses SD cards, so you'll have to renew your memory as well. There are a number of reasonably priced grips for the 50D about as well.

I loved mine, only sold it as it was part of the deal I made with the Mrs to get my 7D (and then she complains that we don't have 2 bodies!) so I wished I had of kept it.

Is there anything about the 60D that is a "must have" ?

Steve
 
travellingcello said:
Anyway I think if you ask that kind of question you will get lots of people saying 'I have this and I love it....' but most people will recommend what they have.

I think it would be a good idea to think through what you really want
Click to expand...
Yup.

Jelster said:
Just one other item to throw into the wash...

Your 350D uses CF cards, so does the 50D. The 60D uses SD cards, so you'll have to renew your memory as well.
Click to expand...
True, but the CF cards you have for a 350d are probably a bit small for use on a newer camera with (I assume) much bigger files. Also SD is cheap.

This isn't a bad comparison between 50D/60D, with a table showing the 7D as well.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos60D/



(And - like the other owners above - I'm very happy with my 60D)
 
Jelster said:
Just one other item to throw into the wash...

Your 350D uses CF cards, so does the 50D. The 60D uses SD cards, so you'll have to renew your memory as well. There are a number of reasonably priced grips for the 50D about as well.

I loved mine, only sold it as it was part of the deal I made with the Mrs to get my 7D (and then she complains that we don't have 2 bodies!) so I wished I had of kept it.

Is there anything about the 60D that is a "must have" ?

Steve
Click to expand...

SD cards are so cheap I would have thought you would be glad to have SD.

Transcend Class 10 8GB cards are something like 8pounds - some people say they break down but I have had 2 now for a year and they are doing just fine.

Also I got a Meike grip (made in the same factory as Canon, so effectively the same, just without the Canon logo) and 2 decoded 3rd party batteries for £30.
 
''''Hmmm.

Used discontinued kit with a limited (if any) warranty and a past you can never be really sure of or a brand new latest model camera with warranty.'''



If you buy from a reputable second hand dealer you won't have any problems... I think the dangers of buying second hand are played up too much.
 
Last edited:
I have had the dilemma, I own a 350D and want to upgrade. I have looked at most options and done my research based upon my photographic needs, and the answer I came up with was a 50D second hand then spend my money left over for some decent glass.

But I am not going ahead yet I am still learning, and gonna stick with the 350D until I have more expereince I believe the 350D still has alot to offer me (even thou low light its c**p lol). So I upgraded my lens kit to a Tamron 17-50mm 2.8 and I will look at my situation again after xmas.

Long winded I know lol but 50D with decent glass gets my unbiased vote :thumbs:
 
travellingcello said:
If you buy from a reputable second hand dealer you won't have any problems... I think the dangers of buying second hand are played up too much.
Click to expand...

If you buy from a dealer you may get a warranty but it will not be the same as you get with new kit. I just thought that it was worth saying. DSLR's have a limited life as does all electro mechanical stuff and for some the peace of mind offered by a new warranty is worth the additional cost.

Personally apart from MA and magnesium which are both of zero value to me personally I see no advantage in the 50D whilst the 60D can be bought new and has that attractive articulated screen.
 
woof woof said:
If you buy from a dealer you may get a warranty but it will not be the same as you get with new kit. I just thought that it was worth saying. DSLR's have a limited life as does all electro mechanical stuff and for some the peace of mind offered by a new warranty is worth the additional cost.

Personally apart from MA and magnesium which are both of zero value to me personally I see no advantage in the 50D whilst the 60D can be bought new and has that attractive articulated screen.
Click to expand...

I think a better option would be to get insurance - I still don't think the warranty is worth the extortionate extra cost.

And anyway, the chances of a DSLR breaking down within the warranty period I think are quite small if you look after your kit.
 
You have no control over what electronic or machanical components fail or when they fail and it's also worth remembering that DSLR shutters have a limited life and that once they go the camera could be a write off.

With the more expensive models you can tell what the shutter count is but as far as I know you can't tell, or it's a problem telling, what the shutter count is on a xxD model.

Would you buy a car without looking at the mileage? That may not be a totally aplicable analogy but it's worth considering when a xxD might have had heavy use and the shutter might be on borrowed time.

As for extortionate cost... a new 60D is more expensive than a used 50D. With the 50D you might get a 3 month warranty, with the 60D you get a year minimum assuming that you buy a new UK model from a reputable dealer.
 
Last edited:
woof woof said:
You have no control over what electronic or machanical components fail or when they fail and it's also worth remembering that DSLR shutters have a limited life and that once they go the camera could be a write off.

With the more expensive models you can tell what the shutter count is but as far as I know you can't tell, or it's a problem telling, what the shutter count is on a xxD model.

Would you buy a car without looking at the mileage? That may not be a totally aplicable analogy but it's worth considering when a xxD might have had heavy use and the shutter might be on borrowed time.

As for extortionate cost... a new 60D is more expensive than a used 50D. With the 50D you might get a 3 month warranty, with the 60D you get a year minimum assuming that you buy a new UK model from a reputable dealer.
Click to expand...

Although most of what you say is true, I dont agree with all of it.

It's not exact science, but a body with little signs of use, in perfect condition with a low file number is likely to reflect the actual shutter count and will probably last you a very long time.

My 50d came with a confirmed 500 actuations and showed NO signs of use, dinks or scratches, it was perfect, and only about 6 months old. It came with a 6 month warranty from LCE (so in effect they were honouring the rest of the standard Canon warranty) and was £300 cheaper than a new one. I expect it will last for a good many years.

It makes perfect sense to buy a good used body if you don't want the expense of a new body, and/or want some left for good glass, you just have to buy smartly.
 
Last edited:
woof woof said:
You have no control over what electronic or machanical components fail or when they fail and it's also worth remembering that DSLR shutters have a limited life and that once they go the camera could be a write off.

With the more expensive models you can tell what the shutter count is but as far as I know you can't tell, or it's a problem telling, what the shutter count is on a xxD model.

Would you buy a car without looking at the mileage? That may not be a totally aplicable analogy but it's worth considering when a xxD might have had heavy use and the shutter might be on borrowed time.

As for extortionate cost... a new 60D is more expensive than a used 50D. With the 50D you might get a 3 month warranty, with the 60D you get a year minimum assuming that you buy a new UK model from a reputable dealer.
Click to expand...

Car mileage is relative once again. It depends if the car / camera was made of Friday or Monday, if the person had a hangover, the user, the type of use. Gearboxes (my bad experience) can fail at any stage, but can happily carry on past 300k miles. So does the camera shutter. By buying sensibly, it is possible to minimise the risk, but never to avoid it completely. The savings should be very decent, and are usually worth the risk of buying used in most sensible cases.

If we go by the plain age and mileage, that 20D is really well over-due. My 1DsII is then probably a complete trash as well. Oh well, I should have bough a plastic fantastic 5D II and stuck it up to the waterline on the coast :bonk:. I think I am going to buy a NEW A-Class as well to make sure I have that warranty. :wave:
 
I love my 50d but if i had my time again i would have saved some more money and gone from my 300d to to 5dmk2. By the way - i really value that magnesium body after dropping my camera :)
 
There are a lot of mint little used cameras out there. How longs a piece of string is the arguement i know a guy who has a nikon d300s and it's been back to nikon 4 times under warranty. When i sold my 1Dmk 2 with 175000
clicks on it 2 years ago it had'nt had a new shutter fitted i sold it to a friend of mine for a song because i thought the shutter would soon have to be replaced it now has 223,000 on it and still going strong.
It has just been in for a service thats why i know the shutter count but interestingly the guy Rob spoke to said he had seen these models with over 300,000 clicks on.
:thinking: i wonder what the record is :D

Regards

Richard
 
Ok putting aside any other camera Canon make, if we look at the two you mentioned then i would some it up this way.

Both camera's have their pro's and cons. Ultimately though which ever one you get will serve you well.
If sport and fast moving objects is your thing then maybe the 50D is the better option.
If low down shots is your thing then maybe the 60D is the better option.

Numbers on a spec sheet are only half the story , what you do with the camera is the other half.
As you have not been specific in your requirements I reckon both cameras would serve you well.
I have the 50D and love it. It may not have an articulated screen or 18mp's etc etc but it works for me, but that isn't me telling you to go out and get one.

Best thing you can do is get your hands on a 60D and feel it (hell you might not like the way it feels in the hand). Doing that with a 50D is obviously slightly harder unless you know someone with one.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

My aspirations are in bird and aviation photography (but my photography is not limited to that). I already have some reasonable glass (not 'L' or prime but my wallet and SWMBO are not suited for such investments) - to list them:

Sigma 10-20mm f4-5.6 EX DC HSM
Canon EF 28-135mm f3.5-5.6 IS USM
Sigma 150-500mm f/5.6-6.3 DG HSM OS
plus a couple of less desirable starter lenses that kept me going for a couple of years until I could afford the above.

On account of the Sigma DC lens I want to stick to APS-C sensors. I want the upgrade to be in pixel-count as well as quality - so that I can afford a little cropping more than I can with the 8MP of the 350D - so this rules out older XD models.

I'm coming round to preferring the 50D but holding back because of the higher risk in buying refurbished - is the saving worth it? If the 50D was brand-new at that price, I don't think I would have this dilemma.

The 50D comes with a lowly 90 day warranty and is described as
Manufacturer refurbished: An item that has been professionally restored to working order by a manufacturer-approved vendor. This means the product has been inspected, cleaned and repaired to meet manufacturer specifications and is in excellent condition. This item may or may not be in its original packaging.
Click to expand...

Further on the camera is described as "REFURBISHED TO NEW CONDITION BY CANON", is from a UK seller, UK shipped and the full package includes:

* Canon EOS 50D SLR Digital Camera (Camera Body)
* BP-511A Rechargeable Lithium-ion Battery Pack
* CG-580 Battery Charger
* USB Interface Cable (IFC-200U)
* Video Cable (VC-100)
* Wide Neck Strap
* Eyecup Eb
* EOS Digital Solution Software CD-ROM
* Software Instruction Manual
* "Great Photography is Easy" Booklet
* "Do More with Macro" Booklet
* Free 8 GB CF Card
 
Last edited:
If birds & planes are your thing, you would feel the benefit from the better sensor, for cropping, & better autofocus.

That said I would definately consider a 2nd hand 7d. Its what you will probably want to upgrade to anyway, as the best crop available, so you'll be saving £££'s & hassle in the long run.
 
If you have been happy with your 350D why not just get the 550D, my daughter has one and it really is a great little camera for the money, 30 quid cashback until the 30th June too
 
tijuana taxi said:
If you have been happy with your 350D why not just get the 550D, my daughter has one and it really is a great little camera for the money, 30 quid cashback until the 30th June too
Click to expand...

And the 550D has a "similar" focusing system to the 7D, it's a great body, bit lacks the thumbwheel that the XX & X series have.

Steve
 
The AF of the 550D is not similar at all to the one from the 7D. Even the 60D one is better than the 550D AF and the 60D, in it's turn, is much worse to the 7D.
 
if your seriously considering spending that amount of money, either look at the lenses you have and upgrade them at the same time as the body, or if they will be able to handle a 7D IQ wise, go straight for the 7D. 7D blows the 60D/50D clean away, but as I already said. Make sure the lenses you already have are up to the 7D quality.

No point have a 7d with a milk bottle for a lens :) What you are using on the 350D might look great sharp wise, stick the same lens on a 7D and it's soon apparent that the lens is not up to the job due the huge jump in mp, now your stuck with soft lenses and a 7D.
 
Last edited:
micloi said:
The AF of the 550D is not similar at all to the one from the 7D. Even the 60D one is better than the 550D AF and the 60D, in it's turn, is much worse to the 7D.
Click to expand...

It's similar in operation and not the same as the 50D. My brother has one, and I have a 7D, I've also had a 50D. I'm not saying it's the same, but it's definately different from what's on the 50, and I think, the 60....
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top