A bit of a quandary on body choices.

2Thumbs

2Thumbs

2Thumbs

Soldato
Joined
12 Jan 2005
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Devon
I'm currently a Canon 20D user. It's done me well over the last 9 months or so of my ownership but I feel it's time for a change. Partly because the small screen is something I've never liked, mostly because the sensor is starting to become noisey even at base ISO. I am fussy though so it could just be me.

I do have a grip for it, but only one Canon fit lens as I'm a MF fan and have an assortment of Pentax M42 lenses

I have a few options:

  • Sell the 20D at a (obviously) discounted price, keep the grip and the Canon lens and get a 40D.
  • As above but with a 50D.
  • Or an oddball choice, sell everything to fund a Pentax K7 which has native support for my manual lenses and gives them IS support due to in-body Shake Reduction.*

*Having only had experience with Canon DSLR's, I'd have to learn the ropes again with the Pentax camera due to the entirely different UI and controls. Also it's the most expensive of the options. I've heard it hits above it's weight in terms of value but I'm not sure if it's really worth it.

Is it true that the ISO performance of the 40D is better than the 50D, mostly due to the pixel count on the same size sensor? This is quite important to me as I like to do gig work which requires high ISO's for handheld work.

Any experience or opinions would be greatly appreciated as I can't seem to make my mind up on my own.
 
How about the new K-x rather than the K-7?
seems to have a lot of the technology of the K-7 but not the weatherproof body & will be 1/2 the price?
 
What Canon gear do you have?

If you already have some lenses then I don't really see the advantage in jumping systems.


Look for a 2nd hand 40D would be my advice.
 
18-55mm IS lens, three batteries, a BG-E2 battery grip, wired remote.

Not sure it's really worth going SH, I can pick up a new 40D for about £60 more than they go for on forums. For the price difference I'd rather have a warranty.

Thanks for the suggestion Buff, I reckon a consumer body isn't the thing for me though. The build quality of the 20D has spoilt me somewhat, and having naturally shakey hands means I need a body with some weight. :)
 
How about a 2nd hand 5D?

Seems to me that ISO performance and image quality is important to you and the 5D does that well, better than the xxD bodies.
 
I was considering a 5D, but I'm unable/unwilling to spend the sort of money needed to own L series lenses to get the most out of the FF sensor.

Also I double checked and it seems like everywhere that lists 40D's new has stopped supplying them. So it looks like I'll have to go second hand if I go that route.
 
Gord, you're a ****! :p

I'm now tempted by a 5D Classic and either a 17-40L or a 24-70L. I did some research and found that FF is excellent for wide angle work, landscapes and portraits and that's exactly what I do.

I know I'll regret the cost of it all though. :(
 
2Thumbs said:
Gord, you're a ****! :p

I'm now tempted by a 5D Classic and either a 17-40L or a 24-70L. I did some research and found that FF is excellent for wide angle work, landscapes and portraits and that's exactly what I do.

I know I'll regret the cost of it all though. :(
Click to expand...

I promise you that you won't regret the costs of it once you picked it up and take some good photos !

And jumping from Canon to Pentax !!! :eek: I've never heard of that !
 
Raymond Lin said:
And jumping from Canon to Pentax !!! :eek: I've never heard of that !
Click to expand...

I jumped from Canon to Olympus and have not looked back :p

2Thumbs, to be honest, you don't have a big enough lens collection in the Canon range to worry about where you go next. Are you truly happy with manual lens work? How fast are all the lens because if they're really fast, I don't see the need for you to go any higher than ISO400 if you invest in a good flashgun.

As it stands, Canon and Nikon have the better noise to ISO ratio. Other brands and even my beloved Oly are noisy beyond the ISO400 (and no doubt, the Pentex aren't any different).

My advise would actually be; check the ISO you're using and would a flashgun (with a decent diffuser) illuminate your image better than shooting higher up the ISO for the same shutter speed and how fast your manual lens can go (f1.2 isn't very rare for manual lens IIRC) then decide on which body you should go based on the sharpness of your lens collection, that's my 2Cents :p
 
Thanks for the advice Mr.J, I'll give it some thought. :)

The list as follows are:

28mm f/3.5
50mm f/1.4
55mm f/1.8
200mm f/4

On the 5D the 28mm and the 50mm will hit the shutter at infinity focus, but I don't do that often anyway. The other option is to shave the mirror slightly but that'll most definitely hinder the re-sale value unless the buyer is a MF lens nut.

If I were to buy a 5D, I'll probably use the 55mm f/1.8 exclusively (and the 200mm for longer reach) whilst I save up for L glass. Maybe a 16-35mm as I love a bitta wide. :D
 
no one seems to have mentioned it but not sure if the battery grip will be compatible with whichever canon body you go with. also remember that the 18-55 you have will not work on a ff camera.

I've been trying to justify getting a l lens as well :)
 
A friend's interested in my 20D, so they'll have my kit lens off me too.

The grip would work with the 40D and the 50D, but not with the 5D. I'd be happy to sell it seperatly to help ease the outlay of the new body. :)

And still, I've not made a concrete decision yet.
 
Rang up about a 5D from a well regarded camera shop earlier. Good price, can't say how many actuations it's had but it's boxed with all accessories and in exc++ condition. 3 months warranty and a 10 day cool off period.

Just need to make sure the buyer for my 20D is serious and it shall be mine. :D
 
Well I've sold the 20D now, end of an era really. :o

So tomorrow morning I think I'll order a 5D. ;) Unless I change my mind before then... which is likely.
 
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