Got £400 (Could be pushed to £600) for a camera, thinking Cannon 550/600D???

snedie · 3 Mar 2012 at 17:49

dz1 said:
Have you tried the Sony SLT for yourself? Because from your comments it doesn't look like you have. I have tried both the Sony SLT and the lower Canon EOS models and the EVF on the Sony is better IMO. It has several advantages.

You don't get 100% viewfinder coverage on the 600D like you do on the Sony SLT cameras. This is a feature you normally have to pay a lot to get on a Canon SLR. Also the viewfinder is much bigger on the Sony. It's also nice to see exactly what the exposure will be like before you press the shutter button. I wouldn't call the Sony a "gadget" when it has features a pro would love to have.

Are there any reviews comparing the SLT to the 550/600D EOS cameras? Being very much a beginner in the world of photography I'm not a fan of either, nor know much about either.

Thanks again Devrij for your input

. When you say import do you mean the "Kiss" version?

Columbo · 3 Mar 2012 at 18:19

One thing you may want to take note of is that the Auto Focus on the Sony models is way faster and more accurate than on the Canon or Nikon's.

If the subject is moving the Canon & Nikon's AF is nigh on unusable and needs to be switched into manual to get the best from it.

snedie · 3 Mar 2012 at 18:35

ManCuBuS said:
One thing you may want to take note of is that the Auto Focus on the Sony models is way faster and more accurate than on the Canon or Nikon's.

If the subject is moving the Canon & Nikon's AF is nigh on unusable and needs to be switched into manual to get the best from it.

With the camera I'm using at the moment I'm forced to use manual focus, so it's already second nature.

Ksanti · 3 Mar 2012 at 20:29

dz1 said:
Have you tried the Sony SLT for yourself? Because from your comments it doesn't look like you have. I have tried both the Sony SLT and the lower Canon EOS models and the EVF on the Sony is better IMO. It has several advantages.

You don't get 100% viewfinder coverage on the 600D like you do on the Sony SLT cameras. This is a feature you normally have to pay a lot to get on a Canon SLR. Also the viewfinder is much bigger on the Sony. It's also nice to see exactly what the exposure will be like before you press the shutter button. I wouldn't call the Sony a "gadget" when it has features a pro would love to have.

I remember being a pseudo-Sony fanboy. Yes, there are lots of nice features on a Sony SLT camera, but when push came to shove the majority of the people who tried the a33 and a55 EVFs found they were too slow, too noisy and unnaturally bright. I tried one and it was okay, but not quite up to a proper viewfinder just yet. I'm sure the a77/a65 one is much better but I've already got a 5D and don't intend to swap to Sony for the moment.

For the moment to me they are gadgets. They are nice cameras but the lens range, second hand support and 3rd party support isn't there to make them quite feasible as a professional's choice. If you want something on Sony you pretty much have to buy Sony, e.g. there aren't any Yongnuo Sony triggers, or at least here weren't last time I checked, plus all third party lenses are about 20% more expensive because they're rarer.

ManCuBuS said:
One thing you may want to take note of is that the Auto Focus on the Sony models is way faster and more accurate than on the Canon or Nikon's.

If the subject is moving the Canon & Nikon's AF is nigh on unusable and needs to be switched into manual to get the best from it.

The a33/a55 have 15 point AF of which only 3 are cross type. As an example the 40D has 9 points of which all 9 are cross type; the 40D is much faster anecdotally. Admittedly the newer consumer models drop to slower AF but it's really not as bad as you make it out to be; I manage with it just fine on my 5D. Also "the subject is moving" is a very vague expression. Fine, they're not sports cameras, but for everything else there's a much nicer upgrade path and they're much cheaper to run given the availability of second hand lenses, third party lenses, and general greater competition in the sales of all lenses.

solitude · 3 Mar 2012 at 21:14

FWIW the the 550D, partnered with a decently fast focusing lens, is perfectly good for shooting moving objects. I’ve used one to shoot a fair bit of motorsport over the past 18 months or so without problem.

Amazing little cameras.

snedie · 3 Mar 2012 at 22:06

solitude said:
FWIW the the 550D, partnered with a decently fast focusing lens, is perfectly good for shooting moving objects. I’ve used one to shoot a fair bit of motorsport over the past 18 months or so without problem.

Amazing little cameras.

Any chance you can send me some examples of the shots you've taken with the 550D please? You can find my email through the trust, feel free to modify the image in anyway you see fit that satisfies you that I won't sell them for £900b and move to the Bahamas's with my private cruise liner

.

solitude · 3 Mar 2012 at 23:59

snedie said:
Any chance you can send me some examples of the shots you've taken with the 550D please? You can find my email through the trust, feel free to modify the image in anyway you see fit that satisfies you that I won't sell them for £900b and move to the Bahamas's with my private cruise liner .

Here’s a link to a collection of race reports I did for my website. Each report has galleries at the bottom of the page, just click to enlarge the images.

http://racecarbuzz.com/events/2011-reports-archive/

Everything was taken with a 550D. Though it had a 70-200mm F4 IS L lens, or in some cases a 50mm F1.8 attached.

snedie · 4 Mar 2012 at 00:46

solitude said:
Here’s a link to a collection of race reports I did for my website. Each report has galleries at the bottom of the page, just click to enlarge the images.

http://racecarbuzz.com/events/2011-reports-archive/

Everything was taken with a 550D. Though it had a 70-200mm F4 IS L lens, or in some cases a 50mm F1.8 attached.

I'm sold, 550D it is

... More race girls too

Thanks for all the info and help guys, very much appreciated. I'll post back once I have the body about specific lenses depending what sort of cash I have spare. If any of you have 550D compatible lenses for sale feel free to describe what you have, if I decide I like the look of it/them we can always move into the Members Market.

Again, thanks guys

Columbo · 4 Mar 2012 at 08:00

Ksanti said:
The a33/a55 have 15 point AF of which only 3 are cross type. As an example the 40D has 9 points of which all 9 are cross type; the 40D is much faster anecdotally. Admittedly the newer consumer models drop to slower AF but it's really not as bad as you make it out to be; I manage with it just fine on my 5D. Also "the subject is moving" is a very vague expression. Fine, they're not sports cameras, but for everything else there's a much nicer upgrade path and they're much cheaper to run given the availability of second hand lenses, third party lenses, and general greater competition in the sales of all lenses.

I was referring to shooting video only to which there is simply no comparison. I've owned a 550D and extensively used an A55 and the difference in Video AF is night and day.

For stills though I'd take the 550D any day of the week.

engstrom0304 · 4 Mar 2012 at 12:16

have a look at procamerashop.co.uk ... import models at low prices, but you still get a warranty with the shop. I got my 550d from there and it is very good.

Invertigo · 4 Mar 2012 at 23:23

snedie said:
I'm sold, 550D it is ... More race girls too

Thanks for all the info and help guys, very much appreciated. I'll post back once I have the body about specific lenses depending what sort of cash I have spare. If any of you have 550D compatible lenses for sale feel free to describe what you have, if I decide I like the look of it/them we can always move into the Members Market.

Again, thanks guys

Just a point here, the 550D, 600D, 60D and 7D all share the same sensor, but you get different features in each body. For example, the 550D can shoot at 3.7fps, the 7D can shoot at 8fps (photos, not video

)

Definitely consider the 600D over the 550D for video though. I can see the articulating screen and mic volume controls that the 550D lacks being very useful.

As for lenses, as I already mentioned the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 would make a brilliant purchase. If shooting video on a Canon, you should be using manual focus regardless, as auto is very slow in video mode. So, the AF noise from the motor is irrelevant.

I used to have a Tamron 17-50 before I upgraded to the Canon 17-55, and it's an absolute cracker of a lens.

snedie · 5 Mar 2012 at 02:26

Invertigo said:
Just a point here, the 550D, 600D, 60D and 7D all share the same sensor, but you get different features in each body. For example, the 550D can shoot at 3.7fps, the 7D can shoot at 8fps (photos, not video )

Definitely consider the 600D over the 550D for video though. I can see the articulating screen and mic volume controls that the 550D lacks being very useful.

As for lenses, as I already mentioned the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 would make a brilliant purchase. If shooting video on a Canon, you should be using manual focus regardless, as auto is very slow in video mode. So, the AF noise from the motor is irrelevant.

I used to have a Tamron 17-50 before I upgraded to the Canon 17-55, and it's an absolute cracker of a lens.

Many thanks bud

When it comes to purchase day in a month or so I'll be taking a good look at what is available within my budget. If I can stretch to a 600D + a decent lens (or two) then I certainly will do.

ShakenNstirred · 5 Mar 2012 at 07:35

don't discount D5100 if your budget will stretch to the price of the 600D

ShakenNstirred · 6 Mar 2012 at 08:30

Invertigo said:
Just a point here, the 550D, 600D, 60D and 7D all share the same sensor, but you get different features in each body. For example, the 550D can shoot at 3.7fps, the 7D can shoot at 8fps (photos, not video )

Definitely consider the 600D over the 550D for video though. I can see the articulating screen and mic volume controls that the 550D lacks being very useful.

As for lenses, as I already mentioned the Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 would make a brilliant purchase. If shooting video on a Canon, you should be using manual focus regardless, as auto is very slow in video mode. So, the AF noise from the motor is irrelevant.

I used to have a Tamron 17-50 before I upgraded to the Canon 17-55, and it's an absolute cracker of a lens.

canon themself say that the 600D doesnt have the same sensor 550/60/7D
just same megapixel but thats all