Time for an Upgrade? From the Rebel XTi to T3i/T5i? Or lenses/tripod?

Pandoraa wrote:

I always find myself afraid to increase the ISO up to 1600 (due to the knowledge of getting noisy photos and losing detail at the highest ISO).

Know where you're coming from.  My image IQ requirements are pretty high too, as I often print large (for gallery display and sale/publication).

The highest ISO I could shoot at with my early digicams was ISO 100 (and still get sufficient IQ)!

With the 30D it was ISO 400.

With the 50D it was ISO 800.

With the T4i it was ISO 1600.

With the 70D it is now ISO 3200.

With that in mind I always set the ISO first, and then adjust the aperture to give me the look that I want (and performance that is required).  Then I set the shutter speed to give me the exposure I desire.  Note: if I am looking to produce cool slow shutter effects, then this process changes somewhat.

As the light gets lower, my keeper rates naturally drop, and I grudgingly bump the ISO higher until I hit my hard limit.  I do employ techniques that help to increase my low light percentages (like shooting bursts and cherry-picking the best).  Thus the images that I do get still meet my IQ requirements.

Which is one of the biggest reasons I espouse upgrading the body at intervals along with your lenses.  The increased keeper rate from better sensor IQ can be very substantial!  And that's not even mentioning the positive effects that a better AF system can have!

When I absolutely need to get the shot, I will exceed those ISO limits (since a noisy image is always better than a blurry image).  But with the understanding that the resulting files will have a more limited usefulness.

Bottom line Pandoraa, if you were shooting with a T4i right now I'd say go for a better lens or two first, then upgrade.  But you're a couple of generations removed from that even.  Right now I'd go for the best body you can afford.

Good luck with your quest!

R2

ps. I've never once regretted a body upgrade.  In fact I've always asked myself why I didn't do it sooner!