upgrade options

Hi Everyone:

I bought a 1000D with kit lens 18-55 several years ago. It now belongs to my mom. She is generally happy with the camera. But compare to her friend's nikon D700, this camera's picture looks much less sharp, and the color isn't nearly as good.

So, I want to upgrade for better image quality. My budget is 2000~2500. It is not much, so I am mostly considering a decent used body and a few good quality lenses.

Usage would be mostly landscape during travel. Less weight is worth considering.

60D body $550
650D body $550
D7000 body $680
Wait for 70D to come out, less lens.
6D body $1500, maybe only one lens.

What else should I consider? What do you guys think ?

Johnyy wrote:

But compare to her friend's nikon D700, this camera's picture looks much less sharp, and the color isn't nearly as good.

What do you guys think ?

I think you might want to try adjusting the Picture Styles, and work on Post-processing for starters.  You can match just about any other camera's output.  Canon's default output is somewhat vanilla out of the box (and meant to be tweaked to taste).

As for a new body, any of those you listed can produce incredible images, so your decision would really be based on other criteria (size, handling, lenses, UI, features, etc).

R2

Johnyy wrote:

Hi Everyone:

I bought a 1000D with kit lens 18-55 several years ago. It now belongs to my mom. She is generally happy with the camera. But compare to her friend's nikon D700, this camera's picture looks much less sharp, and the color isn't nearly as good.

So, I want to upgrade for better image quality. My budget is 2000~2500. It is not much, so I am mostly considering a decent used body and a few good quality lenses.

Usage would be mostly landscape during travel. Less weight is worth considering.

60D body $550
650D body $550
D7000 body $680
Wait for 70D to come out, less lens.
6D body $1500, maybe only one lens.

What else should I consider? What do you guys think ?

I agree with R2,  color, constrast, and sharpness can be adjusted with picture styles and associated settings.

As to buying a new body, definitively consult with your mother, she may not be happy with a bigger, heavier one. A SL1 (100D) could be the right choice.

So, having said that, a 60D or 700D (650D), or 100D would sure be an upgrade (better high ISO, more Mps - they are all 18Mp sensors). Also, I think the lens you have (18-55) is the old non-IS version, which is not so sharp. So, just getting the newer 18-55 IS, or even better, the 18-55 IS STM will give you better image quality.

Johnyy wrote:

Hi Everyone:

I bought a 1000D with kit lens 18-55 several years ago. It now belongs to my mom. She is generally happy with the camera. But compare to her friend's nikon D700, this camera's picture looks much less sharp, and the color isn't nearly as good.

So, I want to upgrade for better image quality. My budget is 2000~2500. It is not much, so I am mostly considering a decent used body and a few good quality lenses.

Usage would be mostly landscape during travel. Less weight is worth considering.

60D body $550
650D body $550
D7000 body $680
Wait for 70D to come out, less lens.
6D body $1500, maybe only one lens.

What else should I consider? What do you guys think ?

Agree with both poster above. First you can try to match the picture style for the color and sharpness.  If you still don't get the sharpness, get descent lens for that. For lens I suggest EF-S 15-85mm, the 15mm is nicely wide for landscape.

If she's still not happy then, new body is the next option. Make sure she tried the camera, 60D, 70D, D7000 are about 250gr heavier than 1000D. So, something like SL1 or 650/700D are more to her liking.

Remember that 1000D and D700 are from different class even though they were launch on the same year. IMO that might explain some of the differences.

Johnyy wrote:

If i want to buy some good lenses, would you recommend buying L lenses for their better optic quality?

Let's not go nuts here. L lenses are mainly for full frame cameras, not APS-C ones. APS-C cameras typically only start using L lenses in the telephoto range, but at shorter focal lengths instead benefit most from lenses designed for the format.

The best kit lens options for APS-C cameras like the 1000D are not "L" models. The 18-55mm IS kit lens that came with the 1000D is quite good already ... its limited shortcomings likely have little to do with what your mom is complaining about and instead she's just seeing a difference in color processing.

I think something like the new Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4 OS HSM would be a great upgrade to the kit lens if you wanted to do something along those lines ... but your mom may or may not notice the difference. I wouldn't go with any of the big 17-5X f/2.8 lenses ... that makes the camera much less portable.

As mentioned above, I think tweaking the picture style that the 1000D uses will do a lot. I recommend downloading the Autumn Hues picture style, installing it on the camera, and see if she likes it. Landscape picture style is also worth checking out for a more "Nikon-like" look. Probably turn up the saturation and sharpness by a notch (or two for saturation) to give the photos a more point & shoot - like look. (That goes for any of the picture styles.)

If she's shooting during the daytime in a blue-green environment, then "Highlight Tone Priority" (I'm pretty sure the 1000D has this in the custom menus) will help keep the skies from blowing out - it probably makes sense to just leave it on as that's much easier than telling her to dial in -2/3 Ev exposure comp in blue-green circumstances.

Finally, a polarizing filter (The Marumi DHG non-super is great value for money in this category.) will transform outdoor photos ... making greens greener and skies bluer if used properly - but I will add that my wife will only use it properly if I remind her to.

Shorthand wrote:

Johnyy wrote:

If i want to buy some good lenses, would you recommend buying L lenses for their better optic quality?

Let's not go nuts here. L lenses are mainly for full frame cameras, not APS-C ones. APS-C cameras typically only start using L lenses in the telephoto range, but at shorter focal lengths instead benefit most from lenses designed for the format.

The best kit lens options for APS-C cameras like the 1000D are not "L" models. The 18-55mm IS kit lens that came with the 1000D is quite good already ... its limited shortcomings likely have little to do with what your mom is complaining about and instead she's just seeing a difference in color processing.

I guess I was wrong, I thought the 1000D came with the 18-55 non-IS. So yes, the 18-55 IS is already a good lens.

I think something like the new Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4 OS HSM would be a great upgrade to the kit lens if you wanted to do something along those lines ... but your mom may or may not notice the difference. I wouldn't go with any of the big 17-5X f/2.8 lenses ... that makes the camera much less portable.

as another poster mentioned, the 15-85 is a nice lens.     but these lenses are bigger and heavier than the 18-55 IS - something to keep in mind.

As mentioned above, I think tweaking the picture style that the 1000D uses will do a lot. I recommend downloading the Autumn Hues picture style, installing it on the camera, and see if she likes it. Landscape picture style is also worth checking out for a more "Nikon-like" look. Probably turn up the saturation and sharpness by a notch (or two for saturation) to give the photos a more point & shoot - like look. (That goes for any of the picture styles.)

If she's shooting during the daytime in a blue-green environment, then "Highlight Tone Priority" (I'm pretty sure the 1000D has this in the custom menus) will help keep the skies from blowing out - it probably makes sense to just leave it on as that's much easier than telling her to dial in -2/3 Ev exposure comp in blue-green circumstances.

Finally, a polarizing filter (The Marumi DHG non-super is great value for money in this category.) will transform outdoor photos ... making greens greener and skies bluer if used properly - but I will add that my wife will only use it properly if I remind her to.

Johnyy wrote:

15-85 is almost as expensive as a 24-105 L, would the later be better?

No, see also what Shorthand wrote. L does not give a lens immediately superior image quality. L means better construction and better environmental sealing  (but usually also heavier), and the best motor (ring USM). Often the L lenses do have super image quality (usually the very expensive ones), but that does not mean other lenses do not have good image quality, and many other lenses have the high quality ring USM motor as well, e.g. the 15-85.

The 24-105 is a standard zoom for full frame (FF) cameras, and wide-open,  the image quality on FF is not so great at the borders, and it has strong vignetting at wide-angle wide open. But still, it's the standard kit lens for FF bodies, and many are happy with it.  The 15-85 is basically the very same lens, but for crop bodies (15-85 has equivalent field of view as a 24-135 lens on FF), and it has a very good reputation. So, you are better off with the 15-85 on crop, unless for very specific reasons you prefer the 24-105 focal range on crop. But for most people, the 24-105 is not the right standard lens, because you loose all the wide angle (15-24 range), which one uses for standard landscape shots. So, the 15-85 is really the lens to aim for if a larger focal range is desired than what the 18-55 can give. Another alternative is the 18-135 STM, giving longer reach at the long end, if that is something desired.

Anyway, in your particular case, make sure extra weight would not be an issue. As mentioned the 18-55 IS is a good lens, and nothing else is so small and light.

Johnyy wrote:

If i want to buy some good lenses, would you recommend buying L lenses for their better optic quality?

I really believe lenses should be selected for their capabilities, rather than by focal length or label.

In other words, a lens (no matter how expensive) may work great for one type of subject, but be entirely inappropriate for another.  For instance, the $2000 85mm f/1.2L II can deliver some of the most impressive bokeh and IQ on the planet when used for portraiture, but it will be completely outclassed by the humble 85mm f/1.8's autofocus when shooting sports or even kids indoors.

So I wouldn't get too hung up over the "L" designation.  There are many many lenses out there that will deliver the goods, and where you as a photographer will still remain the limiting factor.

So if you have a particular kind of shooting in mind, let us know here and we can give you some greatrecommendations. 

R2

Johnyy wrote:

Thanks, I think that is an excellent point. If I could help her get blue bluer and green greener she would be very happy. Will definitely look into the filter.

Have a look at This article on Canon Picture Styles.   It should help her get better colors with her present set-up.

photonius wrote:

I guess I was wrong, I thought the 1000D came with the 18-55 non-IS. So yes, the 18-55 IS is already a good lens.

It depended on the region. In North America, it came with the 18-55 IS. In other regions (esp. Asia) it came with the older, and much less sharp 18-55 "II".

Johnyy wrote:

Hi Everyone:

I bought a 1000D with kit lens 18-55 several years ago. It now belongs to my mom. She is generally happy with the camera. But compare to her friend's nikon D700, this camera's picture looks much less sharp, and the color isn't nearly as good.

So, I want to upgrade for better image quality. My budget is 2000~2500. It is not much, so I am mostly considering a decent used body and a few good quality lenses.

Usage would be mostly landscape during travel. Less weight is worth considering.

60D body $550
650D body $550
D7000 body $680
Wait for 70D to come out, less lens.
6D body $1500, maybe only one lens.

What else should I consider? What do you guys think ?

Doesn't your Mom shoot in Green Square Auto mode, while her friend is a more experienced photographer?

The 1000D is capable of sharp photos, and if your Mom isn't getting sharp photos, buying a new camera won't make her a photographer.

I would suggest that you first buy either a Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 ~$150 or a Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 ~$120. (I'd go with the 40mm f/2.8).

If getting one of those prime lenses doesn't seem to help the sharpness of your mom's camera, then you need to start looking at other causes.