Little help would be very much appreciated

[Birish21]

So a little background. Years ago my Father gave me his old Canon 10D with a 28-135 IS USM and a 75-300 IS USM. This sat in storage for a long time and I have just recently decided that I want to try my hand at photography. I want to upgrade the camera but I am really not sure the route to go. I have a few options that I have been contemplating. 1. Sell the 75-300 and keep the 28-135 and try to get a Canon T3i. 2. Sell the entire package and get a body only a6000 with a sigma 30mm as a walk around lens. And 3rd, any other option that I may not have thought about.

My camera experience boils down to crappy cell phone pictures and 0 knowledge on ISO, steps, aperture, and shutter speed. I want to mainly shoot still shots, landscapes, and the occasional animals. I am not huge on video mainly because I have never done it before, who knows I may fall in love with it. My budget is sitting around 6-800, 800 being the most I would want to spend and I'm not even crazy about that. Any suggestions on what path I should go down? Thanks for your time.

 

[mgd43]

B&H has the T5i body new for $649. You can keep both lenses and get the T5i body. The T5i, 18-135 IS and 75-300 make up a nice kit.

 

[azlover]

So a little background. Years ago my Father gave me his old Canon 10D with a 28-135 IS USM and a 75-300 IS USM. This sat in storage for a long time and I have just recently decided that I want to try my hand at photography. I want to upgrade the camera but I am really not sure the route to go. I have a few options that I have been contemplating. 1. Sell the 75-300 and keep the 28-135 and try to get a Canon T3i. 2. Sell the entire package and get a body only a6000 with a sigma 30mm as a walk around lens. And 3rd, any other option that I may not have thought about.

My camera experience boils down to crappy cell phone pictures and 0 knowledge on ISO, steps, aperture, and shutter speed. I want to mainly shoot still shots, landscapes, and the occasional animals. I am not huge on video mainly because I have never done it before, who knows I may fall in love with it. My budget is sitting around 6-800, 800 being the most I would want to spend and I'm not even crazy about that. Any suggestions on what path I should go down? Thanks for your time.

Only when your cell phone pictures cease being crappy should you consider spending any money on camera gear. It could be that you just lack a curious eye and the creativity that goes into making interesting, good pictures. You wouldn't be the first, I can assure you.

 

[happysnapper64]

If you do decide to buy a DSLR, consider a second hand one, as bodies of slightly older models can be had for a fraction of their cost new. As others will probably tell you, ditch the 75-300. I haven't heard a good word said about it yet. The 18-135 on a T3i/600D, or simillar, is a decent starter "kit" & will be well within your budget. Only add lenses as you NEED them. Learn with the 18-135 first. have FUN.

 

[dwalby]

So a little background. Years ago my Father gave me his old Canon 10D with a 28-135 IS USM and a 75-300 IS USM. This sat in storage for a long time and I have just recently decided that I want to try my hand at photography. I want to upgrade the camera but I am really not sure the route to go.

you never even used the 10D for a few years, and now you want to upgrade? Not that the 10D is a great camera by today's standards, but its still capable of taking decent pictures. Why not use it for a few months and see if you're even into DSLR photography in the first place.

I have a few options that I have been contemplating. 1. Sell the 75-300 and keep the 28-135 and try to get a Canon T3i. 2. Sell the entire package and get a body only a6000 with a sigma 30mm as a walk around lens. And 3rd, any other option that I may not have thought about.

the 28-135 is usable, but on a crop body its a bit limited at the wide end. none of your gear is worth much on the used market, so selling off things isn't going to get you very far.

My camera experience boils down to crappy cell phone pictures and 0 knowledge on ISO, steps, aperture, and shutter speed. I want to mainly shoot still shots, landscapes, and the occasional animals. I am not huge on video mainly because I have never done it before, who knows I may fall in love with it.

then the 10d will be a good learning tool for you. In good light it takes good pictures, its just a bit slow to review shots, and in low light its noisier than current models. But it has a nice build quality that was the last of its era. It also has an EF lens mount, so you can't mount EF-S lenses onto it.

My budget is sitting around 6-800, 800 being the most I would want to spend and I'm not even crazy about that. Any suggestions on what path I should go down? Thanks for your time.

use the 10d for a while, then see how you feel a few months from now.

 

[sterretje]

Why don't you just use the gear? It's old, but it can teach you the ropes. Once you have figured out what limits you, it's time to consider investing in additional stuff or in newer stuff.

You might never encounter limitations in which case you keep on using it till it breaks.

 

[PhotoFactor]

B&H has the T5i body new for $649. You can keep both lenses and get the T5i body. The T5i, 18-135 IS and 75-300 make up a nice kit.

To the OP: If size is important, sell the entire kit and buy the A6000. If not, then do what mgd43 suggests above.

 

[happysnapper64]

So a little background. Years ago my Father gave me his old Canon 10D with a 28-135 IS USM and a 75-300 IS USM. This sat in storage for a long time and I have just recently decided that I want to try my hand at photography. I want to upgrade the camera but I am really not sure the route to go. I have a few options that I have been contemplating. 1. Sell the 75-300 and keep the 28-135 and try to get a Canon T3i. 2. Sell the entire package and get a body only a6000 with a sigma 30mm as a walk around lens. And 3rd, any other option that I may not have thought about.

My camera experience boils down to crappy cell phone pictures and 0 knowledge on ISO, steps, aperture, and shutter speed. I want to mainly shoot still shots, landscapes, and the occasional animals. I am not huge on video mainly because I have never done it before, who knows I may fall in love with it. My budget is sitting around 6-800, 800 being the most I would want to spend and I'm not even crazy about that. Any suggestions on what path I should go down? Thanks for your time.

After re-reading your OP, I would have to agree with dwalby's suggestion of using what you have already got till you can decide the path you want to take, especially as budget is an important factor for you. Read some literature on the basics & look at you tube video tutorials, it could save you spending money on stuff you don't need at this point.

Bryan Petersons "Understanding Exposure" is a popular read, he also has some interesting videos on you tube. Also on you tube, Mike Browne has a nice way of putting the subject over, look that up on you tube also [video tutorials]

 

[COYQ]

Just use that 10D for now - it will be a massive upgrade to your camera phone.

If anything I'd suggest buying a used kit lens for it, the 18-55 zoom, which will be more useful as a general lens.

When you start finding yourself limited by the 10D then you can think about upgrades. If you mostly post photos online then the 10D might be all you ever need.

 

[mgd43]

Ooops! I misread your 28-138 as an 18-135. That makes a big difference because 28mm is not a wide-angle on your camera with its APS-C sensor. I suggest selling the 28-135 and 75-300 and replacing it with an 18-135 IS. Keep the 10D to learn on and upgrade it when you can.

Ooops again! I meant this to follow my previous post as an update.

Adorama has used in 18-135 IS lenses in very nice condition for around $200. keh.com and B&H probably have similar offers.

 

[Beachcomber Joe]

Keep what you have. Take some classes and read some books on photography.

 

[Leonard Migliore]

Just use that 10D for now - it will be a massive upgrade to your camera phone.

If anything I'd suggest buying a used kit lens for it, the 18-55 zoom, which will be more useful as a general lens.

As was noted by dwalby, the 10D won't take EF-S lenses. That mount first appeared on the 20D.

 

[lumigraphics]

Spend a bit of time and money on classes, books, and practicing with your current outfit. You'll know when you outgrow it.

The lenses you have are decent enough and if you enjoy photography, you can get a decent newer body within your budget.

 

[COYQ]

Just use that 10D for now - it will be a massive upgrade to your camera phone.

If anything I'd suggest buying a used kit lens for it, the 18-55 zoom, which will be more useful as a general lens.

As was noted by dwalby, the 10D won't take EF-S lenses. That mount first appeared on the 20D.

 

[happysnapper64]

Just use that 10D for now - it will be a massive upgrade to your camera phone.

If anything I'd suggest buying a used kit lens for it, the 18-55 zoom, which will be more useful as a general lens.

As was noted by dwalby, the 10D won't take EF-S lenses. That mount first appeared on the 20D.

 

[ericN2]

So a little background. Years ago my Father gave me his old Canon 10D with a 28-135 IS USM and a 75-300 IS USM. This sat in storage for a long time and I have just recently decided that I want to try my hand at photography. I want to upgrade the camera but I am really not sure the route to go. I have a few options that I have been contemplating. 1. Sell the 75-300 and keep the 28-135 and try to get a Canon T3i. 2. Sell the entire package and get a body only a6000 with a sigma 30mm as a walk around lens. And 3rd, any other option that I may not have thought about.

My camera experience boils down to crappy cell phone pictures and 0 knowledge on ISO, steps, aperture, and shutter speed. I want to mainly shoot still shots, landscapes, and the occasional animals. I am not huge on video mainly because I have never done it before, who knows I may fall in love with it. My budget is sitting around 6-800, 800 being the most I would want to spend and I'm not even crazy about that. Any suggestions on what path I should go down? Thanks for your time.

I haven't read all the responses here to yours but in spite of what other advice you may have received - and I think from just one or two I HAVE read anyway .. I'd just like to give my own honest opinion here.

Since you are a self-confessed newbie to cameras and photography (nothing whatsoever wrong with that - we ALL start that way !!) - then quite honestly I just do not see the point of you spending money AND having what to you really must be an impossible task in trying to choose new cameras etc...WHY do you need to do that anyway.
THe Canon 10D is maybe an old camera but it's still nevertheless a camera capable of taking good pictures ..I THINK indeed that might well have been the same camera I first started with in dSLR use..a long time ago but I do remember it gave me very good results and I learned a lot with it before I made any changes.
Why don't YOU do just that - use the excellent 10D and I suggest you use ONLY the 28-135 lens as that gives you the basic "standard lens" use, AND a short but useful tele lens for what you will need right now.
You first need to get a good knowledge of how to use this type of camera.. how to practice a good 'hold' when taking pics.. more than ever..how to frame a pic before you shoot..get the composition just as you want it to be in the final result..THAT you can do with the 10D without spending more money now. DON'T use the 75-300 lens - it's not a lens that is generally used and you certainly can do well without it right now - it will do little but (probably) give you poor pics just because you may not be familiar enough with the weight and size of that on a camera and many of your pics can well turn out blurry just because of movement...NOT because the 10D is bad..it ISN'T....
After maybe 6 months or more of usage THEN I hope you'll be a lot more familiar with the general usage of this type of camera and THEN and ONLY then..maybe you can look for a more recent and perhaps better quality camera..but if you don't learn first how to use the one you've got - any other is a total waste of money.
Photography is an excellent hobby but as with many other things, you need to learn a few basics to even begin to get a good satisfaction from use. Money spent NOW I just think is a total waste..if you don't know the fundamentals..and THAT you should certainly be able to get from a good initial use of the 10D.

Your choice.. but quite honestly I see nothing wrong at all with STARTING with what you've got - a very good basic tool.

 

[PhotoTeach2]

I agree with what many posters stated.

USE the 10D, it will work great and produce excellent images.

It will give you experience to know what you may want in the future.

*********

But another option could be to simply get a Panasonic Lumix FZ-1000. (an all-in-one "bridge" camera)

It is very fast to use, and versatile, with a great (macro-focusing) zoom range, (greater than what you have now with your two lenses).

It has many more features than any dSLR. (including direct visual feedback on EVF when making adjustments to help "learn" exposure)

I have 55 years of accumulated photographic equipment, now in a box since I got the FZ-1000. (and never had more FUN)

 

[uzman1243]

Why don't you just use the gear? It's old, but it can teach you the ropes. Once you have figured out what limits you, it's time to consider investing in additional stuff or in newer stuff.

You might never encounter limitations in which case you keep on using it till it breaks.

 

[happysnapper64]

Why don't you just use the gear? It's old, but it can teach you the ropes. Once you have figured out what limits you, it's time to consider investing in additional stuff or in newer stuff.

You might never encounter limitations in which case you keep on using it till it breaks.

 

[Toccata47]

Are you happy with the focal length of your cellphone? If so, my #1 recommendation would be either a Ricoh GR or a Nikon Coolpix A. Both cameras are pocket sized and come with a fixed 28mm lens attached.

Both produce professional quality photographs and the Ricoh in particular has all the functionality of a full sized camera. The Ricoh will run you about $600 while you can find the Nikon as a refurb for about $300. The nikon is just as good, but it puts up a little more of a friendly UI in place making it slightly more difficult to take full control of the camera manually.

Why these cameras? Well, you're used to using a cell phone that's always on you and ready to go at a moments notice. These cameras behave in the same way but are capable of making world class photographs. The single biggest challenge in photography is having a camera ready to go when that amazing photograph presents itself.

Sure, a d800 and an otus is awesome, but if you leave it at home because you only carry a camera when you're "going to shoot", you miss out on what photography is all about and the gear becomes an anchor.

Dead horse

Moving on-

Or, you could use the stuff your dad gave you to get a handle on photography. While the image quality may not be "as good" relative to the best of what is currently available, the difference may be minor particularly if you're looking at the photos online. Since we have to scale down photos a lot of the extra imaging firepower is not utilized.

Once you've got a handle on things, you'll have a better idea of the upgrades you'll need.

Or

The a6000 with the sigma is a pretty potent package out of the box. No qualms there. If yo go this route try to budget for the kit lens too. It has super fast auto focus and is pretty flexible for day to day shooting.

So a little background. Years ago my Father gave me his old Canon 10D with a 28-135 IS USM and a 75-300 IS USM. This sat in storage for a long time and I have just recently decided that I want to try my hand at photography. I want to upgrade the camera but I am really not sure the route to go. I have a few options that I have been contemplating. 1. Sell the 75-300 and keep the 28-135 and try to get a Canon T3i. 2. Sell the entire package and get a body only a6000 with a sigma 30mm as a walk around lens. And 3rd, any other option that I may not have thought about.

My camera experience boils down to crappy cell phone pictures and 0 knowledge on ISO, steps, aperture, and shutter speed. I want to mainly shoot still shots, landscapes, and the occasional animals. I am not huge on video mainly because I have never done it before, who knows I may fall in love with it. My budget is sitting around 6-800, 800 being the most I would want to spend and I'm not even crazy about that. Any suggestions on what path I should go down? Thanks for your time.