Upgrade (from 350d/Rebel XT) advice

I am considering updating my camera and would be grateful for any advice you can give.

Currently I have a 350d w/18-55 kit lens and the 50 1.8. I got rid of all of my additional lenses a few years ago as I was sick of the weight, and so I have been using a variety of different cameras (Nikon V1, Olympus compact and currently a Panasonic FZ200).

Just for fun on the weekend I grabbed the 350d with 50mm and to some pics with the family, and I found I enjoyed using it again and I was much happier with the output compared to the FZ200. Of course, thoughts have now turned to a return to a DSLR but I haven’t really followed what has happened over the last few years.

My budget is limited, but I will be selling off some bits & pieces to fund any new camera. My uses will be family shots (including an active 4yo and a cat!), travel/landscape, architecture and nature. I enjoy birding but I am ok with not getting a long zoom at this stage. I would like to keep the weight down and if possible have one lens that will cover most situations. Some low light capability would be good too, as I only have a cheap 3 party manual flash.

So far I have thought my options are:

Continue with the 350d but get a better all-purpose lens (e.g. 18-135 STM)

Stretch a little and upgrade the camera (to a 700d?) with the 18-135 (I have seen this combo for about $760)

Change system completely (there isn’t too much value in my Canon gear, so could this be a good time to jump ship to Nikon or MFT?)

Any other thoughts would be welcome. I have only just started looking into this, so I don’t really have a timeframe for making a decision.

Thanks

Since size/weight are a consideration you might also look into the SL1/100D.  Great little camera.

Greymelbourne wrote:

.......

Change system completely (there isn’t too much value in my Canon gear, so could this be a good time to jump ship to Nikon or MFT?)

.....

If I did not have a ton of money tied up in Canon lenses, I would switch in a heartbeat.  I would go for the D7200, but there are plenty of great choices at much less cost.  The Sony/Nikon sensors have been way ahead of Canon for quite a while.  Canon seems to be making very little or no progress in catching up and is showing no signs of being able to move ahead.  Meanwhile Nikon with Sony sensors seems to be just getting better and better.

In addition to my DSLR I also have a Sony A5100 which can match the IQ from a recent Rebel series camera - and is smaller/easier to carry around.

They are reasonably inexpensive at the moment.

The caveats (for me) are having to use the screen as opposed to OVF and the expense of good quality e-mount lenses.

Maybe go a a store that carries a good range of DSLR and mirrorless cameras and see what you feel comfortable with.

Changing to a Nikon camera of similar cost to a Rebel is more of a like for like switch.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I will head to the camera stores and have a look at a few cameras.

I like the size of the SL1 (100D), but I also like the thought of an articulated screen.

Although I would prefer to buy new, I will also look at second hand to see what I can get.

Thanks again.

Consider that everything in the series from the T2i (550D) through T5i (700D), plus the SL1 (100D) and T5 (1200D), has virtually the same 18MP sensor, and differ primarily in handling - size, flip up screen, live-view AF, etc... the SL1 and newer XXXD models have AF systems that can take good advantage of STM lenses. All are a significant step-up from your 350D.

All of the STM lenses are leaps and bounds better than their non-STM predecessors optically, but are focus-by-wire, and so take some getting used to when manually focusing. They work across the board, but as noted above are really optimized for the AF in the newer cameras.

The T6i/s (750D/7760D) have significant upgrades in both the sensor and the AF compared to the previously mentioned cameras (let alone the 350D), and are well worth consideration if you can stretch the budget.

Woody W. wrote:

All of the STM lenses are leaps and bounds better than their non-STM predecessors optically, but are focus-by-wire, and so take some getting used to when manually focusing. They work across the board, but as noted above are really optimized for the AF in the newer cameras.

The STM lenses certainly have advantages (like better coating, more pleasing bokeh and perhaps smoother focusing) but Canon says "the optics of the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM are the same as the original EF 50mm f/1.8 and EF 50mm f/1.8 II."

Your lenses are fine, your camera is ancient by digital standards.

The best Canon bang for the buck would be a Canon T5 if you do not need an articulating screen. You should see a major improvement in resolution and noise even with jpegs. The T5i has an articulating screen but nothing else to distinguish it. I would consider that your most cost-effective solution for a new camera.

In truth there is little to distinguish sensor performance in any of the 16-18mp Canon dSLRS. They are all reasonably good for the uses to which they will be applied. Sadly, apart from increased megapixel count/resolution there seems little to distinguish the newer 24mp Canon sensor in tests on this very website.

I personally do not think the newest rebels are competitively priced (inadequate bang for the buck)--they cost more than Nikon counterparts and have higher noise at moderately high ISOs.

If you want to jump to Nikon there are astoundingly priced D3200 and D3300 packages.

I was wanting to upgrade my XS and I have tentatively bought the T6s. I considered T5i but I also wanted the 18-135mm lens and the cheapest way to get that was in a kit.  Seeing you want that lens as well, it's probably best to pick that up in a kit.

Someone said the best bang for your buck was a T5i, I think that's right.  I got my T6s kit for $200 more than the T5i kit and actually cheaper than any T6i kit I could find.  18Mp vs 24Mp I'm beginning to believe isn't really that much of a difference.

Exit10 wrote:

Woody W. wrote:

All of the STM lenses are leaps and bounds better than their non-STM predecessors optically, but are focus-by-wire, and so take some getting used to when manually focusing. They work across the board, but as noted above are really optimized for the AF in the newer cameras.

The STM lenses certainly have advantages (like better coating, more pleasing bokeh and perhaps smoother focusing) but Canon says "the optics of the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM are the same as the original EF 50mm f/1.8 and EF 50mm f/1.8 II."

I'll give a partial concession on this. What Canon is saying is probably true enough, but what I've seen others report are that the non-formula improvements to that particular lens (e.g. tighter tolerances, precision and accuracy of the STM) make it a much more consistently excellent performer in the resulting images.

Christopher2222 wrote:

Someone said the best bang for your buck was a T5i, I think that's right. I got my T6s kit for $200 more than the T5i kit and actually cheaper than any T6i kit I could find. 18Mp vs 24Mp I'm beginning to believe isn't really that much of a difference.

I got the T6s body only (as I already have the 15-85) as a step-up from the T2i. Generally I was satisfied with the image quality, but the T5i was on my short list because I wanted some of the newer non-sensor features. Then the T6i/s pair were announced. I was an Elan-class (XX-level) shooter for a long time, and missed the back dial, but I do love the size of the Rebel bodies due to having relatively small hands. Add in the T6s's better focus tracking and the extra 33% cropping-headroom, and for my style (birds and nature "portraiture") it was a no-brainer.

+1 to getting one of the newer Rebels with the 18-135 STM kit.

SL1 for size.

T4i/T5i for articulated screen, extra FPS, etc.

T6i/s for improved IQ and resolution, etc.

And I'd highly highly recommend budgeting for the new 50 STM in the future (if the focal length suits you).  It's just a wonderful lens, no matter the cost ($125!).  It's nice and sharp, colors, contrast, and bokeh are a bit better, and the autofocus is absolutely stellar (I had 2 copies of the 50/1.8 II previously).  Note: if you want a little more breathing room, the 40 STM is just as good.

Good luck in your search,

R2

Thanks a lot for the responses. As I said, I have been out of the loop on Canon DSLR's for a while so the information on the sensors was really helpful. I can see I will be having a lot of fun/headaches working out what I want to get!

Cheers,

jrkliny wrote:

The Sony/Nikon sensors have been way ahead of Canon for quite a while. Canon seems to be making very little or no progress in catching up and is showing no signs of being able to move ahead. Meanwhile Nikon with Sony sensors seems to be just getting better and better.

Can you show Greymelbourne realistic well-exposed mages of the same real-world scene from both sides of the fence, that makes this vast difference visible?

You previously stated you quit using your Rebel because you were getting tired of all the weight.

Seriously consider one of the Olympus OMD mirrorless micro 4/3 cameras.  There are deals out there on some of the previous versions.  If you get the 14-42mm kit and add in the inexpensive 40-150mm zoom, you will have a very capable and compact system with equivalent focal lengths from 24 to 300 mm in a package that weights no more than your Rebel body alone.

I shoot Olympus and Canon.  The Zukio lenses are wonderful and the image quality that comes out is amazing.  I fall in love with my Oly every time I use it.  You can also buy adaptors off eBay that will allow you to use you Canon lenses and any other sense made for just about any camera.

Regardless of what camera you wind up purchasing, keep you trusty old 350 as your "risky event" camera.  Even though I retired by 350 a few years ago, I pulled mine out last summer and added the 55-250 STM to use the combination as my "water" camera for wildlife photography while out in my canoe.  I would not cry too hard if the 350 and 55-250 got dunked, but I sure would if my 5D and 300L got soaked!

Have fun shopping and then using your new toy!

Thanks again for the responses.

RobBob I am not ruling anything in or out at the moment, so I will definitely look at Olympus & Panasonic. I also liked the Nikon d5500 and the Canon 100d (SL1).

I am starting to see some features I like but haven't had before in a DSLR, such as articulated touch screen, WiFi etc which will go into my decision. Ultimately though I want to be happy with the picture quality I can get for the money.

I am planning to keep my 350d as a backup whatever system I go with. My 4yo son has shown an interest in taking photos, so it will be a good one for him to play around with.

Cheers

Right now (just checked on Amazon), you can get a refurbished Canon SL1 with an 18-55 STM lens (for video) and the low, low price of $385 plus international shipping. This is a killer camera at an almost-as-low-as-you-can-go price. I have the SL1 (bought refurbished from Canon), and a 60D with a swivel screen (bought new) and a G-12 with a swivel screen (also bought new). I love the swivel screens and indeed the SL1 lacks it. That's about the only flaw this camera has and it's not a big one and frankly, I don't miss it much on this camera. The SL1's screen isn't tilty but it is a touch screen, which makes for a very sweet user interface that I find intuitive.

The SL1 is as small and about as light as you can go and still use your existing lenses. With a cheap 24mm pancake lens, it's a terrific street camera. As you've said, it's got a still-competitive sensor. It's not an action sports, air show, or birds-in-flight camera. It'll do pretty much everything else.

For the price, I'd certainly consider it.

Could you elaborate on your statement that the 100d is 'not a sport, action or birds in the air' camera , because I've been led to believe that its focusing capabilities are as good as the 700d. I'm not being picky here, I'd like to know your thoughts because I have this camera lined up for a birding light combo with the 55-250 stm.