(Worth it?)Canon EOS 60D or...

Naraly wrote in post #13838183
Thank you for your recommendations! I actually just finished looking in to those lenses and the 17-50 and 85/1.8 seem promising.
So I'm a little confused, would getting a T2i with one of those two lenses be able to generate a crisp image with reasonable color depth? In basics, bumping up to the 60D am I basically just purchasing the added settings and such? Bear with me, I'm learning as I go.
I don't plan on going professional, but I do expect more from my photographs. I can't complain my p&s has brought me a long way, but sometimes I get great pictures and just wish they wouldn't look so "soft", like have a more crisp focus and be able to experiment a little, and challenge myself.

The T2i, T3i, 60d, and 7d all have the same sensor so you're not paying more for a better sensor, you're paying more for additional features such as FPS, focus systems, build, etc etc.
For example, a Rebel will only do full stops ISO like 800/1600/3200 where as xxD/xD will do 1/3 as well like 800/1000/1250/1600 etc.

Naraly wrote in post #13838183
Thank you for your recommendations! I actually just finished looking in to those lenses and the 17-50 and 85/1.8 seem promising.
So I'm a little confused, would getting a T2i with one of those two lenses be able to generate a crisp image with reasonable color depth? In basics, bumping up to the 60D am I basically just purchasing the added settings and such? Bear with me, I'm learning as I go.
I don't plan on going professional, but I do expect more from my photographs. I can't complain my p&s has brought me a long way, but sometimes I get great pictures and just wish they wouldn't look so "soft", like have a more crisp focus and be able to experiment a little, and challenge myself.

The T2i is a lot of camera for the money. It offers a 18 mp and the same sensor used in the T3i/60D/7D, and takes HD video—pretty darn good for a consumer-grade camera. Hold them both and lay with them a little bit to get a general feel for what it would be like to operate them.

I love my 60D but if I would probably also be happy with the T2i. Some say it is too small, some say it is just right, but few dispute the quality of images and video it is capable of shooting. Getting a T2i for around $500 is a steal, but so is getting a 60D for $650ish via the Canon Loyalty Program.

As for lenses, check out the forum here for lenses at a discount from buying new.

Im going to throw a wrench in your plans and suggest a used 5d. (if you dont care about video)
This camera will produce beautiful images with almost any lens you put on it.
it is right up the alley for your photography.
it will do landscape and still objects as good as any camera or better.
It will keep up with focusing on kids playing too.

jhayesvw wrote in post #13838504
Im going to throw a wrench in your plans and suggest a used 5d. (if you dont care about video)
This camera will produce beautiful images with almost any lens you put on it.
it is right up the alley for your photography.
it will do landscape and still objects as good as any camera or better.
It will keep up with focusing on kids playing too.

Not a bad idea, op just needs to be prepared to spend a little more on lenses if he goes that route--eliminates a lot of inexpensive zooms for him. 5c landscape and portrait pics are killer, though.

Veemac wrote in post #13838271
Have you looked through the T2i / 550D users UNITE! (3) thread yet? There are over 625 pages of photos and commentary, and there are two older identical threads which were closed when they reached 10,000 posts. Looking through those should give you an idea of what the T2i is capable of. There's also a similar Canon 60D Users, Unite! (3) thread which is currently at 200+ pages - it's also the third in its series.

Personally, I like the xxD series better than the Rebel series for the rear control dial, joystick and top LCD, for starters. When you get out of automated modes, the rear control dial makes changing settings much quicker and easier, and the joystick makes selecting focus points a snap. Those features alone would lead me to the 60D over the T2i even if all other factors were equal.

Thank you for those links! I spend some time looking through them, beautiful photography. Kind of makes me want to lean more towards a t2i because of the price, and also from the photographs it seems like I could really do a lot more than I thought, I underestimated the t2i. I think IF I do decide to go for that one I would purchase it used, with the money I save I could get myself the 17-50/2.8 and 85mm f/1.8 lenses

RTPVid wrote in post #13838353
First, don't pay any attention whatsoever to the clueless clerk at Worst Buy. If you want real advice, go either here or to a real camera store.

Second, the T2i, T3i, 60D, and 7D all share the same sensor, and so are equal in such things as ISO, color depth, dynamic range, ... in general, they are equal in image quality.

The differences are in features (other than IQ) , build, and UI.

The 60D will give you more room to grow in such things as more convenient access to manual settings, and it has a better viewfinder (brighter due to the pentaprism rather than pentamirror), which will matter for manual focusing, etc.

You'll get better pictures overall with the T2i and better better glass, IMO.

Thank you for pointing that out and making it clear to me, I really did not know they shared the same sensor. But that part about being equal in ISO? I thought at high ISO the 60D had less noise than the t21?
By looking at the photos from t2i and 60D from the threads, I found in several low light pictures there was more noise (not that noticeable but my eye notices it), however I found one picture of fireworks at night that had absolutely no noise, is it because of the high difference in contrast between the light of the fireworks and the black/dark sky? or maybe the lens they used..

mickeyb105 wrote in post #13838446
The T2i is a lot of camera for the money. It offers a 18 mp and the same sensor used in the T3i/60D/7D, and takes HD video—pretty darn good for a consumer-grade camera. Hold them both and lay with them a little bit to get a general feel for what it would be like to operate them.

I love my 60D but if I would probably also be happy with the T2i. Some say it is too small, some say it is just right, but few dispute the quality of images and video it is capable of shooting. Getting a T2i for around $500 is a steal, but so is getting a 60D for $650ish via the Canon Loyalty Program.

As for lenses, check out the forum here for lenses at a discount from buying new.

I actually found a t21 for $400 body only on craigslist, but I would have to check it out to make sure it's in good condition. However I'm planning to make trip to the only camera store anywhere near my area, maybe I'll be able to find a good deal there or have a change of heart about what camera I prefer

jhayesvw wrote in post #13838504
Im going to throw a wrench in your plans and suggest a used 5d. (if you dont care about video)
This camera will produce beautiful images with almost any lens you put on it.
it is right up the alley for your photography.
it will do landscape and still objects as good as any camera or better.
It will keep up with focusing on kids playing too.

It looks like a beautiful camera but I don't think it's right in my price range :\ as it is close to double what the 60D costs.

mickeyb105 wrote in post #13838807
Not a bad idea, op just needs to be prepared to spend a little more on lenses if he goes that route--eliminates a lot of inexpensive zooms for him. 5c landscape and portrait pics are killer, though.

Just thought i'd mention i'm a "her" hehe

I was all set to buy a T3i and almost ordered off Amazon but I decided to run to the best buy here (no camera shop in my town) and just get a hands on before I ordered. Went right to the DSLRs and played with the T3i and T2i and was all like "yep T3i for me" then right before I left I picked up the 60D and it felt soooo much better in my hand. T3i is the best value imo but I couldn't pass up how much I liked how the 60D felt (which is now on order).

Every time someone asks me what CANON gear they should get to start out. I always say get a rebel when there's a good sale or a LN used one and spend what ever extra cash you got on a few lenses. like nifty fifty, or 50mm f1.4, 17-50mm tamron/sigma, or 17-55mm canon, more recently 15-85mm canon...

however ever since using my house mates Sony a77 with 16-50mm lens, i no longer recommend rebels or any other Canon camera that isn't a 5Dmk2 or above. I use to have a 60D, my gf's sister has a 7D, a coworker a d7000... frankly none of the crop cameras come close to the A77... so thats my recommendation for you if you got the cash...

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …7_Digital_Camer​a_Kit.html

Naraly wrote in post #13838957
I actually found a t21 for $400 body only on craigslist, but I would have to check it out to make sure it's in good condition. However I'm planning to make trip to the only camera store anywhere near my area, maybe I'll be able to find a good deal there or have a change of heart about what camera I prefer

Keep scanning the classifieds here as well. A T2i + Tamron 17-50 could've been had for $715 earlier today, and an 85/1.8 is available for $300 right now.

You will be far more happy with a T2i and better glass than a 60D and a kit lens. The T2i will take you far and any upgrade in the beginning will be pure gear lust rather than it's features in comparison to other APS-C cameras. Like everyone has mentioned IQ will be the same as a 60D and 7D. Unless your interest fall into the category where certain features of a camera is key to capture a shot you will not be sorry. Spend the rest of the cash on better glass, flash and a decent tripod. In the meantime increase your knowledge of the basics and keep practicing/experimenti​ng...

The images may be the same, but the controls and whatnot are different by going with the 60D. I would strongly recommend finding a store that carries the Rebels and the 60D and get them both in your hands to feel the difference.

Any of Canon's recent bodies will be more than enough camera for you - 450D, 500D, 550D, 600D, 40D, 50D, 60D. Really just depends on whether you want new and/or movies.

I'm still a great advocate of the kit lenses (18-55 IS, 55-250 IS) and the cheap 50mm 1.8. They're superb lenses for the little they cost.