Many types of D

Gosh Im confused, I used to own a canon 20d, unfortunately the poor thing died after a nasty fall...im now ready to replace...but totally confused with everything on offer

1000d?, 30d, 40d or maybe jumping to 5d, gosh im confused.

I dont make much money from my photography, its more a hobby and consider myself artist rather than photographer, my work really doesn't require perfect exposure and wonderful colours, as photoshop will be extensively used...

Maybe the lowest would do the job for me? Although the full frame of the 5d is still very tempting

Any advice would be most welcome


RiverCottage

Do you want to know the model hierachy? your comaring lowest model to full frame (mid to upper range)

Will you consider second hand?

Did you like your 20D? Did it not do anything that you really needed it to?

The modern 20D is a 40D. Up is Full frame 5D then 1Dmk3 then 1Dsmk3. Down is Xsi (450d) and then 1000d. 30d can still be bought new in places if you look.

Alot of arty type shots i see fully photoshopped come from a 350 or 400d and look amazing. Need action - get a 40d. Need wide get a 5D. Need more BOKEH get 5d and some primes...

Heaps of options... more info... what are you thinking? 5d is expensive and the 40 or 400 or 450 or 1000 can take a good image for editing. I dont think you can photoshop a 5d image into a 40d efficiently though.

just buy a 5D then if you dont like it you can jsut sendit to me.. .. but on a serious note, if you used to have a 20D then you would get along well with a 30D or a 40D, it started to depend ont eh budget u got..

Hi guys and thanks for the replies

The 20d was wonderful and did everything I wanted, I do quite a bit of low light work, but the lenses mostly help that...I'm thinking the 20d may have even been overkill, im looking round the £600-£800 mark, may be being tempted upto the 5d, just because I also adore wide work.

I was thinking P&S may even do what I want..but i want to be able to click the shutter and my photo is taken STRAIGHT AWAY, my experience with P&S is they take 67 years after pressing the shutter to get the image?

At the end of the day, I need low light, wide, and quick response

Oh yes would certainly consider second hand, may have a look on ebay

Nikon also seems to have quite a few low range SLR's but I hear the low range Nikons are very low compared to their high?

Many thanks once more


RiverCottage

Get the 40D. $200 instant rebate on this camera until July 19.

In part, your decision might be helped by considering what else you presently have to use with the camera... other lenses?

If any you have are EF-S, they won't be usable on a 5D. If not, then the 5D might be your "ultimate" choice. Especially since you like wide shots. The nearly 13MP sensor also gives you a lot to work with when cropping or going big with prints. On the other hand, it's a bit of a dust magnet so you need to feel comfortable cleaning it.

30D is 8MP and a decent camera that can be bought at a very good price right now, and handles very similarly to your 20D (the 5D is also very similar handling).

40D is a nice upgrade to it, so look at it's features and see if you feel they are important enough to justify the extra cost. There are just a few differences in handling a 40D, compared to the other three cameras... so it wouldn't take long to feel comfortable with, I'm sure.

DIGITAL EOS TIMETABLE

DIGITAL EOS TIMETABLE
High-End Full Frame - Release year/quarter
1Ds - 2002/4th
1Ds Mk II - 2004/4th
1Ds Mk III - 2007/4th
High-End APS-H - Release year/quarter
1D - 2001/3rd
1D Mk II - 2004/2nd
1D Mk II N - 2005/4th
1D Mk III - 2007/3rd
Mid-Range Full Frame - Release year/quarter
5D - 2005/3rd
Mid-range APS-C - Release year/quarter
D30 - 2000/2nd
D60 - 2001/4th
10D - 2003/1st
20D - 2004/3rd
30D - 2006/2nd
40D - 2007/4th
Astrophoto APS-C - Release year/quarter
20Da - 2005/1st
Entry-Level APS-C - Release year/quarter
300D - 2003/3rd
350D (XT) - 2005/1st
400D (XTi) - 2006/4th
450D (XTsi) - 2008/2nd
Sub Entry-Level APS-C Release year/quarter
1000D - 2008/3rd

Right now, the best value IMO is a refurbished 30D from Adorama which runs $540 with free shipping. Combine this with a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 lens ($420) and you have an exellent combination for $960.

Another value, although I don't like the Rebel Series or the kit lens, is a refurbished XTi with kit lens from Adorams for $500.

IMO, refurbished canon cameras are the way to go. Quality control at the Service Center is better than Quality Control at the Assembly Line.

I have bought 3 new Canon DSLR cameras and all three (10D, 350D and 40D) needed a visit to the Canon Service Center within the first 90 days of ownership. The one DSLR I purchased refurbished (30D) has been working flawlessly for over a year.

You left out the XSi...

First, decide if a crop camera (like your dear departed 20d) limited you for scene width. If not, another crop camera will do, and the 5d is out of the running.

THE 1000D is new and untested - and reportedly just a de-tuned XSi - closer to the XTi, with some features disabled. I'd rule that one out on general principles.

That leaves three - XSi, 30d and 40d. The XSi is a smaller camera physically and may or may not suit your hands. If the 20d felt good to you, the XSi will feel oddly small - I have a hard time getting myself stable with a small camera - like the XTi. If that is your case too, then it is down to two. If the 20d felt a bit big and unwieldy, then the XSi should do nicely.

OK you like the 20d size. We're down to two 30d or 40d. Both cameras are good instruments - the 40d having the couple of years of mother Canon's experience built into a camera with more MP, and a DIGIC III processor. I don't think either camera will be limiting your creativity or ability. It is down to budget, and features you have to have. The 40d will have better resale value (sometime when you upgrade) and the bigger LCD as you age along with the camera. The 30d is cheap and proven.

There´s nothing left out the 450D is the XSI.

You lens collection might be a better guide in dictating your next camera purchase. If you have mostly EF-s lenses...then the answer is the 30 or 40D.

Also since you have not had the pleasure of live view, consider how that may or may not make your life better. I like the 30D and I like the 40D...I like the 40D better.

SOT wrote in post #5834371
You lens collection might be a better guide in dictating your next camera purchase. If you have mostly EF-s lenses...then the answer is the 30 or 40D.

Also since you have not had the pleasure of live view, consider how that may or may not make your life better. I like the 30D and I like the 40D...I like the 40D better.

I also like the 40D a bit better than the 30D but, it has nothing to do with live view. In fact I have never used that option.

I like two features of the 40D: First, I like the larger LCD because at my age the eyes are not all that great and best of all, I absolutely love being able to select one of three preselected camera user settings using the mode dial. IMO that is a really fast way of setting my camera to the parameters with which I am fond of shooting.

Being an old timer - I really like dial controls better than buttons combined with LCD choices.

RPCrowe wrote in post #5828564
DIGITAL EOS TIMETABLE
High-End Full Frame - Release year/quarter
1Ds - 2002/4th
1Ds Mk II - 2004/4th
1Ds Mk III - 2007/4th
High-End APS-H - Release year/quarter
1D - 2001/3rd
1D Mk II - 2004/2nd
1D Mk II N - 2005/4th
1D Mk III - 2007/3rd
Mid-Range Full Frame - Release year/quarter
5D - 2005/3rd
Mid-range APS-C - Release year/quarter
D30 - 2000/2nd
D60 - 2001/4th
10D - 2003/1st
20D - 2004/3rd
30D - 2006/2nd
40D - 2007/4th
Astrophoto APS-C - Release year/quarter
20Da - 2005/1st
Entry-Level APS-C - Release year/quarter
300D - 2003/3rd
350D (XT) - 2005/1st
400D (XTi) - 2006/4th
450D (XTsi) - 2008/2nd
Sub Entry-Level APS-C Release year/quarter
1000D - 2008/3rd

What is the Nikon line-up like in similar terms as these? Like the D-3 versus the D-300 or D-700? Which are their entry level or professional cameras?

In light of the OP's location, I doubt if a $200 rebate would be relevant and the recent UK cashback offer has just ended.

samuraiwarrior2 wrote in post #5844382
What is the Nikon line-up like in similar terms as these? Like the D-3 versus the D-300 or D-700? Which are their entry level or professional cameras?

Who cares.

River, knowing the work you've done (excellent btw) I'm sure the 40D would serve you well and it's a great deal right now (as is the 5D) with the rebate. I'm just as sure you would love the 5D even more, but it's significantly more expensive. The 40D has the 14 bit processing and improved IQ as well as auto-sensor cleaning that the 5D does not have.

I've just purchased the 1Ds MkIII and have been evaluating it for the last week and all I can say at this point is WOW! I'm loving this thing, but I'm sure it is way over kill for your work (as it is for mine at the moment, but I'm learning and growing ).

Certainly you should/could consider a used 20D/30D/40D/5D as well. Easiest thing might be to just replace your 20D with a used 20D...

Let us know what you decide.

With the current used prices as they are, the deals on a 30D are awesome. Since you say you loved the 20D, the 30D was just a little bit of an upgrade to the 20D. Being able to pick up used 30Ds for $500 just cannot be beat. I just sold my 30D to upgrade to the 40D because I needed some of the upgrades, but since you said that the 20D gave you everything that you needed, I'd say snag a used 30D.