Help Me Decide!(Body Decision)

Help me decide!
I am in a bit of a toss-up so to speak.

I will be receiving $2000 in August to accomplish two things: (1) Purchase a new camera body for some fall weddings and general portrait work and (2) Purchase an iPad for photography and e-books for school work. I need to buy both. The $2000 is a flexible budget that I can add $200-500 to. I can also sell off my 20d in order to free up some funds.

Camera-
My gear is in my signature and my primary body is a 30d. I need better high ISO performance, better AF and faster operation. Video is not needed but won’t hurt as an extra feature. Due to my budget, I feel like the 5dmk2 is out of the question. But the options are between a 7d, 5dmk1, and the 60d. Average prices on this forum for the 7d are around $1500. Averages for the 5dmk1 are around $1000. I can get a new 60d for $1000 at Adorama or for a little cheaper on here.

iPad-
I do not need 3G on my iPad and I don’t really have a need for a ton of bells and whistles either. I will use it primarily for e-books and browsing the internet. I can get a new iPad 2 32GB for $599 and a refurbished iPad 1 32GB for $429.

My question is what is the best combination of gear that I can buy? Which camera body is the best for wedding photography and general portraiture? Is the iPad 1 that much further behind the iPad 2 in technology? Thanks in advance for all of your help.

sell all camera bodies and crop sensor lenses

buy 5dII

skip iPad

I love my 7D and have used it for weddings - have gotten great results. However, I work with a woman who uses the 5Dmk1 and she likes it. If you really just want the ipad for browsing and whatnot, I'd go with the nicer camera and refurbished ipad.

robertwsimpson wrote in post #12448036
sell all camera bodies and crop sensor lenses

buy 5dII

skip iPad

See below. And as a wedding shooter I need two bodies. Whether I have an outdated 30d or whatever, I need two bodies.

amolden wrote in post #12448037
I love my 7D and have used it for weddings - have gotten great results. However, I work with a woman who uses the 5Dmk1 and she likes it. If you really just want the ipad for browsing and whatnot, I'd go with the nicer camera and refurbished ipad.

Thank you for your quick responses. What you might have missed in my post was that I need both. Buying books for college is outrageous and ebooks are very affordable. Therefore, ditching the ipad idea is out of the question.

I recommend the 5D. Should still have enough to pick up a nice new prime, maybe upgrade your 50 or pick up a sigma 30.

mhazlett wrote in post #12448141
I recommend the 5D. Should still have enough to pick up a nice new prime, maybe upgrade your 50 or pick up a sigma 30.

Will the 5d handle low light comparably to the 60d or 7d?

Get iPad off CL for about 300 to 400 dollars. Buy a 60D or 7D. If no sports or fast action, then a 60D is sufficient and save the rest for more lenses.

The center point on the 5D is cross-type and may end up being the only usable focus point in low light. All points in the 60D and 7D are cross type.

5d does not have the ISO performance that the 7d and 60d have. It's good for if you want full frame, but only have 1000 to spend... and if you're only going to shoot at lower ISOs.

Weddings obviously can't be shot at low isos. So the 5dc is out.

The 5Dc has been a standby for weddings since it came out. Many many photographers have loved it dearly and used it extensively for that purpose. Most of them didn't consider anything (other than a 1D) to be an upgrade (including the 60D and 7D) until the 5D2 came out.

I guess they were all wrong.

yes, if I had nothing but full frame experience, I'd want a full frame backup too.


you can find more about ISO noise about half way down on this article

http://www.the-digital-picture.com …igital-Camera-Review.aspx

it looks like it has about the same amount of noise as your 20d at 100%.

Copidosoma wrote in post #12448240
The 5Dc has been a standby for weddings since it came out. Many many photographers have loved it dearly and used it extensively for that purpose. Most of them didn't consider anything (other than a 1D) to be an upgrade (including the 60D and 7D) until the 5D2 came out.

I guess they were all wrong.

The problem is many, many photographers also think crop sensors are the work of the devil and that "full frame" is magical and will automatically make them amazing photographers.

You can shoot weddings perfectly well with crop sensor cameras and the right lenses, just as you can with full frame cameras and the right lenses.

I recommend a 60D

Copidosoma wrote in post #12448240
The 5Dc has been a standby for weddings since it came out. Many many photographers have loved it dearly and used it extensively for that purpose. Most of them didn't consider anything (other than a 1D) to be an upgrade (including the 60D and 7D) until the 5D2 came out.

I guess they were all wrong.

That is what I am trying to get help on. Everyone says that the 60d and 7d have better high iso by far than the 5dc. It was a great camera for it's time, but if I can get better technology for my money I am going to.

robertwsimpson wrote in post #12448267
yes, if I had nothing but full frame experience, I'd want a full frame backup too.


you can find more about ISO noise about half way down on this article

http://www.the-digital-picture.com …igital-Camera-Review.aspx

it looks like it has about the same amount of noise as your 20d at 100%.

I also don't want to have to sell off my 17-50 to get a full frame equivalent lens. And you are correct, it looks like the same amount of noise on both.

Sirrith wrote in post #12448336
The problem is many, many photographers also think crop sensors are the work of the devil and that "full frame" is magical and will automatically make them amazing photographers.

You can shoot weddings perfectly well with crop sensor cameras and the right lenses, just as you can with full frame cameras and the right lenses.

I recommend a 60D

I don't disagree with you. I'm just replying to the comment:

"Weddings obviously can't be shot at low isos. So the 5dc is out."

Copidosoma wrote in post #12448346
I don't disagree with you. I'm just replying to the comment:

"Weddings obviously can't be shot at low isos. So the 5dc is out."

Fair enough
I don't know much about the high ISO performance of the 5dc. I just know the newer generation con/pro-sumer cameras are better at it.