Need help with a decision...5D or 50D+glass.

My 40D is acting up with the (so common it should be a recall issue) problem of the shutter button fizzling. I've done a couple of the home remedies with hit or miss results...mostly miss.

I've just sold some of my dads stuff that I've held on to for whatever stupid reason since he died and I have enough to get something decent for my kit. I should end up with about $1100.

I could go the route of using the Canon loyalty program and trading in the 40D and getting a 50D for $600. That would leave me with some coin to get a decent lens, or at least give me the bulk of it.

Alternatively, I have been dying to go full frame and I could get a used 5D....leaving me with a 50mm and 85mm lens to work with.

With option 1 I get new glass which is nice, but I do mostly portrait work anyway, and can borrow lenses if needed.

With option 2 I could get the 5D and then get the 40D fixed and have a back up camera just in case.

So....what would you do?

I went from XTi to 50D to 1D2 and now to a 5D. So glad I ended up here. The 5D is all around a better camera than the 50D.

See, that's what I'm thinking too. A (good) friend is letting me use his for my shoots this week, and the little I've used it I'm really loving it. It would, however, be nice to have new glass too. Are there any known issues with the 5D besides the mirror replacement?

Get the 50D and some good glass.

Then you can start saving your money for a 5D Mark II!

get the 5D. i think the jump to full frame is worth it if you already have decent lenses. if not you can sell that 40D and get some decent lenses.

banpreso wrote in post #12715234
get the 5D. i think the jump to full frame is worth it if you already have decent lenses. if not you can sell that 40D and get some decent lenses.

Well, I have the 50 1.8 and the 85 1.8 and would probably have enough scratch left to get something a bit longer as well, or be close to it....The more i use my friends 5D, the more I'm leaning in that direction. I just don't usually have money to burn, so I have to make careful decisions...but thankfully I'm seeing more interest in my portrait work, so I'm hoping and praying it will pick up.

Truth be told, I would likely keep the 40 as a back up. This situation scared me....my session tomorrow is for a girl whose family is in town for the first time in a quite a few years, and probably the last time for a while so it's quite important. If I hadn't had such a good buddy I would be hosed!

if you do set up portrait work you can save some money with manual focus lenses, both telephoto as well as normal. 50mm manual focus lenses are very reasonabily priced and would be an upgrade to the image quality of that 50 1.8

5Dc, Nifty Fifty and 85 1.8 is good set.
I have only Nifty Fifty on my 5Dc for two months and it was OK. It is totally different lens on FF, way better. I never hesitate to use it.

Add 35F2 later and you will have three classic ranges covered with most affordable lenses with good IQ. Hard to do the same under same budget with xxD cameras.