mike_311 wrote in post #14697728
im surprised no one has recommended a 5dmkiii yet...
Well for small, distant subjects like birds, I'd recommend one of the crop cameras, not a FF model.
OP,
7D is the most expensive and most full-featured models. It's an excellent camera, but more complex and a bit harder to learn to use well. It's designed with fairly advanced users in mind, so has a bit less support for folks who have limited DSLR experience. Of course, this might mean it's also got "more room to grow" in the future.
60D is a bit smaller, considerably lighter weight and still quite capable when used right. There's virtually no difference in image quality potential, between it and the 7D. They use almost the same sensor and processor. The 60D has a few more support features, for less experienced users, and is a simpler, more straightfoward model.
50D is still a fine camera too. You won't really see much difference in IQ, comparing the 15MP 50D to the 18MP 60D and 7D. They all use the same processor (7D has dual, to allow it to shoot high frame rates). In some respects, it's closer to the 7D than the 60D. It is about the same size, just a wee bit lighter, has similar construction and control layout to 7D. Doesn't have video capabilities, which both 60D and 7D do. But 50D does have Micro Adjust, same as 7D, which Canon inexplicably left out of the 60D.
Really, your wife can take great birding shots with any of the three. The lens(es) she's using will be more important than the camera.
There is no such thing as a "long enough lens" for birding. 70-300 IS will allow some shots, but is going to be pretty marginal a lot of the time.
A lot of "birders" use Canon 100-400mm... or the less expensive Sigma 120-400 OS or 150-500 OS. All these are fairly large, heavy lenses though... so you should discuss with your wife before buying, if at all possible.
Personally I prefer to use prime lenses and use 300/4 IS, often with 1.4X teleconverter.... Or 300/2.8 IS with 1.4X and 2X... Or 500/4 IS, sometimes with 1.4X. The latter two are big, heavy and expensive, so probably not your cup of tea. Another prime lens, one I don't use but a lot of birders like, is the Canon 400/5.6... except it doesn't have image stabilization.
All these lenses -even the two Sigmas and the 300/4 IS w/teleconverter - are considerably more expensive than the 70-300mm. But, if you were to keep to one of the more affordable cameras, perhaps you would have more budget to put toward lenses? That would be what I'd do, if at all possile. Lenses will make much more difference, than the camera you choose.
While a better lens is great, is not good if you dont have a decent camera to put it on
Sorry, but IMO that is simply not correct. There is minimal difference between the cameras you list... all of them are capable and images from them would be hard to tell apart. Acutally, the opposite is much more true: Lenses are far more important than the camera they are used upon. Especially these days now that the pace of development and advances in DSLRs have slowed considerably.
The lens decides how the image will look, the camera just captures what the lens "sees".
Even some of the Rebel/xxxD series would be well worth consideration, if budget is tight, or size/weight is a consideration. The T1i/500D has the exact same image capabilities as the 50D. The T2i/550D, T3i/600D and the new T4i/650D all share essentially the same sensor as the 60D and 7D.
In fact, some women and more than a few men prefer the somewhat smaller and lighter Rebel/xxxD series cameras. The downside... they aren't as durably built and top out at 1/4000 shutter speed and 1/200 flash sync (compared to 1/8000 and 1/250). They also have simpler AF, with only the center point the "better" dual-axis type (except for T4i/650D, which inherits the AF system of the 50D and 60D). The ergonomics and controls are different... Not quite as fast to operate as the xxD and xD series cameras. The Rebel/xxxD also use a penta-mirror, instead of a true pentaprism, which makes for slightly less bright viewfinders.
I strongly suggest you and your wife go to a store and handle some of these cameras and lenses, to see what she feels comfortable with. 7D/50D are pretty similar, if you can't find a 50D in a store. The 60D is unique. Any of the Rebel/xxxD models can give you a pretty good idea what they all feel like. The T3i and T4i, and the 60D, have an articulated rear LCD monitor, that makes them a little bulkier feeling. But they are still smaller, lighter than 7D/50D.
Try to get a look at Canon 100-400 and the two Sigma zooms I mentioned, too. The Canon is a "push/pull" zoom design, where single ring controls both manual focus and zooming... Personally I don't like this type zoom, but some people love it. It does make for very fast zooming (it also gets the lens it's nickname... the "dust pump", though I don't know if it really deserves it). Yes, it is an L-series, but many Canon lenses 300mm and longer are... so that can't be avoided very easily.
Both the Sigmas are the more traditional two-ring design... One controlling focus, the other zoom. They are a bit less conspicuous, too... black instead of Canon's off-white. The 120-400 is about the same size as the Canon. The 150-500 is bigger. The two Sigma are many hundreds of dollars less expensive than the Canon.
There is also a Sigma 50-500 OS... which I only mention in passing because it's nicknamed the "Bigma" for pretty good reason. I suspect you wife might not like such a large lens.
So, I'd think lens first, then the camera to use with it. Put more money into the lens, less into the camera. And please do go check them out with your wife, to be sure to get something she feels comfortable using.
EDIT: You mention refurbs... not a bad way to stretch your budget. Canon Store has them... So do Adorama and B&H sometimes. If I recall correctly, Adorama extends the warranty for refurbs to 1 year, the same as buying new.
Another way to help stretch your budget is the Canon Loyalty Program, where you trade in an old, broken camera on one of the refurbished, newer models, and get a bit more of a discount. Don't have an old, broken camera to trade? Well, I picked up a point n shoot for that purpose, at a local secondhand store, for all of $15. Also got a Digital Rebel/300D at the same store, $25, that's likely going to be used as a trade-in some day (doesn't appear to be practical to repair). Search here on POTN for more info about CLP, if interested. You have to contact them to find out what cameras qualify for trade-in and what discounts are offered. It's always changing, as stock of refurbs come and go.
And, all the above is devoted to the longer, "birding" lens. You and your wife might also want a more "walk-around", general purpose lens. Often you can find "kit" lenses that serve well. Canon usually offers their most basic/inexpensive kit 18-55 IS or a bit of a step-up kit to an 18-135 IS. Either might do, but the 18-135 is a really nice step up. Since you are looking at 7D and 50D, you also might see 28-135 with either of those, which is not really a kit lens per se, and in some ways is better than either of the others, but usually isn't offered with 60D and really isn't very "wide angle" at only 28mm. If you can buy a lens in kit with the camera body, you will get some savings on it, too. Rather than finding out later that you want it and buying it separately.
But, if it comes down to that and you have to buy separately, you can find kit lenses selling pretty cheaply lightly used. The 18-55 IS used is usually less than $100. The 28-135 has been sold in kit so much it can be found for $250 or even $200, lightly used (though it's a $450 lens bought new). The 18-135 is a newer model, less commonly found and often closer to $300 on the used market.
One kit lens I don't recommend is the 18-200mm. That kind of lens, trying to cover all bases, generally compromises a lot in a lot of ways.
One that is sometimes offered alongside the 18-55 IS is the 55-250 IS. It's acutally a decent little lens, just a little short for birding. Still, it might be a good "starter" lens, if you wanted to do things one step at a time. The 55-250 can be found for around $200 new, less than that used.
None of these except for the 28-135 will be as quick, accurate and silently focusing as the 100-400, 120-400 or 150-500 mentioned above.
