Glass or new Body - current body Rebel XSI

Reignrx wrote in post #15016841
Kmccarthy, 5D MARK III is the way to go, Xsi has poor IQ and low focus. 7D has very fast focus but cropped body. 5D MARK II poor Focusing system which made most pictures "SOFT" and guess what 5D MARK III solved all those problems! ( but yet it's very pricey!)

It is very pricey, but I was able to pick one up for $2750 this weekend form Adorama/eBay. If I sell my 5DII and 7D+ EF-S17-55 f2.8 I should be able to pay for it with a little left over!

However, if I was coming from an XSI, I think I would be perfectly happy with a 5d II or a 6D. Xsi-->5DIII might be too big of a jump in cost and performance. Like going from a Toyota to a Ferrari!

Reignrx wrote in post #15016841
Kmccarthy, 5D MARK III is the way to go, Xsi has poor IQ and low focus. 7D has very fast focus but cropped body. 5D MARK II poor Focusing system which made most pictures "SOFT" and guess what 5D MARK III solved all those problems! ( but yet it's very pricey!)

Buy the right glass for the right format, and the cropped body like 7d works quite well. The latest crop bodies require good glass and proper focal ranges. Even l lenses can sometimes disappoint on a 7d because they dont resolve so well at 100%. This is why Canon is revamping their glass to be much sharper, probably due to future higher density bodies that are about to hit.

Thanks for the opinions everyone. To answer a few questions I was asked. No the 24-70 is not my only lens I have a 50mm 1.8 and the 18-55 kit lens that came with my XSI. I have not really needed a longer range that often. Mostly shoot portraits of my kids and a few still life's. My plan is to jump up big on my body now..Then get the 70-200 2.8L IS II when I need some more zoom. Right now..I've been really frustrated with my performance of the XSI in low light. Focusing never seems to be how I would like even when point focusing and I'm not happy with my raw photos at 100% crop at anything at and above 400 ISO. Any thoughts do you all think I'm on the right track or should I just buy more glass. Is it that I have a bad 24-70 copy? I seem to have similar results with my other glass too.

I had an XSi and 24-70 as my first combo and it produced amazing images. But that was in studio, ISO 100 and with strobes. I now shoot with the 5D2 and the improvement in IQ over the XSi is substantial, particularly at high ISOs. If you have focusing problems, you may need to post some images with EXIF and explain what you're seeing, because poor focus can be due to a myriad of problems. If it's poor focusing in low light, there's no camera out there that's going to help -- either add light to aid AF (a flashlight, a cell phone, the AF assist beam from a speedlight) or go manual. As for testing focus of different lenses, run some calibration tests, with a Spyder Lenscal or similar method.

Honestly I'd wait and get a 6D. Better AF than the XSi / 5D Mark II and substantially cheaper than the 5D3. Take the $700 you save and put it towards a 70-200 or any other legendary L lens.

timmy2tones wrote in post #15017249
Right now..I've been really frustrated with my performance of the XSI in low light. Focusing never seems to be how I would like even when point focusing and I'm not happy with my raw photos at 100% crop at anything at and above 400 ISO.

Now that is some helpful information that can be used to make a more informed recommendation, because a longer lens (alone) will not help with that.

JasonMK wrote in post #15018940
Now that is some helpful information that can be used to make a more informed recommendation, because a longer lens (alone) will not help with that.

If images beyond ISO 400 aren't acceptable, I would have to tend toward obtaining more experience with proper exposures and processing the raw and final JPG results. The XSi should be very capable of ISO 800 and even 1600 shots.

Here is a 20D shot at ISO 3200, and the XSi should match, if not exceed that kind of quality.