Need to upgrade my T2i

God I am so tired of looking at all the junk in photos with iso over 400... at first I thought it was me, but man, I was just looking at someones photos who was using a (and I know this is non Canon here) Panasonic DMC-GH3 with a 14-140/F4.0-5.8... and he's got images in there shot at 1600 iso that look just as good as stuff I do at 400 iso.

So obviously I mistakenly invested in this stupid Canon 17-55mm brick piece of doodoo thinking 2.8 was going to get me to the promised land, when it turns out that I should have been thinking sensor all along... and now I had to put packing tape around the barrel so it won't freaking flop out every time I tip the camera to see a shot. Who's going to buy a used 17-55 with barrel creep that bad?

So my camera just sits. On top of all that, I ride my bike everywhere now, so I need something more portable but don't want to back off on quality?

Should I keep the 17-55 and get a used 7D? Or sell everything and reInvest in an EOS M? Other thoughts? Any advice appreciated.

What type of photography do you do most ? Match camera & lens to suit your needs. The T2i is a fair camera and with a good lens can take great shots in the right hands.

had the T2i for over 2 years and it takes good shots over 400 iso

illusiumd wrote in post #16217184
God I am so tired of looking at all the junk in photos with iso over 400... at first I thought it was me, but man, I was just looking at someones photos who was using a (and I know this is non Canon here) Panasonic DMC-GH3 with a 14-140/F4.0-5.8... and he's got images in there shot at 1600 iso that look just as good as stuff I do at 400 iso.

So obviously I mistakenly invested in this stupid Canon 17-55mm brick piece of doodoo thinking 2.8 was going to get me to the promised land, when it turns out that I should have been thinking sensor all along... and now I had to put packing tape around the barrel so it won't freaking flop out every time I tip the camera to see a shot. Who's going to buy a used 17-55 with barrel creep that bad?

So my camera just sits. On top of all that, I ride my bike everywhere now, so I need something more portable but don't want to back off on quality?

Should I keep the 17-55 and get a used 7D? Or sell everything and reInvest in an EOS M? Other thoughts? Any advice appreciated.

T2i high ISO images are very usable after noise reduction software is used.

Post some shots to show what problems you're having.

If you're gonna scrap the 17-55, I'd be happy to take it off your hands.

If your images are not acceptable at ISOs > 400 with the T2i and 17-55, then I would just about to draw the conclusion that it is not the camera or lens. How is the exposure on your shots, what software are you using to convert the raw, and what steps are you performing? It is undoubtedly one or more of these latter 3 items, and I believe we can help if so.

For example ISO 6400, where the bottom is direct from camera JPG, the middle is from raw, and the top is with a bit of post processing and noise removal on the raw, all from the same exact shot.

You do know that the 7d and t2i sensors are basically the same don't you? It may very well be how you're capturing the shot and the post processing the images that is giving you poor results. I've had both the 7d and t2i and found that the t2i files actually looked cleaner in comparison between those two bodies.

Personally speaking though I found the files coming from my 5d classic to be my favorite files to work with in post. So clean and film like it amazes me every time I work with them.

If you want less noise your only option is full frame.

I just scored a T2i off E-bay. As soon as it gets here it's off to Hap for the filter mod.

I had a t2i and iso shots were better then my current 50d. And, like others have said a 7d or eos-m isn't going to be any improvement over a t2i. Learn to improve your techniques, you already said by buying a 17-55 didn't help another body will just be the same.

OP post a shot of what you consider bad. Are you pixel peeping? Underexposing? What exactly is so horrid over ISO 400 for you?

illusiumd wrote in post #16217184
God I am so tired of looking at all the junk in photos with iso over 400... at first I thought it was me, but man, I was just looking at someones photos who was using a (and I know this is non Canon here) Panasonic DMC-GH3 with a 14-140/F4.0-5.8... and he's got images in there shot at 1600 iso that look just as good as stuff I do at 400 iso.

So obviously I mistakenly invested in this stupid Canon 17-55mm brick piece of doodoo thinking 2.8 was going to get me to the promised land, when it turns out that I should have been thinking sensor all along... and now I had to put packing tape around the barrel so it won't freaking flop out every time I tip the camera to see a shot. Who's going to buy a used 17-55 with barrel creep that bad?

So my camera just sits. On top of all that, I ride my bike everywhere now, so I need something more portable but don't want to back off on quality?
Should I keep the 17-55 and get a used 7D? Or sell everything and reInvest in an EOS M? Other thoughts? Any advice appreciated.

the "promised land" doesn't have to be in "doodoo" !

I shoot at ISO 3200 and higher with a 60D (the same sensor as the T2i /550) and don't see any 'junk' in the photos, however sometimes I use noise reduction software.
why not post a photo with the "junk"


60D
Sigma 30
ISO 2000

So I want to help you out, I will offer 300 for the broke T2I and lens, I will even pay for the fees and shipping. This should allow you to get the next greatest thing, and then ask why it's such a POS, because you have obviously just purchased photographic greatness and its broke too...in joking


Really, post some shots and see if the might be something these folks can assist you with to get better results. And as others have pointed out, the cameras you pointed towards buying have the same sensor.