Next step confusion...

Having matured as a photographer, my mid range lens (18-55mm kit lens from 450d) is no longer giving me the results I'd like and the 450d body is starting to show its age. I shoot mostly city/land-scapes, family and motorsport.

Given I've another baby on the way I was looking to get the 70d to help me with video but given my aspirations for FF I wonder if this is a waste of money - especially if getting another kit lens - albeit STM (either 18-55mm or 18-135mm).

The 6d could be a contender, but it isn't as good at video and I'd have to ditch the 10-22mm due to the EF-S mount (I love this lens). If I get the 70d I'd want to avoid the kit lens (which wouldn't work on FF later) and get a L lens of sorts - 24-105, 24-70 - this would give me range between the 10-22mm and 70-200mm now but serve later as an excellent walkabout lens on a FF.

The elephant in the room is the 5d mk3 but, whilst this appeals, I wonder if it's too much of a jump (for me) despite it's capabilities.

What would you do?

Isnt as good at video is a relative comparison. Its more than capable of doing most things you would like to do. I would either go with a 6D or a 5DII.

Remember if you jump full frame all your ef-s lenses will no longer be usable on the full frame body. My thoughts? Purchase better zoom lens (maybe a 17-55 2.8) than just the kit and purchase a refurbed 7D. Great bargain prices, would improve what you can pull off, and would still allow you access to the stm lenses and good video capabilities while being an order of magnitude cheaper than the cost of jumping up to full frame and full frame only lenses.

Video is a nonstarter on full frame. Likewise the 7D. All three bodies have terrible movie AF. Unless you intend to use MF, the 70D is much preferable.

I would not choose a 24–105 over the kit 18–135 STM. You'll miss the short end. You can sell it later if need be.

What's your interest in FF?

If I had to build my collection around shooting babies, I'd quit taking pictures.

hrblaine wrote in post #16824029
If I had to build my collection around shooting babies, I'd quit taking pictures.

Ha! It's something new - subjects are less than co-operative though!

Thanks for the replies thus far. Still weighing up the options - if video wasn't important to me it would be an easier decision.

KnightRT wrote in post #16823970
Video is a nonstarter on full frame. Likewise the 7D. All three bodies have terrible movie AF. Unless you intend to use MF, the 70D is much preferable.

Video is a non-starter on FF? There are an awful lot of folks who would disagree with that.

For the most part AF is a nonstarter for video. People who need critical and artistic control of focus have and will continue to use MF.

The 6D takes fine video. Everyone who does video seriously manually focuses the video anyway. The 70D would be nice with it's autofocus video. But really, you'll get better high ISO performance out of the 6D, and since I'm assuming you aren't going to have studio lights set up around your house to get spontaneous video of your baby doing stuff, you're going to be cranking the ISO up pretty high.

So get the 6D. You can learn video manual focus technique easily.

sa_20v wrote in post #16823637
Having matured as a photographer, my mid range lens (18-55mm kit lens from 450d) is no longer giving me the results I'd like and the 450d body is starting to show its age. I shoot mostly city/land-scapes, family and motorsport.

Given I've another baby on the way I was looking to get the 70d to help me with video but given my aspirations for FF I wonder if this is a waste of money - especially if getting another kit lens - albeit STM (either 18-55mm or 18-135mm).

The 6d could be a contender, but it isn't as good at video and I'd have to ditch the 10-22mm due to the EF-S mount (I love this lens). If I get the 70d I'd want to avoid the kit lens (which wouldn't work on FF later) and get a L lens of sorts - 24-105, 24-70 - this would give me range between the 10-22mm and 70-200mm now but serve later as an excellent walkabout lens on a FF.

The elephant in the room is the 5d mk3 but, whilst this appeals, I wonder if it's too much of a jump (for me) despite it's capabilities.

What would you do?

Heya,

If you truly want to step it up, and you do landscape and city and all that, and want to shoot picture (and some way less critical video) then the 6D really is your better bet overall. The 10-22 is a great lens, but you can replace it with other ultrawides for the same/less cost. The low light will help you more for what you are going to be doing. Get rid of the kit lenses and get yourself an excellent zoom, or a decent prime. The Tamron 24-70 F2.8 VC for example. Or go ahead with the 24-105 F4L if you get it with the 6D on a deal. For a tele, you can get the Tamron 70-200 F2.8 VC, or look towards a real supertele with something like the 300 F4, 100-400, 150-600 Tamron, etc.

If you know you're going full frame eventually don't let a single EF-S lens stop you going there. It's a good lens for crops, but it's not the best ultrawide or anything. Move on from it if you have to, there's way more to get into.

Very best,

I was in the same boat as you, sa_20v, with a kid on the way and wanting a better dslr for video whilst lacking in MF skills, I decided to upgrade from the t2i to the 70d, rather than going full frame. The auto-focus is REALLY nice. And its something that my wife can use easily so she can use the camera as well.

Also, having an stm lens is proving to be a must with the 70d AF because the noise from even my USM lens (85mm 1.8) is quite noticeable with the onboard mic. I'm looking into picking up a 40mm 2.8 for myself or the 18-55 kit lens. I wish they would come out with better options...

bacchanal wrote in post #16824216
Video is a non-starter on FF? There are an awful lot of folks who would disagree with that.

For the most part AF is a nonstarter for video. People who need critical and artistic control of focus have and will continue to use MF.

That argument has appeared before: in 1985, by people responding to the Minolta 7000. We see how that turned out.

MF is fine for professional productions with fixed focus points and a dedicated puller. It isn't for anyone else, particularly not someone who has other things to worry about. The way it's done with the 5D/6D/7D is to strap a third-party loupe to the LCD or use focus peaking in Magic Lantern. Both are inelegant. Neither deals well with movement.

If you MF your own videos without one of those two aids, the majority of your footage will be out of focus no matter the subject. Even with them, if your subject moves, same story. If the kid is in the crib, then sure, they're good enough. Personally, I think it'd be huge folly to choose anything over the 70D if video is a high, or even medium priority.

mlim18 wrote in post #16824403
I was in the same boat as you, sa_20v, with a kid on the way and wanting a better dslr for video whilst lacking in MF skills, I decided to upgrade from the t2i to the 70d, rather than going full frame. The auto-focus is REALLY nice. And its something that my wife can use easily so she can use the camera as well.

Also, having an stm lens is proving to be a must with the 70d AF because the noise from even my USM lens (85mm 1.8) is quite noticeable with the onboard mic. I'm looking into picking up a 40mm 2.8 for myself or the 18-55 kit lens. I wish they would come out with better options...

There aren't better options because autofocus for video is a consumer want, not a professional want in the DSLR market. So, the autofocus technology gets to go into the consumer lenses, not the professional ones. USM is still a better technology for focusing aside from noise.

Possoble options:
1: Keep you current body and lens you like. Upgrade to the 17-55mm 2.8 IS It is a geat lens
Buy a Sony camcorder and a plug in mic This This will give you the option the set the Sony on a tripod and snap shots if desired as you have two devices.

2: But the 70D Body and the 40mm lens. It is good for video and you alway have you 10-22mm if you want something wide on crop.

3: Buy a 6D Body or Kit and sell your EF-S lens. You will get most of you most back if they are well kept, you can sell them through this forum (30 days 30 posts)
I bought my 10-22mm for $480 plus shipping and sold it 10 months later for $450 shipped.
It cost my only $65 for 10 months and literally thousands of photos with it.

Whatever you choose, don't forget to just enjoy the hobby and your photos!

Thanks all - still undecided so went out today and took loads of images of aircraft with the 450d and 70-200mm outside the local airport. The ability of the 450d still surprises me although higher res images would have been nice.

I'm going to spend the weekend reading further reviews - I'll report back when I make a decision or just further complicate things for myself.

fwiw, I just stumbled upon this review of the 40mm pancake lens on fstoppers and it kinda turned me off to it because of the noise during autofocus…

http://fstoppers.com/c​anon40mmpancake