My last camera was a 40D...

I've been out of the game since my father died 10 years ago. It was an event that took all my passion for life and creative work out of me.

Recently I have been feeling that old itch, and I have started looking at new cameras. Needless to say, the world has moved on without me, and now I find myself a bit overwhelmed.

My last camera was an EOS 40D. Now I'm looking at several options, the RP being high on the list. So my question is, coming from a 40D with a few L zooms, after 10 years, do you guys think I would be happy with the RP, or am I hunting in the wrong class?

Once again, 'it depends'.

1. An RP has a lot of capabilities not found in any dSLR.
   
2. But OTOH, the RP is absolutely a 'Rebel class' (for snapshooters/novices) mirrorless offering, and a 1st generation Canon mirrorless offering, at that!
   IOW even the R6 (2nd generation Canon) is much more advanced than the RP in its features.
   
3. Your 40D was once classified by Canon as 'prosumer' class body, more similar to higher end than entry level body.
   

What kind of photography are you interested in pursuing?
Do you have any interest in pursuing video AND stills; or just stills?
Are there any budget considerations to think about in recommendations?

If you are considering the RP, I would suggest spending just a bit more and get the R. It will beat out the 40D in all regards, even if you crop out a 1.6 view from the R frame. It is a more capable camera than the RP also in all regards.

If you have a bunch of old EF zooms that you want to keep, why not get a 6D2. It will work directly with those lenses, and you will be good to go.

On the other hand, you might want to consider replacing the old lenses too. Most have been improved a lot as sensor resolution has increased. A mirrorless body with RF lenses would be a good solution. You would need to decide APS-C or FF.

Putting old EF lenses on a new mirrorless body doesn't make much sense to me.

^^^^But, it does make a lot of sense to a lot of us. With the adapter an EF lens does very well on an R mount. Most say an EF lens performs better on a "R" than it did on a DSLR.

Lou

lowrider wrote in post #19409958
^^^^But, it does make a lot of sense to a lot of us. With the adapter an EF lens does very well on an R mount. Most say an EF lens performs better on a "R" than it did on a DSLR.

Lou

Yes, the old lenses will perform very well on a modern body, but they won't be anywhere as good as modern lenses, and will waste the resolution of the new sensors.

Really depends on what you are wanting to shoot ? But Everything has passed you by for the better. I would probably start with Canons R6, get an adapter for your lens that will still work and then by R glass as you see fit. Get prepared to be blown away with the new technology. 1600 ISO an that 40D looks like 25000 ISO on an R6. You are really in night and day territory

Archibald wrote in post #19409964
Yes, the old lenses will perform very well on a modern body, but they won't be anywhere as good as modern lenses, and will waste the resolution of the new sensors.

If EF lenses were good for the 5d4 and 5DS series, they are just as good on the eos R (5d4 resolution), R6, RP, R3, and even the R5. All I use are EF lenses.

I should mention that I would be starting off from nothing. I sold everything off years ago. I have no old glass laying around. No old cameras.

My subjects tended to be close up nature, still life, landscape, and some light action, mainly birds/insects in flight. I would like to have 4k video capability to cut in clips with my drone footage as well.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #19409982
If EF lenses were good for the 5d4 and 5DS series, they are just as good on the eos R (5d4 resolution), R6, RP, R3, and even the R5. All I use are EF lenses.

Moot point now, but how did we get on the topic of lenses for the 5D4 and 5Ds?

Archibald wrote in post #19409993
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Moot point now, but how did we get on the topic of lenses for the 5D4 and 5Ds?
.

.
You're the one who opened the door for that discussion with what you said in post #7.

And by the way, the 5D4 and the 5Ds would actually be viable options for the OP to consider as he gets back into photography. . If the OP needs both a camera body and lenses to go with it, why wouldn't lenses for the 5D4 and the 5Ds be pertinent to this thread?


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almo wrote in post #19409991
I should mention that I would be starting off from nothing. I sold everything off years ago. I have no old glass laying around. No old cameras.

My subjects tended to be close up nature, still life, landscape, and some light action, mainly birds/insects in flight. I would like to have 4k video capability to cut in clips with my drone footage as well.

Take a look into modern mirrorless options from Canon, Nikon, Sony or Fuji. I can't speak to the non-Canon options, but if you're looking there I'd suggest waiting for an R7 to hit the shelves at your preferred retailer for a straight back to APS-C journey or grab an R6/5. The R7 will be a little more budget friendly, the R6 will be a nice middle ground, full frame sensor and the R5 will be the priciest of the options but give you the highest resolution sensor. All of these will have newer, faster AF systems and some other upgrades that the R didn't have. Any of the options you have to look at are going blow the 40D out of the solar system...you've missed a ton of upgrades, innovations and a few 'retro' updates. You could theoretically check out the R3, as well, but that's pretty much going to be extreme overkill unless you're shooting pro sports or other high demand areas and environments, with commensurate cost.

Mirrorless from Canon is seen by many as 'the future' of cameras. However, the 1st generation mirrorless from Canon (Canon R and RP) are really Canon getting a position in mirrorless, but these offerings are considerably less robust mirrorless than the R6 and R5 and R3 (or the R7 APS-C size sensor mirrorless body).
As someone getting feet again wet in photography, you have the opportunity to jump in, or go with dSLR.
The advantages of mirrorless

• new AF that focuses on human/animal eyes
  
• no need for adjusting AF for accuracy
  
• added flexibility of on-lens control of another user-chosen adjustment parameter
  
• new RF mount lenses, able to mount EF lenses (with mount adapter)
  

• higher battery consumption rate due to EVF
  
• new RF lenses more pricey MSRP than comparable new EF lens
  
• smaller used RF lens inventory on the market, forcing purchase of new RF lenses
  

If you want to start again with mirrorless, I'd look at the R, R7, or as mentioned, R6

Bang for buck R7 is pretty amazing.
R6 will lose resolution, but offer full frame angle of view.

If you are considering something more familiar, the 5D3, or 6D2 might be worth considering. If you can swing it, the 5D4 might just be the best all around DSLR ever made.