Would a newer, bigger, badder camera be beneficial?

Hi all,
There is some sarcasm here but take it with a grain of salt or 2 and have a laugh...

I thought I would give this a shot and stir the pot as some stuff is getting burn on the bottom and stale on the top if you know what I mean...
I am going to create another poll, about getting a newer, bigger, badder camera. This is kinda about the release of the 1D Mark II and general photog stuff. I can hear the gasps! No not like that... I mean this is a really thought out one not like the others IMHO and the key words MO in IMHO. So without further adu and I am not tripping on stuff some of you know what I mean, here it is...

Cheers from England,
Canuck

My answer to that would be NO. I would rather that the hardware be the bottleneck of my creativity than myself. Its a pride thing hehehehe...

The Jokester,
Ferdinand

I "had" to say yes...
And I didn't need to think too long... only because I have allready been thinking this through for a few months now.

About three months ago I started "semi-actively" searching for a used 1D to go along with (probably NOT replace) my 10D.

The reasons I was drawn to the 1D were a few,. and all of them I truly do beleive I will benifit from.

I have grown into the usefullness of fine optics slowly,. and now I think that particular bottle neck has been remeoved from my particular chosen subject matter.. the camera itself can certainly be a benifit at this point.

As someone who enjoys primarily wildlife and bird phtography, as well as indoor theatrical events.. these are the benifits I think a 1D would give me;

1. Faster AF: With my now top of the line lenses, the 500mm prime and 70-200mm IS in particular, I think I would benifit from the 1D focus speed.

2. More precise tracking of moving objects via 45 zone AF: This would be helpfull for both birds in flight and dancers on the move.

3. Faster Burst rate: Ditto all of the above.

4. Spot Meter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Really helpfull in the woods. Not so important in the theatre.

5. As an owner of an f/4.5 telephoto,. the 10D will not autofics with a 1.4X T-con on that lens relaiably (I have to use tape too ) The 1D will offer AF at f/8 which will allow the full use of the 1.4X T-con,. which gives excellent image results with the 500mm

These were the main benifits that I thought could actually help me out. There are other features I really like, including the user defined shooting set -ups etc...

Anyway,. with the MkII on the horizon I am waiting,. and hoping I can swing a MkII

I got the Drebel because I could get into a DSLR cheaply. I am happy with the image quality, but I would like some of the bells and whistles of the higher-priced cameras. My biggest wish is for a full frame sensor, not so much for the megapixels, but to get my wide angle lenses back. I would also like a bigger buffer and more FPS. In the meantime I'll use the Drebel to get what I can until the features I want become affordable, or I come into that windfall that Ilya proposed the other day.

Have Fun
Rick 8)

Yes, I'd love to add a 1D Mark II to my 10D. Just some of the features I would think would directly improve my photos - better high ISO performance, quicker autofocus, and retained auto focus using the 100-400 with 1.4 teleconverter. I'm sure there's much more, but I don't really want to know...

My 2 cents worth on this would be, what does the new camera do that my old one doesn't? How often would I find I need these new features. Is my current camera to slow on FPS or to small a burst? Would the new one help me in this capacity? Will buying this new camera allow me to sell more of my work by the upgraded features in the new camera?
The bottom line is really asking yourself if you can justify the cost for the added features that you will be getting and no one knows that but the buyer himself.

Personally I have a D60, while it would be great to have a larger burst rate and higher FPS I can't justify the cost. I still get the job done with the D60. Now if I could pay for it from company funds and show a return for that investment I would. The main reason I went digital in the first place was that AP told us 2003 would be the last year for film at the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400. If not for being forced to go digital I would still be shooting film. Come to think of it I am glad I was forced to go digital. If I would have had a D1 at Kentucky I doubt that I would have gotten any different shot than the one below.

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I voted, now seeing that this is going well which is good!

I cast a Yes vote as well. I could definittley use it for a lot of reasons. There is some of it which have been said already and confirming what I thought was lacking in the 10D. Please don't get me wrong, I love the 10D but I feel its days of usefulness are on the down side.

That said, it still makes for a really good backup and even with a 1.6x crop that still makes for some really good long distance shots. I found out 24 Oct 03 what the buffer had to offer and it let me down. I missed some prime shots and the rest is history.

I could also stand for if/when I start doing portrait/family/recent pics for family/friends that will offer me a larger pic to start so I can resize it to whatever and it gives me much more flexibility if it is ever so slightly out of focus. There is also the ability to print it getting towards billboard size too.

I would think if you do it right you could wallpaper a room or wall this way with the perfect scene. I know a lot of them that can be done over here in the UK like the Cotswolds, and other many places even in the US. For belmondo, he could do one of the mountains surrounding him with those wildly colourful sunsets you get out your way. In the Northeast there is the fall foliage and the list goes on and on.

I could definitely stand for the 45 point focus bit! I can't begin to tell you how many times I wished there was a focus point on the left or right side, top and bottom where there is one in the centre now or in that vicinity. I've been told the world over that I am nuts spending this kind of money on this camera kit. I don't get it anywher near as much as I did and the pics speak for themselves. I also qiuckly found out how little some of my family knows about photography. I sent some of the most junk pics I have ever taken to them just for the giggle factor and they said they were great. Even I call them crap and am embarrassed to say I took them with the 10D and 16-35mm F2.8L lens. Truth be told the pics were taken whilst I was in la-la land last Wed, 28th Jan.

I also feel my ability to take pics is growing with the camera I have. It was like a leap to go from 35mm to digital, then another to go to the pro glass and then another learning workflow and maybe it is time for another leap of sort? I am putting an exorbitant amount of money into a hobby I don't think I could ever hope to recoup the invetment. That is why they call it a hobby and I don't fee like being demoted to measurebator on the chart that was mentioned some time back.

Ok, time to get off the soap box and share...your turn.

Cheers from England,
Canuck

I want a newer, bigger, badder camera.

I like gadgets, and with DSLRs being gadgets I will always want the latest thing.

I voted NO because I don't really need a "newer, bigger and badder" camera. But that doesn't mean that I wouldn't go and get one if the price were right. I just love buying new toys and playing with them.

ABSOLUTELY...You can never have enough cool toys! :P Seriously...the more mp and the larger the sensor the better! You gatta love technology!

I love my 10D and find that it usually handles my requirements quite well. At this time I cannot afford to change it anyway.

If I won the Lotto on Saturday night though I would stop by my usual camera shop on Monday and ask them to put me on the waiting list for the 1D MkII. I would also get then to order in half a dozen L lenses.

Why would I want a 1D MKII?
The Weather seals would give me a camera that I could use even if it is raining, sometimes a motor race event is on and the weather is a bit off.
Frame rate and buffer capacity would also be welcome for motor racing photos.
AF at f8 would be a bonus.
Faster AF couldn't hurt.
I usually just use the centre focus point, but I'll happily try out a 45pt AF system.

It would also be a laugh to see the faces of the international photographers when I say, Oh you only have the old 1D, this Mk II is much better. It might also be funny to pretend not to know how to turn it on.

I voted NO, absolutely and positively NO. It is not to say that I do not want a new cool toy, and as long as money will allow, I will be getiing them. But I have to recognize the fact, that all my best pictures so far (at least those that I am proud of) are made by using basic features of my current camera at the moment (it's 10D now, used to be Oly E-20, before that Canon Elan IIe, before that Zenit TTL). No tilt/shift lens will make my architectural pics more attractive as much as creative choice of shooting point.
I strongly beleave and even already spilled this once or twice here, that too many of us are so charmed with options of the cameras so they (we) forgot the reasons why do we buy this camera on a fist place (shooting a perfectly sharp neighbour's fence is not one of them I want to beleave).
I do not mean to offend nobody, but think about it!

Money is like water in my hands, so naturally I voted yes. Bigger is always
better. The Digital Rebel is my first camera. I don't even even know how to use it in any other mode except auto. Yet, I've been fighting the urge
to call my camera store and ask them if they'd take my Rebel back in exchange for a D10. :P I'm an incorrigible spendthrift.

Ok... I might get flamed for this, but in my opinion, good photography comes from the artist's eye. What's in the bag is a distant second. Yes, a fast 45-point autofocus would be nice to have, but it is hardly a necessity. Depending on your subject, it can in fact be a crutch.

There are far too many photographers out there that think if only they had the fastest, newest, most feature laden gear out there, their photography would improve exponentially. It is simply not true. There is no substitute for experience, education and most importantly creative vision.

I voted unsure.

It would depend on what the camera would do more
I would love to have extra options (I love those ).
Maybe the use of f8 for focus (1.4TC) would be nice, but the tape trick also works like a charm.
Maybe better AF, but I have nothing to complain at the moment.
Maybe more MP's but I allready have prints of 50x75cm hanging and I doubt I will ever go bigger.

I would LOVE to have ISO 50 or even lower , less noise in ISO 1600, a bit more buffer etc.

But I'm allready 99% happy with the 10D, it would not be a lot more budgetwise.

Greetings,
Frank