Looking to upgrade...

[MiNdErAsR]

My camera body, which is a Canon Rebel XTi. I was looking at the Canon 60D but it's discontinued. Also looking at the Canon T5i but after reading some reviews, I'm a little concerned about quality.

The camera's primary use will be for birding (stills). I'm running Canon glass (EF 100-400mm f-4.5-5.6L IS USM, and EF-S 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS USM) so recommendations need to be compatible. Hoping to stay in the $500-600 range.

Suggestions?

TIA

 

[toothybugs]

I have a T5i and have few complaints about it. Easy to use and it does almost everything I want it to - the only limitations I've run across are noise handling and ISO settings for shooting the stars.

 

[Misled]

:wave: Jim. I got nuttin, unless you wish to come over to the dark side.

 

[MiNdErAsR]

Jesse I'm open to all suggestions.

 

[Misled]

I shoot Nikon. Your lenses wouldn't work. You should stop by more often though. I really didn't know you were into birding. Check out Jordan's threads here.

 

[MiNdErAsR]

I did some poking around and saw some of Jordan's photos. Awesome stuff!

 

[IPT]

the 70D is supposed to be a very capable camera. Sort of a 7D without all the bells and whistles (or expense). You might want to take a look. If you're birding you'll probably want to stay with a crop factor body. That way you'll get more reach from your lenses.

 

[IslandCrow]

Now that the 60D's been discontinued, it would be a great time to pick one up. . .used. I got a good price on my used 40D when the 50D came out. I'd also look at a used 7D. The 7D MkII just came out and there are probably a lot of previous 7D owners looking to upgrade. On that subject, I just picked up the 7D MKII, and it would make a spectacular birding camera. . .soft shutter, amazing autofocus system and 10 fps. A bit on the expensive side, of course, but really a bargain if you can justify spending that much money.

Anyway, although the Rebel line are great cameras, I'd highly suggest the larger body cameras for anyone even a little bit serious in the hobby. The extra functionality you get at your fingertips (i.e. not having to go into the camera's menu) is worth its weight in gold. It's even more critical when you're shooting wildlife. Things change in a split second, and the more time you spend fiddling with the camera to change a setting, the more chance you're going to miss the shot.

 

[IPT]

I'd also look at a used 7D. The 7D MkII just came out and there are probably a lot of previous 7D owners looking to upgrade. On that subject, I just picked up the 7D MKII, and it would make a spectacular birding camera. . .soft shutter, amazing autofocus system and 10 fps. A bit on the expensive side, of course, but really a bargain if you can justify spending that much money.

An excellent suggestion. I just upgraded myself and won't be selling the original 7D simply because I can't get squat for it. Well, in actuality my wife is going to use it but Islandcrow is right you can probably pick one up for a really reasonable price. The 7D is a killer camera too.

 

[MiNdErAsR]

Honestly I'm a little leery of spending this kind of money on a used piece of equipment. I'm leaning towards the 60D at the moment. Looks like I'll need to save a little more.

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. Much appreciated.

 

[Misled]

Jim, look at B&H dot com. They will accept returns on used equipment if you're not satisfied.

 

[IPT]

Honestly I'm a little leery of spending this kind of money on a used piece of equipment. I'm leaning towards the 60D at the moment. Looks like I'll need to save a little more.

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. Much appreciated.

You might also go to the Canon site as they often have refurbished stuff at a good price.

 

[IslandCrow]

Jim, look at B&H dot com. They will accept returns on used equipment if you're not satisfied.

Yeah, there and Adorama are where I buy pretty much all of my used equipment (definitely the expensive stuff). It's more expensive than buying off some random dude on Ebay, but they check the camera (or whatever they're selling) out before listing it and have a really good rating system to let you know what kind of shape the equipment is in. If that's not enough, I've actually called B&H's used department and they were able to actually give me a detailed rundown on every nick and scratch on the specific used lens I was looking to buy. I can definitely understand being leery buying used equipment, but I've had zero issues with the half dozen or so used items (mostly lenses, but one camera) I've bought from B&H and Adorama.

 

[MiNdErAsR]

About all of my equipment came from B&H. But I have made some purchases at Adorama as well. I searched those two sites and the Canon site. Nothing jumped out at me, so I think I'm going to stick with new. I received a couple of Amazon gift cards, so I'll more than likely make the purchase there once I have the cash in place.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[jroovers]

I agree with Islandcrow and IPT, used 7D is your best bet. I wouldn't be too worried about buying used, most people with cameras as nice as 7Ds are pretty careful, I purchased mine used and it hasn't failed me. In fact, the only thing I've bought new really is my 6D, and guess what? The sensor turned out to be defective (there was a vertical line across it) and it had to be shipped back to Canon for repairs. It was very faint at first and I caught it at the 6-month mark, but after another 6 months I may have been pooched on warranty. So you are taking a risk either way. If you buy used, insist on using the camera a bit while you are meeting someone. Also, if you can buy from a forum (e.g. photo on the net), most people have buyer/seller feedback ratings, which adds a bit of security. Buying from a retailer used does give you a bit more peace of mind and possibly warranty as Jesse noted and is not a bad way to go too, but you'll pay a bit more than the open market.

An excellent suggestion. I just upgraded myself and won't be selling the original 7D simply because I can't get squat for it.

That is exactly what I though, pointless to sell. I like your style :thumbsup: