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Suggestions for a new replacement camera

UncleJoe
Contributor

 Hello and thank you in advance for your help with this matter. I've had a Canon Rebel XT for the last 12 years and I want to upgrade at this point. Over time I have accumulated some accessories for the XT that I obviously want to be able to roll over for usage with what ever I chose to replace the XT with. I am hopeful and assuming that the lens I have will be of some standard, I also have a remote for the shutter the additional battery pack that mounts to the bottom of the body a standard mount flash ect. I can provide specific model numbers if that would be more helpful. At a glance I was looking at the t7i model on the belief that being part of the rebel line it might be compatible, but I am open to any and all suggestions. I am old enough to know that one can reach a point where one is better off starting from scratch if that is the case than so be it. 

 My interest in photography is general but I have been thinking of doing some star field shots (astronomical), landscape some occasional portrait work and as a grandfather I would not mind having some basic video capabilities available. Thanks again for any assistance! 

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

TCampbell
Elite
Elite

After your camera model, Canon came out with the 7D (with the 18MP sensor) and used the same sensor in the T2i, T3i, T4i, T5i, and 60D cameras.  It wasn't until the T6i that they put a new sensor in the camera (with some gains over the performance of the long-running 18MP that they used for years).  

 

But when they released the T7i and 77D they replaced the sensor yet again and this time the camera got some VERY significant gains.  The T7i & 77D are a huge upgrade over any previous Rebel series camera (most other models were very small gains over the prievious year's model.)

 

This is why I'd agree that you should look at either the T7i or 77D.  The two camera have the same sensor but mostly different body features.

 

If you look at the "top" of each camera, the T7i has dials and controls much like your current camera (it's changed a tiny bit and there are a few extra buttons but it's mostly going to look very similar to what you have now).  But if you look at the top of the 77D... the mode dial is moved to the other side of the viewfinder and in it's place there is now an LCD display screen (not video - just simple LCD) which has all the current exposure info, etc. all displayed.  

 

Also, another significant change is on the back of the camera.  On your camera you have a simple up/down/left/right button (which also access different functions).  This is the same (or very similar) on the T7i.  But on the 77D the buttons have a knurled rotation ring (wheel) around them and you can rotate it.  If you like to shoot with manual exposure, the front wheel (next to the shutter button) changes the shutter speed and the rear-dial (which you can easily access with your thumb) changes the aperture (f-stop).  This makes it much faster to control than your current camera.

 

The extra display and dial are features of the mid-grade and pro-grade cameras.   I think the difference for the "body only" price is about $50.  The camera performance, resolution, ISO, focus system, etc. etc. are all identical (they have the same sensor.)

 

One noteable MISSING feature... Canon does not make a battery grip for either the T7i or the 77D ... nor can you use a grip from a previous model camera.

 

If you want a battery grip, you should probably look at a Canon 80D.

 

Other than that, all cameras can use the same lenses that you've been using on your Canon XT.

 

If you are using the same entry-level lenses that might have been included with your XT (such as the 18-55mm zoom) then you would want to be aware that the new versions of those lenses are significantly improved.  The new versions have at "STM" suffix on the name (e.g. Canon EOS EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6mm IS STM)  (I bolded the "STM").  This means the lens has Canon's new "stepper motor" focusing system (very quiet and smooth) but Canon also updated the optics.  The new lenses are a bit sharper.  The EF 50mm f/1.8 lens was updated with an "STM" version which also updated the number and shape of the aperture blades so now the out-of-focus blur (background blur) is much smoother & creamier than the old generation.

 

 

 

You wont be able to use the battery pack (battery grip) that mounted on the bottom of your XT (battery grips are always camera model-specific and never carry over to any new model).  

 

You should find that your remote (wired) shutter release fits and works just fine (it probably has a jack that looks like a mini headphone jack).   However all of these cameras now support WiFi and you can actually  use a smartphone (there's a free app) to remotely control the camera.

 

All the new cameras have video capability (it wouldn't matter which model you get) although of note... these new cameras now have Canon's Dual-Pixel CMOS AF (a feature previously only found on mid-grade and high-end models).  The Dual-Pixel CMOS AF allows the camera to use a phase-detect-like focus system (light passes through a beam-splitter (pism) to split it into two phases.  If the light re-converges in-phase then the camera is focused at that particular position... if not, then the lens is not focused and the direction and distance of focus can instantly be determined by comparing the two phases.  

 

Ok, so that sounds technical (and it is) but what it means to YOU is that the camera can do continuous auto-focus during live-video and it can follow your subject as they move closer or farther ... the camera tracks focus very accurately and you wont see the camera "hunt" for focus.

 

You'll get better audio quality if you attach an external microphone (specifically you should check out the Rode VideoMic Pro which is a "powered" external mic with enough gain to avoid that "hiss" sound you often hear on other mics).  It's designed to mount in the hot-shoe socket on top of the camera.  

 

The "STM" lenses (the new lenses) have focus motors which are no so quiet that it's extremely difficult to hear them when recording video (you probably wont hear anything but if you try really really hard ... you might just barely make out the sound of the focus motor.)

 

 

Tim Campbell
5D III, 5D IV, 60Da

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57 REPLIES 57


@UncleJoe wrote:
I have seen the RAW file typeIs the Photoshop program a reasonably intuitive application to work with in your opinion?

I may be in the minority in this group, but I would say no. Photoshop is a very powerful editor, but most people who use it don't actually need it. Take Waddizzle's advice and become proficient in Digital Photo Professional V4. If and when you find that you need a capability that DPP doesn't have, look into other editors like Lightroom and Photoshop to see whether one of them is what you need.

Bob
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA

UncleJoe
Contributor
Apologies I accidentally struck the post button.
I was saying that I had seen the RAW file type and had a thought as to its usage but I now understand the training for it and appreciate the education, once again!

UncleJoe
Contributor
There is no reason not to start out with Canons software and if the need arises at some point, moving into a more powerful package. That makes sense to me. Thank you Robert!

"There is no reason not to start out with Canons software..."

 

Maybe but I see it as wasted time and effort.  The best thing about DPP4 is, it is free.  If you are truly going to be involved in this 'hobby' you will end up with LR and/or PS or PSE.  If you get into astro-photography you most definitely will use other software than DPP4.

 

In my heyday I routinely developed color film.  Both negatives and chrome.  I had a color analyzer that did most of the guessing.  Burn and dodge are still words used in PS.  If you want to learn PS there is no better than the classes of Ben WIlmore (google it).  It is unreal what he can create and do in PS!

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!

Thank you! I took a Photo Shop class seven or eight years ago at the local 2 year school Cayuga Community College, I do not recall what version of the software it was, I am sure that it has changed a good deal since then. I am certain that I can climb back on that horse with out much difficulty. I have downloaded DPP4 it is pretty basic I could see where it might be lacking in some tools that might come into play especially with my desire to delve into the astrophotography.
I had forgotten that Burn and Dodge were still tools used in this software, although it is not done in the manual fashion that perhaps you and I originally learned them (the physical passing of ones fingers or hand between the light source and the photopaper) as opposed to a mouse pointer! I remeber using the color analyzer as well on Fort Hood directly across the street from the Post Command Center we had a full lab, I spent many days and nights in that facility! I am feeling very nostalgic! Thank you it has made me smile! I will look into this Mr Wilmore.

"... it is not done in the manual fashion that perhaps you and I originally learned them (the physical passing of ones fingers or hand between the light source and the photopaper)"

 

Actually it is still done the same way.  Or at least almost. Smiley Happy  In PS you have a circle on the screen that you can make any size you want.  You simply wave it over the part of the photo you want to burn or dodge.  Don't worry, 2 years and PS is still nearly the same GUI.

 

I had a full darkroom and lab in the basement for several decades.  I had one in each of the three houses we have lived in.  It has become a storage room and the formerly stop bath stained walls are now light blue.  The enlarger gave it up to PS and some large format photo printers. Its all good.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!


@ebiggs1 wrote:

"... it is not done in the manual fashion that perhaps you and I originally learned them (the physical passing of ones fingers or hand between the light source and the photopaper)"

 

Actually it is still done the same way.  Or at least almost. Smiley Happy  In PS you have a circle on the screen that you can make any size you want.  You simply wave it over the part of the photo you want to burn or dodge.  Don't worry, 2 years and PS is still nearly the same GUI.

 

I had a full darkroom and lab in the basement for several decades.  I had one in each of the three houses we have lived in.  It has become a storage room and the formerly stop bath stained walls are now light blue.  The enlarger gave it up to PS and some large format photo printers. Its all good.


You and Ansel Adams, Ernie. I'm firmly convinced that if Adams were alive today, he'd be one of the world's foremost Photoshop enthusiasts.

Bob
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA

"I will look into this Mr Wilmore."

 

You will not regret that.  He is fantastic.  Almost unbelievable what he can do with PS.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!

UncleJoe
Contributor
It is a wonderful shot and exactly my hope for my results. I knew that the nebulae were out there but had no idea that they could be photographed so nicely! And this is done with a 135mm lens, I am anxious to try it tomorrow night, the forecast where I live is for clear skies and if I order it from B&H today I will have it tomorrow. So this is an easy decision and I am anxious to start practicing as soon as I can. I am assuming that there is a good deal of work in both pre and post production on this method. Thank you lovely shot if you do not mind I will save it!

The above photo was just a test shot.  Normally there are more exposures involved.

 

You can get a lot of good tips & tutorials at either

- photographingspace.com

- dslr-astrophotography.com

 

This next part is going to sound a bit complicated but once it "clicks" it'll be obvious and easy.  Basically there are a number of common issues that astrophotographers have to deal with (noise being very high on that list) and there is automated software that will take care of most of it ... provided you shoot all the required types of frames and feed them into the software. 

 

While it's not entirely necessary to understand what the software does... I found that it's a huge mystery if you don't understand it... but if you do understand it then it all makes sense and frankly it helps you do a better job capturing the input data (since you finally understand why you are supposed to capture all those different types of input data.)

 

 

Since this is getting a bit off-topic from your original quesiton, it would probably be better to address questions in a different thread (that way anyone searching the forums would be more likely to find it.)

 

Tim Campbell
5D III, 5D IV, 60Da
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