topic Re: Upgrade in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Upgrade

jmr6 — Sat, 14 Nov 2015 18:35:27 GMT

Considering an upgrade from a 10mp Digital Rebel XT. Primarily shoot landscapes, architecture. Would like to shoot ore low light and to print up to 18x24. What would be the best cameras to consider?

Re: Upgrade

trulandphoto — Sat, 14 Nov 2015 20:38:03 GMT

For the type of shooting you mention I'd go with a 6D for starters.

Re: Upgrade

cicopo — Sat, 14 Nov 2015 21:27:24 GMT

The 6D is a good option IF you have EF lenses, but not so much if you only have EF-S lenses. What lenses do you have that work well at your chosen interests.

Re: Upgrade

TCampbell — Sun, 15 Nov 2015 03:35:29 GMT

The 6D and 5D III are goin to perform extremely well in low light. If you're on a tripod, any camera will perform well in low-light (which opens up the options).

The 6D wlll be more budget friendly -- it's the "entry" level full-frame body. The 5D III is a more advanced/technical camera. There's also the 5Ds and 5Dsr... the 5Dsr will be better for "landscapes" and the 5Ds will be better for "architecture". But the 5Ds and 5Dsr are 50 megapixel cameras and don't have the low-light performance of the 5D III or 6D. But due to the very high resolution sensor, producing images suitable for very large prints is absolutely not a problem.

A 6D has a 20 megapixel sensor with 5472 x 3648. If you were printing a 16x24 that would be 228 dpi print resolution (300 dpi is somewhat ideal and anything less than 100 dpi is probably unacceptably low unless it's being viewed from a distance.)

A 5D III has a 22.3 megapixel sensor with 5760 x 3840. At 16 x 24 that would be 240 dpi.

But a 5Ds is a 50.6 megapixel sensor with 8688 x 5792. At 16 x 24 that would be 362 dpi. Even a 20 x 30 would be 289 dpi. a 24 x 36" print would be 241 dpi!

The difference between the 5Ds and 5Dsr is the presence of the low-pass filter. When you take images that have patterns of lines and record it on a sensor which has pixels in neat rows and columns, the result would normally create a moiré pattern -- which would probably ruin your image. So most cameras have a "low pass" pass filter in front of the sensor which provides some anti-aliasing (softening) that eliminates (or at least substantially reduces) the moiré. But the trade-off to the low-pass filter is that slight "softening" effect. Without the low-pass filter, images would technically be just a tiny bit sharper.

When you shoot natural subjects such as landscapes, there's not much that could create a moiré pattern. So in those situations you could actually get a sharper image by using a camera that doesn't have that filter (that's the 5Dsr).

But when you shoot "architecture", buildings have straight lines, bricks have patterns, etc. and it's a high probability that you'll end up with that undesirable moiré -- hence the 5Ds (which does include the low-pass filter) is the better choice.

Your Rebel XT is an 8 megapixel camera. On a 16 x 24 it would only have 144 dpi. That's usable as long as you don't look at the images too closely.

Re: Upgrade

ebiggs1 — Sun, 15 Nov 2015 13:16:23 GMT

"But the trade-off to the low-pass filter is that slight "softening" effect. Without the low-pass filter, images would technically be just a tiny bit sharper."

This ""softening" effect"" is generally, nearly, eliminated in post. The extra sharpness is going to come from more of a 50mp vs a 20+mp camera. Not to mention the fact you will need the best of the best EF L lenses to get it.

Re: Upgrade

jmr6 — Sun, 22 Nov 2015 16:34:13 GMT

All I have are EFS lenses. That knocks me out of a full frame correct?

Re: Upgrade

cicopo — Sun, 22 Nov 2015 16:58:17 GMT

You are correct. EF-S only work "properly" on crop bodies. Unless you want to be buying both a new body & a new lens you need to research what best fits your needs in1.6 factor crop bodies.

Re: Upgrade

ebiggs1 — Sun, 22 Nov 2015 17:46:37 GMT

"Would like to shoot ore low light and to print up to 18x24. What would be the best cameras to consider?"

You need a Rebel T6i. Get it with the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens. It will do all you want and more.

It is nonsense to think a cropper can't shoot landscapes or low light. Don't pay any attention to the people that say they can't. It will do both just fine and make decent prints up to and including 18x24.

You can add the EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens for even better landscapes. It's a great lens.