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Advice on DSLR (5D iv) or Mirrorless (R6 or R7)

chiner
Apprentice

I used to do a lot of photography, set it aside for a while, and want to get back into it. My current gear is a 7D with a 50/1.8 and 100/2. I also have a Lumix GH5 with a Canon EF lens mount adapter that I can use for video, but I don't do much video.

What I like to shoot are portraits of my kids, documentary style of trips and adventures, maybe some landscapes here and there.

I'd like to keep the budget at around $2500 all in and have been looking at the 5D iv with a 50/1.4 and either 24/70/2.8 or 24-105/4, buying them all used from MBP. Down the road I'd like to add a 70-200/2.8.

The R6 and R7 look cool, but it puts a lot more of my budget towards a body vs glass, and I'm not sure I need the newest tech for what I do. Here's how I'm looking at it:

Video isn't an issue, but it would be nice to have when I want it without needing to use the GH5.

I've gotten by with old AF tech for a while so the 5D iv would be a step up from the 7D but from what I hear nowhere as good as the R6 or R7.

I would like full frame for portraits and pixel size / quality and would keep my 7D so I have a crop if needed. That pushes me to the R6, which is a lot more money.

I don't know much about the RF lenses and whether I should be "future proofing" myself there or whether L glass in the EF mount will be plenty for what I do.

Biggest print I would probably make is 24x36

Dynamic range is really important, low-light performance is nice but not mission critical

IBIS is awesome (have it on the GH5) but will I really miss it if I'm shooting wide/normal?

I could sell the GH5 to up my budget, not sure how much extra it gets me…

Any recommendations? I'd like to use whatever I buy for at least 3 years, preferably 5. Thanks.

12 REPLIES 12

johnrmoyer
Mentor
Mentor

I went from EOS 80D to EOS R5, so this might be less helpful than you might like and is my experience and not advice. The EOS R7 so far as I know has newer sensor technology than the EOS R5 or R6.

All of my EF and EF-S lenses work better on my EOS R5 than they did on the 80D. Because of the shorter distance between mount and sensor, I was even able to get an adapter for my 45 year old Minolta lens. I really like the electronic viewfinder and seldom open the touch screen. I like the level in the viewfinder and the ability to see settings in the viewfinder. The IBIS works with the 45 year old Minolta lens that has no electronics.

I would choose the R7 over the R6 because with more pixels one may use noise reduction and then scale smaller and then sharpen. With the smaller sensor on the R7, one is only using the center of the full frame lenses which is usually the best part of the lens.

I do not know whether this is true of the R6 or R7, but with the R5 the noise seems to go up as camera temperature goes up.

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https://www.rsok.com/~jrm/

ebiggs1
Legend
Legend

There is no good reason to stay DSLR. If you are buying new you need to buy mirrorless. Whatever model you select. DSLR is a dead end. Done!

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

Your constant bashing of DSLRs is getting old. Not everyone can afford to drop 4K on a mirrorless outfit and according to your tag line you don't own a mirrorless camera. You would be much more credible if you would offer advice on how users can best employ the equipment they have.

Waddizzle
Legend
Legend

If dynamic range is important to you, then I advise against the R7.  Go with the R6.  My one non-starter with the 5D4 is the lack of Bluetooth.  If you wish to stay with DSLRs, then a 90D or a. 6D2 would be well within your budget.  Plus, you would have enough left over to pick up a 24-105mm f/4.  However, when it comes to dynamic range the 90D and 6D2 are comparable to the R7 or R6. The 90D does not have the dynamic range of the 6D2.

Since you already own the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, then I would not bother with the 50mm f/1.4 USM.  You will be stopping it down from wide open, anyway.  It is a little soft wide open.  Besides, most users feel the f/1.8 STM has equal image quality, if not better.

--------------------------------------------------------
"The right mouse button is your friend."

Your constant bashing of DSLRs is getting old.

Perhaps you should start reading more slowly. I qualified my advice to “buying new”. What is getting old is a DSLR. BTW, I am not buying at this point but if I was it would be mirrorless.

Buying a 5D4 isn’t cheap either!

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

You have completely missed my point.

Nobody forces you to read them or to take the advice, It is worth exactly what you have paid for it.

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

The price of admission into the MILC world is indeed a high one, but I remember thinking the same thing when going from SLR to DSLR. I do own the EOS 5D mark IV and the EOS R6. I shoot different subjects than you plan to or you have in the past, and my preference is the 5D IV, however, given what you want to shoot, I would have to go with the EOS R6 mark II. I would get the basic RF to EF adapter for the lenses you already have and start saving for RF versions. It's been my experience, over the past two years, that the RF glass has the advantage. I initially used my EF lenses on my MILC's (R5 and R6) but gradually replaced the EF lenses. Yes, lots of $$ because other than one non L RF 100-400 for the R6, I have all L lenses: RF 15-35 f/2.6L, RF 50mm f/1.2L, RF 100mm f/2.8L macro, RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L, and RF 1.4X extender, plus a pile of EF glass and the basic RF to EF adapter and the Ring adapter. No, I'm not rich but was frugal before I retired and am fortunate to have a very understanding wife, but she is also a photographer so that makes it easier. It's actually her fault that I have so much nice gear, but I digress 🙂

In the end, if you go MILC, you will be future proof. Although DSLR is a dead end, it will still prove to be useful for years to come, but upgrades will not come and what you have now is what you will live with, but there may be some exceptions in the 1Dxxx models. As mentioned, I really like my 5D mark IV and 7D mark II, and all of the various Rebels we own, but they don't see much action nowadays thanks to the amazing features of our MILC's and RF glass. I do like the 5D4 for macro, particularly for focus stacking with Helicon Focus software. I don't much care for the in-camera stacking of the MILC's.

Anyway, I tend to ramble, so to summarize... For what it seems your interests are, I would suggest the EOS R6 mark II full frame as apposed to the R7 cropper if you can swing it, also buy the basic RF to EF adapter (for now) to use with your existing EF lenses. Check on the RF to EF Ring adapter to see if it may have benefits you want (I think it's $100 more). I find it useful for switching focus points/zones on the fly. Then save for the RF lenses that will fit your preferred subjects and price range. You don't have to buy "L", Canon makes some amazing low cost RF lenses!

Newton 

EOS R5, R6, R6II. RF 15-35 f/2.8L, 50mm f/1.2L, 85mm f/1.2L, 100mm f/2.8L Macro, 100-400mm, 100-500mm L, 1.4X.

jrhoffman75
Legend
Legend

What I like to shoot are portraits of my kids, documentary style of trips and adventures, maybe some landscapes here and there.”

If this is your primary use case my suggestion would be the 5D Mark IV. The mirrorless system is the way of the future and the AF systems on the mirrorless bodies is great. But those features don’t matter for the subjects you mentioned. The 5D IV as an excellent camera when it was released and it is still an excellent camera. Eye focus and 5000 AF points from an MILC body aren’t going to give you a better picture of Yellowstone Falls or El Capitan.

If you said your interest was birds in flight and high school sports my answer would be different.  

John Hoffman
Conway, NH

1D X Mark III, Many lenses, Pixma PRO-100, Pixma TR8620a, LR Classic
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