Advice on Upgrade

[mstu33]

Hello, I am looking for some professional advice on upgrading my camera. I am currently shooting on a t3i I purchased in 2013. I have a 18-55mm kit lens, 50mm 1.8, 70-300mm Sigma zoom, and a 24-80mm older Canon lens I found at work.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I spent 3 years as a reporter for a community newspaper shooting sports, events, etc with my t3i. Now I work in a marketing and communications position for an international school, and part of my job is taking photos on campus for the web and marketing materials. I am also going to Hawaii in August and would like to take my camera.

I have been looking at the 80D as an upgrade option, but I am also considering the 5D Mark iii or iv, though they are pricey. What are the benefits of the full-frame camera? What would you recommend for my work?

Also, are there any lenses I should invest in for general school photography?

Thanks!!

[diverhank]

Advice on upgrade is always really tough...Here are my 2 cents, for what it's worth...

The jump from t3i to 80D is quite a leap technologically and I think you will be pleased...even though, to many, you are better off upgrading your lenses, instead.  But that is not what you're asking...so...

If you have been happy with the cropped sensor format - then you're not really missing much.  A full frame camera has a larger sensor so the immediate effect is that, for the same lens focal length, the view/picture is 1.6 times wider.  With the sensor being larger, generally the full frame picture quality tends to be better than a cropped sensor camera.

I have a 7D Mark II (cropped sensor) and a 5D Mark III (full frame) and I prefer using the 5D Mark III for everything except for taking pictures of wild life where the 7D Mark II enjoys a 1.6x magnification.

[RobertTheFat]

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@mstu33 wrote:
Hello, I am looking for some professional advice on upgrading my camera. I am currently shooting on a t3i I purchased in 2013. I have a 18-55mm kit lens, 50mm 1.8, 70-300mm Sigma zoom, and a 24-80mm older Canon lens I found at work.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I spent 3 years as a reporter for a community newspaper shooting sports, events, etc with my t3i. Now I work in a marketing and communications position for an international school, and part of my job is taking photos on campus for the web and marketing materials. I am also going to Hawaii in August and would like to take my camera.

I have been looking at the 80D as an upgrade option, but I am also considering the 5D Mark iii or iv, though they are pricey. What are the benefits of the full-frame camera? What would you recommend for my work?

Also, are there any lenses I should invest in for general school photography?

Thanks!!

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It might help if we had a look at your Web site, assuming it's already up and running. Seeing what kind of photography you're doing might give us some hints as to how to advise you.

[mstu33]

Sure! Probably the best way to see my current photos is on Facebook. Search Rabun Gap-Nacoochee School.

[ScottyP]

If you go full frame your 18-55 general purpose lens cannot be used. I think your other lenses are compatible, though I am not sure about the 70-300 Sigma. In any event with a 5d3, your existing lenses would not be as good as your camera. 

If you go full frame will you also also have the budget for some lens upgrades?

looking at your photos on the school's FB page I see a lot of shots taken in dim light. Theaters, plays, speeches, indoor sports. That is a challenge for inexpensive lenses that don't open up to large apertures.  I think you need better lenses either way you go with the camera choice. The full frame will give you better image quality than a crop camera in dim light, but you must have some moneyleft in your budget after buying whichever camera you choose to also buy a good lens or two.  

[mstu33]

Thanks for your input! I haven't set a budget yet, but looking at lens prices, I probably won't be able to purchase a full frame and high quality lens together.

If I do decide on getting a lens, which would you suggest? I have looked at the 70-200 mm 2.8.

[ScottyP]

The 70-200 f/2.8 L IS 2 is a lovely lens. A crop camera gives it a narrower field of view, giving the appearance of being 1.6x "more telephoto" than what you see on full frame, but you are already used to that from your T3i. It will be good for sports and portraits when you have some room to step back.  

[RobertTheFat]

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@mstu33 wrote:
Thanks for your input! I haven't set a budget yet, but looking at lens prices, I probably won't be able to purchase a full frame and high quality lens together.

If I do decide on getting a lens, which would you suggest? I have looked at the 70-200 mm 2.8.

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I think you're going to conclude at some point that you need a 5D (Mark III or Mark IV) for its low-light capability if for no other reason. So I guess I'd recommend that you buy only lenses that are full-frame compatible (i.e., EF rather than EF-S if you're buying Canon). The 70-200 f/2.8 is a fine lens that many of us in this forum have; be sure to get the IS II version.

Since you're buying equipment for a school, try to take advantage of educational discounts. Those are often available, but rarely well advertised. It never hurts to ask; and because some of the biggest and best stores sell on-line, it's not much of a pain to shop around. And at a private prep school, alumni can be a resource. If you have any who are professional photographers, maybe they can advise you or even throw some used equipment your way.

And look at your students as potential assistants at events, etc, if you're not already doing so. Prep school students are typically smart and highly motivated, and some of them are certain to be interested in photography. I have some knowledge of the subject: my daughter and her husband met as students at a private prep school.

[Waddizzle]

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@mstu33 wrote:
Thanks for your input! I haven't set a budget yet, but looking at lens prices, I probably won't be able to purchase a full frame and high quality lens together.

If I do decide on getting a lens, which would you suggest? I have looked at the 70-200 mm 2.8.

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You might swing if you purchased a 6D full frame camera body, instead of a 5D Series camera body.  For the type of photography that you're doing, the 6D can probably do everything that you need just as well as a 5D Series camera.

If you go for a full frame body, then I recommend that you look to purcahse a lens to replace your EF-S 18-55mm wide angle lens, which would not mount properly on a full frame body.  I would recommend the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, but if you're limited to just one high quality lens, then I would recommend a faster lens, or perhaps even a fast wide angle prime [24mm or 35mm] to stay within your budget.

[ebiggs1]

"What are the benefits of the full-frame camera?"

For your situation....none.  Full frame is just a word.  Crop sensor is also just a term that was made up to identify something. That's all.  All cameras, any camera should be judged on its entire spec package.

An 80D would work well for you just as a 6D or a 5D Mk IV will.  You are really let down by your lens package.  Purchasing any of these wonderful new cameras should include an upgrade in lenses.  The lens makes the photo, not the camera. 

I am not familiar with a Canon 24-80mm?  There was a ef 24-85mm but it is obsolete now.  The only lens you have that I would take along with a new camera is the 50mil and I wouldn't like doing that!  A top of the line lens will breath new life in that T3i, too, consider that.  Perhaps a new lens should be your first upgrade?