I'm looking to upgrade my gear from the Canon T5 Rebel

[ASolo]

Hi there everyone, 

I'm a photography major at college looking to upgrade my Canon T5 Rebel to something more professional but budget friendly (personal budget $800). I've had my current gear since 2015 and I believe it is time for a step up, not just the body but a lens as well (doesn't need to be the latest model). 

Some specifications I'm looking for is that it can be connected through wifi, is good for videos (since I'll be taking a video journalism class), has a movable LCD screen (doesn't need to be touch) and works well in low light. As for the lens something that's versatile and can be used for various things like car and portrait photography. 

The current lenses I own are the kit lenses, 18-55mm and the 75-300mm.

I'd be more than glad to hear y'alls recommendations since I've been looking around by myself but it is just all a little bit to overwhelming.  

[rs-eos]

Your statements all sound quite fishy.  Why do you say that an M-series camera with EF lenses would be better than an R-series camera with RF lenses?   The R50 and now R100 are extremely compact cameras.  The R50 is virtually the same weight and volume as the M50 Mark II and the R100 is a bit smaller.

Again, strongly recommend to the OP to not pursue M-series equipment at all.  It's a dead end and won't be a good investment at all at this point in time.

[krahe]

I recently read a review of the R50, and one of the biggest complaints the reviewer had was with the ergonomics when using an RF lens. ("I wear size-medium gloves and simply couldn't find a way to comfortably grip the R50... The undersized handgrip also makes it difficult to firmly hold the camera without your fingers bumping into the lens or strap. Therefore, it's a poor match for bigger lenses.")

I've heard people with large hands complain about finding the M50 difficult to grip, but I've never had much of an issue myself, even though my hands are at least average in size and probably a bit larger (I'm 6' 1" tall). However, the key difference is that the native mount is significantly smaller than the native mount on an R50/R100. So an EF->EF-M adapter is as narrow at the body as an EF-M lens, then flares out as it gets further from the body. This gives my fingers almost as much room when I'm shooting with an EF or EF-S lens as they have when using an EF-M lens. An EF->RF adapter - or an RF (as opposed to RF-S) lens - though, starts out and stays large. Since the R50 and R100 are similar in size to an M50, this means that with such an adapter or lens, there is going to be significantly less room on the front of the body for one's fingers compared to what you would have on an M50. With an RF-S lens an R50/R100 can probably approach the ergonomics of an M50, because those lenses narrow up a fair amount just past the mount point. But there are precious few of those, and as yet no primes.

I'm not necessarily recommending that the OP get an M50. I'm just trying to make sure they understand all the relevant facts. Like others I would probably encourage them to consider an R10 if they can afford it, because it's the cheapest body that I think is going to be viable with the lenses we know will be available from Canon in the future. But on the other hand it's hard to recommend a body that for most people isn't going to produce results better than a body that costs at least a couple hundred dollars less, just because of physical reasons. Putting a large mount on a compact body involves some major compromises. In fact, if Canon doesn't release a more complete lineup of RF-S lenses, the R50/R100 may well end up being a bridge too far.

[Tronhard]

I think you are drawing a long bow with regards ergonomics and underplaying the significant benefits of going to the M MILC platform.  I have used several M5 bodies with a variety of lenses and see no significant difference between it and the R10. Given the person you refer to had difficulties while wearing gloves, one needs to ask how thickthey were and if the OP is likely to need them. Even with my full frame DSLRs and MILCs I use fingerless gloves to manipulate the controls because of the tactile benefits.

As I always recommend a prospective purchaser should physically try a camera body and look at the controls and menus before buying. I strongly recommend going to a camera store and handling any camera you are considering.

The M50 is living on borrowed time. The new R100 is essentially an M50 in an R body but with enhancents in focus, tracking and video. If the OP wants to continue with photography then they need to consider the system and not just a body. The R series is expanding : both in terms of bodies and lenses.. As I wrote earlier, there are 32 new lenses projected for the next four years. In the meantime, the OP is not going to be power shopping for lots of glass. Their budget is limited and for that reason alone there is no point buying into a dead platform.

[krahe]

I think the point of the reviewer in identifying the size of gloves he wears was not to indicate the conditions in which he was handling the R50, but rather merely communicating the size of his hands.

I do agree that one should try to physically handle any camera they plan to buy. In that sense, I got lucky with the M50, which I bought a little over a year ago online on the basis of nothing but economics, features, brand familiarity and reviews, though better mail order retailers are pretty generous about letting you return a product that doesn't suit you once you get your hands on it.

[Tronhard]

In NZ, where I live, you buy it, you own it. You can't say I  don't like it. On the other hand all Canon gear come with a 5 year warranty.

[shadowsports]

I concur.  @Asolo, If you buy a DSLR you are going to buy twice, instead of once.   Regardless of your age.  A mirrorless body for all the reasons I mentioned. 

**Do not buy an M series body <<<<

[Waddizzle]

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@shadowsports wrote:

I concur.  @Asolo, If you buy a DSLR you are going to buy twice, instead of once.   Regardless of your age.  A mirrorless body for all the reasons I mentioned. 

**Do not buy an M series body <<<<

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Ii concur, too.  Except he cannot really afford the R1- package.  He would need to pay for shipping.  He might need memory cards.  His budge is more along the lines of the R100.  

Perhaps the better course of action is buy a faster lens(es) for better low light performance, which seems to be the primary driving factor behind a camera upgrade..

[Tronhard]

To answer your question: "which would be the best out of them all?"
I would go for the R10 deal. For the following reasons:

1. You buy into a MILC platform that has a developmental future and an expanding platform of lenses and bodies for the future.  DSLRs and lenses are no longer being developed and models are being withdrawn from the market.  M-series cameras are an even more dead-end purchase.  They were fine in their day, for specific purposes, but they have not had new models for years now.  They are now pretty obsolescent.

2. You indicated that you will be doing more video this year.  The features of the R10 offer better video mode options for that, along with a fully-articulated screen.  

3. If you make a decision to purchase that offer, you get the R10 body and lens that will work for video and they are designed to work with each other, so no adapters required.  If you are low on funds, you can use an adapter with the lenses you have as a stopgap until you can afford native RF or RF-S glass.

When you alluded to getting something 'more professional', did you mean something that could take knocks?  In that context professional gear will cost you quite a bit more, and that is not necessary if you take good care of you gear in the field.   I shot professionally, but I took great care of my gear and when I sold it, it was still immaculate, yet I used it for years.

BTW, when you do buy something, I strongly suggest keeping the boxes, packing and documentation along with the receipt.  When you eventually sell your camera gear, you will find you get more money for it and it may be easier to sell, as that says something about you as an owner.

[ASolo]

Not necessarily take knocks, just more advanced than the T5 Rebel itself. Additionally, the camera is still in good condition, just looks worn out.

[ASolo]

For example the lens rubber has turned a bit grey, its terminal cover cracked and eventually broke, its little stuff like this. Not like the camera looks like it would belong in a junkyard.