Looking to upgrade from 10D

[birish21]

So years and years ago my father gave me his Canon 10D along with a EF 75-300 1:4-6.5 IS as well as an EF 28-135 1 : 3.5-5.6 IS.  I know these are pretty nice lenses so my decision to stick with canon has already been made for me.  I really want to upgrade the body of this camera but I really do not have the budget to spend a whole lot for a new body.  What would be a decent upgrade over the 10D that wont break the bank? 

[TCampbell]

The 10D is a very old body.  At this point everything is an upgrade.

The "Rebe" bodies are the entry range, but there's a high & low end... the range starts with the T3 then T5 and at the high end it ends with the T6i and T6s.   These will be the most affordable.

The xxD bodies are the mid-range (10D was the first of these... now it's the 60D & 70D with the 70D being the newest and best.)

Above that are the full-frame, performance, and pro bodies... 7D & 7D II are action/sports bodies, 6D is entry full-frame, 5D III is the high-end full-frame, and the 1D X is the flagship body.

HOWEVER... if budget is an issue (sounds like it is), you may want to check out the offers in Canon's "Refurbished" section of their online store:  http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/cameras/refurbished-eos-digital-slr-cameras

The "refurbished" cameras come with the same warranty as a new retail camera.  They include everything that a new retail camera would have included (except the retail box -- they usually come in a plain box.)

The latest camera will probably suprise you with ISO performance and also sensor resolution -- as well as having just about everything upgraded (focus system, speed, etc.)

[birish21]

Would this be a good solution for $335

EOS Rebel T3i EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens Kit Refurbished

I was also looking at the

Canon EOS Rebel SL1 DSLR Camera Body Only for $400

[ScottyP]

Hi.

What do you photograph?

The T3i is a very good bargain in a camera body. I would say that is a good choice.

The SL1 is a small camera body. Unless you have small hands and can't easily hold average sized things, I would shy away from it. It is just small enough to make it less easy to grip and to make the controls harder to use. It is not small enough, however, to put in a pocket or anything really useful, especially with any of the lenses you mention attached to it.

Good luck.

[RobertTheFat]

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@birish21 wrote:

Would this be a good solution for $335

EOS Rebel T3i EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens Kit Refurbished

I was also looking at the

Canon EOS Rebel SL1 DSLR Camera Body Only for $400

---

Definitely the T3i. It's a very good camera that's always been highly regarded at its position in the product line. And even the kit lens fills a gap in your equipment inventory.

Maybe it's just me, but the SL1 is a camera whose purpose I've never quite been able to get my head around. At its price point, it seems as though one pays more money for a smaller, less convenient (and possibly less durable) body. I'd say spend the extra $65 on a couple of 32GB memory cards (the one's from your 10D won't fit a present-day Rebel) or a spare battery.

[birish21]

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@ScottyP wrote:
Hi.

What do you photograph?

The T3i is a very good bargain in a camera body. I would say that is a good choice.

The SL1 is a small camera body. Unless you have small hands and can't easily hold average sized things, I would shy away from it. It is just small enough to make it less easy to grip and to make the controls harder to use. It is not small enough, however, to put in a pocket or anything really useful, especially with any of the lenses you mention attached to it.

Good luck.

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So right now it's stuff like birds, flowers, and landscapes.  I don't ever really plan on doing fast action shots or sports or anything of the sort.  I like the 10D don;t get me wrong, but that thing is a beast to lug around, really heavy for a camera.  Now with the T3i I would be able to use the lenses I have now correct?

[birish21]

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@RobertTheFat wrote:

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@birish21 wrote:

Would this be a good solution for $335

EOS Rebel T3i EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens Kit Refurbished

I was also looking at the

Canon EOS Rebel SL1 DSLR Camera Body Only for $400

---

Definitely the T3i. It's a very good camera that's always been highly regarded at its position in the product line. And even the kit lens fills a gap in your equipment inventory.

Maybe it's just me, but the SL1 is a camera whose purpose I've never quite been able to get my head around. At its price point, it seems as though one pays more money for a smaller, less convenient (and possibly less durable) body. I'd say spend the extra $65 on a couple of 32GB memory cards (the one's from your 10D won't fit a present-day Rebel) or a spare battery.

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What do you mean by kit lense?  You mean the lense that comes with it?  28-135 I have should be a good all around lense correct?

[ebiggs1]

"Would this be a good solution for $335

EOS Rebel T3i EF-S 18-55mm IS II Lens Kit Refurbished

I was also looking at the

Canon EOS Rebel SL1 DSLR Camera Body Only for $400"

Plain and simple.  Straight to the point of your querry, either of these will be superior to the 10D.  Pick the one you like the best.  They are very nearly equal.  The SL1 being a much smaller body as the main difference.  If you like that go for it.  Otherwise I would get the T3i.  It is an extremely popular camera.

[RobertTheFat]

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@birish21 wrote:

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What do you mean by kit lense? You mean the lense that comes with it?

Yes, the 18-55mm IS II.

28-135 I have should be a good all around lense correct?

No. It's a very good lens, but it's primarily a telephoto on an APS-C camera. The kit lens gives you additional reach at the wide end.

[amfoto1]

You may want to look some other places, too, but a good place to start looking is the Canon Online Store. They often have refurbished cameras available at discount prices. Refurbs have the same warranty as new... might be demo units, out-of-box, overstock, returns for various reasons. They've been inspected (probably more than a brand new camera gets coming down the assembly line) and any repairs needed are made.

Here's a link to the Canon Store, refurbished cameras.

If the 10D seems "big and heavy" to you, you won't get much relief, I'm afraid.

The SL1 (body only, refurbished is $308) is the most compact, lightest weight DSLR. Of all the Canon models, it's the only one that's significantly smaller, though some of them may be abit lighter weight.  

The other Rebel series (current and recent models: T3, T5, T3i, T4i, T5i, T6i, T6s) are not substantially smaller than 10D, but are a bit lighter. They use more plastic, while the 10D has a magnesium body over an aluminum frame.

60D and 70D are the models that superseded your 10D (with 20D, 30D, 40D and 50D in between).  They are all pretty similar in size and weight to your 10D.

Your lenses are fully usable on any of these... and in fact  will give same angles of view that your accustomed to, with your 10D. If you need a wider lens (such as for landscapes), I might suggest a Canon EF-S 10-22mm or EF-S 10-18mm. Those sell new for roughly $600 and $300 respectively. EF-S lenses won't work on a 10D, but are fully compatible with all the later models mentioned above. (You also can find refurbished lenses at the Canon Online Store).

10D was a very nice camera... in 2004 when I bought mine. Any of the above will be an upgrade in many ways: faster startup, improved autofocus, faster frame rate, higher resolution and higher usable ISO, and a number of other features that have become standard in the more recent cameras.

Have fun shopping!

***********
Alan Myers

San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7D(x2), 50D(x3), some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
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