Need Recommendations - Full Frame

[Chloepressman]

I'm a social media and PR manager for a restaurant group in San Francisco. I take a lot of photos of cocktails, food, and restaurant environment (low light, fast moving). I'm also looking to build up my skills so that I can turn it into a side hustle. I'll be photographing for things like websites and some smaller print items (postcard size). 

I had a Canon 60D but the shutter gave out and the general consensus was to not have it repaired and invest in something new. If I wanted to fix it, I'd have to go to an unauthorized repair place...and I think it's time for an upgrade anyway. 

I'm looking for an entry level full frame camera and a fast lens. I'm also open to buying something used from Keh photo if anyone has advice on buying used gear that would be welcome. 

Pros/Cons of buying used vs. new would be appreciated too.

[kvbarkley]

Do you have any EF lenses, or just the EF-S' that won't work on an FF camera/

[Tronhard]

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@Chloepressman wrote:

I'm a social media and PR manager for a restaurant group in San Francisco. I take a lot of photos of cocktails, food, and restaurant environment (low light, fast moving). I'm also looking to build up my skills so that I can turn it into a side hustle. I'll be photographing for things like websites and some smaller print items (postcard size). 

I had a Canon 60D but the shutter gave out and the general consensus was to not have it repaired and invest in something new. If I wanted to fix it, I'd have to go to an unauthorized repair place...and I think it's time for an upgrade anyway. 

I'm looking for an entry level full frame camera and a fast lens. I'm also open to buying something used from Keh photo if anyone has advice on buying used gear that would be welcome. 

Pros/Cons of buying used vs. new would be appreciated too.

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Hi Chloe:

It's hard to give advice not knowing a budget, even a rough one.  If you have any EF lenses it would be very helpful to know what they are.  It would be very helpfult to know what f-value you are considering.  There is a balance to be made here between low light performance and the depth of field to show all of your food and yet isolate it from the background.

Body-wise It might be worthwhile looking at Canon refurbished units.  The entry-level FF units are the Canon DSLRs are  EOS 6D and 6DII.  You might pick up a used 5DIII and that is an excellent camera.

For your photography something along the lines of a 35mm or 'nifty-fifty' unit may be a good consideration.  Then again if you use a tripod and/or flash then a fast lens is less of an issue than controlling depth of field and that can be done with your focal length and distance from the subject (as I am sure you are aware) - in which case a fast zoom like the 17-40 f4 L might work.  They are good lenses but not expensive and you can get them on the used market.  Yep, you will get advice that there are better (but much more expensive) lenses out there, but if you are on a budget it's a great unit.

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

I believe the concensus was a 6D2.

https://community.usa.canon.com/t5/EOS/Canon-Won-t-Repair/m-p/295032#M42580

Unless the OP plans to go mirrorless in which case the R or RP fits the bill.     

[RobertTheFat]

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@Chloepressman wrote:

I'm a social media and PR manager for a restaurant group in San Francisco. I take a lot of photos of cocktails, food, and restaurant environment (low light, fast moving). I'm also looking to build up my skills so that I can turn it into a side hustle. I'll be photographing for things like websites and some smaller print items (postcard size). 

I had a Canon 60D but the shutter gave out and the general consensus was to not have it repaired and invest in something new. If I wanted to fix it, I'd have to go to an unauthorized repair place...and I think it's time for an upgrade anyway. 

I'm looking for an entry level full frame camera and a fast lens. I'm also open to buying something used from Keh photo if anyone has advice on buying used gear that would be welcome. 

Pros/Cons of buying used vs. new would be appreciated too.

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For the type of work you do (which doesn't appear to include large-scale prints), I'm a bit hard-pressed to understand why you need a full-frame camera. As a former 60D user, you almost certainly have some lenses that are incompatible with FF.

One thing a FF camera usually does provide is good low-light capability. But if you're able to use bounce flash or a lightbox, that may not be a major consideration.

Don't get me wrong: I'm a FF user myself (5D III and IV). And if you were to buy one of those models, I'm sure you'd love it. But I'm reluctant to recommend an "entry level" FF (e.g., 6D or 6D2) to a professional or semi-professional photographer. You might outgrow it before you wear it out.

[ebiggs1]

From the above post I am going to highlight the important parts.

"For the type of work you do (which doesn't appear to include large-scale prints), I'm a bit hard-pressed to understand why you need a full-frame camera. As a former 60D user, you almost certainly have some lenses that are incompatible with FF.

...

 I'm reluctant to recommend an "entry level" FF (e.g., 6D or 6D2) to a professional or semi-professional photographer. ..."

I suggest you check out the EOS 90D and perhaps the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens for Canon EF.  Low light should not be a problem with that combo, at least, any more or less than a more expensive FF. Plus like stated the 90D will use any and all lenses you may already have.