Ready to Upgrade...T2i to what?

[NSPhoto]

Hi guys! I'm ready to go BIG and upgrade from my current and first professional camera, the rebel T2i. I'm thinking the 6D, because the 5d3 is a bit too much for me. I'm just wondering if I should consider the 7D or go with the newer 6D?

[Skirball]

What do you shoot?  Why are you upgrading?   Where is your camera lacking?

Nobody can tell you what to upgrade to, but if you give us some background we can at least form an educated guess.  I'm sure someone will be along shortly to tell you to just get the 5d3.

Short Answer: 

If noise level and high ISO ability is very important to you, and you mostly shoot still life, get the 6D.

If you shoot moving subjects, sports, usually have good lighting, and can use crop factor as an advantage...  get the 7D.

If you like to do a bit of it all, you have to chose which is more important to you: image quality (at higher ISO) or tracking moving subjects.  IMO the AF on the 6D isn't as bad as the hype on the internet, but I learned on a 400D, so I guess I don't know how good it is.

Make sure you give some thought to lenses and that cost associated with going FF.  It's not universally better, crop has its advantages too.  7D is a fantastic camera. 

[hsbn]

Save some money and get the 5DMIII.
Ok, the joke is over. Like Skirball said, if you like sport and wildlife photography, 7D is the one to get. But if you want top notch image quality for every day use 6D is a clear winner or the cheaper 5DMII is also good. I find the AF on the 6D is pretty good for me. I'm doing mostly wedding and event stuffs to fund for my travel/landscape passion and I think the 6D is pretty good for the job.

[JoeDavid]

It usually gets down to lenses as much as anything.  Do you have EF lenses that are suitable for the full-frame 6D (or 5D3) or do you own primarily EF-S lenses that are designed for the 1.6x crop sensor cameras like the T2i?  If so the 7D may be a better option for you unless you are prepared to buy some new lenses as well as the body...

[cicopo]

I agree that unless we know what lenses you have & why you think a better body might improve your photography BUT I don't agree with the idea it has to be one of the currently marketed bodies. The 5D3 is (from almost everything I've read) a GREAT camera, but so is my 1DS2, & 1D2n which are ANCIENT according to some. Unless someone GIVES me a 5D3 or 6D I'll never own one, not because they aren't great bodies but because neither will make me a better photographer. What is it you need to be better to justify buying a body with more features than buying lenses more suited to what you want to shoot.

[ebiggs1]

I agree with Mr cicopc, you don't have to buy a brand new body. The 1D Mk II and Mk III are real bargains today. Also the 5D Mk II is a great bargain.

Look at it this way, your Rebel is as much more than a point-and-shoot is. The “D” series is that much more than your Rebel and of course the 1 series is the top of the line.

A 7D, if nothing else, is a much more robust body than any Rebel is. There is nothing, really, to not like about it. The 5D Mk III is always my first choice if the money will work for you.

Personally I don't see the need for the 6D but I am sure it is a wonderful camera. And I am sure all the 6D owners love theirs.

If I found myself without a camera this morning and I intended to buy one, it would be a 5D Mk II.

This is my free advice and worth every penny.

[Skirball]

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ebiggs1 wrote:Personally I don't see the need for the 6D but I am sure it is a wonderful camera. And I am sure all the 6D owners love theirs.

If I found myself without a camera this morning and I intended to buy one, it would be a 5D Mk II.

This is my free advice and worth every penny.

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I think that comes down to how much faith people put in used and refurbished.  I’ve never been a huge fan of used electronics, but that’s me, I know many people go that route all the time and it works for them.  If you can buy used with confidence, then I agree, the 5d2 is significantly cheaper.  I would argue otherwise for Refurbished.

Those go for $1500.  For $300 more I can get a brand new camera, with warranty, some slight performance enhancements, and a WiFi that I use for my professional work.  It was a no brainer, for me.  Add in the kit package, and I can consider it a $1600 camera.  Arguably even less since I was going to purchase the lens anyway.

[hsbn]

I was thinking the same as ebiggs1 too. I was going to purchase a 5DMII, but a new 5DMII is not that much cheaper than the 6D. I don't have good experience with used camera. You may be lucky to get good one; but I have seen people abused the camera (even cosmetically looks new) and I got bad one before (it looks like brand new). So for a "big" investment (to me at least) like that I don't want to go with used one anyway. And 6D is a better camera (not much but still better). For $200 more, a brand new, factory sealed, better camera I think is a no-brainer for every one.

[ebiggs1]

You are right! One must be careful about purchasing used. The place where you get used equipment is a big factor. Just taking some Tom, **bleep** or Harry from the Inet is probably foolish. But a store like B&H, Adorama or KEH has very conservative ratings and allow a return period if not satisfied. Plus being a CPS subscriber is helpful, too.

To me the 6D is what? It isn't a 5D Mk II nor anywhere close to the 5D Mk III. Canon added wi-fi and GPS, OK. Others may think differently and probably do but it isn't for me. To each his own.

[Skirball]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

To me the 6D is what? It isn't a 5D Mk II nor anywhere close to the 5D Mk III. Canon added wi-fi and GPS, OK. Others may think differently and probably do but it isn't for me. To each his own.

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Why do you consider it not 5d2?  That's exactly the level I put it at considering IQ and AF.