Recommendations for a new step up camera.

[Plassor]

Hello everyone, I am currently running a rebel t5i that I purchased back in 2015. It has served me well with nearly a quarter million shutter fires and many memories without a single hiccup. 

The time is coming to upgrade and I want to go way up the chain from where I am currently. For the moment I do hobby photography, nature, landscapes, portraits, family photos, and the kids sporting events but I want to start with some freelance. I’d like to do photo shoots for graduations, announcements, etc but I would like to retain the ability to shoot sports for my kids (daughter is a cheerleader) and I’d like to possibly move into weddings and things like that one day. 90% of what I’m planning to shoot would be outdoors with good light, but there may be some overcast situations and when/if I do weddings there would certainly be some indoor stuff. Video is not important to me at all. 

I was fairly set on the r6mkii but I’ve been browsing more and am highly tempted by a used r5mki or a used 1d mkii. I have 3 EF mount lenses currently but they are the cheaper ones so when I start to charge for my services I plan to upgrade them whether I’m staying with EF or going RF. I plan to add “L” class lenses in zoom and prime as I go but would start with the 24-105mm f/4 “L” lens regardless of what body I choose. 

I'm hoping to get some advice as to which camera may work best for me. I understand that the mirror less is the wave of the future but the 1d was/is such an amazing camera I can’t bring myself to write it off. On the mirrorless side I think the r6 would serve me well but a uses r5 for the same price sounds extremely tempting as I believe that the r5 should trump the r6ii in most cases, especially the action shots I plan to do. 

thanks for any advice. 

[Tronhard]

Hi and welcome!

For a start, I would definitely stick to the R-series FF MILCs and not get involved with the APS-C units for the kinds of photography you mention, especially if you want to sell images: so either the R5, or the R6Ii. Both offer dual card slots, so you have the ability to have redundancy in shooting, which is important in professional photography - you can't afford to lose a client's images because of a card malfunction.  They are solidly built with weather sealing,  have IBIS, and take the same batteries: variants of the LP-E6N series.  They are also able to take battery grips: either the BG-R10 or BG-R20.  There are pros and cons between the two.

R5 has the greater MP capacity at 45MP, and has the same focusing system as the original R6 - which is excellent.  It has one CF Express card and another SD. 

R6II has a newer and enhanced focus and tracking system, and because of its lower pixel count has a better dynamic range and ISO performance (about 1.5 stops) over the R5.  It too is solidly built.  Its 24MP files will save faster (being smaller) and will require less resourcing for card storage, hard drive capacity and PC RAM.

So, another way to put it is that you can crop more with the R5, but you can shoot in slightly less bright conditions with the R6.  Much depends on what you are going to produce.  For social media, digital display or books and magazine-size publications, the R6II would be absolutely do fine.  Even for top-end prints up to about 11"x 17" it would be far more than adequate.

As a professional, you will eventually want dual bodies.  One line of logic would be to get an R6II as your initial camera while you are getting used to the platform, and working on your professional stuff startup.  Then, later on, get either an R5 or R5II, which will come down in price and the R5II will work out the bugs that are inevitable with a new release.

As far a lenses go, a lot of people go for a set of RF L-series lenses: either f/2.8 or f/4.  These could be 24-70L, 24-105L and a 70-200L.  These would be great for events and portrait.  You will pay a lot more for the f/2.8 units and they are much bigger and heavier.  I personally am more than happy with f/4.
For sports and wildlife either the RF100-500L or the excellent RF200-800 (not an L, but with some weather sealing and great optics) - if you can get one.

At this point really the budget becomes a major factor.  There are lenses like the 200-500L but that costs in the $10k range!

If you don't have the budget for multiple RF lenses, then I can personally recommend the amazing RF 24-240 lens.  Not an L-series, but still take amazingly good photos and would work well for getting started.  It would be an economical start with the R6II body, for example.

If you to to the menu at the top and open Gallery > Share Your Photos, you can then do a search for each of the lens focal ranges I have mentioned - I know there are multiple posts with examples.

Also note, that you want good quality cards: CF Express and Full-Size SD cards from reputable makers like SanDisk, Prograde and Lexar, for example.  Also, avoid web deals: there are lots of dubious copies out there, so stores like B&H or Adorama are a good place to look.

Since Christmas is fast approaching you might want to hold on until the pre-season sales and grab a further bargain, or browse the Canon Refurb stores for cameras and lenses.  These are over-stock, new but open box, demo, or show units and are 'good as new' and have a Canon warranty.

[Plassor]

Thank you for the long and detailed reply! 

There are certainly reasons that the DSLR appealed to me but I definitely understand that mirrorless is where it’s at now. I just wasn’t sure how much I would be giving up by not making the jump. 

Budget to start is about $3k but, I plan to add lenses and accessories monthly or bi monthly until I have what I need. Most retailers offer the r6ii in a package with the 24-105 f/4 L lens that I have my eye on for $3200 which is right in the spot I’m looking. After that I’d be looking for a longer telephoto, maybe 100-400 or so, then an 800mm, followed by a 50mm, and something in the 100-135 fixed range. Buying an L lens whenever it’s available in my desired focal length. Now, I’m probably not going to be buying $10k lenses any time soon so there will certainly be non L lenses in the arsenal but, they’ll probably always at least be canon. One thing I didn’t mention with the 6 vs 5 debate is that I really love the top LCD on the 5. That’s a big deal for me because I grew up using my grandfathers Nikons and they had it, I can see where I’d make great use of that feature BUT I can live without it if the 6 is the better option. 

anyway, thank you for taking the time to answer my question. 

[Tronhard · Accepted solution]

Thanks for your response.  Really, the R5 and R6II are both awesome cameras but intended for slightly different roles and markets.  As I mentioned the R6Ii is newer, has a better A/F and tracker but, as you say, does not have the LCD at the top.  For me, that is not critical - I use the EVF as I shoot, and pretty much everything I need to know is there.  By the time I would pull the camera down to look at a top LCD, I can just as easily look at the much larger rear one - but that is my preference.
So, the R5 will certainly give  you more MP and can be cropped more, but offers a bit less DR and ISO performance - again, your call.

I will say that rather than get the RF 100-400, if that is the range you really want, I consider the EF100-400L MkII, which has superior L series build and optics, and you can likely get one for close to the same price.  Here is a link to some sample images taken with it on the R6: 
Legacy Lenses with the EOS R6 MkI: EF 100-400L MkI... - Canon Community   I still retain that and use it with both my R5 and R6 series bodies.

[shadowsports]

Greetings,

Considering where you are coming from and that you want a substantial upgrade, its time for mirrorless.  We are going to need an actual budget.  If you plan to do Pro work, it will take some investment.  What 3 lenses do you own?  Are they EF or EF-S. (please be specific / models).  

Prospects:

1DmkII - (8.2MP) I wouldn't.  I'm sure what you meant was a 1Dx mkII. (20MP), but if you plan to buy new glass (now or in the near future) and don't have a reason to purchase EF, then a mirrorless body with RF glass is a better way to go.  If you dump a bunch of money into a DSLR and EF glass, you'll be in a similar position again sooner rather than later. 

At the very least, I'd buy a mirrorless body so you have a better path forward.  (R6mkII, R5, R5mkII or R3)

[Plassor]

Yes, I’m sorry I did mean the 1dX mkii. The main reason that I was looking there was because people say that the auto focus and sports capabilities are second to none. Also, I love the shape of the body, I would have to add a battery grip to the R cameras in order to achieve something similar. Another reason is cost, on the used market a 1Dx mkii can be had for just over $1k which gives me room for lenses and other accessories. Battery life is also a consideration and the DSLR will beat a mirrorless hands down in that category. 

Total budget to start is $3k but I would be adding lenses monthly or bi monthly until I had what I needed. B&H and canon themselves offer a bundle with the r6ii that comes with the 24-105 f/4 L lens that I want for $3200 which is in my ball park. A used R5 would be similarly priced after adding the glass. 

one other thing to mention that I prefer on the 5 vs 6 is the top LCD, that actually means a lot to me but I could live without it if the 6 is the better option. 

Thank you for the reply. 

[TomRamsey]

I have very little experience with thr R system having just recently bought into it.  I shots mostly natur, landscapes, and wildlife,, plus anything else I have the opportunity for.  When I first read about the RF 200-800 lens I was intrigued, and as reviews by real users started coming in I knew I wanted it, even though I was only shooting Pentax at the time.  So I started the research on thr R series cameras.  All my research pointed to the R6 Mark II, it was perfect for me.  Now I have the camera and the lens and I love it, I also have 28-105 USM which is fine, it’s not the F4 version, but I’ll normally use it on a tripod for landscapes anyway.  Anyway certain attributes of a camera make it ideal for certain types of subjects, wildlife and sports are very similar, needing fast autofocus, good tracking,, and often low light abilities.  Those are also good qualities for wedding photography, along with good dynamic range (which is obviously good for any photography).  

You have received great advice from Trevor and Rick who have way more knowledge on the R system than I do, I’m just relaying my experience of having recently made a decision on purchase, and the criteria I used.  I think you will probably be fine with either body, but I would line up the specific differences on each camera and weigh what the mean to you.