Suggestions for a new replacement camera

[UncleJoe]

 Hello and thank you in advance for your help with this matter. I've had a Canon Rebel XT for the last 12 years and I want to upgrade at this point. Over time I have accumulated some accessories for the XT that I obviously want to be able to roll over for usage with what ever I chose to replace the XT with. I am hopeful and assuming that the lens I have will be of some standard, I also have a remote for the shutter the additional battery pack that mounts to the bottom of the body a standard mount flash ect. I can provide specific model numbers if that would be more helpful. At a glance I was looking at the t7i model on the belief that being part of the rebel line it might be compatible, but I am open to any and all suggestions. I am old enough to know that one can reach a point where one is better off starting from scratch if that is the case than so be it. 

 My interest in photography is general but I have been thinking of doing some star field shots (astronomical), landscape some occasional portrait work and as a grandfather I would not mind having some basic video capabilities available. Thanks again for any assistance! 

[Waddizzle]

The Rebel T7i is an EXCELLENT upgrade over a Rebel XT.  Just make sure that you can read the files it creates, either via USB cable, or via an SD card reader.  You might need to be running a fairly recent OS, and hardware, to use the T7i software.

You did not state a budget, but one of my favorite places to get deal on Canon camera bodies is the Canon Online Refurbished Store.  The gear comes with a one year warranty from Canon, and it has that new gear smell to it.  I have bought a handful of cameras and given them away as gifts.

https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/cameras/refurbished-eos-digital-slr-cameras

[UncleJoe]

My computer is less than a year old so hopefully that will be up to date. As far as the budget I am reasonably flexible but it's a fool that walks away from a deal! I will be sure to check that out. Appreciate the advice!

[ebiggs1]

Rebel T6i or T7i is a winner but you really need to get either of them with the new STM lens.  It will make a huge difference over your current XT lens.

A really nice upgrade into a more robust, higher end, camera would be the EOS 80D DSLR Camera with 18-55mm STM Lens.

And my top choice might be the EOS 80D DSLR Camera with the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens.  It don't get much better that that !

Keep in mind it is the lens that makes the biggest difference. The EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens offers a constant aperture of f2.8 a big plus. The kit 17-55mm quickly becomes a rather slow f5.6 lens.

[Waddizzle]

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@UncleJoe wrote:
My computer is less than a year old so hopefully that will be up to date. As far as the budget I am reasonably flexible but it's a fool that walks away from a deal! I will be sure to check that out. Appreciate the advice!

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The best buys in the current Canon DSLR lineup are the T7i, 77D, and the 80D, which is the best bang for the buck, by far.  I have bought a few refurbished camera kits, 80D and 7D2, and the gift recipients love them.  One year later, and they are still just scratching the surface of what the cameras can do, except for my son who had a T3i.  

[RobertTheFat]

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@Waddizzle wrote:

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@UncleJoe wrote:
My computer is less than a year old so hopefully that will be up to date. As far as the budget I am reasonably flexible but it's a fool that walks away from a deal! I will be sure to check that out. Appreciate the advice!

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The best buys in the current Canon DSLR lineup are the T7i, 77D, and the 80D, which is the best bang for the buck, by far.  I have bought a few refurbished camera kits, 80D and 7D2, and the gift recipients love them.  One year later, and they are still just scratching the surface of what the cameras can do, except for my son who had a T3i.  

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I wouldn't recommend that you buy a 77D unless you were to find it priced lower than the T7i. I see nothing about the 77D that justifies its higher posted price.

[StanNH]

The Canon refurb store is your best source for bargain pricing on cameras and lenses.  Prices there, with one year factory warranties, are typically less than you'll find for used items on eBay.

My T6S was bought as a refurb and was like new.  There was just a sale at Canon, and I bought an 80D with the 18-55mm STM lens for $779.95.  It too looks and works like new, although Canon no longer includes the CD's or USB cable in the package.

[Waddizzle]

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@RobertTheFat wrote:

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@Waddizzle wrote:

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I wouldn't recommend that you buy a 77D unless you were to find it priced lower than the T7i. I see nothing about the 77D that justifies its higher posted price.

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The differences between a T6i and a T6s, are similar to the differences between a T7i and the 77D.  In fact, I think the 77D should have been named the T7s, IMHO.  

The biggest difference is that the 77D adds a top LCD display, a built-in level, and the new 5-axis, in camera, stabilization system.  The extra cost of the T6s over the T6i is well worth it, as is the extra cost of the 77D over a T7i.

The 80D is a MUCH better build, beefier battery and battery grip option, and a much better overall performer.  Even though the ISO range specifications might suggest otherwise, the 80D produces noticeably lower noise images at ISO 1600 to ISO 6400 than the 7D2.  

I used them side by side for a couple of months, and was comparing their AF systems when the noise differences just jumped out at me.  I guess the 80D must do more in-camera noise reduction, because it is closer to my 6D than it is to the 7D2 between ISO 1600 and ISO 6400. 

The lower noise in the 80D is significant because you when you are using a lens like one of the 150-600mm super zooms, your ISO is going to fall in that range with shutter speeds around 1/1600.  Given the fact that the 80D has 27 f/8 AF points compared to just the center point in the 7D2, the 80D wins in all but two categories: weather sealing, and dual card slots.  The 7D2 offers GPS, while the 80D offers Wi-Fi.

What good is the more subtle AF tracking when the images are noisier?  The new 6D2 has the same AF system as the 80D, and the In-camera, 5-axis stabilization as the 77D.  It also has a 26MP full frame sensor.  Seeing how the 7D2 has better AF and slightly more resolution than the 6D,  I am anxious to see what all that a 7D3 is capable of doing, just as long as they do not give it a fold out display.  Although, a tilting display might be a good thing.

[TCampbell · Accepted solution]

After your camera model, Canon came out with the 7D (with the 18MP sensor) and used the same sensor in the T2i, T3i, T4i, T5i, and 60D cameras.  It wasn't until the T6i that they put a new sensor in the camera (with some gains over the performance of the long-running 18MP that they used for years).  

But when they released the T7i and 77D they replaced the sensor yet again and this time the camera got some VERY significant gains.  The T7i & 77D are a huge upgrade over any previous Rebel series camera (most other models were very small gains over the prievious year's model.)

This is why I'd agree that you should look at either the T7i or 77D.  The two camera have the same sensor but mostly different body features.

If you look at the "top" of each camera, the T7i has dials and controls much like your current camera (it's changed a tiny bit and there are a few extra buttons but it's mostly going to look very similar to what you have now).  But if you look at the top of the 77D... the mode dial is moved to the other side of the viewfinder and in it's place there is now an LCD display screen (not video - just simple LCD) which has all the current exposure info, etc. all displayed.  

Also, another significant change is on the back of the camera.  On your camera you have a simple up/down/left/right button (which also access different functions).  This is the same (or very similar) on the T7i.  But on the 77D the buttons have a knurled rotation ring (wheel) around them and you can rotate it.  If you like to shoot with manual exposure, the front wheel (next to the shutter button) changes the shutter speed and the rear-dial (which you can easily access with your thumb) changes the aperture (f-stop).  This makes it much faster to control than your current camera.

The extra display and dial are features of the mid-grade and pro-grade cameras.   I think the difference for the "body only" price is about $50.  The camera performance, resolution, ISO, focus system, etc. etc. are all identical (they have the same sensor.)

One noteable MISSING feature... Canon does not make a battery grip for either the T7i or the 77D ... nor can you use a grip from a previous model camera.

If you want a battery grip, you should probably look at a Canon 80D.

Other than that, all cameras can use the same lenses that you've been using on your Canon XT.

If you are using the same entry-level lenses that might have been included with your XT (such as the 18-55mm zoom) then you would want to be aware that the new versions of those lenses are significantly improved.  The new versions have at "STM" suffix on the name (e.g. Canon EOS EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6mm IS STM)  (I bolded the "STM").  This means the lens has Canon's new "stepper motor" focusing system (very quiet and smooth) but Canon also updated the optics.  The new lenses are a bit sharper.  The EF 50mm f/1.8 lens was updated with an "STM" version which also updated the number and shape of the aperture blades so now the out-of-focus blur (background blur) is much smoother & creamier than the old generation.

You wont be able to use the battery pack (battery grip) that mounted on the bottom of your XT (battery grips are always camera model-specific and never carry over to any new model).  

You should find that your remote (wired) shutter release fits and works just fine (it probably has a jack that looks like a mini headphone jack).   However all of these cameras now support WiFi and you can actually  use a smartphone (there's a free app) to remotely control the camera.

All the new cameras have video capability (it wouldn't matter which model you get) although of note... these new cameras now have Canon's Dual-Pixel CMOS AF (a feature previously only found on mid-grade and high-end models).  The Dual-Pixel CMOS AF allows the camera to use a phase-detect-like focus system (light passes through a beam-splitter (pism) to split it into two phases.  If the light re-converges in-phase then the camera is focused at that particular position... if not, then the lens is not focused and the direction and distance of focus can instantly be determined by comparing the two phases.  

Ok, so that sounds technical (and it is) but what it means to YOU is that the camera can do continuous auto-focus during live-video and it can follow your subject as they move closer or farther ... the camera tracks focus very accurately and you wont see the camera "hunt" for focus.

You'll get better audio quality if you attach an external microphone (specifically you should check out the Rode VideoMic Pro which is a "powered" external mic with enough gain to avoid that "hiss" sound you often hear on other mics).  It's designed to mount in the hot-shoe socket on top of the camera.  

The "STM" lenses (the new lenses) have focus motors which are no so quiet that it's extremely difficult to hear them when recording video (you probably wont hear anything but if you try really really hard ... you might just barely make out the sound of the focus motor.)

[UncleJoe]

I guess one you could say the hand writing is on the wall. The t7i seems to be in the cards and a purchase from the refurbished store goes without saying. The current zoom lens that I am using is the EF 70-200 2.8 IS USM and has been my goto so long I don't even know if I will be able to remove it from the body, I think I paid a good deal for that lens when I purchased it is the difference in the new technology worth retirement for her? I believe that would be the only other decision I would want to make with this purchase. If anyone would care I will try to let you what I wind up with at the end of this venture. 

 I would like to once more express my appreciation for everyone's responses I feel in the company of kindred spirits if I might be so bold. Thank you all!