Upgrading my almost 10 year old t3i

[JEDKM]

Hi all,

I have waited nearly 10 years to upgrade my first real digital camera. I am coming from a film photography background. Currently, I have my t3i and 4 lenses:

kit 18-55mm efs, 75-300 ef zoom, a 50mm ef portrait, and a 60mm efs macro

I mostly shoot for fun (street, nature, candid) with a few jobs on the side (portraits, small events). I have definitely outgrown the t3i and am not loving the quality anymore.

Would love to upgrade the body for under a grand ideally but could go up to 1500. Really hoping to keep some lenses but am open to upgrading those for comparable, reasonably priced lenses.

Any thoughts on which direction to go in? 

[ebiggs1]

My preference for the RF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens besides it being L quality is it is a fixed aperture.  The RF24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM Lens is a variable aperture lens. No way I'm buying a 105 mm focal length that starts out at nearly f8! If you have low light concerns that ain't gonna help.

"L" means it is Canon best effort in both IQ and build which includes environment sealing. As to variable aperture, all of my main most used zoom lenses are fixed aperture f2.8 lenses. The lone exception is my Sigma 150-600mm f5-f6.3 Sport super zoom. So, personally I would opt for the RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens. Your budget limitation puts it way out of reach. And, perhaps at my stage in life out of reach for me as well.

[ebiggs1]

"The consultant informed me that the R7 would be better for movement (sports and animal photography) and does not perform as well in low light..."

You know I hear this type thing a lot. All the time. It's most just blatter. Oh, yeah, there is some grain of truth to it but in real world experience most of the reviews and reviewers aren't worth more that what you paid for them. Nothing!

If you spend most of your time shooting in very dark locations you do need to find a camera that has great low light specs. Same is true if most of your work is action sports. But for the majority of us we use our gear as general all around service. In that scenario almost any current DSLR or mirrorless camera is fantastic. Yet some feel obligated to put each model in a niche setting. I can almost 100% guarantee, whether you buy the RP or the R7, you will be thrilled and pleased with it vs your ten year old T3i.

[ebiggs1]

"Trevor I do not do links. It is just a rule I try to keep."

Also, Trevor, I rarely read reviews. I used to read everyone that came along. But if you do photography long enough and you have the experience I have form my own testing, the reviews are worth exactly what you paid for them. Nothing!

Too many agendas. Too many fanboys. Too many incompetents. 

[Tronhard]

Ernie I have always respected your long experience in photography and I would hope you would respect my own of over 40 years. 

We seem to approach these issues from two different philosophical bases, simply put:  You state that you don't research via other sources, and you state that you base your advice to others on your personal experience or experimentation. Given your expressed determination not to buy into R-series MILC system, can say you have personally tested and experimented with R-series gear, and your opinion is thus based on such personal experience and testing? 

On the other hand, I research extensively via multiple trustworthy and reputable sources, living with an acadmeic for over 20 years hammered home the importance of research from authoritative sources ,and I am very selective in choosing those. I have been using R-series bodies and lenses for about two years: so I have personal experience of both.  Furthermore, because I have kept my legacy gear I can say that I do experiment with options for comparison for which I express an opinion.  Moreover, I express that opinion from the perspective and situation of the person seeking advice: not my own, after looking at the parameters set by that person, including budget and features or benefits they establish.

In this case, the OP has established a limit of around $1500, the solutions I have offered respect that limit. They have the standard kit lenses and also a 50mm lens and a macro lens, for portraiture and close-up work and for small gatherings.

The 24-105 range would work for general purpose and small gatherings. Buying a 24-105 L unit will alone eat up a considerable amount of that budget. Given that the OP's current lenses are kit units, the two initial lenses I have suggested (and tried), will exceed that performance.  Yes, the 24-105 STM lens is slower than the f/4 unit, but the new sensors in the latest MILCs will easily accommodate that with their improved ISO performance and dynamic range. The 100-400 lens is a good unit and should be optically far superior to their 75-300 kit equivalent.  As to the macro/portrait units.  My suggestion would be to sell all of the current gear and get the budget-friendly RF 85mm f/2 macro STM unit that is also a good portrait lens and, with a FF sensor, will the same FoV as their current 50 & 60mm units: see a review HERE .

The R7 is a very new kid on the block and has not had a lot of use in the field, but those who do this for a living, and who use good practise to test the camera, have frequently observed, and logic says, that it is not going to be a great low light performer as its sensor has a high pixel density in a small area, so it would likely need the fast aperture of the f/4 L version to compensate for that. 

Absolutely, the OP could bust their budget now and put in a back-order for the R7and a 24-105 f/4, which may take months to fulfil - although that gives them time to save up for the significant difference in price.  It is an indicator that the R7 is currently shipping as a kit with the RF-S 18-150 lens, which seems to be a rebirth of the optical configuration from the M-series bodies and it is not in the same league as the 24-105 of either version - that tells one something about the intended market for this body.  Given all of this, if they wait, the community will have more opportunity to experience the performance of the sensor and they can buy with more confidence. 

Alternatively, if they wish to change now they could go for the options I have suggested that will work within budget, still provide a good value for money.  The FF sensor will be more light-efficient (logic, and several reviews that have tested the two, back this up) and will work well for portraiture (which is on their list).  I don't own the 24-105 STM non-L version, but I have experience with it, and its behaviour is consistent with the reviews to which I have provided links.

[ebiggs1]

It makes little sense for a person at my age and my situation in life to spend $20,000++ dollars of fixed retirement money on new camera/lens gear that will not produce any better product than what I currently own. I still have 12 to 15 top level lenses and a half dozen top level camera bodies along with numerous supporting gear like flashes and strobes, tripods, etc. So much so I am not really certain how much photography stuff I have! I intend to do an inventory one day,... soon.

This is not to say I don't have exposure to the new stuff like the R series. I still have friends and colleges that are still in the business. And, as more and more R gets into the picture I will be responding less and less to the Canon forum.

I really try to not report or recommend gear that I don't actually own or have used myself. "Too many agendas. Too many fanboys. Too many incompetents." The best research in the world no matter how intense is not worth much if it is tainted or done with an agenda, or simply wrong.

[ebiggs1]

As a side bar,

"... living with an acadmeic for over 20 years hammered home the importance of research ..."

My father was a professor (American History) at the University of Alabama and Troy State. My step-mother was a professor (English) at Alabama State University. Both had a PhD.

[JEDKM]

I know most recommend upgrading to mirrorless these days but do either of you think the 90D is still worth it? Seems to go around 900-1200 with a lens online but there are no stores carrying it near me (only new mirrorless).

[Tronhard]

The 90D will feel very much like your old T3i in terms of ergonomics, it has a much better and higher-resolution sensor and has some weather-sealing.  It does not have the best in class tracking (that belongs to the older 7DMkII), but is certainly a cut above what you have had.  I have one, and it is capable of taking great images - the rest is up to you! 

I would suggest going to the Canon Refurbished site, there will be ones on there from people trading in on the new R7 body.  These are like new and come with a one-year warranty.

Certainly, if you think you will not be needing to upgrade in the foreseeable future, you can get a 90D,   I would reduce your current kit: sell of the T3i with the two kit lenses to then invest the saved funds in the EF 70-300 MkII IS USM lens to replace that awful 75-300 unit, and maybe even afford the excellent 18-135 IS STM walk-around lens.

[JEDKM]

https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/refurbished-eos-90d-ef-s-18-135-ef-s-55-250-is-stm-bundle...

This has two lenses! Not sure if the 55-250 is any good.

[Tronhard]

This is a very odd match and quite expensive because of it.  Honestly, if you want to replace the range of focal lengths then you want an EF 70-300 lens.  It is better built, optically superior and has a much more suitable focal range compared to the 18-135 and 55-250 combo that have a massive overlap and fall short on the long end.

You could get the 90D with 18-135 IS USM Kit , which is the best combination available and then purchase the 70-300 IS USM MkII unit and have a great kit within budget.