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digital replacement/upgrade

Raleigh
Apprentice

Suggest digital upgrade from my old 35mm Canon EOS II,35-80mm, 75-300 lens. Thank you..

4 REPLIES 4

Skirball
Authority

Are you saying, you want to move into digital and wondering what you should get?

 

That’s going to depend a lot on your budget, and how much of a gear junkie you are.  The entry level Rebel line can take better images than an old film camera; pretty much any dSLR can.  Whether you need more than that is based on budget and your desire for high end stuff.  If you shot 35mm a lot you may not like the “crop factor” that comes this size sensor, but I’d argue that the difference is superficial and you’ll adapt to the new numbers in no time.  There are ‘full frame’ cameras that have a sensor the size of 35mm film, and these do much better in low light, but we’re comparing digital here, as I said above, even entry level digital SLRs will knock the socks off any 35mm film camera.

 

This is a very general question, so you can get a lot of different answers.  My opinion: get an entry level Rebel, like the T3i if you can find it, and save your money for decent glass.  You can upgrade the camera body later when you feel the need and are more comfortable in the digital realm.

 

Which glass is going to depend on budget, the type of photography you plan on doing, and whether you see yourself moving to full frame in the future.  If you stick with crop sensor cameras then you can get smaller lenses for cheaper.  Canon makes a nice 17-55/2.8 that serves as a general purpose zoom.  I would recommend also looking at something like the Sigma 17-70.  For the telephoto, there is a Canon 75-300 that is decent.  The more professional option would be one of four Canon 70-200, depending on if you want f/2.8, image stabilization, etc.  You have to decide if you want the better image quality, or longer focal length.

ebiggs1
Legend
Legend

The Canon EOS Rebel T5i DSLR Camera with EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens is a great place to start.  Smiley Happy

 

Don't worry or even think about the crop factor as what you see in the view finder is exactly what the picture will look like. In that essence all cameras are full frame.

 

I bet I get asked this question bar far the most. Everyone that has gone ahead with my suggestion has been thrilled with the T5i. This camera will open up a whole new world for you.

 

I also recommend you stick with Canon lenses. There are simply too many duds from off brand makers.  Unless you do some research, stick with Canon.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!

Can I buy a Canon body and use my old EOS lens with it? If so, why not?

Yes, you can buy just a body and use your old lenses.  There are a few reasons why you should also get the 18-55mm "Kit" lens when you buy your first Digital SLR:

 

1) It is very cheap when bundled with a camera.  (about $100)

2) It will be sharper than your old lenses

3) It will have Image Stabilization

4) Because the sensor is smaller on a DSLR your images will look as though they are shot with a lens that is 1.6 times longer than you are used to.  This "1.6 Crop Factor" means your 35-80mm lens will now look like a 56-128mm, and will not be as wide angle as you are used to.

Mike Sowsun
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