WHAT CAMERA SHOULD I GET?!

[toweltrick]

Ahhh, back to beating that dead horse with such a question. But I'm so unsure on what DSLR to get! I just need some secondary opinions because maybe someone else will point something out that I'm overlooking. 

Currently I have a Olympus OM-D E-M10 mark II and a film camera, the Olympus OM2n. Recently I tried using my E-M10 to photograph a sports event (thankfully I was just doing it for fun and not professionally) and it failed MISERABLY! The camera's auto focus cannot find anything fast enough and when it does.... its the background and not the player you are trying to focus on. There is no manual override on the lenses I have so I couldn't intervene and fix this myself. I was looking at lenses to get that I could focus manually with but micro four thirds (or Olympus lens mount) lenses are so expensive I came to the decision to just get a different camera.

Right now I am pretty set on the Canon EOS Rebel T7i. Is there anything I'm overlooking? Any other camera someone would recommend near that price range? The T7i looks to be a pretty amazing camera.

Thanks for any help.

[Waddizzle]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

You just went from dribble to blather!  

The Rebel T7i is an outstanding option for the vast majority of people.

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It is an outstanding camera.  It just happens to be far less than the best choice for sports photography with super telephoto lenses.

[Tronhard]

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@Waddizzle wrote:

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

You just went from dribble to blather!  

The Rebel T7i is an outstanding option for the vast majority of people.

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It is an outstanding camera.  It just happens to be far less than the best choice for sports photography with super telephoto lenses.

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I think the pivotal issue is that for the purposes of this inquiry, since the budget is in the $1,000 mark, there are limitations on what can be spent on both the body and lenses.

While the asperation is to one day get into professional work, the immediate focus would seem to be on improvement of technique and skills development.  When the time come to go pro the budget will be a different matter as it will be a business expense.  Right now, from what was said it seems we are looking at a fairly wide range of photography, from family pictures, portraits to some sports shots.

If we are going to suggest something that even remotely approaches the budget it seems to me that the rebel body is a good choice, and I have seen some brilliant image taken by skilled photographers, so it is no slouch as a unit. It will be a while before it is outgrown, by which time our user should have a more defined agenda in mind.  I think the question is more about the glass than the body.  Bodies change frequently, lenses not so much and it seems worthwhile to get the best ones he can afford.

My thought, for a general purpose, carry around  lens is the reasonably good EF-S 18-135mm IS STM lens, with an equivalent FoV of 29-216mm, and for long shots the excellent Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Mk 1 lens with an equivalent FoV of 112-420mm.  Since the Mk II came out the Mk1 can be purchased refurbished or second-hand for a very cheap price and it can render great images. 

The budget will still be broken, but he should have plenty to learn on, and he won't necessarily have to sleep on the couch!

Sample photos to make my point:

1.  A casually set up mugshot for an ID photo, taken with the EF-S 18-135 IS STM, actually using a Canon 400D (Rebel Xti?) which is about a 12 year old body!

A deer shot with the same lens:

A shot taken with the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Mk 1 lens

[Waddizzle]

Tronhard,

I think recommending a Rebel to an experienced photographer is bad advice.  The camera body will be outgrown within a few months, or a few thousand shots, whichever comes first.

I think a T7i is not good advice compared to recommending a 77D, which is well within the stated budget, as is an 80D at the Canon Refurbished Store, where I have bought two of them with the 18-55mm STM lens for WELL under the budget.

[Waddizzle]

Tronhard,

I have a T5, and love to use it.  I love it so much that I started a "Love my Rebel" thread in the "Share Your Photos" forum.

[EDIT]. Great shots, BYW.  But, all of them are stills, not action shots.  All of them were shot with relatively small lenses, compared to the lenses popular with sports photography.  

I'm not saying a Rebel is not capable of action shots, but the OP is an experienced photographer.  Given the choice between a n entry level camera or an enthusiast grade camera, I think the latter is the most sensible choice.

[RobertTheFat]

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@Waddizzle wrote:

Tronhard,

I think recommending a Rebel to an experienced photographer is bad advice.  The camera body will be outgrown within a few months, or a few thousand shots, whichever comes first.

I think a T7i is not good advice compared to recommending a 77D, which is well within the stated budget, as is an 80D at the Canon Refurbished Store, where I have bought two of them with the 18-55mm STM lens for WELL under the budget.

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When the 77D first came out, we were at a loss to understand its intended role in the product line. We discussed it for a while; and as I recall, we finally agreed that for all practical purposes the 77D is a Rebel. What has changed?

[TTMartin]

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@RobertTheFat wrote:

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@Waddizzle wrote:

Tronhard,

I think recommending a Rebel to an experienced photographer is bad advice.  The camera body will be outgrown within a few months, or a few thousand shots, whichever comes first.

I think a T7i is not good advice compared to recommending a 77D, which is well within the stated budget, as is an 80D at the Canon Refurbished Store, where I have bought two of them with the 18-55mm STM lens for WELL under the budget.

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When the 77D first came out, we were at a loss to understand its intended role in the product line. We discussed it for a while; and as I recall, we finally agreed that for all practical purposes the 77D is a Rebel. What has changed?

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Nothing changed the 77D is the Rebel T7s renumbered.

The only thing I see lacking on the T7i is micro focus adjustment, and gong to the 77D doesn't give that to you.

So either stick with the T7i or make the jump to the 80D. 

[Waddizzle]

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@TTMartin wrote:

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@RobertTheFat wrote:

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@Waddizzle wrote:

Tronhard,

I think recommending a Rebel to an experienced photographer is bad advice.  The camera body will be outgrown within a few months, or a few thousand shots, whichever comes first.

I think a T7i is not good advice compared to recommending a 77D, which is well within the stated budget, as is an 80D at the Canon Refurbished Store, where I have bought two of them with the 18-55mm STM lens for WELL under the budget.

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When the 77D first came out, we were at a loss to understand its intended role in the product line. We discussed it for a while; and as I recall, we finally agreed that for all practical purposes the 77D is a Rebel. What has changed?

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Nothing changed the 77D is the Rebel T7s renumbered.

The only thing I see lacking on the T7i is micro focus adjustment, and gong to the 77D doesn't give that to you.

So either stick with the T7i or make the jump to the 80D. 

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No AFMA in a 77D?  It does add the top panel LCD, though.  I would have assumed the T7i included AFMA.  So, in other words, he 77D is more Rebel [T7s] than a true ##D series body.  Why would Canon do that?

[Tronhard]

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@Waddizzle wrote:

Tronhard,

I think recommending a Rebel to an experienced photographer is bad advice.  The camera body will be outgrown within a few months, or a few thousand shots, whichever comes first.

I think a T7i is not good advice compared to recommending a 77D, which is well within the stated budget, as is an 80D at the Canon Refurbished Store, where I have bought two of them with the 18-55mm STM lens for WELL under the budget.

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hHi Waddizzle

Thanks for your response.

So I need to clarify one thing.  Is the question about getting the body only, or a body and lenses?

The problem is the budget....  If all what is requried is just a new body then I willl be rigtht with you, in fact I would be keen to get the 80D if I could find a decent second-hand one because of the better tracking, it works well with the extender and long telephoto and you can put a battery grip on it to add capacity and balance a big lens.  But if  he wants lenses then I would normally put more emphasis on the glass.

[Waddizzle]

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@Tronhard wrote:

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@Waddizzle wrote:

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hHi Waddizzle

Thanks for your response.

So I need to clarify one thing.  Is the question about getting the body only, or a body and lenses?

The problem is the budget....  If all what is requried is just a new body then I willl be rigtht with you, in fact I would be keen to get the 80D if I could find a decent second-hand one because of the better tracking, it works well with the extender and long telephoto and you can put a battery grip on it to add capacity and balance a big lens.  But if  he wants lenses then I would normally put more emphasis on the glass.

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I have bought two of these.  They are a fantastic value.  

https://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/eos-80d-ef-s-18-55mm-f-3-5-5-6-is-stm-kit-refurbished

[toweltrick]

GUYS! I got the T7i with the 18-135 lens! 

I see what you guys are talking about and, as I said in my last post, I do not do sports photography. I may have lead some people on with that since that's what I mentioned in the original post but sports is not what I do. I only did sports that day for fun and it made me realize a major weak spot in that olypmus camera. That, compiled with the bad taste of how expensive lenses are for it, made me want to switch from it. I picked up the T7i on Friday and did some sunset shots with it and then today did a couple car shots. So nothing to put this camera through its paces or test its limitations. But I am very happy with it.

This will start the beginning of photography as a side job for me. I am looking to use this camera for portraits more than anything else. Attached are two of the first images I have taken with the camera.