Life after 350d? What next?

Brigsy

Hi people, Been searching prior to posting but haven't been able to find the help I am after. I have been using and enjoying my 350d for the last few years. I lean towards nature/outdoor with a penchant for both static bird/mammal and landscape photography. I have also used a lot on city breaks for urban setting static shots.

I am looking to move on gear wise and will start with a new body. What next after the 350d? I would like to stay below £1000, guess that is around $1500. What do you think? I have seen some 1d Mark ii's for £650, Two large and heavy maybe? Better quality out there these days?

Wading through all the different reviews on various sites is making my head spin.

Ta

Brigsy

ziggy53

I agree with Richy. Tell us more about your lens set.

Also, have you considered stitched panoramas for more landscape detail?

colourbox

If you really like the 350D size, handling, etc. and would simply like the current version of it, just get a 550D. Which is far more powerful and capable than the 350D. If you want the next step up, then try a used 5D. I went from a 350D to a 7D but I did want some of the things the 7D had. If I did not, I would have gotten a 550D.

Brigsy

Thanks for the replies. I may have lead you slightly astray. The majority of my nature photgraphy is the sort of stalk and shoot animal variety so I was planning on upgrading my glass to help with that.

I have the stock 18-55, a Tamron 70-300 and a Canon 50mm.

Was planning on looking at maybe the canon 100-400 is to help my nature stalking. Definately feel like I need more reach. That is my main aim at the moment. So really looking for a body that will produce sharp larger prints, support a lens with enough reach and of course be quick at more open appetures.

Hope this helps

ziggy53

Upgrade your lens first. The EF 100-400mm, f4.5-5.6 L IS USM is a very nice choice in a long and versatile zoom, as is the Sigma 50-500mm, f4-6.3 EX DG HSM. We have several wildlife people here with either of those lenses. Both zooms require good light and the IS in the Canon 100-400mm helps, but it is not a substitute for a good tripod and appropriate head.

The Canon 350D/XT is now old enough that almost anything modern would be a considerable improvement with the "potential" for better images. Proper technique is still required for best results.

I suggest that the 7D is the latest and greatest of the Canon crop 1.6x sensor camera bodies, but the imager and processor of the dRebel T2i/550D should be capable of similar image quality. Of course the 7D does better in AF, metering and overall speed.

The 50D is also viable and brings a better body build and generally very good performance compared to your XT/350D.

So go for the lens first as that will gain you most of the potential for improvement, purchase a tripod and head that is appropriate for your application, then finally purchase a better body to hone the process.

colourbox

richy wrote: »

true and you wouldnt have a load of memory cards you couldnt use. I think the 350 is sd right? and moving out of the rebels would mean a switch to cf (with the exception of second slots on the 1 series). The 550 (the 18mp right? i get lost with all the different names) has a great sensor in it.

Actually the 350D is Compact Flash, and the new 550D is SD. Ironically, the requirement to switch card formats only happens if you choose to stay with the Rebels!

Even though all my Canons have Compact Flash, as I have upgraded I've still had to buy new cards anyway. The newer cameras have such higher megapixel counts that the 1GB-4GB cards I used with my 350D store far fewer frames per card and I'm picking up 8GB cards now.

MT Stringer

A used 1D MK IIn would be a good option and in your price range. You'd have to git rid of the 18-55 but that ought to be on your list of things to do anyway. Once you have had a grip on a 1D body, it will be hard to let go. I have and use a 1D MK3 and 7D for sports/wildlife shooting. It is bigger and heavier, but solid as a rock. I can hold it all day (3000 shots) and never get tired. My other arm does because it is supporting a 70-200 f/2.8. With larger lenses I use a monopod (sport shooting).

Brigsy

Thanks for the answers. I was thinking about changing the body first because once I had put some serious money down on glass I am then stuck down a brand route Body wise. If I chose the body at this stage before I have too many lenses it is easier to make a Nikon switch at this stage. (If that was appropriate)

Brigsy

Thanks. Having done some more digging around it looks like I may be able do get a second hand 1d3 vs new 7d. Now my head is spinning with full frame vs 1.6 and less pix on a full frame sensor vs more on a smaller. My head hurts......

ziggy53

Brigsy wrote: »

Thanks. Having done some more digging around it looks like I may be able do get a second hand 1d3 vs new 7d. Now my head is spinning with full frame vs 1.6 and less pix on a full frame sensor vs more on a smaller. My head hurts......

The Canon 1D MKIII is a crop 1.3x imager vs the 7D and its 1.6x crop imager. The 1D MKIII does require FF lenses however.

Brigsy

Thanks for your help so far. Any further thoughts on my post regarding 1d3 vs 7d, full frame vs crop? Sorry to be a pain. Ta.

ziggy53

Brigsy wrote: »

Thanks for your help so far. Any further thoughts on my post regarding 1d3 vs 7d, full frame vs crop? Sorry to be a pain. Ta.

The current Canon FF camera bodies are the 1Ds MKIII and the 5D MKII. While they share a similar 21 MPix imager, they are considerably different in terms of body build, AF speed and accuracy, and responsiveness. The 1D MKIII and 1Ds MKIII are more similar in terms of body, AF speed and accuracy, and responsiveness, but the 1D MKIII has a faster frame rate and is a crop 1.3x format.

For small subject matter wildlife the 7D effectively allows a greater working distance to achieve the same image size with a (somewhat) broader lens selection in that the 7D can use either crop lenses (EF-S) and FF lenses (EF only).

The 1D MKIII (or 1D MKII/MKIIN) has an in-between crop factor so it has some benefit for wildlife shooters (versus FF cameras) and they also have a very nice AF section.