(This is another re-post from June 17, 2010) But it has held up well. At this time I shoot with the Canon T1i (though I admit to having a hankering for the T3i).
For those of you that follow these ramblings, it struck me this morning after a couple of days of heavy shooting, that the switch to the Canon 500D has worked out well for me, and in fact I think I’m hooked on that line of cameras. In other words, I’m already reading about the 550D which has been out for a while now.
Just to go back a few steps. A while ago I traded up from a 40D to the Canon 5D (used). I got a good buy on it and also bought a used 28mm for my foray into full-frame DSLR land. Well, it was true that image quality, and the ability to easily use ASA 1600 was better, and that my 20mm Canon f2.8 now looked like a wide angle lens.
But I also ran into unexpected issues. The biggest one was that the camera simply did not focus quickly enough compared to the 40D, or even compared with the 450D which I had had modded for infrared work.
The other issue was that the 5D seemed more imposing as a street camera / everything camera. As you can see, I do both sorts of work, both tripod and quick street shooting. For several days with the camera I was missing quick street shots that I would’ve easily gotten with the previous cameras. On top of all that, the user interface and LCD screen were not in the same league with the newer 450D or 500D. Plus the 500D has a feature which has been around for a while, but which keeps getting better: Live View.
The issue I had at the time was that it seemed, at least price-wise, like I was going backwards. But feature-wise, I was going forward. Well what about the body? Think of how the Professional cameras are rock solid. For me, that sort of thinking is old-time thinking. Unless you are a war correspondent, or adventurer, or you are going to subject the camera to perhaps news coverage, I just don’t need or want a camera that is built like a rock. The odds are that with a camera that is treated fairly well, I will be trading it in for a newer model before I drop it in the Amazon.
And as far as using these consumer cameras in bad weather. My favorite shooting with them has been during the height of a blizzard, or in rainstorms. I simply keep the small camera under my jacket and make sure that it doesn’t get completely soaked while shooting.
The real advantage for the top-of-the-line DSLR is usually how many shots it can take in a second, i.e. continuous shooting. This is always higher for the high-end DSLR. However, I come from the very old school and generally just lock focus and wait for something. I don’t do sports photography. And even with my prosumer camera I rarely put it into continuous shot mode unless I’m bracketing the exposure – and the only time I might do that would be for HDR.
And as far as street-shooting goes, let me tell you a few stories. It happens that within the last few months I’ve attended a bunch of large family gatherings where I see cousins and relatives and friends of relatives that I haven’t seen in a long time. They all know I’m a professional photographer, and they see me with the 500D, and are quick to ask what camera I use. At one event, the person who asked had the same camera hanging from his neck (with the lens cap on) and said sheepishly that they had one of those digital Rebels and that they didn’t care for it. I just said I was using a D500 and turned away before they could see I had the same camera they had. Not because I was ashamed to be using the camera but I thought they might feel bad.
Something similar happened on the street where I got into a conversation with a Nikon guy who was using, I think it was the D90? It was a high-end consumer camera. And when I showed them the camera I had (D500) they wanted to know how much something like that cost, with the obvious sense of envy that you get when they know you are a professional.
So I told them it cost about $2500 and they were impressed.
So is there anything that I miss with the consumer DSLR? Not really. Maybe the LCD panel on top, but that would make the camera bigger so I’ll do without that. The current cameras all have a favorites menu where you can stick the functions you use the most, and basically, that menu has the stuff I need 90% of the time.
And if you’ve been following the blog for the last few months, you’ll see a much higher rate of shooting (when I can get away from my order printing routine) and more experimentation.
The smaller camera is always with me. It is useful for careful tripod work as well as street shooting. I would love to have the LCD flip down, or out at some point. But since day one, I’ve gotten a lot of use out of live view. I love it. I get a 100% view on a bright screen (okay, maybe it’s 99%); and I’ve got a nice grid to help align images; and with proper noise reduction programs (I would never use the in-camera NR stuff) – and proper post-production (which is just as important as the type of camera you shoot with), I’ve easily printed 35 inch (longest dimension) from the little consumer camera that my customers have loved that were shot at 800 ASA. There’s just so much that can be done in post-production now, that you want a camera that has relatively clean pixels, and a good lens. The body is a computer. I don’t need the computer to be built like a rock because I’m not going to use it like I would use a rock.
Concluding: this path has worked well for me. I guess you can tell. I wonder what they’ll have in the 600D. Maybe that flip-out screen? I know Nikon has it already. No chance of switching brands because I’m happy with my Canon lenses.
Now I’m not saying just buy any camera. You need to know the features that are important to you. But don’t think that just because you’ve paid more for a “professional” camera you’ll get “more professional” pictures. I’m sure you knew that already. But it’s something worth repeating. And don’t look down on these little consumer DSLRs. They get their high-end features from the previous generation of high-end cameras that cost much more. And remember, the digital camera is not like the film camera. I know people that bought Leica’s because they were built like a rock and they would be around for decades, if not generations. The digital camera is a computer with a port for lenses. And as with all computers, their ability doubles every n number of years. It would be like saying that you’re sticking with your IBM PC from 1993 because it’s built like a rock. I don’t think so. Take the money you saved, and buy a lens that is built like a rock. A very good lens will retain it’s value for decades or generations.
I started with Nikon D70 as a digital SLR with 6.1 mps. Eventually got a D 50 as a backup body. Same mps but a few less features. I still use the D 70 today. Sold the D50. Eventually got a D80 body that is 10.2 mps. At the time I got the D80 the “pro’model was the D200. It had the same mps but used CF cards instead of SD. Also the body was built with more metal. Aside from that they do the same things, although the controls are slightly different.
Bottom line is that the “consumer” dslrs can do a good job.
I guess ramblings are better than grumblings, no matter how you slice it.
I just purchased a Canon T2i which is the 550D anywhere else. I was going to get the 500D but waited enough to see Canon was planning to release 550D. I love the 550D ! I’ve been using Point and Shoot Canons for years and I borrowed my brother’s old 20D which I also loved but was much heavier than the 550D. I love the build of the 550D even though many people say that it’s not as rugged as the 50D…I agree but I like it that is much lighter. I also love the fact that I can take videos.
Hi I’m wondering what you think about micro four thirds movement then, especially for street? I got a 1000D Canon at first for street, it is even smaller than the 500D and I found great, about 3 months ago I got the Olympus e-p2 and now I find i’m all but invisible with the pancake Lumix 20mm 1.7. Bit slower AF but you get into the groove of what you’ve got and find work arounds.
btw I had the tab to the next post thing when posting also, not massive.
I don’t have an informed opinion about the four thirds movement. I need a general purpose camera. Good for the street, and good to stick a 300mm lens on. I want a good selection of fast (f1.4) lenses. I am too set in my ways to switch from one camera to another, i.e. one for street shooting and one for scenics or architecture. This is esp. true with digital cameras with their exhaustive range of settings, and never in the same place even from model to model, nevermind from manufacturer to manufacturer.
In short, I want to use the same interface, same camera for a wide range of subjects. I can easily take my 450D which was modified for infrared, and 500D in the same bag without getting confused. And of course, as much as possible I want to share peripherals, not to mention lenses. So as I say – I’m the wrong guy to ask about the Lumix. If I were using Nikons, I’d be the same way.
What can I say…I always like your camera stories, Dave
I have also enjoyed upgrading my 450D to the 550D. I upgraded only for the video capabilities, but of course it came with a lot more goodies than that. Glad you’re enjoying your 500D. These are wonderful cameras.
.-= Brandon Price´s last blog ..Minnesota Morning =-.
Will,
I use four-thirds and micro-four-thirds
cameras.
Micro-four-thirds are small and versatile
especially when fitted with a pancake lens
when you can put the camera in a coat
pocket.
Image quality is very good.
Stephen
Stephen:
Which cameras are you using? I am thinking about the Lumix G1 because I have Leica M mount lenses that can be used via an adapter.
Craig, all the mirrorless interchangeable-lens cameras (Olympus, Panasonic, Samsung NX series, Sony NEX) have or will soon have Leica adapters, as the shorter registration distance allows for adapters. In the micro 4/3 world the Panasonics seem to have an advantage in quick zoom-in for manual-focus (and their AF is measurably faster than Olympus’s, which can make a difference on the street if you use a micro 4/3 lens). On the other hand, Oly bodies have image stabilization built into them, which makes my friend’s Leica-mount 15mm f/4.5 Voigtlander lens a neat, if slow, stabilized 30mm street lens. ($400 for the lens, and another $150 for an external 35mm finder).
Sony and Samsung use larger APS-C -sized sensors but the image quality advantage doesn’t seem to accrue in use with the Samsungs, and the Sony line doesn’t have a finder or even a hotshoe (although one might come as a plugin in the months to come).
FYI last October Nikon patented a number of interchangeable lenses with a 17mm image diameter, meaning a new system that’s got a sensor slightly smaller than 4/3, and also has a recent patent on a mirrorless camera. The rumor is that a small, mirrorless camera system that is expected to do video (focusing speed, etc) better than any current camera system will be introduced around Photokina (September) this year, and it will be able to take a Leica adapter too … although with a 2.5x crop factor. The slightly-smaller-than-four-thirds sensor size is a bit of a bummer to me but I wouldn’t count out Nikon — considering their 51-year devotion to the F-mount they must have put forward huge resources and good reasoning to come up with a whole new mount for a mirrorless system.
http://tinyurl.com/yk2eed8
Another rumor is that Ricoh is planning a Leica sensor/mount combo for its weirdo GRX camera (body without sensor, then you buy different sealed sensor/lens combos that snap onto the camera body). No word on when, or what size sensor the module would use….
Right now I have been considering upgrading to a 5d Mark II but I think I am going to hold out for the the Mark III which should be coming in out in 6-8 months. But I keep asking myself why I want to make the switch and the only concrete thing I can say is that I would love to be able to use my 28-70 as a wide angle to portrait lens on a full frame sensor. Also the times I have played with a 5d I have been very impressed with the image quality. However my 450D is an amazing camera for the money, I think I paid $600 two years ago.
Rob. Have you read my article about camera addiction?
http://www.beckermanphoto.com/blog/camera-addict/
As a fellow member, I understand the addiction, but I think that’s all it is. I have a hankering for the 550D… although I’m very happy with the 500D.
I’ve decided to “retire” my 60D (with the 18-135) to the car, and get a t2i for normal use as soon as B&H has the bare bodies in stock again. It appears to me that the t3i is a step backwards unless the articulating viewscreen is an absolute necessity (like when Dave shoots with the camera on a pole).
Bill
Fascinating. For the readers could you write a bit more about what annoys you about 60d?
Glad you posted this again.
I am still using the D 80 and sometimes the old D 70. The results are good.
The consumer dslrs are getting better. ISOs are getting higher and megs are increasing, although 10 to 12 is enough for most shoots.
I see no reason to switch to a “pro’ camera. The full sensor is not enough of a reason to upgrade.
I definitely agree with most of the points you’ve listed on this post. I personally use a Canon 60D now and I’m very pleased with its performance. Admittedly I’m not a big fan of Canon and the 60D just happened to have 95% of what I was looking for in a Camera, in a price range that I was willing to part my money with. The pixel race has been going at a ridiculous rate in the last couple of years and an 8 gig card suddenly is not nearly as big as it once was.
I’m all about making cameras better, but there needs to be a focus from manufacturers to better the dynamic range and cleaner images at higher ISO’s instead of just upping the pixels until the sensors cant’ take anymore.
I think top of the line DSLR’s definitely cater to a select few photographers that actually need the features (weather sealed, metal bodies, better DR and continuous shooting). I think some people that shoot just ‘fee’ like they are less of a photographer if they don’t have the biggest and baddest camera they can get their hands on. These are also the same people that take photos and never show them to anyone. There was a time when people made photographs to share with other people, not just sit in your hard drive to be archived.
A majority of shooters out there probably only need a point and shoot to accomplish most task. I see a lot of online forums that have people with 5-10k worth of gear..and they take photos of their cats….to each his own.
Great photographers existed before all this technology so it’s a proven fact that you don’t need top of the line to be better. Some people are born with skill and some people have to work hard at it.
Nik – Yep. Well said. (Which means that’s what I think also). Whether I’ll end up with a 60D or a T3i I don’t know, but the truth is that I’m not doing all that much shooting right now; and I am now printing a 16×24 for a client from the original Rebel DSLR.