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Old 04-11-2014, 03:19 AM   #26
Giccin
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Join Date: Dec 2010
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Originally Posted by Porsche View Post
If I understand you correctly, you don't currently own either the 5D III or the 6D.

Most of us have limited discretionary funds, and must apportion those funds carefully. In our case, we're old and already have most of what we need and want (within reason) and don't have much to spend money on that interests us. I'd like a Porsche, but how much more pleasure will I gain vs. driving my beautiful S2000? An extra $40,000 for marginally better handling and shaving a couple tenths at most off sprints to 60 mph? Ehh... And I don't care much about "status"; it's about the driving experience for me. I would appreciate the WOT wail of that flat-six, though.

For you, young as you are and just beginning, my thought is that you might be better off with a 6D. If you can do it, pay no attention to your camera buddies and what they buy. Listen to them, sure, but don't make YOUR choices based upon THEIR needs and desires. Go your own way.

First rule of cameras: Invest in glass. Good glass trumps cool bodies. Canon L-glass on a 6D will yield better images than pro-sumer glass on a 5D. (Unless there's some particular feature of the 5D that's unavailable on the 6D that you MUST have. I question what that would be for most beginners.) Good glass will last nearly forever, will retain its value (unlike bodies), and with either Canon or Nikon will presumably work on new bodies for decades to come. With a bit of luck, both companies will still be around many decades hence.

The LENS is the heart of the camera, not the body.

Bodies are computers with a feature permitting one to attach a lens. The value of computers plummets fast. My Canon 1D Mark IV is probably not worth much more than 1/2 what it cost new. But, it's a great tool for action photography, serving photojournalists, sports and wildlife shooters. It can do things the 5D III is not so good at.

But, for YOU, what will the 5D III do for you that the 6D cannot? I recommend that you seriously study that issue. What EXACTLY will you be able to do, or do better, with the 5D III vs. the 6D? Neither one is a weather-sealed pro body suitable for shooting in the rain, and I would think the durability of these two bodies to be essentially the same for your needs.

The 6D offers interchangeable focusing screens, whereas the 5D does not. I could definitely use that now that I've ventured into the "land of Zeiss" manual focus only lenses.

But, of course, I do not know your needs. Only you can evaluate this and make the decision. I would not see the 6D as being any meaningful sacrifice vs. the 5D for MOST photographers. That doesn't mean the 5D III would not be better for YOU. I don't know.

If you are the typical young photographer, and money is very much an issue, my thought is that you would be better served with a 6D ... PLUS, say, a Canon EF 70-200mm ƒ/4L IS lens. You'd probably still have $200 left over to buy a pro polarizer such as a B+W in a large size to fit your biggest lens, plus some step-up rings to match other lenses. When purchased on sale at Canon rebate time, this would cost about $2700.

Add a wide-angle zoom to this, and you'd have a solid basic kit that would cover most of your general photography needs. (If you like macro shooting, consider the EF 100mm ƒ/2.8L IS Macro lens. It is an outstanding value, especially when on sale.)

Or... you could have one Canon 5D Mark III body for that price, on sale and at Canon rebate time. Figure around $2700 on sale with rebate.

BTW, this assumes you'll be buying everything from an authorized dealer, which I recommend doing to ensure that you have the manufacturer's warranty.

By going with the 6D, you'll have about $1200 extra to put towards good glass. (I bought the 6D for $1499 and the EF 70-200mm ƒ/4L IS for $999 at B&H Photo this past Christmas when there were sales and rebates going on. I also got 4% "Reward" money to spend on further stuff.)

The Canon EF 70-200mm ƒ/2.8L IS II is a fantastic lens. Buy a 6D vs a 5D and save $1200 ready to apply to that $2500 ƒ/2.8 lens. (It's MUCH bigger and heavier than the ƒ/4 lens above, though. I'm not keen on carrying mine around for hours.)

If you've got more money than you know what to do with, well... get the 5D and everything you lust for.

These are issues to ponder as you contemplate how to put together the best kit possible for YOUR needs when, like most of us, you have limited funds to devote to your hobby.

Cool bodies are nice, but the best lenses are nicer still. Spend more on pro glass when you can. Twenty years from now, you'll probably still be shooting with the pro glass you buy today, while the bodies will probably have been replaced a few times over. And the lenses keep climbing in price, much more so than bodies. I kick myself today for not buying the Canon EF 500mm ƒ/4L back when I first decided to get back into photography. It cost around $5300 3-4 years ago, but I could not bring myself to spend that much. Today, the latest iteration of this lens costs $10,499, and while it's a tiny bit better than its predecessor, I'd snap up a new copy of the "old" one at the old price in a jiffy. This is only over a 3-4 year period. *sigh*

I hope this has been helpful, Giccin. Enjoy your photography.
I wasn't sure if you were directing it towards me. Lol

Of course I have glass. I spent most of my money on glass. Haha. 50mm 1.4, 24-70L, 85L, and I've been saving for the 16-35L II but always end up using it for other things. I've wanted a 10-22 for the longest time but figured it wouldn't work with a FF so I opted for the 16-35.

As for body. I'm using the T1i to make myself learn to use most of the functions before I pick up an FF. As for camera body I've borrowed the 6D for a few hours and was a back up photographer for a friend's engagement shoot.

I've looked at both 6D vs the 5DMKIII and of long time debate... I've come to enjoy the fact that the 6D's wifi ability is quite my favorite but the feel of the 5DMKIII just suits better for some odd reasons. Although there are a few things I dislike about it.

I think the other thing that's hitting my budget currently is deciding on lighting... I've been borrowing lighting from time to time and I feel like I need to look for some alternative ways to save money.

I guess I'll just have to wait a bit longer once I land a better job. Working as a personal assistant for my boss right now and its kinda on 'n off. Get paid per day on assigned days.

But that's another story.

I do appreciate your advice and I do wholesomely agree that glass is the key.
And filters. Oh gosh the filters... nothing scares me more than scratches that may affect my image quality...
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