Need help deciding whether to buy a new camera body or a good lens??

[jks_photo]

hi.


I nee help deciding whether to buy a new camera body or buy a good lens and just keep my "old body"???


I currently use a Canon Xti with a 24-70 f2.8 L lens. I am an enthusiast though I only shoot photos occasionally. I am quite satisfied with my pictures right now.


I am currently thinking of upgrading my camera body to a 5d mkii. But taking into account that I just take photos occasionally would it not be "overkill" for me to upgrade to such a camera body?? This is my only choice coz I've decided a while ago that when I do decide to upgrade, it will be to a full frame body.


My alternative if I don't get the new body is to get me the 70-200 f2.8L IS lens.


What do you guys think?? considering that I am an enthuisiast who only shoots occasionally, do I go for the 5d mkii or do i just keep my XTi and get the 70-200 lens???

[Fast Glass]

Get a 70-200mm and you will never look back. The general rule is to upgrade your glass before your camera body, since you don't have many lenses (heck, you only have one) it would improve your pictures more to have a more complete focal length range.

[Daniel Browning]

do I go for the 5d mkii or do i just keep my XTi and get the 70-200 lens???

Personally, I'd go with the 70-200.

[jks_photo]

will the 70-200 also help me get better when i shoot at high ISO setting such as ISO 800??


As iv'e mentioned I use an XTi and am not that comfortable taking pictures at ISO 800 since they ten to get grainy. Maximum ISO i use is 400 and am satisfied with my results, but it feels limiting at times.

[jks_photo]

sorry.


that's "will it help me get better PICTURES when i shoot at high ISO setting such as ISO 800??"

[JJphoto]

sorry.


that's "will it help me get better PICTURES when i shoot at high ISO setting such as ISO 800??"
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what about still use your XTi, ISO 200, but with some faster prime lens, to begin with, I recommend 85mm 1.8. or 50mm 1.4(people in this forum posted very nice pictures with $100 50mm 1.8), these lenses are great for low light , sharper than zoom lenses and can produce nice bokeh which your 24-70 can't. the IQ of XTi+ISO200+50mm1.4 should not be a lot worse than IQ of 5DII+ISO800+24-70mm at 50mm/f2.8 if not better.

[JJphoto]

sorry.


that's "will it help me get better PICTURES when i shoot at high ISO setting such as ISO 800??"
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what about still use your XTi, ISO 200, but with some faster prime lens, to begin with, I recommend 85mm 1.8. or 50mm 1.4(people in this forum posted very nice pictures with $100 50mm 1.8), these lenses are great for low light , sharper than zoom lenses and can produce nice bokeh which your 24-70 can't. the IQ of XTi+ISO200+50mm1.4 should not be a lot worse than IQ of 5DII+ISO800+24-70mm at 50mm/f2.8 if not better.

[Daniel Browning]

will the 70-200 also help me get better pictures when i shoot at high ISO setting such as ISO 800??

No. The only exception is if you compare a 200mm shot vs. a 70mm shot that was cropped to match 200mm. That is the only time it will look better.


If you want better pictures at ISO 800, you need a faster lens (which means thinner depth of field and more difficult to focus) or a camera with improved technology. The Canon 7D is a big improvement.


I suggest you consider the 7D and the 85mm f/1.8. That combination will do just as good as the 5D2 and 70-200 f/2.8, and far better than the XTi.

[Jon Ruyle]

will the 70-200 also help me get better when i shoot at high ISO setting such as ISO 800??

No lens can do this. A lens can work well in low light not by making the camera do better at high ISO, but instead by allowing you to use lower ISO's (or the same ISO in lower light). It does this by either 1) working hand-held at a low shutter speed, either due to a short focal length or IS (though, of course, low shutter speeds require non-moving subjects) or 2) having a small f/ number (allowing you to use a given shutter speed and iso in lower light conditions). IS allows the 70-200 f/2.8 IS will work in a bit lower light (on non-moving subjects) than the lens you have now, despite its longer focal length.


If you really want better performance at a given iso, you need a different camera. The 5DII will have much better performance at iso800 than the rebel, but will also have thinner dof at the same f/ number (which you might or not might not want). As Daniel pointed out, the 7D will do better than the rebel at a given ISO and have the same dof as the rebel.


I like full frame, but I would get the 70-200 before the body (and before prime lenses, as others have suggested). But that is me. It depends on what you want to shoot. For most of us, a new lens will open more doors than a new body. Plus bodies, like computers, improve quickly (and thus go down in value)- much more so than lenses.

[Sinh Nhut Nguyen]

3 years ago the 70-200 f/2.8L IS was $1700, the 5D was about $3000, now the 70-200 f/2.8L IS is $1949, the 5D is discontinued and sold for about $1500 used. Get the glass!