replacement for 400D

[wrogers]

I have decided to replace my 400D with a new DSLR

I have looked at:
500D
40D
50D
1DMk2

which body should I go for??

the 500D is only in there because of 15Mp, not because of HD video as i think it is only mono sound??

what would you suggest for a nature/landscape and general family photographer??

Will

[AC/DC]

I think we need to know exactly what it is you are looking for in an upgrade. More resolution/cropping power? Then not the 1dmk2. Better AF/Build? 1dmk2, ignore the 500d. etc etc.

[wrogers]

I guess that would help... I forgot to write that!!!

well my 400D isnt the best for handling as I have big hands
also the build quality is not that good, but I can live with it
AF speed is slow so a better AF system would be nice
Slow FPS for some occasions when you want an action sequence
poor high ISO performance (I occasionally bump up to ISO 800-1600 for family shots of my dog etc. so I don't expect too much of a sensor)
An increase in Mp would be good for landscapes but I will settle for 8Mp if the others problems are solved

[hampers]

Depends on your budget, I'd look at 40D or 50D. I have 50D and am very happy with it for birds and landscapes. If I did more landscapes would want a 5DMkII. I have no doubt would be equally as happy with 40D if hadn't had the cash available at the time. Many debates on the forum of the relative merits of both cameras.

Phil

[wrogers]

thanks hampers

I guess the 500D is a pointless addition to the list as it is not built as well, has the same frame rate (well up by 0.4 FPS) and has very few extra useful features (spot metering and live-view for macro and manually focussing landscapes etc.)

40d is fine for me, but a 50D would future proof me for a little while..
40D would let me buy a sharper, better standard zoom, but the 50D would be the camera that needs it!!

thank god I am having a gap year to save up some money!!!

Will

[AC/DC]

Your criteria sound the same as mine - I recently went from a 400d - 40d. Why not a 1dmk2(N)? Well, firstly, I couldn't afford it really! But mainly because I'd not only lose the crop factor of 1.6X, but also 2 megapixels. Now that doesn't matter too much if you can always get nice and close to your birds, but I do often crop. Then it was just the choice between the 50d and 40d. The main difference is 5 extra mp and a better screen from the 50d - but that didn't justify the price difference for me.

How does the 40d compare to the 400d? Well, the AF is certainly much better - in terms of speed and accuracy. The extra fps (6.5 on the 40D) are really nice too, and the build quality is sooo much better - it handles really well. The high ISO performance isn't that much better - there's an improvement @ ISO 1600. Contrary to what a lot of people say, I have found the 400D very useable @ ISO 800, often without any noise reduction. See the below shot - a pretty hefty crop. I reckon of all the cameras you list, the high ISO performance will be similar across them, but the 500D will likely be the worst.

I wouldn't bother with the 500d - you won't get much more in terms of build quality, fps or AF performance. If you can afford and justify the price of the 50d, then go for it - I expect the extra mp will come in handy. The 1d will be the best in terms of build quality, AF and fps, but it's whether or not you are willing to sacrifice cropping power for that.

[wrogers]

i think the 40D, 50D and 1Dmk2 will be top of the list...

If I cant find the funds the 40D will do, but futureproofing with a 50D would be great
and a pro body would be good for the British weather and also with AF

time to visit a shop me thinks!!!

thanks for the help...

Will

[Nikon Kid]

Of cause if you need to save a bit more, I would wait for the 60d/7d it will be out by Xmas, that might tick alot of boxes, and maybe some you have not thought about.

or when it does come out buy my 50d and I will buy the 60d/7d...:-O

[eastwood]

You also have to consider what lenses you are having. If you have some EF-S lenes, they are not usable on the 1d II. You have either to keep your 400D for that, Shelf them up or trade them out if you opt for this 1.3X crop camera.

[wrogers]

Of cause if you need to save a bit more, I would wait for the 60d/7d it will be out by Xmas, that might tick alot of boxes, and maybe some you have not thought about.

or when it does come out buy my 50d and I will buy the 60d/7d...:-O

I think you are right.. also by Xmas I will have more money, so a 150-500 Os upgrade may be possible as well. then I could get a 100-400L or a 400/5.6L

Nikon Kid, you have a 50D, what did you have before? and is the 50D sharper with the 400/5.6L than the previous camera??

and finally, just wondering why your ID is Nikon Kid, when you use canon??

Eastwood:
yes your quite right that EF-S lenses don't work on the 1D, so I would need a new standard zoom, or to keep my 400D....

speaking of which my 400D said it had 2 blocks of battery (out of 3) remaining, so I went out to catch an amazing sunset, to take 1 shot that didn't even record on my memory card!!!

It has done this to me before!! but at £40 for a new canon battery makes a new camera more tempting as i could very easily be upgrading my 400D in 6 months, and chucking away a £40 battery that is only 6 months old!!

well, I think I will use my 400D until I can bear it no longer!!, or until a 60D materializes at a reasonable price (£800 Body Only:t:)

[john-henry]

It has done this to me before!! but at £40 for a new canon battery makes a new camera more tempting as i could very easily be upgrading my 400D in 6 months, and chucking away a £40 battery that is only 6 months old!!


7dayshop.com do good replacement batteries for the 400D at just a few pounds each, might tie you over for a while.

[Jaff]

Of cause if you need to save a bit more, I would wait for the 60d/7d it will be out by Xmas, that might tick alot of boxes, and maybe some you have not thought about.

or when it does come out buy my 50d and I will buy the 60d/7d...:-O

I'm sorry Terry that's just rubbish. The chances you're going to see a 60D or whatever it's gonna be called this year or remote to say the least, they only just released the 50D last August and they're still producing the 40D (the 50D was supposed to be a sister body instead of an upgrade you know, at least according to Canon. Hah!!!) so with two bodies released in such a short time frame they're not gonna rush another out this year.

The next one to get the treatment is most likely the 1d MkIII in my view. They need to come up with a D3 buster!

[AC/DC]

is the 50D sharper with the 400/5.6L than the previous camera??

It has done this to me before!! but at £40 for a new canon battery makes a new camera more tempting as i could very easily be upgrading my 400D in 6 months, and chucking away a £40 battery that is only 6 months old!!

well, I think I will use my 400D until I can bear it no longer!!, or until a 60D materializes at a reasonable price (£800 Body Only:t:)

Firstly, a new camera won't do much for 'sharpness' - the lens determines this far more.
As for batteries, definitely check out the 7dayshop replacements - dead cheap and probably just as good as the canon ones.

[tjsimonsen]

Will, I have fairly big hands too. I used the 350D for a couple of years (with a vertical grip it is actually not that bad). Last year I upgraded to the 40D for birding/wildlife with my 100-400L IS, but kept the 350D for landscape/macro work. Though I still consider the 350D a fine camera, the 40D is in a totally different league. The 350D isn't bad at all with respect to high ISO performance, but the 40D is at least a full stop better IMO. I regularly crank the ISO up to 800, and don't fear even 1600 if necessary (I would only use 800 in emergencies on the 350D - and never 1600). The 50D might be a better camera than the 40D in some respects. But if you are on a budget, the 40D won't disappoint you.

Thomas

[Nikon Kid]

I'm sorry Terry that's just rubbish. !

Only time will tell, Ive got till Xmas then 3:-)

[Roy C]

Firstly, a new camera won't do much for 'sharpness' - the lens determines this far more.

I agree with this, I used to get sharp shots with the 350D and 400/5.6.

[Jaff]

Only time will tell, Ive got till Xmas then 3:-)

Me too! 8-P :t:

[Epsomsalt]

I went from the 400D to the 50D - and I have absolutely no regrets. I find the AF much better and the performance of the 50D is far superior at higher ISO - with my 400D anything over 400 ISO was always a bit of a risk, whereas I have no qulams even up to 1600 ISO with the 50D.

Why the 50D and not the 40D? the main reason was the extra MP which does give you much more 'foregiveness' when it comes to heavy cropping - if you regularly need to crop your shots to get more of thebird in the frame, as I do, the 15mp certainly helps.

Sharpness (I used a 400MM F5.6L for all of my bird shots) was much of a muchness between the two cameras, but I do get many more 'keepers' with the 50D than I did with the 400D, mainly because of the extra cropability and the better/quicker AF

Hope this helps.

Chris

[wrogers]

sorry for the late reply...

after reading all your comments i think a 400mm 5.6L and either a 40D or a 50D would be my best bet...

I am toying with replacing my 150-500 with a 70-300 IS as well, not just to get a wider end (i currently have a gap between 55-150mm so 55-70 would be better IMO

Time to count my cash and possibly earn some more!!!

not to mention try to photograph the 2 kestrels in my local park!!

thanks again

Will