• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Help (1 Viewer)

D

Ddack

Well-known member
Im looking at buying my first slr digital camera,have spoke to people who swear that the 40d is the best camera around,but i see the 50 and 60d get good reviews,i will be using it for bird photography.Im hoping some of u lot can shed some light and your experiences to help me.
By the way i wont be able to afford a 7d.
Thanks in advance
Dave
 
I've had the 40D and the 50D. I found the 50D can be more noisy and didn't think it was much of an upgrade on the 40D (I bought it in haste because my 40D developed a shutter problem and I found I just couldn't live without a camera in Spring!). The 60D, i think, has fewer frames per second and that can be quite important in bird photography especially for shooting birds in flight.
The 7D is, IMO, in a different league altogether, which might explain the price!
Rosie
 
40D would be secondhand and more than likely so would the 50D unless you can find a retailer with any left
Neither of the above have video, so not sure if that's important to you, they have 10mp and 15mp respectively

60D is the latest in line, 18mp and video along with polycarbonate body instead of the magnesium which the other two share

50D is unique having the micro adjust facility to fine tune lens focus, 40D has fastest fps and some say less noise especially below ISO400

Can't make a comparison because I have stuck with my 40D's, but didn't see that much of an upgrade in the 50D to make me spend out on. Was hoping the 60D would have fewer mp and much improved high ISO capability, sadly not so sticking for now with what I have got

Think if I was starting out afresh with no ties to any manufacturer the Nikon D7000 would definitely be worth looking at, seems to have pretty much everything I want.
Just too costly to swap over already having a few decent Canon lenses, CF cards, spare batteries etc etc
 
Huntso said:
40D would be secondhand and more than likely so would the 50D unless you can find a retailer with any left
...
50D is unique having the micro adjust facility to fine tune lens focus, 40D has fastest fps and some say less noise especially below ISO400

...
Click to expand...

I already had a 30D from some years ago, and bought a used 50D last summer and have been impressed with it (but then I've never used a 40D). I chose it for its AF Micro Adjust facility, and getting a used EF-s 17-55 F2.8 IS which requires +7 / +8 for optimum focus, my choice has been justified. I've managed some quite good bird photos using both my EF 400 f5.6L and the long end of my EF 70-200 F4L IS. The LiveView works OK on a tripod.
 
Ddack said:
Im looking at buying my first slr digital camera,have spoke to people who swear that the 40d is the best camera around,but i see the 50 and 60d get good reviews,i will be using it for bird photography.Im hoping some of u lot can shed some light and your experiences to help me.
By the way i wont be able to afford a 7d.
Thanks in advance
Dave
Click to expand...

You won't be disappointed with a good second hand 40D, check the for sale forum, there was one for sale there for about 375.
Of course depending on budget as to what lens.
Quite a lot of bird photographers go for the Canon 100-400, which is a good all rounder, but you'd be looking at the thick end of £1000.
Or there's sigma, Tamron etc who all do a descent lens with equivalent zoom range for a lot less money.
Maybe try talking to a few of the locals, or If you go for the 40d, or whatever camera, ask to try there lens, I'm sure they'll be helpful.
 
Last edited:
Here's the 3 cameras side by side the frames per second 5.3 60d, 6.3 50d, 40d 6.5 not much difference, more importantly the screen resolution 60d 1040,000 50d 920,000 40d 230,000, this makes a hell of a difference out in the field checking the image you have just taken. I would go for the 60d newer camera better resale value when you decide to get your 7d :t:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp

Seen the 60d as cheap as £619 in the UK ebay, also try kelso on here imports from USA

PS has a articulating display screen very handy for macro on the floor or moving the screen out of sunlight.
 
Last edited:
Ddack said:
Im looking at buying my first slr digital camera,have spoke to people who swear that the 40d is the best camera around,but i see the 50 and 60d get good reviews,i will be using it for bird photography.Im hoping some of u lot can shed some light and your experiences to help me.
By the way i wont be able to afford a 7d.
Thanks in advance
Dave
Click to expand...

Dave, don't worry too much about the camera to begin with, unless you have money to burn, in which case get a new 7D.

Instead, spend as little as possible (used) on any of the bodies mentioned so far, they're all good, and instead get the best lens you can. I have both 40D and 50D bodies, both bought second hand for half the original price. In 3-4 years time they'll both be almost obsolete and worthless (exaggerating) but the lens you'll still be using in 10 years or more, assuming you find you like it. If not you'll still get back 60-70% of the cost of a decent new lens, and more if you buy used in good condition. If you find you're still enjoying photography in a year or so then upgrade to a better body if you find it lacking.

In almost all cases it won't be the camera that's lacking, but the user. It's just a fact that any of the cameras mentioned can out-perform the skills of most people that buy them! at least for the first year or so.
 
Last edited:
I am with Steve on this one, The Camera is not to important put your money in the Lens. A used Canon 40D and and a used Canon 400mm 5.6 will give you a very good starting outfit.
 
SteveClifton said:
Dave, don't worry too much about the camera to begin with, unless you have money to burn, in which case get a new 7D.

Instead, spend as little as possible (used) on any of the bodies mentioned so far, they're all good, and instead get the best lens you can. I have both 40D and 50D bodies, both bought second hand for half the original price. In 3-4 years time they'll both be almost obsolete and worthless (exaggerating) but the lens you'll still be using in 10 years or more, assuming you find you like it. If not you'll still get back 60-70% of the cost of a decent new lens, and more if you buy used in good condition. If you find you're still enjoying photography in a year or so then upgrade to a better body if you find it lacking.

In almost all cases it won't be the camera that's lacking, but the user. It's just a fact that any of the cameras mentioned can out-perform the skills of most people that buy them! at least for the first year or so.
Click to expand...

Spot on Steve, I fully agree.
 
I agree with you too Steve about the lens, at least now he has all the information he needs on cameras as well,
 
Dave,

assuming you revisit this thread at some point, I've got a mint 30D which will start you off very nicely, and we could meet up for you to have a look at it/try if you like.

The 30D is still a damn' good camera...
 
Warning! This thread is more than 13 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.

Similar threads

C
AX Visio: is it really as bad as some reviewers claim??
2 3 4
Replies
68
Views
7K
Canip
C
A
ED x non-ED - color saturation.
Replies
8
Views
525
Antonello66
A
A
Help needed with RX10-iv workflow
Replies
11
Views
1K
andrewsheerin
A
S
Hello from Singapore, Binocular help
2
Replies
22
Views
1K
Chris Pringle
C
J
Scope advice
Replies
3
Views
897
Jermyns
J

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top