Upgrading from Rebel XTi

[metric_photography]

Hi-- I am looking to upgrade from my Rebel XTi. I don't care about video (7D) but I do want larger images/ more pixels. I would also like to still be able to use as much as my old gear as I can -- especially the lenses!! I currently use CF cards and have two batteries for the XTi.

I am looking at the 7D, 50D or T1i.... Any suggestions?

[Stung]

7D. Make a very large upgrade if you're going to upgrade. Defintely not the T1i.

[OsmosisStudios]

The 7D does do stills to, you know. And it's very good at it. It just also happens to do video. It's a great suggestion.

[inkista]

What's your budget? I wouldn't go for a 7D unless you can afford it, and do a lot of fast action photography. A D60 or T2i might be all you need.

Get the 7D because you need to capture fast action for shooting sports or wildlife, and the more sophisticated AF system is something you actually need.

Unless you're a pro, upgrading just for the sake of upgrading is a losing proposition. Nothing depreciates as much or as quickly in SLR gear as a digital camera body. And the willingness of others on a board to spend your money is huge. Figure out what's the best fit for you personally. What is it about the XTi that seriously bugs you?

CF cards means 50D or 7D... but that higher resolution you want? That just made all your cards a lot smaller, and probably means you'll be rebuying cards any way. SDs and CFs (and batteries) are cheap in comparison with camera bodies. I don't think this should be a consideration. And since all of these bodies are crop, you can still use all your EF-S lenses. It's only if you go up to a 5D that you'll run into lens issues.

[karen_s]

First, I'm not much of a tech person so I just offer this because of my similar experience of upgrading from an XTi (to a 50d in my case) ...

The main reason I upgraded was ergonomics. For starters, the XTi was small in my hands and uncomfortable. And, with the big heavy 70-200 2.8 attached to it's tiny little body, well, it just felt rather awkward and unbalanced. (I use my 70-200 a lot.) Anyway, once I got the 50d I noticed a few other things beyond ergonomics. The images seemed to have a broader dynamic range with fewer blown highlights than the XTI and I really liked that. The 50d images also appeared to carry a bit more detail. And once I started shooting action, the better focusing system was invaluable. (Nice lenses help too.) I love to shoot sports and dogs in action so that was a big plus for me. While I would love the full frame 5d at some point (I also enjoy shooting landscapes and architecture), I am quite happy with my 50d. I have even considered getting a second as a spare.

I will note that I spent most my money on lenses before I upgraded to the 50d. Good glass can make a big big difference and the investment will be with you a lot longer than a new body.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by karen_s

The main reason I upgraded was ergonomics. For starters, the XTi was small in my hands and uncomfortable. And, with the big heavy 70-200 2.8 attached to it's tiny little body, well, it just felt rather awkward and unbalanced. (I use my 70-200 a lot.)

Whereas I had the opposite reaction. I upgraded because I found a great deal and my XT had died. I loved the UI of the 50D, but absolutely loathed its weight and bulk. My XT had fit my hands quite comfortably, and I never had a problem with it feeling unbalanced, even putting my EF 400mm f/5.6L USM on it. "Feel in your hands" is a very individual thing.

... The images seemed to have a broader dynamic range with fewer blown highlights than the XTI and I really liked that. The 50d images also appeared to carry a bit more detail.

I, too, really enjoyed the higher resolution of the 50D, but I had the opposite impression about the dynamic range of the sensor from my XT--I felt a bit more cramped and had to watch my highlights more carefully with the 50D than with the XT, and of course, the character of the iso noise had changed quite a bit. It also annoys me that iso 100 and iso 200 don't look any different to my eyes, whereas on the XT there was a clear distinction. However, the high end of the iso range is much better on the 50D.

And once I started shooting action, the better focusing system was invaluable.

Yup. I do birds in flight. The XT's AF system was not ideal for high-speed action, as it was the old 7-pt grid that got inherited by the 1000D.

[lsegovia]

Hi,

I just went through the same process but in my case all the way from an XT. I was absolutely convinced that I needed a 7D because I was going to use everything etc. I was lucky enough to find a friend who lent me one for a couple of weeks and realized it is a totally different animal, in fact it was kind of scary as it has so many options and the size and weight were something also unexpected. After a cooling-off period I went into a store that had the 7D and also the 50D and had just gotten the 60D. The people there were quite nice and allowed me to play with the three cameras for a couple of hours. Coming from the Rebel line, I immediately felt more comfortable with the logic of the 60D. It felt more intuitive although the saleswoman had to help me out more than once. And then there was the price, the 7D was 400US more than the 60D.
I ended ordering one from B&H and have been playing with it for a couple of weeks.
The image quality is amazing, 18 MP after living for 6 years with 8MP is unbelievable. The low light sensitivity is again such a treat and its autofocus is VERY fast. I haven't used the burst rate as I tend to make more posed pictures (portraits, cityscapes, street photography). One feature I've enjoyed very much (to my surprise) is live-view with its grid modes and level system, my tripod has been brought out of early retirement.

So in a nutshell, try to handle them yourself, see how they feel, and have a glance at their "friendliness" - if the camera is too complicated you won't use many of its features.

Saludos

Lorenzo