Why upgrade cameras?

Thoie

I frequently see people mention upgrading cameras, or giving advice to newcomers such as "that will do you for a year or two, and by then you'll want to upgrade to something else".

From a personal perspective, I can't envision upgrading my D40 any time soon. Some of that is cash related, of course, but even if I had the extra cash, I'm not sure why I'd be upgrading. I don't think a better camera is going to make me a better photographer. I still have a lot to learn about composition, lighting, etc, etc. I can see myself buying new shiny lenses when I get a bit more cash, but not a body.

I can understand why the professionals want/need to upgrade - you need to keep up with the competition. Why do so many of the hobbyists yearn for bigger, better, longer, faster though? Will a new body improve your photos x-fold? Do you have specific requirements (say, shooting 99 pics a second) that your current body can't physically do?

I'm not getting at anyone - just genuinely curious as to why people upgrade.

DeVore

I was thinking the exact same thing yesterday.... It came to mind when I was switching between my kit lens and my beloved nifty fifty. I have a 400D and I love it, but the difference the lens makes is huge so I think I would upgrade my lenses before the body and I'm not at all sure why I would upgrade the body anyway. As you say, its not that I have requirements that it isnt filling...

DeV.

PixelTrawler

You tend to upgrade for the features you want, not for the heck of it

I changed from a 400D to a 40D as I wanted something with at least some weather sealing, bigger screen, generally more sturdy and comfy in the hand, better noise handling at higher iso and more fine grained increments of iso and a larger viewfinder (the 400Ds one is tiny)

Still have the 400D but i never use it now, I couldnt go back to it so it was definitely a worthwhile upgrade. Mind you I wouldnt see 40D to 50D as worthwhile but the 400D is going soon to help fund a 5D mkII - again it has so many features I want, its a worthwhile upgrade

nilhg

I upgraded from an Olympus E500 to an E510 because the new body had some features I wanted, in body IS and liveview, while they might not be of much use to other folks they were useful for me.

The fact that my brother wanted to buy my old camera ment that it didn't cost me too much to make the change.

Phototoxin

The only reason I would upgrade for is that my D40 has no motor drive screw for AF-D lenses.

Creamy Goodness

you could apply this to anything really.

why do people upgrade their pc's/mac's?
why do people upgrade their cars?
why do people...

sometimes it's more money than sense but more often than not the person sees actual benefit from the upgrade and if you're a professional, whatever can make your job that little bit more easier then it's worth it.

smelltheglove

I recently changed cameras from a Minolta 5d to a Nikon d200. I felt I had no choice but to change, I was after a d300 but didn't have the cash. Wish I did as it has better ISO.

The reasons I changed are, I use my camera in low light and need high speed, I shoot boxing, live gigs, weddings and just getting into portraits. My old camera worked perfect as a hobbie, but it was in no way capable for the power I need for my work. It didn't shoot enough fps for boxing, it's ISO wasn't good enough quality for me to stretch the light any further than the camera and lens would allow me.

If I did not have the added pressure of boxing and gigs the old one would have been fine but when getting into professional photography I do believe you need as good as you can get.

As for being a better photographer, I would not say this new camera has made me a better photographer, I would be more nclined to say that the restrictions of my old camera made me better. It was harder for me to get the shot I needed so I had to work harder. The first time I uploaded pics from my new camera I wanted to give myself a big pat on the back I was so amazed at how little pp was needed!

Can you imagine a pro who has been using a 5d for years having to go out and do low light jobs with a 40d and getting good results? Obviously the quality would be lower so equipment does come into the game somewhere along the line also.

DeVore

Ironically I just dropped my 400D and it wont turn on.... I'll start another thread about what to do about that but maybe this will be an upgrade moment

DeV.

DeVore

IT LIVES!!!!!

Either the bitter cold of this hotel room or the battery dying completely (though it was giving me a "charge me" screen before, not just nothing) must have caused the problem.

Anyway, to get back on topic... I upgrade my laptop/pc to play the latest games which need that power, to run windows faster (because they and intel have a cosy cartel of constant upgrade cycles) and for greater capacity.
None of those have direct correlations to camera (you can upgrade capacity by buying a bigger SD card for example).

I could make a case for upgrading for *certain* people (pros etc) but I certainly could not justify the expense. I mean, its a fair chunk of change we are looking at here and I would rather save that or spend it on a nice macro lens . That will do a lot more for my photography then a new body.

DeV.

kensutz

smelltheglove wrote: »

Can you imagine a pro who has been using a 5d for years having to go out and do low light jobs with a 40d and getting good results?

Have you used a 40D in low light? I certainly have and it did what I needed it to do.

Fajitas!

Well, my first SLR was a Canon 1000fn, I upgraded to a 300D because of the ease of digital - I felt film was beginning to get limiting and time consuming - And expensive - I was 17!

Two years after, and I was after doing a hell of a lot of gigs, portraits, and so on. The ISO on the 300D at the higher end was a bit noisy - Not the worst mind. Prints were good up to A3, and I could have tried bigger on it tbh. It didn't have the best metering, I liked my wide angles, wanted spot metering, and the better build quality (Anyone that knows me, knows I need a solid... SOLID camera...)

The 5D seemed like the best choice at the time - It meant I had to sell 2 EF-s lenses, but I didn't mind. Was a fantastic upgrade, made me so so much more confident with my photography, which in turn, improved my photography no end. Then I started making more money from it, and still am. I'm upgrading because my 5D is getting a bit old, I'm beginning to need two bodies more often, the lure of video (Or, the lure of not having to use an XM2 and DV tape :rolleyes: ), the better ISO performance and I guess, the better quality of 21mp is something I'd like. I do enjoy printing BIG, as anyone at my exhibition just before the summer saw. I really ran the limits of a 12.3Mp camera at that.

I was going to go for the 1Ds Mk III, but I can get the 5D Mk II (much) cheaper, it has all the functions I want, apart from that level of weather sealing and build quality, but I can and have been dealing with that.

I don't care what people say - Having a better camera can make you a better photographer - I think it just makes you much much more confident in your gear, taking some of the stress off of 'will I get the image I want'.

Thoie

I was about to point and laugh, but you fixed it. Aw. Now who will I mock?

But yeah, as DeV says, I upgrade computers because software requirements change, and if I need/want to use a particular piece of software, I'll need a computer that's capable of running it.

I haven't changed my car in 11 years (eek!) because it's still fit for purpose. If I was going to take up a job that required me to be behind the wheel for 8 hours a day, I'd probably upgrade it to something with better back support, more leg room, better mpg. I'm currently coveting the Nissan Note, but I'm not going to buy one cos I don't need it.

I originally mentioned professionals as being exceptions - this is their work tool (see smelltheglove's info on specialising in low lighting conditions).

My original question was more surprise that there seems to be an automatic assumption that everyone will upgrade in a couple of years.

Thoie

((Oh, and when I post on here in a year's time asking for upgrade recommendations, feel free to point and laugh and send me back to this thread.))

Fajitas!

Well, while I earn money out of it, I'd still consider photography to be my pasttime too, along with my study...

Oh, and there's probably a 'male/macho, keeping up with the gear' side to it all too.

GhostInTheRuins

Well I've just upgraded from a D60 to a D90, I definitely didn't need to because the d60 is a great little camera, but there were loads of stuff that the D90 had that made it worth while. Brilliant high ISO performance, bracketing functions, a decent amount of focus points, auto focus' non AF-S lenses etc etc. It wasn't a necessary upgrade but it was one I felt was worth it.

Maybe I would have been better off getting some better glass or whatever but right now I didn't think so.

DeVore

I'd say a lot of people do it for the megapixel-penis enlargment if they were being honest. Fajitas is an exception because his work/passion is straining the limits of his equipment. If that were the case with me, I'd upgrade too, particularly if I could make some scratch from it

But (and this is my opinion) I think far far too many people upgrade to the best without being able to push even the basic DSLR's to their limits.

I'm constantly asked how many megapixels my camera has and when I say 6 MP I get a very "oh... ok" sort of response. Considering that most of the time my pictures never go further then the web.... the MP count is somewhat irrelevant! My phone has a 5mp cam in it but its a million miles from my beloved 400d with nifty-fifty. (I have gone completely bokeh crazy by the way!)

DeV.

Thoie

DeVore wrote: »

I'd say a lot of people do it for the megapixel-penis enlargment if they were being honest.

Thanks, I spent the last hour struggling not to reply with "I already have an enormous penis - I keep it in the wardrobe" for fear of being evicted bodily from boards, and now you have to make all my good work go to waste. BTW - my camera has 6.1 million...

I'm now going to go vacuum the wardrobe with my 30,000 watt vacuum cleaner.

Borderfox

At the moment and for the future I don't need anything with huge mega pixels, I have a 5d and 1dmk3 and with both of these cameras have large pixels and coupled with the L glass I have it is more than capable of meeting my stringent demands. I cant envision upgrading at all for the distant future and at the moment I am working on the smaller skills I need to operate more efficiently.

As to consumers, its nice to get something new every now and again but for a lot of people a big hunk of L glass (or Nikon equivalent) would make a far wiser investment than a new body

DeVore

Anyone who has a canon and has not yet bought a nifty-fifty... should probably have their heads examined. It has its limits but bang for buck, wow... hard to shoot a bad picture with it (though muggins here has done it.... what i need is one of those stick-the-head-back-on lens, can you get them online yet? )


DeV.

Thoie

I hate you. I really really want one of these, but there are a few things I need, and I should really ask for those for Christmas. I'm tempted to say feck it all and just ask for the lens instead though

Fajitas!

My newest camera... purchased today

http://flickr.com/photos/fajitasgtr/3053800002/


:pac:

Borderfox

Thoie wrote: »

I hate you. I really really want one of these, but there are a few things I need, and I should really ask for those for Christmas. I'm tempted to say feck it all and just ask for the lens instead though

To be honest this would be a good investment

smelltheglove

kensutz wrote: »

Have you used a 40D in low light? I certainly have and it did what I needed it to do.

Thats npt exactly my point, my point is it is a lot harder to get what you want from it. I have used a camera below that level and goten what I wanted from it but the point is it is a lot harder to get what I want from that standard compared to a higher standard camera with more fps greater ISO power etc etc.

I think you may have taken it up as an insult whoch ot certainly was not, just a comparison between the ease of capturing shots. i.e. the sweat flying in the air shot with my old camera was near impossible but I reckon this one will impress me when I put it to the test in a few weeks at my next boxing match.

kensutz

No, no. Not an insult at all. The 40D has a higher fps compared to the 5D. It's low light capability is decent enough and I've used it in the RSC in Waterford which is absolutely diabolical. Now if you meant the 400D I might have agreed with you.

Thoie

Borderfox wrote: »

To be honest this would be a good investment

So would getting an electrician so that I could have actual lights in my bathroom Showering by candle light is lovely the first few times, but it gets old very quickly when you're trying to get makeup on in the morning!

unreggd

I upgraded from a 350D to the 40D for the better range of features [iso, fps]

I find Liveview handy too for overhead shots at small concert venues

Its true though abt the lenses

Damn I need some L love :P

Buzz Lightyear

Thoie wrote: »

So would getting an electrician so that I could have actual lights in my bathroom Showering by candle light is lovely the first few times, but it gets old very quickly when you're trying to get makeup on in the morning!

If you had a 1.4 in the low light levels you could take a few shots as you went along with the makeup to make sure was ok

If it's only a bathroom light thats gone wonky, I know an electrician who'll barter for a cuppa on his way home

Thoie

Buzz Lightyear wrote: »

If you had a 1.4 in the low light levels you could take a few shots as you went along with the makeup to make sure was ok

If it's only a bathroom light thats gone wonky, I know an electrician who'll barter for a cuppa on his way home

That'd be fab - I'll PM you. I'd even cook him dinner if required!

smelltheglove

I get you Ken tbh I dont know the ins and outs of Canon I'm just kinda using an example as to hy upgrade, I thought the 5d had more fps asnd higher ISO performance, but I'm wrong so I take it back.

City-Exile

I upgrade because I'm a gear/gadget freak.
I have my Nokia N95 for 15 months and I'm starting to have dreams about different scenarios, where it gets destroyed and I have to replace it.

On a little tangent, but I'd buy the Blackberry Storm, if it had Wi Fi, but since it doesn't, I have a massive dilema!

The same goes for cameras. I bought a 300D and then the 350D came out, I bided my time and then pounced on the 400D as soon as it came out. Then I was tempted by the 40D and bought it before it was available in Ireland.

I'm looking at the 1D Mk III, but need to buy with caution.
V.A.T. is set to drop to 15% over here, which should improve the value.
Just hope that the Euro holds its value against Sterling.

Anyway, you're either a gear freak, or you're not!

delly

I've found that as I got more into photography, I found out more reasons to buy extra stuff. For instance before I bought my 1000D all I wanted was a decent Canon dSLR and I believed that would be me happy, but oh no no, then I found out about the nifty fifty. This isn't good tbh, because as I get approval from the wife to buy a new toy, she always asks me if I'm totally happy with what I want and that it will stave off any urge to buy something better. Trying to explain why I need a second 'better' lense for a Crimbo present will be hard enough, but then i'll have to explain why I also need a couple of UV filters to boot........

ThOnda

Why to upgrade? For the first - you need to upgrade to get such technical quality of images you require and/or features of the camera that is important, maybe even essential for your photography (crop, fps, metering).
Or in some cases - get rid of the film :-)

sunny2004

I upgrade because this is in fact the very early days for digital photography.
Bit like box brownies ! Its got a really long way to go...

I will stop upgrading once every camera has a full size sensor, built in HDR button and we realise Video does not belong on DSLR

Anouilh

Sometimes buying a new filter can bring as much excitement as investing in expensive gear.

Gunns and Conns in Dublin have given great advice over the years and buying a +4 dipopter was one of the best investments ever.

I am now so attached to my Pentax MZ50 it would have to be surgically removed.