What is wrong aith Canon xxxD cameras?

Goody13

Goody13

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I'm no expert. I have dabbled with SLRs using them mainly for photos of my hobby since the early 1980s (railways). I now have a young daughter and, unsurprisingly, most of my photos now seem to revolve around her, although I do still take railway photographs and use my camera on holiday. I am also a fan of night photography.

One of my best investments last year was in a 430EX flash, which has enabled me to get photos of my daughter of a quality that I wouldn't have otherwise been able to with the built-in flash on my 450D.

Since getting my first DSLR, the 450D, in late 2008, I have upgraded the kit lens to a Sigma 17-70 2.8-4, I have a Canon 10-22, 70-300IS and nifty 50.

I saw some photos from a colleague of the Olympics taken on his 600D and I thought the high ISO handling was so much better than my 450D, which I suppose is only natural with improvements in technology.

Anyway, back to the thread title; I have been considering an upgrade to a 650D with better fps and high ISO handling. It seems, however, that people consider the xxxD series as beginner territory. I like to think know my way around a camera, but do not feel I have outgrown the 450D, save for the fact that better high ISO handling would be useful, and maybe higher fps shooting for when I go to air shows.

I am therefore curious as to why the xxD series is considered a step up and moving into semi-professional territory, as I am wondering what advantages there would be for me to get a 60D over a 650D.

Do I need it? I suppose I don't know if I don't know what I am missing!
 
If you shoot raw, the biggest upgrade is the physical controls and larger body to enable you to change things more easily. If JPEG, there may well be some in-camera processing that is available in the 60D vs 650D although I haven't compared the detailed specs to know that.
 
If your happy with the body size, handling and controls of the xxxd range then the 650d is arguably a better camera than the 60d.

All the talk of pro and semi pro bodies is nonsense, get the cheapest option that meets your needs and don't let others up sell you.
 
Goody13 said:
....I am therefore curious as to why the xxD series is considered a step up and moving into semi-professional territory, as I am wondering what advantages there would be for me to get a 60D over a 650D....
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There are the obvious factors in upgrading to a xxD body - better build, better weather sealing, more intuitive controls, bigger viewfinder in some cases.... and it's the same going from something like a 60D up to a 1D - there are large jumps in tech and design, not to mention and sensor improvements etc...

Then there's the whole thing of upgrading as sign you're improving, which is nuts!
 
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You have to understand that this is inherent in the market.
Manufacturers need to build a camera to sell as cheaply as possible in order to pull in what is mostly first time buyers. Some people would argue that they could sell just one model of camera for just above this price. But manufacturers need to define markets to make money, at the bottom of the range Nikon and Canon have a slightly different strategy.

Nikon keep the build quality - so the cheaper models feel more like the more expensive ones - but they're not so feature rich - ie no focus motor in the body.

Canon maintain the featureset and save money on the build which makes them less easy to work with. The next up models are more customisable and have faster processors, the 650d has a single image processor, the 5dIII has 2 processors for the image and a further processor to handle the auto focus.

So the 60d is quicker and easier to use for someone that wants to set up a camera for their own use, the 650d is slower to use but has a similar sensor with less processing power, the question is whether it's worth it for you? There's nothing wrong with the 650d but the 60d is better, the 7d, 5d and 1d's are better still.
 
Thanks for the replies so far. I see Alex2001 has more or less confirmed what I was thinking, although there are other interesting viewpoints as well.

I thought the 450D was pretty customisable anyway, back-button focussing being one of the more important options for me.

Going back to the sensor point made by Phil V, and I may be being a bit thick here, but how does a sensor have more or less processing power? Doesn't it just relay the image to a processor, and wouldn't a more modern processor on, say, a 650D be better than one on a higher spec camera from two or three years ago anyway?
 
Higher fps rate,brighter viewfinder,more direct control buttons,additional cross focus points,build quality,extra custom settings to name but a few

Depends if you want the additional features and nothing wrong whatsoever with the xxxD range, much more compact and lighter too
 
Goody13 said:
...how does a sensor have more or less processing power?.... wouldn't a more modern processor be better than one on a higher spec camera from two or three years ago....?
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It could be that the newer camera (say a 650D) actually has the sensor from an older camera like a 5D2, such is the way high-end tech is dripped down through the ranges as it become more economically viable to do so.
 
specialman said:
How small must Kai Wong be? The 650D looks massive in his hands!
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never noticed to be honest but he is quite an amusing character
did you know that he is actually a big Nikon fan not Canon
what we actually want is a camera with the advantages of the 60d and the 650d but then if they made one of those they wouldn't make as much money nor would they sell any 60d's or 650d's
all manufactures maximise their profits and manipulate us and tempt us with their very complex model ranges
their models are developed to fit in specific price ranges for us poor people
 
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Goody13 said:
Going back to the sensor point made by Phil V, and I may be being a bit thick here, but how does a sensor have more or less processing power? Doesn't it just relay the image to a processor, and wouldn't a more modern processor on, say, a 650D be better than one on a higher spec camera from two or three years ago anyway?
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Sorry, it doesn't read how I wrote it - they have similar or the same sensor but the 60d has more processing power.

And on your 2nd point; Maybe, but back to my post - Canon will maintain an advantage in their higher spec cameras - but measuring a 650d against a 1d Mk1 - the 650d has more MP but the old 1d will do 8FPS, the processor on the 650d is probably more capable but it's processing more MP so cant run at anywhere near the speed in real terms.

It seems you're trying to justify sticking with an xxxD body, don't beat yourself up and just buy what you like. :thumbs:

But try to avoid entering into a debate to justify it, because it's a personal choice and many of us would choose differently. If the 650d is enough camera for you then just go buy one. I couldn't do without the rear wheel or improved AF and I'd rather have a 40d than a 650d every time - no matter how much the specifications say the newer camera is 'better'. At the end of the day I like a camera I can make work quickly for me - a great 12mp shot is worth more than a missed 18mp shot.
 
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Fair point. I suppose it's also what you get used to. At the end of the day, its the image quality I look for above all else. I don't mind paying extra for quality (I may go for a 70-200L f4 as my next lens), but just don't see the point of paying for features I may not need, hence the reason for the original question.

It is true; you could go round in circles for days driving yourself mad with such things!
 
You can take the question further and say what is wrong with an 1100D.

It really does depend on what you use a camera for and what features and functionality you need. I tend to use Aperture priority a lot (same wheel to operate as higher end cameras) and make ISO and exp comp adjustment. ISO is on button so immediate and exp comp is on button right under the thumb and just hold down and turn wheel.

Before the 1100D I had a 20D with an LCD and buttons in a different layout but it was no harder oer easier to use and no slower or quicker. For how I use a camera it makes absolutely no difference.

However, if you need more FPS, higher shutter speed and so on then the 1100D would not do it. How it is built/what materials it is made from make no difference to me. If it ever breaks due to 'weaker' materials I will just buy another.
 
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