New camera time.

[DesertJK]

Hello all,

I need to replace my Fugi 5100 compact digital SLR. I think I bought it in 2005 and it has seen hard use in many countries and states. I would not be suprised if it has shot 100,000 or more photos. If they still made this model, I would recomend it to anyone. In fact, it still works, it just seems slower, and it appears to have lost resolution over time. There is also a SD card that is lodged in it with a big chunk missing. Still works though. Crap, this camera has even lived through countless employees using it in the shop, and my employees (RIP) were able to break ANYTHING.

So, this brings me to my search. I studied photograhy in college (ok, I smoke pot, played in a band, and had lots of girl friends, but was enrolled in photography classes) anyways, I loved Canon's. After college I used Canon 35mm cameras to photograph my work, and my travels, until digital.
I went through a few point and shoot digitals and pretty much lost my love for photography for a while. When I got the Fuji, I felt as if I had settle for it due to price, but it took good pictures, had manual overrides and some of the stuff I was used to from 35mm's. I like taking pictures again.

Now I want to move on to a good SLR. Still on a budget, and I still prefer Canon's over Nikon's or any of the cameras I have looked at so far.
What are some opinions on the Canon EOS 60 D, and the new Rebel T3i? Should I look at other brands? Other cameras? What about 4/3's?
I will be getting one telephoto of at least 300mm to use for motorsports and some air to air. I do not know what kind of lense I need for air to ground, it seems like a wider one assures I capture what I want, and I crop later (hard to get a picture from a small plane sometimes)
Other than that I will be taking general vacation and travel, wildlife, and home photos, I guess my biggest concern is dust and moisture resistance and not breaking if it is bumped around.

Opinions?

[Tucson T4R]

Your thread caught my attention because it's new camera time for me too.

I have been shooting for the last couple years with a Canon 50D and have really enjoyed it. Well built with a magnesium body. It's reasonably fast at about 6fps (If I remember correctly) so it's great for motorsports and wildlife captures.

The 60D bumps up the pixel count from 15 to 18 but that's not a major factor in my mind. The main advantage of the 60D is the HD Video that the 50D does not have. If Video is important to you then the 60D would win out.

As far as lenses, it hard to beat the 70-200 F2.8L IS. I also have been using the Canon 17-55 F2.8 IS and the 10-22 wide angle. Both of these have excellent image quality.

I decided to move up to the Canon 7D which arrives today. Still being a 1.6 crop sensor I can stick with my current lenses. I do plan to sell my 50D so let me know after your research if a used 50D is an attractive option for you.

Where ever you land in the current Canon digital SLR line I think you will be a happy shooter. My only recommendation is to budget way more for good glass than the body. Quality lenses will make a bigger improvement on your IQ than what body you are using and will hold their value for years to come.

I hope that helps.

[Tucson T4R]

There are some other folks on the forum like Pat Bonish that have done some aerial photography. Maybe he'll pop in with lens suggestions from his experience.

[Pathfinder]

I have not shot from aircraft, but have had a few balloon rides in New Mexico.

Most of my shots from a balloon were done between 17-24mm with a full frame DSLR - similar to the 10-22mm on a crop camera.

I will second the recommendation for the 7D - it is an excellent handling camera with fast programmable AF, and nice files at high ISO. Not as nice as a Nikon D3 or a Canon 5DMII, but very nice just the same. If video is a higher priority, some might prefer the 60D with its moveable LCD, but for still work, the 7D still is the best, I think. Most of my wildlife shots here were done with the 7D and a 100-400 IS L.

I will be ballooning again this fall, and plan to carry 2 bodies - one with a 17-40 f4 L, and the other with a 70-300 if I am lucky to see wildlife.

The m4/3 cameras from Panasonic and Olympus are quite nice. In particular the Panasonic GF-1 and the GH-2

I own the Panasonic GF-1 and am in the market for a GH-2 if they ever stop being out of stock everywhere. The GH-2 will shoot excellent video, and the m4/3 lenses are small and light. The Panasonic 100-300 f4-5.6 is the equivalent of a 200-600mm lens that you can hold easily in one hand. You will still need a tripod to hold it stlll due to its long reach, ( even with image stabilization ) but it will reach out.

The GF-1 with a 20mm f1.7 will fit in a large coat pocket and provide files that will print 13 in x 19 inches easily. This was shot with a GF-1. Make sure to check the exif data as some of the images were shot with a 7D also. As you mouse over the larger image, a drop down dialogue box opens, and you click on the italicized "i", to see the exif data.

[DesertJK]

Just when I though I had it narrowed down, I get more options.

[nwoods]

I really like this image pathfinder. Not bad for a PnS!

[ywen]

I want a GH-2 as well for its delicious video capabilities.. but I've already got a 5D2 for video... argh.. what to do!?