Upgrade my camera or upgrade my lenses

[ian.bertram]

Hi all,
I have a 40D which has done abour 40000 shots, a 75-300mm IS USM and a 17-85 efs IS USM, a 100mm macro (love this lens) and a 50mm 1.8 (cheap as chips).
Here's the question. Will I get more value from my images with a 5D or with an L series 70-200 and 24-70?

I know the answer is what do you shoot?, Do you need low light, how big do you print your pics, but I was just wondering what peoples experiences were with these lenses and camera. What's your knee jerk reaction to the question "camera or lens?"

[Wink]

Lenses.

[photohiker]

Lenses.

+1

If you have a 40D with 17-85mm and you're not looking to go wider evidenced by your desire for 24-70, then I think you will get more value from lenses than a move to FF. In the whole scheme of things, bodies are cheap, but lenses are never so.

[aim54x]

Lenses!

[Mr Darcy]

[TonyT]

Lenses

it's the lenses that make the camera not the other way round I have owned all the lens you have. I now have L glass but I started with a rebel which I upgraded to a 5D 1 which I can not justify to upgrade.

[Raskill]

Lenses.

[gstark]

I'll take a slightly different approach.

In which ways are you finding the body deficient? How would you expect that upgrading the body would make your images better?

(IOW, lenses).

[Raskill]

That being said, there is a noticeable difference in my images between the contrasty and somewhat grainey D2 body images to the images I get from the D700 bodies.... D700 seems to have better dynamic range.

But I stand by the lens comment. Glass make the difference. Although I dont use my D2 bodies anymore, the difference in my images when I put newer and better glass on them was noticeable.

And Gary, I had to google 'IOW'

[surenj]

Lenses; Unless you wanted genuine high ISO performance. In that case, wait for 5d3 to be announced and then bag a 5D2 on the cheap.

Otherwise, get the 10-22 and a 70-200. Sell the 10-22 (very easily) when and if you go full frame.

[Remorhaz]

I'll take a slightly different view.

I agree that lenses offer the biggest qualitative improvement to your actual photos and also allow shooting certain types of things that you might not otherwise be able to do and finally are the items likely to act as longer term investments.

However there are a few aspects relating to the body (not so much crop vs full frame) that could be important to you. That is if the new body makes it possible to take pictures you want to take which the previous body doesn't or if it may significantly improve your ability to take images (e.g. user usability features).

In my own case for example I upgraded from a D90 to a D7000 (which image quality wise wasn't really necessary) and whilst there were a few technical/image quality improvements (e.g. ISO, etc) it was a few user interface improvements which has most dramatically changed my ability to take photos. e.g. I shoot a lot of candid childrens pictures at school events and I frequently change between single point focus and 3d tracking and auto - on the D90 this was a trip down many levels in the menu - on the D7000 it is a physical button hold plus dial rotation. The earlier meant I missed shots I wanted to take or didn't get the exact shot I wanted. Another example are the two user settings slots on the main mode dial - I use this all the time - gold - and just makes life both easier but also more reliable for me especially when I'm pressed for time.

[ian.bertram]

Well, that's pretty conclusive. "Glass maketh the camera."

Really interesting idea Surenj about the 10-22 until I go full frame. My only worry is that the 17-85 is my worst lens. It's ok, but it may came a distant third to a 10-22 and a 70-200 both L series.

As far as functionality goes, my understanding is that the layout of the 40d is pretty close to the 5d, so other than the low light (which is tempting) there aren't many other incentives to change cameras. To be honest the 40d is almost like a second appendage by now as I know all the main settings without thinking.

Thanks for all the input. Now, how to convince the wife....

[Mr Darcy]

Now, how to convince the wife....

Just promise her you will never take a photo of her with the new glass

[TonyT]

Now, how to convince the wife....

Just promise her you will never take a photo of her with the new glass

[aim54x]

Now, how to convince the wife....

Just promise her you will never take a photo of her with the new glass