hijacking the thread to ask: under 200€ DSLR to get started?
Is the SLR part a requirement? Would a mirrorless camera work for you?
Six ingenious ways how Canon DSLRs used to illuminate their autofocus points
21–30 of 50 posts
Re: Six ingenious ways how Canon DSLRs used to illuminate their autofocus points
#22hijacking the thread to ask: under 200€ DSLR to get started?
You can get a Canon 5D II or a Canon 6D for that. Older cameras for sure, but full frame with excellent sensors. And there are a ton of inexpensive used EF lenses available. Compared to moderns systems the main difference is the autofocus and video capabilities. Modern mirrorless have cosmically better tracking, eye detect etc.
Since TFA is talking about focus points and you are suggesting a 5Dii, I'd have to put out a strong bit of caution as the 9 focal points of the 5Dii are a huge pain point. More modern cameras have many many more points that make shooting so much less of of a pain. With the 9 points, I routinely find myself framing the image to get focus only to have to reframe before releasing the shutter. It was a huge factor on why I switched focusing from half-press shutter to the button on the back of the body.
Re: Six ingenious ways how Canon DSLRs used to illuminate their autofocus points
#23hijacking the thread to ask: under 200€ DSLR to get started?
Get a used 6D or 70D and a 50mm f1.8 lens.
Re: Six ingenious ways how Canon DSLRs used to illuminate their autofocus points
#24Earlier quoted context omitted.
You can get a Canon 5D II or a Canon 6D for that. Older cameras for sure, but full frame with excellent sensors. And there are a ton of inexpensive used EF lenses available. Compared to moderns systems the main difference is the autofocus and video capabilities. Modern mirrorless have cosmically better tracking, eye detect etc.
Also speaking of older models I think it is important to repeat that the pixel count is not what define the quality of the image but mereley only how cropable the end result will be and it is only really useful if the higher pixel count isn't made of garbage. Accutance of the end result is in most cases much more important. For instance, human eyes can't perceive the difference between a 12MP and a 50MP image printed…
I had a 5D and have a 5D mk3.
(The mk is the version number)
Both take excellent photos, especially in low light. I reprinted some of the original 5D photos 11”x17” and even though they have fewer pixels the quality was fine.
Canons are pretty cheap on the used market because they have a new mirrorless R series cameras/lenses so the older ones value dropped a lot.
A good lens helps a lot. Someone on the thread suggested a 50mm 1.8 “plastic fantastic”. It’s a great choice. Really sharp, lets a lot of light in, feels kind of cheap. I always liked the 24-105mm f4 zoom, but it’s pricier.
Re: Six ingenious ways how Canon DSLRs used to illuminate their autofocus points
#25Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's absolutely wild to me that this function would be so important as to justify all the time and effort to create not just two, but six entirely different ways of solving it. The first one seemed perfectly adequate to me. But I guess that's why I'm not a Canon engineer.
I haven't used all of them, but I have used both the 9 point and the 45 point types, and the difference is massive. The 45 point was far, far more tactile and responsive. I don't mean speed of autofocus, but the actual way that the points sit over top of the viewfinder and light up, it's hard to explain. I'm sure part of that is software, but owning an older model and then trying out a newer one in the camera store i…
On the other hand in actual usage i don't think that they are really that different. It's useful for sports/wildlife for focusing closest moving target (and speed of AF on these cameras was not that quick so you were hunting focus anyway). Otherwise selecting some offset autofocus point is pretty niche. With more static subjects majority of photographers would use the single middle point, focus and then recompose.
It's only with advent of smart focusing of mirrorless cameras with people/faces recognition where there is a big difference.
Re: Six ingenious ways how Canon DSLRs used to illuminate their autofocus points
#26hijacking the thread to ask: under 200€ DSLR to get started?
You can get a Canon 5D II or a Canon 6D for that. Older cameras for sure, but full frame with excellent sensors. And there are a ton of inexpensive used EF lenses available. Compared to moderns systems the main difference is the autofocus and video capabilities. Modern mirrorless have cosmically better tracking, eye detect etc.
Full frame sensor = full frame lenses = heavy and expensive. You need something light that you want to carry with you. Otherwise what's the point of having the best medium format camera + lens that you have at home, collecting dust.
That means a camera APS-C or micro four thirds sensor might suit better to someone who is new to photography.
Re: Six ingenious ways how Canon DSLRs used to illuminate their autofocus points
#27hijacking the thread to ask: under 200€ DSLR to get started?
I recently finally got my first fullframe (i've always used apsc crop sensors). I would say you want fullframe - to me it's really major difference in the look of photos. I would get apsc only if you really need portability. But for 200eur even old fullframe is tough.
I've tried to get Canon 5D/6D but they are becoming pretty sought after (because of the availability of lenses). Another problem is when they are sold cheap they have huge shutter counts often way after their spec lifetime. Not sure about Nikon maybe there are some cheaps. You can probably get 6D mark I with pretty high shutter count for around 200e.
Best usable 5D mark III deals i could find were around 450eur (thats camera from 2012). I ended up getting Lumix S5 (mark 1, from 2020) for like 500eur that is very different beast of a camera while having L-mount which is becoming only "open" camera mount (third party lenses are being "disallowed" by most manufacturers now).
Re: Six ingenious ways how Canon DSLRs used to illuminate their autofocus points
#28Earlier quoted context omitted.
Also speaking of older models I think it is important to repeat that the pixel count is not what define the quality of the image but mereley only how cropable the end result will be and it is only really useful if the higher pixel count isn't made of garbage. Accutance of the end result is in most cases much more important. For instance, human eyes can't perceive the difference between a 12MP and a 50MP image printed…
I had a 5D and have a 5D mk3. (The mk is the version number) Both take excellent photos, especially in low light. I reprinted some of the original 5D photos 11”x17” and even though they have fewer pixels the quality was fine. Canons are pretty cheap on the used market because they have a new mirrorless R series cameras/lenses so the older ones value dropped a lot. A good lens helps a lot. Someone on the thread sugges…
Cannons are no longer pretty cheap. If so then they have huge mileage on them, shutter count might kill your camera soon. I think the window closed two years ago and now they are becoming very cool again.
Besides the 50mm nifty fifty. There is "middle" range of "ultrasonic" zooms that are actually pretty capable and underrated/cheap. I have few for canon film cameras and their secret huge advantage is weight, optics wise they are pretty good (i have them converted on lumix full frame). I would also mention sigma 35mm art which can be get for less than 300eur and is THE lens if you know you like 35mm (person i ended up being).
Re: Six ingenious ways how Canon DSLRs used to illuminate their autofocus points
#29Re: Six ingenious ways how Canon DSLRs used to illuminate their autofocus points
#30Earlier quoted context omitted.
Get a used 6D or 70D and a 50mm f1.8 lens.
With the 200eur budget you wont make the 6D but you might 70D maybe even most of the lens. I would pay a bit more and get 6D though.
I got a 6D from facebook marketplace for ~125 USD, but it was in the US, which has a more 'liquid' second hand electronics market in my experience.