Rip eos 40d + Camera Advice Request

[coincollectingenterprises]

Like the title says, my camera body just bit the dust. A sad thing given it's traveled to many very interesting places and has brought me some really amazing shots of some beautiful landscapes.

This puts me in the market for a new body and thought some feelers being put out to LCR may be a good idea. Looking for specifically a Canon brand, preferably an upgrade from the 40d. Really contemplating going for a full sensor rather than crop and any input from the skilled photographers here would be much appreciated.

Possibly looking for a 6d but very open to other suggestions.

My shots are almost exclusively a blend of wide landscape or up close plant life. Very rarely of people.

Thanks in advance!

-Dan

PS: Also in the market for a $100 or less Canon lens for an EF-S mount to go to a local mission that is on a serious budget. Obviously basic lens but if anyone happens to have one sitting around collecting dust they'd like to go to a good cause and make a little bit of cash, feel welcome to let me know and will make it happen.

[ray_parkhurst]

I have not heard if the 6D has functional EFSC. I understand that the 60D does not, and since the 6D is billed as a "FF 60D" it might best to avoid it if you are at all interested in macro unless you can verify that it indeed has EFSC. I assume your move to FF would be to improve your landscape images, correct? Do your existing lenses support FF or would you need to invest in all new lenses? Wide landscapes are the best reason to go FF, but if you don't already have a FF superwide lens then I don't see why you would want to go that way. If you are OK sticking with APS-C (to use existing lenses, to keep costs down, etc) then I'd just suggest a T4i, or even better a T3i unless you have specific use for the new features of the T4i. Same sensor on T2i/T3i/T4i just more features (like articulating screens that break off easily) on the later models. Get body only and use your existing lenses...Ray

[coincollectingenterprises]

Thanks for the advice! I do have lenses that would support FF as I've been anticipating an upgrade sooner or later. Just came sooner than expected. The idea is definitely to improve landscape, but sounds like my only move to get FF and also EFSC is the 5d and just shell out the dollars?

Is there really not much difference between full and crop then?

[ray_parkhurst]

Thanks for the advice! I do have lenses that would support FF as I've been anticipating an upgrade sooner or later. Just came sooner than expected. The idea is definitely to improve landscape, but sounds like my only move to get FF and also EFSC is the 5d and just shell out the dollars?

Is there really not much difference between full and crop then?

I don't know one way or the other if EFSC works on the 6D, I am just giving you a word of caution and a topic for some caveat emptor / due diligence research before spending the $$. The question may best be asked over on photomacrography.net equipment forum, but other forums that specialize in macro photography may be able to help. Someone out there probably bought a 6D for photomacrography and knows enough to determine if EFSC is functional on it.

One further item to check is if the 6D has separate motors for flash vs mirror functions. All the Nikon and Canon APS-C cameras share a single motor drive. For the 5D and other FF cameras, the mirror is not required to cycle on every shot. Thus if you are in Live View mode on a 5D, only the shutter cycles. This keeps vibration down and probably makes the camera last longer.

APS-C vs FF comes down to a choice of features, and if you are trying to get more dynamic range in your shots. Generally the FF sensors have larger pixels, so gather more light and are thus better for low light shooting. Plus they are about 40% physically bigger, so capture a bigger panorama, which is good for landscapes, as long as your optics are up to the task.

For coins (which I assume it will be used for, given the forum where you asked the question...) you will need a supermacro system to capture full frame shots of all US coins. APS-C sensors are generally 15x23mm, while FF sensors are generally 24x36mm. A US cent is 19mm in diameter. Thus for the APS-C sensor, you can fill the frame around 0.8:1 magnification. Most modern macro lenses will do up to 1:1, so you are covered. But with a FF camera, and standard macro lens, you will only be able to fill 80% of the frame with a Cent. You need a magnification almost 1.3:1 to fill the frame with a Cent, so will need optics that can go beyond 1:1...