Looking at buying a dSLR camera, need some input (T2i, T3i, T4i, T5i, 60D or ??)

[Splash-X]

There are usually deals for the body + 18-55 lens combo and a 55-200 add on. Or you could try for a body + 18-200 combo.

Do you mean for the 6D? Or the T4i?

 

[Tigerman]

I was considering a cheaper camera with a kit lens to begin with as well, but after looking at the lense options, housing options, etc, I decided that getting the higher end camera (7D) was just a cost about to be insignificant in the big picture although its still a few dollars from the 60D to the 7D. I did look at the 6D but couldnt find any "I have to have that"'s much because I love macro and love filling the picture with tiny little critters, which can be harder and/or more expensive with a fullframe sensor (given you dont get the 1.6x equivalent) and I generally like to shoot macro over wideangle..
The 7D also have less shutter lag and more focus/crossfocus points for some reason as well as twice the shutter speed (the 6D has max 1/4000 while the 7D has max 1/8000) and the 7D can shoot twice as many photos per second in serial mode than the 6D.
Pros and cons with everything i guess..

And yes, admittedly there DID come a money aspect into it, mainly because I had a deadline by which I needed the setup to be complete with W/A, Macro, UW housing, lense ports and minimum 1 strobe..
Which was this trip Egypt 2013-07 - a set on Flickr
Guess its pretty clear from those shots which lense got favoured
I did infact have an issue with the WA port though as only a few days into the two-week trip it started leaking due to microfractures seemingly caused when the shade had been mounted (at the factory) - they replaced it free of charge of course, but I couldnt use it for the rest of the trip...

 

[guruboy]

Do you mean for the 6D? Or the T4i?

t4i, since your post made it seem like the 6D is out of your budget right now.

A good place to check is on the slickdeals.net forum. Do a search for Canon.

 

[Splash-X]

Figured I would update the thread. I had been doing more research on the 7D and watching the prices for a used one. In the end, I was able to snatch up a brand new T4i EF-S 18 - 55 IS II Kit along with a EF-S 55 - 250mm IS II lens, a camera bag and a few accessories for $509 from a membership warehouse similar to Costco or Sams Club. I couldn't get anywhere near that price on a NEW T4i from any online retailer so I made the jump.

The price of a used (non-refurbished) 7D was around $1,000 and I would be taking my chances so I decided I wanted a new camera. I appreciate everyone who added their insight to the thread!

 

[Tigerman]

$1000 for a used 7D would be way too much anyways unless there was some decent glass coming with it, considering they should be under ~$1500 new (quick browse get me down atleast to $1300) so Id say its a very good choice not to get the used 7D.
Now what you need to do is go shoot - a lot

 

[bvanant]

Actually this is why I disagre;
If you are looking to shoot wideangle, you will get a larger field of view with any given lens with a fullframe sensor than you will from a crop sensor camera. This also means you will fill the frame better with small critters on any given lens.

HUH? I agree with your comment about wide angle, but this is clearly not true for the macro side of the equation. The crop frame sensors are better for macro (small things appear larger with the same lens).
In any case, the OP bought his camera so this might be moot.
Bill

 

[Tigerman]

Actually this is why I disagre;
If you are looking to shoot wideangle, you will get a larger field of view with any given lens with a fullframe sensor than you will from a crop sensor camera. This also means you will fill the frame better with small critters on any given lens.

HUH? I agree with your comment about wide angle, but this is clearly not true for the macro side of the equation. The crop frame sensors are better for macro (small things appear larger with the same lens).
In any case, the OP bought his camera so this might be moot.
Bill

My point. You found it..

Admittedly I could have explained it better

 

[Splash-X]

I did consider Full Frame vs Crop Sensor but my observation was that it seems that Canon is pulling away from full frame sensors (at least in the lower end dSLR range). I pulled up the specs on each model I was looking at to verify. While this list on Wikipedia may be wrong it gives you an idea of what camera I would have needed to buy to get a full frame sensor:

Full-frame digital SLR - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



The Canon EOS 6D was the only camera in my price range to have it. The 7D has a 1.6 crop sensor, same as the other entry level Canon dSLR cameras so I decided on the T4i.

 

[Tigerman]

Its been the 5D and 1D that had full fram, the 6D is a new addition to the fullframe series. I personally love the crop sensor of the 7D due to the fact that you get "more macro" from the macro lenses with it

 

[LowVizWiz]

One thing that I'm worried about is that the T4i and T5i have touch screens and from what I read some of the core functions are performed on the touch screen (not sure if that's accurate). If that's the case, is the 60D going to be easier to operate underwater?

Now that you have a T4i you will realize that you can access all of the features from the buttons and the touch screen is just an extra "feature" that can be turned off.

As of today, aside from video features, is the T5i worth double the price of the T4i? The difference in price can buy a dedicated GoPro Hero 3 black and some accessories (or $500 towards underwater setup of the T4i).

Nope, there's no difference worth the price difference between the 4 and the 5. I also have a gopro mounted on my T4i housing.

Figured I would update the thread. I had been doing more research on the 7D and watching the prices for a used one. In the end, I was able to snatch up a brand new T4i EF-S 18 - 55 IS II Kit along with a EF-S 55 - 250mm IS II lens, a camera bag and a few accessories for $509 from a membership warehouse similar to Costco or Sams Club. I couldn't get anywhere near that price on a NEW T4i from any online retailer so I made the jump.

Great job on the T4i, I bought mine with just the kit lens for that price about a year ago. I know you mentioned you were looking at the ikelite housing, is this a price issue or are there particular reasons why you want that housing?

If you have any questions on the T4i feel free to PM me and if you're ever down here I'll let you shoot my rig MAYBE!
Here are some T4i underwater pics:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26719625@N06/sets/72157634715220390/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/26719625@N06/sets/72157634715392260/