Biggest Bump/Bang for the Buck in x0D Body Upgrade?

[Cortian]

Hi Canon Fans,

Background: Was gifted a 20D with 17-85mm lens. Added a 100-300mm (non-IS) lens, a couple STK batteries, remote shutter release and 8GB CF card. Have always enjoyed dabbling in photography a bit. Now seeing if maybe it'll turn into a "serious" hobby.

I know I really need to play with this more, a lot more, before going out and spending more coin. I'm just kind of doing some research on where I might like to go.

So: x0D bodies. If I wanted the "biggest bump" in performance and usability over my 20D, or "biggest bang for my buck," what should I be looking at?

I had initially thought the 50D, but DP Review's assessment indicated the 40D actually took better photos in some cases. The 60D improved on the 50D, but lost some "prosumer" aspects of the prior x0D line. The 70D brought some of that back, but now we're talking Much More Serious Money.

So my guess is that if I wanted max bang for the buck, the biggest "bump" in performance and usability over my 20D, it would be a lightly-used 40D.

Agree or disagree?

 

[astroNikon]

What is your budget ?

You'll be going from an 8mp to a 10mp sensor. Still really old technology. Might make more sense to save up more money and make a quantum leap jump instead.

The 40D though does have more options. Just looking at some reviews and comparison will tell you many differences.
Canon 20D vs Canon 40D

 

[FotosbyMike]

Budget...cheap is relative to all.

But I were to replace a 20D it wouldn't be with a 40D there is no real advancements. I would be looking at a used 7D, 6D or even a 5D Mark II.

 

[Cortian]

What is your budget ?

Do not really have a budget, per se.

You'll be going from an 8mp to a 10mp sensor. Still really old technology. Might make more sense to save up more money and make a quantum leap jump instead.

*shrug* I guess. Thing is: Looking at reviews of x0D cameras: I'm not seeing a sea change through at least the 60D.

The 40D though does have more options.

More options, incl. auto ISO, detectably better image quality, much better display...

But I were to replace a 20D it wouldn't be with a 40D there is no real advancements. I would be looking at a used 7D, 6D or even a 5D Mark II.

I'll almost certainly stick with APS-C cameras. I'd lose my 17-85mm lens, otherwise.

I don't have budget, but I won't be spending thousands.

Thanks for the comments, guys.

 

[Derrel]

60D is feature-rich!!!

 

[TCampbell]

The 50D went to the 15MP sensor.

The 60D went to the 18MP sensor and introduced the articulated LCD display... BUT gave up auto-focus micro-adjustment. (I own the astrophotography version of this camera... called the 60Da).

The 70D brought that feature back and also went to a 20MP sensor (great if you want to shoot video because it can do continuous auto-focus without the "focus hunt" that you see in cameras that do contrast-detect AF). The 70D also went to the 19 point all-cross-type AF system much like the one found in the 7D Mark I.

The 80D went to a 24MP sensor, and the focus system went to a 45 point all-cross-type AF system (like a mini version of the 65 point AF system on the 7D II). They added WiFi & NFC radios. They gave it a respectable 7 fps continuous burst speed.

So each camera did get a nice bump over the predecessor.

The 70D is still new enough to be "current" (and of course the 80D is the latest ... until they announce something newer). So they're serviceable. There's a point at which the cameras get old enough that getting service could be a problem.

 

[Cortian]

Thanks for your comments, Tim.

Perhaps I stated my question poorly. I realize each succeeding model has advantages over the prior model. Let me try it this way (eBay listings claimed to be from "excellent," with low shutter counts, to LNIB):

40D: ±$200: More options, incl. auto ISO (and ISO displayed on top!), detectably better image quality, much better display, some weather-proofing. A bit bigger/heavier, tho.
50D: +-$400: Higher resolution, higher-definition display. According to DP Review, worse performance than the 40D in several aspects.
60D: +-$400: Higher resolution, addressed 50D's performance issues, swing-out display, but lost some prosumer features--incl. the joystick, AF micro-adjustment and construction.
70D: ±$500: Higher resolution, improved AF performance.

(If I missed any big comparative advantages, model-to-model, please speak up. N.B.: Don't care much about movies.)

So, short of jumping all the way to the 70D, which I think is out of the question, to me it boils down to this: Given the pluses and minuses I think are most important to me: The 50D is almost a wash with the 40D, and the 60D almost a wash with the 50D. Thus the biggest return for dollar is the 40D.

Put another way: If I had a 40D would I be considering an upgrade to anything short of a 70D? Probably not. With the 20D, would an upgrade short of the 40D make sense? Not in my estimation.

Of course: By the time I'm ready to seriously consider this upgrade, the next iteration may well be out there, depressing the price of 70Ds to within the range of my somewhat amorphous "budget" (Not to mention by which time I should know if I really do enjoy photography, or where it's current just another Hobby Of The Week.)

 

[jaomul]

40d is nice performance camera but its older 10mp sensor has been leapfrogged, the 50d is the worst dslr I've owned for image quality, 60d is slightly more prosumer but better than both in everything but build quality.

I enjoyed the 20d. Ultimately image quality is the end criteria by which a camera is judged and while the 40d is better than the 20d if image quality is what you require newer even cheaper rebel models are probably better now

 

[Cortian]

40d is nice performance camera but its older 10mp sensor has been leapfrogged, the 50d is the worst dslr I've owned for image quality, 60d is slightly more prosumer but better than both in everything but build quality.

Yeah, basically the conclusions to which I came.

With this discussion, limited though it's been, and additional research, I remain convinced there may be good cause to upgrade to the 40D--not so much beyond that, save all the way up to a 70D or 80D.

I enjoyed the 20d.

I'm enjoying mine.

Probably I should think about additional lenses (macro, landscape/portrait) before another camera body, but the 40D has some features I'd really like to have, such as auto-ISO, the much improved LCD display, the dedicated AF On button and the three custom settings memories.

Ultimately image quality is the end criteria by which a camera is judged and while the 40d is better than the 20d if image quality is what you require newer even cheaper rebel models are probably better now

That's something I'll have to consider, as well, I suppose.

Doubt that I'm going to be spending any money right away. I've spent more on non-necessities than I should, recently. I decided January would be "no discretionary spending month"

Thanks for your comments.

 

[beagle100]

40d is nice performance camera but its older 10mp sensor has been leapfrogged, the 50d is the worst dslr I've owned for image quality, 60d is slightly more prosumer but better than both in everything but build quality.

Yeah, basically the conclusions to which I came.

With this discussion, limited though it's been, and additional research, I remain convinced there may be good cause to upgrade to the 40D--not so much beyond that, save all the way up to a 70D or 80D.

I enjoyed the 20d.

I'm enjoying mine.

Probably I should think about additional lenses (macro, landscape/portrait) before another camera body, but the 40D has some features I'd really like to have, such as auto-ISO, the much improved LCD display, the dedicated AF On button and the three custom settings memories.

Ultimately image quality is the end criteria by which a camera is judged and while the 40d is better than the 20d if image quality is what you require newer even cheaper rebel models are probably better now

That's something I'll have to consider, as well, I suppose.

Doubt that I'm going to be spending any money right away. I've spent more on non-necessities than I should, recently. I decided January would be "no discretionary spending month"

Thanks for your comments.

enjoy the xOD body !
www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

 

[Cortian]

Well, cross your fingers for me. Saw a used 40D claimed to be in mint condition w/less than 10k shutter clicks from a seller with 100% feedback. Won with the starting bid of only $150.

Here's hoping it really is in mint condition, cuz I'm OCD seven ways from Sunday

In the end: There was feature-after-feature and improvement-after-improvement over the 20D I'm using. Things that, just in the short time I've been using the 20D, I've said to myself "I wish this thing had/did <this>."

 

[Cortian]

To update this thread and give it closure...

The "mint" 40D turned out to be very un-mint. Seller gave me grief about taking it back, but eventually did so and issued a full refund.

Ended-up getting a nearly flawless used 40D body from Adorama for $240, shipped, with which I was very pleased.