Canon 6D + 24-105mm Lens Kit -- Will I regret it? What considerations?

PaulWog

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Hi,

Shortened version:
Is the Canon 6D + 24-105mm lens kit going to be something that someone can grow with and enjoy, and not feel the need to upgrade from (if I'm just an amateur)? My only worry is the autofocus points which have been criticized. I'm looking at getting more seriously into photography, and I want to do it in one go properly (not by getting a beginning DSLR into another one, etc). I want to make sure before I make this purchase that the Canon 6D and the 24-105mm lens kit really are a great choice to go with. I feel as though a full-frame camera is the way to go, and this seems to be a good entry-level price. The price is still steep for me though, so I'm making sure I do this all correctly. Thanks for any help & insight.

Back-story to explain how much I know:
I'm new to higher-end DSLR photography. I've only ever owned one cheap camera back seven or so years ago, although I've played around with some higher-end point-and-shoot cameras. I do have a Galaxy S4 now, and I feel as though the camera (in good lighting) is extremely good, and it has served as a fun point-and-shoot that (again, in the right lighting) seems to rival the point-and-shoots that I've played with. My girlfriend recently picked up a Nikon 1 J3 (she wanted a cross-over between a DSLR and a point-and-shoot), and I've been quite interested in the step up she has been able to take with photography. Overall, I'm simply interested in taking much better photos.

I'm experienced with photoshop (if there's a guide, I can follow it nearly without pausing the video -- I know my way around -- so I learn new things in a pinch). I used to work with photoshop as 50% of my job description for a year. However, I didn't do much real-life photo editing. I'm also quite a bit of a perfectionist, and when I get into something, I tend to want to enter into things at a higher level than most. I believe that buying something like a Rebel T3i or a Nikon D7100 might leave me a little bit sour and wanting more right off the bat.

I was comparing the Nikon 600D and the Canon 6D, and I found that the Canon 6D seems to offer a little bit more on the glass side of things... it has seemingly a better weather seal / build construction (no oil spots)... and its low-light performance is superb. I would likely have chosen a Nikon 600D if I hadn't heard about the oil-spot issues, but after hearing about that, I read more into the 6D and have liked what I've been reading.

My question and to the point:
$2400 is no small price to pay for an amateur who is looking to pick up a new hobby. To me, getting a new camera is 50% a new hobby, and 50% deciding that I want to capture moments in my life and those I care about in higher quality (something that a lot of people don't realize they care about until after the fact). I was looking at $1200 camera + lens kits as the price-point that seemed reasonable, but I realized that once I'm already breaking that $1000 barrier, I need to be absolutely content with my purchase. I feel as though the 6D offers performance that I can be content with for over half a decade without feeling the need to upgrade. The lens selection looks excellent, and starting with a 24-105mm lens seems to be a great way to go (the bundled price is excellent). I don't want something that carries with it good resale value (I don't expect good resale value in 5 years!); I want something that leaves me not wanting more 5 years down the line as an amateur photographer who never plans to go professional... lenses aside, of course.

Would you recommend the Canon 6D as a great full-frame entry-level camera that won't leave an amateur wanting more? Would you say it's a waste in any way if I end up actually using the camera quite frequently? When I make a purchase, I need to feel good about it.

There's two other questions I have:
1) The autofocus points have been something people have complained about. Should this concern me in the long-run?
2) The dynamic contrast range, compared to something like the Nikon 600D, has been criticized in some reviews. Does anyone have input on this?

My plan is to pick up this camera alongside the 24-105mm lens kit, and from there make my decision on lenses as I go very carefully.

One final thing: I haven't found any good reads on camera lenses and longevity (regarding compatibility, not motor life). I'm always told to "build your lens collection first" and "put cash into lenses first!", however I also hear that lenses are only compatible with their respective lines of cameras. So what I'm confused about is what happens when a camera lens no longer has new camera bodies being released for it? How does that work? Do camera lenses die out when their compatible camera bodies are no longer made? If I were to build up a collection of camera lenses compatible with a Canon 6D, where would I be left (option-wise) in the future?

Thanks!
 
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lens wise, you'll probably be fine with good canon/nikon lenses for a long time, ancient manual focus nikon mount lenses can still be used on modern nikon bodys, nikon or canon are the safest lenses to buy into for sure, aren't going out of business in the forseeable future
 
You will enjoy the pair, very much, I suspect.
 
Focus points: Do you take photos of tiny, extremely fast moving things all the time? If not, I would not concern myself with 11 versus 482,113 focus points. If I point my 6d in the general direction of a lone flying seagull, and have it on servo focus using all points, and a lens with USM focus on it, it will lock on in under 1 second in decent light. Maybe if you do mostly birding or coverage of American Gladiators, then sure, worry about that. Otherwise, for a general interest amateur, it's absolutely fine.

Dynamic range... Don't worry about this. 1) The 6d is already about equally as good as the human eye in dynamic range (if you disregard retinal pigment bleaching i.e. human ISO, and pupil changing). How much do you really need...? 2) If another camera has the same RAW bitrate as Canon, then it's not necessarily "better" to have more dynamic range anyway, because you're stretching the data thinner. With = bitrate, higher DR means coarser recording of lightness and color values. It's a tradeoff, not absolutely better or worse. 3) With any digital camera, you can just look at the histogram right after shooting, and easily adjust it, which effectively gives modern DSLRs another many stops of practical dynamic range, since you can adapt on the fly to put your 12 EVs right where they should be. 4) If you have adjusted based on histogram, and you still don't have enough range, change the lighting. A $200 flash is much cheaper than a $3000 more expensive camera, and can bring the shadows up by many stops alone.

So you already have the power to adjust your exposure about + or - 15 to 20 stops in either direction by adjusting settings and using lighting, and you have as much dynamic range as a static eye and more flexibility than an eye. Compared to all that, is the difference of 1 or 2 stops between cameras of internal range really very important? No, not so much. Especially when more range also comes with a tradeoff of coarser data.
 
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I have the 6D and am waiting to get the 24-105. I've used my dad's lens. You'll enjoy it. The 6D is *almost* as good as the Mark III. Very close. I love it and intend to have this camera for years. I figure, at most, I'll upgrade lenses. The body itself is plenty to grow with. :)
 
Oh, and if you are shooting a non-moving subject, you can also use HDR, which can increase your single image dynamic range by up to 10 stops (+/-5 is allowed in exposure compensation and bracketing, for 22 total). And in good lighting, you can do your entire bracketed set all handheld.

AND if that's something you like to do a lot, you could even set full HDR handheld bracketing with all necessary settings to one of your custom modes (C1 or C2) and have ti ready at a moment's notice for any shot.


If 22 stops of range (centered flexibly to fit the scene) is not enough for you, then you probably have bigger issues to worry about. Like the fact that you're probably in the process of being abducted by aliens with futuristic light technology. Or about to crash into the sun in your out of control rocket ship.
 
I am about to purchase my 6D with 'kit' lens 24-105 in just a couple of days. What I did was go to a store and played around with the 6D and 5DIII for a couple of hours. The 5DIII is an incredible camera but the 6D is also fantastic as far as image quality. I am not going to be disappointed one bit and the reason is that I am not a professional but I definitely wanted a full frame Canon. The low light performance is so good that the 24-105 f/4L isn't going to be limiting and is a good range from the wide end to the telephoto end. If you are an amatuer like myself then I can't see how you would be disappointed with the 6D but I would suggest to find a store where you can go and test the camera out for yourself.
 
I hate to say it, but unless you already have gear the d600 is the superior camera. It does have oil spot issues, bit you just clean them every now and then. While the 6d's af system nay not limit you in every shot, what about the times it does. Why buy it when there is a camera with a better af system for the same price.
 
I hate to say it, but unless you already have gear the d600 is the superior camera. It does have oil spot issues, bit you just clean them every now and then. While the 6d's af system nay not limit you in every shot, what about the times it does. Why buy it when there is a camera with a better af system for the same price.

The 6D produces MUCH better high ISO performance.... I wouldn't call it superior
 
I love my 6D with the 24-105. I looked at the 5DIII but decided the 6D was more suited for my needs. In the last few days of our vacation out in SD I've taken over 1100 pictures using this camera. There are lots of features to learn and help perfect the pictures. I'm quite satisfied with my 6D
 
The 6D produces MUCH better high ISO performance.... I wouldn't call it superior

In the other thread he said he had not used the 6D, take everything he quotes with a pinch of salt

Actually I sat in bestbuy for about a hour demoing both of them. Obviously limited scope of testing , but got to go hands on with both side by side extensively in that context.

Combined with the fact I've read or watched about twenty reviews on the cameras makes me somewhat familiar with them.

Through MY research I determined for ME the D600 is the better camera.

I will say one thing many people don't mention is how much better the ergonomics of the 6d is. It may just be my familiarity with canon systems, but I much preferred the 6d.

I doubt you'll find many people who have used both extensively to give a honest opinion outside of reviewrs.

Got to love the cross thread fact checking by gsgary, thumbs up.
 
The 6D produces MUCH better high ISO performance.... I wouldn't call it superior

In the other thread he said he had not used the 6D, take everything he quotes with a pinch of salt

Actually I sat in bestbuy for about a hour demoing both of them. Obviously limited scope of testing , but got to go hands on with both side by side extensively in that context.

Combined with the fact I've read or watched about twenty reviews on the cameras makes me somewhat familiar with them.

Through MY research I determined for ME the D600 is the better camera.

I will say one thing many people don't mention is how much better the ergonomics of the 6d is. It may just be my familiarity with canon systems, but I much preferred the 6d.

I doubt you'll find many people who have used both extensively to give a honest opinion outside of reviewrs.

Got to love the cross thread fact checking by gsgary, thumbs up.

Having played with both I think they both have their ups and downs but for you to say that the d600 is superior is crazy...I think it comes down to what type of shooting someone does and for me the 6d is great
 
So I've decided the 6D is definitely for me. The only downside I feel is there is the slower focusing at high speed shots, which baffles me at this price-point. That aside, I like the camera.

Where I'm confused now is the 24-105mm lens kit. I've read that it is subject to 4.6% (I believe?) distortion... and it suffers from this barrel distortion significantly to the point at which the 24mm setting seems rather pointless. This leaves me wondering if skipping that lens and shelling out for the 24-70mm is just better (but that's a $600 bump in price). I *really* want the 24-105mm lens option to work (and for it to work for all its intents and purposes; not end up being crippled at the 24mm setting).
 

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