6D or 5D

[Manuka]

Hi everyone, I have finally decided to upgrade to full frame and looking for some advice. I own a Nikon D300 and a Canon 600D. I have loved my Nikon for many years and would be happy to stick to the brand but, being honest, some features are a lot better on canon cameras (i.e. the fully articulated screen). I have been looking around a bit at different models and now my choice is between the 6D (new) and the 5D mark III (second hand) or mark IV (second hand).

Have you guys have any experience with any of the 3? Which one should I go for? Pro and cons? Should I completely change my mind and stick with Nikon and get a D750?

I'm quite lost and confused.

Thanks in advance for any suggestion!

Luca

[nfotis]

The original 6D doesn't have an articulated camera (I own it), maybe you mean the Mk2 version?

If I am not mistaken, the 5D series doesn't offer articulated screen, in the name of ruggedness.

What lenses do you have? Or are you planning to use these with scopes?

Personally, I own a 6D (first generation) and a 80D. Never found a reason to own a 5D Mk3 or Mk4 (too pricey), these are quite specialized and you pay extra for ruggedness and fast AF etc. Judging from my 80D, the 6D Mk2 (which seems to share the same autofocus module) should be a very capable camera.

N.F.

 

[Skipper Billy]

I went through the same process a while ago and ended up buying an R6 - I have never regretted it. 

[Shimrod]

10 hours ago, Manuka said:

Hi everyone, I have finally decided to upgrade to full frame and looking for some advice. I own a Nikon D300 and a Canon 600D. I have loved my Nikon for many years and would be happy to stick to the brand but, being honest, some features are a lot better on canon cameras (i.e. the fully articulated screen). I have been looking around a bit at different models and now my choice is between the 6D (new) and the 5D mark III (second hand) or mark IV (second hand).

Have you guys have any experience with any of the 3? Which one should I go for? Pro and cons? Should I completely change my mind and stick with Nikon and get a D750?

I'm quite lost and confused.

Thanks in advance for any suggestion!

Luca

If you are buying into a completely new camera system, then if Canon is the choice I would be looking into the 'R' series - as @Skipper Billy has done. Canon are not making any new EOS DSLR and have phased out most of the lenses from production to concentrate on the 'R' series. I expect there will  be an active second hand market for many years in EOS cameras but the 'R' series will have a longer life. The downside is that an R6 would probably cost twice the cameras you have mentioned. There  are some new models due later this year if you can wait - a new entry level camera and (hopefully) a 'R' equivalent of the 7dmk2, 

It's worth noting that the 5D cameras are nearly twice the weight of the 600D if you are planning on using the camera with a lightweight setup.

[nfotis]

2 hours ago, Shimrod said:

If you are buying into a completely new camera system, then if Canon is the choice I would be looking into the 'R' series - as @Skipper Billy has done. Canon are not making any new EOS DSLR and have phased out most of the lenses from production to concentrate on the 'R' series. I expect there will  be an active second hand market for many years in EOS cameras but the 'R' series will have a longer life. The downside is that an R6 would probably cost twice the cameras you have mentioned. There  are some new models due later this year if you can wait - a new entry level camera and (hopefully) a 'R' equivalent of the 7dmk2, 

It's worth noting that the 5D cameras are nearly twice the weight of the 600D if you are planning on using the camera with a lightweight setup.

 

Note that also the lenses for the R mount aren't cheap, compared to their EF brethren.

Also, there's no APS-C version of the R series, these are all full frame bodies and sensors. If you want a mirrorless Canon APS-C, there's the M series (and the related mount). So, I wouldn't expect an APS-C R mount body at the near future.

Because I own a collection of EF lenses since film days, I am practically married to SLR bodies, and I don't expect to start building a new arsenal from scratch.

N.F.

 

Edited April 25, 2022 by nfotis

[Manuka]

Thanks everyone for the tips. I looks like the choice is moving towards the 6d mark II. As much as I would like to get a mirrorless, they are still way out of my budget. As per lenses I've got a Canon 135mm f/2 L USM which I use for wide angle deep sky and a Canon 17-40 f/4 L USM for landscape. I also have a Nikon 24mm f/2.8 and a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 that I can use with an adapter. In the future I would like to get a 300mm f/4 (or an equivalent scope like a redcat 51) and a Samyang 14mm f/2.8

[ollypenrice]

8 hours ago, Manuka said:

Thanks everyone for the tips. I looks like the choice is moving towards the 6d mark II. As much as I would like to get a mirrorless, they are still way out of my budget. As per lenses I've got a Canon 135mm f/2 L USM which I use for wide angle deep sky and a Canon 17-40 f/4 L USM for landscape. I also have a Nikon 24mm f/2.8 and a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 that I can use with an adapter. In the future I would like to get a 300mm f/4 (or an equivalent scope like a redcat 51) and a Samyang 14mm f/2.8

Be sure to check that any optics you buy can cover full frame chips. Those which can are still in a small minority.

For most AP users the larger pixels will be an advantage because it is very easy to over-sample.

Olly

[Alien 13]

Might be worth looking out for a used Canon EOS-R, my Son got hold of one for a decent price. The camera is basically a mirrorless version of the 5D4 with some additional features such as a greater number of focus points and focus tools if using lenses like the Samyang. My Son uses an adapter for his Sigma ART lenses, the Samyang 135 f/2 and the old EOS L lens he has as well as the nice shiny R lens he recently bought.

The only downside he mentioned was a bit of screen lag on fast moving objects and battery life..

Alan

[nfotis]

9 hours ago, ollypenrice said:

Be sure to check that any optics you buy can cover full frame chips. Those which can are still in a small minority.

For most AP users the larger pixels will be an advantage because it is very easy to over-sample.

Olly

 

Very few Canon lenses aren't suitable for full frame sensors, because the majority of these date from film days (which is 'full frame' by definition).

Only the (very few) EF-S lenses aren't suitable for a full frame camera.

N.F.

 

[nfotis]

17 hours ago, Manuka said:

Thanks everyone for the tips. I looks like the choice is moving towards the 6d mark II. As much as I would like to get a mirrorless, they are still way out of my budget. As per lenses I've got a Canon 135mm f/2 L USM which I use for wide angle deep sky and a Canon 17-40 f/4 L USM for landscape. I also have a Nikon 24mm f/2.8 and a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 that I can use with an adapter. In the future I would like to get a 300mm f/4 (or an equivalent scope like a redcat 51) and a Samyang 14mm f/2.8

 

If you can, try to get a 400mm/5.6L lens (the old one), it's a very nice and light supertelephoto lens (ideal also for bird and air shows). Very sharp, even wide open.

I was happy with that lens, today I am using a zoom 100-400L II (bought used), thanks to its flexibility and image stabilization.

N.F.

 

[ollypenrice]

19 hours ago, nfotis said:

 

Very few Canon lenses aren't suitable for full frame sensors, because the majority of these date from film days (which is 'full frame' by definition).

Only the (very few) EF-S lenses aren't suitable for a full frame camera.

N.F.

 

A quick glance at a third party website showed a list of 15 currently available Canon brand EF-s lenses so I'd call that more than a very few. However, I was really thinking about the OP's interest in using telescope optics as well, at some point. Telescopes capable of covering 35mm are much more the exceptioon than the rule. And then there are the ones, like the Takahashi Baby Q, which purport to do so but don't.

Olly

[nfotis]

Nothing has been mentioned about telescopes with these Canon bodies, so I didn't enter this into consideration.

At any rate, the EF-S lenses are mostly a second class citizen in the EF ecosystem (I don't own any of these)

N.F.