Hi all! I’m back with round two of my new blog series, Photog Q&A! My first post was all about lenses…the ones I have used, currently use, plan to use in the future, and the ones I recommend to both beginner and experienced photographers. So if you missed that post, make sure you check it out. 🙂

This post will be all about cameras! Just as I mentioned in my lens post, some photographers believe it’s a great lens that produces great images and some photographers believe it’s a great camera. I believe it’s both, PLUS the photographer! So while I think the lenses are super important, I also think the camera bodies are just as important.

So first up on my list of cameras is the one I currently use the most…

My “work horse” – The Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II

This camera is big…both in size and in price. When it came out on the market, I believe it retailed for almost $8000! Nope, that’s not a typo and yes, PHOTOGRAPHY IS AN INVESTMENT! When this camera dies and I need to replace it with something of equal awesomeness, I’m going to be so nervous, so hesitant, so cautious…so everything! It will be a HUGE investment, but probably the right step for my business because of the quality of images this camera produces. If you put one image from this camera and another image from my back-up camera side-by-side, I can immediately tell which is from the “work horse”. Even though this camera isn’t capable of producing 20+ megapixel images like its younger siblings (it’s close with 16.7), it’s still an amazing piece of equipment. It does have a full-frame censor (no field-of-view crop), which is a definite plus, but the max ISO is only 1600, which isn’t ideal. So yes, this camera does have some set-backs because of it’s size, age and cost, but I am VERY THANKFUL I have it because JFP wouldn’t be where it is today without this camera. I highly recommend any of Canon’s Ds series cameras (and the newest 1D X) to very serious, professional photographers. They’ll probably change your life. 🙂 According to Amazon, this can now be purchased used for under $2000.

But since the 1Ds Mark II is no longer made, let’s consider its cousin…

My next camera – The Canon EOS 5D Mark III (for those looking to upgrade from a 60D or 7D, for example)

I have never used this camera, so I don’t know a lot about it…BUT I’ve heard it’s amazing! Actually, I’ve heard the focal point and ISO capabilities alone are worth the investment. This camera body sells for $3500, so before I make this purchase, there will be some nervousness, hesitation and caution, just like if I were to replace my Mark II 1Ds. However, with my current arsenol of L lenses, I don’t think I need to stress about making that move anytime super soon. Maybe I’ll rent this camera body first? Maybe I’ll pack up an old lens and my back-up camera, sell them and THEN buy this one? Not really sure, but I know it’s somewhere in the future…unless Canon comes out with a younger sibling, which I’m sure they will since there seems to be a trend of me buying and then Canon introducing something new. UGH! So I apologize for the lack of substantial experimental information to share about the 5D Mark III, but I do know that if you’re sitting with a 20D, 50D, 5D, 7D or 1D and are looking to upgrade, this is the camera to consider!

My Back-Up Camera – The Canon EOS 5D

I bought this camera right before my first official solo wedding in the fall of 2009. It was $2500 then and can be sold refurbished for about $1500 nowadays. Within about a month or so of purchasing this camera, Canon released the 5D Mark II (they would!), so I was a little upset that I no longer had the best DSLR before the “work horse” Ds series. But I had to bite the bullet and just be happy that I had a good back-up camera. 3.5 years later and this camera still works just fine. I only use this camera during wedding ceremonies and receptions, and even now I’m trying to use it less. I like that it’s fairly lightweight and the digital menu is easy to understand and navigate. The LCD screen is also nice and large, which makes for easy file-review. But with the recent reviews of its younger sibling, the 5D Mark III, I realize the one major set-back is the minimum ISO of 1600. As a natural light shooter who is in a lot of low-light situations during weddings, I would LOVE to bump that ISO up just a bit more! There’s only so far I can go with my aperture and shutter speed, so a little bit more wiggle room with the ISO would be awesome. It’s also a little lacking in megapixel capabilities because of its age, but overall, a good camera to have. This camera is no longer made, but the 5D Mark II is one to consider if you’d like to step up your game a bit and aren’t ready to spend $3500 on the Mark III. The Mark II currently retails for $1799.

So long story short, I would recommend any of the Mark and Ds and D X cameras to serious professionals…or those photographers that are serious about investing in their business or hobby and taking it to the next step. But if you haven’t started your photography journey yet and are considering buying a camera soon, I would recommend…

The Canon EOS Rebel…and the 60D, 7D or 6D (for those looking to buy their first camera or step up from the Rebel)

I never personally owned one of these, but I know quite a few people that do. The Rebels (there are many available, but the most recent model is the T4i) are great starter cameras because they’re affordable and come with some of the features that high-end DSLRs have. The least expensive Rebel kit (with a lens) is $549 , which is a steal when you consider the price tags I was sharing above. However, that price will only get your images so far. If photography is just a hobby for you where you want to take good pictures of your kids, then a Rebel is great. But if you’re going to call yourself a professional and have a serious business, I really encourage you to consider something a little more upgraded, like the 60Da, 7D or 6D (if you can’t afford the Mark III). They’re obviously more expensive, but the image quality should be better and camera capabilities are much greater.

So to prevent this post from being too equipment- or technical-heavy, I’ll stop there. And remember, you can always rent these camera bodies before purchasing, so visit Lensrentals.com and Borrowlenses.com to see if they have one available. There’s obviously many options when it comes to cameras, but consider the next step you need to make in your business or hobby. If you don’t need to make a giant leap and don’t have a ton of money, there’s definitely an upgrade for you. Just keep in mind that whether photography will be your career or a hobby, it’s an investment.

And just to share one last resource, here’s a link to the list of Canon’s current camera body line-up. If you’re a Nikon user, I apologize this post is all about Canon, but I know you can find some equivalents here.