2nd Body with 60D

[ROCKMORE]

another 60D.

.

That is the best option for the moment, but maybe the new 5D will actually come out at some point. That's what I said when I bought the 550D, and again a year when I traded up to the 60D and that was another year ago. Lucky for me one 60D has been getting the job done with no problems.

 

[M. Gilden]

I sold my perfect cond. 550D cheap to upgrade to the 60D a year ago so even though it was a good camera I don't think I will go there. The ISO range is a big deal because I find myself at 1000 or 1250 often and wouldn't want to live with 800 or 1600 ISO.
What I actually want is the next 5D and keep my 60D as the backup. May be another long winter for that.
BTW I use after market batts for my 60 and they perform the same as the original.

I'm going to argue against the T3i and say get another 60D.

I've DP'd two projects where the 60D/7D was our A-Camera and we used a T3i/T2i as our B-cam. In both cases, the T3i/T2i proved frustrating because of the lack of intermediate ISOs and the ability to dial in a Kelvin value. I would set up the scene at 320 ISO (better noise performance) on my 60D with a 4500 K value (for a slightly warmer look), and then would be unable to match it on the T3i because those settings were out of its reach. It got very frustrating very fast.

Oh, you guys are talking about a stock T2i/T3i.
I was recommending one with Magic Lantern, since it offers more ISO and kelvin options than even the stock 60D does.

In fact, I recommend it for the 60D as well. It offers too many useful tools to ignore these days, and is surprisingly stable. Wouldn't use a Canon without it.

 

[Samuel H]

+1

but even then, having two absolutely identical cameras is a plus

Re: new models:
I've lost hope that we'll see a 5D2 in the first half of 2012: I'm betting september announcement, with availability by year end
The only new camera I think we'll get before that is a T4i / 650D; I don't think they'd introduce a new sensor with a low-end camera, and I don't think they'll release anything with digic 4 anymore, so it should be current 18mpix sensor plus digic5, which probably (but not for sure) means same basic image as we have now, but without aliasing/moire, and with reduced noise (at least 1 stop higher usable ISO); also, encoded in 4:2:0 H.264 at half the bitrate but with the same quality (edit: and in time probably magic lantern could add the nice 422 mode of the 1Dx)
if such a camera is released in 2012Q1, it would be huge: instant upgrade for every DSLR canon shooter except maybe people with a 5D2... who in any case would do well keeping their 5D2 and adding this one as a smaller-sensor-but-less-troubles option

 

[sewolla]

I would get a 2nd 60D, if that is the case. it gets to be a pain having to manage batteries, chargers etc for too many different cams. Keep it simple.

 

[ROCKMORE]

I would get a 2nd 60D, if that is the case. it gets to be a pain having to manage batteries, chargers etc for too many different cams. Keep it simple.

The 60D really is the best value right now for a lot of reasons and when you factor in the batteries only a few bucks more than the 600D. But I don't really want to invest in a second aps-c camera if I can help it because it will only be a spare tire in the trunk.
I really want a 5D as my primary camera and with the dropping price may be worth it even if the mkII. At least the batteries are the same.

 

[Guest]

The 60D really is the best value right now for a lot of reasons and when you factor in the batteries only a few bucks more than the 600D. But I don't really want to invest in a second aps-c camera if I can help it because it will only be a spare tire in the trunk.
I really want a 5D as my primary camera and with the dropping price may be worth it even if the mkII. At least the batteries are the same.

The 5DmkII has a better image than the Canon APS-C cameras. And the resale value will stay high amongst still photographers. Is a good buy if you can spare the change.