Hi John,
Glad you have the Rebel XT. That alone is an excellent camera and I'm sure more than a few professionals have one as a backup at least. The XTi is already a major technological advance. If not for the more expensive cameras above it, we'd think that a miracle, especially with f2.8 and better lenses.
In fact
if you have not already acquired fast lenses, the combinations of the Rebel XTi with the 35 1.4L, the 50 1.4 or the 70-200 L IS are awesome as the central focus point is active and accurate (need at least f 2.8).
Factors to consider include:
- task
- density and quality of pixels (large prints)
- need for fast focus and many frames in the buffer (sports action scenes, boxing, hockey, animal hunts etc)
- need for protecting the highlights and shadows to the max (Weddings, serious street photography, fashion)
- telephoto tracking ability (sports, birds and wildlife)
- detail rich wide field of view scenes (landscapes, architecture, very large group pro portraits)
These are only
relative limitations to the skilled photographer. The 1D and for sure the 1DII or 1DIIN are perfect money-makers for sports and wild life photography. Stiching can solve the field of view issue or else the use of special lenses such as shift or other 3rd party (Olympus, Nikon, Zeiss or Leica) lenses.
Tracking is the most difficult to make up in human skill for the help of the superb electronics of a 1DII which as Nill points out you can get for $2000-2200! That's a steal!
I have both the 5D and the 1DII.
I am waiting on the 1DIII but if I might have an evening event in August, so then perhaps I'll get one earlier than planned).
The 5D is perhaps, apart from the Pentax Spotmatic with a 50 mm Supet Takamur lens and the Leica M8 with the 28 mm Summicron, the most enjoyable camera I've used.
The 5D is so light, that adding the 15mm fisheye, the 70-200 f4L was a perfect travel combo with the 24-105 L IS and enable me to cover all sorts of subjects all over Europe last year. I must admit that the 21mm 2.8 Distagon was used for special landscapes and the 5D delivered!
For street photography with, for example a EF 50. 1.8 or 1.4 you feel you can hold the camera all day. It's one-hand holdable, effortless!
I now use it with the 50 1.2L and they make a perfect combo for portraits in doors in a shop with window light or in the evening. Spending less on the body allows one to go luxury class in the lens.
Now if you can swing both the extra $2000-$2500 to get the 1DIII then better have the lenses to go with it. Unless you can have have a long L lens, why bother?
If you are a Pro, for sure you have a collection already.
So maybe look at
- what need to do better with your own photography,
- what lenses you would need to meet your goals before deciding on the camera.
So what do you have as needs and resources?
As Nill says, hold the cameras!
Asher
