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I have a Canon 400D I am quite happy with it, the maximum ISO and resolution though leave something to be desired when I use more up-to-date cameras. I recently bought a Sony nex-5 to have a portable back-up. It is portable, but not really pocketable. It has an incredible burst rate, though it lacks good lenses and I really prefer canon's raw format, because of canon's excellent raw editing software.

I have two good lenses; the Sigma 50mm 1.4 and the Canon 28mm 1.8. I can use these manually on the Sony nex with an adapter I have.

I am thinking about selling one of them and getting a Canon 550D or 600D. I know both these cameras have pretty slow burst rates. Oh well, both my 400D and Nex are very fast. So which should I sell?

  • If I sell the Sony, I'll be able to use both my lenses in auto-focus and keep a continuous Canon RAW workflow.

  • If I sell the 400D I'll have two modern High ISO cameras to work with but my Sony will have to be focused manually.

Thank you guys!

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Just from personal experience, I suggest grabbing either the 550D or 60D and selling the Sony. (If I had my preference, I'd keep the Sony too, though.) Reasons:

  • Same lenses, similar capabilities (no manual focus)
  • Use existing workflow
  • Use existing knowledge of how Canon cameras work (important, IMNSHO. It is critical that you can use your camera without having to always look for the buttons!)
  • Good backup to your new Canon.

Personally, I have two Canon bodies (450D and 500D) with some sweet glass on them, and then my Olympus E-P1 for more casual/vacation shooting. I love both systems, and both can produce fine images, but the glass available for Canon (or other dSLRs) is fantastic, and I won't part with it, especially since I already have it. ;-)

I've done enough manual focus work to know that in fast situations that it, to me anyway, would be annoying. I'd rather have AF than none at all, especially since my eyes will frequently lie to me if something is or isn't in focus (Contacts + astigmatism. Diopter adj helps, but not completely).

If you can, keep them all; but if keeping the same lenses (with the same capabilities) and the same workflow is important, then get another Canon and sell the Sony.

(Side point: Note that your adapter is going to require the use of your Canon-mount lenses wide-open. Which means your 50mm is always at 1.4, and your 28 is always at 1.8. Not the sharpest point of either lens, and likely not always what you're after in terms of DoF. Some lenses will let you stop down manually -- perhaps the Sigma does -- don't know though. Canon lenses rarely do, however, so that is also a point to think about.)

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Very true points, I am now convinced to buy a 550D or 600D. Jut for your information if you take a lens off while the camera is ON it will keep its current aperture. So I have my lenses usually upped a step before I use them on the Sony, to avoid the softness : ) \$\endgroup\$
    – Mohammad
    May 28, 2011 at 22:04

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