Buffylou Loc: Georgia

I've had my Canon SX50 for about six months (I upgraded from the SX40) and am considering purchasing my 1st DSLR. I love the SX40, but because of the slow focus, I miss too many shots. I probably will keep it as my "purse" camera, but I would like a better one to use on occasions I know I'll be taking lots of pictures.

I'm drawn to the Canon 70D, because of the features & reviews I've read. If I were to only be able to have two lenses, which would be the preferred two? And if I could afford a third, which should it be?

I shoot wildlife, flowers, indoor events (parties, restaurants, etc.), my kittens (their antics are HARD to catch!) and I love to travel, so lots of scenery.

I'd like to stay no more than $1,600 or so.

Any advice would be greatly welcome, and thanks, in advance! :-)

amehta Loc: Boston

The Canon 70D is a great camera.

The choice of lenses depends a lot on what you like to shoot and what your budget is. And how much you would mind changing lenses.

amehta Loc: Boston

I don't want to be the one to start the Canon/Nikon discussion, but in this case, I will. Since you are starting from scratch, the Nikon D7100 is worth considering. The snapsort Canon 70D vs Nikon D7100 comparison has some important numbers, especially the overall image quality, where the D7100 wins 83 to 68. They are basically the same price.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Buffy, welcome to the Hog.
The 70 is a great camera, it should serve you well.
If I could have only two lenses, I would get the EFs 15-85 and the 50 1.8, or for more money the 1.4. That would be a very versatile combo, assuming your not trying to shoot birds. For birds, get the 70-200 f4 non-IS, with the 1.4x TC. Its a little short, but no one lens will do everything, so there will always be compromises.
Good luck and again welcome. ;-)
SS

LPigott Loc: Monterey Peninsula, CA

Great choice of camera system.

For lenses I would think you would want ...

1) 18-135 mm for most shots
2) 12-24 mm for close-up and landscapes
3) 70-200 mm for telephoto (plus extender for greater reach)

With these you have everything covered. You'll be able to fit them all in a backpack and go anywhere.

tramsey Loc: Texas

Either one of those cameras would serve you fine. It's the glass that makes the difference. That lens that LPigott recommended, the 18-135 for most shots. would be a good place to start. Don't be afraid of refurbished, FROM A REPUTABLE DEALER like B&H or Adorama or Camera Cottage. But glass is where you want to put your money. The camera depreciates but the glass doesn't.
I have a Nikon Coolpix P510 and thinking of doing the same as you; but what to get?? What a quandary.

Welcome to the forum Just sit back and enjoy yourself. :thumbup: :thumbup: :-D

amehta Loc: Boston

With DSLRs, I think it makes sense to split the money between camera and lens a little more evenly than was the case with film cameras, for the simple reason that the DSLR is both the camera and all the film you will ever shoot with it. For a new kit, starting close to 50/50 makes sense, and then adding more lenses over time as the need/goals develop.

dljen Loc: Central PA

Welcome Buffy. I'm interested in the same camera(s).

photon56 Loc: North America

that's a good upgrade. The 70D is great camera. Get it and have fun.

masonmike Loc: Vancouver, Washington

I own the 70D and it is a great camera. But I was already heavily invested in Canon lenses when I upgraded from my Rebel t2i. The Rebel t5i would be a great way to start. You can get a whole kit for less then the 70D body alone. This will do everything you need & save your money for better lenses. But if you are starting new with DSLRs there are many chooses. Good luck.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Can't go wrong with either camera - in that link, the D7100 scored 85, and the 70D scored 84- declared a tie.

Better to look at the lenses and the systems - and try and figure out which system will give you what you need within your budget.

amehta Loc: Boston

I would not look at the final score snapsort gives, it is unreliable when based on incorrect numbers. The shutter lag times they give are often wrong, including for the D7100 here. Snapsort is convenient as a collector of information, and it has some DxOMark scores which are useful, like the IQ and ISO numbers. The D7100 is better on both of those.

The lenses and systems from Canon and Nikon are almost identical for most of us, so I'm not sure that's going to differentiate things for someone moving from a bridge camera to a DSLR.

Dianakkb Loc: Norwalk, Ohio

I agree with Amehta about Snapsort. The numbers they give are unreliable but they do have some good information. I compared a couple of cameras I was looking at and when I read the information one came out way ahead but the other was awarded a higher number. I have a Canon DSLR and a Fuji bridge camera and I believe most name brand cameras are quite good. Just depends on what you want.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Yes, best to look at the brands as a system.
Assuming one plans to be a beginner for the rest of their lives, then yes, for most, the kit lenses will do just fine, and they are pretty much all the same.
I dont think IQ, CA, DR, blah, blah, blah, will ever be visible in a photo, unless you spend all your time on a Mac monitor at 100%. In the real world, things shake out much differently.
In the real world, Canon sells 30% more DSLR's, for reason, and that's a fact, not conjecture.
For one, Canons lens selection will leave everybody else drooling.
The 70 has the most sophisticated video mode ever seen in a DSLR, of any brand. And the built in WiFi, is the wave of the future. On other cameras you have to pay for a separate bulky box that plugs into the side of the camera, good luck with that.
Some beginners turn into top notch amathuers, and some turn into pros. Yes, buy for 5 years down the road, not for tomorrow. In five years Canon will be selling 50% of the DSLR's in the world. You think the Tamron 150-600 is a pain today? Go ahead, shoot yourself in the foot, get the 7100. :lol:
The 70 is a very fine camera, unless you shoot in a lab. ;-)
SS

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

I used to have 35mm manual focus SLRs and a decent set of lenses that got stolen, and lived with a Canon A710 for quite a while before getting back into the SLR game with a T3i. I'm fine for now with the T3i, but will upgrade sometime, so starting with your choice of the 70D is a great place to be. The T5i would also serve you pretty well. I decided to stick with Canon for many reasons, but especially for the consistency of user interface etc. over several decades.

For lenses I started with the kit EF-S 18-55 and quickly added the Ef-S 55- 250mm. However I decided to upgrade those after about a year, to the EF-S 18-135 IS which others have recommended. It is very versatile. I also upgraded the longer zoom to the EF 70 - 300 IS zoom which is very well reviewed.

Something to think about is considering used lenses to keep the cost down. For example you could get the EOS 70D plus 18 - 135 IS lens new for about $1450 on Amazon currently. Then you would get a good feel for what lens direction you might want next. The EF 70 -300 is about $650 new, but I got an excellent one for $275 on ebay with a little patience.

I also like super wide angle stuff and bought the EF-S 10-22mm zoom, which I paid full price for, but they also show up on ebay for around $500.

So long answer, but the 70D and those two or three lenses would cover most anything for a while.

Good luck.