550d may need to go - has an error problem i cant resolve - whats a decent replacement - i need body only and will spend up to about 2k. Use - both astrophotography and terrestrial.
Hi Karen,
Care to elaborate on the error? Maybe someone can offer a fix so you can keep using it?
(I have a modded 450D that I am really happy with - might even get around to cooling it.)
Good luck,
Mel
I would look at getting it repaired. Canon cameras have module boards inside and they can be replaced. Suggest you ring around to find a camera repair place, Canon may even recommend a servce centre. It would certainly cost much less to repair than buy a new one.
I know there is a camera shop on George Street in Sydney that does filter removal mods for$150 and they have to open up the camera and remove things to get to the sensor to do that, so labour costs should not be more thsn that.
I started with a 550d (unmodded) and I found the noise (especially in the Summer) to be very high. I then got a second hand centralds canon 40d which was very good but developed an issue.
I then got a centralds canon 60d - modded and cooled. It is much better than the 550d. It is about US$2k - so with postage etc. + the exchange rate it is about AU$2500. Centralds is a Korean company - good to deal with. One disadvantage, if the camera has any issues you will probably have to send it back to centralds for repairs due to the cooling mod complicating the camera.
By the way a modded camera (filter removed for astrophotography) isn't as straight forward for terrestrial photos. You will need a filter or suitable custom white balance and/or more processing.
Also the cooler unit makes it a bit bulkier and heavier for daytime photography.
If I had 2K to spend on a new camera I'd purchase a Canon 6D.
If I was buying specifically for astronomy, I'd go for one of the Central DS models (I own a CDS1100d and it's awesome)
My 550D finally died the other week and I purchased a second hand 550D to replace it, in awesome condition for $260.