# Canon 70D



## kparker8812 (Nov 10, 2013)

Hey everyone!  Very first post here!  

I got my first dSLR in 2009.  I got a Canon Rebel XSi.  It was a great camera for the amateur that I was.  I learned how to shoot RAW and in Manual and have a good understanding of what the functions do.  However, now am at the point where I really want to try and make my photography a full time career.  I cannot do this with a Rebel.  I NEED to upgrade.  I absolutely dream of shooting with the 5DM3, but I am not financially in a position to do so.  I am wanting to get the new 70D now (well, it's for Christmas) and then rent lenses and slowly buy them as I make money.  Once I have my glass, then I will save for the 5DM3.  The 70D seems like a fantastic body for the amateur transitioning to professional, which is where I am at in my career.  Now here is my question.  All of the lenses that I want are made for full frame.  Does that mean they will not work on the crop 70D?  Or does that just mean I will not be able to get the most out of my lenses until I can upgrade to full frame?  Here are the lenses I am wanting:

&bull;50mm 1.2
&bull;85mm 1.2
&bull;35mm 1.4
&bull;70-200mm 2.8

What are your thoughts?  TIA!


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## Juga (Nov 10, 2013)

All EF and EF-S lenses will work on the 70D but the EF-S lenses will NOT work on the the full frame bodies.


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## Philligan (Nov 10, 2013)

It's not so much that you won't get the most out of them - just that they'll look and feel different. The 50mm on the 70D will feel closer to what an 85mm would feel like on a full frame. Some people like this because it gets them more reach and deeper depth of field, and other people prefer the wider field of view and more shallow depth of field. 

I have the 50mm 1.4 and a T3/1100D, and it looks great, but it's a little tight for shooting indoors (you can do it, but if you're just sitting on the couch with friends you'll be getting a lot of head shots). I'd love a full frame, because I mostly shoot people and street stuff, but a 6D is out of my budget at the moment, so I'm looking at the 70D too.

All the lenses will definitely work on the 70D, they'll just be different if/when you switch to full frame. Since you're planning on renting, though, try the ones you listed and see how you get along with them.


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## kparker8812 (Nov 10, 2013)

Philligan said:


> It's not so much that you won't get the most out of them - just that they'll look and feel different. The 50mm on the 70D will feel closer to what an 85mm would feel like on a full frame. Some people like this because it gets them more reach and deeper depth of field, and other people prefer the wider field of view and more shallow depth of field.  I have the 50mm 1.4 and a T3/1100D, and it looks great, but it's a little tight for shooting indoors (you can do it, but if you're just sitting on the couch with friends you'll be getting a lot of head shots). I'd love a full frame, because I mostly shoot people and street stuff, but a 6D is out of my budget at the moment, so I'm looking at the 70D too.  All the lenses will definitely work on the 70D, they'll just be different if/when you switch to full frame. Since you're planning on renting, though, try the ones you listed and see how you get along with them.



Thank you for the response!  Exactly the answer I was looking for.


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## jsecordphoto (Nov 10, 2013)

What type of subjects are you shooting mostly? The 70D sounds like a great camera, I just heard a review on a photo podcast I listen to and I think you'll love it. I just bought a 60D around 4 months ago and I admit I was a little sad when I realized I could've waited and got the 70D, but I digress..


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## Juga (Nov 10, 2013)

jsecordphoto said:


> What type of subjects are you shooting mostly? The 70D sounds like a great camera, I just heard a review on a photo podcast I listen to and I think you'll love it. I just bought a 60D around 4 months ago and I admit I was a little sad when I realized I could've waited and got the 70D, but I digress..



Don't feel bad. The 60D is a great value camera right now because of the 70D. The 70D's AF system is much nicer however the 60D is a good camera and when you compare the price points the 60D is great.


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## kparker8812 (Nov 10, 2013)

jsecordphoto said:


> What type of subjects are you shooting mostly? The 70D sounds like a great camera, I just heard a review on a photo podcast I listen to and I think you'll love it. I just bought a 60D around 4 months ago and I admit I was a little sad when I realized I could've waited and got the 70D, but I digress..



I am a wedding and lifestyle photographer.  So my subjects are primarily people.  I really like the AF system in the 70D.  The 60D seems good as well though.  I compared and considered the 60D because of the price point (I can refurbished one on Adorama for less than $600).  But that AF system is like Channing Tatum without a shirt.  I played with it today (again) at Best Buy.  I hate that I have to wait.  However I am highly considering that refurb 60D as a backup until I can afford what I really want.


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## Juga (Nov 10, 2013)

kparker8812 said:


> jsecordphoto said:
> 
> 
> > What type of subjects are you shooting mostly? The 70D sounds like a great camera, I just heard a review on a photo podcast I listen to and I think you'll love it. I just bought a 60D around 4 months ago and I admit I was a little sad when I realized I could've waited and got the 70D, but I digress..
> ...



What is it that you really want? The 70D AF system is really nice but since your subjects are mainly static I would highly consider a 60D as well.


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## jsecordphoto (Nov 10, 2013)

The reason I yearn for the 70D is because I heard they put in a completely new sensor, and that it is waaay better in low-light than the 60D. Other than that I love my 60D and I think you would really enjoy it. I shoot mostly landscapes so the AF isn't as big of a deal


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## Juga (Nov 10, 2013)

jsecordphoto said:


> The reason I yearn for the 70D is because I heard they put in a completely new sensor, and that it is waaay better in low-light than the 60D. Other than that I love my 60D and I think you would really enjoy it. I shoot mostly landscapes so the AF isn't as big of a deal



If you are shooting landscapes then low-light shouldn't be a big deal anyway. From my experience with both the 70D definitely handles the low light better than the 60D but there is a guy here in the forums, Majeed, that used/uses a 60D. He often posts some of the best work on the whole forum landscape wise.


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## kparker8812 (Nov 11, 2013)

Juga said:


> What is it that you really want? The 70D AF system is really nice but since your subjects are mainly static I would highly consider a 60D as well.



I really want a 5DM3.  But it is entirely out of my budget right now.  I am considering the refurbished 60D as a backup.  And I actually take a photojournalistic approach to weddings so my shots are more "candid" than posed.  So there is some movement involved in getting the shot I want.


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## Juga (Nov 11, 2013)

kparker8812 said:


> Juga said:
> 
> 
> > What is it that you really want? The 70D AF system is really nice but since your subjects are mainly static I would highly consider a 60D as well.
> ...



then the 60d AF is more than enough because let's be honest you aren't tracking birds or football players etc...have you considered the 6D. I have shot two weddings with it and it handles low light better than any canon out right now except for maybe the 1dx. Everyone wants the 'candid' shots but they are also equally as important as formals when shooting a wedding.  This isn't to take away from the 5DIII because it is a remarkable camera but for what you described the 6D would be great.


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## kparker8812 (Nov 11, 2013)

Juga said:


> then the 60d AF is more than enough because let's be honest you aren't tracking birds or football players etc...have you considered the 6D. I have shot two weddings with it and it handles low light better than any canon out right now except for maybe the 1dx. Everyone wants the 'candid' shots but they are also equally as important as formals when shooting a wedding.  This isn't to take away from the 5DIII because it is a remarkable camera but for what you described the 6D would be great.



Really?  Well only one of my lenses will work on a 6D but I plan on renting for weddings anyway.  Urgh .. Now I'm gonna have to debate haha.


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## Philligan (Nov 11, 2013)

kparker8812 said:


> Really?  Well only one of my lenses will work on a 6D but I plan on renting for weddings anyway.  Urgh .. Now I'm gonna have to debate haha.



Keep in mind, Canon has a minimum advertised price, so the 6D will often run a few hundred dollars cheaper than it shows (especially on Adorama or B&H).  You can get it for closer to $1500 than $1900 most of the time. Especially if you live in the states - I live in Canada, and between shipping and border fees, it's still almost as cheap to just buy a camera in-store.

Have you thought about the 7D? It's tougher, and has a little more customizability like the pro cameras, and it has the same optical AF system as the 70D. Unless you use the live view a lot, you should check out a 7D as a more affordable option that's still more powerful than a 60D.


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## robbins.photo (Nov 11, 2013)

kparker8812 said:


> Hey everyone! Very first post here!
> 
> I got my first dSLR in 2009. I got a Canon Rebel XSi. It was a great camera for the amateur that I was. I learned how to shoot RAW and in Manual and have a good understanding of what the functions do. However, now am at the point where I really want to try and make my photography a full time career. I cannot do this with a Rebel. I NEED to upgrade. I absolutely dream of shooting with the 5DM3, but I am not financially in a position to do so. I am wanting to get the new 70D now (well, it's for Christmas) and then rent lenses and slowly buy them as I make money. Once I have my glass, then I will save for the 5DM3. The 70D seems like a fantastic body for the amateur transitioning to professional, which is where I am at in my career. Now here is my question. All of the lenses that I want are made for full frame. Does that mean they will not work on the crop 70D? Or does that just mean I will not be able to get the most out of my lenses until I can upgrade to full frame? Here are the lenses I am wanting:
> 
> ...



I guess the first question I would ask would be, what exactly is it about the XSi that isn't currently doing the job for you? It's kind of an important question to answer really, before you go to upgrade. What is it about the XSI that you feel isn't doing the job?

Image quality, low light ability, FPS shooting speed, etc?


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## Bulb (Nov 11, 2013)

There are three cameras that I would be looking at:

Canon 6D - $2250 (After rebate, with EF 24-105 f/4L and Pixma Pro-100 printer)
Canon 7D - $1000 (Used, with EF 28-135mm)
Canon 70D - $1450 (After rebate, with EF-S 18-135mm)

The 6D is Canon's newest full frame DSLR. It has the same image quality and nearly every feature that the 5D3 has.
The 7D is an older DSLR. It is arguably the best crop sensor DSLR available.
The 70D is Canon's newest crop sensor DSLR. The main improvement is its ability to quickly autofocus while recording video.

I chose the 6D because of its low-light performance, image quality, and ergonomics. If I were to choose any other Canon DSLR then it would have been the 7D. DigitalRev's video where they basically tortured a 7D (dropping down stairs, freezing in ice, setting on fire, etc.) really impressed me. The 70D was a camera that came out not long after I made my decision. It seems very well received, but I didn't see enough of an improvement over the 7D to make me want it. If you plan on doing video regularly, though, it would probably be the best option.


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## kparker8812 (Nov 11, 2013)

robbins.photo said:


> I guess the first question I would ask would be, what exactly is it about the XSi that isn't currently doing the job for you? It's kind of an important question to answer really, before you go to upgrade. What is it about the XSI that you feel isn't doing the job?  Image quality, low light ability, FPS shooting speed, etc?



All of the above.  Very much under performs for what I want to do.  Horrible noise in low light situations.  It's slow.  Loud.


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## robbins.photo (Nov 11, 2013)

kparker8812 said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> > I guess the first question I would ask would be, what exactly is it about the XSi that isn't currently doing the job for you? It's kind of an important question to answer really, before you go to upgrade. What is it about the XSI that you feel isn't doing the job?  Image quality, low light ability, FPS shooting speed, etc?
> ...



Ok, so the camera's you've chosen would all be good choices since each one of them does much better in each category you've mentioned.  Do you already own a lot of lenses for Canon?


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## kparker8812 (Nov 11, 2013)

robbins.photo said:


> Ok, so the camera's you've chosen would all be good choices since each one of them does much better in each category you've mentioned.  Do you already own a lot of lenses for Canon?



I only own 3.  Only one can be used on a Full Frame body, which is my 50mm 1.8.  I use this lens 90% of the time anyways.  The other two are my kit lenses 18-55 and 55-250.  Is the new AF system any better for just standard photography?  I'm not interested in it at all for the video.  So if the AF system is only beneficial for video, then I may fork out the extra $$$ and get a 6D.  

Next question.  Anyone heard of overstockdigital.com and is it reputable?  Good pricing but almost too good to be true pricing.  Haven't done my research on it yet.

Thanks!


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## kparker8812 (Nov 11, 2013)

NVM.  Just looked more into that site.  Looks super fishy to me.


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## robbins.photo (Nov 11, 2013)

kparker8812 said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> > Ok, so the camera's you've chosen would all be good choices since each one of them does much better in each category you've mentioned.  Do you already own a lot of lenses for Canon?
> ...



Yes, I've heard of overstock digital.. and no, I highly recommend you don't do business with them under any circumstances.  Ok, so next question.. to full frame or not full frame - Do you see yourself really needing the wider angle and better low light performance a FF camera offers?  It's something to really think over, the FF body is going to be a lot more expensive than something with a crop sensor - and that additional money in your budget could be used for some really nice glass - lighting/reflectors, other accessories like tripods, etc - things that could really come in handy if your eventually thinking of taking pictures professionally.

So I recommend you give a lot of thought to what sort of pictures you'll be taking most, and decide if the FF is really worth the additional initial investment especially when you already own some lenses that you will have to replace.  It may very well be that you decide that it is, in which case great - but it might be that the FF slightly better low light performance or wider angle might not be as useful to you as all the additional stuff you can buy in addition to the crop sensor.  That's really something you'll have to think about, based on what you already have and what you are going to need to get to where you want to be.


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## kparker8812 (Nov 12, 2013)

robbins.photo said:


> Yes, I've heard of overstock digital.. and no, I highly recommend you don't do business with them under any circumstances.  Ok, so next question.. to full frame or not full frame - Do you see yourself really needing the wider angle and better low light performance a FF camera offers?  It's something to really think over, the FF body is going to be a lot more expensive than something with a crop sensor - and that additional money in your budget could be used for some really nice glass - lighting/reflectors, other accessories like tripods, etc - things that could really come in handy if your eventually thinking of taking pictures professionally.  So I recommend you give a lot of thought to what sort of pictures you'll be taking most, and decide if the FF is really worth the additional initial investment especially when you already own some lenses that you will have to replace.  It may very well be that you decide that it is, in which case great - but it might be that the FF slightly better low light performance or wider angle might not be as useful to you as all the additional stuff you can buy in addition to the crop sensor.  That's really something you'll have to think about, based on what you already have and what you are going to need to get to where you want to be.



Well what do you think?  I just can't figure out the importance of each alternative.  I mean I know they are important, but at the same time I don't know which is MORE important.  

I am a wedding photographer and lifestyle.  So I do a lot of portraiture as well (family, maternity, engagement, senior etc).  But my main goal is to succeed in wedding photography.  That is where my biggest passion lies.  Having said that, I know that almost all wedding photographers use a 5D.  It's almost like an industry standard.  And I know they primarily use it for the FF capabilities.  There is no way I can afford a 5D right now.  I would like to go with the 70D, but do you think it would be sufficient for what I am using it for?  I mean up until this point I have used my Rebel XSi and it got the job done.  It was hard, but it got it done.  So anything would be an improvement.  But since I plan on renting my glass until I can save up for it and purchase it outright, does it make more sense to invest in the FF frame now since I ultimately want the 5D?  I know it's my decision, but I need opinions.  As far as my two EF-S lenses, I know I won't be able to use them with a 6D, but I hardly use them anyways.  I just don't like them.  

Also, please don't make fun, but can someone explain to me exactly what cross type AF system means?  I know the 70D has this feature where all of the points are cross type and the 6D only has the center one cross type.  Is this something for video only?  If so, I don't think I will let that be a deciding factor since I'm not using it for video.


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## robbins.photo (Nov 12, 2013)

kparker8812 said:


> robbins.photo said:
> 
> 
> > Yes, I've heard of overstock digital.. and no, I highly recommend you don't do business with them under any circumstances.  Ok, so next question.. to full frame or not full frame - Do you see yourself really needing the wider angle and better low light performance a FF camera offers?  It's something to really think over, the FF body is going to be a lot more expensive than something with a crop sensor - and that additional money in your budget could be used for some really nice glass - lighting/reflectors, other accessories like tripods, etc - things that could really come in handy if your eventually thinking of taking pictures professionally.  So I recommend you give a lot of thought to what sort of pictures you'll be taking most, and decide if the FF is really worth the additional initial investment especially when you already own some lenses that you will have to replace.  It may very well be that you decide that it is, in which case great - but it might be that the FF slightly better low light performance or wider angle might not be as useful to you as all the additional stuff you can buy in addition to the crop sensor.  That's really something you'll have to think about, based on what you already have and what you are going to need to get to where you want to be.
> ...



Ok, well I'm not a wedding photographer so please keep in mind I'm no bona fide expert on the subject, but I am a bit of a camera geek so here goes.

First, the cross focus sensor.  In most DSLR's light coming into the lens is split into two different paths and then directed at an Autofocus sensor.  The original sensor is really just a photosensitive strip that is just a few pixels wide and maybe a couple of dozen pixels high.  The difference in intensity between these two signals is then analyzed by the camera and used to determine how best to adjust the focus.  A cross type sensor uses another set of photosensitive strips at a 90 degree angle to the first set, it allows for a second dimension of these signals to be analyzed and compared which makes the focusing more accurate.

Now, as to the gear - if you really don't think you'll be using your original lenses much and your convinced you'll be purchasing a full frame camera at some point then it might not be a bad idea to go ahead and purchase one now.  From what you listed above I'd probably give the 6D with the F4 lens some serious consideration.  The 6D won't shoot as fast as the 7D will but I would imagine that 4-5 frames per second would be enough for most wedding situations.  I shoot mostly wildlife photography and I've found that 4 FPS is generally fast enough to keep up with my needs.  The lens included would probably be a very good one for wedding/event photography, F4 is a reasonably fast lens and 24-105 would give you enough zoom to capture most of what your looking to capture.

That having been said, I would urge you to sit down and consider a few other things before actually buying the camera.  I don't wish to be discouraging but running your own business is a ton of work, and very few new businesses actually succeed.  More so than normal when your talking about a photography business - it is super competitive and very difficult to earn a decent wage.  It's a whole lot more about running a business than it is about photography, I've known a couple of guys who were top notch photographers who tried to run their own business and failed.  So I'd give a lot of thought to a business plan, marketing strategies, etc before buying the camera.


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## kparker8812 (Nov 12, 2013)

robbins.photo said:


> Ok, well I'm not a wedding photographer so please keep in mind I'm no bona fide expert on the subject, but I am a bit of a camera geek so here goes.  First, the cross focus sensor.  In most DSLR's light coming into the lens is split into two different paths and then directed at an Autofocus sensor.  The original sensor is really just a photosensitive strip that is just a few pixels wide and maybe a couple of dozen pixels high.  The difference in intensity between these two signals is then analyzed by the camera and used to determine how best to adjust the focus.  A cross type sensor uses another set of photosensitive strips at a 90 degree angle to the first set, it allows for a second dimension of these signals to be analyzed and compared which makes the focusing more accurate.  Now, as to the gear - if you really don't think you'll be using your original lenses much and your convinced you'll be purchasing a full frame camera at some point then it might not be a bad idea to go ahead and purchase one now.  From what you listed above I'd probably give the 6D with the F4 lens some serious consideration.  The 6D won't shoot as fast as the 7D will but I would imagine that 4-5 frames per second would be enough for most wedding situations.  I shoot mostly wildlife photography and I've found that 4 FPS is generally fast enough to keep up with my needs.  The lens included would probably be a very good one for wedding/event photography, F4 is a reasonably fast lens and 24-105 would give you enough zoom to capture most of what your looking to capture.  That having been said, I would urge you to sit down and consider a few other things before actually buying the camera.  I don't wish to be discouraging but running your own business is a ton of work, and very few new businesses actually succeed.  More so than normal when your talking about a photography business - it is super competitive and very difficult to earn a decent wage.  It's a whole lot more about running a business than it is about photography, I've known a couple of guys who were top notch photographers who tried to run their own business and failed.  So I'd give a lot of thought to a business plan, marketing strategies, etc before buying the camera.



Best advice I have gotten.  Thank you so much!  I will try and figure out what to do.  I currently have enough saved for the 70D which I was going to get as my Christmas gift.  I work in sales so I guess I might just have to hustle some more to make enough to get the 6D.  Luckily for me I work at TigerDirect and I can buy things at cost.  And we sell cameras and lenses.  It's not much of a savings, but it's some.  I will look and see what a 6D will cost me today.  I will also go play with them at best buy and try and make a decision.  Thanks again!


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## centauro74 (Nov 12, 2013)

I'd check on canon refurbished. They have great deals,  I saw a 6D for less than $1500 about 3 weeks ago.


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## jsecordphoto (Nov 12, 2013)

When shopping for used stuff I've had really good experiences with keh.com too. just another thing to consider


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## kparker8812 (Nov 12, 2013)

centauro74 said:


> I'd check on canon refurbished. They have great deals,  I saw a 6D for less than $1500 about 3 weeks ago.



I see it but it's out of stock!     I'm trying to find a good deal on the kit so I can start out with two lenses.


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## kparker8812 (Nov 12, 2013)

jsecordphoto said:


> When shopping for used stuff I've had really good experiences with keh.com too. just another thing to consider



I don't see a used one on there unless I am looking in the wrong spot.


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## TCampbell (Nov 12, 2013)

You can buy a refurbished body direct from Canon.  They come with a 1 year warranty.  

While refurbished can be used and reconditioned... it can also mean an overstock return or someone bought a camera, had second thoughts and returned it, etc.  Some "refurbished" cameras have technically never even been used but cannot be sold as "new" since they were technically sold to someone.

See:  Canon EOS 6D Body Refurbished | Canon Online Store

I show this as currently in-stock (they do go in and out of stock so keep checking if it goes out of stock on you).  The price is $1519.  The price on a new body is $1899.  That's a $380 savings vs. a "new" body.  (I'm looking at the body only configuration -- I did not see a configuration with the kit lens included.)


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## jsecordphoto (Nov 12, 2013)

my 60D was a refurb and everything about it appeared brand new, I got it through adorama but it still came with a warranty. I'd for sure recommend refurbished if you decide to go that route


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## kparker8812 (Nov 12, 2013)

TCampbell said:


> You can buy a refurbished body direct from Canon.  They come with a 1 year warranty.  While refurbished can be used and reconditioned... it can also mean an overstock return or someone bought a camera, had second thoughts and returned it, etc.  Some "refurbished" cameras have technically never even been used but cannot be sold as "new" since they were technically sold to someone.  See:  Canon EOS 6D Body Refurbished | Canon Online Store  I show this as currently in-stock (they do go in and out of stock so keep checking if it goes out of stock on you).  The price is $1519.  The price on a new body is $1899.  That's a $380 savings vs. a "new" body.  (I'm looking at the body only configuration -- I did not see a configuration with the kit lens included.)



Thank you!  They were out of stock just earlier today.  They also have that extra $125 off as well going on.


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## Ivo (Nov 28, 2013)

I will get my new Canon 70D tomorrow (as an upgrade from 60D). While I look forward to it, I was a bit scared to read that some users report that they had to make some micro adjustments of all all their lens to be able to work with 70D. First, I don't know how to do it and second - is it really necessary ?


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