Finally I stepped up to a full frame DSLR. I ended up with the Canon 6D. A very fine camera, though I doubted very long. I also considerded the 5D MkIII.
You have to know as an amateur photographer supporting a family, the price tag of a full frame DSLR is something to be worried about. Initially I really wanted the 5D, though its price tag is enormous. Almost € 3.000,- for the body shoots a big hole in the household budget. I considered feeding the children less and stop buying them new clothes. I dropped the idea soon as I realised they would pay me back if I were old and ugly and needed their help. So then I thought to myself what is it that makes me want the 5D? Is it 6 fps or 61 AF points? Is it 20 megapixels+? Or something else? Then I had to conclude it was nothing of them all. The real relevant thing is the bigger sensor. Because at least for sensors counts: 'bigger is better'. Then I started to consider the 6D. It's got 4,5 fps, 'only' 9 AF points, still 20 megapixels+ and of course a lot more. If you compare these figures to a 5D, they look rather pale. But only a few years ago such figures would have looked perfect on a professional camera. It seems we're shifting our expectations of a (professional) camera. A shift of expectations well fed by the camera industry. With ever new models with more features they stimulate our greed. And of course we let ourselves be stimulated. All for the benefit of camera sales. Of course digital cameras have become a lot better every year. But I believe that we have come to a point that the progress in picture quality will not be as steep anymore in the next decade as it was in the last decade. So if you consider a camera upgrade don't focus at all the features, but focus on what you need. Then start to consider cameras and look which one gives you what you need.
You have to know as an amateur photographer supporting a family, the price tag of a full frame DSLR is something to be worried about. Initially I really wanted the 5D, though its price tag is enormous. Almost € 3.000,- for the body shoots a big hole in the household budget. I considered feeding the children less and stop buying them new clothes. I dropped the idea soon as I realised they would pay me back if I were old and ugly and needed their help. So then I thought to myself what is it that makes me want the 5D? Is it 6 fps or 61 AF points? Is it 20 megapixels+? Or something else? Then I had to conclude it was nothing of them all. The real relevant thing is the bigger sensor. Because at least for sensors counts: 'bigger is better'. Then I started to consider the 6D. It's got 4,5 fps, 'only' 9 AF points, still 20 megapixels+ and of course a lot more. If you compare these figures to a 5D, they look rather pale. But only a few years ago such figures would have looked perfect on a professional camera. It seems we're shifting our expectations of a (professional) camera. A shift of expectations well fed by the camera industry. With ever new models with more features they stimulate our greed. And of course we let ourselves be stimulated. All for the benefit of camera sales. Of course digital cameras have become a lot better every year. But I believe that we have come to a point that the progress in picture quality will not be as steep anymore in the next decade as it was in the last decade. So if you consider a camera upgrade don't focus at all the features, but focus on what you need. Then start to consider cameras and look which one gives you what you need.