Your Thoughts on the 7D please

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raider2727

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I am in my normal dilema, have the chance to upgrade my camera body from my 50D, my budget will not stretch for the 5D MKII so was considering the 7D.
I have read a few conflicting reviews where it seems Canon have put together a new set of great features but not everyone seems to think the results are worth the price tag.

can anyone give me the heads up?
 
I made the upgrade when it came out from the 40D, for me so far it has been well worth it, the ISO I am finding I can work happily at 3200 insted of 1600 on the 40 whith no issue (taking shots of captive wolfs in a very shadded area) and finding the focus to be better aswell, would say though you need to look at the reasons you want to upgrade and wether the new fetures will be of benifit to you and what you shoot.

I am more than happy and still glad I made the upgrade.
 
I can only speak from my experience upgrading from my 50D to the 7D - If I am honest at the moment I wish I hadn't done it. I was happy with my 50D and my lens combo was giving me shots I was happy with. Why then did I upgrade? ............. Because I like new things and decided that as I am going to retire in early 2010 I wanted to get a camera that I would be happy with for years to come.

I am not happy, but I think that says more about me than the camera. I never thought I'd get it and take better pictures, but I don't think I appreciated the time and effort that I feel I need to put in to get pictures of a similar quality (I use that last word loosely!!)

These are the questions I would be asking now.

What do you think the 7D will give you over your 50D?
Do you feel that the upgrade gives you features that you can not be without on your 50D?
Why are you upgrading?

I hope that gives you food for thought. It's a great camera in the hands of the togs on here, just not sure whether mine are the right hands!
 
Personally I wouldn't think that a 7D would be worth the price upgrade from a 50D unless there are some features you specifically require that are not available from the 50D.

7D or 5D MkII? Strange choice as they are both designed for completely different tasks. It might be worth thinking about what you really want to do photographically before taking the plunge!
 
I may be wrong but it sounds as if you will be changing camera's for the sake of it "have the chance" rather than because you have found limitations with your current one and want to stretch your photography further. If you have money burning a hole in your pocket why not go for another lens rather than a different camera?
 
EdBray said:
Personally I wouldn't think that a 7D would be worth the price upgrade from a 50D unless there are some features you specifically require that are not available from the 50D.

7D or 5D MkII? Strange choice as they are both designed for completely different tasks. It might be worth thinking about what you really want to do photographically before taking the plunge!
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Now i am lost. 7D or 5D MkII? Strange choice as they are both designed for completely different tasks

i just thought a camera was either a crop or full frame and each had different features, i take general pics, landscapes, Portraits, Wildlife and anything i see that i think i might like to photograph.
I want a good all round camera ISO not too important, Af very important.

I stated my thread by using the word dilema now i feel i should have said confused
 
swag72 said:
I can only speak from my experience upgrading from my 50D to the 7D - If I am honest at the moment I wish I hadn't done it. I was happy with my 50D and my lens combo was giving me shots I was happy with. Why then did I upgrade? ............. Because I like new things and decided that as I am going to retire in early 2010 I wanted to get a camera that I would be happy with for years to come.

I am not happy, but I think that says more about me than the camera. I never thought I'd get it and take better pictures, but I don't think I appreciated the time and effort that I feel I need to put in to get pictures of a similar quality (I use that last word loosely!!)

These are the questions I would be asking now.

What do you think the 7D will give you over your 50D?
Do you feel that the upgrade gives you features that you can not be without on your 50D?
Why are you upgrading?

I hope that gives you food for thought. It's a great camera in the hands of the togs on here, just not sure whether mine are the right hands!
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Thank you, i have a feeling i need a 5D MKII and need to do some more saving, i would see benefits going to full frame where i might not use or really need the features of the 7D, Thank you for your honesty and i have a feeling i might feel as you do if i took this step.
 
Kerioak said:
I may be wrong but it sounds as if you will be changing camera's for the sake of it "have the chance" rather than because you have found limitations with your current one and want to stretch your photography further. If you have money burning a hole in your pocket why not go for another lens rather than a different camera?
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yep you might be right, i think i need to save a few more pennies and go for the 5D MKII as on full frame i could use and see the benefits more than the 7D.
 
raider2727 said:
Now i am lost. 7D or 5D MkII? Strange choice as they are both designed for completely different tasks

i just thought a camera was either a crop or full frame and each had different features, i take general pics, landscapes, Portraits, Wildlife and anything i see that i think i might like to photograph.
I want a good all round camera ISO not too important, Af very important.

I stated my thread by using the word dilema now i feel i should have said confused
Click to expand...

That is true to some extent, but if you are planning on only having one body then you need to factor in your lens choices.

If a very wide AOV is important to you then a FF camera is pretty much a requirement as the widest you will get on a 1.6x crop will be 10mm (16mm AOV FF equiv). FF is also pretty much a requirement if you want to make billboard sized prints with good quality.

Lenses that cover the FF sensor are usually bigger, heavier and considerably more expensive, so your 200mm lens on a FF camera is exactly that 200mm (about 125mm on a 1.6x crop) whereas on a 1.6x crop it would give a 320mm FF AOV equiv.

On the other hand, a 7D is the best 1.6x crop camera Canon have made to date, and for those birders and sports photographers worth buying asa 300mm f2.8 has the FF AVO equiv of a 480mm f2.8 (how mich would one of those cost?), and with a 2x extender they can still AF with a 960mm f5.6 FF AOV equiv.

I'll stick something else in the mix now, have you considered a 1D Pro body? 1.3x crop. Maybe food for thought?
 
I can understand the OP dilemma.......I too am looking at the 7D as my next potential camera, but I will be jumping from a 40D, so a bit more of a hike. I have no need of a FF camera but I do need one that can cope with high ISO's well. My 40D has "managed" but I really want better than that. I looked longingly at the Nikon D700 but couldn't afford to swap all my expensive Canon lenses, so jumped for joy when I heard about the Canon 7D. I'm still waiting though..........want to hear some actual user comments/reviews before I part with what seems to me a huge number of pennies!

If anyone out there has used a 7D in earnest, in all situations, both me and the OP are waiting eagerly for your comments.
 
EdBray said:
That is true to some extent, but if you are planning on only having one body then you need to factor in your lens choices.

If a very wide AOV is important to you then a FF camera is pretty much a requirement as the widest you will get on a 1.6x crop will be 10mm (16mm AOV FF equiv). FF is also pretty much a requirement if you want to make billboard sized prints with good quality.

Lenses that cover the FF sensor are usually bigger, heavier and considerably more expensive, so your 200mm lens on a FF camera is exactly that 200mm (about 125mm on a 1.6x crop) whereas on a 1.6x crop it would give a 320mm FF AOV equiv.

On the other hand, a 7D is the best 1.6x crop camera Canon have made to date, and for those birders and sports photographers worth buying asa 300mm f2.8 has the FF AVO equiv of a 480mm f2.8 (how mich would one of those cost?), and with a 2x extender they can still AF with a 960mm f5.6 FF AOV equiv.

I'll stick something else in the mix now, have you considered a 1D Pro body? 1.3x crop. Maybe food for thought?
Click to expand...

Oh no i cant cope with another option, i think i am probably going to have to wait until after xmas, in hope i can stretch my budget for the 5D MKII.
 
One on sale on bird forum a week old £1400. If intrested.
 
I have been thinking of changing but am waiting a while to see if there are any problems have read elsewhere that there is some ghosting issues it seems that when high speed shooting, the sensor is not cleared of the previous image which I am sure will be sorted but it does put me off a bit
 
I have taken around 2000 images on the 7d now.

I came from a 400d, so I am happy with my leap. The 7d is a massive improvement.

My decision was whether to go for the 50d, or the 7d, or wait until the ?60d?
In the end, my decision was swayed in that I wanted to use this camera for something in particular, where I knew that the 400d could not cope.
It appears that two of my lenses need micro-adjustment, with it, my images are coming out nice and sharp. I am impressed with some of my images, and not so with some. However, I suspect that those I am not happy with are due to user error, not the camera. To be honest, I saw the 50d and 70d as being quite similar. However, I could see that a well framed picture, had generally less noise than the 50d.
If I had the 50d, I suspect that I would not upgrade to the 7d. However, is that due to there not being a large gap, possibly, or the fact that I usually use an item till it starts to flake out, maybe.
 
raider2727 said:
Oh no i cant cope with another option, i think i am probably going to have to wait until after xmas, in hope i can stretch my budget for the 5D MKII.
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So why are you interested in the EF-s 10-22 then?
 
My thoughts on the 7D:

It's just a camera but it is a competent one. I think for static subjects it is very good. Image quality coupled to good glass is good, metering system is excellent, I like the inbuilt remote flash commander.

What I don't like is its ability to track birds in flight against challenging backgrounds. It is better than my 50D but no 1-series...

But, I would buy it again. It's the best Canon APS-C camera to-date but I reckon from what I have seen that the D300s is better when it comes to AF
 
I have heard about it having more ghosts than "Most Haunted" and will be interested to see if Canon sort the problem, I had the same ghosting problem on the SX1is hence reason for sending it back and swapped for Fuji S100fs.
I really think Canon should test their stuff more before launching it on public and then have them waiting for a firmware upgrade, the SX1is was also terribly noisy at 200iso upwards and all Canon said was there were a few with issues?
I have just sold my 1dmk2 + lenses and when i eventually buy another slr i will certainly be checking out Canon's opposition maybe i'll go for a Nikon but Canon won't be on my list
 
I am wondering whether it affects some more than others.
Also, I am wondering whether it affects non-stop ISO levels more than standard stop ones (different amplification method I am thinking).
 
coldpenguin said:
I am wondering whether it affects some more than others.
Also, I am wondering whether it affects non-stop ISO levels more than standard stop ones (different amplification method I am thinking).
Click to expand...
It does seem that not all are affected like the Sx1is I had, I have seen some great shots taken with the SX1is but every shot taken with mine was rubbish and i let my mate have a go who's a pro so knows his way round a camera and his shots were as bad as mine so it was obviously a faulty camera and not on its own as i have seen lots of other Sx1is owners who have the same grainy shots (most end up selling them)
 
I went from a 40D to 7D.

Is the 7D better? - Yes, of course it is. It is better in every single department, and then adds a few extra features as well.

Is it significantly better? - No. It does improve on already good cameras like the 40/50D but not by leaps and bounds. Resolution is better, High-ISO handling is better, it has higher fps, better AF and more tweaks within the menus. It pushes boundaries further but IMHO does not break new boundaries.

Am I happy with the upgrade? - Yes. When I got the 40D I was amazed by it's IQ and handling. The same wow factor was not there for the 7D, but that was because I already owned a good camera. I sold the 40D for £400 and purchased my 7D for £1060 (from the USA). The little things such as micro focus adjustment (already available on the 50D), usable ISO-3200 (6400 and 12800 are a step too far) make it worth the extra for me. The only problem with the 7D is that you need good glass to get the best out of the 18MP crop sensor.

I have not even mentioned HD Video because I think that is best left to camcorders.
 
Orville said:
I went from a 40D to 7D.

Is the 7D better? - Yes, of course it is. It is better in every single department, and then adds a few extra features as well.

Is it significantly better? - No. It does improve on already good cameras like the 40/50D but not by leaps and bounds. Resolution is better, High-ISO handling is better, it has higher fps, better AF and more tweaks within the menus. It pushes boundaries further but IMHO does not break new boundaries.

Am I happy with the upgrade? - Yes. When I got the 40D I was amazed by it's IQ and handling. The same wow factor was not there for the 7D, but that was because I already owned a good camera. I sold the 40D for £400 and purchased my 7D for £1060 (from the USA). The little things such as micro focus adjustment (already available on the 50D), usable ISO-3200 (6400 and 12800 are a step too far) make it worth the extra for me. The only problem with the 7D is that you need good glass to get the best out of the 18MP crop sensor.

I have not even mentioned HD Video because I think that is best left to camcorders.
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Sounds like your happy with yours Orville! but do you still wish you could fly? LoL
 
I think to really appreciate any new camera, you need to step up more than 1 or 2 generations. All technology advances are incremental, and more increments equal bigger differences. I think anyone who jumps from a 10D, 20D or 30D to one of these babies is in for a big treat. The step upwards from 40D and 50D is less distinctive. Some people may appreciate the host of "small" improvements over the 50D, but others may feel cheated that they did not get more.

>One thousand pounds is a lot of money for many people to spend on minor improvements. Spending that amount may be more appealing if you start off from a lower base, and hence "get more bang" for your Queen Elizabeth's.
 
I really appreciate everyone's comments and opinions in this thread, I've been looking to get a 7D in the not too distant future as an upgrade to my 50D. I think my eyes have been opened now after reading everyone's comments. I'm happy with the 50D apart from the high iso performance (banding at ISO 3200) and the 7D appeals to me on many levels but the cost to upgrade is still quite high so I think I will stick with the 50D until the next upgrade from Canon.

In the meantime I'll try and improve my technique, it will be cheaper!
 
Orville said:
I think to really appreciate any new camera, you need to step up more than 1 or 2 generations.
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But the 7D isn't a generational upgrade to the 50D - that'll be the 60D, probabaly out in February.


The 7D is more like the offspring of a mating between the 50D and the 1D (with a bit of video thrown in). It's inherited a lot of features from the 50D but it's also taken stuff from the 1D side of the family - especially the improved AF system. The 7D does everything the 50D can do and quite a bit more.
 
But if you were to upgrade from the 500d to the 50d, would you think WOW?
The 50d has less 'features', more noise?

I think, unless you have a specific requirement
40d -> 7d you might be getting a lot of benefit
50d -> 7d you might be wondering what the fuss is about
 
A bit OT, but it always amazes me when people rush out and buy the latest camera body or body/lens kit within a month of it's release; I mean, unless your current camera has been sat on by an elephant, wouldn't it be better to wait from four to six months before diving in, when you'll have the benefit of not only extensive media reviews of the product, but heaps of real-world user opinions on the forums, and not least the advantage of not being stung for the horrific prices these things always retail at during their initial release? And you're likely to be able to bag yourself a mint used one by then too. It makes evaluating an upgrade a bit easier when there isn't such a huge price differential between your options.

I got my 50D recently for half the price it cost on first release, and with only about 1k shutter actuations I think it's got a few good years in it yet before I'll even think of upgrading; I certainly won't be hankering after something that hasn't been released to the extent that when it does come out I get ripped off by buying it immediately!

I reckon you should go for a used 5D MkII

:lol::lol:
 
coldpenguin said:
But if you were to upgrade from the 500d to the 50d, would you think WOW?
The 50d has less 'features', more noise?

I think, unless you have a specific requirement
40d -> 7d you might be getting a lot of benefit
50d -> 7d you might be wondering what the fuss is about
Click to expand...

By that reasoning:

500D -> 7D, you might be wondering why all the hoopla?

:bonk::lol::bonk:
 
possibly, but maybe not. The MP increase would be minimal. However, the ISO abilities should be much better (whereas if the 50d worked properly, the ISO wouldn't be that much of a difference either?), wasn't the ISO ability of the 500d better than the 50d in the end (less noise, but less range).
Going from a 400d to the 7d, I find that the on-paper differences are not as large as you would think in real life. The MP are useful (almost double), but a good lens is required (in both cases) otherwise you won't see it.
The ISO is the main reason I wanted to upgrade (and for me, it was a close run thing between the 50d and the 7d).
I have a relatively flexible memory, but I suspect that many would be put off/find it irritating on the 500d->7d route by the changes in the button layout.
 
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