7D, Worth the money?

[thp936]

Looking at purchasing the 7D, do lots of sports photography and like the FPS of the 7D but is it really worth the extra money above what a T2i costs? I know the FPS is more and a little better AF but other than that they seem similar???

[inkista]

Pick them up and hold them in your hands. Then you'll note the difference. The 7D is at an entirely different level of usability from the dRebels.

Alternatively, you may want to consider the model that's between those two: the 60D.

Whether a camera is "worth the price" is a personal thing that involves how much spare change you've got in your personal finances. So, what's a steal for one person is someone else's WTF?! amount of spending.

[thp936]

Okay, say that money is not a issue and you were doing lots of sports photography both indoor and out under low light conditions where a flash is not permittable? 7D has faster FPS and more expanded AF than both the T2i and the 60D, and if money is no object is it worth moving up to a full frame sensor? I don't have any "Good" lenses right now, so I would not be losing anything there but a 70-200mm 2.8 would probably need a 1.4X extender to get the same close up shot, right? Money is and issue and that's why I don't want to just buy and try, I'd like to buy the "Best" camera for what I'm doing and wear it out! I am also getting started doing portrait work and the high MP is a draw for when I start making the larger prints.

[jdepould]

28-200/2.8 doesn't exist, unless you mean two separate lenses.

On the Canon side, there's no reason to shoot full frame (5D, 1Ds) for sports, as neither body is really intended for it. The 1D (different kind of crop sensor) is Canon's sports body. It trounces the rest of their line when it comes to fast shooting. It also costs about $5,000.

[thp936]

HaHa, yeah meant 70-200mm 2.8. Thanks for pointing that out.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by thp936

Okay, say that money is not a issue and you were doing lots of sports photography both indoor and out under low light conditions where a flash is not permittable? 7D has faster FPS and more expanded AF than both the T2i and the 60D,

If money is not an issue, the best camera for sports/action would be a 1D Mark III (or Mark IIN, depending on who you talk to and how much you want to argue about the AF function).

If money is an issue, though, yes, the 7D is good. But the 60D and T2i mostly share the same sensor and processor, so image quality is similar, and it's only the AF and frame rate advantages the 7D has.

I used to shoot birds in flight with a Canon XT. It has an AF system that's even less sophisticated than the T2i's (it's essentially the same as the XS's). I never really found it got in my way all that much, or that the 50D's AF system is that much better.

and if money is no object is it worth moving up to a full frame sensor?

Not for action. For wide angle or thinner depth of field or smoother tonality or dynamic range, yes. But not for action.

I don't have any "Good" lenses right now, so I would not be losing anything there

You think? You can get good ultrawide performance with a $500-$600 lens on a crop body. To get the same thing on a full-frame is likely to cost you about twice as much. Full frame isn't all win-win.

but a 70-200mm 2.8 would probably need a 1.4X extender to get the same close up shot, right?

No. A 70-200 f/2.8 with a 1.4x extender then becomes a 100-300 f/4, and won't give you the shutter speed you need, with the additional reach. Trying to get 1/300s or faster with f/4 indoors in low light--? Not particularly doable.

Money is and issue and that's why I don't want to just buy and try, I'd like to buy the "Best" camera for what I'm doing and wear it out! I am also getting started doing portrait work and the high MP is a draw for when I start making the larger prints.

How big are you planning on going? Even a P&S can get you to 13"x19" these days.

Let me just say that in my opinion paying more for a camera has absolutely nothing to do with keeping it longer. These are digital electronic devices. The urge to upgrade and move on hits most people every three to five years. In some cases, folks will churn through bodies even faster than that. Just a thought to consider.

First question you really need to answer before any of us can recommend anything is: exactly what is your budget? You keep wavering back and forth between "money is no object" and "money is an issue" and between "I shoot sports" but "I want more resolution for portraits" so it's hard to figure out what you're actually asking or willing to pay. Figuring out which camera is going to be the best fit for you requires knowing how much you can spend and what it is you want the camera for.

[bigrobo89]

thp - I've just this last week upgraded from a 400D/Rebel Xti to a 7D and the difference is quite amazing. If you already own one of the entry level DSLRs then you will certainly notice a big difference, and if you have never owned a DSLR then you will certainly notice a big difference.

The ability to shoot at 8fps is a nice feature and I've been putting it to use with some wildlife captures (viewable in my flickr) and the auto-focusing is very quick and precise.

Sorry I can't advise as to whether it's worth the extra money over its neighbours in Canon's range but from my first 5 days with this camera I can certainly say I'm very happy I put up the cash for it.

Good luck with whatever you decide

Paul

[thp936]

The short is, I'd like to keep under $2,000 but if the best camera for what I'm doing costs a little more, I'd come up with the $$$. Started doing High School Sports photography for my daughter and the interest from other parents to have me shoot at other events has been increasing. That also leads to senior pics, which I've done for a few of the kids and the results have been good. I'd like to make them Great and I think part of that would be increasing the MP from 10 to at least 18. I know you say that a P&S can be enlarged to 13X19 but I think that might be in Ideal conditions. I've enlarged a few of what I thought were really good pics and found at that size the resolution is just not that good, even with a prime lens.

I'm not interested in "New every two" and want to get the camera that best meets my needs, learn to use it, and not have to think about it while I'm shooting. Any advise or direction I can get from people who know more than me would be helpful and save me time and wasted money experimenting on my own. Thank you for any help you can give me.

[thp936]

Originally Posted by bigrobo89

thp - I've just this last week upgraded from a 400D/Rebel Xti to a 7D and the difference is quite amazing. If you already own one of the entry level DSLRs then you will certainly notice a big difference, and if you have never owned a DSLR then you will certainly notice a big difference.

The ability to shoot at 8fps is a nice feature and I've been putting it to use with some wildlife captures (viewable in my flickr) and the auto-focusing is very quick and precise.

Sorry I can't advise as to whether it's worth the extra money over its neighbours in Canon's range but from my first 5 days with this camera I can certainly say I'm very happy I put up the cash for it.

Good luck with whatever you decide

Paul

Thanks Paul,
You are the 1st person I've heard from who is using a 7D, keep me posted if you run across anything with this camera you'd like to share.

Tom