Another "please suggest a camera" thread! 7D or similar..

[veritasimagery]

Originally Posted by AshNZ

Thanks, I think it's probably between 600D and 60D now. I haven't compared prices yet but that's what this will probably come down to.

Through B&H the 60D runs around $300USD more than the 600D.

[Doug Sundseth]

Is there a reason you don't want to stay with Sony? Most people that own them seem to like them quite a lot.

Canon 7D is, by all accounts, a very nice camera. So is the Nikon D7000 (new processor, but more prosumer than pro. The Nikon D300S is a bit older, but still a very nice body, and you might be able to get a deal.

Frankly, you'll be hard-pressed to go wrong with any recent generation DSLR from Nikon, Canon, or Sony.

[AshNZ]

I was talking to a friend of mine, he's a D90 owner and he threw in D7000 into the mix. I like the large sensor size on it. But that again doesn't have the articulated screen.

Let me ask you guys, how important is the articulated screen? I used to have it on the Sony and I used it quite often with the live view - how hard would it be for me to adjust to a fixed screen? Most non-entry level dslrs like the 7D or D7000 don't have it. I guess it's cos it adds to the robustness of the camera. I'm not sure about pro dslrs either.

[AshNZ]

Originally Posted by Doug Sundseth

Is there a reason you don't want to stay with Sony? Most people that own them seem to like them quite a lot.

Canon 7D is, by all accounts, a very nice camera. So is the Nikon D7000 (new processor, but more prosumer than pro. The Nikon D300S is a bit older, but still a very nice body, and you might be able to get a deal.

Frankly, you'll be hard-pressed to go wrong with any recent generation DSLR from Nikon, Canon, or Sony.

Issue with Sony was the finding the right parts.. I was always the "odd one out" when it came to ordering parts for it. Lenses are quite hard to come by too, especially in this part of the world. I found it incredibly hard to find a second hand lens for Sony. I know it will get better with time now that Sony is well established but not sure I want to take the risk.

[dakwegmo]

Originally Posted by AshNZ

I was talking to a friend of mine, he's a D90 owner and he threw in D7000 into the mix. I like the large sensor size on it. But that again doesn't have the articulated screen.

Not sure what you mean. All of Nikon's DX format bodies have essentially the same size sensor. The D7000 has more megapixels, or were you referring to the D700 which is a full frame sensor?

Originally Posted by AshNZ

Let me ask you guys, how important is the articulated screen? I used to have it on the Sony and I used it quite often with the live view - how hard would it be for me to adjust to a fixed screen? Most non-entry level dslrs like the 7D or D7000 don't have it. I guess it's cos it adds to the robustness of the camera. I'm not sure about pro dslrs either.

I love having an articulated screen, and actually bought a D5000, just so I could have that capability in a camera body. With LiveView and having the camera out of your face it makes candid photography much easier. That said, it would probably be the last feature I'd look at if I only had one body.

[AshNZ]

Originally Posted by dakwegmo

Not sure what you mean. All of Nikon's DX format bodies have essentially the same size sensor. The D7000 has more megapixels, or were you referring to the D700 which is a full frame sensor?

Actually, I meant larger sensor compared to the 60D or 600D that I'm also considering.

[Tzetsin]

Originally Posted by veritasimagery

++1. The 60D does not have the weather-sealing like the 7D, though. .

I just wanted to note here that I take my 60D everywhere I take my 5D. Rain, snow, shine or dust storm and I've never had a problem with the weather sealing of the camera. Matter of fact if its at all damp my 5D will get condensation inside the top LCD display where the 60D doesn't.

So unless your in some pretty extreme atomspheres I dont think the non weather sealing of the 60D is much of a consideration.

I'll vouch for the 60D. its an excellent camera, and I, like you, wouldn't trade that articulating screen for just about anything.

There isnt much that I can't do with the 60D that I can do with the 5Dmk2 either. The image quality is such that at the end of the day, I cannot tell which camera took which picture. This is true from almost all canon's DSLRs today.

Choosing a camera nowadays is all about choosing witch feature set best fits your main subject. Each of canons mid/top range cameras are designed with specific purposes in mind. The 60D is made for video, the 7D is made for sports/action, the 5Dmk2 is made for portraiture and landscape, the 1Dsmk3 is made for portraiture and landscape and the 1Dmk4 is made for sports/action. All the cameras will do what the others do, but each one excels at their intended task.

the xxx line of cameras are all designed to fit into budgets. Each "next one up" is pretty much the same as the last one, with more features added.

If you can afford the 60D I honestly cannot say anything bad about it. Unless you have some very specific needs that are better met by one of the other mid/high cameras, there is nothing that the camera doesn't do "well", and the articulating screen is awsome.

[ccting]

Originally Posted by Doug Sundseth

Is there a reason you don't want to stay with Sony? Most people that own them seem to like them quite a lot.

Canon, or Sony.

I heard Sony body can utilize Nikon lenses... and Nikon body uses Sony sensor... ;D

[AshNZ]

I wanted to buy D7000 but they are nowhere to be found in my city. No one’s got them. Best I heard was “we’ve got two coming but don’t know when”.. so not wanting to wait indefinite time for my camera, I bought the 7D. I love the feel of it so far.. very solid and feels durable. Big improvement from my old a300!