I'm sure this is on a lot of people's mind...

Candid Arts

So right now I am shooting a 50D. I mainly like to shoot outdoors. Landscapes, macros, cityscapes, wild life, random object type stuff... So I think the crop body is good, faster frame rate (compared to that of the 5D2), etc...

However, lately I've been getting more into portraiture, weddings, modeling type stuff, etc... So I think a full frame (5D2) would be good for this type of stuff. More resolution, sharper, greater bit depth, etc...

I am REALLY liking the new Canon 7D, for many features it has. Wireless flash, dual processors, AF capabilities, better ISO performance, super fast frame rate, built in level, Full HD Video, 100% view finder, etc...

BUT, for what I'm doing now, I think a full frame would be better as the 7D is still a 1.6x crop. I also realize that the 7D would still just be excellent for what I do now, plus what I like to do for myself. One thing I'm really worried about on the 7D is the high ISO. the 50D was "supposed" to have better high ISO performance than the 40D did, however I have yet to see those results. So far I have been very disappointed with the high ISO performance on the 50D. They upped the MP from 12-15.1, same sensor size and the noise was worse. Now, on the 7D, they went from 15.1 to 18, again with the same size sensor. So I'm afraid that the high ISO performance will again be even worse.

As far as equipment that I currently own, I only have on EF-S lens, so switching to FF wouldn't be THAT big of a deal. It'd just be selling my 10-22 and buying a 16-35 (which is a WAY better lens anyways...). Another reason I'd want to switch to full frame is because I do some architecual shots as well, interiour buildings, and the 10-22 warps the image pretty bad at 10mm, where as the 16-35 @ 16 is still beautiful. However the 16-35 on a crop body is just not wide enough.

Anyways...were you in my situations, as I'm sure some of you are... What would you do? What are some opinions?

Canon 7D or stick with the 50D or upgrade to FF and go with the 5D2...?

Richard

I think we all need to take a deep breath and wait till there's some real-world experience with the 7D before making any decisions.

ziggy53

Richard wrote:

I think we all need to take a deep breath and wait till there's some real-world experience with the 7D before making any decisions.

Absolutely. I would not make any decisions about the 7D until I see the formal reviews. Then I need to weigh the advantages and disadvantages.

For me, I cannot live with a single camera, or a single format. I absolutely love the ability to chose my photographic weapons based on the situation and the opportunity.

Candid Arts

ziggy53 wrote:

Absolutely. I would not make any decisions about the 7D until I see the formal reviews. Then I need to weigh the advantages and disadvantages.

For me, I cannot live with a single camera, or a single format. I absolutely love the ability to chose my photographic weapons based on the situation and the opportunity.

As much as I agree with this, my bank account does not. I'd like to have both the 5D2 and the 7D (assuming everything being said thus far is true), but money won't allow it. So I gotta choose one.

I guess my bigger question is FF or Crop Body? I think some of the 7D's AF features, wireless flash, 100% viewfinder, and some others would be assets to portraiture type shooting, but the 1.6x crop is a limiting factor. That's where the 5D2 steps in. But even it doesn't have some of the awesome features of the 7D.

divamum

Candid Arts wrote:

As much as I agree with this, my bank account does not. I'd like to have both the 5D2 and the 7D (assuming everything being said thus far is true), but money won't allow it. So I gotta choose one.

I guess my bigger question is FF or Crop Body? I think some of the 7D's AF features, wireless flash, 100% viewfinder, and some others would be assets to portraiture type shooting, but the 1.6x crop is a limiting factor. That's where the 5D2 steps in. But even it doesn't have some of the awesome features of the 7D.

I think the point being made was not that you need to buy both, but that until there's more real-life information about the 7d - like, after it's actually in people's hands - you can make a more informed decision. Right now, the camera is, to all extents and purposes, still a completely unknown quantity! I'd say hold on for another 6-8 weeks and then revisit the question based on facts instead of speculation. I'm sure your 50D can carry you through a few more weeks....

Candid Arts

Oh I'm sure it can, and believe me with my bank account right now...it will. The 7D, if at all, wouldn't be 'till around christmas time.

Ok...let's forget the "7D"... For my purposes...FF or Crop Body? Benefits and downfalls of each for what I'm doing...

ziggy53

Candid Arts wrote:

... Ok...let's forget the "7D"... For my purposes...FF or Crop Body? Benefits and downfalls of each for what I'm doing...

Nope. Sorry. That's the wrong way to go about it.

If you feel limited by your 50D and your current system then you should consider another solution. Do you feel limited and in what way?

I only purchased the 5D MKII to solve some problems that other purchases did not, or could not, solve. The FF format allows "less" DOF to help isolate the subject (with the appropriate large aperture lenses), and it allows very small apertures as well without diffraction limiting, preserving, for the most part, the deep DOF when necessary. So DOF control is enhanced with many large aperture lenses.

The simultaneous increase in "usable" pixels, over my previous cameras, was also a factor in that landscapes from a single instantaneous image "may" have more detail (if I use the best lenses and otherwise do my job with appropriate technique.) The camera is also light enough that I can use my existing panoramic head when necessary. I was also convinced that the weather sealing was better than the 5D sealing and that AF performance was also improved perceptibly.

For me, after very careful review of all the options, it was the 5D MKII which best answered as a solution.

I still use the 40D, 1D MKII and XT/350D cameras as needed to fulfill their roles in my stable of equipment. Heck, I still even use my Minolta DiMAGE A2 digicam on occasion.

To be honest, the XT body has shot more of my favorite images than any other, mostly because it's what I tend to take for knocking around. Because RAW image processing software has continued to improve, as well as image editing/processing software and my own skill set, the XT is more capable now than when I originally purchased it.

colourbox

Candid Arts wrote:

...some of the 7D's AF features, wireless flash, 100% viewfinder, and some others would be assets to portraiture type shooting, but the 1.6x crop is a limiting factor. That's where the 5D2 steps in. But even it doesn't have some of the awesome features of the 7D.

The other path to take is the one I'm on, considering playing the waiting game since everybody knows now that the 7D's superior features HAVE to migrate up to full frame in the next 6 to 12 months. In other words, instead of choosing between 7D and 5DMkII, it can also be between 7D and 5D MkIII(?) for those who don't need to decide right away.

Candid Arts

colourbox wrote:

The other path to take is the one I'm on, considering playing the waiting game since everybody knows now that the 7D's superior features HAVE to migrate up to full frame in the next 6 to 12 months. In other words, instead of choosing between 7D and 5DMkII, it can also be between 7D and 5D MkIII(?) for those who don't need to decide right away.

I was actually thinking the same thing. 5D was in production though for like three years. Really think they will release a 5D3 so soon after the 5D2?

Cygnus Studios

ziggy53 wrote:

For me, I cannot live with a single camera, or a single format. I absolutely love the ability to chose my photographic weapons based on the situation and the opportunity.

Now I am not a Canon guy so I am not sure what capabilities the discussed systems have, but with the D3 I can shoot FF, 5:4, and FX when needed. Granted I lose some megapixels, but I rarely need to change from FF.

The only time I really have to switch cameras is when I need MF.

Does Canon not offer these possibilities?

ziggy53

Cygnus Studios wrote:

Now I am not a Canon guy so I am not sure what capabilities the discussed systems have, but with the D3 I can shoot FF, 5:4, and FX when needed. Granted I lose some megapixels, but I rarely need to change from FF.

The only time I really have to switch cameras is when I need MF.

Does Canon not offer these possibilities?

Canon EF-S lenses will not mount on a Canon FF body. Canon FF bodies do not have any sort of automated cropping in-camera, so if a third-party, reduced coverage, crop lens will mount (many will) it still requires a full-frame capture with subsequent manual cropping in software. This tends to discourage the use of crop lenses on FF bodies.

(I have used, and will continue to use, a Sigma 10-20mm, f4-5.6 EX DC HSM "crop" lens on both Canon FF and APS-H (crop 1.3x) camera bodies. On the 5D MKII I can pull a decent enough 6.5MP, 8 x 10 crop and an 8MP, 8 x 12 crop, which can still have value.)

leebase

It won't really matter how good the 7D is -- there are advantages to full frame for portrait/wedding/landscape/cityscape photography.

This is not a knock on crop cameras. I shoot with a 40D and a 5D. I like both of them and use them for their advantages. I don't shoot sports with my 5D and I don't shoot portraiture with my 40D.

Since you already have a crop sized camera, I'd recommend you get a full frame one.....either a used 5D or a new 5DII depending on your budget.

The 5D is still an excellent wedding and portrait camera.

When it's time for you to upgrade your 50D -- THEN -- get a 7D.

Well...at least that's how I'd do it if I were in your situation. If my 5D were do die, I would not be replacing it with a 7D. If my 40D were to die, I would not be replacing it with the 5DII.

Lee