60d vs 7d for amatur mom

Hello all...

I'm currently using an XTI which I've had for about 4.5yrs now. Just started shooting manually a few months ago and currently half way thru a 6 week local beginning dslr course.

I'd been eying the 60d since xmas time and new lenses. I currenlty have the kit lens, a quantarary 70-300 that came free with my camera purchase ( I realized it's not a good lens) and a 50mm 1.4. I eventually want to get a new lens to replace my kit.

I was thinking the 60d would fit my needs. My instructor has the 7d, and I now have camera envy.... he had it with him with the grip, 24-105 and external flash all attached...WOW was that HUGE. He was telling me about a previous student of his who got the 60d bundle at bj's, told him I had been eyeing that and he said I should go with the 7d. I'm concerned it might be too much camera for me, he said no. And I'm also concerned it may be too big in my hands. I won't be needing a grip I'm sure. Ran out of time to discuss it further with him.

I shoot my 4 kids (age range 18mos to age 10 all boys). Currently only the 8 yr old plays sports (soccer, baseball). I like to shoot alittle nature and would use it for travel (ie we do Disney everyother year, beach). I'm a female, and concerned that it may get alittle heavy either in my bag or in my hands, around my neck. I'm coming from an XTI and is seems so small to me now that I'm learning. I ordered a new bag (kelly moore b-hobo) so I can carry my camera with me often. Also on my XTI I've come to realized that I don't like the placement of the f stop buttons on my XTI, I just find it alittle cumbersome now that I'm adjusting my settings more.

also, when I do upgrade my kit lens, I realized the other day when I saw the 24-105 mounted on my photo class instructor's 7d that it would topple over the now seemingly tiny XTI! lol

I want to grow with my photography and not looking to upgrade again after this for at least another 5 yrs. If I get the 60d will I be wishing I had the 7d? It's the price and possiblity that it may be too big that is scaring me away.

thanks in advance!
Jen

Both great bodies, clearly the 7D is the current top of the line for crop, and from my experience would be the choice if you plan on shooting a lot of fast moving subjects. However you note weight could be an issue. I was able to shoot with a 7D for a day and the first thing I noticed what how big the camera is and the weight compared to my T2i with grip. Since I do a lot of hiking I don't see that being the camera for me, in fact the more I use my DSLR the less gear I seem to want to take with me, especially when traveling. So based on your comments I would think the 60D would be a better fit.

Now with that said, check out Canon Rumors, there is a new 70D and T4i being thrown about, since we are so close to their potential release it might be worth your while to wait to see what they offer. If you do any video the auto focus feature being noted would be great to have.

If you base all of your gear purchases from Canonrumors, and continually wait for the latest and greatest, you'll never buy anything and you'll never be happy with what you've got.

Weight is a very subjective and changing thing. As long as you don't have any physical problems that will be aggravated by things of a certain weight, I wouldn't worry about it. I used to shoot daily with my 7D, grip on, with 70-200 f/2.8 IS II and 2x TC attached.. for 8-10 hours a day doing motorsports stuff.... You get used to the weight and it doesn't matter at all after a short while...

My advice would be, buy the best you can reasonably afford. For sports, I'd rather have a 7D over the 60D hands down.

I have had the 60D for a year as my first SLR camera. (Limited experience) I have been pleased with it but am going to move to the 7D because I want better bif photos.
The 60D is a great camera. I have taken some great photos as I have learned its intricancies. I have shot in raw from the beginning and found that the learning curve wasn't too bad. Whichever camera you go with, think about back button focus which has been a great find for me. My primary lens is a 400mm 5.6. It's fast enough to do sports etc.

I just feel my keeper rate will be much higher with the 7D.

read through mine... it may help, best i can suggest rent them both and try one at a time for a full day. it worked for me, still took me 2 months to decide tho. i still use my xti it fits nicely in my Carhartt jacket pockets...
https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1179227

Hi,
Just a suggestion about the weight of the 7D. Purchase a Black Rapid RS Sport.
I think you will be wanting the 7D in less than a year if you go with the 60D.

jpfiff wrote in post #14473255
Hello all...

I want to grow with my photography and not looking to upgrade again after this for at least another 5 yrs.

This makes me think that you're better off getting the best camera within your budget. If you can swing for a brand new 7D or 60D, I said go for 7D and never look back. Better yet, if you're not oppose to buying used, I'd say add the 5D2 into the mix for the full frame sensor.

At one point, I thought I would be happy with the 7D and never going to need a full frame, but as my interest in photography has grown over the years I realized that some of favorite things to shoot would have greatly benefited if I had gone full frame. So now I'm back to saving up and selling gears for a 5D2 or maybe 5D3.

Weight is not as big an issue if you use a sling style strap. Saves a lot of wear and tear on the neck.

I vote 60D. Why buy something you don't need? The price difference, if these cameras are new is significant! The 60D is not a slouch! I have no experience with a 7D, but if one is a hardcore action junkie such as birds in flight, sports including motor sports, or wants the "best crop body ever," these are a few reasons to buy a 7D.

However, if you use an external flash and grip, any camera will become heavy real fast. Maybe you should rent each candidate, then come to a conclusion.

EDIT: The addition of a strap does not conceal the fact that the camera is heavy. One still has to hold the camera to take pictures etc... Sometimes, I hold my camera one handed for whatever reason. The OP has kids, and most likely will be directing traffic.

+1
To the OP - the worst thing you can do is get caught up in gear envy. Determine what capabilities you need from your camera and what focal lengths you require and go from there.

I run both cameras and the 7D feels twice as expensive as the 60D.

The 7D has better features..
More AF points
Joystick controller on the back which is,frankly, the killer feature the 60D lacks. Makes navigation of menus and AF much easier and less hassle.
And like I said the feel of the 7D is better and more solid, but it is nearly twice the price.
Though I would not have the 60D if it did not do a good job, which it does.

AND finally

Never have camera envy, just photo envy. Some people still run film cameras and get good results with them. Can you imagine how hard that must be?

Get the 60d and invest in better a better lens or lenses and a flash.

Jen, I've never used a 7D, so take my opinion with an appropriate grain of salt...

In reading this forum I've come away with a few strong opinions about the 7D: It is a "best in class" camera; It takes more expertise/experience to use it properly than something like the 60D; It requires better glass to get that "best in class" output; It requires shooting RAW and post-processing to get that "best in class" output; It leaves many people disappointed who do not use it properly.

Given those points, I have avoided the 7D, and I would recommend a 60D to you. Additionally, I think the flip screen can be really helpful for things like weird angles, family portaits with you in them and video.

Finally, I will echo what someone else mentioned about a 70D coming. It is rumored to have real AF for video. To me that is a great upgrade for shooting kids/family stuff. I don't like the idea of waiting for the next best thing, but if you are thinking of keeping your next camera for 5 years another few months of waiting may be worth it.

Good luck with your decision!

once you use the joystick with the custom function for AF, I dont think you'll ever go back.

I have a good external flash for when needed (which I still need to learn properly once I get the camera funtions mastered better).

I do know that I prefer natural light, and my house doesn't get the best, so I often have to bump up the iso,esp with the kit lens. I like to do alot of shooting outside when able.

Only reason I would wait if a new 7d was coming out would be in hopes that the current 7d would go down in price and get that. I assume they would. I'm not looking to get the newest and the greatest camera body. I don't *need* it now, I want to continue to grow and then upgrade, possibly by the end of the year.

It's not that I don't think the 60d is a great camera and more than enough for me now, I was just thinking down the line in a couple of years if and when the kids get more involved in sports. I have a hard time following the little ones now though. I do hear that the focus is confusing on the 7d.

I thought the joystick controller was the same on both, didn't realized that they were different since the look the same. I've never actually tried the cameras. Never tried a grip either and I don't think I need one for the type of shooting I do, and definatly won't need to it add weight, well, maybe I could use one on my little xti LOL