Do I need another camera?

I started using Canon recently. I started with the 5D Mark II because it has a full frame. However, I used cropped sensor Pentax cameras prior to Canon and miss the apparently extra focal lenth provided by the crop sensor cameras. I was thinking in buying a 7D for my birding. Do I really need to buy another camera to get the crop sensor effect? Also, the 5DII has only 3.5 fps, versus other cameras that have as much as 6-8, or even 11 fps. I appreciate your input.

Either a crop body or long lenses...I vote longer lenses.

7D, because birding needs advanced AF.

longer lenses would be nice, but you can't beat the auto focus of the 7D.

kf095 wrote in post #15159493
7D, because birding needs advanced AF.

Unless you are very rich, get the 7D. Super teles for the 5D II are, for the most part, cost prohibitive.

Yogi Bear wrote in post #15159609
...Super teles for the 5D II are, for the most part, cost prohibitive.

Are they different? How? I have the 400/5.6L, is that good for 7D or 5DII or both?

1D Mark III for more advanced AF, better build, and about the same price (give or take a few bills)

Pepe Guitarra wrote in post #15159851
Are they different? How? I have the 400/5.6L, is that good for 7D or 5DII or both?

I have a 7D and a 100-400L which I use for birding. IMHO, 400mm on a crop is the minimum useful length for birding. 400mm on a FF just wouldn't be long enough for me, unless I could put a 1.4X extender on it. That would have to be the 400mm f/2.8L which costs $11.5k plus the extender. YMMV.

If you miss the longer reach of the crop sensor, I think you'll find that it would be less expensive to buy a second body than to try to upgrade all of your lenses (or potentially even one) to get that extra reach back. Take the 300 f/4L IS, for example, which costs < $1000 used. Using it on a crop body, you would have had an equivalent field of view of 480mm. If you wanted to get that same effective reach natively at f/4 on a full frame body, you'd need to go with the 500 f/4L IS, one of which is currently listed for $5900 in the FS forum. Sure, you can get a 1.4x TC to get close, but image quality will suffer.

This may be an extreme example but even with shorter focal lengths, it quickly becomes apparent that if you're into certain types of shooting, i.e. birding, a crop body is about the most effective TC you can buy.

If i remember your tele lens thread, you chose the 400/5.6 because you like BIF shots. If you weren't focused on BIF, i would suggest a cheaper body, like a 60D.. but, for BIF... 7D all the way. I also remember, that you didn't want to use a teleconverter.

You need that fast/accurate AF, and together with the 400/5.6, you'll have a potent birding setup.

7D + 100-400L
7D + 400L f/5.6
7D + 70-300L
7D + 300L f/4 IS
nice lenses with the 7D

Uhmm., it looks like the 7D. They do not go below $900. I will have to wait a while.

chumlee wrote in post #15159892
1D Mark III for more advanced AF, better build, and about the same price (give or take a few bills)

I just read the review of this camera and I am so impressed that I want to buy it, but I have not seen those a prices comparable to the 7D. Where should I look for? Thanks, P

yes you need new cameras and lenses. that's what you wanted to hear right?

Jericobot wrote in post #15161521
yes you need new cameras and lenses. that's what you wanted to hear right?

hehehehehe! Finally!! Well, I need serious arguments to convince my boss (wife).

The truth is that someone told me that I can use the FF camera and crop the photo, so I can get the same effect of the cropped sensor camera. However, I found that the 5D-II only provides 3.5 fps. That being said, I have done well with this camera and the Sigma 100-300/4. The first nice BIF that I have captured.