Another &D plus EFS 17-55mm, or 5D MKII plus ????

I hope to one day turn fully pro, but at the moment I'm slowly building up business shooting sports with a 7D. One thing seems clear though, it's unlikely that I could make a living just doing sports because I'm effectively working just two days per week.

So I need to develop some new income streams. I took my camera along to a christening a few weeks ago and now the couple in question want me to do their wedding. I'm not that keen, to be honest, as I don't have an eye for that sort of photography (the christening shots turned out OK mainly because I have good gear), but there are lots of ways a camera can make money, such as product, real estate and event photography.

While my gear is fine for sports (7D plus EF-S 15-85mm, 135mm f/2.0, 70-200mm f/2.8, 300mm f/2.8) I don't have a good quality, fast general purpose zoom. I will also need a second or back-up body.

So, would you go for another 7D, or maybe a 5D MKII? And what lens - 17-55 f/2.8 (assuming I stay with the 7D bodies) or a different wide zoom, such as the 17-40L? I may even consider selling the 7D and getting two 5D bodies (in which case of course I would sell the EF-S15-85mm).

Basically, I need to think about how to expand my gear so that I can shoot real estate, product pics and events.

If i were in your position, i'd go for the 5D2... You're saying that you want an extra body, want do do sports AND other things.

What better than to have a crop and a FF at your hands? Sell the 15-85, buy a 5DII + 24-70 and i think you're pretty much settled to take on any job that comes to you.

There is such huge gap between canon apsc and ff ..
You will never get same IQ with 7D and 5DMKII ..
That, I would surely go to fullframe (I bought a 1DMKIII to go with my 5DMKII, only extra usable focus points with 85L1.2II, can justify a APSC or APSH beside a 5DMKII, BUT IQ is so far !!))..

It will give you some more length range by mixing lenses and bodies(only EF-S won't be usable).

I have already pu many sports samples of a 5DMKII with 300L2.8 or 135L, that you will never be disappointed.
A gallery with 300L and mainly 5DMKII (some are with a 50D)
http://photos.corbi.eu …S-Nov-2010/14730275_gcB5j

and a gallery with 135L and 5DMKII
http://photos.corbi.eu …orts-tests/15469938_sCQzS

and a gallery indoor with 5DMKII and 300L2.8 (it was too dark to get acceptable results with 50D)
http://photos.corbi.eu …S-Dog-Show/12889388_BoJi9

Borrow or rent a 5dmk2. I bank on it that you'd be impressed.

Very likely you may find the 15-85 to be a general personal use lens. Variable aperture lenses can hinder some creativity since the aperture will change on you as you zoom in/out.

for my purposes I will have to say I am absolutlely loving the FF x2 body setup. 70mm (70-200 zoom) with no crop factor allows me to get acceptable story telling photos while the other body can either have a UWA or semi wide 35L or a 24-70L zoom.

Go for used 1D III and 5Dc.

WRONG! You made the photos, not your gear.

Go for the 5D II, and get yourself a wider prime like a 35mm F1.4L or as previously mentioned, get the 24-70mm F2.8L, either way you'd be set for weddings, and other sorts of things like that.

I think the 5D MKII has its nose in front here. I reckon I'll keep the 7D for sports though.

So when shooting sports, the 5D will be backup and for any team shots or pit work, while the 7D becomes the backup body for just about everything else. While I originally thought two identical bodies would be a good idea - that way switching between the two wouldn't cause any stuff-ups - now I'm thinking horses for courses/best of both worlds.

I am wondering...

Please someone correct me if I am wrong but, it seems like Canon should introduce a 5Diii upgrade pretty soon. Of course, the earthquake and Tsunami might have messed up the schedules of anything made in Japan.

However, if the 5Diii is introduced, it might have some bells and whistles that you would enjoy. On the other hand, if you don't select the 5Diii, the prices of 5Dii cameras should take a dip.

OTOH... If Canon brings out a 5Diii which is "not exactly" an upgrade to the 5Dii, like the 60D was "not exactly" an upgrade to the 50D; you would still benefit from the lowering of 5Dii prices after the introduction of the 5Diii.

I am quite happy with the results of my 7D + 40D combination.

IIRC Canon factories are nowhere near the affected areas.
Also, I don't see why Canon would pull the same trick on the 5D series, as they did with the XXD series.
Would be a fairly good idea to wait for the 5D III, and then buy the II, though... should be significantly cheaper that way.

Yah I am waiting for the mk3 to see what happens. In the mean time though I do plan to start buying ef lenses to use on my 50d which I will use on my 5d when I get it. At that point I will put the 17-55 2.8 back on mh 50d.

Well that's the plan.