Advice on new body for motorsport.

Hi all,

Just after a few opinions on what direction I should think about going.

I bought a 400d and used it for about 18 months, I then upgraded to a 40d which I have been using for the past 18 months.

I did notice a vast improvement when switching.

I am now thinking about where to go next, I want to spend sub £1000 so second hand is going to be my only option I think. Think something like 1d mark ii N or 7d.

What do people think?

Cheers in advance Alan

ALALAL_1 wrote in post #12787452
What do people think?

Camera body counts less than experience, technique, positioning and luck.


Motorsports from an XTi.

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[/QUOTE]What you interpreted as "improvement" from a camera body change was probably the result of experience in taking motorsports pictures.[/QUOTE]

Cheers DC Fan

I would like to think that, but I think I found that I had a lot more keepers from the bunch of photos switching from the 400d to the 40d.

What body are you using at the moment DC Fan ?

Cheers for the input.

Alan

ALALAL_1 wrote in post #12787452
What body are you using at the moment DC Fan?

Any of the three listed above, depending on which one deserves to be worn out on that day.

Motorsport is one area where I believe that the body can make a difference. However, only you will know if you've reached the limit of your current equipment and that it is it that is holding you back.

The decision comes down to how much you want to spend. Buying a used 7D with maybe a grip isn't going to give you much change out of £1000. It is probably Canon's best all round camera and can certainly hold its own with motorsport. I always found the AF to be at least as good as my 1D mk II. However, its AF system is way more complicated to set up to your way of shooting than the 40D and because of the pixel density, it is very unforgiving of poor technique. As you should from the spectator side of the fence, it retains the 1.6 crop which is handy in providing effective reach and it has a huge amount of pixels meaning you can crop quite aggressively into an image and still retain a lot of pixels. You need to nail the exposure with it as well to ensure you keep noise levels under control.

There are good condition low mileage 1D mk IIn's out there that will give you a reasonable amount of change from your £1000. This camera is still very, very capable despite its age. The AF performance is rock solid, and image quality is also right up there. Technology has moved on though, so it lacks the bells and whistles of the newer cameras. Only you can decide if those things are important to you. There is a certain magic associated with the 1 series cameras as well, so be warned that once you've used one you'll more than likely be hooked forever lol!

I've rambled on for long enough now. Don't hesitate to drop me a line if there's anything specific you want to ask.

Cheers,

Simon.

I recently upgraded from a 30D to a 7D (with grip) and my only regret is not doing it sooner. Simon above , is right about setting up the AF, but once you have the hang out it it's awesome.
Not sure what lenses you use but obviously be aware the Mk11n uses EF only glass whilst the 7D is compatable with EF and EF-S

Cheers guys thanks for the input... Did not think about ef only glass... Not to much of a problem as would only have to replace stock 18-55 lens which never really use.

Simon take it you still have both mark ii n and 7d ( and if remember correct now a mark iii ), when would you use 7d over the mark ii and vice versa ?

Alan

This is my first year shooting with a 7D, use to have a 30D. The AF on the 7D is awesome compared to the 30D AI servo, its is very fast with lenses f/4 and under. I agree with Simon though, camera shake is much harder to control on the 7D vs. the 30D because of the pixel D. Shooting the 7D with a mono-pod is a must IMO. The 7D can also be set up to favor an exposure based on what it is focused on which really helps the keeper rate on white race cars. Not sure if the 1D II can do that also. Sample shot from my 7D to follow:

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Cheers Bryan, this is great to see... I have the same lenses as you 70-200 and 300..

Thanks Alan

I shot both of those with the 300mm f/4 L on the 7D, a killer combo. I love that lens and its few thousand cheaper than the 300mm f/2.8 L. If you aint shooting low light, save the money the IQ is just as good IMO.

ALALAL_1 wrote in post #12804887
Cheers guys thanks for the input... Did not think about ef only glass... Not to much of a problem as would only have to replace stock 18-55 lens which never really use.

Simon take it you still have both mark ii n and 7d ( and if remember correct now a mark iii ), when would you use 7d over the mark ii and vice versa ?

Alan

For a number of reasons, I no longer own either the 1D mk II (I never had the n version) or the 7D. All I currently have is the mk III .

I never used my 1D mk II in the 18 months that I owned the 7D. The 7D was the body I went to every time regardless of what I was shooting.

Simon.

Alan, check your PM's. I may be able to help you out with your quest soon

I have both a 1D MkIIn along with the 7D and have found the 1D appears to outperform the 7D, at least in my experience. Maybe I haven't found the right AF settings, or my technique is poor, but I get a lot higher keeper rate at low shutter speeds with the 1D. I'm thinking of getting a newer 1 Series body due to the ISO limitations of the MkIIn.

7D focus takes a while to understand but once you understand it the results are good.

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What issue was resolved in relation to the keepers when your first upgrade? I jumped from the 300d to 30d just because I wanted an alloy body. I mainly shoot motor sport and find the 30d will out perform me!

Different matter if you're just after an upgrade.