opinions wanted

I know the topic has probably been shot to death but i'm gonna ask for a little help anyway. I've decided with my tax money to buy a new camera body thru the CLP. I've been wanting the 60d for a while now but i'm getting back more than i expected so the 7d seems to call to me, might just be the fact it's higher end. anyway, where i live theres no where close that carries the 7d for me to get a feel for it, just the 60d. And i'm really the only one of my friends who's really into photography that uses canon's to get an accurate opinion. I mainly shoot automotive photography at shows and some little shoots. I'm also starting to expand into a little bit of portrait photography and evening landscape pictures. Hopefully that gives an idea of everything. Thanks for any feedback

clearly you want the 7D, so get the 7D.

rick_reno wrote in post #13935245
clearly you want the 7D, so get the 7D.

This^^^

If you hate it you can always return it.

The main reasons I went for the 60D (I considered the 600 and the 7 too) were (entirely subjective and in no particular order):

* Cost/value - I felt the 60d had the most "bang per buck" of the 3. It's solid, feels great, and I like the control layout.
* Weight - I felt the 7d was a little too bulky/heavy for a "general use" cam. I used to have a gripped 20d with a 24-70L walkaround. It was an awesome camera, but I didn't use it anywhere near as much as I'd like because it was too bulky/heavy - only ever took it when I was going out specifically to take photos.
* The screen - Having had the 20D in the past there were many times when I wished I had the eyepiece extension when shooting at weird and wonderful angles. The articulated screen and live view mean I can shoot any which way up without ending up with a cricked neck

It's a very personal decision though, you can get cracking photos with both, you really should attempt to try them out.

I think if you go to a high street store to get the feel of it and like it PLEASE buy it from that store, because if you just then go and buy it online you are another nail in the high street coffin.
Boring, but there is a principle and when they're gone they wont come back.

I just bought the 7D unseen and it is fine.

I had a look at some of your posts and also your flickr stream to get an idea of what you have and what you shoot.

I'm not seeing you need the focusing system of the 7D for what you shoot and the 60D would do you proud (see you have a Rebel XS/1000D at the moment).

There are some areas where you could spend money that might be more beneficial, you look like you are struggling for shutter speed sometimes indoors, I know you have a 50/1.8 and a kit lens (I take this is a 18-55/3.5-5.6 IS) but you generally always shoot wider than 50mm, so you might want to look at something in the 17-50mm f/2.8 range.

If you are getting into landscapes then obviously a good polarizing filter never goes amiss and at some stage you will want a tripod and a remote shutter release.

If you can't afford the 60D + 17-50mm 2.8 lens I would even go for a 50D with a 17-50mm 2.8 lens if it was myself.

thanks wayne, my next lens on the list is actually a 17-50 2.8. And the autofocus system was really the main thing that intrigued me about the 7d. most of the other specs seemed to be insignificant of a difference or not beneficial to me

OP,

The AF system of the 7D would give little benefit for the type of things you want to shoot. It's main advantages over the 60D are ability to track moving subject (sports/action) and customizability (for special situations... takes a while to learn when and where to use them). You also get slightly higher build quality... more metal, more seals, more AF points, 100% viewfinder... and more weight, bulkier shape with 7D. 60D isn't really smaller, but it feels that way. 7D has focus Micro Adjust, which 60D doesn't... probably most useful for prime lens and/or large aperture shooters.

60D uniquely offers the articulated LCD, locking mode dial, "joystick" that can be reached in either horizontal or vertical mode, lighter weight, slimmer feel.

The two cameras have same imaging capabilities... sensor, processor (7D has dual processors to allow higher frame rate). They also have same meterings system. 60D is rated for 100K shutter cycles. 7D is rated for 150K.

If the difference in price saved buying the 60D instead of 7D would allow you to buy a Canon 17-55/2.8 instead of a third party lens, that might be a better choice. For example, it's almost a guarantee that the focus performance of a Canon USM lens on 60D will be superior to the focus performance of a non-USM third party lens on 7D.

Either camera can do fine. With 7D you are buying and paying for more features you will likely never need or use, that in no way will "improve" your photography for the sort of thing you say you like to shoot. But it also won't disappoint.

I always put lenses far higher priority than the camera body. I'd much rather have a high quality lens on a simple, straightforward camera body.... than a cheap lens on a top of the line camera. Lenses make the image... beyond the basics of image capture qualities, camera bodies are just about conveniences and gimmicks.

i'd get a 60D and by yourself a nice lens with the difference in price.

Automotive, portraits and landscapes - is 5DMKII availible under CLP?
If not, or it is still too expensive - 60D and good glass.
Even latest Rebel and best lens(es) you could afford.
If you not into sports and birds 7D or 60D - no difference, IMO.

If you plan to shoot sports, birds, wildlife, etc the 7D is a better choice, otherwise the 60D is fine.

The 60D will run Magic Lantern (as will several other Canon models) but the 7D does not (yet, it's being worked on). If doing serious video recording (I do not), Magic Lantern provides a multitude of features that videographers need (e.g. focus racking, focus peaking, zebras, control over audio gain, etc.).

Some of Magic Lantern's features are also useful for us still photographers, particularly if you do macro photography and then focus stack multiple images. The 60D's articulated screen plus Magic Lantern's focus peaking and focus bracketing are very useful if shooting macro or low to the ground/mud/water.

Video showing Magic Lantern's focus bracketing

p.s You mentioned evening landscapes. Magic Lantern provides exposure times up to 8 hours, an intervalometer (for time-lapse photography), shutter tripping by waving your hand in front of the IR sensor or clapping your hands (so no camera movement from pressing shutter but you can time the shutter release when wanted instead of anticipating 2 or 10 seconds ahead of time with the stock timer function), more mirror lockup options, and some other features you might find helpful in low-light photography.

amfoto1 wrote in post #13935802
OP,

The AF system of the 7D would give little benefit for the type of things you want to shoot. It's main advantages over the 60D are ability to track moving subject (Either camera can do fine. With 7D you are buying and paying for more features you will likely never need or use, that in no way will "improve" your photography for the sort of thing you say you like to shoot. But it also won't disappoint.

Well put.
I used to covet the 7d because...well, its the 7D!
But when I looked at what I shoot I realized I would be paying for a lot of features I wouldn't use or need.

Google and see if you have any camera clubs in your area. I have two within about 10 miles and I would venture if I attended a meeting I'd likely find a 7D to at least hold and ask questions about. Sometimes too, local high schools or a community collge might have a camera club.

I went from a 550D to a 7D, with the idea of keeping the 550D as second body. Then I was left some money and a month after getting the 7D I got the 5D2, kept the 7D as second body and gave the 550D to the wife. The 7D is a cracking camera, great AF and fps, but having said that, if I'd bought the 5D2 before the 7D I would of kept the 550D as second body and not bothered with the 7D at all.
I can get all the shots I want with the 5D2 including BIF, wildlife and sports. Since I got the 5D2 I've used it about 90% of the time and the 7D about the other 10%, although I am forcing myself to use it a bit more now, just to get the use out of it. Unless you need the AF and fps of the 7D I'd say get the 60D and use the extra cash on glass.