'Free' 7D. Keep or sell?

So I just realized I have nearly 200k United miles and have just been through the merchandise rewards and there really isn't anything I can see that is on any 'to buy' lists I have.

So I notice I can get a 7D with 28-135 kit, and the wife isn't insisting on anything so I have the go ahead (she doesn't even bother asking why I need another camera anymore). Looking at everything else, even if I just wanted cash, this would be the easiest thing to sell.

So I'll likely get it, but should I sell it or keep it, that is going to be my conundrum.

I'm pretty happy with my 5DII for the stuff I care about (landscapes, portraits), but very occasionally bust out the T1i for extra reach (and when the 5DII had a meltdown shooting a friends Christmas pics). I think I might actually use the 7D much more than my T1i though, for kids sports/general stuff and the occasional wildlife etc... Actually I could potentially see it being my outdoor non-landscape camera of choice. To be honest I've never owned a camera with better AF than the 5DII (previous to digital I had and A1) so I don't really know what I'm missing.

Other options would be to sell the 7D (it would be brand new, boxed etc..) and get a 135L. I don't want a <=50mm prime or the 70-200 2.8 II and would not sell the 70-200f4IS even if I did want a 2.8 II.

Some might say sell the 7D and 5DII and put in another grand and get a 5DIII. I think I'd rather have the 7D and 5DII and a 135L. If the 5DIII were cheaper or offered either better low or high ISO I would be very tempted to go that route. Well, I guess if I could sell the 7D for $1200 and the 5DII for $1700 (11k actuations, but does have cosmetic scratches - it got rolled on concrete), that would only be $600 extra for a 5DIII. Oops, I'm not supposed to be spending extra this year on camera gear!

I'll probably need to upgrade the sig 85 to the 85L and get the 135L if I got a 5DIII though.

Anyway, rambling thoughts after I thought I was completely don this year after buying the 5DII and TS-E 17mm last year.

What would you do?

Well there are some options as to what you can do.

Personally, I would be very happy to have 2 solid bodies over just 1 really good one. However, with both a crop and FF setup, which UWA setup would you use the most? I see you have the 10-22 and 17-40. How much do you use the Sigma 85 to justify a substantial upgrade.

I took a brief gander at your Flickr and it seems you do alot of landscape stuff, nothing really involving moving objects, so would you benefit alot from the 7Ds AF and FPS?

Keep the 5D2 and T1i. Sell the 7D Kit, sell the 10-22 and see what that gets you. You can either add a 135L to your lineup or replace the 70-200 you have now with a 70-200 II and to offset the crop FOV difference, pick up a 1.4x TC

Just throwing some ideas out there. You definitely have a lot of options!

if you managed to endure 200k miles on that airline, sell it and buy yourself something that will erase the memories of flying with them.

Fly, which is much better than to 'buy' anything
'Buy' only get about 10 - 20% of value of airfare actually.

rick_reno wrote in post #14364412
if you managed to endure 200k miles on that airline, sell it and buy yourself something that will erase the memories of flying with them.

Just what I was thinking!

Are you only given the one option with the 7D kit? Reason is, you can get a 7D kit with two different lenses as you may well know. The other lens offered, EF s 15-85 (f3.5-5.6) is much better, in many peoples opinion, than the 28-135mm option. I've tried both then bought the kit with the 15-85 and I've been very pleased with it.
The only drawback with it is it doesn't fit on my 1Div, if it did I'd use it.

rick_reno wrote in post #14364412
if you managed to endure 200k miles on that airline, sell it and buy yourself something that will erase the memories of flying with them.

I've managed to get about 200k miles on my United FF program over the last 3 years, but only about 60k of that was actually with United...

OP - how many miles is the 7D? I have about 100k left over, and a few flights coming up...

x_tan wrote in post #14364522
Fly, which is much better than to 'buy' anything
'Buy' only get about 10 - 20% of value of airfare actually.

This is true... 90k miles gets me a business class trip to pretty much anywhere in SE Asia via Seoul, Bangkok, Tokyo or Singapore, that's about $4-5K from Sydney...
Z...

x_tan wrote in post #14364522
Fly, which is much better than to 'buy' anything
'Buy' only get about 10 - 20% of value of airfare actually.

I met a gentleman once who had a few hundred thousand FF miles - the absolute last thing he wanted to do with them was fly somewhere. Guess his idea of a vacation was anywhere except a plane.

I've never found these points programs to be apples for apples. For example, I'll assume your 200,000 miles is worth $2000. Are you having to use all your points to buy the 7d? 160,000 points?

Even at 160,000 points, the $1600 equiv, you'll never get that much for it. I bought a brand new yesterday for $1300 - not a great deal but $250 less than B&H. So effectively, you'd be spending $1600 to get $1300 or less.

Personally, I'd take the check before having to go through the hassle of buying to sell and ship for less than what you just used. Or buy it knowing I was gonna keep it.

I'd say get the 7D and try it - see how it works for you. It sounds like you're fairly set on getting it on rewards to start with; so you'll end up having it for a time so give it a whirl. Only you can really decide if its features are what you need in a camera or not.

Choice on this is going to come down to personal preference more than anything; stats wise the only thing the rebel you have has over the 7D is that its smaller. Everything else the 7D does equally as well or better than. Against the 5DMII the 7D does AF far far better; however you don't appear to shoot much regular action so the bonus of that AF system might simply never be fully realised.


If you could sell and raise money for the 5DMIII I'd say go for it - but it sounds like that is not on the cards; don't beat yourself over it; you've already identified that strong AF might not be the most important feature for you in a camera and, over the MII, the AF is what the MIII is all about (at least in the most it gains).

Thanks for the replies. I am still open to other suggestions as to what to do with the miles. huntersdad - can I cash in the miles, rather than use them for flights or merchandise? Anyone want to buy them from me?

Quite honestly I didn't even realize I had that many miles, I don't think I've even looked at them for 3 years.

Yea, 7D only has the one kit option and is 196k miles. I got the miles through business travel and credit card purchases (actually mostly with continental). I don't do much personal airline travel at all (I used miles for a trip to DC 5 years ago). Otherwise I would certainly use them for travel. I can't get money back by using them for business travel unfortunately, or I would do that for sure.

I have no idea why I even got a credit card that gave air miles - I guess it seemed like the best option at the time.

I know I'll make a decision myself, I guess I was wondering if people with the 7D+5DII combo actually use the 7D much.

As I said most of the stuff i care about, the 5DII is fine - kids shots don't go on flickr and don't get printed larger than 8x10 and I can get family portraits and enough shots of the kids playing etc.. that I don't need the AF. Sure I miss stuff, but I can't say I really care that much. If the AF and 8fps were that important I would have gotten a 7D before, so meh.

Thanks again, this helps since I don't have photog friends to bounce ideas off.

I wouldn't use the miles for gear, the $/mile ratio is just too low. Use it for a nice vacation where you'll have the chance to use the gear you already have.