EOS 7D or T4i for my purposes

Hello everyone,

I am currently trying to decide between these two cameras. I am selling my Nikon D60 to go Canon. I am looking to get something that does well with video and still frame images. I want to be able to take pictures that I can print at very large sizes (maybe on canvas). I am mainly going to be using it to take pictures/videos of cats and my kid.

The 7D has many advantages, including being faster, and having a better build quality (I tend to beat up things). However, the camera is 3 years old now, and the new T4i has some cool new features.

Both cameras will have a similar price; what would you go for? I know many of you will tell me to focus on the lenses not the body, but right now I am choosing a body.

Thanks!

Really the only thing the T4i has over the 7D is the articulating screen.
The 7D has faster FPS, better weather sealing and a much better 19point autofocus versus 9.
The 7d also uses Compact flash cards versus SD cards in the T4i, which could matter if you already have numerous SD cards from your Nikon.

My two cents

TheBigDog wrote in post #14800399
Really the only thing the T4i has over the 7D is the articulating screen.
The 7D has faster FPS, better weather sealing and a much better 19point autofocus versus 9.
The 7d also uses Compact flash cards versus SD cards in the T4i, which could matter if you already have numerous SD cards from your Nikon.

My two cents

that is not entirely true. the t4i has video focus tracking. how well that works is yet to be seen. Image quality, there should not be much difference. canon is recycling the same 18 mp sensor it initially introduced in its t2i 4 years ago, with the exception of live view autofocus. the ergonomics are going to be vastly different however. the 7D is beafier, and has extra wheel that can make a difference. If price does not matter, between the two, I would go for the 7D if pics are your main goal, and t4i if video is your main goal.

kevindar wrote in post #14800419
between the two, I would go for the 7D if pics are your main goal, and t4i if video is your main goal.

This. Unless you really really want the autofocus video feature, the 7D is better in every other way (Assuming like me you like the beefier size and contruction).

actually the articulating screen is pretty useful in video shooting. And I thin what you alluded to in terms of size is a big deal. I would not say one is better than the other. t4i small size may be far more attractive to women, and for travelling with the two kit lenses. the larger size of 7D of course ballances much better with most higher end lenses.

kevindar wrote in post #14800419
that is not entirely true. the t4i has video focus tracking. how well that works is yet to be seen. Image quality, there should not be much difference. canon is recycling the same 18 mp sensor it initially introduced in its t2i 4 years ago, with the exception of live view autofocus. the ergonomics are going to be vastly different however. the 7D is beafier, and has extra wheel that can make a difference. If price does not matter, between the two, I would go for the 7D if pics are your main goal, and t4i if video is your main goal.

Good advice.

Actually the T4i has improved AF, too... compared to earlier Rebel models. It's more comparable to the 60D/50D, with all points the "better" cross- or dual-axis-type. All earlier models only have a single point of this type, at the center.

Also unique to the T4i is the Digic V processor, which might help AF and other things... Haven't used it, but it might allow AF to be as fast or faster than 50D and 60D, and those cameras aren't slouches (in fact, lab testing they lock on faster than 7D.... mere milliseconds tho, not that you'd notice in the real world).According to Canon's press releases the Digic V is 17X faster than the Digic 4 that the earlier models use (including 60D and 7D, tho the latter has two to support 8 fps... 5D3 and 1DX are also using some variant of Digic V).

The T4i has the touch screen in place of the second wheel. My wife was playing with a T4i and she found it to be just about as easy to make manual adjustments as my 7D. Go and play with both camera before you buy to see which one you like best.

Calicajun wrote in post #14800646
T4i and she found it to be just about as easy to make manual adjustments as my 7D.

Live view maybe. Using the viewfinder... I highly doubt that.

The 7D is faster (8 fps v 5 fps) with a deeper buffer (for RAW, 15 v 6), less sutter lag (59ms v 75ms) more rugged construction (mag alloy v polycarbonate over metal frame; weather sealing v none), UI that is faster to operate while looking through the viewfinder, bigger and heavier (29 oz v 18).

The T4i has better features for video (swivel LCD, digital zoom, AF while shooting - at least with some lenses, but how well it works IDK), better AF than previous Rebels reducing the 7D advantage here.

The two are the same in general IQ, so you need to focus on how much the differences matter to what you will be doing.

RTPVid wrote in post #14800852
The 7D is faster (8 fps v 5 fps) with a deeper buffer (for RAW, 15 v 6), less sutter lag (59ms v 75ms) more rugged construction (mag alloy v polycarbonate over metal frame; weather sealing v none), UI that is faster to operate while looking through the viewfinder, bigger and heavier (29 oz v 18).

The T4i has better features for video (swivel LCD, digital zoom, AF while shooting - at least with some lenses, but how well it works IDK), better AF than previous Rebels reducing the 7D advantage here.

The two are the same in general IQ, so you need to focus on how much the differences matter to what you will be doing.

A firmware update for the 7d next week will increase the buffer depth from 15 raw to 25 raw

jack880 wrote in post #14801386
A firmware update for the 7d next week will increase the buffer depth from 15 raw to 25 raw

Is that "next week" in calendar time or in Canon Marketing Time?

But, yes, thanks for that.

RTPVid wrote in post #14801486
Is that "next week" in calendar time or in Canon Marketing Time?

But, yes, thanks for that.

Ha, we'll see!

that's a tough call. All I can say is that if it were raw video- the T4i with 18-135 STM lens. Shooting fast action stuff- 7D. Best solution- both ?

The t4i can track and autofocus automatically. I have tried to focus manually before- and I suck at it. That said- the 7D can do a semi-auto thing- where you push AF-ON- and the camera will attempt to AF during video- until its done- and later, if you need to- you can press it again to re-adjust focus again. . It's slower than the t4i - partly because the t4i has a hybrid AF- on the sensor- that aids in faster AF during video.

Both will print easily to the same size. I do like the controls on the 7D more than the Rebel style on the t4i. Haven't messed much with the touchscreen yet though. The t4i w/ 18-135 STM lens is the best arrangement for video - in a kit- about $1200. The 7D with the older 18-135 IS lens- is about $1800. I think the STM lens is a bit better than the original IS lens that ships with the 7D. For camera stuff- the 7D is still far superior in most ways over the t4i. T4i's only real major advantages are the swivel screen, and it's improvements for video- like af during video. .

If you need to ask, you're probably better off with the T4i

what about the iso performance.is the t4i better due the newer sensor?