HELP!! 70D vs 7D, which to buy!

70D is 20.2 MP. For me i like the HDR, RAW to JPeg in camera processing, Wifi, EOS remote of the 70D. But i also dont do a lot of PP of my images. I usually just upload them, crop them, might satuirate them a bit and run them through a noise program. If your gonna PP them alot then the 7D would be a better choice i think. I personally use my 7D and my 100-400L to shoot aircraft, birds, anything moving basically, then the 70D with a wide angle lens to capture landscapes, portraits, macro, HDR images. Either way i dont think you can go wrong with either one. THe 7Ds grip is better and better body.

I have yet to see any side by side exact exposure comparison shots between these two that show in raw (not in camera jpg) that the 70D is noticeably better in ISO. The samples I pulled shows that the 70D actually has a bit more luminescent noise than the 7D, but a bit more detail. The resolution difference is negligible as well, not the 24 vs 18 that you call out in the OP.

I think really the differentiator will be more around feature and movie/live view modes than anything IQ wise for stills.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #16304723
I have yet to see any side by side exact exposure comparison shots between these two that show in raw (not in camera jpg) that the 70D is noticeably better in ISO. The samples I pulled shows that the 70D actually has a bit more luminescent noise than the 7D, but a bit more detail. The resolution difference is negligible as well, not the 24 vs 18 that you call out in the OP.

I think really the differentiator will be more around feature and movie/live view modes than anything IQ wise for stills.

Hes right. Megapixels really arnt gonna mean that much unless your gonna blow them up the size of your wall. I dont do much live view or movie shooting so im no help on this one.

My opinion is that the 7D will fit your needs much better than the 70D. There is a reason why the 7D successor is taking so long to appear after all. It's one heck of a body to top in the 1.6x dslr category.

If i were you, i would buy a used or refurd (with the warranty) 7D. Its Canons work horse body. Its meant to stand the test of time,it doesnt do everything(HDR, Wifi, RAW to Jpeg) that the 70D does. But what it does do is more then enough to suit 90% of photographers out there and it does then damn good.The 70D is a great body and will last and make a great camera, but i have to lean towards the 7D. Its held its ground for 4 years and theyre still selling!!! You said your gonna learn PP, so all the in camera stuff you dont need. Just my 2 cents. I know i love mine, ill get rid of the 70D way before i ditch the 7D.

I'm going with the other direction. I've sold my 7D's to make room for a 70D. There are several things in 7D that I'm interested and that I believe it will benefit me more than 7D. Lightweight, compact size, swivel screen with excellent live view AF and so on.

7D is a really good camera too. You can't go wrong with either one. Choose the one that fits your needs the most.

As a 1st camera I suspect the 70D would be a better choice. It's got some useful additional features and is probably a bit more user friendly overall. You'll get better jpegs straight from the camera without having to worry about learning RAW processing at the same time as learning how to use the camera.

I suspect it would take quite some time before you'd be able to fully exploit the marginal performance/feature improvements that exist with the 7D.

I think most 1st time camera users would most likely benefit more from the user friendly additional features on the 70D.

Assuming IQ to be a wash, unless you're going to make use of the greatly improved video af in the 70D, I'd go with the 7D.

It's cheaper freeing up a few extra dollars for glass and will more than likely outperform the 70D in just about every other category. After over 4yrs, it still ranks among the best crop bodies out there.

I just bought a 5DIII and I was all set to sell my 7D, but I'm having serious doubt about doing it, the 7D is still that good...

I would go with a 7D unless you need a Swivel Screen and HDR features , then the 70D. The swivel screen comes in handy sometimes tho

Kylon wrote in post #16304981
Thanks people I have made up my mind, the 7D, on big reason is the view finder 100% and view finder display and dual axis level and stuff.

Its a pro camera and pro controls give me the precise control to get the focus and setting I need to take great shots.

I intend to buy the 15-85mm next month then the 7D the month after, I already have money saved up which could already buy the said lens, only I want more money on my account before I buy!!

Credit cards yo , its like free money

The 70D is a better general purpose camera, much better. I have both. I picked up the 70D to replace my G1X and as a backup to my 7D. Funny thing now I have my 7D for sale to get another 70d. There are TWO areas where the 7D might be better time will tell and that is the 2 missing focus modes and buffer size. If you need that then get the 7D if not get the 70D for everything else.

The 70D does not have the low ISO shadow banding the 7D has, the 70D does not have the low iso noise in sky and many other area that the 7D. At 400 iso the 7D has noise in many pictures not bad but its there.

From my viewpoint the 7D is brute force and the 70D is finesse. If I was you I do a little research on the low iso noise that the 7D has that the 70D does not have

"My opinion is that the 7D will fit your needs much better than the 70D. There is a reason why the 7D successor is taking so long to appear after all. It's one heck of a body to top in the 1.6x dslr category."
This applies to the 70D just as well as the 7D, even if the 7D was junk (which its not) the 7DII would still have to beat the 70D