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

Jarvis Creative Studios wrote in post #16373840
Sounds like someone should've tried out their camera before they bought . The 50D was Mag Alloy, so of course it's going to be better built than the plastic fantastic 70D. As far as size goes, I used to have a 40D and it was just about comparible in size to my 7D. As the 7D is slightly larger than the 5DII I would guess the 70D probably is for dainty hands, as it's size is a selling point. As far as the flimsy wheel, well, that's just another plastic part on a plastic camera. If you're preferring to do photoshoots with your T3i and 50D over your new 70D, maybe you should've waited on that purchase. Or simply gotten a 7D, which would've fixed all the problems you have with the 70D (minus the swivel screen).

I would have needed to rent the camera and use it a bit before, in order to know its flaws but I kept the 70D in the end. I was debating between it and the 7D. I took some photos with it, did a lot of videos for two projects already and the results were fantastic. I'm glad I didn't go with the 7D... the video autofocus alone is worth skipping over the 7D. The touchscreen for focus selection is AWESOME as is the focus lock. No way in hell would I go for a 7D now.

Should a 7D MKii come out, I may sell the 70D and switch... time will tell though.

Only bummer now is that I need to either convert all RAW files to DNG or upgrade to Mac OS Mavericks to use Lightroom 5.2. I'm on Snow Leopard with Lightroom 4.4 and it doesnt recognize my new files. Plus, I really don't want to switch to an iPadified operating system.

I'm slowly getting used to the size of the 70D, I think eventually it'll be a non-issue but I still prefer the 50D's size.

hollis_f wrote in post #16305861
For me it would be a difficult choice of ergonomics. I love the flippy screen of my 60D for lots of reasons (latest was making videos with the camera at the maximum height of my tripod - around 2.2 m - when the screen made framing much easier). But I also hate the silly inner-ring navigation - the 7D's joystick is just so much easier to use.

What I want is a combination of the two - which is why I'm really hoping the 7D MKII has the split-focus and flippy screen of the 70D and the joystick of the 7D (as well as significantly improved DR, noise, etc.)

Having owned the 70D for about a month (after having the 7D for about a year) this is the best comparison I've seen so far here.

The flip screen of the 70D has proven extremely useful so far, certainly not a gimmick. The joystick of the 7D is much better, not clear why they continue to trot out the "wheel" on the 70D except to push people to the better ergonomics of the 7D.

The 7D has those two extra focusing modes, but the 70D has the dual setting AFMA. As far as IQ, it seems to lean ever so slightly to the 70D, but on its own it's certainly not switching cameras to get the small improvement in the 70D. In my mind they are equivalent - pick the 70D or 7D based on what features matter to you.

Jarvis Creative Studios wrote in post #16373840
The 50D was Mag Alloy, so of course it's going to be better built than the plastic fantastic 70D.

Interesting how this misinformation keeps being passed around as fact. I've yet to see any indication of Canon's "plastic" cameras self destructing, and there are plenty of threads showing magnesium body cameras cracked wide open after a drop. Yet people continue to make the association of magnesium = pro, plastic = junk. I'm really starting to think that Canon makes it's high end bodies magnesium solely because of the perception that only a mag body is a "pro" body.

I have enough money saved for the 70D at the moment.... but I usually keep saving until April then make a buying decision. Next year, I'll try to decide if I want the 70D or the 7D II, if it becomes a reality. I suspect I'll opt for the 7D II if I can get it sometime during the summer months. If it isn't announced by April or May, I don't know what I'll do.

Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can. It's seldom found in woman but never in a man.

Phoenixkh wrote in post #16398123
I have enough money saved for the 70D at the moment.... but I usually keep saving until April then make a buying decision. Next year, I'll try to decide if I want the 70D or the 7D II, if it becomes a reality. I suspect I'll opt for the 7D II if I can get it sometime during the summer months. If it isn't announced by April or May, I don't know what I'll do.

Patience is a virtue, possess it if you can. It's seldom found in woman but never in a man.

So the 70D is about $1100-$1200. April is 6 months away, so you could save a good bit of money before then. Plus tax returns come in april......maybe a larger leap is on your horizon, like maybe to the 5DIII? You should surely have the cake by then. I'm looking forward to the 7DII as much as the next guy, but unless it's at least a 1.3x with a whole optics overhaul (in the good way) I don't think it could be better than, or even as good as, the 5DIII.

Canon is supposedly going to release (or at least announce) a new FF next year too. The 60D is great, so I'd just keep waiting and saving for now my friend.

jrbdmb wrote in post #16397978
Interesting how this misinformation keeps being passed around as fact. I've yet to see any indication of Canon's "plastic" cameras self destructing, and there are plenty of threads showing magnesium body cameras cracked wide open after a drop. Yet people continue to make the association of magnesium = pro, plastic = junk. I'm really starting to think that Canon makes it's high end bodies magnesium solely because of the perception that only a mag body is a "pro" body.

Nothing wrong with plastic, but I'd like to see it go through this: http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=RCT-YMgjm9k

Mag Alloy is just an added bonus on higher end cameras for added protection. Some people like it and some people feel they don't need it. Sure, you can google "broken magnesium alloy camera" and get plenty of results. You can also google "Bullet proof vest fails" and get plenty of results. But if it came down to being shot, I'd rather take my chances with the vest on.

Jarvis,

I've thought about the 5D III but when I add it all up, it's way more than I can afford. I'd have to replace two of my three lenses to shoot what I like, i.e., the 15-85 and the 70-300L which wouldn't be long enough to capture the birds here in Florida. It isn't really long enough now but it would be more difficult on a full frame camera. I figure 3k for the camera, give or take, 2.5k for a 24-70 II, and something at least 400mm for the bird lens so another 1.5k or so.

If my math is correct, that's around $7k.... way more than I'll have in April. If I sold my 60D, 15-85 and the 70-300L which I love and doubt I'd sell, I'd only net around $2200 or so.

yeah, it seems hard for some people to understand that a 5DIII is not the end goal camera for many...

Phoenixkh wrote in post #16398213
Jarvis,

I've thought about the 5D III but when I add it all up, it's way more than I can afford. I'd have to replace two of my three lenses to shoot what I like, i.e., the 15-85 and the 70-300L which wouldn't be long enough to capture the birds here in Florida. It isn't really long enough now but it would be more difficult on a full frame camera. I figure 3k for the camera, give or take, 2.5k for a 24-70 II, and something at least 400mm for the bird lens so another 1.5k or so.

If my math is correct, that's around $7k.... way more than I'll have in April. If I sold my 60D, 15-85 and the 70-300L which I love and doubt I'd sell, I'd only net around $2200 or so.

Understandable. But since I love making people think about bigger and better, look at this scenario ......Let's say you have $1200 saved now..... By next april you have $800 more saved, so that makes $2000. Taxes come back. You now have $4000. You sell your 60D. You now have $4500. You sell your 15-85. You now have $5000. You buy a used 5DIII. You now have $2500. You buy a Tamron 24-70 2.8 VC (extremely good IQ and has IS! for half the price of Canon L!) You now have $1500. Instead of selling your 100-300, simply buy a 1.4x. Then you would have about the same field of view as your crop! You finish with about $1300 to put back in the bank. Haha, I know it won't play out like that but that was fun, wasn't it?!

P.S. With the major impact the 7D made on the camera market, Canon will be looking to replicate that with the 7DII. Expect a ton of features. I feel it won't be a do all end all camera like the 5DIII, but more specialized for hardcore wildlife and sports shooters, like a mini 1DX. Expect fast fps and AF, which means $$$. I doubt the 7DII will be much, if any, less than the 5DIII at release. They saw consumers were willing to drop 3K at will for the 5DIII, so I would guess around $2800-$3000 for the 7DII.

DreDaze wrote in post #16398229
yeah, it seems hard for some people to understand that a 5DIII is not the end goal camera for many...

I'm perfectly fine shooting crop. I always will be as long FF doesn't pull too far away with IQ and crop fits my needs. I've never been one to upgrade to the newest and best (had two 350D cameras up until last year. Last year bought a 40D. Recently bought a 7D.) However, if you had the money and wanted to spend it on a fine piece of camera body, the 5DIII is about the best there is unless you need the speed and build of a 1 series. The OP is set on a new camera so why not throw out options for fun?

Jarvis, the 70-300L doesn't play well with extenders from what I've read. At the very least, the experiences vary.

I'll have around $2500 in April, give or take. It depends on stock prices. That should cover the 7D 2 if it is a reality by then. Our tax return money goes to household stuff.

I don't think I'll go FF until there is some huge change in our financial situation. This is a possibility but things could just as well stay the same as they are now. Who knows? If that happens, I'll get a 1D X and a 200-400L.

Kylon wrote in post #16306088
I buy a camera for stills not movies, and the 7D is far better at that than the 70D, even though the 70D has better noise and 2 extra MP.

Actually, the 70D is better at stills, too:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com …omp=0&FLIComp=0​&APIComp=3

DreDaze wrote in post #16319623
not everyone wants a full frame sensor...for something like Birds in flight...which would you rather have a 6D, or a 7D?

6D.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #16335665
You couldn't get that look from your 550D, or somebody else with a 7D? Also, in-camera JPGs, or from raw? Just curious, because back to back comparisons just don't show measurable differences that should "blow" someone away between the 70D and the prior 18mpx offerings.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com …omp=0&FLIComp=0​&APIComp=3


There she is.

Mike55 wrote in post #16687913
6D.

interesting...i bet for every 1 BIF shot with a 6D there are about 100 shot with a 7D...

As they say, it's not about quantity but quality.

I used both cameras side-by-side in a raptor-heavy area of Montana for several months, and the 6D was the clear winner, even heavily cropped. It just took better photos. The 7D noise in the blue channel was especially problematic as well as low light performance.

Also, the 6D could shoot in lighting conditions way beyond that of the 7D thanks to the -3 EV center point focus and the sensor sensitivity.