Considering upgrading from T2i to 7D

I've had the T2i since 2013 and generally like it, but it falls short in focus speed/accuracy in low light and I would like significantly better ISO performance for astronomy pics. The 7D is vastlly superior in focus performance, but has the same ISO as the T2i.

Is it worth it to get a used 7D or wait until I can afford a 7DII?

What type of focusing situations are important to you? If your focus requirements are simple you might even consider the 6D; using the center point the low-light focusing is quite good, and it will give you a big jump in high ISO quality for astro. Similar price as 7D2, and probably easier to find used.
If you're looking for AF tracking using non-center points then the 7D2 would serve you much better.

How long will it take you to save up for a 7D2? Used 7Ds are a good value right now; it might be worth getting one now, then sell it when you're ready to upgrade. You probably wouldn't lose much money in the process

For better ISO go to the 6D, my 7D mark II still sucks at high ISO. I can only get a decent 6,400.

On my friend's 6D 25,800 is no problem! I've even made huge prints from the times he let me borrow it.

6D is FF not ASP-C. I'd have to sell most of my lenses. I understand that I'm giving up lots of ISO with the ASP-C sensor, but I'm not sure it's worth it to go FF. I'll have to do some more homework and see what it would cost to sell and replace my EF-S 18-135 F/3.5-5.6 IS and Tamron 70-300 F/4-5.6 IS.

Yes it is worth it, buy a 7D and won't regret,
if you would like to wait a moment then get a Mark II, it would be your best friend,
Mine almost every week shooting for low light football, bump up an iso with no problem,
i assume that you're not a pixel peeping right ?
Go get it, never regret ,

hope it help,

Cheers ,

Your Tamron 70-300 will work just fine on a 6D. It is an EF mount lens, not efs. You can get a 24-105 STM to replace the 18-135 for about $300. That is my GP zoom on the 6D. I have no complaints about it.

Unless that's a typo, I've never seen the 24-105 STM for that little. Refurbs go for about $450.

I use the Tamron on my 5D3 and the only thing I miss from my T4i is the reach.

GeoKras1989 wrote in post #17729859
Your Tamron 70-300 will work just fine on a 6D. It is an EF mount lens, not efs. You can get a 24-105 STM to replace the 18-135 for about $300. That is my GP zoom on the 6D. I have no complaints about it.

I picked up a 7D for wildlife as my T2i just didn't have the buffering for the Frames per Second I wanted to use. It was worth the upgrade, but I was extremely disappointed with ISO performance. Bottom line the 7D has the same sensor as the T2i you will see NO difference. You will improve camera performance but nothing in image quality.

I then moved to the 6D, I have never looked back. Yes I lost some reach but there is no comparison in image quality. The 6D is absolutely the best for the price. I must recommend taking a very close look at that option, you won't be disappointed.

I had a 7D last year and whilst it was a speed demon and great for track photography and wildlife... Its high ISO performance wasn't good.

You may want to consider picking up a new or used 70D. The 70D is pretty decent in about any situation as far as focusing and IOS performance. In addition if you are coming from a T2i the 7D might feel like a brick. I went from a T3i to a 5D and couldn't believe how much bigger and heavier it was. The 70D is just about the perfect all round camera in my humble opinion and the articulating touch screen rocks.
Just my two cents.

For high ISO noise the 7D isn't all that stellar. I use ISO 1600 and 3200 for sports in poorly lit arenas, but they're not exactly clean files. I own a pair of 7D bodies for their auto focus and huge frame buffer, and because they were cost effective for the time.

I'm really happy with both the 7Ds I own, but if low light work is one of your key priorities then I would not be too quick to suggest it. refurb units are a very attractive price.

Since low light is something you're focusing on then it might make more sense to reconsider selling off some of your glass and getting the 6D instead, even if it leaves you with fewer lens options for the time being.

http://snapsort.com …7D-vs-Canon_EOS_Rebel_T2i

if you want solid high ISO performance, you have to go FF, no way around it.

GeoKras1989 wrote in post #17729859
Your Tamron 70-300 will work just fine on a 6D. It is an EF mount lens, not efs. You can get a 24-105 STM to replace the 18-135 for about $300. That is my GP zoom on the 6D. I have no complaints about it.

Yes, I forgot the 70-300 is an EF and the nifty 50 I have is also an EF. The only EF-S lens I have is the 18-135.

Thanks for all the input everyone.

I did some more research last night and came to the conclusion that a 6D is the way to go for me. If staying with the ASP-C sensor, my plan was to upgrade to a used 7D now and get a used 7DII when they drop in price. But even after upgrading to the 7DII I wouldn't have the ISO capability of the 6D. In the mean time the 7D would be zero improvement over my T2i in ISO. The 7D would have stellar AF capabilities, but probably overkill for what I shoot. The 6D has excellent low light AF capabilities, which is what I really want. Not necessarily the fast AF accuracy of the 7D or 7DII, but a HUGE improvement in low light over the T2i. More importantly the 6D gives me the vastly improved high ISO performance I want.

I can still use my EF nifty 50 and 70-300 lenses on the 6D and I can sell the T2i with the EF-S 18-135. That would make it a great turnkey body and all-around lens combo for a beginner DSLR shooter (the same reason I bought it.)

I'll likely replace the EF-S 18-135 with an EF 24-105 f/4L. Quite a bit shorter reach, but overall a better lens. Instead of buying an EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 to add a wide angle zoom to my collection I'd get an EF 17-40 f/4 L.

I will be losing a lot of reach going to FF, but I think the high ISO performance and increased IQ will more than make up for it. I can probably crop to get the same effect without much if any loss in quality. It will cost about $800 more to go to the 6D and swap to EF lenses than get a 7D, but in the long run I'll be way ahead in ISO. By the time I upgraded to the 7DII it would have been much closer to even money vs a 6D and EF lenses.

An added bonus is the 6D uses SD memory like my T2i. Also, I will get built in GPS with the 6D that I wouldn't have until I upgraded to the 7DII.