What body should I upgrade my 7D to for best high ISO/noise handling?

I love my 7D-but I don't like the noise in the low light that I'm often shooting in, even using prime lenses. I find it often unmanageable. I do some birth photography, and need to be able to make the most out of what little light is available at times.

What would be the best Canon body to upgrade to for best high ISO handling in low light? should I consider jumping ship to another brand(is Nikon really that far superior)? (I hate to make the leap, I'm pretty happy with my lens lineup)

Maybe this thread will help you decide:

https://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1466441

Lou

I think one thing to keep in mind, while canon isn't the leader in DR/noise at 100 iso, they have definitely been the top of the pack in high iso situations for quite a while... And very honestly I think working within your limitations, and learning what makes the best of your particular sensor first, before jumping brands, is a consideration.

Now that said, the 7D is definitely older tech now, and switching to a 6D, using center point only, may be the most economical and certainly is worth a shot before switching brands if you like your lenses. Certainly you will notice a huge improvement in noise/dr at high iso vs the 7D.

7D vs 6D DR chart

I would think using center point on the 6D, to maximized the best focusing ability that camera has, may do the job you are looking for.

Now, if you use many of the 7D outer points, then you may find the 6D af too limiting, and then I'd say you need to consider the 80D or 7D mark II

There are other options out there, but I'd at least rent/borrow a 6D and try it out, keeping in mind only the center point is designed to be used in low light.
I have examples of high ISO of my 7D2 in my gallery, This one is pretty much sooc.

Photo from ksbal's gallery.
Image hosted by forum (717921)

Great shot! Thank you for that input. I assumed as old as my camera was that there had to be some leaps in high ISO since then-but I watched a youtube comparison of 7D and 7DMII and it seemed to only be 1/3 of a stop difference, so I didn't think that was worth the additional investment. I do like the perimeter focal points (not in that instance, but other times) and would hate to lose them.

ksbal wrote in post #18268016
I think one thing to keep in mind, while canon isn't the leader in DR/noise at 100 iso, they have definitely been the top of the pack in high iso situations for quite a while...

According to who...?

I had a 6D for good bit (still one of their best performing high ISO bodies) and then moved to an a7S and the a7S was clearly the better camera for high ISO ability, not even by a small margin above ISO12800, especially with color files. The newer a7Rii isn't far behind the a7S either, I've also heard and seen good things from the Nikon D750 and DF.

All of this isn't to say Canon is "bad", I actually thought (and still think) the 6D offered more than I would ever need for high ISO capability. These days the differences between brands in high ISO handling is a moot point in my opinion unless you spend the majority of your time shooting there (and I'm talking ISO6400+).

TS; I think you'd honestly be happy with any camera from Canon's current lineup that isn't running the same old 18mp sensor of your 7D (80D, 6D, 5D3, M5, etc.).

6D @ ISO6400, no NR

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/fHsv​uP

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/wyoK​1G

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/Qmsi​Bb

ashleynaugust wrote in post #18267842
I love my 7D-but I don't like the noise in the low light that I'm often shooting in, even using prime lenses. I find it often unmanageable. I do some birth photography, and need to be able to make the most out of what little light is available at times.

What would be the best Canon body to upgrade to for best high ISO handling in low light? should I consider jumping ship to another brand(is Nikon really that far superior)? (I hate to make the leap, I'm pretty happy with my lens lineup)

best high iso noise performance and wide DR
for APSC it should be Nikon D7200 and FF probably Nikon D810 for DR and Nikon D5 for high ISO

The 7d2 is better than the 7d, at least a stop in real world shooting and noise characteristics.

Actually, I was going to mention the A7s, but then you get into does the OP crop or ever print big, etc, etc, and it sounded like they liked their current lens line up, and if budget is an issue, I've looked at switching so many times (including the other day, as the bodies are so cheap) then by the time you start buying native lenses, it goes back to sticking to what you got is probably more economical, unless there is a huge change in what/how the op is shooting. So, yes, kudos to the A7s, but the 6D may get them where they want to go, and if that doesn't, then certainly a 5DIII probably will, and the 7D2 *might* get there, depending on if someone spends the time learning that post processing skill set to maximize what you can do.

Could also do a dual body situation, stick with the 7D until light requires them to switch to the 6D - and most lenses will go on both bodys. All cameras are a trade off of something anyways.

Op, it goes back to your budget - what can you spend, and are you willing to get that better low light image quality and have to stick with a center point to get it if you are looking at 1000 or under for a body. Or, you have to save up for a 7D2 and learn better post processing, or save more and go for a 5D3 so you have the AF you want and better low light. No right or wrong, just choices.

The best these days are the 1DX2, 1DX, and 5D4 now, with the 5D3 and 6D right in the mix, followed by older FF and the newer APS-C bodies, like the 7D2 and 80D.

The 1DX2, 5D4, and 80D have the newer higher DR sensors, so at ISO 100-400, you can shoot a very wide range of DR and then bring the shadows up after the fact.

Here is the 5D4 at ISO 25600 at an indoor NBA D-league venu, as an out of camera JPG, with some NR and other post filters, but nothing very elaborate.

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ashleynaugust wrote in post #18267842
What would be the best Canon body to upgrade to for best high ISO handling in low light?

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The best Canon DSLR, as far as high ISO noise management, is the 1Dx Mark 2. Any other Canon body is inferior to the 1Dx 2 when it comes to noise grain at higher ISOs.

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Actually once you equalize for the pixel density, there is very little difference between the 1DX2 and 5D4.

You can see this using the studio comparison tool, as well as various reviews on line.

https://www.dpreview.c​om …6679&y=0.835300​3964403669

For example, here is ISO12800 on the 1DX2 on the top, and the 5D4 on the bottom. Then the 1DX2 resized up to match the 5D4 pixel density to equalize the 2 models for a more apples-to-apples comparison, placed slightly offset over the 5D4.

At these 100% crop comparisons, equalized for resolution, the results are quite simply too close to call, and if you print anything from these results, again, the prints aren't going to show discernible differences. Now at higher ISOs yet, the 1DX2 might be better, I didn't go above 12800.