All advice welcome.

I had my mind set on buying a new 1Dx mk2 within the next few days, I was absolutely convinced it was what I needed.
A few days on and few hundred online reviews later I'm not so sure.
I thought the "Help me make a decision" threads were a joke but now I find myself in the same situation.

I have no strict discipline as far as subject matter goes. My common subjects are, insects/macro, high days and holidays, motoring events and occasionally birding.

I'm an enthusiast so make no money from my equipment.

The question is, is the 1Dx way over the top or not adequate form my general snaps?

I have a 6D and a 7Dii but want a "one camera does all" solution.
I have a lot of money invested in canon glass so a system change is not financially practical.

All opinions welcomed.

The 6D rivals the 1DX at ISO, etc.

I would suggest getting the 5D4 and selling the 6D (unless you want 2 FF). The 5D4 has the newer sensor (over the 6D and 1DX, 1DX2 has a new sensor too), has 30Mpx, and is very close to ISO performance of either the 1DX or 6D, or 1DX2 really.

I don't see where the 1DX2 really is going to improve on anything over the 5D4 for what you are shooting.

The selling points were originally frame rate, high iso capability, accurate autofocus and robustness.
The 5D mk4 is niggling at the back of my mind in truth.

I think a 1DX II is pretty vast overkill for snaps.

Insects & macro do not need advanced autofocus engines.
No idea what high days are, but holidays sounds like groups. Best thing here is usually a wider angle and a flash. No crazy autofocus needs here, high ISO can be helpful.
Motoring events can benefit a good autofocus engine, but IS is also very important (lens dependent).
Birding can definitely benefit a good autofocus engine. But this is only sometimes for you.

You already have a 6D for most of this.
And you already have a 7D2 for the other stuff.

Sounds to me like you already have a stable platform for everything you're doing.

I get you want a "single" camera option to replace this.

To me, that would be the 5DSR as a big generalist camera. The pixel density will benefit macro & insects a lot. It will also make birding easier (you retain the pixel density for birding, so you can crop and maintain detail, but also a wider FOV which makes it easier to track). Advanced AF engine, most of the outer points are actually useful (better than the 6D's). It's not super fast FPS, but you don't need insane FPS for this stuff, just controlled bursts. Events benefit big pixel density because you can crop down to whatever you want and retain detail, very helpful with a wide lens to "get it all." The 1D series are specialty cameras meant for someone who needs the same functions but with a more durable and weather resistant chassis and a little faster FPS. The 5DSR has the resolution to replace both your full frame and APS-C so that you lose nothing, but gain everything in one body. If you need the latest greatest, then the 5DIV would be the 2nd camera I would select for this.

Very best,

I've done a lot of reading/researching about switching to one body, also. I currently use a 6D/80D combo, so not far from what you are using. I've used a 1DIV for sports/athletics, and while I like the 1-Series format, I find them too big/heavy for my aging hands and shoulders. The one-body solution for me would be the 5DIV, which I can't afford right now. For what I do, the 5DIV appears to do it all. Take a serious look at the 5DIV

Well the two alternatives have been mentioned.
I can see the 5Dsr being great for macro and portraits plus headroom for cropping but the reviews do not suggest good high iso results.

Bassat wrote in post #18373019
I've done a lot of reading/researching about switching to one body, also. I currently use a 6D/80D combo, so not far from what you are using. I've used a 1DIV for sports/athletics, and while I like the 1-Series format, I find them too big/heavy for my aging hands and shoulders. The one-body solution for me would be the 5DIV, which I can't afford right now. For what I do, the 5DIV appears to do it all. Take a serious look at the 5DIV

I guess with the exception of frame rate the 5D4 pretty much fits the bill.
I suppose I could spend the saving on a new optic.

I am curious to know what a 1dx ii can offer over the 6d that warrants the extra money? It is faster, but that is the only significant strength that I can see, taking into consideration that you don't have a particular genre that you concentrate on. If you were doing sports, then the 1dx ii without a doubt. Other than that, I would say buy more glass!!

Garry75 wrote in post #18373024
I am curious to know what a 1dx ii can offer over the 6d that warrants the extra money? It is faster, but that is the only significant strength that I can see, taking into consideration that you don't have a particular genre that you concentrate on. If you were doing sports, then the 1dx ii without a doubt. Other than that, I would say buy more glass!!

Well, chasing insects like dragonflies, moths and butterflies have been troublesome with the 6D
It does not have many focus points and the buffer fills too quickly even with the fastest card currently available this is why I bought a 7D2.

Whilst the 7D2 produces good quality images, overall it cannot compete with the 6D, so here I am looking for a better way.

fordmondeo wrote in post #18373031
Well, chasing insects like dragonflies, moths and butterflies have been troublesome with the 6D
It does not have many focus points and the buffer fills too quickly even with the fastest card currently available this is why I bought a 7D2.

Whilst the 7D2 produces good quality images, overall it cannot compete with the 6D, so here I am looking for a better way.

This is the forever unanswerable question that only the user can decide what is best for them - the specialist vs generalist approach
- the 7D2 crop produces great images when there is enough light and it gives you 10FPS
- the older FF 6D produces great images when there isn't enough light and with an old AF system

The obvious modern Canon answer to this decision is:
- Generalist = 5D4 the state of the art Canon generalist (but don't buy it for video)
- Specialist = 1DXii + 5DSR


If I were you, I would either:
1) stay with what you have
2) get the 5D4
3) wait for the launch, next month, of the 6D2 and take a look at its new AF system and see if it is a good compromise because it will be a lot better than the current 6D AF system and may be exactly what you are looking for
4) buy the new Sony A9 and use a Metabones or MC-11 adapter with all your Canon glass


I give the above advice as a current owner of a 1DXii, 5DSR, Sony A7Rii and as a previous owner of multiple 5D3s and a 7D2.

I'm have gone from Generalist to Specialist but could easily see myself happy with a 5D4 - but I also love owning a Sony A7Rii and I use the Canon 24-70 F2.8 II almost exclusively on it for anything that looks like a family event or with a Canon 17-40L if I am going to do anything landscapey.

One potential disadvantage of the 5DSR as a generalist camera is the higher pixel density. It's so high that many owners have said that you need to treat it like a crop in terms of shutter speed (IE multiply by 1.6). This maybe a factor for birding (where you might have to raise ISO to get a faster shutter speed). It also doesn't have as good high ISO performance. If your intention was landscapes or studio work, then I think the 5DSR is a good fit (since it does produce the most detailed images). But if you're taking indoor low light photos, I think the 5D4 is the best well rounded camera of the 5D series. You mention the limitation of the 6D being AF: I can relate. Before the 5D3, I had a 5Dc and found it's AF system very limiting. The 5D3 and 5D4 have very good focus systems that compare favorably with the 7D2 (in terms of AF points and tracking). The 5D4 also has more MP then the 1DXII...but the 1DXII has all the high end pro features (faster framerate, AF, better video codec support). So far the only potential negative you've listed about the 5d4 is a slower continuous frame rate. Looks like that's the only factor for you in deciding between the 1DX2

fordmondeo wrote in post #18373031
Well, chasing insects like dragonflies, moths and butterflies have been troublesome with the 6D
It does not have many focus points and the buffer fills too quickly even with the fastest card currently available this is why I bought a 7D2.

Whilst the 7D2 produces good quality images, overall it cannot compete with the 6D, so here I am looking for a better way.

Ah, so we are getting more specific them with genres. So I guess a 16fps burst rate could be handy, as long as you can nail the focus, which, I guess is where the 61 focus points comes in. Okay, I can see where you're coming from now. That said, I do see lots of great images of insects taken on far lesser cameras than the 1dx. I still say more glass!

fordmondeo wrote in post #18373008
I have no strict discipline as far as subject matter goes. My common subjects are, insects/macro, high days and holidays, motoring events and occasionally birding.

[...]

I have a 6D and a 7Dii but want a "one camera does all" solution.

There's no such thing as a "one camera does all" solution. For motoring events and birding, where you're using long teles, my opinion is that you're better off with a crop sensor because it puts more pixels right under the small distant subject you're trying to capture. The 7Dii is pretty much as good as it gets for a crop body at present.

For high days and holidays, you're shooting closer in with a shorter focal length, so full frame gives you advantages there (e.g. wider FOV, shallower DOF if you like that). From what little I know about the 6D it would seem to be good for that. Rumor is that Canon will announce a 6Dii by the end of July, so you might want to see how that looks before making a decision.

I've never done any serious macro photography so I can't say much about that. I don't know if a crop body would offer similar advantages for macro as with long telephotos.

Mike

Diagnosis: You have severe GAS pains, with contributing complications of

1. too much readily spendable discretionary income
   
2. insufficient understanding of what features contribute to 'better' photos in your areas of interest
   
3. #1 multiplied by #2 results in amplified ability to waste money on expenses totally unnecessary for your purposes
   

• I have no strict discipline as far as subject matter goes.
  
• My common subjects are, insects/macro, high days and holidays, motoring events and occasionally birding.
  
• I'm an enthusiast so make no money from my equipment.
  

• an incredibly successful entrepreneur with massive stock holdings in your own internet-based sales company, or
  
• a neurosurgeon or cardiothoracic surgeon, or
  
• pro sports celebrity with a new 4 year contract, or
  
• entertainment celebrity with tons of teen female worshipers, or
  
• more than one of the above?"
  

Wilt wrote in post #18373095
Diagnosis: You have severe GAS pains, with contributing complications of

1. too much readily spendable discretionary income
   
2. insufficient understanding of what features contribute to 'better' photos in your areas of interest
   
3. #1 multiplied by #2 results in amplified ability to waste money on expenses totally unnecessary for your purposes
   

You yourself have already summarized (quite well)...

• I have no strict discipline as far as subject matter goes.
  
• My common subjects are, insects/macro, high days and holidays, motoring events and occasionally birding.
  
• I'm an enthusiast so make no money from my equipment.
  

The question is over apropos, "Is the 1DxII way over the top or not adequate form my general snaps?"...WAY over the top.

Do you mind me asking, "Are you...

• an incredibly successful entrepreneur with massive stock holdings in your own internet-based sales company, or
  
• a neurosurgeon or cardiothoracic surgeon, or
  
• pro sports celebrity with a new 4 year contract, or
  
• entertainment celebrity with tons of teen female worshipers, or
  
• more than one of the above?"
  

Overkill purchases may not be a necessary purchases or even wise purchases. But if you can afford without it affecting your or your loved ones lives negatively in ANY way, go for it.

You are close on some of the above.
Money is not an object as far as canon camera gear goes.

It's difficult to say what all the things are that I find myself photographing.
That said, I find each of my cameras falls short on numerous occasions because I can't be bothered to carry them both around.