7D vs new lens... help me decide.

So I currently have an 450D and have been going back and forth over a new lens or a new body. If I sell the 450D, the price of the 7D is almost in the price range of the lenses that I am looking at (17-55 IS or the 24-70L).

I mainly take pictures of my kids, a lot of low light indoor stuff right now so I always have to resort to using my 580EX II with bounce flash. I am not impressed at all with the 450D's high ISO performance and it's auto focusing could be be much better especially now that the kids are getting to be more mobile.

If I buy the 7D, it would be a while (maybe 6 months to a year) before I could get a nice lens. If I buy the lens, the value of my 450D will continue to decline as I put more clicks on it and newer cameras come out, and it will be even longer before I can upgrade to a new body.

Any advice is appreciated!

I'd say glass.
Don't worry about the value of your 450D declining. If you buy a 7D it will decline much farther in value than your 450D in say a years time.
If anything I'd say go to a 40D to improve your ISO performance and AF and then a decent lens with a good AF motor. 40D with a Sigma 30mm is a great combo for indoors and kids.

Glass always trumps bodies. But, get the fastest "L" glass that you can afford.
Scroll down here http://www.the-digital-picture.com …Lens-Work-III-Review.aspx for reviews and
scroll down to bottom for MFT characteristics here http://software.canon-europe.com …_Lens_Work_Book​_10_EN.pdf

Close race so far... 5 votes for the 7D, 6 for a lens!

The lens, and it's not even close. The 450 is a good, capable body.

RacingThoughts wrote in post #8791298
Close race so far... 5 votes for the 7D, 6 for a lens!

Menelaus wrote in post #8791308
The lens, and it's not even close. The 450 is a good, capable body.

The fact that the 7D got that many votes doesn't surprise me. This forum is so obsessed with equipment.

+1 "The lens, and it's not even close" What is wrong with bounced flash? It looks great and you don't have to worry about crappy, noisy images from high enough ISO to get fast shutter speed to stop action?

Depends. Are you a video person? If it's just a bonus feature to you get the glass.

Thanks guys, going with the lens. Now I just need to decide on which one.

Undispu7ed wrote in post #8791357
Depends. Are you a video person? If it's just a bonus feature to you get the glass.

Not really so I wouldn't use the video features of the 7D much.

you need a better lens...don't see anything in your lineup that is top notch..even if you get a 7d, you will need better lens.

No option for 40D lol?

Have to go with the lens every time assuming a capable body. My 300 f/2.8 on my 40D is what keeps me from "needing" the 7D. Will be quite a while before I grow out of the body with the images I am getting.

mikejet wrote in post #8791400
No option for 40D lol?

That's definitely an option, sell the XSi, buy a 40D + the cheaper of the lenses I am looking at (17-55 IS).

A lot of people are going to say glass first always.. here, with the options you've given I'd say get the 7D. If you want better high ISO and AF.. the 7D is going to do that for you better than those lens's will. You've out-grown your body, that's totally fine.

BUT... I said 'with the options you've given'... think carefully whether you want to invest in the 7D, a brand-new, high end body, you can get what you're after with a 40D, a 50D, and a 5D.
If you don't want some of the swanky features, and don't mind giving up the video, I say get the cheaper (but perfectly adequate) body, which will make saving for the all important top lens all that easier.

Just my my 1.26p

benesotor wrote in post #8791861
A lot of people are going to say glass first always.. here, with the options you've given I'd say get the 7D. If you want better high ISO and AF.. the 7D is going to do that for you better than those lens's will.

He's not going to get any improvement in terms of AF with a 7D, or even much to a xxD, when he's using a 50mm f1.8 and an 18-55mm ef-s.
Much more improvement to be had in lenses than in body in this case, particularly in terms of AF performance.