Moving from 7D to 5D Mark II

Well I just pulled the trigger on a 5D Mark II, I know there is a lot to miss from the 7D, namely:

AF
8 FPS, rarely use it but nice to have.
Wireless flash control.
Supposedly better weather sealing..
Direct live view movie mode button.
Inbuilt level.
%100 VF Coverage.

But I'm looking forward to less noise, thinner DOF, pairing my 85mm 1.2 II with the 5D Mark II and possibly investing in a 24mm 1.4 II or 35mm 1.4 which I didn't really see as viable options on the 7D. Inb4coolstorybro .

If I had to choose one or the other, it would be my 5DMKII over the 7D but it's nice having them both.

As for the live view ... the 5D2 is different but not really a big deal! Easy to get used to.

I recently picked up a 5DII to go with the 7D and 5D.

You are completely correct, i totally miss all of those things which is why i have to keep the 7D. The AF is amazing compared with the 5DII, so are the ergonomics. You know, i never really appreciated the adjusted things like extra buttons and switch, more curved thumb grip, relocated power switch and bigger eyepiece (hey, i like it) but I really noticed that i missed them when i took the 5DII out for a long session.

Of course, i love the 5D for its IQ (wow, didn't know i could get such sharp shots although the 7D isn't soft by any means) and the DOF control (which was the main reason why i got FF).

You'll love the upgrade but also appreciate your 7D more!

johneo wrote in post #11000513
As for the live view ... the 5D2 is different but not really a big deal! Easy to get used to.

Yeah, I am unsure about how to switch between photo / video on the 5D Mark II live view, but again I don't use video much.

kimnkk wrote in post #11000539
I recently picked up a 5DII to go with the 7D and 5D.

You are completely correct, i totally miss all of those things which is why i have to keep the 7D. The AF is amazing compared with the 5DII, so are the ergonomics. You know, i never really appreciated the adjusted things like extra buttons and switch, more curved thumb grip, relocated power switch and bigger eyepiece (hey, i like it) but I really noticed that i missed them when i took the 5DII out for a long session.

Of course, i love the 5D for its IQ (wow, didn't know i could get such sharp shots although the 7D isn't soft by any means) and the DOF control (which was the main reason why i got FF).

You'll love the upgrade but also appreciate your 7D more!

I don't think I will have enough time to use both of them, so justifying keeping two bodies is hard but we'll see . I am sure there will be a time when I will miss some of those features as you also noticed. But at the end of the day I only really care about the resulting images and it's then when I'll probably forget about everything else lol.

HighSnobility wrote in post #11000848
I don't think I will have enough time to use both of them, so justifying keeping two bodies is hard but we'll see . I am sure there will be a time when I will miss some of those features as you also noticed. But at the end of the day I only really care about the resulting images and it's then when I'll probably forget about everything else lol.

I know exactly what you mean bud! Don't get me wrong, i wasn't saying you'll hate the 5D2 (who could?), just that you'll love your 7D a little too

I too hardly have time to use both and if push came to shove i would get rid of the 7D because its the resulting image that matters (although how many more more resulting images i can capture with the 7D, hmm).

Definitely love the ISO of the 5D, DOF and of course, IQ!

Sold 7d as I had a bad copy and went with 5dII, superb body!!!! I later decided to try another 7d and it was much better than the first so now own both, both great tools for slightly different jobs.

You should love it, though you'll notice the AF immediately coming from the 7D. When Canon gel these guys together into a body I believe they might have it figured

I just made the same move as you. And while I'm still waiting for the 5Dii to arrive, I already miss the AF and FPS on the 7D

The other things aren't really necessary. I mean, yes, a 100% viewfinder is nice, but worst case you can always crop a few pixels off the edges in PP if something ruined the shot.

Welcome to the world of razor-thin depth of field!

kimnkk wrote in post #11000975
I know exactly what you mean bud! Don't get me wrong, i wasn't saying you'll hate the 5D2 (who could?), just that you'll love your 7D a little too

I too hardly have time to use both and if push came to shove i would get rid of the 7D because its the resulting image that matters (although how many more more resulting images i can capture with the 7D, hmm).

Definitely love the ISO of the 5D, DOF and of course, IQ!

That's all very true , I'm definitely looking forward to the ISO on the 5D Mark II, I find ISO 1600 to be pretty noisy on the 7D..

Jahled wrote in post #11003209
You should love it, though you'll notice the AF immediately coming from the 7D. When Canon gel these guys together into a body I believe they might have it figured

yeah I was going to hold out for the 5D Mark III which I assume will have a lot of the features found on the 7D but who knows when it will release lol.

Mayniyak wrote in post #11003693
I just made the same move as you. And while I'm still waiting for the 5Dii to arrive, I already miss the AF and FPS on the 7D

The other things aren't really necessary. I mean, yes, a 100% viewfinder is nice, but worst case you can always crop a few pixels off the edges in PP if something ruined the shot.

I think it will take some time to get used to focus and recomposing wide open at 1.2 / 1.4 etc. All I have ever known is to select an AF point on the 7D and fire away with little focus / recompose so that will take some practice.

bkdc wrote in post #11003775
Welcome to the world of razor-thin depth of field!

lol thanks looking forward to it

johneo wrote in post #11000513
If I had to choose one or the other, it would be my 5DMKII over the 7D but it's nice having them both.

As for the live view ... the 5D2 is different but not really a big deal! Easy to get used to.

The 5D Mark II and the 7D are like straight blades and Phillips head screwdrivers.
Two different tools for the job.

Did you really have noise trouble with the 7D at ISO 1600? Wow I must not be a picky as I thought.

HighSnobility wrote in post #11004939
I think it will take some time to get used to focus and recomposing wide open at 1.2 / 1.4 etc. All I have ever known is to select an AF point on the 7D and fire away with little focus / recompose so that will take some practice.

What's funny is it's the complete opposite for me. I find full frame a lot easier to compose with. Maybe not with the focusing when comparing these two specific cameras, but with the framing and DOF for sure. And I'm sure you'll find that your 70-200 has just become much more useful

Then again, I'm having second thoughts, and might just cancel the order while I still can and pick up a 7D again. There's no way the 5Dii isn't getting a refresh soon. For one, the 5Dii's age is getting very close to that of what the 5D's was when it was refreshed, and two, they've gotta do something to beat Nikon's D700 (which has a very nice AF system on a FF sensor for the same price). At first you might think that this would cut into the 1Ds's sales, but that body's already 3 years old and is due for an upgrade as well. So my guess is that they're planning on making the 5Diii a full frame 7D (give or take a bit), and upgrading the 1Ds with some new features, all in one fell swoop.

Then by the time I go to sell the camera to fund the upgrade, the 7D would have depreciated a lot less than the 5Dii.

The 5DII is only 2/3 of the way through its life if you want to go by the 5D, 1D and 1Ds cycle.

You could enjoy what you have and use your equipment to its fullest in that year that you're waiting for the 5D3. After all, its not like your 5D2 will take worse pictures when the 5D3 hits shelves.

kimnkk wrote in post #11005270
The 5DII is only 2/3 of the way through its life if you want to go by the 5D, 1D and 1Ds cycle.

You could enjoy what you have and use your equipment to its fullest in that year that you're waiting for the 5D3. After all, its not like your 5D2 will take worse pictures when the 5D3 hits shelves.

This is true, and believe me it's bugging the hell out of me lol. But consider this: If we can assume that the 5D3 will have a 7D-esque AF system while still keeping an FF sensor (which I think is a fairly safe assumption), then we can also assume that I'll be buying it and then selling whatever camera I have now. So since I know that this camera is just a stopgap solution, it is wisest to minimize losses in the long run. That being said, I still wouldn't hang onto, say, a Rebel XS for another year. The 7D is still a good camera, better than the 5Dii in pretty much every way except the sensor size and it's inherent benefits.

Except I really like FF simply because of how much I have shot with film - it still feels way more natural for me .

And it's not like a have a 5Dii (or any DSLR) at this point, the order is just sitting there waiting for Succos to end :P. I got rid of the 7D and then this holiday caught me by surprise, lol.