Some feedback on body choice

So, I'm looking at either a new 60D (body only) or a 7D through the CLP. Only a difference of about $100 bucks there after tax.

I'm trying to make the best choice, and of the features the 60D has over the 7d, I like the articulating screen, but I personally would rather have a much better AF system.

My shooting is some portrait type work, a lot of candid's of my kids (I have six @ home), some landscape/urban. Some kids sports. And, in general, trying to keep up with active kids, I think the fast AF of the 7d will really help increase keepers and help with general sharpness.

I know that the 7d seems obvious, but there's one thing I really keep seeing as a recurring theme here as well. That the 7d will not be your friend for quick snapshots. My wife will also use this camera a lot for exactly that purpose. She has no desire for all the other fancy stuff, but doesn't want to just use the point and shoot or her iphone either. Wondering if in full auto mode she'll be able to take decent pictures with the 7d?

full auto on the 7D will be just as good if not better than full auto on the 60D. If your lusting after the AF system on the 7D go for it. You'll enjoy the features of the 7D more, and you wife will not know the difference between cameras on auto mode.

I can't see how, on green box mode, the 7D will be anymore complicated to use than the 60D.

At only $100 difference, i wouldn't think twice about it! Go for the 7D!

There are two big drawbacks in the 60D for me.

1) is the fact that it only takes SD cards. They are much slower and I already have like $800 in CF cards, and I don't want to re-invest.

2) and the most un-usable part, is it doesn't have a PC sync socket. If you want to use studio lights, or a Pocket Wizard with a flash attached, you are out of luck...

Other than those two, the AF would be the only other downside to the 60D...

Ben

Great! That's what I was thinking too, but I read so many posts here about people getting crap images from the 7d because they didn't fully understand it I was getting paranoid.

I like the 60d, but certainly not more than the 7d! Thanks for the feedback.

No MFA

windpig wrote in post #11015130
No MFA

oh yeah, forgot about that, another nail as far as I am concerned.

Ben

MFA is something that I also really want, read another site (don't have the URL but someone here referred me) that gave several great methods. I did read some comments here though that for Zoom's the MFA can be real tricky and will not be consistent from end to end? What do you do in that case, go to the focal length with the worst issues, or try and play to the center and the rest 'should' be closer?

Amazon put a T2i in my gold box today, got the Kit for ~800 shipped. The 60d/7d will be several months off, and I don't want to miss the holiday season! Hoping the T2i will hold it's value decently for the next 6 to 9 months. Thanks for the feedback again and helping me think through this.

I love my 60d for quick 'oh crap' snap moments. I hate the 7d for this.

I love my 60d for the tilt screen. I hate that the 7d and 5d2 don't have this.

I hate the size of my 60d. I hate the size of the 7d and love the size of the 5d2.

I love the locking button on the 60d mode dial. I hate that the 7d and 5d2 will change modes if brushing against you, but I hate how far the video mode is from M mode on the 60d, almost a full rotation away.

I love how light the 60d is, but I hate that it gets nose heavy easily and there is no grip yet. I also hate how I don't trust it in the rain. I love the 7d and 5d2 sealing.

Hope this helps.

7D sounds like a no brianer for an APS-C camera.

Every camera comes with greenbox these days excepting those very specifically targeted types (medium or large format etc.)

Performance and IQ wise, I am pretty sure 7D is tops in the APS-C Format.........althoug​h I see the specs on this Nikon D7000.....

MichaelBernard wrote in post #11032290
I hate the size of my 60d. I hate the size of the 7d and love the size of the 5d2.

The 7D and 5D Mk II are very close in size. How can you love one size and hate the other when there is such a small difference?

http://www.the-digital-picture.com …al-SLR-Camera-Review.aspx

Canon EOS 7D.............5.8 x 4.4 x 2.9"(148.2 x 110.7 x 73.5mm)28.9 oz (820g)

Canon EOS 5D Mark II...6.0 x 4.5 x 3.0"(152.0 x 113.5 x 75.0mm)28.6 oz (810g)

spend the money on better glass.. with your current kit you are more than capable of getting better shots if you only had better lenses.

msowsun wrote in post #11035143
The 7D and 5D Mk II are very close in size. How can you love one size and hate the other when there is such a small difference?

Yeah unfortunately you can notice that. I thought they were the same size too (didn't really look at the size specs) but when i picked them up the 5DII definitely has more room for your thumb.

That said, i like how the 7D has a molded thumb grip - definitely more ergonomic and feels less likely to drop if you're free holding it 1 handed.

msowsun wrote in post #11035143
The 7D and 5D Mk II are very close in size. How can you love one size and hate the other when there is such a small difference?

http://www.the-digital-picture.com …al-SLR-Camera-Review.aspx

Canon EOS 7D.............5.8 x 4.4 x 2.9"(148.2 x 110.7 x 73.5mm)28.9 oz (820g)

Canon EOS 5D Mark II...6.0 x 4.5 x 3.0"(152.0 x 113.5 x 75.0mm)28.6 oz (810g)

Because I work with both and my full hand fits on the grip of the 5d2 and the 7d, but my fingers touch the lens when I fully grip the 7, not the 5. My pinky hangs off the bottom of the 60d. I have really really big hands.