Well i jumped up from the xsi/450D so it was a big jump for me right there.
FJ LOVE wrote in post #11418666
i think at the price the 7D is hard to beat
I did a lot of research at the time of my jump and it was very hard to beat it.
monk3y wrote in post #11418697
in the Philippines when the 7D was released...it was only about $300 - $400 shy of a new D700...
when I bought last June, the 7D was still around $1,800 or something... while i bought the D700(gray) for only $2100

Yeah i bought my 7D over a year ago. At that time the price difference between it and a D700 or 5DmkII was very large for me to stomach. It would have cost me my 24-70 2.8L and that wouldnt be worth it. 
midnight_rider wrote in post #11418743
To be honest the 7D AF is still behind the OlD D300 AF
The D300s is good but let's face it mist people that go Nikon and love it tend to so on the FF level.
The D700 I'd still truly unanswered by any brand.
And don't sat 5D2 cause that is a joke

I have a good friend of mine who left the d300s for the 7D. In his opinion beyond 51 points it was an easy switch. He hasnt missed a shot with the 7D that he could say the d300s would have done better. The D700 is a whole other beast on its own! And you havent read my jokes about the 5DII? My iphone 4 has a better focus system 