Need a 2nd body for weddings. How best to complement my 5D2?

So I've been kicking around plans for a 2nd body to use at some weddings I have lined up for the spring/summer. No question I need one, but I'm a little torn on what to use.

Option 1 is rental, and I think I would do a 1D4 at that point. Sure it's a crop sensor, but a usable ISO 12,800, great AF, backup to a 2nd card, and great battery life are big selling points. No way I could afford to buy one right now, though. Another very real fear is that I would never want to part with a 1D4 once I got my hands on it.

Option 2 is buying. With a little saving and an as-anticipated tax refund I could swing a 7D, or with a little more saving, a 5D2. I'm kinda leaning toward the 7D because of battery compatibility and the added reach I could get for candids etc.

I feel like the 1D/7D would complement a 5D to not only provide a backup body, but also provide better AF, more reach, and higher FPS for capturing the candids, etc.

Seems like 1 FF and 1 crop is a pretty common setup. What bodies do you guys bring on wedding days?

If its a second body you want and not a backup then a crop would be the way to go,if you need a backup then rent a 5DMarkII all your settings and lenses all match up.
Second hand crops are aplenty which one you go for is not easy to say,
I have used a 40D and an old 350D,with rented lenses.What crop did you have before the 5D as this would be a camera you would know already.

butugly wrote in post #11685280
If its a second body you want and not a backup then a crop would be the way to go,if you need a backup then rent a 5DMarkII all your settings and lenses all match up.
Second hand crops are aplenty which one you go for is not easy to say,
I have used a 40D and an old 350D,with rented lenses.What crop did you have before the 5D as this would be a camera you would know already.

I used a T1i when I got hooked. Not a body I'd really want to use again. Ergonomics were horrible for my big hands, and the performance at higher ISO, etc. was only so-so. I feel like if I were to go crop it would be the 7D because it would really add something to my shooting capability, as I mentioned.

Either a 7D or 5Dii. You want something that can handle cranking up the ISO when you need to.

I'd say... Wait for the 5D3, and make the 5D2 your backup.

wdwpsu wrote in post #11685422
Either a 7D or 5Dii. You want something that can handle cranking up the ISO when you need to.

I'd say... Wait for the 5D3, and make the 5D2 your backup.

That's a good point, actually... If the rumors of a summer delivery date are real, then the 5D3 would be a good choice. The weddings aren't till July/August, so it might be worth the wait.... Decisions, decisions...

bnlearle wrote in post #11685495
If there's a summer announcement then the fall would be the soonest you'd see the 5D3.

Just get a used 5D for under a thousand. You can probably sell it for the same price when you upgrade to the 5D3. And the 5D is awesome

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You just had to go adding another option, didn't you??

The 5Dc idea is tempting... more to think about.

bnlearle wrote in post #11685495
If there's a summer announcement then the fall would be the soonest you'd see the 5D3.

Just get a used 5D for under a thousand. You can probably sell it for the same price when you upgrade to the 5D3. And the 5D is awesome

Not a bad idea here. Im waiting for a 5d3 to use as a 2nd body, but I already have my 40d ad a backup.

5DC or 5D2.

Truly hope the Canon reps are reading this forum: 5D mkIII please asap
On a serious note: 5D classic should do the trick.

bnlearle wrote in post #11691806
I'd be VERY surprised if the 5D3 comes out anytime before winter of this season...

Bobby, stop being cynical/realistic. How about we make a deal, if it comes out before winter you buy me one. If it comes out winter/later, Ill buy it myself (for me though)

Not to mention, that when the 5D3 comes out there is no guarantee that anything but the video will be upgraded. I mean, when the 5D2 came out the 40D already had a better AF system...that didn't find it's way into the 5D2. We are all hoping for all of the new 7D features in the 5D3, but that doesn't mean Canon is going to give them to us.

A agree with Bobby. I shoot with a 5DII and a 5Dc and the 5Dc is still a fantastic camera. I tested a 7D this summer, and, of all the high ISO capabilities, the 5Dc files looked better to my eyes than the 7D files at ISO 1600 and 3200. For a wedding camera, I would take a 5Dc over a 7D.

AF on the 40D wasn't really all that great IIRC. The center AF point of the 5DMKII is just as good as any other camera in the Canon lineup. I agree that the outer AF points are garbage.

I agree that they should put the 7D's AF system in the 5DMKII, but I wonder if it's going to be all bunched up in the middle in a FF camera. Kinda like the 1DMKIII vs 1DsMKIII.

But why wait on a camera that doesn't exist yet. Pure speculation. Get what you need now and worry about the 5D3 when it's officially announced.

Yeah, not really holding my breath for the 5D3... at least not making any plans based on its appearance this summer.

So it's narrowing down to 5DC vs 7D... Still deliberating.

I guess it comes down to whether I want to duplicate my primary camera or complement it. The 7D's big advantage in my mind would be as a great body to keep the 70-200 mounted on and use it for the quick candids, whereas the 5DC would just be there if my 5D2 craps out.

I'd go with a 7D. Excellent low-light performer, great focus system, does video (if you ever feel the need to) and is a 1.6 crop, giving you twice as many uses for each lens.

Dr.Pete wrote in post #11695133
Yeah, not really holding my breath for the 5D3... at least not making any plans based on its appearance this summer.

So it's narrowing down to 5DC vs 7D... Still deliberating.

I guess it comes down to whether I want to duplicate my primary camera or complement it. The 7D's big advantage in my mind would be as a great body to keep the 70-200 mounted on and use it for the quick candids, whereas the 5DC would just be there if my 5D2 craps out.

That's how I use my 5D2. My 5Dc pretty much has a 24-105 and a flash glued to it the entire day. It's my 'safe shot' body. My 5D2 rotates between the 85mm and the 70-200, and is my 'artsy and/or available light/portrait' camera.

For me, having 2 different crop factors was confusing. When I bought my first 5D, is was using it in conjunction with a 30D. That lasted about 3 weddings before I sold the 30D and bought another 5D. Having the lenses act the same no matter what body I mount them on keeps everything simple in my small brain.