Talk me out of buying a 7D (if possible)

<p>I've been disappointed in my 7D. While the AF is somewhat improved (more points=better framing and servo tracking is better though still flawed) and the high ISO perforamance is a bit better (straight out of camera at least) it really doesn't do that much more than my 50D other than video. So, if you don't need video, I'd save your pennies and get a nice lens instead. </p>

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<p> DSLR's are like <a href="#" target="_blank">computers</a> and just about everything else electronic these days, they are outdated almost immediately.</p>

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<p>Gotta go with Jeff on this. The "hype" is getting monotonous. Haven't heard yet of a camera that suddenly quits giving us quality results on the release date of a new model.</p>

<p>But what about the Leica mystique? Surely you can't miss out on that..</p>

<p>It's a Canon.</p>

<p>Hi Kevin, all your points but point 4 were discussed already. I don't have a 7D but my 40D worked very well at low temperatures. Ok, -20F is very cold. I recently shot for several hours around -6F, the ony problem I had was with a lens, not with the camera body. The aperture of my Tokina 12-24mm was stuck at f/8. It recovered at warmup. Other lenses like the 24-105mm f/4 worked flawlessly. I don't see too much difference between the 40D and the 7D that makes me expect much more reliability in cold dry weather. </p>

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<p>It's a Canon.</p>

 

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<p>Could be worse - it could be a Nikon D1X.</p>

<p>"<em>Just say no." - Nancy Reagan</em></p>

<p>You guys make me chuckle with all of these conversations about something that will be a piece of worthless plastic in about four years time. I spent a lot of money about three months ago on a D700 with the MB-D10 battey pack. It is a great camera and certainly pulls some great results, and is without peer for low-light shooting. However, if we keep chasing the next digital device to stay up there with technology all we are doing is taking away the energy and time that should be spent taking great shots - to say nothing about making the big Companies (Nikon and Canon) rich.<br>

I am puting my D700 up on ebay and will stick with my Nikon F5's. The D700 cannot match the colours, hues and tones that I get from Velvia 50. For the ones that I need to put on the computer or send online my local lab does high image scans onto disk. I will be shooting 'real raw' will always have a clean 'sensor' and my F5 will be just as viable in ten years time as it is now. Your latest wizzbang that cost you 3 Big Ones, will be in some land-fill.<br>

Have you ever felt cheated when you projected one of your beautiful digital shots onto a screen via the latest digital projector? No matter how expensive the projector or how great your shot - they always look like crap. Do yourself a favour and grab the old Kodak projector and whack a few slides onto the screen. You will be blown away at what you see. My almost 30yr old F3 with a 20 year old lens will blow the socks off any of the latest technoligical wizzbangs and can be bought for a handful of dollars at a pawn shop.<br>

While you guys are sitting here deliberating senseless questions - I will be out getting some good shots.</p>

<p>Phil</p>

<p>Talk you out of buying a 7D? No way. <em><strong>Buy one now!</strong> </em> It has been cold here in the lower midwest (Indiana--not as cold as where you are, but still cold!), single digits at times with occasional dips below zero and I've had my 7D/17-40 combo out in this weather for 45 minutes to an hour with no issues whatsoever. Well, except for me nearly freezing to death...other than that, the camera was outstanding. It's a (<em>buy it</em> ) fantastic camera (<em>buy it</em> ); you'll (<em>you know you want to</em> ) love it!</p>

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<p>I am puting my D700 up on ebay and will stick with my Nikon F5's. The D700 cannot match the colours, hues and tones that I get from Velvia 50. </p>

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<p>Sounds like you need a beginners book on post processing if you cannot get awesome shots from a D700. Weird to say the least.</p>

<p>Back to the OP's question, what does a D700 have to do with a 7D anyway? Maybe some Nikonians aren't hip to Canon product lines.</p>

<p>I live in Estonia and I use my 10D outside all the time. My trigger finger gives out way before the camera would. I agree with philip and his film spiel. I love my EOS3 more than 5Dmk2 or any of the other xxD cameras I've owned. I just hate going through the hassle of getting the film developed. </p>

<p>If price is a concern... I think the answer is NO DEAL on the 7D purchase. For $1800 or whatever they sell for these days, you can really put that money to better use.</p>

<p>Can't help. Get the 7D but don't sell the XTI. Convert it to IR instead.</p>

<p>The weather sealing of the 7D will not be of any bennifit at -20F. The improved weather sealing is to block liquid water more effectively. At -20 there is no liquid water and the air is typically very dry. You 40D should handle -20 just as well. However when bringing the camera inside (40D and 7D) brush off any snow and put it in a zip lock bag before you go in. Inside air is warmer and therefore has more moisure in it. If you don't put the camera in a sealed bag before you enter moisture will collect on the exteror and some might condense on the interior of the weather sealed 7D. Only open the bag once the camera has warmed up. </p>

<p>The most common problem with cold weather is the batteries. In cold weather batteries just don't work well. Both cameras use lithium ion batteries so both should perform about the same in cold weather. </p>

<p><a href="http://canonfieldreviews.com/7d-1-weather-sealing/">-20 Haha, it laughs at that............</a></p>

Kevin, you have outlined pretty compelling reasons to get the 7D. I still have and love my humble XTi, but it just doesn't get that much use these days. Once you've tasted the gourmet of a 5D2 it's hard to go back ;-)

<p>I think the 7D will stand you in good stead for a good few years to come, more so given your intended usage. I'm sure you've seen this link too: http://canonfieldreviews.com/7d-1-weather-sealing/

<p>As others have said, storage is cheap, and that's a relatively small price to pay for the image quality and other features you've mentioned. I don't think you'll suffer from buyer's remorse :) Now go forth... :]

<p><em>The most common problem with cold weather is the batteries. In cold weather batteries just don't work well. Both cameras use lithium ion batteries so both should perform about the same in cold weather.</em></p>

<p>Admittedly I haven't had a lot of stick time in the freezing cold with my 7D. But what I have had leads me to believe that the new battery will hold up much better than the xxD batteries. On paper the power rating doesn't look that much different, but I'm pretty impressed with how long these new batteries last and how well they hold up in the cold.</p>

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<p> I will say after using a 5D2 for about a year or so now I will never go back to a crop camera.</p>

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<p>I second what Tommy says about the 5D2</p>

Ooops! Sorry for posting the same link Scott did. Mine would have arrived way earlier ;-) but I forgot to click send before I went home last night.

<p>I went from a 20D to a 5D (original) and I agree with the commenter's above about once you go full frame, you'll never go back. I will at some point buy the 5DMKII (or it's replacement), but I sincerely doubt if I'd ever buy another crop camera.</p>

<p>As far as the 7D shooting sports "better" than the 5DMKII, I admit that the slightly faster burst rate on my 20D has me grabbing it over my 5D.....I do sneak in a few more keepers because of that (by the way....I shoot in RAW all the time, so burst rate is slow regardless of either of the cams I own). But, having grew up in the film world of no motor drives or very slow motor winders (ie limitted funds prohibitted me from getting more expensive cams with motor drives and such).....when I do bring the 5D instead, I just revert back to my "peak of action" timing methods. I only shoot youth hockey.....so my experience in sports photography is limitted, but it's a fast paced sport, so I don't think reduced burst rate is hurting me all that much. Perhaps if I did it for a living it might matter, but then I think I'd also go all the way and buy a 1D. Now THAT is a sports based cam!</p>

<p>Get a 7D now...it's one heck of a camera!.</p>

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<p>you can get a Nikon D700 for the same money </p>

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<p>What sort of non answer is that? The OP already has two Canon DSLRs. Going to a D700 would be abject madness. Maybe you don't read or have not read the thread? If not, why even answer so silly?<br>

Get the 7D. ;-)</p>

<p>Here's what I'm gonna do. I don't shoot professionally as I used to, part time (snow skiing, mostly.) So I have a 1D Mk ll, which is outdated but great. One desire is a smaller camera (Which could be made bigger with the vertical grip of course), and to have the latest, greatest thing (well, short of the 1D Mk4, lol). I love wide angle...and everything else that full frame huge sensor that the 5D 2 brings to the table. But the 7D is great for extended telephoto range due to the 1.6 crop factor.... and high speed shooting-better sports, wildlife in motion.</p>

<p>So, since money is not an issue, I'm gonna buy one of each, dammit.....</p>

<p>By the way, with ebay bucks, using MSFT Bing to search, and myrebates.com, and a discount ebay seller, I can get the new 5D for dang close to $2k! full USA warranty too boot...woot woot</p>

<p>Dear Kevin B.<br>

I think you don't want anybody to talk you out of buying the 7D, but just want some guys and girls to support your choice.<br>

So here is my contribution: get it a.s.a.p. and enjoy it and don't forget to spend a lot of time to get the best out of it. Forget all the comparisons to FF, Nikon & whatever. BTW, I use a 5D, considering a 7D for backup/tele.</p>

<p>Cheers.</p>

<p>You know what, let me talk you <em><strong>into</strong> </em> buying a 7D.<br>

You're getting Canon's latest technological baby: nearly everything that the 5DmII was supposed to be, but 1.6x crop. Oh, I know some of the people here might bring up the crop vs FF thing again, but let's save that for another day. Since you're shooting sports, crop might be a better option for you.<br>

And since you're shooting sports, here's what you get compared to the 1DmIII (I still haven't read much about the mIV so let's work from there):</p>

<ul>

<li>8fps; the 1DmIII did 10fps IIRC. Realistically speaking, .025 of a second won't be much of a difference for the price. </li>

<li>All cross-type 19-point AF system with improved AI Servo II AF subject tracking and user-selectable AF area selection modes for sharp focus no matter the situation (blatantly copied from Canon's site)! </li>

<li>FULL HD VIDEO! </li>

<li>New iFCL Metering with 63-zone dual-layer metering system uses both focus and color information to provide accurate exposure even in difficult lighting. (again, blatantly copied from Canon's site) </li>

</ul>

<p>I can go on and on, and so can the rest of the community. But all I can say is this: get it. You know you want it. It knows you want it. It wants to be yours too. You're just kidding yourself if you won't get it soon.</p>

<p><em>Over and under on how many days till we get to read a post on "My new 7D experience" by Kevin: +/- 5.5 days. I'm betting on the under.</em></p>

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<p>Why would you buy a Canon 7D when you can get a Nikon D700 for the same money (well in the UK anyway!)</p>

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<p>It might shock you to know that the the 7D can do stuff the D700 can't, and - you'll hate this - there's far less noise difference between the two than you might like to believe exists.</p>

<p>More to the point, here's a reality check:<a href="http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/prod658.html"><br /> </a> <br /> <a href="http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/prod658.html">Best UK D700 price</a></p>

<p><a href="http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/prod1170.html">Best UK 7D price</a></p>

<p>£500+ difference is "the same money", is it?</p>