About to buy a new camera, What do you think?

<p>My main body is a 7d. For the past 5 months I've barrowed a friends 60d anytime I have a wedding. I would like to purchase a 2nd body, and i would like that body to be FF. I really dont have any fault with the 7d except in low light (noise to ISO ratio). Other then that i love it and could really justify replacing it at the moment. <br /><br />I see I have 3 options for a FF 2nd body. Ill list them and my issue with not pulling the trigger below<br /><br />Used 5D mkII<br /><br />I have a quote from a reputable camera store for a used unit with all the accessories and a 2 year warranty for $1600. Negatives: I cant get the shutter count. The price is near a new 6D. Everyone turned their backs on the mkII when the mkIII came out. Isnt this the same camera that industry leading photogs swore by just a little over a year ago. Cant help the feeling of trying to keep up with the Joneses.<br /><br /><br /><br />New 6D <br /><br />Not exactly "pro" statues. I hate the Idea of needing to carry 2 different types of memory cards (sd). Its not a big deal but i really dont like the lower top shutter speed. <br /><br /><br /><br />5D mkiii<br /><br />I think we all know that this thing is awesome. I cant help my self but to ask is it $1700-$2000 better then the mkii? At the moment this will require me to save for another month or so. But in my bookings will i see more money coming in with this choice? Will it cause the quality of my work to sky rocket to new heights The only positive i see is that i will feel a lot more comfortable with the frame rate and in dark situations i may not curse as much.<br /><br /><br /><br />I will possibly be pulling the trigger sometime in the next 24hrs. Thanks</p>

<p>If you're getting a 2 year warranty on the MK2 - then go for it. </p>

<p>Otherwise get a new 60d. Full frame is nice, but you can live with a crop back up. Trust me.</p>

<p>Shutter count is overrated. It is merely the mean fail during testing for the product. Meaning that they had shutters go a lot further and shutter fail a lot earlier. </p>

<p>Isn't "keeping up with the Joneses" is what's worrying you? The negatives with the 6D are the small number of focusing points and the 1/4000 second shutter speed. It is definitely not a sports camera. The negatives with the 5D Mark III is that the IQ is no better than the 6D. The low light auto focusing cannot compare to the 6D. But, the 5D Mark III is an excellent sports camera. Sounds like you should get the 6D for what it's worth until the next series of Canon cameras are unleashed. By the way, I own both cameras.</p>

<p>Get a refurbished 7D from Adorama for $959. http://www.adorama.com/searchsite/default.aspx?category=1000074+4294966337&term=canon%20refurbished<br>

Two of the same bodies that you know well with the same controls. What a concept. It's a business. Good luck!</p>

<p>Gil, the problem with the 7D is low-light image quality. I'd go for the 6D in this case. Much better in low light than the 7D, and much less expensive than the 5D Mkiii. Available light is always better than on-cmaera flash.</p>

<p>Keep the 7D as a backup and for longer shots. I cannot understand why anyone would worry about 1/4000 second as a limitation on shutter speed. I've been shooting professionally for 30 years, including four years as a professional motorsports photographer, and have never needed to shoot that fast.</p>

<p>For Weddings and Event I would buy the 5DMkII with two years' warranty.<br>

That's a long warranty - what does it cover? A better question is: What <strong><em>doesn't</em></strong> it cover?<br>

There are many synergies using a 7D and a 5DMkII as a Dual Format Kit.</p>

<p>***</p>

<p>However, you mention that you presently borrow a 60D (which is APS-C Format) but yet you would like a FF camera as your purchase.<br>

What I would caution you about and ask is - What <strong><em>specifically</em></strong> is your full Lens Cache.<br>

It is no good buying into a Dual Format Kit instead of having an APS-C Kit, if the lenses you have will be limiting to you.</p>

<p>WW<br>

</p>

<p>One thing to consider before going FF.... are your lenses good enough for Full Frame?</p>

<blockquote>

<p>I cannot understand why anyone would worry about 1/4000 second..." [Darron Spohn]</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I shoot with an 85/1.2 and YES it does matter to me. So, what doesn't matter to you matters to me (or others).</p>

Well you are in the price range of getting a great used 1Ds Mark3. If you like cameras that are like tanks, water resistant, 300,000 shutter clicks before changing the shutter blades and dual cards, in case one of the cards craps out. It also behaves very well in cold and very hot climates.

<blockquote>

<p>300,000 shutter clicks before changing the shutter blades</p>

</blockquote>

<p>This is <strong>*NOT*</strong> how it works at all. None of the manufacterers guarantee the number of shots before the shutter requires replacement. All they quote is a MTBF (mean time between failure) - the statistical median where the majority of failures will occur. So, a 1DS Mk3 will not fire 300k shots, and then fail, nor will a 5D Mk.2 fire 150k shots and then need service. Both may never need service, both may need it well before. The specification only basically means "sturdy construction, designed to last", and nothing else. No warranty, no promises, nothing of the kind.</p>

<p>David Haas said it completely right: <em>Shutter count is overrated</em>. Suppose the dealer informs you this specific 5D II you're looking at did 50k photos so far..... You're none the wiser with that info, as it will not tell when/if/how this camera is going to fail, nor whether it will fail before any of the others. It may give an idea of how heavily the camera has been used, but nothing else.</p>

<p>I'd lean towards the 5D I with extended warranty. I have shot with mine for a while now. I recently DID spring for the refurb 7Ds on Adorama. Too good a deal to pass up ;-) I have just started playing with it, and so far, very impressive. I haven't pushed it too hard in low light, but I certainly will. My 5DII is still my go-to body.</p>

<p>Back to your query, if you're willing to save up for a few months to get the Mk III, perhaps you should do that, to avoid buyer's remorse or other related syndromes ;-) the Mk III is even closer in functionality/ergonomics to the 7D, so switching between them would be just about seamless. However, I still think the Mk II is a heck of a camera, and the Mk III is still a bit too pricey. </p>

<p>I am a strong proponent of dual-format kits to maximise your lens cache. With the 5D's you would also have the same media, same batteries. Very useful.</p>

<p>Since you are primarily aiming at weddings, a 5D2 is likely all you need. I can't think of any good reason not to get one unless you are shooting a wedding in pitch black (in which case you'd benefit from a 6D), or shooting one while skydiving (in which case a 5D3 AF would serve you well). With common components (memory and batteries), and similar controls, a 5D2 (or 3) complements your 7D nicely.</p>

 

I agree that shutters can go anytime. The only reason for stating 300,000 clicks, water resistant, good in cold and hot days, is it's one heck of a camera!

 

Forgive me for the confusion. Point taken is you may be able to get into a used rock hard camera. I would take this camera over some of the other canon models. One reason for not buying a 1Ds mk 3 is it doesn't have video.

 

Just opinion, thats all. Just to help with different choices.

 

We have to remember that still/video cameras are here to stay and as wedding photographers we should probably offer video in the near future. I would think that competition with other wedding photographers will force us to buy still video cameras.

 

However this wasn't the question, so it's just an opinion.

<p>Another candidate just announced: Canon 70D. Not FF, but lots of new tech including a new AF technology that's sure to be added to the FF cameras when the next one is announced.</p>

<p>http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/986389-REG/canon_8469b002_canon_eos_70d_dslr.html</p>

Marc, thanks for the link. I think I need test one out.

 

The only thing I question is if you can use "radio," for video and clip a mic on the grooms suit and pick up the ceremony. I would think there would be.

<p>The 5d3 is a better sports camera than wedding camera. I have shot 10 weddings with one and the only real benefit I have gotten out of it over my three 5d2's is the silent shutter mode. All other things considered, the autofocus isn't as godly and flawless as so many people claim it is...not for weddings anyway. Not for low light focusing on and tracking faces, suits, etc...</p>

<p>For birds, decal-coated objects and other high contrast objects, I'm sure the 5d3's autofocus system is great. But for the subjects I deal with, the 5d2 tracks comparably and one-shot locks more consistently accurately (yes, the 5d2 is better at one-shot, and MUCH faster too - like 1 second or less vs. ~3 seconds) in/on <em><strong>low light/lower contrast</strong></em> subjects.</p>

<p>I find 1/180 flash sync speed and lack of a pc sync port basically make the camera unusable for too many of the situations I deal with for weddings for me to ever consider a 6D. However, others seem to not mind those or the other limitations (1/4000 shutter max).</p>