New 60D owner considering 7D

[sgireland]

<p>Hi Folks,<br>

I am a previous Nikon D90 owner who has recently switched to Canon primarily to take advantage of lower cost tele primes like the 400mm 5.6L, as well as the improved video performance which is a new interest of mine.</p>

<p>I have JUST bought my 60D with the 50mm 1.8 so I have a 14 day period in which to exchange the camera with no penalty. I am considering the 7D as I understand it has superior autofocus and the more robust body is attractive. This would delay my purchase of better lenses somewhat, but not for more than a couple of months.</p>

<p>My photographic interests lie primarily in the area of birds/wildlife and portraiture. Would the superior autofocus and burst rate of the 7D be worth investing in? I would have to give up manual audio control and the articulating screen but these features on the 60D I could work around/live without.</p>

<p>Anything I have overlooked?</p>

[bobatkins]

<p>The 7D (if you can actually find one) is a better camera for serious use. It has better sealing, better AF, a faster frame rate and more features (such as micro AF adjustment and a vertical electronic levels). For serious still photography under difficult condions it's "better" than the 60D (though of course the image quality will be no better than that of the 60D).</p>

<p>For video, the 60D is the better choice with the articulated screen and the option of manual control of audio.</p>

<p>So it all depends on what you want to do with it - and whether you can actually locate a 7D for sale at a reasonable price. They are currently in short supply. I've seen stores with them in stock asking close to $2000. The Canon suggested street price is only $1699. I wouldn't pay a $300 premium for one.</p>

[PuppyDigs]

<p>If Canon's factories don't restart soon, the 60D will be in short supply next.</p>

[randallfarhy]

<p>Owning both the 60D and 7D, I have to agree with what Bob says completely. If you plan on shooting primarily fast action, or birds-the 7D's AF system and faster frame rate will vastly outperform the 60D-meaning more keepers. If that's not the case, the 60D is still a good camera that produces a quality image. Puppyface makes a good point, might want to see if you can actually aquire the 7D before relinquishing your 60D if time permits.<br>

Edit: As an after thought, with the 7D's burst rate, you will want to use faster cards. The cards are not interchangeable between the 60D and 7D. (SDHC and CF, respectively) </p>

[david.wagle]

<p>I just purchased a 7D after some significant time researching Canon cameras. I dismissed the 60D pretty early when compared to the build quality of the 50D, 5Dii and 7D it just isn't quite up to par. Further, for hard use, the swivel LCD seems to me to be an unnecessary failure point. Other's milage may very, but I've been very happy with my choice and more than one 60D owner at my photography club has commented that they like my camera over their own.<br>

*shrug*</p>

[markonestudios]

<p>Another vote for the 7D, subject to availability of course</p>

[kiwirob]

<p>I got one last year and I'm really happy with it. i recommended it to a mate at work and he had some issues with AF and out of focus issues and has returned it to canon to see if they can make it work. looking into the problem since shows that it would appear it is not an isolated occurrence.<br>

the opinion on what the problem actually is and how it manifests is very devided. after doing my own tests I still think it is the nuts and recommend it for sure, but my advice would be to try it out before you buy it to avoid any disappointment. <br>

The good (the reviews i looked at before buying one):<br /><br />http://www.photo.net/equipment/canon/eos-7d/review/<br />http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/default.asp?newsID=4169&p=3<br />http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos7d/<br /><br />Other opinion:<br>

http://darwinwiggett.wordpress.com/2009/11/11/the-canon-7d/<br />http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00UzSw?start=20<br />http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=799284<br />http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM<br />http://www.michaelmiles.com/2010/03/06/answer-fixing-canon-7d-focus-issue/<br />http://blog.photoframd.com/2009/12/07/canon-7d-problem-focusing-customize-the-af/<br />http://adunnphotography.blogspot.com/2009/12/canon-7d-review-focusing-on-focus.html</p>

[ljwest]

<p>7D all the way. When I was looking last year, I was comparing the 50D and the 7D, then the 60D came along. Some nice things I like on the 60D, but once I looked through the viewfinder in the 7D, I was hooked. Well worth the extra outlay, and for me at least, it'll stave off upgrade-itis. Hopefully... ;-)</p>

<p>Over 3,500 frames in six months, and I'm a happy camper...</p>

[phule]

<p>[[Further, for hard use, the swivel LCD seems to me to be an unnecessary failure point]]</p>

<p>Do you have a basis for this conclusion?</p>

 

[bobatkins]

<p>If you drop the 60D (or knock it hard against something) with the LCD folded out there's no doubt that it will be a weak point.</p>

<p>Whether it's a weak point if you just open and close it multiple times I don't know. I assume Canon have made sure that the flexible connections are pretty reliable.</p>

[ljwest]

<p>Fold-out LCDs have been standard equipment on portable camcorders for many years, so I'm sure Canon knows what they're doing. It's invaluable in certain situations, but, like anything, if the user isn't careful enough, they could have a problem with it.</p>

<p>That's really the only thing from the 60D I'd like to have on my 7D, but then again, when shooting stills - which is 99.99% of what I do - I don't miss it at all.</p>

[brad_trostad]

<blockquote>

<p>Anything I have overlooked?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>+1 for the 7D. Don't forget about the micro lens adjust (already saved me $$$ on a back focusing 35L). And for the portraiture, landscapes I wish the 5d2 had the 7D's built in level indicator.</p>

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</blockquote>

[sgireland]

<p>Thanks for the responses. The 7D is readily available where I live and is even on sale at a local retailer. The cost difference is roughly 50% more for the 7D over the 60D. As one poster mentioned I will have to invest in CF cards as well. So about $575 more for the 7D and at least $100 for a decent CF card.<br>

The 60D seems to do everything I NEED, but the 7D has features that I WANT, primarily the better build, AF and burst, however I have to be realistic when deciding how much value I will get from upgrading. The cost difference is the same as a used 70-200 f4L which I was planning on buying.<br>

Still unsure.</p>

[Marcus Ian]

<p> You WILL enjoy shooting w/ a 7D more than a 60D. period. Your shooting WILL benefit from better AF and burst... I guess I'd think of it this way, if you treat your photography as an enthusiast, you should probably get the most enjoyment possible out of your gear. </p>

<p>For example, my 'fun' car is sometimes put away for weeks (or even months) at a time while I wait on parts, or work I need to do on it. My wagon is not fun to drive, but always there to get me to a shoot... If I didn't need to drive to get to work, I'd not even own the wagon. but thats me.</p>

[dcstep]

<p>I own the 7D and the 5D MkII. Short of going to the 1D MkIV, the 7D is the best bird and wildlife camera that Canon makes, IMHO. It's AF scheme, 8-fps burst rate and perfect pixel-pitch for cropping really make it one of the go-to cameras for birds, wildlife and sports. It's high-ISO performance leave something to be desired, but should at least equal the 60D. Up to ISO 800 it has good, low-noise performance and exceptional image detail.</p>

[sgireland]

<p>I've been convinced of the benefits and have decided to go with the 7D. I really appreciate the well thought out responses I've received. Now I just need to save up for the 400mm f5.6L.<br>

Thanks, folks!</p>

[michael_notar1]

<p>i wouldnt mind a lightly used 60D if you get the 7d. email me.</p>