Upgrading camera body! Help me decide which current camera to sell.

[brandonheath]

<p>Hello<br>

I've always shot with crop bodies since starting my photographic/wedding journey. I feel that my lens selection and low lite situations are limiting some things I would like to do. </p>

<p>I currently us a Canon 7D as my main body and a Canon 40D as a back up. With the price of the 5D Mark II dropping fast as well as the rebate that is being offered I think now is a great time to make the jump. I would like to sell one of the crop bodies to help pay for the 5D but im not sure which one. I know the 40D should go first since time has caught up to the image quality when being compared to newer cameras. Don't get me wrong its still a great camera, I think the lower resolution is just lacking a little now. The problem with the 40D is that its super high miles on it (actuation's). Its at 140,000 clicks!!! This means that i would have a hard time getting $300 for it.... almost seems like i should just keep it Right.</p>

<p>The 7D is a lot newer and i could get a lot more money for it (I was going to try for $900-$850). The only problem with this scenario is that it would make my back up body a 5 year old 40D with high miles. Now i have to intention of ever using it. I simply always keep it with me just in case anything with the main body went wrong. I take shots with it every now and again to make sure everything is working.<br>

What do you guys think i should do? Get the extra cash from the 7D and stop extra worrying about the 40d. Or should i cut the 40d loose and keep my back up as something a lot newer and capable?<br>

Thanks for your time!</p>

 

[personalphotos]

<p>Let me put this in perspective for you.</p>

<p>You book a wedding for a very nice fee. You have your shiny new 5DMKII all ready to go and it's worked great for the last 3 weddings since you got it. You are at the ceremony and have your spare body nearby just in case something happens. While walking backwards up the aisle a few steps, you trip and fall, damaging the 5D2. You reach for the 140K click 40D that hasn't been used much for 3 months and discover that the shutter is worn out and doesn't work after taking 6 shots.</p>

<p><br /> Do you have a lawyer on retainer? Is having an old camera at the end of it's life worth the refund and grief you could face if your backup fails when you need it most? Is that worth "saving" $500-600 in selling the wrong camera?</p>

<p>This is a business and you are entrusted to capture moments that are never to be repeated. To be blunt it would be irresponsible to have your spare as a camera you know is worn out or near the end of it's usable life. Every business and this is a business like every other (even if too many shooters don't treat it as such) has equipment costs and overhead. This is just such a case and without any question, you should retire the 40D and keep the 7D. Take the $300 and be thankful the camera has worked so well all this time and served you so well. It owes you nothing but you owe your clients the best preparation you can afford.</p>

[daverhaas]

<p>I would suggest that you hang onto both and still get the 5dmkII. </p>

<p>I routinely take 3 bodies with me to weddings - just so I avoid the scenario that Peter laid out. I don't leave anything to chance - if all 3 bodies fail - there probably is a 4th in my car somewhere... </p>

<p>Dave</p>

 

[fuccisphotos]

Kennedy,

 

If you have gotten used to the superior focusing system of the 7d I wouldn't get the 5dii. I got the 7 d as back up to my 5dmark ii to

replace my t1i. Now I use the 7 d a ton. The 5d is used primarily for getting ready and formal shots and wider angle ones of the venue

and VERY low light situations. I don't have any efs mounts so there is a crop factor to contend with for wider shots. For the first dance

and parent dances I use a combo of both cameras. Then for the rest of the night I use the 7d. It just finds focus soooooo much quicker

and more reliably than the 5dii. The 5dii also doesn't have the portrait/landscape specific auto focus point selection which I find super

useful. So I say save for the 5dmkiii or if you want the full frame just as back up, get one of the new prosumer 6d which is a cheaper full

frame, sell 40d.

 

Before spending a ton on bodies though, I would get some good glass. My kit is the 24-70 2.8L,135 2.0L, 50 1.4, 16-35 2.8L. And a 1.4

tele converter and a 12mm extension tube for macro shots. I don't own the 70-200 because it is just too heavy for me, but I rented it for

fashion week and that lens was sick amazing.

[john_deerfield]

<p>I agree with Vail, from what I have read, the 5DMIII is what the 5DMII should have been. I too would opt for the 6D when available. That said, there is some merit for shooting parts of the wedding with a full frame camera, but between full frame and cropped sensor, I prefer crop sensors for weddings.</p>

[markonestudios]

<p>Kennedy, if I had to let go of one, I would definitely drop the 40D. No question. How much is it to replace a shutter on the 40D? May be worth doing so that you garner a better price for it.</p>

<p>I wouldn't entirely agree with Vail on the 5D Mark II. As long as you understand its AF limitations, it is a superb camera and can now be had for a steal.</p>

<p>However, I <em>do</em> agree that perhaps the 6D may well be a good fit for you. From what I have read, its interface is similar to the 7D's so a less steep learning curve. Having similar interface cameras is a big plus when shooting fast-paced, high-pressure events like weddings. It also shares the same battery as your 7D (but uses SD cards, which could be a plus, form a card management perspective)...</p>

<p> </p>

[Marcus Ian]

<p>For weddings, one hardly needs a "superb" AF, as long as one knows how to use an 'acceptable' AF system properly. If you use the 40D at all, obviously you can manage w/ the 5D2 (which is improved over the 40D, but uses a similar layout & 'type' of AF)</p>

<p>I too would recommend either getting the 5D2 without selling either of your backups, or get a second 7D if you cannot afford a 5D2 (w/o selling one).<br>

The advantage to getting the 5D2 is that it will expand your WA capabilities, give you better High ISO noise, decreased DOF, and improved absolute IQ. The disadvantage is that you'll have a decision to make every time you reach for your camera, and even though a dual format system pretty much gives you the best of both worlds, it also slows you down.<br>

Getting a second 7D seems a more practical choice, as it gives you greater commonality, is more doable on a limited budget, won't impact your current lens setup, and will give you increased speed (since you'll be able to have 2 identical bodies. you can reach for whatever one has the appropriate FL lens mounted).<br>

Frankly, I wouldn't worry too much about dual failure, (though you should add an 'act of god' clause to your contract if you haven't already) as having both bodies fail within a single shoot is a) highly unlikely, and b) is well beyond the range of 'professional preparedness' which a court would hold you to. It would be bad (of course), but that's why an act of god clause exists, because sometimes s__t happens... twice (or more). Of course, despite the dual 5D2s I use, I still keep an old rebel in the car (and ready)... just in case ;-)</p>

 

[rob_caswell1]

<p>I would keep them both... and buy the 5D or I would buy another 7d, because I preferred my two main bodies to be identical. You could always find a use for the 40d. Do you need the $300 THAT BAD!??! Cheap insurance IMHO...</p>

[starshooter]

<p>When shooting weddings a little healty paranoia is a good thing. Whatever can go bad, will. I always had three cameras, one of which was in my camera bag, and yet another in the trunk of my car.<br>

Okay I now own 27 or something cameras. So sue me.</p>

[eric_guel]

<p>I'd sell the 40D, buy the 5D Mk II <em>and </em>spend another $100 a clean 10D (keep it in your trunk). It's 6MPs but probably the cheapest insurance you could buy. Besides, if you have a big lens attached to it (with a red ring), no one will know it's a 100 year old camera. And if you get to the point where you need it, you'll be very, very happy. ;-)</p>

<p>Back in the day when I was shooting weddings with two Nikon D70s, I had one go out on me once, so I was down to one camera. Happened during the ceremony. Man, I was sweating bullets all night after that. Thankfully the second D70 held up. But for that reason, I think two bodies in the bag and one in the trunk is the way to go, if you can swing it.</p>

[William Michael]

<p>What lenses do you have?</p>

<p>WW</p>

[savagesax]

Get a loan, do whatever you can to get a camera with 2 flash card slots. If one card goes bad well the other card will save the wedding. The 1D MK3 is pretty amazing. Has video too. It will pay for itself in 2 $1500 weddings.