Since 7D MkII isn't coming soon.....

[Jim K]

I'd go with the 7D and consider refurbed or used. Then when the 7D2 comes out wait a while for the price to drop. Look how much the 5D3 has dropped in a year!

I liked my first 7D so much that when I found the Canon Loyalty Program I bought a second (refurbed) one. I think the older one, bought new, is the one that is gripped and on my 500 on a tripod. The other one usually has the 100-400 mounted for BIF and no grip to keep the weight down. Other than the serial number I can't tell them apart.

I'm going to wait a while to replace them with the 7D2 if it turns out to be much better then the 7D.

[RMC33]

I am stuck replacing my broken 7D with either a new 7D or a 1Dx.

[pwp]

I am stuck replacing my broken 7D with either a new 7D or a 1Dx.

...or a fabulous pre-owned 1D Mk4.

-PW

[RMC33]

I am stuck replacing my broken 7D with either a new 7D or a 1Dx.

...or a fabulous pre-owned 1D Mk4.

-PW

I have considered that but I have yet to find one with good mileage. Have one for sale?=)

[bdunbar79]

I am stuck replacing my broken 7D with either a new 7D or a 1Dx.

...or a fabulous pre-owned 1D Mk4.

-PW

I have considered that but I have yet to find one with good mileage. Have one for sale?=)

I'd get a used 1D Mark IV and have the shutter assembly replaced.  It'd be a one-time deal and you'd enjoy the camera for a lifetime with no further trouble.

[RMC33]

I am stuck replacing my broken 7D with either a new 7D or a 1Dx.

...or a fabulous pre-owned 1D Mk4.

-PW

I have considered that but I have yet to find one with good mileage. Have one for sale?=)

I'd get a used 1D Mark IV and have the shutter assembly replaced.  It'd be a one-time deal and you'd enjoy the camera for a lifetime with no further trouble.

Ya after doing a bit more research I feel the 1D4 has similar noise performance to the 5d3 with the push/pull of a 1D series like you have stated prior. I don't mind the cost as I have been saving for a while and don't need anything outside a new body. I should double check CPS and see if they still do Loaner Mk4's.

[papa-razzi]

Thank you for all the great feedback. I think I might just pull the trigger on the 7D based on this thread. My primary use case will be my kids sports. Baseball, Football and Soccer.

7D plus the 70-300L is a sweet combo for football & Baseball, and High School Soccer.
For Jr. Soccer the fields are smaller and you are closer - I use a 24-105 f/4.

AF with 7D on both these lenses is fantastic.  I use Single point expansion AI servo and pan with the player I'm trying to capture.  You have to experiment and play with the AF settings, but it rocks once you get the hang of it and have it all set the way you want.

[papa-razzi]

I am stuck replacing my broken 7D with either a new 7D or a 1Dx.

...or a fabulous pre-owned 1D Mk4.

-PW

+1 on the 1D Mk4.  I would love to have one of those

[pwp]

I am stuck replacing my broken 7D with either a new 7D or a 1Dx.

...or a fabulous pre-owned 1D Mk4.

-PW

I have considered that but I have yet to find one with good mileage. Have one for sale?=)

I'd get a used 1D Mark IV and have the shutter assembly replaced.  It'd be a one-time deal and you'd enjoy the camera for a lifetime with no further trouble.

Even a 1D4 with a high shutter count should be fine. The rated 300,000 is conservative. There are plenty around up over a million on their original shutter. My old 1D Mk2n was up around 600,000 when I gave it to an assistant who still uses it pretty heavily. They're built like tanks.

-PW

[mdrewpix]

At our newspaper several of the guys shoot with Mark IV's and I shoot with the 5D III. The 5D III is at least one full stop better in low light and it blows the Mark IV out of the water for video. The only reason to get a Mark IV is to listen to the sound of the drive ripping along at 10fps. It's an obsolete - although still perfectly fine - camera.

[bdunbar79]

At our newspaper several of the guys shoot with Mark IV's and I shoot with the 5D III. The 5D III is at least one full stop better in low light and it blows the Mark IV out of the water for video. The only reason to get a Mark IV is to listen to the sound of the drive ripping along at 10fps. It's an obsolete - although still perfectly fine - camera.

Only problem with that assessment is cropping.  If you take a 5D Mark III file and crop it to the FOV of the 1D Mark IV, that 5D3 file will NOT have equal IQ to the 1D4 file, unlike cropping the 1D4 file to the FOV of the 7D file.  The 1D4 isn't obsolete because of the 5D3, it's obsolete because of the 1DX.  The 1D4 is still better for sports, and the thing I always loved was the 1/300s sync speed for flash.

[pj1974]

The 7D is a fantastic camera and still very relevant in the Canon lineup.  The 7d is a great match up with any of the EF lenses, especially L glass.  The 24-70mm is fantastic on the 7D, it's only not wide enough if all you shoot is wide... If so, it's still a great walk around lens.  The 17-55mm lens is fantastic on the 7D and the mid range and long lenses are incredible...

+1
I had the 1DIIN and the 24-105. Bought the 7D and the 15-85. Sold the 1DIIN and the 24-105. Bought the 17-55. Sold the 15-85. If I had only one lens, it would be the 15-85. Since I have the 100mm macro and 77mm filters, I kept the 17-55. I does miss the 15mm end though.

I've used numerous Canon bodies, and agree the 7D still has a great place in the Canon line-up. I expect I will keep my 7D till it dies ... It's handling is SO much better than any other Canon APS-C - and while it lacks some of the FF advantages in terms of IQ, often that's only noticed in pixel peeping.

I have several Canon lenses, including L glass, and my 7D is most often paired with the Canon 15-85mm, then Canon 70-300mm L (ie at 480mm in 35mm equivalent).  I also find my 7D great for macro work (with the 100mm) and it handles landscapes / ultrawides well too, eg 10mm (16mm equivalent in 35mm format) sharp corner to corner.

When / if the 7DmkII comes out, I am keen to see what it delivers.  All in all, I'm sure Canon will give us good tools to continue shooting photos.

Best wishes...

Paul

[RMC33]

I am stuck replacing my broken 7D with either a new 7D or a 1Dx.

...or a fabulous pre-owned 1D Mk4.

-PW

I have considered that but I have yet to find one with good mileage. Have one for sale?=)

I'd get a used 1D Mark IV and have the shutter assembly replaced.  It'd be a one-time deal and you'd enjoy the camera for a lifetime with no further trouble.

Even a 1D4 with a high shutter count should be fine. The rated 300,000 is conservative. There are plenty around up over a million on their original shutter. My old 1D Mk2n was up around 600,000 when I gave it to an assistant who still uses it pretty heavily. They're built like tanks.

-PW

Ya, that is the main reason for my urge to make the jump. I lucked out and got my 5DIII + grip as a gift over the holidays so my new camera/lens fund is quite healthy.

[pwp]

The only reason to get a Mark IV is to listen to the sound of the drive ripping along at 10fps. It's an obsolete - although still perfectly fine - camera.

Yes the 10 FPS sound is cool, but believe it or not there are a raft of other compelling, valid reasons to own a 1D4. Keep some perspective. It's not exactly ancient history. It has been superseded by the extraordinary 1DX, but obsolete is something it's most definitely not. Until the 1DX started shipping, the 1D4 was the gold standard for shooting action. The 300/sec flash sync and the very useful x1.3 APS-H crop sensor alone give it huge value to a lot of top echelon shooters worldwide.

-PW

[greger]

You haven't said what you are shooting with now. Can you wait for something that might not appear? I bought a 7D last August to replace a 40D that was error 99 after every shot. I knew Canon was releasing Firmware Vs2 so I bought one
August 3,2012. I used it and was happy and when the new firmware was released I updated to vs 2 and am still happy.
I have vs 2.0.3 Firmware and the 7D is everything I wished my 40D could have been. My 17-85 lens that came with my 40D works just fine, even though I read the 7D needs good glass. I won't have camera envy when the 7D's replacement is released. I'm still enjoying my camera and learning more as I use it. There's a saying that "You should buy when you need it!" and I say don't look back and try to second guess things after new releases. Good Luck with your decision.