6D vs 7D mark II

[Marsu42]

The 6D will beat out the 7D in all circumstances related to low light, both for focusing and high ISO noise.

If you're talking about the 7d2 - how's that? Both have the center point down to -3lv, but the 7d2 has a double cross and the 6d only a f2.8 overlay. My understanding is that the 7d2 should do better in low light, single point af - not to mention all other af points, of course.

 

[Nethawk]

The 6D will beat out the 7D in all circumstances related to low light, both for focusing and high ISO noise.

If you're talking about the 7d2 - how's that? Both have the center point down to -3lv, but the 7d2 has a double cross and the 6d only a f2.8 overlay. My understanding is that the 7d2 should do better in low light, single point af - not to mention all other af points, of course.

True that, and my apologies for being overly brief. I was responding specifically to the "miles ahead" claim, as nobody is going to buy the 7Dii for its center focus point capabilities only. And when both focus and ISO are considered, the 6D is still the better camera.

I'm not sure I quite understand the "only a f2.8 overlay" comment. Are you referring to the added f/2.8 vertical line sensing capability?

 

[Marsu42]

I'm not sure I quite understand the "only a f2.8 overlay" comment. Are you referring to the added f/2.8 vertical line sensing capability?

Yes, that was me being overly brief - I'm indeed talking of the strange 6d/5d2/... af point contraption with a slower cross af point overlaid with a single, faster af line. No idea why didn't put a full double-cross sensor into it, either marketing and/or tech limitations on release of the older cameras.

 

[candc]

here is the 6d 16-35f/4 (16mm) and 70d sigma 8-16 (10mm)

they are both good. the ff combo is better in low light but for shots like this they are very similar.

 

[Nethawk]

I'm not sure I quite understand the "only a f2.8 overlay" comment. Are you referring to the added f/2.8 vertical line sensing capability?

Yes, that was me being overly brief - I'm indeed talking of the strange 6d/5d2/... af point contraption with a slower cross af point overlaid with a single, faster af line. No idea why didn't put a full double-cross sensor into it, either marketing and/or tech limitations on release of the older cameras.

I'm with you on this one. "Oops, we forgot something" seems to have influenced this move. Just a guess.

I'm not sure whether others do this, but if I pixel peep and notice issues, or if I know that horizontal or vertical lines and contrast are going to affect AF I rotate my camera, lock focus and shoot again. Not quite suited to sports or BIF, but it works pretty well (once you understand just where AF limitations are). I'm almost always using center AF point though.

 

[Marsu42]

I've been using the 7D since it came out and I just recently purchased a 5Diii based on all the comments that ff is much better than the APS-C. My experience - not so much.

A common fallacy if you ask well-off enthusiasts, I'm afraid.

but for static things like landscapes and night photography, I think the 7Dii would do the trick.

I depends on how much you postprocess the shots and if you compete with other photogs ft. ff gear. But for general shooting crop is just fine, of course it is, otherwise manufacturers wouldn't sell that many gear with smaller sensors.

I'm not sure whether others do this, but if I pixel peep and notice issues, or if I know that horizontal or vertical lines and contrast are going to affect AF I rotate my camera, lock focus and shoot again.

I'm very used to it because I did just that for ages using my old film Canons 620 and RT with only one non-cross sensor :-\

Problem is that rotating the camera takes time, so with wildlife this is awkward. Furthermore, rotating introduces a recompose focus error because you move the camera, but you'll only notice with thin dof and/or fast lenses.

 

[NancyP]

Do you really like negligible depth of field? You get more out of focus blur for a given aperture with a full frame. I love shooting at f/1.4 to f/2 (35 to 55mm FL) and f/3.5 (180mm macro). That is one of the big advantages of FF. If bokeliciousness is not your style, APS-C is more than fine. The FF cameras tend to have about 1 to 2 ISO doublings advantage in noise - my 60D is getting quite noisy at ISO 1600, the 6D equivalent is 6400. If you don't shoot at high ISO, APS-C quality is fine. I use the 6D with primes for landscapes and high ISO shots, including astrophotography, and use the 60D (maybe soon replaced by 7D2) for one-lens shooting (EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6, quite a good lens, probably better than the 24-105 on crop), for macro, and for action / birds. I don't currently have a normal zoom for the 6D, and I use a mix of old film all-manual lens classics (sitting around the house) on adapters and digital era primes.

There is no one right answer.

 

[MichaelHodges]

The 6D will beat out the 7D in all circumstances related to low light, both for focusing and high ISO noise.

Agreed.

 

[sdsr]

Given the op's camera use, leaving aside the relative merits of 6D vs APS-C, would there be much point in getting a 7DII rather than the less expensive 70D? I suspect the real world image quality differences are trivial or negligible.

 

[David - Sydney]

There are plenty of places in Sydney that will hire equipment if you want an extended test. I hired my 70-300L from Georges on condition that the hire money would be refunded if I bought the lens. I did.

=> A good idea. I am going to Oahu for a week over Christmas and seriously thought about hiring the 6D/16-35mm but it would cost ~10% of the purchase price. Either choice will be better than what I have but each has their advantages so either carry 2 bodies or maybe 6Dii in the future but I can't imagine that the AF from the 7Dii will go to the 6Dii as differentiation from the 5Diii will be needed.

Incidentally, did I meet you around Sydney Harbour last Feb/March, when I was carrying my OM-10, or was that another photographer called David in Sydney?

=> Good question. I am not sure (there are a few of us Davids in Sydney). Just joined a fabulous and active group of landscape photographers called Focus in Sydney. Perhaps we can catch up there.
http://focusphotographers.org/
https://www.flickr.com/groups/northernbeachesnsw/

 

[Ryan85]

Do you really like negligible depth of field? You get more out of focus blur for a given aperture with a full frame. I love shooting at f/1.4 to f/2 (35 to 55mm FL) and f/3.5 (180mm macro). That is one of the big advantages of FF. If bokeliciousness is not your style, APS-C is more than fine. The FF cameras tend to have about 1 to 2 ISO doublings advantage in noise - my 60D is getting quite noisy at ISO 1600, the 6D equivalent is 6400. If you don't shoot at high ISO, APS-C quality is fine. I use the 6D with primes for landscapes and high ISO shots, including astrophotography, and use the 60D (maybe soon replaced by 7D2) for one-lens shooting (EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6, quite a good lens, probably better than the 24-105 on crop), for macro, and for action / birds. I don't currently have a normal zoom for the 6D, and I use a mix of old film all-manual lens classics (sitting around the house) on adapters and digital era primes.

There is no one right answer.

+1

 

[Nethawk]

I've been using the 7D since it came out and I just recently purchased a 5Diii based on all the comments that ff is much better than the APS-C. My experience - not so much. Yes, the 5Diii is better at high iso, which is important for conditions when the light is low and a high shutter speed is needed but for static things like landscapes and night photography, I think the 7Dii would do the trick.

I have to respectfully disagree, although I don't own either of the bodies mentioned. ;D

I have both 6D and 7D, and if we factor in the marginal IQ improvement of the 7Dii over its predecessor and the similarities of IQ in the 6D and 5Diii, the 6D beats the crop bodies handily. Given the same image taken with both cameras, same focal length and exposure, the post-processing capabilities of the 6D image alone trounce what is capable from those created with the 7D. Sure, the 7Dii will do everything a FF equivalent can, and I'm not criticizing it - and I have no intention of getting rid of my 7D - but there is a big difference if looking at the big picture, so to speak.

 

[ashmadux]

Crop and Full frame night shooting is worlds apart.

Recently i put a 7d2 versus a 6d, long exposure waterfront cityscape. As good as the crops can be at low iso, it's not even close - FF dynamic range int low light is a wonder to behold.

But.......

Beware the Af of the 6d. It's pathetic.