7D or wait for update...

[charli18]

I had previously a t2i then upgraded to 60D, 7D, 5DII... then all my equipment was stolen on a trip

I'm at that point where I really need equipment again after a year hiatus. Given the current price of a 7D and 28-135 ($1099), it is hard to beat. I know the lens isn't anything special, but it will do the job until I fill out the L toolbox again.

On the other hand, the 7DII is right around the corner, but that is just the announcement date... I don't expect to actually be able to get one until late 2014 or early 2015. My favorite camera out of all bodies i've had in the pas was the 7D, even more so than the 5DII, but the sensor is so old now. I'll kick myself if the 7DII retails at $1399 or $1499 for body only. What do you all think?

 

[Loswr]

Unfortunate.

If you really need something now, I'd consider the 70D over the 7D.

 

[Dylan777]

Sep is right around the corner. I would wait for BIGGEST camera show. About get a used 7d for now and sell it when 7D II arrived.

 

[charli18]

I considered the 70D, but need at least 7D build... I never liked the 60d build and the swivel screen. Anyway, I'm going to wait b/c now I just have a hole burning for new equipment

btw, DO NOT LEAVE CAMERA EQUIPMENT IN A RENTAL CAR WHEN VACATIONING IN HAWAII. The b@5t@rds could of at the very least left my cards (with all my work on them) as that was the most hurtful. I had some AMAZING shots and HD work that to me was worth more than the camera equipment alone. F*C&TARDS!!!

 

[Loswr]

Wouldn't help with the lost images, but consider insuring your gear...

 

[jonoh]

Im in line to buy the 7D mkII if/when its released.

im also happy to sell my 7D body if you're keen to pick one up still. Ive got 2.

 

[Deleted member 7828]

Faced this situation last year. Sold the 60D shortly after getting a FF camera in anticipation of the new 7D (or 70D) becoming available in time for an event where I needed the reach of 1.6x again. (Last time I will ever make a purchasing/selling decision based on a "rumor". I've learned!)

Turns out that the 70D got delayed, and thus wouldn't be available in time...so I was forced to scramble and ended up grabbing a used 7D for just over $800. However, after trying the 70D later, it appears I made the right decision...the 70D just felt like a beefed up 60D while the 7D felt truly pro-grade. But the 7D shows its age when shooting at high ISO. I found that while it's an upgrade over the 60D in handling and speed, it's a downgrade(!) in image quality. Not a big one, but it was noticeable in my sports shots. The keeper rate was a bit higher though, hence the tradeoff...

 

[dgatwood]

I considered the 70D, but need at least 7D build... I never liked the 60d build and the swivel screen. Anyway, I'm going to wait b/c now I just have a hole burning for new equipment

btw, DO NOT LEAVE CAMERA EQUIPMENT IN A RENTAL CAR WHEN VACATIONING IN HAWAII. The b@5t@rds could of at the very least left my cards (with all my work on them) as that was the most hurtful. I had some AMAZING shots and HD work that to me was worth more than the camera equipment alone. F*C&TARDS!!!

This shouldn't happen, but sadly, it sometimes does. The risk of theft is why I make it a rule to keep flash cards on my person until I've backed them up to my laptop's hard drive, and to never leave the hard drive and the flash cards in the same place until I've backed up the hard drive after I return home. A little bit of paranoia goes a long way.

Pro tip: If you know you're going to be on vacation somewhere, you can take an old smartphone, buy a pay-as-you-go SIM card, install GPS tracking software on the phone, and hide it in your camera bag underneath your lenses. If someone steals your camera bag, you can locate the smartphone with your existing smartphone, contact the police, and direct them to the exact location of your stolen equipment.

 

[Steve]

Its probably better just to insure your gear. The police don't do anything about theft except take a statement that you can give to your insurance company anyway. Its not their job to recover your gear and they aren't going to dedicate any resources to looking. It sucks but that's how it is.

I would probably buy a used 7D now if you want to get back into shooting ASAP. Once (if) the 7DII is announced you can decide if it sounds worth the upgrade and sell off the 7D. Even if you take a bit of a loss you can consider it a cheap, long term rental.

 

[Runner]

To end up with something positive from this sad and frustrasting incident ...
Why not buy a cheap 7D now to get going, and then get a Mk.II in a year, when it's available and when the price has fallen just a little bit? And then keep the 7D as a second body!! (Having had a number of L lenses, you sound like it's not completely out of your budget to get two bodies.)

 

[jdramirez]

Here's the formula I use everytime I make a purchase.

((purchase price)-(price eventually sold @))/years used.

If you buy a 7D now... you know the image quality, the low light performance, the fps, the good... the bad... If you buy a 7D now around $800 new or $700 used (in great condition), you are probably looking at a sale price of $500 in 4 years...

Plugging in the numbers (700-500)/4=$50 per year. That's a steal of a price.

If you wait for the 7D mkii... you are looking a price (maybe between the 6D and the 5D... let's say $2200 because if you are an early adopter of the mkii, you will pay the early adopter premium).

After 4 years, the sales price will be around $1100.

So 2200-1100/4=$275 per year... for a camera with comparable image quality to the 70D...

I'd lean to the 7D... but maybe the mkii will be revolutionary... I suppose the possibility is to buy a used one... sell it if the mkii is crazy amazing... and only lose a $100 in the process... give or take.

 

[bricat]

Sad about your loss. You paid car rental insurance? Should cover a certain amount? Police are required to catch the B$#Stards but the camera gear is almost certainly pawned. The thieves were most likely watching you so even if you had stashed your gear in the trunk they would just force their way in. Also if you report it to the police and camera gear is recovered they have your name as a potential owner. Do the local pawnshops have an online site? Might see your gear there?
Now you have waited this long so another month for any announcement won't make much difference. Be strong and don't let lust get in your way. Easy for me to say it just rolled off my tongue......
Calm sensible decision making is required by you now, not hasty lust for gear Good Luck

 

[jdramirez]

I just finished watching all five Seasons of The Wire... and Freamon spend 13 years... and four months... in theft...

Basically anytime something was stolen that was valued at above $50, he would fill out a card. When someone would come to the pawn something, the pawn store would call and check to see if there is a card with the description... if yes... cops... if no... here's some cash.

I'm not sure if that really happens... but I wouldn't look @ a pawn store for it.

 

[dgatwood]

Its probably better just to insure your gear. The police don't do anything about theft except take a statement that you can give to your insurance company anyway. Its not their job to recover your gear and they aren't going to dedicate any resources to looking. It sucks but that's how it is.

I would probably buy a used 7D now if you want to get back into shooting ASAP. Once (if) the 7DII is announced you can decide if it sounds worth the upgrade and sell off the 7D. Even if you take a bit of a loss you can consider it a cheap, long term rental.

That's certainly true for cheap stuff, but with a typical DSLR bag, you're likely into grand theft territory. Most police will take action if you can point them at the exact house where the stolen goods are. Your cell tracking info is sufficient probable cause for a search warrant, and it's an easy "win" for prosecutors. But if the police won't listen, it's a high enough dollar amount that the FBI might.

 

[lexptr]

Something I learned in army: if you don't want your gun to be stolen (and probably to be killed after that) it should always be on you. Even when you sleep Something like that now with valuable equipment on vacations I don't sleep with it, but I don't leave it alone in a car/hotel/etc. Always in bag on me.

And concerning APS-C body choice – today I would definitely wait for September. Hope 7dmk2 will be a nice piece of gear!

 

[charli18]

Wouldn't help with the lost images, but consider insuring your gear...

My renters insurance paid 100% for the loss... only thing that sucks is that i always bought lenses on rebate, so i was reimbursed what ive actually paid, so basically i either have to pay the difference to get my collection again or i wait for rebated deals. I think im going with the deals and with the 7D2, if its not announced next month then ill get the 7D.

 

[MichaelHodges]

I considered the 70D, but need at least 7D build... I never liked the 60d build and the swivel screen. Anyway, I'm going to wait b/c now I just have a hole burning for new equipment

The 7D build doesn't make up for the IQ improvements in the 70D, IMHO. I'd grab the 70D or wait for the 7D2 if you are set on a crop.

I had both side by side for quite some time. The 70D's build quality is fairly close. After comparing them in the field and then in Lightroom, the 7D was immediately sold without hesitation.

 

[jeffa4444]

Today I shot with both the 6D and the 7D now granted the 6D is newer and full frame but the IQ difference once I got the shots into Lightroom & then Photoshop are like night & day it really shows up how old the sensor & processor is in the 7D I had not shot with the two side by side before.

I also have an Olympus OM-D E-M10 which has a smaller 16MP sensor but obviously much newer than the 7D and again the IQ beats the 7D hands down especially regarding sharpness & definition, I use this camera if I want to travel light. (Yes the SL1 is small but not the lenses)

For Canon sake the 7D replacement must be at Photokina sensor wise they are being left behind by Sony who also supply Nikon & Olympus with CMOS sensors.