7D sensor poll

[D_Rochat]

Not trying to stir the pot even further here, but I'm genuinely curious as to what the people of CR would prefer in the new 7D mkII as far as the sensor is concerned.

If you HAD to buy this new 7D, which one would it be? For the sake of argument, lets just pretend that all features and specs are identical with the exception of the sensor. Since no one knows what the new APS-C will be, we'll say it's 18mp and the H will remain at 16mp.

 

[dr croubie]

Between those 2 options with specs and price otherwise identical to my current 7D, the APS-H, probably.

(But i'd still rather an APS-C with better AF and sealing )

 

[Loswr]

I think it's a non-starter, the 7D line will remain APS-C. They could release a new APS-H camera someday, but it won't be a 7-series. APS-H means incompatible with EF-S lenses, which is why we won't see a 7D with APS-H.

Personally, I'm hoping for an APS-C body with 1-series build and AF. If I'm limited by focal length (which, IMO, is the main reason to use any crop sensor, 1.3x or 1.6x), the 1.6x will put more pixels on target. So, an APS-C sensor with IQ improvements would be better than APS-H.

 

[smirkypants]

I'm hoping for an APS-C body with 1-series build and AF.

A C-sensor and a 1-series build: 3D would be an excellent name for such a beast.

I'm with you, neuro. The H-sensor is dead. It's an anachronism. It existed because there wasn't enough horsepower under the hood to drive a full-frame sports camera.

Many are assuming that it isn't possible to put H quality in a C sensor, but several years have passed and I'm sure it's easily done now. The 7D sensor is 3 years old. Three years. That's a really long time.

 

[KeithR]

Neither.

If it was an H, I'd want a helluva lot more than 16 mp; and if it was a C, I'd want more than I have now.

 

[AprilForever]

Indeed. I would live ASP-C, AND more than 18MP.

 

[jimmy156]

I voted for APS-C

I am a 50d user, and my natural upgrade would be to the 7d or whatever replaces it, although i'm not looking to upgrade for a little while yet.

As a wildlife/bird photographer i wouldn't want to loose the 1.6x crop factor, my sigma 120-400 doesn't feel long enough for birds a lot of the time anyway, and i cant afford to move up to a 500mm to compensate for a loss in crop factor. Of course if they made it APS H with the ability to crop either in camera or in post to an equivelent of APS C at 15-18mp then i would be happy bunny.

The other reason i would like it to stay APS C is because i would hate to loose the use of my favourite lens, Canon 60mm 2.8 MACRO. I love that lens!

 

[justsomedude]

I think it's a non-starter, the 7D line will remain APS-C. They could release a new APS-H camera someday, but it won't be a 7-series. APS-H means incompatible with EF-S lenses, which is why we won't see a 7D with APS-H.

Personally, I'm hoping for an APS-C body with 1-series build and AF. If I'm limited by focal length (which, IMO, is the main reason to use any crop sensor, 1.3x or 1.6x), the 1.6x will put more pixels on target. So, an APS-C sensor with IQ improvements would be better than APS-H.

+1

The 7D will always remain a crossover body from the pro-sumer to the pro line. Also, as neuroanatomist so eloquently stated, the crop factor of a 7D body gives your lenses extra reach. This makes the 7D body dual purpose, and a great supplement to a full frame body like the 5D; it expands your creative possibilities.

That said, I'd like the 7D to stay APS-C crop.

 

[briansquibb]

+1

The 7D will always remain a crossover body from the pro-sumer to the pro line. Also, as neuroanatomist so eloquently stated, the crop factor of a 7D body gives your lenses extra reach. This makes the 7D body dual purpose, and a great supplement to a full frame body like the 5D; it expands your creative possibilities.

That said, I'd like the 7D to stay APS-C crop.

So what is the upgrade path from the 7D then? Previously the 1.3 crop 1D4 which meant you didn't lose all the 'crop reach' which all the 7D fans seem to love. Is it the ff 1DX which means you lose all the 'crop reach'. Wont you be upset with nowhere to go from the noisy prosumer body?

 

[D_Rochat]

Neither.

If it was an H, I'd want a helluva lot more than 16 mp; and if it was a C, I'd want more than I have now.

Since no one knows what the new APS-C will be, we'll say it's 18mp and the H will remain at 16mp.

If they go APS-C, and they likely will, we have no idea how many mp it would be. The poll is about sensors and not mp anyways. -2 Karma for this post! Some people take this stuff too seriously. : Oh well. Either way it goes, I'm sure it will be a great camera and I look forward to getting one, but I won't lose sleep if it goes the other why I'd like it to.

 

[AJ]

APS-C, because it'll accept EF-S lenses like 17-55/2.8

 

[briansquibb]

APS-C, because it'll accept EF-S lenses like 17-55/2.8

.... and how many good EF-S lens are there? 2 maybe 3?

If you want to upgrade your 7D you will want the best glass which are are L glass - all the large whites, 70-200 f/2.8, 85 f/1.2, 50 f/1.2, all the good primes etc etc

 

[distant.star]

I'm 100% with this. I don't think there's anything else worth saying on the subject.

I think it's a non-starter, the 7D line will remain APS-C. They could release a new APS-H camera someday, but it won't be a 7-series. APS-H means incompatible with EF-S lenses, which is why we won't see a 7D with APS-H.

Personally, I'm hoping for an APS-C body with 1-series build and AF. If I'm limited by focal length (which, IMO, is the main reason to use any crop sensor, 1.3x or 1.6x), the 1.6x will put more pixels on target. So, an APS-C sensor with IQ improvements would be better than APS-H.

 

[D_Rochat]

lol at the karma! ;D

I agree with briansquibb on the EF-S lenses. There's no doubt that the EF-S 10-22 and 17-55 are great lenses and even have the L series pricing to them, but if you ever do decide to move up to a FF, you've put yourself in a situation where you have to replace them. It's just not worth the investment to me to buy something that may limit you in the future. But, that's just my opinion and maybe you never plan on moving up.

 

[D_Rochat]

And to dr croubie, I think I have you beat! And I still have the rest of the day.

 

[Loswr]

...if you ever do decide to move up to a FF, you've put yourself in a situation where you have to replace them. It's just not worth the investment to me to buy something that may limit you in the future.

I 'moved up' but I didn't give up my 7D, either. I did sell my 10-22mm, for a 'whopping' loss of $50, and bought the 16-35L to use on my 5DII. I kept the 17-55mm.

 

[unfocused]

The H-sensor is dead. It's an anachronism. It existed because there wasn't enough horsepower under the hood to drive a full-frame sports camera.

Well said, Smirkypants. Although I would add, it also existed because at the time the quality gap between APS-C and Full Frame was greater than it is today. That gap is narrowing with each new generation and will continue to narrow in the future.

It's logical and reasonable to expect that each new generation of APS-C sensor will be equivalent to the previous generation of full frame sensor.

What I want and expect from next generation of 7D is very simple:

• 18-21 mp sensor with image quality equivalent to the current generation 5D MkII sensor (noise, ISO, dynamic range, etc)
• Improved auto-focus (something a little better than current 7D but don't expect it to be 1D-X quality)
  
• Fixing the overheating issue with the on-camera flash when used as a IR trigger.
• A few other little tweaks to make it interesting.

I just don't get why people can't accept what Canon has said and done and just move on.

If Canon had any intention of keeping the APS-H sensor alive, they would not have announced the 1D-X as a replacement for both the full frame and APS-H sensor cameras. The 1D MkIV is barely two years old. There was no need for Canon to announce they were ending the series if they had any thoughts of keeping it alive.

Actually, I'm pretty excited about the prospect that Canon may be planning the next 7D announcement for Photokina. That says to me they want to make a big splash with the new 7D, so I suspect they may have some good stuff up their sleeve.

A gripped, bomb-proof 7D-X perhaps for professional sports and wildlife shooters? (Keeping the non-gripped version as a 7DII)

On the other hand, I fully expect the 5D MkIII, if announced sometime this Spring, will be an incremental upgrade. The MkII is a great camera and I expect Canon will figure they don't need to mess too much with success. They can up the megapixels a little and upgrade the sensor's noise and dynamic range slightly, fix some of the issues that videographers have with the camera and call it good.

...if you ever do decide to move up to a FF

I'm kind of tired and bored with the "move up" stuff. APS-C and Full Frame are two different formats. Each has advantages and disadvantages. It's like suggesting that Cartier-Bresson needed to "move up" to an 8x10 view camera.

 

[ssrdd]

both are half baked for video. i say no for 7D

 

[smirkypants]

I'm kind of tired and bored with the "move up" stuff. APS-C and Full Frame are two different formats. Each has advantages and disadvantages.

Indeed. For 80% the kind of shooting I do, a 5D2 is a downgrade from even a 60D. Except for weather sealing, it's easy to argue that a 24-70L 2.8 is a downgrade from a 17-55 2.8.

 

[AprilForever]

Indeed, they have said the ASP-H is dead... Long Live the APS-C!!!