Gear upgrade. Is 7D still worth buying?

[TehPenguin]

Hi Everyone,

I am about to upgrade my old 450d, which served me very well for the past few years, but I'm not quite sure what should I buy. What is the best option to upgrade your old rebel?

I was thinking about the 7D, since it seems to be a very good, high end camera and the price is acceptable. But the 7D will have it's 4th birthday very soon, therefore I'm not sure if it's smart to buy it, or maybe just wait a little for it's equivalent to come.

I'm also thinking about buying the 70-200mm f/4.0 L lens.

I enjoy pretty much every kind of photography.
I started out with macro, went further to landscapes, then city life, portraits, people, motion... I try to get to know a bit of everything.

Maybe if I'll tell you what I've got myself so far it will help you in advising me.

Lenses:
Canon:
15mm 2.8f Fish Eye
50mm 1.8f
100mm 2.8f Macro
18-55mm Kit lens
Sigma:
17-35mm 2.8-4f (This one seems to be at the end of it's days though)
Tamron:
28-200mm 3.8-5.6f

Flashes:
Canon Speedlite 550EX


I appreciate any kind of help!

Best regards,
TehPenguin

 

[crasher7]

My 7D BLOWS away my T2i. I know there are many who will post all sorts of 'facts' about howe the guts are too similar for me to make that claim but I'm using the same lenses in sometime the same location and lighting and the difference is there. Sell your T series on ebay, CL or whatever, as I state over and over you CAN get almost what you paid for it and then use the Canon Loyalty Program to upgrade. It's that easy and not sure why more people don't do it.

 

[jwong]

Depends on what your budget is. The replacement for the 7D will be pricier, but it looks like Canon is trying to improve high ISO performance based on what the 1D X and 5D3 are specifications are. If its current price is near the top of your budget, then you might want to get a current one. Getting a Canon refurbished unit is also less expensive than new.

 

[candyman]

............ But the 7D will have it's 4th birthday very soon, therefore I'm not sure if it's smart to buy it, or maybe just wait a little for it's equivalent to come..........

I recall the 7D arrived in november 2009. So the camera will be 3 years in nov. 2012.
I have this camera and I am very pleased with it for any kind of photography.
I would suggest this camera since your lenses fit this APS-C camera.
The possible successor will arrive probably only spring 2013 (announcement Photokina 2012??). That will give you at least 1 year pleasure of this camera. And in case you want to buy the successor next year, you will still be able to get a nice price for the 7D (or maybe use it as your second / backup camera)

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

The price of the camera seems to have held up well, Mine is a great camera, but beginning to feel its age. It does struggle in low light, the low light high ISO needs some serious improvement.

I'd recommend getting a refurb thru the Canon loyalty Program. Just trade in your old broken film body or broken powershot and get about 15% additional off the refurb price. When I bought mine, they did not bother to actually take the old film body, its still sitting here.

 

[ruuneos]

Just go ahead and buy 7D 7D Mark II is probably to be announced in Photokina, later this year or early 2013.
Say in my opinion Just buy it and enjoy.

 

[Michael_pfh]

The 7D is still a very good camera. This will not change if the Mk2 will be announced one day.

 

[AJ]

I too say: go ahead and get a 7D. Great camera, I like mine.

As for lenses. 70-200/4 L is a really nice lens. My friend has one, I've used it, and I really like it. However I think your lens lineup is a bit weak in the wide range. Neither the C18-55, S17-35 nor the T28-200 matches well with the 7D, IMO.

I suggest picking up a 15-85/3.5-5.6 IS. You'll love this thing for the uses you describe.

Another route is to go with an f/2.8 17-50 type zoom (e.g. Canon 17-55/2.8 IS) plus an ultrawide for landscape (e.g. Canon 10-22). This would be a pricier setup. I'd look at these choices before buying a telephoto lens. You've already got the 100/2.8 which you can use for telephoto for now.

 

[Marsu42]

I too say: go ahead and get a 7D. Great camera, I like mine.

Since everyone else is in the habit of recommending their own gear, why shouldn't I ... which is if you're concerned about the 7d being replaced soon (and imho it is the next one in queue), get the newer 60d and put the difference into a new lens like the said 15-85. The 7d has the same sonsor, but adds a better body for large hands, more weather sealing and a superior af over the 60d, while the latter has the adjustable screen - very handy for odd shot angles - and runs magic lantern which is an absolute must for me. So if you're not shooting sports, you could consider saving some money here.

You've already got the 100/2.8 which you can use for telephoto for now.

I've got the 100/2.8 macro, too, but while it is stellar for macro and short range I have to admit this is not a tele lens - that's why I got the 70-300L which is optimized for crop bodies and the IS does help very much for long range, except for moving objects of course.

 

[boateggs]

Just go ahead and buy 7D 7D Mark II is probably to be announced in Photokina, later this year or early 2013.
Say in my opinion Just buy it and enjoy.

Agreed that the 7d is wicked (thinking about getting one but I am going to wait and see if the 70d gets AFMA) but I just had a thought about the Photokina prediction that everyone has been putting weight in. I think it will be sooner than that: the D300s is off the market in Japan and I am sure that Nikon is hastily working to get a replacement out soon, thus Canon will respond shortly after...or at least I am hoping!

OP: I am in the same boat as you, a lot has improved since the 450d and I want in on the fun

 

[Jim K]

Go for the 7D. I liked my 7D so much that when I found out about the CLP I bought a second one. About $1087 + tax. I kept the small gold sticker on the refurb so I could tell it from the older one I bought new, otherwise could not tell them apart.

I have the 15-85 that spends a lot of time on my old 50D for "snapshot" work and a 7D for casual landscapes. It starts at a nice wide point (24mm FOV) and goes to a 136mm tele FOV. Delivers nice IQ at a less than four figure price. Lenses are not on the CLP so Canon's refurb shop is the only place to get one at a lower price and when you add the sales tax and shipping charges you may find that a new lens with the one year guarentee is worth the slight price increase.

 

[nitsujwalker]

I bought the 7D a little while ago and I must say I am still amazingly pleased by it. As others have said, low light isn't great but I believe it's better than my 50D was. And I also have the 70-200f4l (non-is) and I LOVE it. I couldn't justify the i.s. version and I can always sell it if I want to upgrade later and not lose much money. Truly, if the 7D is in your price range it's a great camera. The successor will surely cost quite a bit more and you can always upgrade later. I do not regret buying mine and love the camera plus 70-200 for wildlife and other things.

 

[lecoupdejarnac]

I'm also upgrading from a 450D - and decided to go with the 5D mk II. You can get one refurbished or used for a little more than the 7D. On amazon the 7D is about $1600 right now, in the Canon refurbished store the 5DII is $1760. Of course you can find a used/refurbished 7D even cheaper though.

 

[dbduchene]

The Canon EOS 7D is an 18.0 effective megapixel APS-C crop CMOS digital single-lens reflex camera made by Canon.[2] It was announced on September 1, 2009 with a suggested retail price of US$1,699 (from wikipedia) so it is less then 3 years still. I have a 7D along with a 5D and a 5D Mk II in my Bag and these days it is the most used camera in my bag. Get the look of a way to get one now and start enjoying it. THen you can wait for the price to drop and any bugs to be worked out on the MK II when it comes out. I got mine on Craigslist for net 14 months old and less than 2000 shutter count with a kit lens for 1400.

 

[Jim K]

I'm also upgrading from a 450D - and decided to go with the 5D mk II. You can get one refurbished or used for a little more than the 7D. On amazon the 7D is about $1600 right now, in the Canon refurbished store the 5DII is $1760. Of course you can find a used/refurbished 7D even cheaper though.

A Canon refurb 5D2 at the Canon Refurb store is $1760 + tax & shipping and a Canon [7D] refurb on the Canon Loyalty Program is $1087 + tax, no shipping last I looked. That comes out to about $690. That goes a good way to getting a nice lens.

Edit: Canon 7D is $1087

 

[AprilForever]

Get the 7D. You'll never be sorry.

 

[Marsu42]

Get the 7D. You'll never be sorry.

... unless you later figure out that you should have bought a 5d2 after all .

As I said earlier, people will always tell you their own gear is fine because each and every camera in this category is good and usable. But the clever way to go is to ask yourself a) what are you going to shoot most, b) in what conditions do you shoot and c) how much money are you going to spend for photo gear during the next couple of years. Then might get more informed answers...

 

[crasher7]

I'm also upgrading from a 450D - and decided to go with the 5D mk II. You can get one refurbished or used for a little more than the 7D. On amazon the 7D is about $1600 right now, in the Canon refurbished store the 5DII is $1760. Of course you can find a used/refurbished 7D even cheaper though.

A Canon refurb 5D2 at the Canon Refurb store is $1760 + tax & shipping and a Canon refurb on the Canon Loyalty Program is $1087 + tax, no shipping last I looked. That comes out to about $690. That goes a good way to getting a nice lens.

Sorry but the 7D is $1087 not the 5D2. The 5D2 isn't always on the CLP btw. Sometimes it is and not listed and other times it's off. The 7D stays on pretty regularly and I can vouch it goes for 1087.00 plus sales tax.

 

[smirkypants]

Hate to be the naysayer here, but the 7D is three year old tech and the camera in hand is fine. I would upgrade the glass for now, and in a year or so upgrade to the 7D2. In the near term the better glass will make a bigger difference, and in a year the wait will have been worth it... unless Canon charges 80% more for the 7D2.

 

[crasher7]

If you know what you're doing you can shoot the worlds greatest photographs with 50 year old equipment. Oh yeah, not many here shoot film, ok, 8 year old digi. 3 years old is too old? You drank the kool aid.