Tempted to upgrade my 7D to a 5D2 to open up wider indoor shots

[EquivalentTrade]

Hey guys! First post, so I apologize if I sound like a fool who didn't use Search (I did, I promise.)

Last year I finally upgraded from my plasticky rebel to a 7D, and fell in love with the build quality and tighter controls.

I already had a trio of 28 f/1.8, 50 f/1.4, and 85 f/1.8, but my friend recently gave me his 17-40mm f/4L and 100 f/2.8L to borrow indefinitely. I tend to shoot mostly indoors stuff, so I'd love to use the 17-40L more often, but on a crop body it's really slow versus an EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 (or my friend's Sigma 17-50 f/2.8).

Is the 5D2 going to present a noticeable upgrade in noise performance over the 7D? One problem with my indoors stuff is that I have to bump my ISO up to 3200 at times, which looks pretty bad on Canon's ancient T2i/T3i/T4i/60D/7D crop sensor. The 5D3 and 1D-X are both sick, but those are WAY out of my price range. The 6D doesn't appeal to me terribly after I've fallen in love with the 7D's build quality and control scheme; so that leaves the 5D2.

Has anyone upgraded directly from the 7D to the 5D2? How does it do in terms of low-light performance? Is it worth the jump? I'd probably sell my 7D for around $900 used, and pick up a new 5D2 for around $1500 online (or used for $1300 hopefully).

Thanks y'all!

 

[R1-7D]

I have gone from the 7D to a 5D2 and the difference is huge as far as ISO noise is concerned. The 5D2 produces very usable shots at ISO 3200 all the way up to 6400. In fact, I would go so far as to state the 5D2 images look better at 12800 than the 7D's do at 3200.


Don't get me wrong, I love my 7D, but its strength is definitely not ISO performance.

The 5D2 will also benefit you indoors because of its larger sensor size. You'll really appreciate a wide angle lens like the 17-40mm on it.

 

[rs]

Scroll down to the comparison images: http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EOS-7D-Digital-SLR-Camera-Review.aspx

The 5D II appears to be just over a stop better, but with much more detail. However, if you just want wide, why not get the 10-22?

From my experience, the 5D II is nice at 3200 and grainy at 6400, but in a good way. Beyond that things start to get nasty with colour casts etc.

 

[EquivalentTrade]

Scroll down to the comparison images: http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EOS-7D-Digital-SLR-Camera-Review.aspx

The 5D II appears to be just over a stop better, but with much more detail. However, if you just want wide, why not get the 10-22?

From my experience, the 5D II is nice at 3200 and grainy at 6400, but in a good way. Beyond that things start to get nasty with colour casts etc.

Wow, the 5D2 really does seem to have much better detail and a considerable amount more light. Sigh...Thanks for the link though haha.

If I went really wide, I'd probably just get a Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 instead of the Canon 10-22. I just don't want to invest in EF-S stuff necessarily, since I prefer primes and would want to go FF with them eventually.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I had both, in fact, 2 of each. The 5D got 90% of the use, the 7D was better at difficult AF, but really poor in low light. I could get images with the 5D MK II as much as two stops faster (ISO 6400 versus 1600) The reason is that using lots of NR does not erode the detail away.

 

[agierke]

i would but a flash if i were you and learn to bounce it. then you could actually lower your ISOs and get even better image quality.

 

[EquivalentTrade]

i would but a flash if i were you and learn to bounce it. then you could actually lower your ISOs and get even better image quality.

I have an EX430 II, but don't like to use it when with friends and such. Available light + primes is what I tend to lean towards, which makes tight indoor shots a hassle sometimes with a crop body.

 

[Hobby Shooter]

I think you should have a goo look at the 6D anyway. There's nothing wrong with the build. I have a 5D3 myself, I played around with the 6D the other day at the store and it felt solid in my view.

 

[pdirestajr]

I wouldn't call the 5DII an "upgrade" over the 7D. IMO the 7D is a better "camera" in most ways, excluding IQ. But that's obviously a biggie. They are really very different cameras so expect trade offs. I like having both.

 

[MacroBug]

I used a 7D for a couple of years. Interested in going FF I purchased a used 5DII and planned on keeping the 7D for wildlife and as a back-up body. I sold it 2 months after purchasing the 5DII as I never enjoyed shooting with it again after shooting FF. Hopefuly I'll be able to upgrade to a 5DIII in the next year or two.

 

[PeterJ]

Has anyone upgraded directly from the 7D to the 5D2? How does it do in terms of low-light performance? Is it worth the jump?

I've made that upgrade and low-light ISO and IQ in general is much better. It sounds like you desire the wider field of view you'll get, so the main other thing you may miss is a good spread of AF points. Controls are somewhat different to the 7D (which is better in that regard) but not really enough to be a major concern. Personally I did later sell both and get a 5D3, but only because I also shoot a bit of action type stuff, for portrait style photography I think the 5D2 is much better than the 7D especially in low light.

As Hobby Shooter said I wouldn't dismiss the 6D without trying it. I haven't myself but assume being a later camera the menus and controls are closer to a 7D. I don't know what real-world performance / noise is like but the 6D goes to higher ISO as well. Not sure how it compares to a 5D3 but my 5D3 is noticably better at high ISO than a 5D2.