Canon EOS 7D?

[Martin Naef]

Hi James

Quoting "James R. Coplin" <james at ticalun.net>:
> I know there are some other photo heads on the list, anyone have a Canon EOS
> 7D?  I'm looking to purchase a digital for my 8 months in China as hauling
> film at this point would be prohibitive.  I'm going to miss my Fujichrome
> but I suppose like all things, it is time to move on.  The real nail for me
> is the cessation of production of IR B&W film.  I have a fortune in Canon
> lenses so any DSLR I get would have to be Canon. Anyone have experience with
> these or other models I should consider instead?

I'm very happy with my kit based around the 40D. I'm mostly shooting  
primes these days (24F2.8, 35F2, 50F1.8 and 100F2).

I only hear good things about the 7D, you're certainly not making a  
mistake by investing into that model. Over the 40D, the 7D mostly wins  
with an improved AF system, video and resolution. Resolution I don't  
care all that much about at these levels.

Depending on your preferences, I would take a good look at the 5DII as  
well. Coming from the 35mm world, you will notice the smaller  
viewfinder of a crop sensor camera. Also, depending on your lenses,  
you might miss the wide angle region. My widest prime is 24mm, which  
isn't wide enough in many instances (the 12-24mm is the only zoom I  
use regularly). Alternatives like the 14mmL cost a fortune. Crop has  
the advantage on the tele end, though. Also, the 7D has an extremely  
high pixel density, pushing lenses to the limit (on the other hand,  
corners tend to be better).

Whatever you buy these days, you will get great pictures. Even the  
low-end models have excellent sensors in them. As you move up the  
ladder, you get better AF and better ergonomics.

Long story short: If your preference is on action or wildlife  
photography, the 7D is your choice. For landscape and portraits, I'd  
go for the 5D if you can afford it.

Martin