I'm looking to buy either the 7d with 24 - 105 lens or the 5d2 with 24 - 105 lens. The price is very close to each other, I will be using it for general photography. I was wondering what you think?
I agree with the previous four posts. For general photography 5D2 + 24-105. I use my 7D for reach with my 100-400 but 5D images look better with that lens.
I would suggest shooting raw and investing in Lightroom or its more expensive Photoshop sibling so you can take advantage of the lens correction features. The 24-105 distorts and vignettes some at 24 and the software corrects that nicely. If you go 7D, you'll need this software for its noise correction capabilities.
7D is a better camera in every way but image quality. But 24-105 is not a good lens choice for it in terms of angle of view, unless you don't care about the wide end.
I own a 7D and had 5D mk2 for two weeks once, and played with it on other occasions. The biggest issues I had with 5D were AF (it would sometimes fail to focus on shaded parts of the subject in full daylight using the peripheral points), exposure (7D ties it to where you focus, seems more intelligent), lack of auto-iso in M mode (I use it all the time indoors).
I also do often use the built-in flash (bounced indoors and quick fill sometimes), the remote flash controller which is $200 extra with the 5D, and I appreciate the lenses being smaller for the crop. I wish you could get the same "3D" look with an APS-C sensor, what 5D undeniably provides, and 5D does have an edge in high iso, although it bands more. Pulling shadows is equally bad on both, compared to new sony sensors.
I personally would not switch 7D for 5D price being the same. I'd love to have 5D in addition to 7D, but not instead.
But that just may be me!
Jeff Fletcher wrote:
Thank you all for your replies
I love my 7D , but i will say that i showed up my 24-105L . my old 40D on the other hand loved the lens . I really didnt want to change either the lens to something shorter as i used the long end alot more than i ever suffered with the 24mm 'only' end. I also had a 12-24/4 which saw almost no use other than at 12mm. so i figured I would have to suffer. I didynt want to buy a FF as I liked the crop format alot and it seems to suite me more.
anyway i bit the bullet and got a 17-55 IS for my 7D . well what a difference . its soooooooo much better. and to my surprise Im not missing the 56-105 as much as i thought i would.
If the crop is in the frame then I would choose either the 17-55 or the 15-85
as a side note i was slightly surpised the 24-105 didnt get an update at the time of the 5D3 release. its been the kit lens for FF since the 5D . and im sure canon could make a stunning f4 kit lens with an update.
That's actually a bit of a tough call, depending on what you mean by "general" photography. For the 7d the 24-105 is not as good a choice as the 17-55IS; a better comparison is 7d+17-55 vs 5d2+24-105.
1. My favorite general purpose lens is the 17-55IS (won't fit 5d2); I actually like it better than the 24-70 I had for 4 years.
2. The 5d2 image quality is better than the 7d, particularly high ISO
3. The 7d has much better AF, particularly in poor light.
2&3 are contradictory, as the images at high ISO are better on the 5d2 but it is harder to get the shot.
Better is a vague word. I have both. They are both good in some areas and weak in some. It will boil down to your subject type and style of photography.
The 5d2 has a big sensor as its main highlight. AF is not as robust but center-point AF is pretty accurate. The outer points are ok too as long as you're not in AI Servo. In terms of usage it feels like a 40d/5dc.
The 7d is very responsive. Does everything well. AF is more willing. One thing that I grew to like about the 7d is its pop up flash commander. Helps out alot for OCF work. Ergonomics is modern too as you can re-assign the buttons. Having used both, I feel the 7d is more agile and would't limit me when I am photographing unpredictable situations.
Believe it or not when I go out on trips or whatever, I take the 7d. Why because it can take photos of people well. And when the odd occasion where I want to take some fast movers, I know the 7d will do that too. With the 5d2, I will be a bit hesitant. What I'm saying is the 7d is a great generalist of a camera.
As others have said, the IQ is better from the 5d2 but I'd also agree that the 7D would be the better all round camera. I went the route of a 1Ds2 myself which I have since backed up with a 7D. They'll tide me over until I pick up a 5D3.
