I currently shoot primarily landscapes, and dabble in some casual birding in the winter. Big birds mostly, not the little tweetie birds. Sports? Not so much. Portrait/Wedding? Not at all if I can avoid it. Why do I have a 1D4? Well, I bought it thinking I would replace my 7D with it but have never done that. For BIF, I find the 1D4 focuses much more reliably than the 7D, but I do use the 7D on my 300 F2.8 IS w/2xIII extender on a tripod for stationary birds. The 1D4 holds the 100-400 for BIF.

So, I really don't need 3 bodies anymore and I'm considering a consolidation. Here are my options:

Sell 5D2 and 7D, replace with 5D3. This leaves me with 5D3 and 1D4, potentially the best of all worlds but I loose the 1.6 crop for when I'm focal length limited. However, I have a real love-hate relationship with my 7D, when it works, it's spot on, but it's those time when I think it should work and it doesn't that I get frustrated with it.

Sell 5D2 and 1D4 for 5D3. I have 5D3 for BIF and 7D for stationary, and of course the 5D3 will be the landscape body.

So, for those of you using a 5D3 for BIF, with a 100-400, other than the change from 1.3 crop to FF, will I really miss my 1D4? I do love that body, it's just so reliable, but I feel I'm not doing it justice and could use the funds in other ways.

Your thoughts and experiences would be extremely helpful in my decision.

Thanks, JO

I'd sell the 5DII and 7D. Images from the 1DIV tolerate cropping much better than images from the 7D, and so I don't see any advantage for the 7D, at all.

Option 3: a 7dII *might* be out or announced sometime soon... wait a few months and see? That may well fix all of the issues you have with the 7d.

I'm not generally a fan of waiting for vapourware cameras, but if you want a 1.6x crop camera, a 7dii would (probably) solve your issues?

I would not sell your 5D II for the kind of photography which you are doing. You don't need the superb AF system for landscapes, still life and a bit of birding. Keep the 1D4 for the birding and where better AF is needed. If you want to sell a body, I would choose the 7D. I can't see where the 5D3 would give you any advantage in your style of photography compared to the bodies (1D4 and 5D2) which you already own.

retrofocus wrote:
I would not sell your 5D II for the kind of photography which you are doing. You don't need the superb AF system for landscapes, still life and a bit of birding. Keep the 1D4 for the birding and where better AF is needed. If you want to sell a body, I would choose the 7D. I can't see where the 5D3 would give you any advantage in your style of photography compared to the bodies (1D4 and 5D2) which you already own.

Just selling the 7D won't help me. Then I won't have the 2 body combo I want for birding. The 5D2 would have to go on the 300 F2.8 and I'd lose the entire 1.6 crop factor. If I put the 1D4 on the 300 F2.8, then the 5D2 can't do BIF with 100-400. I don't want to just sell a body, I want to make the best use of the ones I keep. I agree that for landscapes, the 5D3 upgrade means nothing really, I'm trying to make a move that doesn't hurt my birding.

jcolwell wrote:
I'd sell the 5DII and 7D. Images from the 1DIV tolerate cropping much better than images from the 7D, and so I don't see any advantage for the 7D, at all.

This is the option I've been leaning toward all along. I hadn't really tested the cropability but I'll definitely do a comparison test before making the decision. The noise in the 7D has always been my bane. Yes, it can clean up nicely, but the 1D4 starts out so much cleaner and doesn't require as much, if any, post processing.

I would go with 5D III + 7D; you get the best of both worlds plus share batteries and chargers between the two. If you dont need the fps of 1DIV, 5DIII should be a fine replacement.

I'm thinking about renting a 5D3 to test out, but knowing there are so many different settings on that one I'd be afraid that during the rental period I might have one little setting wrong that would affect my testing.

Personally, I'd run with the 1D IV + 5D III combo, but I also have the 7D which overall I'm happy with, although it does frustrate sometimes.

Another option is run the 7D + 5D III combo and wait and see if the 7D II is announced. Rumours if they are to be believed, peg it as a substantial upgrade. The risk is if it doesn't eventuate you've got rid of your 1D IV which is a great camera and are stuck with the 7D.

Jo -- Since you are already familiar with the 5D2, the 5D3 is like falling off a log. It's not a steep learning curve, just a much better camera.

I agree with Jim (again!) -- keep your two top bodies for all-around work. That would be the 1DIV you have now, and the 5D3 you are going to buy! If you can tolerate larger (I imagine you can with a 1D series), get the grip for the 5D3. Don't waste money on a rental, then spending your rental time MA'ing a lens or two!

I borrowed a 5D3 through CPS. It was very nice compared to my 5D2.

Keep the 7D and buy the 5D3. If a 7D2 is announced, quickly sell the 7D.

Imagemaster wrote:
Keep the 7D and buy the 5D3. If a 7D2 is announced, quickly sell the 7D.


+1

I vote for the 1DIV / 5DIII combination; having TWO cameras with excellent focussing abilities is truly the best-of-all-possible-worlds, in my opinion...I never thought I'd part with my 5DII, but I just got so accustomed to moving the focus point around the frame (with the 1DIV) and really wanted that in a full-frame (but smaller and lighter) camera...no regrets...I feel (once again ) like I'm set for a while...
Jerry

Actually, I'd sell the MKII and 7D now for the best price you can and buy a 5D MKIII.

You'd then have a 1D MKIV and 5D MKIII. Later, when the price settles and you've saved up, you have the option of buying a 7D MKII - if you ever feel the need.

1DMIV and 5DIII.

I vote for 1d4 & 5DIII.

Personally,
I sold both 5DII & 7D for a 1DMK4.
Don't regret a bit. I'm so happy I did.
I do both landscape and wildlife.

Jo, I recently went through the same query as you... but I was not as well equipped. I tend to shoot the same subjects as you and have similar gear... 300 f2.8L IS, 100macro L, 24 f3.5L, etc...
I shoot landscapes, nature (general) and wildlife. I travel abroad to shoot wildlife and lead tours to Costa Rica. I have been using a 5D II and & 7D. My wife has a 7D and a nice set of L lenses as well. After getting frustrated with the low-light AF performance of the 7D and poor AF performance of the 5D ii, I decided I was going to make a switch. My options all involved the addition of cash, but I was committed to a change. Here were the choices:
1. My 5D2 + 7D + $ = Low mileage 1D iv (recall my wife has a 7D that I would be able to access)
2. My 5D2 + 7D + $ = 5D iii

I wrestled with the decision and almost backed down... my bodies were clean and had many years of life still in them.
In the end, I went for the 5D iii. I immediately had buyers remorse until I used the camera. The AF system is brilliant! I didn't believe that the AF system was as good or as useful as everyone claimed... I was a certified denier. I was damn wrong!... very damn wrong!! Great AF matters more than I knew. Second... the sensor in the 5D iii is much cleaner and than the 5D 2 or 7D. Maybe its that the images are in sharp focus or maybe it's a sensor thing... I'm not sure, but I've been surprised by how good the camera has been.

The absence of a back-up has bugged me, so I picked up an old 40D for less than $300 for security, but I've yet to use it. So far I have not missed the 1.6 crop, but I'm sure that this will happen soon enough.

My guess... if I had a 1D iv and 5D ii, I would not make the change... these seem like a great match for my type of photography. Since I was not in your shoes, I decided to jump ship. While I love my 5D iii, it cost a lot to get there... and, if I had your camera set (1Div & 5D ii) I think I'd take that over my 5D iii + 40D combo... not sure if this helped, but it's my honest opinion. Finally, if you want to see some wildlife work with my 5D iii + 300 f2.8L IS, check out these two blog posts...
http://bruceleventhal.blogspot.com/2013/01/those-two-guys.html
http://bruceleventhal.blogspot.com/2012/12/reflections.html

regards,
bruce

Sell the 5D2 and 7D.
Then you will have a 5D3 and 1D4

Well so far the consensus is.........no concensus. I'm still hoping to hear some opinions on the 5d3 and its BIF capability, particularly using the 100-400. Thanks to everyone so far for your input, I really appreciate it.

Jo Dilbeck wrote:
Well so far the consensus is.........no concensus. I'm still hoping to hear some opinions on the 5d3 and its BIF capability, particularly using the 100-400. Thanks to everyone so far for your input, I really appreciate it.



I can assure you 5D III + 100-400L is a great combo. 5D III and any lens I've used for BIF is a great combo. AF is really good, better than 7D for sure and even better than 1D IV and I own all three. Put the 5D III on a supertele and it's awesome. I spent a week birding over Xmas with 5D II and 1D IV and even using ISO 6400+ I was getting great shots form the 5D III (1D IV was good too, but not quite as clean). I'll post some shots later tonight.