I'm looking to upgrade my backup camera and I don't feel like spending money on another FF (I shoot with a few 5DII). I'm in between choosing the 7D and a 50D. Can anyone who has experience with both give me a little incite on the image performance on the 50D, particularly in low light?
What I'm looking to know is there much bigger of an advantage with the 7D besides better focusing? I don't mind the 5DII focusing and I owned several 5D classics, so the 50D's focusing won't really bother me (I think).
I've totally thought about picking up another one. I LOVED my original 5Ds, the files that came out of that camera were amazing. I think I don't want to pick up another non-micro adjust camera and I do kinda want it for reach.
Kinda of funny .... put good glass in front of a 50D and it will do in a pinch.
I have been asked more than once or twice ...."where you using a 5D(mkII) for that shot?" on shots from the 50D.
i am not saying 50D or 7D is better than a 5Dmkii or the files are great/better at high iso.....
If you don't need the 7D's ace AF, the 50d is more than capable. Heck if the 5d2 serves the majority of the wedding photography scene with its simplistic AF, so can a 50d.
Having said that, the 7D button layout is similar to the 5d2. So you have seamless transition b/t two cameras during a hectic shoot. Also they share the same LP-E6 batteries. The 7d/5d2 is a natural dynamic duo.
The 50D's AF is very similar to that of the 5DII, while the 7D is an obvious improvement. As far as noise and sensor quality, I believe the 7D has a small advantage here, but it's nothing dramatic. With regards to IQ, both are handily trumped by both versions of the 5D.
I have a 50d and the feel and button layout is virtually identical to a 5d2 which I also have. That is a good point about the batteries being different but batteries are cheap enough I wouldn't think that would matter to much. The 7d is obviously a better camera but I find the 50d to be just fine. Ymmv.
I don't shoot weddings, but do shoot a lot of dance/live performance stuff on horribly lit stages and in dark venues.
That said, I've had both and much prefer the 7D. Not for the better AF and movie abilities but because my 50D suffered from really bad shadow banding/pattern noise at 3200 ISO and above. I've found the 7D to be more useable in low light because it doesn't have this problem. The 7D is noisy at 3200 and up for sure, but it is much easier to remove in post. At lower ISOs (ie under 1600), I found the image quality of the 50D and 7D to be about the same.
Thanks for the responses all. I am leaning towards the 7D for several reasons and you guys are helping me solidify that. The battery thing is a really great point, thanks.
DmitriM wrote:
Isn't 50D basically a 20D with a bigger screen and more MP??
not at all! it is basically a 40d with better screen, micro-adjust and more mp. Im sure the 7d is a better camera but given the price differential it might be better to get the 50d and use the saved cash on glass. I really like my 50d and functionally its a much better camer than my 5d. The IQ of the 5d smokes the 50d however. I find that iso 1600 is useable, but nothing above.
I'd say the 7D would give you more versatility in your bag. Better autofocus, faster FPS, video. If you're working with 5D2's then you know speed and autofocus are long lost friends, so why not give yourself a tool that will make a wider variety of work ( i.e. anything with fast moving action ) more accessible to you?
And right now Adorama has the 7D for like $1299. Seems a no brainer to me. And +1 on never again getting a camera without AF Microadjust.
I owned 10D,20D,40D and they all were pretty much the same thing. Better ISO,more MP and bigger screens,but the rest felt the same.
Every time I upgraded it was only because of better ISO.
Maybe it's just me.
I've rented the 7D. Just initial use, I didn't think the IQ was that much better. The new focusing system was a little weird. I'm sure with time and reading I would have better learned how to used it but it was really awkward going from 50D to 7D. 50Ds are going for $600-800. I've seen a new 7D go for $1200. Like someone previously mention, you can go with a T3i or a 60D if you want the same IQ as the 7D.
For the 50D, I've gone up to 2400 iso and used software to help with the noise. While not the greatest, I think it turned out well enough to hand over to the clients. Overall, I'd say IQ peaks at 1600 standalone.
I am not impressed with the 50D high ISO performance. If you want a crop cam, the 7D would be the way to go. Or, as others have said, the 5Dc would be my first choice. I bought two off the B/S board for my 2nd shooter and they do great.
I am using a 7D in conjunction with a 5d2. I feel that they compliment each other really well. I will not speak of the 5d's awesomeness since it is a known quantity in this forum section. Instead I will dwell on the 7d's complimentary strength. In high ISO when exposed correctly the images are very well. You have to consider the 1.6x cropped factor into your shutter speed. That is something that was a bit annoying when switching back and forth.
What I really like about the camera is its speed. AF is as we know is sensational compared to the 5d and any compact cropped camera. Lots of minor adjustments to allow for your shooting style. There are some situations where I know the 5d2 will just not be able to nab the style of image I am looking for but the 7d with ease. I have also come to enjoy the built in flash commander. Works real well with the ability to control various slave groups in-camera. Think of it as a mini-1D4.
Ghost wrote:
I am using a 7D in conjunction with a 5d2. I feel that they compliment each other really well. I will not speak of the 5d's awesomeness since it is a known quantity in this forum section. Instead I will dwell on the 7d's complimentary strength. In high ISO when exposed correctly the images are very well. You have to consider the 1.6x cropped factor into your shutter speed. That is something that was a bit annoying when switching back and forth.
What I really like about the camera is its speed. AF is as we know is sensational compared to the 5d and any compact cropped camera. Lots of minor adjustments to allow for your shooting style. There are some situations where I know the 5d2 will just not be able to nab the style of image I am looking for but the 7d with ease. I have also come to enjoy the built in flash commander. Works real well with the ability to control various slave groups in-camera. Think of it as a mini-1D4. ...Show more →
"sensational" 7d AF for a wedding?
Have you remapped your AF on the 5d and shot in aiservo to activate the six assists? 5d focuses in candlelight.
With the deep dof of the 7d, focus and recompose should be enough
The 7d AF has advantage for birding ... But you would be hard pressed to argue the 5d's center point is worse when you set the 5d camera up as described above. I've heard the opposite.
Anyway 2 FF bodies are in my future to run primes off of --I'll also put a T3i or a 40d in the bag for my Toki 10-17 fisheye or for reach with a 200 F2.8 L
My point is 5d is special with the primes - and running two FF's is more complimentary for the primes.
18x12 and below, 7d doesn't have much advantage if any over 40d
My approach is to carry it all during the entire day so I see myself carrying a new 5d3 and my 5dc and running primesI
And carrying the $600 T3i as the third body and thinking of it as a $600 teleconverter and a third body that can bail me out if I lose two shutters - note - I lost a shutter during an event two years ago and survived with a second camera
Anyway, if you get above ISO 1250 with the crop sensor you'll get more noise and less sharpness for close ups - it can work though if you are zoomed out - but the 5d's are much better at hi iso
So my point is - think about running primes on the FF and also think about carrying three bodies as the even better compliment system
