Because the "equivalent" focal length of the 24-105 on a 7D is roughly 38-168, this is not a typical combo.
Conventional thinking usually suggests the "standard zoom" for the 7D is either the 17-55 f2.8 EF-S or 15-85 EF-S and for the 5D2 is either the 24-70 or 24-105.
Only you can determine which focal length will work for you.
Your lens choices are a big factor when determining body choice.
Without knowing much else about what and how you shoot, it's a difficult choice to make.
I guess we can assume general photography doesn't mean birding, but it can include lowlight work or fast moving kids, and each camera does better than the other in different types of "general photography".
Kind of like asking:
"Ford Explorer or Ford Mustang?"
For things that move real fast, the 7D is better than the 5d2.
For everything else (including children), the 5D2 is better than the 7D.
I had both for some time, and found them to be marvelous complements; between them, I could do anything, but there wasn't a whole lot of overlap.
The 7D is a fine camera, but the IQ of the 5d2 is much better. And the 24-105 is perfect on a FF, but not so much on a 1.6 crop. For what I consider "general photography" to be, there's no contest--the 5D2 with the 24-105 is a great combination.
I went from a 50D to a 7D and my image quality took a hit. Yes the 7D is an amazing camera for features but the quality was severely disappointed. I had to toss 7 out of 10 pictures due to focusing issues or sharpness. At first I thought it was a few of my lenses and sold them only to buy different L lenses with the same inconsistent results. It became so frustrating that I sold all my equipment thinking it was me and that I didn't have a steady hand or I had a bad eye. A few months later I was on craigslist and came across a Xsi for $150 and thought why not. I bought it and immediately seen pictures that I couldn't achieve with my 7D. I have since bought a 5D (they are cheap and still amazing quality, $500 - 700 with a grip) and bought a few L lenses and whoa I am happy again.
That being said I have read of 7D's and 5D II's being inconsistent with focusing so maybe I had a bad model but if you don't need super high ISO or large prints the 5D will make you very happy in quality and the wallet.
I went from the 50Dto the 5D Mark II and don't regret it a bit. I stil keep the 50D as backup but the Full frame image quality, color and contrast is better than the cropped sensor. If you have kids that are going to be playing or active in sports then the 7D's 8fps with be appreciated. Maybe you should also look at the new 6D. It will have better FPS than the 5D II and still give you the FF advantage. It also will have the GPS and wifi built in as an added bonus.
The image quality from the 5DII is definitely better than the 7D. It should be since it's a full-frame sensor as opposed to the APS-C sensor of the 7D. That being said, the IQ of the 7D is still excellent and can produce outstanding images when processed in the way that best suits the files from the camera. Find the "How noisy is your 7D?" thread here on FM to see some of the potential of the 7D. As an all-around camera, it's very hard to beat.
StarNut wrote:
The 7D is a fine camera, but the IQ of the 5d2 is much better. And the 24-105 is perfect on a FF, but not so much on a 1.6 crop. For what I consider "general photography" to be, there's no contest--the 5D2 with the 24-105 is a great combination.
rpoplin wrote:
I went from a 50D to a 7D and my image quality took a hit. Yes the 7D is an amazing camera for features but the quality was severely disappointed. I had to toss 7 out of 10 pictures due to focusing issues or sharpness. At first I thought it was a few of my lenses and sold them only to buy different L lenses with the same inconsistent results. It became so frustrating that I sold all my equipment thinking it was me and that I didn't have a steady hand or I had a bad eye. A few months later I was on craigslist and came across a Xsi for $150 and thought why not. I bought it and immediately seen pictures that I couldn't achieve with my 7D. I have since bought a 5D (they are cheap and still amazing quality, $500 - 700 with a grip) and bought a few L lenses and whoa I am happy again.
That being said I have read of 7D's and 5D II's being inconsistent with focusing so maybe I had a bad model but if you don't need super high ISO or large prints the 5D will make you very happy in quality and the wallet....Show more →
Yes I would say something could have been wrong with your 7D, but keep in mind that many people say the 7D requires a lot more sharpening in post compared to the other ASP-C cameras due to the stronger anti aliasing filter.
To the OP, tough choice as most consider IQ first in terms of upgrade, but the 7D AF and FPS is a great feature if you need them.
rpoplin wrote:
I went from a 50D to a 7D and my image quality took a hit. Yes the 7D is an amazing camera for features but the quality was severely disappointed. I had to toss 7 out of 10 pictures due to focusing issues or sharpness.
A few months later I was on craigslist and came across a Xsi for $150 and thought why not. I bought it and immediately seen pictures that I couldn't achieve with my 7D.
That being said I have read of 7D's and 5D II's being inconsistent with focusing so maybe I had a bad model...
That's a very unusual result from the 7D, especially since most rate it as Canon's best APS-C DSLR.
I'm wondering if you ever tried using the MA feature for AF? Even with only a short experience with the Canon 50D, it was still easy to determine that the 7D has superior AF.
Here's a typical review and my experience is very similar: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos7d/30
I've shot extensively with both the 5D2 and 7D since 2009 and find them both to be great cameras but with different strengths and weaknesses. Yes, 5D2 IQ is a notch or two better if you need large prints or shoot at higher ISO. However, the differences are small at low ISO or moderate print sizes of 8x12 or 11x14. So if you print 11x14 or smaller or are mainly a web gallery shooter, mainly use ISO 640 or lower 7D IQ is excellent and offers increased reach, speed and a vastly better AF system.
But I, like most of the posters above, reach for my 5D2 most of the time. I love that huge VF, the smooth files and full access to wide angle. Oddly, I tend to use my 7D for point 'n shoot in bars and street, mainly it's easier to focus while drinking, it has a popup flash and big red button video mode...
