IT'S UPGRADE TIME!!!

[chogan]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum but not new to photography.

I'm not a professional by any means but I know my way around my 7D pretty well and I've used it for about 12 years. I don't do paid gigs or anything, I just use it for travel, family, my kiddos growing up, etc. Sure I could just use my phone or a point and shoot all the time but where's the fun in that!?!

By far my biggest gripe with the 7D is it's performance in low light. I'm well-aware my current lens isn't helping, it's a 24-105 f/4. I've been very happy with the lens but with it's limited aperture and the dated sensor on the 7D, low light situations are a massive struggle.

I've still got a pretty healthy portion of my mom's estate funds left over from her passing in '24. I regret not taking enough family photos when she was alive and now my oldest daughter is frequently asking me to see "pictures of Grammie" as she was only 3 when my mom died. Her memory of is very fuzzy to say the least, so I think investing in a nicer/newer camera and a better lens would be a wise choice to ensure memories are captured for future generations.

I'm just going to come out and say it, I'm not interested in going mirrorless. I'm sure at some point I'll eventually jump ship but for now I'm going to remain a DSLR purist and I'm very aware of the risks involved. If anyone really wants to know what I have against mirrorless, I'll happily answer but I just wanted to be upfront about it.

My thoughts after doing several weeks of reading specs watching YouTube reviews are:

Canon 5D Mark III - Used with a lower shutter count (around the 50,000 marker or lower).
Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 G2 - Used

I'd go for a 5D Mark IV but I've seen a few videos where the sensor on the Mark III is actually more colorful and I don't really do videography so I don't think I really need something that can shoot in 4K.
The 1DX was being looked at but I think it's going to be overkill for what I'm doing and too bulky.
I was looking at the R6 which I know is mirrorless, but I saw a video with landscape photographer comparing the 5D3 and the R6 side by side in a shootout and the R6's image quality was only better by a very very slight margin, not enough to justify spending over a grand on a used one IMO.



So thoughts? Would you all agree I'm on the right track?

 

[cgw129 155]

Get a 50/1.8 and shoot the 7D till it conks out. MILCs are shouldering nice stuff onto the used market but a fast prime lens might amuse you in the meantime.

 

[OUTLAW PHOTO]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum but not new to photography.

I'm not a professional by any means but I know my way around my 7D pretty well and I've used it for about 12 years. I don't do paid gigs or anything, I just use it for travel, family, my kiddos growing up, etc. Sure I could just use my phone or a point and shoot all the time but where's the fun in that!?!

By far my biggest gripe with the 7D is it's performance in low light. I'm well-aware my current lens isn't helping, it's a 24-105 f/4. I've been very happy with the lens but with it's limited aperture and the dated sensor on the 7D, low light situations are a massive struggle.

I've still got a pretty healthy portion of my mom's estate funds left over from her passing in '24. I regret not taking enough family photos when she was alive and now my oldest daughter is frequently asking me to see "pictures of Grammie" as she was only 3 when my mom died. Her memory of is very fuzzy to say the least, so I think investing in a nicer/newer camera and a better lens would be a wise choice to ensure memories are captured for future generations.

I'm just going to come out and say it, I'm not interested in going mirrorless. I'm sure at some point I'll eventually jump ship but for now I'm going to remain a DSLR purist and I'm very aware of the risks involved. If anyone really wants to know what I have against mirrorless, I'll happily answer but I just wanted to be upfront about it.

My thoughts after doing several weeks of reading specs watching YouTube reviews are:

Canon 5D Mark III - Used with a lower shutter count (around the 50,000 marker or lower).
Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 G2 - Used

I'd go for a 5D Mark IV but I've seen a few videos where the sensor on the Mark III is actually more colorful and I don't really do videography so I don't think I really need something that can shoot in 4K.
The 1DX was being looked at but I think it's going to be overkill for what I'm doing and too bulky.
I was looking at the R6 which I know is mirrorless, but I saw a video with landscape photographer comparing the 5D3 and the R6 side by side in a shootout and the R6's image quality was only better by a very very slight margin, not enough to justify spending over a grand on a used one IMO.



So thoughts? Would you all agree I'm on the right track?

Hello and welcome to the forum . ive been a shooter for over 30 years . All Canon bodys some Canon glass some Sigma ..Yeah , your on the right track having a couple 7D's . They do have low light issues .. I would suggest a Canon 6DMII ..fairly cheap and excellent in low light . Perhaps a nifty 50 and or a Canon 70 - 200 f/2 This should cover all your needs . By the way I have 4 6DMII's its an obsession lol ....Absolulty love that body .

 

[DanOstergren35]

I shoot professional portraits with a 5D MKIII, and I absolutely love this camera. I bought it used in 2022 to upgrade from an original 5D that I had been using since 2010, and I love the MKIII so much that I hope I get just as much use out of it as I did the 5D. I really don't think you would be disappointed with it as an upgrade from a 7D. It's also very affordable on the used market. If you look on MPB, you will be able to find a great deal on a used one, and each listing usually includes the shutter actuation count. They also photograph each individual listing so you can inspect the camera a bit before making a decision. This listing only has 58k actuations: Used 5D MKIII in Good Condition . It's a little over 50k actuations, but it also looks like it was well taken care of. That particular one doesn't have an eye-cup which is likely why it's priced so low and not rated "Excellent" condition, but an eyecup is easily replaceable and easy to find online.

A fast prime lens would also improve what you can do in low light, if you're open to using primes. Something like a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 would be a good choice, and it's also really affordable on the used market- even in excellent condition you're looking at less than $200. The f/1.4 aperture really helps with low light situations, and it causes a nice dreamy shallow depth of field which is great for photos of people/loved ones. On a full frame sensor camera, 50mm can be pretty versatile and easy to use in most indoor and outdoor settings. I love it for natural light portraits.

 

[chogan]

IThis listing only has 58k actuations: Used 5D MKIII in Good Condition . It's a little over 50k actuations, but it also looks like it was well taken care of.

That's actually the one I was looking at. There's two things that are keeping the 1DX on the decision block. A life expectancy of 400,000 clicks vs 150,000 is very attractive. However, if we can confirm that a 5D3 can shoot kids/teen sports with good glass, then I'd probably commit to the 5D3.

 

[DanOstergren35]

That's actually the one I was looking at. There's two things that are keeping the 1DX on the decision block. A life expectancy of 400,000 clicks vs 150,000 is very attractive. However, if we can confirm that a 5D3 can shoot kids/teen sports with good glass, then I'd probably commit to the 5D3.

Honestly if the price difference isn't a dealbreaker, a used 1DX or even a 1DX MKII if you want something newer, with a low shutter count is probably your best option especially if you plan to do sports action shots. My only quip with those bodies is that I find the shape of them with the built-in battery grip awkward to use. I bought a battery grip for my 5D MKIII, but took it off and never used it again because I found it to be awkward/unintuitive to use.

 

[chogan]

Honestly if the price difference isn't a dealbreaker, a used 1DX or even a 1DX MKII if you want something newer, with a low shutter count is probably your best option especially if you plan to do sports action shots. My only quip with those bodies is that I find the shape of them with the built-in battery grip awkward to use. I bought a battery grip for my 5D MKIII, but took it off and never used it again because I found it to be awkward/unintuitive to use.

Soooo... I actually found a 1DX MKII for about $880. It has 144,000 actuations, which I understand these beasts are rated for at least 400,000 and possibly beyond so now it's kind of a tough decision.

1DX MK II - $880 - 144,000 Shutters - Well Used Condition
1DX MKI - $789 - 38,000 Shutters - Excellent Condition

.....tough call.