Please advise: 2nd 5DMII or 7D or both?

I have a Canon 400D which has a EF 24-105 f/4 L IS attached to it and a 5DMII with a EF 70-200 f/2.8 L IS lens attached to it. I have just received the new 100f/2.8 Macro L IS lens.


I do not like changing lenses when out for various reasons including no control over whether I might have dust or sand blow into the lens or the body or drop the lens etc. I would rather have one body with the ideal lens for that purpose attached to it and so can have the ability to quickly shoot with the appropriate camera.


I am considering adding a camera body and am deciding between adding either the new7Dor getting a second 5DMII. After using the 5D for a fewmonths I have come to understand and to appreciate the camera's ability and looking at thecomparsion tool here I can see that the 7D IQis superior to the 50D and the 5D MII is superior tothe 7D.


IfI get the 7D I will likely move the 70-200 lens to it and the f/2.8 macrowill go to the400D and the versatile 24-105 will go to the5D.


If I geta second 5D MII, the two 5Ds will get the 70-200 and the 24-105 and the 400D will have the macro.


The three optics are so good that I really want these attached to the best bodies for each. Perhaps I should just get another 5DMII a 7D and attach the 70-200 to7D.


Will I see a significant difference in the IQbetween the 400D and the 7D with the 70-200 lens? I suspect that I will. I suspect that the 70-200 f/2.8 L IS is such a good lens that it deserves a more capable body.


Any and all suggestionsare greatly appreciated and I thank you good people for your kind comments in advance.

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Originally Posted by Fouad

Will I see a significant difference in the IQbetween the 400D and the 7D with the 70-200 lens?

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Besides that your images will look better. Better too have a slight amount of diffraction and have more megapixels than too have less megapixels and slightly less diffraction.


John

I think getting a 7D would give you better flexibility but getting another 5D Mk II would give you better image quality. How you decide to do it depends on your type of shooting. If you occasionally need higher frames per second, or some sports and wildlife shooting, the 7D would be the better choice. The 1.6x crop factor helps out with the longer ranged shots too.


If you are more into the landscapes and portraits, a second 5D Mk II gives you better image quality and you lose nothing in the fps and better autofocus system of the 7D.


Finally, it seems your photo budget is pretty generous, as getting both is an option. If this is the case, getting one of each gives you the bragging rights for the best toys on the block! Personally, I like that option if I had the budget! Please let us know what you decide.

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Originally Posted by Fouad

Perhaps I should just get another 5DMII a 7D and attach the 70-200 to7D.
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Yes. Get both. Try all the lenses on both bodies and find which one works best. Or better yet, just get two 5DMIIs. Whats another $1,000?


Mark

Depends on what you shoot... I'm loving the idea of a 5DMKII and a 7D for weddings :D

I would like to ask you what you shoot and were you shoot?


Is it really impossible to change lens on one body? As this is the first time that I see somebody having the same number of bodies and lenses.


Do you shoot so much that you burn your bodies in 3 years?


Do you really think you will use 3 lenses at the same time?


70-200 and 100 macro are employed in 2 very different situation, so I think that you can prepare your set up before to be in the sandy or misty condition, and you can put a back up on the 400d.


If you purchase another lens and another body you will travel with a backpack of 30 KG!!!!


If the changing lens problem is onlysomething you do not like to do; TRY IT, it is not bad. We all do it without ruining all our gear. It is enough to pay a little bit of attention and you will not have any problem.

I've traveled in the Jordanian Desert, the Negev, and all over Syria, and had few concerns with changing lenses. Of course, once I change lenses, I keep the lens on for a good long while--I don't swap lenses for one or two shots.


So I'd say don't spend so much money on new bodies, and instead get a good bag--like the ones we had to use in the days of film, when you wanted to swap film mid-roll--and practice lens changes without being able to see what you're doing. The bag is a controlled environment when it comes to dust, and you can take the ~$4000 you're saving by not buying a second 5DMII and a 7D, and spend that on some nice glass.


But if you're committed to buying another body, I'd say go for another 5DMII. First, since you already have one, you're familiar with the controls/menus. Second, because you already have one, you can use the same batteries/chargers/memory interchangeably. Third, the 5DMII is a big step up from the 7D, and unless you need more telephoto/magnification or a slightly higher FPS, the 5DMII is superior, hands-down. Fourth, think about the product cycle. The 20/30/40/50/7D series cycles much faster than the 5D or 1D series. Buy a 7D now, and in a year and a half, there will be an 8D that will be greatly improved. Buy a 5DMII, and you have a much longer time until you get buyer's remorse (and the 5DMII holds its value better/longer for resale, if you ever want to change).


I'd reckon it to a comparison between a high-end non-L lens and an L-series. Yes, there might be some things that the newer non-L lens (like the 17-55mm EF-S) can do that the older L-series can't, but price notwithstanding, the L will always be the better choice.

Of course, it depends on what you shoot. Generally speaking, though, while I would get a 5DII before a 7D, I would get a 7D before a *second* 5DII. You'll have more flexibility that way.

Having similar/identical bodies is very important in my book, so I say go with the 5D2.


If you go with anything but the 5D2, you'll get addicted to the 24-105 on the 5D; if it should fail, you'll find the 24-105 not-so-wide on your cropped body(ies) and will want/need a wider lens for your stash.

I thank you all for your insight and suggestions, I value each greatly.


I have thought about this and have today ordered a second 5DMII body. I am mainly picking the 5DMII because of its superb IQ [to my eyes at least the IQ is at least on par with the 1Ds], the fact that it is FF and that having used one I have some experience with it already.


I think before leaving home for any location for taking pictures, I should be able to narrow down the choice of the lenses between the 70-200, the 24-105 and the 100 f/2.8 Macro to two. I will also throw in the bag the powershot sx20 IS which can cover the Super Macro all the way to 570mm if the need be.


But I must say, if the 7D was FF it would have been even more tempting than it already is.


Thank you all, I am most obliged[Y].