Thinking of moving up to the 7D...

I currently use the Canon XSi and have to say I am really happy with it. I also do freelance sports photography for our local newspapers and that is just a real thrill. Much of the credit for this is tied to the Canon camera which was a step up from a point and shoot about a year ago.


My primary shooting mode while doing my freelance work is with the "sports mode" which I find very helpful when shooting hockey and basketball. Having this continuous/rapid shooting mode is very helpful for me as I am still really learning about the camera.


From what I understand the 7D does not have a sports mode. My question is can I duplicate this shooting mode on the 7D?

Correct - the 7D does not have any of the 'basic zone' modes except for the green square (full auto) and CA (creative auto). But, you can certainly duplicate that mode (and any of the others), but with much more control over the camera. All the 'sports mode' on the Rebel and x0D bodies does is set the autofocus to AI-Servo mode, the drive to continuous, and bump up the ISO for a faster shutter speed. The xD series cameras 'assume' a bit more technical knowledge about exposure, autofocus, etc., so if you do upgrade, you'll want to take the time to learn about those, if you don't already know. There are 3 custom user settings on the 7D mode dial, so you can set one of those up as your 'sports mode'.


For sports photography, you'll really appreciate the 8 frames-per-second high speed mode on the 7D!

I would suggest getting to know the semi auto and manual modes of your camera. If you are keeping the camera in an auto mode (ie sports mode, etc) you are losing out on many of the advantages of a dslr. In time, you just might be able to impress yourself with what you can create once you take the time to learn the capabilities of the camera.


By all means, if you have some specific reason(s) for wanting to upgrade, please share. But it sounds like you want to upgrade just because it is a better camera. Obviously, it is a better camera. But if you aren't going to use what makes it better, you will be wasting your money. You might find your current camera is perfectly capable to handle your needs. If that is the case, you can put the money you would have spent on the 7D towards some fine glass. That is something that could drastically benefit your photography needs.