South Africa upcoming - Upgrade?

[SwissChris]

Hi all,


I'm owning the 7D, a5D (not MKII) and quite a bunch of L lenses (see profile). The 5D was a present(lets phrase it that way).


Now my wife and I are flying to Cape Town end of february and I'm starting to wonder if I should upgrade my 5D to a MKII version.


Reasons for that:


A) I had to send my 7D in for repairs (Err 040, something wrong with the batteries or the battery grip). I should have it back before we fly but as always: you never know for sure.


B) The 7D would be my first choice for wildlife photography but we won't go on safari this time (we did that last year). I'll mainly shoot portraits (she is going to take her wedding dress with her. We are going to shoot in Cape Town because that is where I proposed to her) and the beautful landscape incl. sundowns. Therefore I would like to have the maximum quality of those pictures with as less noise as possible.


Now I am unsure if the 5D is going to fulfill this job or if the 5D MKII would be a significant enhancement. I mean those wedding dress pictures you are going to shoot only once ...


Usually I would just say "go for it"butit seems like we don't have to wait too long for the 5d MKII replacement (rumors pointing towards end 2011, beginning 2012). So this probably isn't the smartest invest you can do at the moment. Right?


What is your Opinion? Is the 5D good enough and I should wait for a MKIII for upgrade? Or would you upgrade to the MKII to be sure to get the best out of your pictures? Or maybe use the 7D instead of the 5D?


I look forward to your thoughts.


Christian

[btaylor]

Hi Chris,


Personally I think the 5D II is the ultimate portrait camera. High res images with fantastic dynamic range, beautiful skin tones and excellent high ISO performance.


As for whether the upgrade is worth it, I guess it

[SwissChris]

Thank you Ben for your comment. First of all awesome pictures you got on your flickr account. I definately would grant you the "advanced" amateur status ;-)


You are pushing me towards the MKII. But I

[btaylor]

Thanks for the compliment mate. The 7D has great portrait potential if you don

[clemmb]

Christian


Welcome to the forum.


The 5D MK1 is an excellent camera. While the 7D is quite capable for portraits, the 5DMK1 has better IQ for portraits IMO. For wildlife the 7D is the better choice. The 5DMK2 would be a great upgrade but not needed. I shoot weddings with a 5DMK1 and am very happy with it. I will most likely upgrade to a MK2 or higher when my budget allows. If your budget allows then go for it. If you think you will kick yourself later when the MK3 comes out then wait.


Mark

[Chris White]

Hi Christian,


Generally my advice on getting new gear is if:


1) you can afford it and


2) you will use it


then go for it.


There is no new Canon gear until Canon makes an announcement. I have a 5D II and I love it. I am glad I did not heed the advice that said to wait for the unicorn 5D III since it would have cost me a lot of images. Having said that, Mark is correct, the 5D is an excellent camera. When I got my 5D II my other body was a 50D and the 5D II addressed needs that my 50D was not as proficient at. You are however in a different position in that you have the 5D. If you are happy with your results -- which I am sure are good if there are no issues with the body -- then in you case it makes sense to wait for the 5D III or whatever Canon upgrades it to. My 50D ( I realize the 7D is the upgrade for it) was fine for portraits, but since getting the 5D II it is what I use in most instances when I do not need to stop fast action (my daughters sports).

If your budget allows then go for it. If you
think you will kick yourself later when the MK3 comes out then
wait.

Mark pretty much sums up my feelings. But, keep in mind that I did not have a 5D when I was deciding what to do.


Chris

[Sheiky]

I'm a very happy owner of the 5D2 and I would recommend it to anyone for portraits. However I don't know how good the 5D1 is, so upgrading.... I don't know [A]

Usually I would just say "go for it"butit seems like we don't have to wait too long for the 5d MKII replacement (rumors pointing towards end 2011, beginning 2012). So this probably isn't the smartest invest you can do at the moment. Right?

Don't forget that if/when the 5D3 is announced, it will probably be a lot more expensive than the 5D2 is now. And it will lose that premium value very quickly once it's out there for a while. And honestly, I think my 5D2 will last for at least a couple of years. I couldn't name one thing that bothers me about it every time I use it []


Have fun in Africa,


Jan

[SwissChris]

Thank you guys for your various opinions!


I think I will wait two more weeks. If my 7D is back by than I