Upgrade from my Canon 7D

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tinpanalley

Active member
I've happily had my Canon 7D for 2 years. Love it, love shooting video with it. It's primarily a video camera for me for my filmmaking purposes that I spend the rest of my time using for photography. But I'm just wondering if there isn't maybe some under $2000 (or euro in my case) camera that has better video specs that I might be able to think about selling the 7D for? I came across the Black Magic Cinema Camera yesterday and I feel like it might be better but I'm sure there are others. Can anyone give me some ideas of cameras in that price range that thay think would be an improvement on the 7D for my filmmaking purposes? Preferably with EF lens capability so I can keep the lens I have. I should say from the get-go that having a full frame 35mm PHOTOGRAPHIC sized sensor is irrelevant to me. That's why I have the 7D instead of the ubiquitous 5DmkII. Full-frame is usually meant by people in photographic terms which is different than cinematic terms. The other thing that doesn't matter to me is shooting higher than 1080p. It's simply not a priority to me to shoot higher than that for what I make.
If there isn't really anything better for my needs, that's totally fine. But, I just thought I'd ask everyone here.
 
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If your current camera still meets your needs keep shooting.

That being said, I'm impressed with what the GH4 offers for such a low price,
 
GH4? For me the one thing I really don't like about my 60D (which shoots identical video to the 7D) is the soft, moire-plagued 720p mode. It's improved on the 5DmkIII, but not as good as it could be. So while you may not need 4k, 1080p at 60 or 96fps might be nice!
 
deltoidjohn said:
So while you may not need 4k, 1080p at 60 or 96fps might be nice!
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I've never shot any of my projects at higher than 24fps. Very boring and traditional, I'm afraid. I can't stand the look of anything over 24. In short, I use the 7D because 16mm or 35mm film isn't convenient or affordable.
 
David W. Jones said:
If your current camera still meets your needs keep shooting.
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That's probably the best advice I'll ever receive. :) But I'll take a look at the GH4.
It's like you said, I AM happy with the 7D, hasn't caused me any problems at all to this point. Just wondering if there isn't something within reach that's a little better, that's all.
 
tinpanalley said:
Just wondering if there isn't something within reach that's a little better, that's all.
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If you want to stay with Canon...70D is not just a liitle better...its MUCH better in every aspect! You dont sound to me like somebody who would like to hear about AF, so I ll skip that...:)
Flip touch screen, better codec options, cleaner image at high ISO would be enough reasons to upgrade...and about AF...nobody wants to use AF until they try THAT AF...haha!
 
lyrov said:
If you want to stay with Canon...70D is not just a liitle better...its MUCH better in every aspect! You dont sound to me like somebody who would like to hear about AF, so I ll skip that...:)
Flip touch screen, better codec options, cleaner image at high ISO would be enough reasons to upgrade...and about AF...nobody wants to use AF until they try THAT AF...haha!
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Hmm... ok... this is exactly the kind of improvement I'm talking about. This 70D basically looks like it takes everything from the 7D and makes it better. Am I wrong? I need to really compare these two because it probably wouldn't cost me much to get this 70D even after selling my 7D in a camera shop.
 
tinpanalley said:
This 70D basically looks like it takes everything from the 7D and makes it better. Am I wrong?
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No you re not wrong. Its exactly like that! If you have the chance you can go to a store and try it. Take your lenses with you. I dont know what glass you have but some work well with the new AF and some dont...
 
I would also suggest:
* Nikon D5300 (or D7100 if you care about stills: it has better AF, including AFMA): I think this is the best APS-C DSLR for video right now
* Sony A6000: second-best APS-C DSLR for video if you ask me, and it can take your Canon lenses through a Metabones smart adapter

The GH4 is super sharp, but I still don't like the image, it seems DR is not there yet. And it's only sharp and clean when shooting 4K (which means a 2.5x crop).
My current favorite is the a7s, even though there's a lot of information missing about it yet (I preordered this one; it's full frame, but don't worry, I know how to stop down a lens).

I wouldn't buy any APS-C Canon DSLR right now. Yes, they have improved over the original 7D... in everything except image quality, which is exactly where it was five years ago: same nice colors, same half-decent DR, but also same aliasing/moire, and same lack of true detail. Slightly better codec, but not really all that different. With cleaner and sharper images on similarly priced cameras from other brands, these are definitely not for me.
 
lyrov said:
No you re not wrong. Its exactly like that! If you have the chance you can go to a store and try it. Take your lenses with you. I dont know what glass you have but some work well with the new AF and some dont...
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I've got a 24-105mm IS USM lens.
I need to start looking for a place in Paris like B&H where I can try to see what price I'll be paying to trade in the 7D for a 70D. I don't have any real concern about what the 70D does photography-wise. It's better than a cell phone and a point and shoot and that's more than enough for me. But the video features are hard to ignore. I've got to keep researching comparisons. There must be SOMEthing the 7D does better with video.
 
tinpanalley said:
There must be SOMEthing the 7D does better with video.
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Nope! Absolutely nothing! In fact there is another thing I forgot to mention in favour of the 70D and that is the 3x crop mode. I use it all the time! I ve tried the 24-105 a couple of times and I can say it worked pretty well with the AF, but I dont own the lens so I havent test it thoroughly.
 
This is a good time to start your investigation ....

But perhaps not the best time to switch, unless you get a good "swap out" to the 70D for the 7D?

70D is available new for around $950 for teh body only. The 7D has been available for $825 new, as everyone anticipates Canon to announce the 7DII at Photokina. Based on previous history, I would expect an announcement in early to mid August.

The 70D has an amazing AF system for video (and Live View in general) that I am eager to adopt. We are all, also hoping that Canon delivers an improved sensor in terms of DR, etc.

It is clear that the Dual Pixel Auto Focus (DPAF) is a major development path for Canon. Those open to the creative use of AF as a tool on the 70D and C100 are very happy with it.

It is also related to the STM technology that Canon has been gradually developing and releasing, for silet auto focus during video. Although traditional L lenses often focus quite well with DPAF, especially the newer designs.

In the meantime you can watch as the the Sony A7S rools out and is tested, and as the Blackmagic and G4 are tested and as they "mature" through firmware upgrades and etc.

Canon also has a lot of technology in the Cinema series - C100, C300, C500, 1DC - that we really hope to see "trickle down" into it's less expensive products.

Good luck!

Cheers, Michael
 
tinpanalley said:
What's the crop mode?
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Its something like a 3x didital zoom, but with much better quality because it crops from the signal coming from the sensor. Especially if used with a sharp lens, nobody can tell any difference in sharpness between that and the normal mode.
I use it all the time with my Sigma 18-35mm f1.8 and its just perfect. Its like having a 18-105mm f1.8!!! (there is no loss in aperture in crop mode).
 
I'm still on the stock firmware on my 7D. As far as video is concerned do I have anything to gain from adding Magic Lantern to my camera?
 
unadog said:
But perhaps not the best time to switch, unless you get a good "swap out" to the 70D for the 7D?
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Yes, totally agree with Michael in that...I love my 70D and its new AF, but I m using it almost a year already. If I wanted to switch now, probably I would have waited a little...a new Canon should be around...:)
From the other hand...the more you wait...the more your 7D looses value...aaaah I dont know....
 
lyrov said:
Yes, totally agree with Michael in that...I love my 70D and its new AF, but I m using it almost a year already. If I wanted to switch now, probably I would have waited a little...a new Canon should be around...:) From the other hand...the more you wait...the more your 7D looses value...aaaah I dont know....
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Well, also, there's no reason to think the new 7D is going to be in the same price range or that it'll be affordable to me. The 70D does what I have already, does it better, does more, and it shouldn't cost me anything to get it. Nothing on a new 7D is going to make me want it unless it's going to come with a remarkably better sensor, and again, that will put it out of reach for me financially.
 
tinpanalley said:
I'm still on the stock firmware on my 7D. As far as video is concerned do I have anything to gain from adding Magic Lantern to my camera?
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In terms of image quality...no...unless you start shooting RAW video which unfortunatelly is a bit limited on the 7D. In terms of functionality and features...ML will turn your 7D into a new camera!
 
If IQ is your primary concern, read up on the Nikons (5300/7100). The color of the nikon video is really special, esp. when compared to the last few years of Canon, particularly in the APS-C realm & staying around a grand or less for a body. I started ditching my Canon bodies when I started shooting footage with the D7000.

The 7100 vs. 5300: the 7100 is a better "camera" all around, not just for stills. Is it worth almost twice the price? Hard to say, you get a lot more controls and features. However, the 5300 gives you 1080p @ 60, and does it really nicely. No compromise like the grainy 720-60 from Canon.

I'm still toying with the idea of getting a pocket or BMD Cinema cam. Dunno about those small sensors, I really love shooting people with the 85 1.8 whenever possible, curious to see if a smaller sensor with a wide lens can be that gorgeous. Probably rent one soon.
 
lyrov said:
In terms of image quality...no...unless you start shooting RAW video which unfortunatelly is a bit limited on the 7D. In terms of functionality and features...ML will turn your 7D into a new camera!
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I need to look more into that then. I saw footage of the menus in the alpha version and thought the menus didn't look too user friendly. Plus, I'm reluctant to put anything on this camera if it's still in alpha or beta. That usually means SOMEthing isn't working right.
 
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