06-25-2010, 07:22 AM
On choosing any camera, also get your hands on them to see if you like the feel. The handling of the body of 50D, 7D and 5D are all pretty similar. I owned the 50D and 7D at the same time, and the practical differences between them are much smaller than you think. So possibly consider the 50D too currently at about half the cost of the 7D.
Assuming you go for the 7D (or any crop sensor camera), I personally did go for the 15-85 kit for the great zoom range and image quality. The 17-55 f/2.8 was also a consideration, but for my needs the range was more important than aperture, where I use primes if I really do want big aperture. You might also consider 17-40L or 24-105L if you want weather sealing to match the 7D, but the former is rather short zoom range and no IS, the latter lacks wide angle so you might want a separate lens for that. If you go 17-55 + 70-200, personally I wouldn't worry about the "hole" in the rage.
I'll in part disagree with GTW above. Yes, the photographer is very important in the output, but only if the kit isn't the limiting factor. For less demanding types of photography, anything could do, even a camera phone. More features only become significant as you push to the limit. The 5D and 7D have different strengths and weaknesses, and as such are better or worse at some applications than others. For example, I tried using a 5D for wildlife, and I got decent shots out of it. But it was harder than with 50D or 7D and I didn't enjoy it as much. Personally, I feel the only unique benefit you get from FF over crop sensor is the potential to achieve shallower DoF more easily, with a side helping of a small noise improvement and more detail.
@GTW I have a 7D and drive a plain Lancer <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' />
Assuming you go for the 7D (or any crop sensor camera), I personally did go for the 15-85 kit for the great zoom range and image quality. The 17-55 f/2.8 was also a consideration, but for my needs the range was more important than aperture, where I use primes if I really do want big aperture. You might also consider 17-40L or 24-105L if you want weather sealing to match the 7D, but the former is rather short zoom range and no IS, the latter lacks wide angle so you might want a separate lens for that. If you go 17-55 + 70-200, personally I wouldn't worry about the "hole" in the rage.
I'll in part disagree with GTW above. Yes, the photographer is very important in the output, but only if the kit isn't the limiting factor. For less demanding types of photography, anything could do, even a camera phone. More features only become significant as you push to the limit. The 5D and 7D have different strengths and weaknesses, and as such are better or worse at some applications than others. For example, I tried using a 5D for wildlife, and I got decent shots out of it. But it was harder than with 50D or 7D and I didn't enjoy it as much. Personally, I feel the only unique benefit you get from FF over crop sensor is the potential to achieve shallower DoF more easily, with a side helping of a small noise improvement and more detail.
@GTW I have a 7D and drive a plain Lancer <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='
' />
<a class="bbc_url" href="http://snowporing.deviantart.com/">dA</a> Canon 7D2, 7D, 5D2, 600D, 450D, 300D IR modified, 1D, EF-S 10-18, 15-85, EF 35/2, 85/1.8, 135/2, 70-300L, 100-400L, MP-E65, Zeiss 2/50, Sigma 150 macro, 120-300/2.8, Samyang 8mm fisheye, Olympus E-P1, Panasonic 20/1.7, Sony HX9V, Fuji X100.