Cameras & Camcorders

[oceanfoxx]

I am looking to purchase a 2nd camera.  I currently have the canon 40D.  I am looking at either the Canon 5D mark II or the Canon 7D.  After going over all the different features of each one I am now totally confused as to which one ultimately would be the better camera for me.  I mainly shoot wildlife and landscapes, but I have done a couple weddings.  I still consider myself an amateur so I am hoping someone can give me some advice.   Thank you.

[TheLexMachine]

You might as well just wait. There are some new cameras that will be announced shortly.

[Rrrrrrr]

What lenses do you have? Are most EF-S or EF mounts? If all of them that you have are EF-S, then the 7D. Otherwise theres nothing wrong with going to a 5dMkII/III. I dont use Canon myself, but if I did, I think I would go with the 7D in the same situation. Sometimes the crop factor comes in quite handy.

[Entropy]

A full frame camera (5D MkII) is going to have higher image quality, but requires full frame glass.

The 7D may have better compatibility with your existing glass.

The crop factor of APS-C/H cameras like the 7D can be beneficial for wildlife (extreme telephoto) but can be a pain for landscapes (wide-angle).

You might want to consider more accessories (good tripod, maybe some equipment to help with stitched panoramas like a nodal slide rail) for the 40D.

My Acratech leveling base and Kirk sliding rail are two of the best purchases I've made recently, GREAT for getting nicely aligned shots for a stitched pano.

[Allan-BBY Senior Social Media Specialist]

Hi oceanfoxx,

With the Canon 7D's faster autofocus system, 8fps continuous shooting capability, dual Digic 4 processors, and APS-C sensor crop it will do a much better job for Wildlife photography. The Canon 5D mark II will do a much better job at Landscape, portraiture (i.e. weddings), and studio work (basically any subjects that don't move a lot, or very fast).

I actually shoot with the 7D, and it does a great job for both landscapes and wildlife. If I could afford either one of these cameras I would most likely choose the Canon 5D mark II for its higher image quality, larger viewfinder, and better low-light performance; I would do this even if it meant me missing a few wildlife shots. The 5D doesn't have a built-in flash so you would have to buy an external speedlight if you don't already have one.

If money is no object to you the Canon 1D mark IV professional camera is the best of both worlds, and is definitely worth checking out!

Hope this helps!