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7D mk2 - worthwhile upgrade? (1 Viewer)

Nick Leech

Well-known member
United Kingdom
Now that people have had a chance to try out the 7D2, is the general consensus that, for bird photography at least, it is worth upgrading from a 70D or a 7D mk1?

Reading reviews of the 7D2 online, although most reviews are quite glowing, there are quite a few other reviews quite lukewarm about it - eg comments that high ISO performance is virtually no better than the old 7D.

Perhaps the key thing is what you are photographing - for bird/wildlife shooters the fast and accurate AF performance of the 7D2 is the big step forward?

Comments please from early 7D2 owners who have upgraded from the 7D mk1 or from the 70D.
 
Worth the upgrade

Now that people have had a chance to try out the 7D2, is the general consensus that, for bird photography at least, it is worth upgrading from a 70D or a 7D mk1?

Reading reviews of the 7D2 online, although most reviews are quite glowing, there are quite a few other reviews quite lukewarm about it - eg comments that high ISO performance is virtually no better than the old 7D.

Perhaps the key thing is what you are photographing - for bird/wildlife shooters the fast and accurate AF performance of the 7D2 is the big step forward?

Comments please from early 7D2 owners who have upgraded from the 7D mk1 or from the 70D.

Nick, there are many reasons that the 7d2 is better.

The custom function settings are fantastic. I have my AF-ON button set for AI servo and zone focus (the zone I choose) and whatever autofocus case I want as well.

I have my AE lock button set for one shot and 1 focus point

I keep the camera on ai servo and one shot

So wherever my thumb or pointer finger goes I have immediate access to pretty much any shot I need to get.

The joystick I have set to move the focus point/zone. For instance a bird is facing right and I have my focus point set (so many and so much more sensitive than my old 70d by the way) to his eye. Then he turns left I can without taking my eye off of the bird just use my thumb and change where I want the camera to focus on.

I have my control lever set for ISO. So I just need to pull it and use the control wheel on top to change ISO.

Basically any adjustment I need to make I can do on the fly. Perfect example. Bird is on the ground or in a tree and I am shooting it in one shot. It then takes off. All I need to do is put my thumb on the af-on button and I am in zone focus in ai servo.

This alone to me is a worthy upgrade.

I have the set button set for playback with 2x so if I need to review a shot I just use my thumb and get the image I want to see with using my right hand and only one button.

The extra speed is great as well. going from 7 or 8 to 10 fps may not seem like much but it is.

The high ISO performance is better as well. You will not get full frame quality but there is a definite improvement over my old 70d.

I would say that there is an improvement in IQ as well. Colors are better and I can crop more and keep sharpness in my shots. Check out my Flickr page. All shots taken from November 3rd and on were with the 7dii (they start at a Golden-crowned Kinglet). Prior to that was the 70d. I think there is a pretty major difference in quality between the 2. Others have noted it as well. All pics were processed the same way only in DPP so nothing has changed except the camera.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/120553232@N02/

If you have any other questions let me know and I would be happy to answer them.
 
Many thanks Isaac, very useful.

Egret - hoping to upgrade lens as well as camera body. Currently use a Canon 400/5.6 and a Tamron 150-600. Thinking of upgrading the Tammy to either the Sigma Sport 150-600, the new Canon 100-400 Mk2 (with x1.4 TC) or might stretch to a second-hand Canon 600/4 IS Mk1.

Any comments from anyone else on upgrading from a 70D or 7D Mk1 to a 7D Mk2 ?
 
At around 400mm I find the IQ of the Tammy is comparable to that of the Canon 400/5.6 (and the Canon 100-400 Mk1 zoom that I used to own). I bought the Tammy mainly for the extra reach (500-600mm).

After finding the Tammy was as good at 400mm as the 100-400, I sold the latter lens. The Tammy is my current "walkround" zoom, but I still use the Canon 400/5.6 prime for BIF.

The Tammy is fine up to around 500mm but gets a bit soft between 500 and 600mm.

So I am still on a quest for a decent lens at 600mm (or higher!).

I might consider the Sigma Sport 150-600 if the IQ at 600mm is much better than the Tammy. However, the Siggy is probably too heavy to use as a walkround lens (I think the Tammy is about as heavy as I want to go for a walkround zoom!). So If I got the Siggy (mainly for use at 500-600mm in hides etc), I might still keep the Tammy as a walkround zoom.

Alternatively, if my finances can stretch, I might go for a secondhand Canon 600 f4 IS Mk1. I know this is a big heavy lens, so it would be mainly for hide use with at least a monopod, or tripod/gimble setup. Of course, the Canon 600mm will also take a x1.4 or x2 TC to give me even more reach which would be great.

Currently shooting with a 70D but will probably upgrade to a 7D2 some time next year.

Decisions decisions....!
 
I under stand your thinking, there is little point in the tammy if it's soft after 400. It's all a question of waiting for reviews and images. I'm in the same boat I'm afraid I like walking and taking pictures. The 100-400 I might be the way to go but that's more expensive.
 
After having my doubts about the 7d2 i threw caution to the wind and treat myself to one along with the new 100-400 mk 2.
Only tried it out once last Sunday at the local wetlands centre Sungie Buloh and most of the day was spent dodging heavy thunder storms and sitting in hides away from the rain so light was a tad on the dark side.
Menu is a doddle if you are used to the 7d,only thing i cant make my mind up about is the case 1-6 in the af menu but suppose its just a case of suck it and see.
New 100-400 feels nice and solid but must admit i liked the pull-push of the old 100-400 as opposed to the twist zoom of the new lens,also dont like the brittle feel of the plastic hood or the plastic plate which shows when the tripod mount is removed but weight wise it feels really nice and balanced when mounted on the 7d2 body.AF is much quicker than the 7d and the 10 frames per second sounds very nice indeed.
Pics attached all jpeg as i have nothing with me to handle Raw files from the camera.
Stork wading 1/600 sec f5.6 iso 800

Scarlet Backed 1/200 sec f5.6 iso 800

Squirrel 1/320 sec f5.6 iso 2500

Croc 1/400 sec f5.6 iso 1600
Croc eye big crop of above,all shots various crops and sharpened in Elements 10.

Yes i do think it is a good upgrade on the 7d1 as i dont think i would have managed these high iso shots with it so pleased with purchase up till now,just awaiting some good light to see how it performs.

Cheers & Merry Xmas To All On BF
 

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Played with a 7D2 the other day, I am a 70D owner myself. Best built Crop body on the market, the 70D was not made to go where the 7d2 was. sensor quality and RAW with noise reduction turned off the to cameras are the exact same, maybe a titch better iso on the 7d2 but not noticeable unless you're pixel peeping. With the noise reduction turned on the 7d2 has better high iso, but its a software trick on the camera and you can do this yourself with an old version of photo elements yourself. Greatest gain from the focus for birds is using the intelligent tracking on the 7d2 for birds in flight. My problem with the 7d2 was for no reason in a burst of pictures it would take more soft focus shots than really on point sharp shots, the 70D has more sharp focus shots or it don't have the shot at all..this is for birds that are not moving much. Battery life with noise reduction is horrible on the 7d2, but with it off its ok. The 70d battery life is way better to me imo...this may be a firmware update need now though.

If it was me looking to upgrade from my 70d i would seriously consider moving to a full frame at the price. With full frame you will get serious native high iso performance with no tricks. When you have higher native iso you will get a load more usable images from a burst of 5-6 fps than you would from from a noise filled crop sensor at 10 fps, what is the use of the extra fps if they're crap. I am using a Tamron 150-600 now, awesome great lens without a doubt...at least for the money. But with the tammy you must shoot at f8 or f11 and on a cloudy day your iso will be jacked up or you must lower your shutter speed down, same goes with any long lens that does not cost an arm and a leg. So you're screwed no matter which way you go on the 70d or the 7d2 with reduction off. But with a full frame you will easily get those shots. I played around with the tammy on a Nikon D750 and a 5d3 body. Both were awesome, I think the D750 was just a bit better fit with the tammy though. You can find either one around $2200ish if you look hard enough and you will actually get a much better picture over your 70d from them for a few bucks more than the 7d2.

Depends on if you need the extra focal reach of a crop over full frame using a 600mm lens. Lots of people back in the day used to do this because 600mm was out of their league. The most we had were 400mm and those were from Canon alone, hence why lots of bird shooters are Canon users. Today we have the Tamron and two Sigmas at 600mm, very different choices for us birders than even a few years back and that means maybe we don't need the crop factor anymore, it depends on what birds you mostly shoot. i shot mostly small perching birds so i am good with a full frame and tammy. Still at the price of the 7d2 body you're knocking on full frames door so you may want to give those bodies a try. I Love the D750 because it has a crop mode if there are times you need a crop body.

I would try the 100-400 mk2 before spending the extra money on a body, you will get more of a possible upgrade with the lens before you do with a 7d2 over the 70D esp with a 600mm Canon prime.
 
I was not a big fan of the original 7D. i had one die on me in alaska while photographing grizzly bears. the af on it was spotty at best and the iso was only decent up to 800, maybe 1600.

i purchased a 7D2 and right out of the box it had focus issues (see the out of focus northern shoveler), so i sent it into canon. it was a 2.5 week turnaround, apparently i was the 1st person to send one in, and they had to wait on the tool from japan to fix it.

i got the camera back and am very happy w it. you can find it well below retail if you are in the US and i'll be more than happy to direct you to get one...from a retailer.

anyway attached is 1 before blurry pic and several after coming back from canon.
 

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I was not a big fan of the original 7D. i had one die on me in alaska while photographing grizzly bears. the af on it was spotty at best and the iso was only decent up to 800, maybe 1600.

i purchased a 7D2 and right out of the box it had focus issues (see the out of focus northern shoveler), so i sent it into canon. it was a 2.5 week turnaround, apparently i was the 1st person to send one in, and they had to wait on the tool from japan to fix it.

i got the camera back and am very happy w it. you can find it well below retail if you are in the US and i'll be more than happy to direct you to get one...from a retailer.

anyway attached is 1 before blurry pic and several after coming back from canon.

Hi, this is interesting - I may be having similar issues - were these taken with Canon lenses or other makes? ( and what length are they as the shorter lenses sometimes don't show up the forces issues quite so obviously)

Thanks, Graham
 
There is a microadjustment to fix focussing problems: mine was front focussing and added +12 and it did the trick.
Easy to perform a test, just look up stuff on the web about microadjisting the focus.
 
Mine has just gone back

I really think it is a worthwhile upgrade but focusing problems, determined by supplier to be known Mark II focus problem has meant that mine was just collected this morning with a new one shipping when they receive it back
(I have to commend Panamoz - so far, as they agreed fault immediately and just arranged collection and will send a replacement rather than try to get it adjusted and sent back).
I had tried load of MA and got just about acceptable results, lots of out of focus but a few keepers with 100-400 but on 400 I was getting huge variation with about 90% well out of focus whether handheld, on a tripod or monopod and even different results on MA value when doing test.
That said, I really like the tracking, the new joystick, AF when it worked and the silent shutter mode, what a difference when I went back to 7D Mark 1 yesterday.
On trying someone else's 7D Mark II and 100-400 Mark II with and without a Mark III 1.4 converter I was well impressed with results - so all change for me 400 lens is now sold with proceeds put towards new 100-400 Mark II which is on the way.

Hopefully after a holiday in Ghana in a few weeks I'll have some results to post.
 
I really think it is a worthwhile upgrade but focusing problems, determined by supplier to be known Mark II focus problem has meant that mine was just collected this morning with a new one shipping when they receive it back
(I have to commend Panamoz - so far, as they agreed fault immediately and just arranged collection and will send a replacement rather than try to get it adjusted and sent back).
I had tried load of MA and got just about acceptable results, lots of out of focus but a few keepers with 100-400 but on 400 I was getting huge variation with about 90% well out of focus whether handheld, on a tripod or monopod and even different results on MA value when doing test.
That said, I really like the tracking, the new joystick, AF when it worked and the silent shutter mode, what a difference when I went back to 7D Mark 1 yesterday.
On trying someone else's 7D Mark II and 100-400 Mark II with and without a Mark III 1.4 converter I was well impressed with results - so all change for me 400 lens is now sold with proceeds put towards new 100-400 Mark II which is on the way.

Hopefully after a holiday in Ghana in a few weeks I'll have some results to post.
That's good to hear that Panamoz agreed to swop the Camera out with no Hassle :t:.
While most folk appear to be well satisfied with the 7D2 I have no doubt that there are bad copies out there - I have seen numerous post by very good photographers who complained of soft images, returned the Camera and were well pleased with the replacement. Also, as you have experienced, several tried a friends copy and found it a lot better (this effectively rules out user error IMO).
As long as one has a good copy I would think that it is a very worthwhile upgrade from the MkI but it seems to me that you need to buy from a dealer who will readily swop it out if you get a lemon.
 
Hi all,

Quick update - I was getting focus issues and finally sent it back to Canon - They "Checked" the AF and to be honest its like a different camera, doing now what I expect it to do!! To be fair I've only tried it so far on my 100-400k 1 and my 70-200 F2.8 II but the results are MUCH better !!
When I get time I'll reconnect to my Siggie 300 2.8 and 500 4.5 and see what I get (They were both great lenses on my 7D Mk1 so I'm hoping for great things now!!

I'll keep you posted!

Graham
 
Nick, there are many reasons that the 7d2 is better.

The custom function settings are fantastic. I have my AF-ON button set for AI servo and zone focus (the zone I choose) and whatever autofocus case I want as well.

I have my AE lock button set for one shot and 1 focus point

I keep the camera on ai servo and one shot

So wherever my thumb or pointer finger goes I have immediate access to pretty much any shot I need to get.

The joystick I have set to move the focus point/zone. For instance a bird is facing right and I have my focus point set (so many and so much more sensitive than my old 70d by the way) to his eye. Then he turns left I can without taking my eye off of the bird just use my thumb and change where I want the camera to focus on.

I have my control lever set for ISO. So I just need to pull it and use the control wheel on top to change ISO.

[...]

If you have any other questions let me know and I would be happy to answer them.


Hi Hosesbroadbill!

If you hav a few minutes to spare - I'd be extremely grateful for a "menu-guide" how to set up the 7D2 the way you have. (Especially the AF-ON and AE-lock buttons) I just cant seem to figure out how to do that...

Kindly,
Eric
 
Hi Hosesbroadbill!

If you hav a few minutes to spare - I'd be extremely grateful for a "menu-guide" how to set up the 7D2 the way you have. (Especially the AF-ON and AE-lock buttons) I just cant seem to figure out how to do that...

Kindly,
Eric

Eric
You can download the PDF for EOS 7D MK II AF Settings Guidebook from the Canon website,its 50+ pages explaining all the different settings etc.
Cant understand why Canon did not include this in the box with the camera.
Good Luck and hope this helps.

Bob
 
I downloaded the AF manual even though I do not have the 7D2 (yet!). Its very similar to the 5D3 (which I do have) but with a few extra settings. I think for anyone coming from a 7D or any xxD it may look a bit daunting at first but When you take the time to go through each setting then it is all fairly easy to understand, you will soon work out which ones could be useful to you.
 
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