upgrade from 400d??? (1 Viewer)

[birdbrainer]

What should I go for? I have been recommended the 40d which now has the 60d model. Then out the other day, I was talking to a guy who was using a 1d for photographing a LEO. I was quite taken with it - but can't afford!! he recommended the 7d rather than the 60d.
What do all you good folks think? Please? Advice much appreciated. :t:

 

[micloi]

If you can afford the 7D then go for it.
If not then the 60D is a good camera or you could also go for a 2nd hand 50D

 

[Overread]

The 40D was upgraded to the 50D and then canon ended that line of upgrades. The line then spit into a higher end camera body, the 7D, and a camera body not quite as high as the 50D, the 60D. The result of this is that the 50D retains some features (build quality, micro focus adjust) that the 60D does not, whilst teh 60D also has some features that the 50D lacks (eg the LCD screen and possibly some other refinements).

It's a little messy, but in short the 60D is not the 50D upgrade - that domain is pretty much left now to the 7D. As Micloi says if you can the 7D is the ideal upgrade; its AF is streets ahead of everything else in the canon line below it; weathersealing; strong body construction and many other features as well as a good ISO improvement. (the 50D didn't make much upgrade in working ISO over the 40D; partly as a result of the increase in MP evening out the ISO improvements).

My advice (and the path I am taking right now) is if you can afford it the 7D is an ideal upgrade when paired with some good quality lenses; the 50D (second hand mostly now) as a step down from there.

 

[S Smith]

I had a look at your website, there are some good shots of birds and other wildlife there.
How do you feel limited by your current kit? What is your budget? Without knowing the answers to these questions, I would agree with what others have said: the 7D is a fantastic upgrade (I use one and love it), but the 50D is also worth considering (as long as you do not want video).
Steve

 

[birdbrainer]

thanks

Thanks for all the replies so far.
My 400d has been brill but sometimes recently I've found it slow! Occasionally
it actually seems to freeze whilst it saves to memory card and its not a slow card.
Thanks for your comments about the photos on my website, but I'm never happy always wanting better! I have a canon EF100-400 image stabilised zoom, with which I am well pleased. I've tried a jessops 2x converter on it but havent been that impressed.
I tend to use af mode mostly and am ashamed to say programme or full auto mode with the occasional A-depth. I really should learn to use the camera properly before I upgrade but I'm impatient!!!
I would like the option of video and want a live view with a good screen.
I've only really got into digital slr photography within the last couple of years.
My motto is right place, right time!!!
Any other comments most appreciated.

 

[HokkaidoStu]

I moved from a 400D to a 7D and would recommend you do the same. My wife just got a 60D (she wanted the moveable screen for her macro stuff) and whilst is is a big step up from the 400D too the 7D is better and not that much more expensive.

The 7D does have a more complicated set of controls and features than the 400D and can take a bit to get used to if you're coming from the xxxD series.

BTW if you want to do video teleconverters are great even with a 'slow' lens like the 100-400 (I use that lens too). Here are some examples I took with the 7D/100-400 and a 1.4 T/C.

 

[birdbrainer]

I moved from a 400D to a 7D and would recommend you do the same. My wife just got a 60D (she wanted the moveable screen for her macro stuff) and whilst is is a big step up from the 400D too the 7D is better and not that much more expensive.

The 7D does have a more complicated set of controls and features than the 400D and can take a bit to get used to if you're coming from the xxxD series.

BTW if you want to do video teleconverters are great even with a 'slow' lens like the 100-400 (I use that lens too). Here are some examples I took with the 7D/100-400 and a 1.4 T/C.

Thanks for that - had a look at your videos they are very good quality. Yes, I think I've decided on the 7D, but will have to save a bit more money but the wait will be worth it. Thanks very much for the reply.

 

[AndrewA]

Have you considered the 550D or new 600D. Both are a step up from your current model but retain the same basic function layout and body size. The downsides compared with the 7D would be overall build quality, AF module and burst rate.
Andrew