Been out of the game looking to replace my 7D, whats worth the upgrade?

Looking to possibly get a new camera, below is what I have. I been out of the game for a while. Was looking at the 5D IV or something like that. How much of an improvement will that have over what I have? Are my lens still up to date, if not has their been a big improvement? Should I stay away from the EOS R. Or just sell it all for a Nikon D850 and build back up. Thanks for all the help.

Canon 7D

70-200 1:4 IS Lens

8-15 1:4L

24-105 1:4IS

Welcome to the forum!

The 5D IV will be an easy-to-learn camera body, with a largely-familiar control set, a familiar menu, and it will accept your familiar lenses. You have good lenses; nothing at all wrong with them.

The D850 will have higher resolution, and will be a bit more advanced. The controls will be different. The menu will be very different. You will need to buy new lenses, Nikon zoom and focusing rings move in opposite directions, than Canon zoom and focusing rings. One work-around is to buy Sigma zoom lenses, for your D850, as Sigma zoom rings work like Canon zoom rings. Or, of course, re-learn how to zoom, with Nikkors.

The 5D IV and D850 are, both, good cameras. I bought one of each, in 2018. Canon had been my primary system, and I had been adding pre-owned Nikon cameras, so my wife and I could share lenses. A financial boost in 2018 enabled me to buy new DSLRs for both systems. The D850 does not “blow away” the 5D IV.

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By accident of availability, I learned to use Canon and Nikon DSLRs at the same time. I love specific lenses made by both Canon and Nikon, too much to quit either system. Dabbling with Leica-M is fun, too. I am, certainly, not an expert.

How does the 5d IV compare to the EOS R?

promtber said:

Looking to possibly get a new camera, below is what I have. I been out of the game for a while. Was looking at the 5D IV or something like that. How much of an improvement will that have over what I have? Are my lens still up to date, if not has their been a big improvement? Should I stay away from the EOS R. Or just sell it all for a Nikon D850 and build back up. Thanks for all the help.

Canon 7D

70-200 1:4 IS Lens

8-15 1:4L

24-105 1:4IS

Click to expand...

EOS R/RF cameras are not ready for showtime yet, they are "Beta" versions at this point and time, IMO, although many may disagree with me! i'd invest in good "L" lenses if i was in your position. but here is the problem being in your position: you only have 3 lenses that are pretty good for daily uses! i'd stay put right now and seems like you are looking forward to R/RF cameras, i'd wait and see what happens in that front, i mean i wouldn't invest in DSLRs and EF lenses at this time, just stay put right now, IMO. YMMV. good luck

promtber said:

How does the 5d IV compare to the EOS R?

Click to expand...

The EOS R has some significant changes to the controls and ergonomics that I strongly dislike. I value ergonomics, and user interface, so immediately reached “full stop,” with the EOS R. There was no point in my trying to learn or remember anything further.

The 7D, 7D II, 5DS R, and 5D IV, are marvels of ergonomic engineering, at least for my hands. I hope that the presumptive 5D Mark V continues with the familiar ergonomics and controls.

There things I really do like about the RP, for the times I would feel a need for a compact camera body. The RP’s controls seem to have been designed by thoughtful people. I have no idea what happened during the design of the EOS R’s controls.

The EF-to-RF adapter, which allows filters to inserted into the adapter, does seem to be a “better mousetrap” for EF lenses that cannot accept filters screwed onto front threads. Perhaps I might buy an RP, specifically to try this adapter with my EF 14/2.8L II, or a future EF 11-24L?

Of course, ergonomics, and the control interface, are personal things, and I am a sample of one. Others’ preferences may vary.

--
By accident of availability, I learned to use Canon and Nikon DSLRs at the same time. I love specific lenses made by both Canon and Nikon, too much to quit either system. Dabbling with Leica-M is fun, too. I am, certainly, not an expert.

Keep the lenses. Not much to be gained by buying newer versions.

Canon mirrorless are not ready fully developed yet so hold off on buying one of them.

1. Keep using the 7D. It is still a great all around camera but it is especially good if you are using it for fast moving subjects such as horses or athletes.

2. Update to the 7D II. Same as above with a small increase in pixels and a small improvement in noise.

3. Change to a 6D II full frame lens. Small improvement in image quality and noise with 26M pixels. Increase in wide angle capability, loss of telephoto capability that can largely be recovered with cropping.

4. Change to a 5D IV or 5DS or 5DS R. Better sensors with 30Mp in 5D IV and 52Mp in 5DS or 5DS R.

I'v e been in exactly that situation. I have two 7D cameras, bought mainly for their capability in sports photography.

The next camera I got was the 1DX, followed by the 1DX Mark II. Had the 1DX not been damaged due to an accident, I wouldn't have had the Mark II. But I've later had the 1DX repaired, so now I have both. They work well together.

Just noticed didn't put in the last paragraph of my post. It should have been:

There is no wrong answer as to what you should do. The best answer is the option that gives you what you want, money saved or a more up to date camera that can produce images with better quality. Only you can decide which option is best for you.

I shoot with a 5dsr and the new R. I use the R with the RF 24 -105 lens, but I have also used it, with the Canon adapter, with my other Canon Lenses. I have no plans to purchase any other R lenses as I cannot use them on my 5dsr. I love the 50MG of the 5dsr, particularly if I want to crop a landscape shot. However the 30 MG of the R works very well for most shots. I am very familiar with the feel of Canon cameras as I also own and have used a Canon EOS 5 and 1ds iii. I took some time to adjust to the R, but now I really like it and have figured out a way to set it up that meets my shooting style. The one thing a really like about the Mirrorless camera is the ability to see the histogram in the view finder. Your lenses are all full frame L lenses and they will will work well with either camera. I would look at the the 5dsr if you want to upgrade to 50 mg or the R if 30 will do and, you want a smaller lighter camera. The R will have a learning curve if you switch from your 7D, bit it will not take long. I would not switch brands as you will have to replace all of your lenses and that will be very costly.

promtber said:

How does the 5d IV compare to the EOS R?

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If the EOS R had 2 Card slots, I'd trade my 5DMKIV in.

SO unless you need 2 card slots, EOS R....

RHWeber said:

I shoot with a 5dsr and the new R. I use the R with the RF 24 -105 lens, but I have also used it, with the Canon adapter, with my other Canon Lenses. I have no plans to purchase any other R lenses as I cannot use them on my 5dsr. I love the 50MG of the 5dsr, particularly if I want to crop a landscape shot. However the 30 MG of the R works very well for most shots. I am very familiar with the feel of Canon cameras as I also own and have used a Canon EOS 5 and 1ds iii. I took some time to adjust to the R, but now I really like it and have figured out a way to set it up that meets my shooting style. The one thing a really like about the Mirrorless camera is the ability to see the histogram in the view finder. Your lenses are all full frame L lenses and they will will work well with either camera. I would look at the the 5dsr if you want to upgrade to 50 mg or the R if 30 will do and, you want a smaller lighter camera. The R will have a learning curve if you switch from your 7D, bit it will not take long. I would not switch brands as you will have to replace all of your lenses and that will be very costly.

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if you change format, it is almost like changing brand, and by that i mean you need to use adapter to make your EF lenses workable with R cameras but not your RF lenses with your DSLRs. like they say...if it is not broke, don't fix it and DSLR is not broke,IMO! just because R cameras are small is not a good reason to move to ML format, me thinks. i know, people will bring up other reasons, but they are all lame ones, me thinks!

All of the original posters lenses are L lenses that will work on the R camera with the Canon adapter. My lenses focus very fast on the R. R lenses will not work on a regular canon DLR. The one real advantage that I like with the R is the ability to see the histogram in the view finder. I use it with exposure compensation to correct exposure on difficult lighting in some land scape images.

promtber said:

Looking to possibly get a new camera, below is what I have. I been out of the game for a while. Was looking at the 5D IV or something like that. How much of an improvement will that have over what I have? Are my lens still up to date, if not has their been a big improvement? Should I stay away from the EOS R. Or just sell it all for a Nikon D850 and build back up. Thanks for all the help.

Canon 7D

70-200 1:4 IS Lens

8-15 1:4L

24-105 1:4IS

Click to expand...

Yes, you should obviously stay away from the EOS R!

Why would you want to be happy with your camera?

I shot a wedding with a guy who was using Nikon gear a couple weekends ago. He kept complaining how it would front focus on objects behind the subject. LOL.

DSLR's are already dead. The EOS R is one of the best AF cameras on the planet if not the best.

But by all means, buy a D850. It's only twice the price of an R with no tangible benefit.

shawnphoto said:

Yes, you should obviously stay away from the EOS R!

Why would you want to be happy with your camera?

I shot a wedding with a guy who was using Nikon gear a couple weekends ago. He kept complaining how it would front focus on objects behind the subject. LOL.

DSLR's are already dead. The EOS R is one of the best AF cameras on the planet if not the best.

But by all means, buy a D850. It's only twice the price of an R with no tangible benefit.

Click to expand...

No material object should determine one’s happiness. ;-)

The newest generation of Nikon cameras can be AFFT’ed on-site, in seconds. (Nikon AFFT = Canon AFMA.) Of course, regardless, I would rather adjust AF before the shoot. I have encountered somewhat more need to AFFT Nikon DSLRS, than Canon, but largely, my SLR lenses focus well on my SLR cameras. Notably, my most-serious experience with a Canon missing focus was with an EOS M3, and its 22mm EOS-M lens, so it is not true that mirror-less ILCs are immune to focusing problems.

The EOS R, and Nikon Z6/Z7, do, indeed have some technical AF advantages over DSLRs, but these advantages are not yet applicable to all shooting situations, so, I would rather wait, until a future generation of the R or Z, for shooting something like a social event, in challenging lighting conditions. (I may, however, try an EOS RP, soon, simply because I like its control set, better that the EOS R, and the price point is attractively low.)

I can buy an EOS R, today, for $1999.99 US, and a D850, at the same seller, which sells at MAP pricing, for $2799.99. The D850 does not cost twice as much. ;-)

--
By accident of availability, I learned to use Canon and Nikon DSLRs at the same time. I love specific lenses made by both Canon and Nikon, too much to quit either system. Dabbling with Leica-M is fun, too. I am, certainly, not an expert.

This is hilarious but I guess is meant to be!

promtber said:

Looking to possibly get a new camera, below is what I have. I been out of the game for a while. Was looking at the 5D IV or something like that. How much of an improvement will that have over what I have? Are my lens still up to date, if not has their been a big improvement? Should I stay away from the EOS R. Or just sell it all for a Nikon D850 and build back up. Thanks for all the help.

Canon 7D

70-200 1:4 IS Lens

8-15 1:4L

24-105 1:4IS

Click to expand...

Your Canon EF lenses will work on any Canon EOS body. If you have any EF-S lenses, they will only work on Canon Crop Bodies.

If you move to a full frame body, you will get a wider field of view from your existing lenses.

Any current model Canon EOS body will have higher resolution and better quality than the 7D. Even the bottom of the line SL3 offers 24 megapixels.

The 5D IV is an excellent camera and a natural full frame successor to the 7D.

The 7D II is a nice upgrade from the 7D, but the resolution on the 7D II is a little low by today's standards. Depending on your shooting situation, the new 90D may be a good replacement for the 7D.

The 70-200 f/4 is a very good lens, and you don't need to replace it unless you want to the shallower depth of field of the 70-200 f/2.8

the 8-15 f4/L really shines on a full frame. At 8mm you get the full 180° circular fisheye effect.

The 24-105 f/4 has a reputation for being an OK lens. The version II is supposed to be better. The 24-70 f/2.8 is better.

Surprisingly, your lenses will likely seem a bit sharper on a full frame 5D4 or 6DII. The pixel density on these cameras is lower than your 7D. Thus it is not as demanding on the lens.