70d or 6d

[pmforester]

I have read tons of posts here and across the net.  I currently have an SL1 with an array of lenses both EF and EFS with a couple of L's.  I would like to add another camera to my bag and I'm considering one of the above.  Movies are not a priority.  I take travel, landscape and wildlife photography.  Which would be a better addition to my bag?  I'm also torn if waiting 6 months to save for a 5dM3 would be worth the effort.

Thanks for the help.

[Skirball]

According to the internet the 6D can't focus on anything that moves, and the 70D can't focus on anything at all, unless you use liveview.  Pick your poison.

I own a 6D and love it.  Fit's my needs as a photographer just fine; spectacular in low light, small size for a FF, recovery is amazing.  The AF system has some limitations, but I work around it without issue.  But I don't shoot sports.

If you want low light performance get a 6D.  If it's not particularly important to you get a 70D.  If you want low light performance with a great AF system wait for the 5d3.

[RobertTheFat]

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@Skirball wrote:

According to the internet the 6D can't focus on anything that moves, and the 70D can't focus on anything at all, unless you use liveview.  Pick your poison.

I own a 6D and love it.  Fit's my needs as a photographer just fine; spectacular in low light, small size for a FF, recovery is amazing.  The AF system has some limitations, but I work around it without issue.  But I don't shoot sports.

If you want low light performance get a 6D.  If it's not particularly important to you get a 70D.  If you want low light performance with a great AF system wait for the 5d3.

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And if you want to use all your lenses, as well as opt out of the 6D/70D autofocus whining, get a 7D. 

[ebiggs1]

+1   on the 7D.

[cale_kat]

The 7D is widely rumored to be replaced by a new, updated model in the coming months. The existing model is deeply discounted ($500 off) and a extremely good value. OTOH, when the updated model arrives it will bring with in changes that are worth knowing about before the OP buys. I'd hold off on the 7D purchase until at least after Photokina, a big industry trade in September.

The 70D is not a particularly good choice if you are NOT going to be shooting movies. The big value of dual-pixel autofocus technology is to improve live view and its ability to track focus while filming.

The 6D is an excellent choice for an advanced photographer. You will not be able to use your EF-S lenses and you will give up the longer DOF of the APS-C sensor, the generally lighter weight of EF-S lenses, and the "magnification" a smaller sensor offers in like-size prints. You will gain more creative control using shallow DOF with the larger sensor in the 6D.

[Skirball]

The new 7D, whenever it finally comes out, is most likely going to be in a whole new price category than the previous; much like they did with the 5d3.

OP: unless by "Wildlife" you mean shooting birds, there's little advantage in getting a 7D.  It offers very little over your SL1 for anything static or slowly moving.  Image quality and low light performance is about the same.  I'm not sure if you're looking for a backup camera or an upgrade.  But if you're going to upgrade you might as well make it a significant step.

[TCampbell]

A 7D would be a top performer for "action" photography... followed by the 70D.

The 6D will be a top performer in low light shooting high ISO with low noise.

The 6D cannot use "EF-S" lenses.

One (possibly annoying) feature of the 6D is that the GPS, if enabled, is drawing power at all times (including when the camera is powered off and put away.)  You either have to go into the menu system and disable the GPS before powering the camera off, or you can remove the battery from the camera after powering off.

If you fail to do one or the other the camera will most likely have a completely dead battery the next time you use it (it would be a good idea to pick up a spare battery.)

This is because the power switch on these cameras (pretty much any modern camera) is just a soft switch.  Canon indicates that they do this because a GPS takes a minute or two to get a position fix.  They don't want a situation where you're out shooting for the day, you switch off your camera... suddenly you see something interesting and switch it on... but since the GPS wouldn't have had time to get a fix, the images would have no GPS data (the camera can shoot immediately... you just don't get GPS data.)  So... they leave the GPS on.

[cale_kat]

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@Skirball wrote:

The new 7D, whenever it finally comes out, is most likely going to be in a whole new price category than the previous; much like they did with the 5d3.

Okay, but by "whenever it finally comes out" do you mean to suggest it is not imminent? Because there is every reason to believe that a successor is in the wings.

In 2005, the 5D was released with a body-only price of $3,299. In 2009, the 5D Mark II was release with a body-only price of $2,699. Obviously, "most likely" is not certain as Canon has dropped the price of updated bodies in the past.

The bottom line is that the market sets the prices. The market for cameras looks a lot different in 2014 than it did when the 7D was released in 2009.

OP: unless by "Wildlife" you mean shooting birds, there's little advantage in getting a 7D.  It offers very little over your SL1 for anything static or slowly moving.  Image quality and low light performance is about the same.  I'm not sure if you're looking for a backup camera or an upgrade.  But if you're going to upgrade you might as well make it a significant step.

Offen overlooked, but important to keep in mind are the following:

* Camera balance. The 7D weighs 810 grams and the SL1 weighs 407 grams, half as much. Typically longer lenses balance better on heavier bodies. Camera balance aids control and lessens fatigue.

* Parts, Options and Support. The 7D enjoys much wider support from the online community as well as much deeper support for accessories, etc. It has been an extremely popular camera especially among camera enthusiasts.

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[cale_kat]

Just checked the prices on refurbished 7Ds at the Canon store. Priced at $839 and change, the 7D is a very good value especially considering that low shutter counts and a 1 year warranty are the hallmarks of Canon shop value. If my experience buying the 5d2 refurbished last year is any indication, these prices will hold for a few months.

Linky http://shop.usa.canon.com/shop/en/catalog/cameras/refurbished-eos-digital-slr-cameras/eos-7d-body-re...

Put differently... the refurbished 6D body is priced at $1,519.20 (if available which it currently isn't) and considering the advanced autofocus system on the 7D, one would have to choose carefully. If your interest were primarily outdoor athletics and/or wildlife shooting, the 7D is the easy choice considering availability and pricing.

[Skirball]

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@cale_kat wrote:

Put differently... the refurbished 6D body is priced at $1,519.20 (if available which it currently isn't) and considering the advanced autofocus system on the 7D, one would have to choose carefully. If your interest were primarily outdoor athletics and/or wildlife shooting, the 7D is the easy choice considering availability and pricing.

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You can get a brand new 6D for $1600.  Even cheaper than that if you're willing to go to grey market (not that I am).

Regardless - I haven't followed these potential AF issues with the 70D.  But if I did and could convince myself that there isn't a problem, I'd much rather spend a little more for a new 70D than a refurbished 7D.  It can do just about everything the 7D can do, and many things it can't.  My point simply that it isn't an easy choice, different people have different needs.