Keep my 450d for 2 yrs then get 7d m2 or get used 60d now to hold be over? is it worth it

[gnutodd]

I want to upgrade my 450d and what I really want is the canon 7d mark 2 when (if) it comes out.  I will not be able to afford it for a while so I was thinking about getting something used for now to hold me over.  I want something that shoots video.  would the 60d be a good choice.  I can pick it up used for about $500.  Is it worth it or are them some other choices I should be looking at?  

[TCampbell]

How is your 450D holding out for you?

I used to own a T1i (500D).  I wanted a 5D II, but was told that the 5D III was going to be out in a few months and that I should wait.  I waited.   A few months later, the rumor was those previous rumors weren't reliable but NEW rumors were that it would be out within 6 months.  I waited again.  This repeated until I had waited about 2 full years for a camera that was always about to release in "a few months".

I finally bought the 5D II (actually my other half bought it for me as a birthday gift since he knew I had wanted it and had been waiting quite a while.)  And of course... Canon released the 5D III right after that.  

If your current camera is meeting your needs and you do not technically need a new camera, then you may as well wait (but if and when it releases, nobody will sell it for less than list price.)  

If your current camera is not meeting your needs, then you should buy the 60D and get a 7D II later ... and this might give you the option of waiting for price pressure to ease -- perhaps take advantage of a sale or rebate offer.

A 60D will be quite a noticeable upgrade in performance and functionality over a 450D.

[gnutodd]

Thanks Tim.  My 450d is still in really great shape and works for most things.  There are two main reasons im looking.  My 450d's ISO only goes to 1600 and it does not shoot video.  I have been reading a lot and watching a lot of videos about the fundamentals of photography and am really starting to get into it.  I know my camera has all the basic functions i need but I cant help it, I WANT MORE.  After reading your reply I'm thinking of maybe just getting the used 7d now and see what happens.  I can spend the extra $250 to get a used 7d for under $800.  Im trying to figure out if  it would be worth it to spend a little more to get the 7d over the 60d.

[TCampbell]

If what you really ant is video, then I'd be loooking at the 70D -- which is probably the most advanced camera for video due to it's new on-sensor focusing system.

The 70D also has the same 19 point all cross-type AF system that the 7D has, and is only 1 fps (frame per second) slower in continuous burst mode than the 7D (the 7D can do 8 fps, the 70D does 7 fps).  

The sensor resolution and ISO performance in the 60D vs 7D are nearly identical.  Both cameras have the same video modes with respect to video resolution and framerate.  BUT... the 60D has the ability to do manual audio control and the 7D does not (and this is a big deal, btw) and the 60D has the articulated LCD screen and the 7D does not (less of a big deal but video shooters really like that articulated display.)  

When things get quiet, the auto gain control on most cameras will kick into high-gear thinking maybe the audio is just so quiet that it needs to crank up the gain.  This results in you hearing that background hum or white-noise.  On the 60D you can set the audio gain by doing some quick audio tests before you shoot and then just keep it there.  When it gets quiet because people aren't speaking... you wont hear that background hum because the camera wont crank up the gain on you (you could let it do that if you wanted... but on the 60D you have more control.)

The 60D came out after the 7D and whereas the 7D is mostly optimized for high-speed shooting of action photography, the 60D got some refinements in the video department and is a little better at video than a 7D.

The 70D, on the other hand, blows the doors off both cameras.  If what you want is video and you can afford a 70D, that's one of the best cameras on the market because of it's great continuous auto-focus performance that really stands above what pretty much any other DSLR on the market can deliver at this time.

[gnutodd]

Thanks for the info.  I dont know how serious i will be about the video,  i just find myself wishing i had it sometimes.  I know it could be useful.  I have looked into the 70d.  I really like it.  I guess i am trying to find something to hold me over until the 7d mark 2 comes out that wont break the bank.  I am expecting the 7d mark 2 to have a lot of the updated features that the 70d has.  I think if I got the 70d now I would regret not waiting for the new 7d.  I know it will have a much bigger price tag. That why i may need to wait a couple years.  I think if i got a really good deal on a used 60d i could wait a year or two and get something new.  i really want to start shooting with something other than my 450d.

Thanks again for all your input, i really appreciate it.