Used 1Dmk3 or new 7D, which is better choice?

[Jet Lim]

Take a look at my website and the answers are all there!!! Seriously..how can you compare 7D with 1DM3, they are worlds apart. 1DM3 for sure!!! I have sold away my 1DM3 recently for the 1DM4. I can tell you when I tested the 7D in one of the shop, the AF feels much slower than my 1DM3. For wildlife you really need fast AF not just fps. Get the pro series and you shall not regret. How do you think you are paying so much for the 1D series? There are many reasons behind it. The pricing are there for a reason. You are paying for quality product....sorry should be PRO camera.

 

[lightning]

Okay for me I use the 7D for the no so important assignments for the fun factor and light weight (purposely not wanting to get the grip), but for serious and important assignments I will only trust the 1D3 for AF accuracy. My 1D3 is more then 2 years old while the 7D is only 2mths old, but I still love the 1D3's image quality even at ISO 3200.

 

[LukaviZ]

i've handled a 1series cam for a few times and i've to say, it justifies it's price. AF accuracy and speed on the 1 series is in a class of it's own. built wise, there's no comparison. i've not done extensive ISO tests to be able to comment on that, but i always believe in sensor size and equivalently, pixel size; bigger sensor tends to mean cleaner images.

i believe ts won't go wrong with a 1series for what he needs ( sports etc.)

 

[dche5390]

Going to Afghanistan? 1D3
Typical suburbia? 7D

With the 7D, you can retain the use of all EF-S lenses. With the 1D3, only EF and with a 1.3x crop, some of your existing favourite FL's may go out of whack (eg, 50mm)

1D3 is awesome.
7D is equally awesome.

Having no money after buying camera, not so awesome, but the feeling is priceless.

Don't worry about noise and high-ISO. With a decent NR PP technique, there is no such thing as noise.

Ergonomically, the 1D series wins hands down (for me anyway).

It basically comes down to what you need vs what you want. Buy the best you can afford at the time so you don't have any regrest. What is best is of course relative and subjective.

 

[muvouser]

Is the 7D AF very far away from the 1Dmk3 in terms of performance?

Okay for me I use the 7D for the no so important assignments for the fun factor and light weight (purposely not wanting to get the grip), but for serious and important assignments I will only trust the 1D3 for AF accuracy. My 1D3 is more then 2 years old while the 7D is only 2mths old, but I still love the 1D3's image quality even at ISO 3200.

 

[TonyT]

Can any of the currently owner of 7D and 1D3 post acouple of test shots on high iso above 1600?
Thanks heaps in advance!

 

[rendition]

High ISO performance should not be a deciding factor when comparing 1DIII and 7D - it's priced over $6.5K simply not just for its ISO performance. But FWIW, I've learnt that noise performance is simply not about the amount of noise but the retention of details and this is something I see the 1DIII excels in. I happened to be at Night Safari last week and here's something for you to see, unedited with no NR at ISO6400, f/1.2, 1/25s and behind a glass.

I also brought my 5DII thinking that its high performance would give me better pictures but dang... it couldn't focus at all LOL. 1DIII just focussed and snapped at anything I point at, accurately & quickly.

100% crop can be found here - http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/5130/1d30129.jpg

 

[lightning]

High ISO performance should not be a deciding factor when comparing 1DIII and 7D - it's priced over $6.5K simply not just for its ISO performance. But FWIW, I've learnt that noise performance is simply not about the amount of noise but the retention of details and this is something I see the 1DIII excels in. I happened to be at Night Safari last week and here's something for you to see, unedited with no NR at ISO6400, f/1.2, 1/25s and behind a glass.

I also brought my 5DII thinking that its high performance would give me better pictures but dang... it couldn't focus at all LOL. 1DIII just focussed and snapped at anything I point at, accurately & quickly.

100% crop can be found here - http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/5130/1d30129.jpg

:thumbsup: Wow nice and clean ISO 6400. Well done:thumbsup:

 

[chalib]

High ISO performance should not be a deciding factor when comparing 1DIII and 7D - it's priced over $6.5K simply not just for its ISO performance. But FWIW, I've learnt that noise performance is simply not about the amount of noise but the retention of details and this is something I see the 1DIII excels in. I happened to be at Night Safari last week and here's something for you to see, unedited with no NR at ISO6400, f/1.2, 1/25s and behind a glass.

I also brought my 5DII thinking that its high performance would give me better pictures but dang... it couldn't focus at all LOL. 1DIII just focussed and snapped at anything I point at, accurately & quickly.

100% crop can be found here - http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/5130/1d30129.jpg

Well and correctly exposed is the answer

 

[TonyT]

High ISO performance should not be a deciding factor when comparing 1DIII and 7D - it's priced over $6.5K simply not just for its ISO performance. But FWIW, I've learnt that noise performance is simply not about the amount of noise but the retention of details and this is something I see the 1DIII excels in. I happened to be at Night Safari last week and here's something for you to see, unedited with no NR at ISO6400, f/1.2, 1/25s and behind a glass.

I also brought my 5DII thinking that its high performance would give me better pictures but dang... it couldn't focus at all LOL. 1DIII just focussed and snapped at anything I point at, accurately & quickly.

100% crop can be found here - http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/5130/1d30129.jpg

Truely amazing! Thanks for sharing.

 

[muvouser]

Lightning,

You have both the 7d and 1dmark3. Can you do us all a big favour and post side by side pictures of both cams shooting at high ISO?


Thanks!

 

[rendition]

ISO ISO ISO... LOL. Anyhow, here's a site you can visit, there you will see grey targets for comparison of noise levels from 1DIII, 1DIV, 7D and 5D Mark II.

 

[muvouser]

haha, dun laugh. I know ISO performance is not the main determinant of a "great picture", so do many others here.

But many of us here are engineers who have the habit of doing testing and comparisons. ;p

ISO ISO ISO... LOL. Anyhow, here's a site you can visit, there you will see grey targets for comparison of noise levels from 1DIII, 1DIV, 7D and 5D Mark II.

 

[lightning]

Lightning,

You have both the 7d and 1dmark3. Can you do us all a big favour and post side by side pictures of both cams shooting at high ISO?


Thanks!

I really wish to do that....But this mth is a mad mth for me with work and and my MEd course assignments....when things gets a bit more settled I will do some test. Sorry guys...I will do ISO 1600 - 6400 for comparison?

 

[TonyT]

I really wish to do that....But this mth is a mad mth for me with work and and my MEd course assignments....when things gets a bit more settled I will do some test. Sorry guys...I will do ISO 1600 - 6400 for comparison?

That'd be very much appreciated!

 

[hulkanaden]

Why not Get a 1D Mark 2 N, which is a 1D body and get lenses.. hehe..

 

[yrh0413]

Why not Get a 1D Mark 2 N, which is a 1D body and get lenses.. hehe..

not sure what is the answer for others; I did not choose the 1D2N because:
1. It does not have built-in sensor cleaning mechanism
2. Awkward press-and-hold operation

Coming from any EOS bodies, the 1D3 feels more like home for most people

 

[auden09]

ok here's my humble opinion on used camera bodies...

unlike lenses, camera bodies this days aren't build to last a long time. u may get the shutter replaced and all...but what about the chips and wirings? i dunno but i heard from someone that electrical wires and chips do wear out (is this true?). That's why a typical PC can only last you 5 years and then the memory and power starts to fade away even if you are still using the same program you used 5 years ago brand new. i don't know how true is this but one thing for sure is...digital stuff aren't build to last a long time. so while i may accept 2nd hand lenses, buying 2nd hand cameras is a big nono...i'd rather a brand new 7D over a used 1DIII anytime.

 

[yrh0413]

lenses have electronics, USM motors, and IS modules in them; their "durability" is more or less similar to camera bodies I would say

 

[lightning]

ok here's my humble opinion on used camera bodies...

unlike lenses, camera bodies this days aren't build to last a long time. u may get the shutter replaced and all...but what about the chips and wirings? i dunno but i heard from someone that electrical wires and chips do wear out (is this true?). That's why a typical PC can only last you 5 years and then the memory and power starts to fade away even if you are still using the same program you used 5 years ago brand new. i don't know how true is this but one thing for sure is...digital stuff aren't build to last a long time. so while i may accept 2nd hand lenses, buying 2nd hand cameras is a big nono...i'd rather a brand new 7D over a used 1DIII anytime.

the build of the 7D might even fail before the 2nd hand 1D3. They are of different class.