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Reader Comments: 6D vs 7D Mark II

Posted by Snob on May 9, 2016
Posted in: Camera, Canon 7D Mark II, Reader Comments, Reviews. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

I just got this email from a reader asking for some thoughts on camera gear and her kit in general so i thought I’d share my thoughts with other readers.

I ran across your article on Canon 5D Mark III vs 7D. I’ve had 6D’s in the past and loved them but thought I’d try out the 7D Mark II because I was missing some of the action in sequence. I haven’t learned the camera yet for action and found myself missing the 6D for low light and landscape. I guess I’m just looking for encouragement that the 7D Mark II will handle the landscape shots just fine with the right lens. I have the following lenses:

  • EF 85mm f/1.8
  • EF 200mm f/2.8L II
  • EF 100mm f/2.8L macro

I doubt I will ever be able to afford the newest 100-400mm which I understand is the best with the 7D Mark II so I was thinking of trading it out for a 6D to
use with the lenses I have and save up for a nice wide angle for it. Decisions, decisions! I’ve had a 400 before, I’ve had the 70-200, I’ve had the Sigma 150-600mm, all were just too heavy and not convenient. I’ve had two 6D’s at one time and that was nice to shoot with a zoom on one and wide angle or macro on the other. I just got to the point where I felt I needed more.

Maybe the ideal set up for a poor gal is to have the 7D Mark II with a 6D but with that, I do not have the proper lens for action for the 7D. I guess what I’m hoping you can confirm is that the 7D Mark II can do it all….?

Thanks
Kim

2016_Canon7DMarkII

Canon 7D Mark II + EF 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM

Hi Kim:

Thanks for taking the time to write. First off I have to preface everything by saying the best camera is the one you already have. However with that said, it sounds to me like you are running up against the many shortcomings and compromises of the Canon 6D camera system.

The short version of this post is I would never consider owning a 6D body. I would pick the 7D Mark II over the 6D any day. The 6D is such a crippled and compromised camera system, it doesn’t make much sense to me except in very limited and specific scenarios such as landscape and still life. Of course if all I had was a 6D, I’m sure I would eventually get my shot no doubt, but it would probably be a frustrating experience. The 6D sprung from a perceived need for a “cheap and watered-down” full frame alternative to the 5D Mark III. This premise was already a red flag in my opinion. The 5D Mark III already made some compromises from the flagship 1Dx. I have found myself in situations before where I just dropped the 5D Mark III and picked up the 7D Mark II.

I think to better understand what choice is right for you, it is important to understand the Canon pro lineup. There are two flagship camera systems. One full frame and one APS-C crop sensor flagship body. These are the 1Dx Mark II and the 7D Mark II respectively. Both cameras make zero compromises. Everything else is a compromise. Both of these bodies, pack an abundance of speed, processing power, capacity and all the latest features available. For this reason, I will always pick the 7D Mark II since I don’t have the 1Dx Mark II.

I have used the 6D and it was definitely out of place in the Canon pro lineup. I found it very limiting. The 7D has the fastest most effective Auto Focus of the canon lineup. It is on par with the 1Dx Mark II. The 7D Mark II is blazing fast, has a brutally accurate and intelligent AF system, precise metering, and powerful dual DIGIC6 processor pixel pump. There is nothing you cannot shoot with the 7D Mark II. Nothing. This is not the case with any of the other full frame bodies (except for the 1D series).

There is far more to an effective camera system than a the sensor size and low light capability. Current APS-C sensor technology has caught up with and surpassed all professional requirements. When it comes to low light capabilities, the 7D Mark II puts out a respectable performance with usable shots as high as ISO-1600. Yes maybe the 6D puts out usable shots at ISO-3200 but here’s my problem both are too noisy for me anyway. So we are talking about ISO performance advantage where it really does not matter. The high ISO argument is really a moot point these days. I rarely shoot my 5D Mark III above ISO-1600, because I just can’t stand the noise however low it may be. Also more important than low light capability is the fact that at higher the ISO, dynamic range is decreased dramatically, regardless of whether it is a full frame or crop sensor.

As for low light performance, the 7D Mark II packs an unexpected capability. If you just crank up your ISO to 6400 or as high as you need to achieve a shutter speed 1/10th of a second or faster, then use in-camera HDR bracketing at full burst mode of 10 frames per second, the resulting HDR composition cancels out a lot of the noise. I ran into this while shooting an extremely low light wedding reception in which my 5D Mark III just could not acquire focus or keep a fast enough shutter. The 7D Mark II saved the day. It seems counter intuitive, but it does in fact work in real world practice.

Finally as far as landscape photography is concerned, all you need is the right lens for the 7D Mark II. I swear by the Canon EF 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens. It is tack sharp and lightning fast. It has also dropped in price since I bought mine. You can find one for well under $1000. I’ve seen people selling theirs for a little as $500. This lens is so good, there has been no need to revise it. It is perhaps the most underappreciated lens in the Canon lens lineup. This should be the first lens any 7D kit should have. Here are some examples of what you can expect as far as landscape photography with this 7D Mark II combination:

Did someone say you can’t do landscape photography with a 7D Mark II?? They are just lazy. Have them call me. I could go on-and-on. As for shooting action shots, I haven’t yet posted about that but if you take a look at my Instagram [@bryanallo] you will find numerous examples of what the 7D Mark II is capable of.

I hope this helps. Keep me posted on your photography journey.

Thanks Kim and all the best.

How To: Photography along the California coastline.

Posted by Snob on May 28, 2015
Posted in: Reader Comments, Reviews, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , . 2 Comments
2014_Clifornia_Coast

Somewhere along the California coast – Canon 5D Mark III + Tokina AT-X 16-28mm f/2.8 PRO FX. Settings: 16mm, f/8, 1/400 second, ISO-100.

I just got this email asking for suggestions on how to approach photography along the California coastline and thought I’d put a quick blog post together.

Got another rookie question for you. I’ve taken many photos of the California coastline but none have been exceptional. I’m going to do a lot of experimenting this time ( we leave for Big Sur on Friday).

Where should I start. Long exposure using an ND filter? Where do I focus if I want some of the closer rocks to show up well defined? I know it depends on what time of day but let’s just say mid-day. Sorry to keep bugging you but sometimes I don’t know where to start from. There are many turnouts with great vistas. I’d like to nail just one of them.

I bought a polarizer filter for all my lenses and they help for some shots.

I also bought that Manfrotto tripod you suggested and like it. Easy to set up and take down. Looks like a winner. Thanks for the tip.

~Mike

Hi Mike, here’s how I would approach the California coast. I will keep things simple and straight forward so you can also focus on enjoying your trip and not racking your brain when you should be soaking it all in.

  1. Keep your camera in Aperture Priority (AV) mode, AWB and open your aperture to it’s widest (f/2.8). I believe you are using the Canon Rebel T5i and EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM. A great camera system.
  2. Keep your ISO as low as possible (ISO-100) throughout the daytime if your shutter starts to slow down to where you cannot get a steady shot at sunset or in the shade, go ahead and bump it up to ISO-400 and ISO-800 if necessary.
  3. Always shoot high quality RAW + JPEG at all times. Memory is cheap and should not be an excuse not to. High quality JPEG will enable you to proof your images properly while on the road. Pack enough memory cards. I always carry at least 150GB of cards but 50GB should more than satisfy your needs, if you download at the end of the day.
  4. Start off by looking for your shot. Shoot wide open and fast checking your composition. Pull over wherever you find the view inspiring. Walk around a little and explore. Take quick candid shots always looking for an interesting subject. Take time to scan the scene through the view finder. Walk down to the shore if you can. Walk along the beach and take in the views and keep taking quick shots, looking for composition.
  5. Keep in mind that while lighting may not be ideal when you find a good view you’d like to capture, you can always make a note of the location and return around sunset or earlier in the day when the sun is at a better angle relative to your position.
  6. When you do find a shot you want to explore further, take out your Tripod and setup to give it a proper treatment.
  7. Still in AV mode, stop your aperture down to f/13, drop back to ISO-100, turn IS off, switch to Manual Focus, use live view mode and zoom in to make sure your focus is where you want it. Focus on a subject between your foreground and background. Stopping your aperture will increase your depth of field. If you don’t have enough of your scene in focus, you can stop your aperture down to f/16. I try to avoid stopping my aperture all the way as most lenses will exhibit some light diffraction. Take several shots along the way and review.
  8. Use an ND4 filter to further slow your shutter if the aperture is still letting in too much light. 1/3rd of a second should be enough to soften the water on the rocks. If you absolutely want to turn the water to silk you will need a 10-stop filter, but that’s another topic for discussion.
  9. Use a circular polarizer to cut out harsh glare or overbearing haze, especially when shooting water surfaces from above, unless of course the reflections add character to the shot.
  10. I like to shoot each scene several different ways: fast shutter, wide open. Slow shutter at various apertures, say f/8, f/11, f/13, f/16. This enables much more creative freedom in post processing when you get back home. I will also take brackets of the scene especially if there is a lot of contrast. Start with +/-3 in daylight, drop down to +/-2 through sunset and +/-1 after sunset or under moonlight.
  11. While you’re at it, take a few panoramic sets before you pack up and move on to your next shot. For panorama shots step back and zoom in to 55mm (avoid going wider than 35mm) and shoot your frames with at least 30-50% overlap. Use live view again to eyeball your overlap.
  12. Before you pack up and move on, reset your camera to AV, f/2.8, IS on, AF on.

I hope this helps. Let me know if I missed anything. I look forward to seeing shots from your trip.