I had been thinking about getting a new camera for a while and today, while window-shopping in Jessops, I weakened, caved in and blew my savings on a Canon 7D, an 18 megapixel DSLR. I was happy with my 40D (and with my ancient 20D which was a backup camera) but I decided that I wanted something with better AF, especially as I also do wildlife photography, and with movie format. I've seen excellent DSLR movies on YouTube and, as a camcorder is also something I've wanted for a while, the 7D fit the bill. The 7D is also more robust, with a magnesium alloy body, instead of polycarbonate.
I looked at the 60D as well, which was released a couple of weeks ago but a couple of things, including the fact it takes SD cards rather than CF cards, made me spend another £300 on the 7D. I already have loads of CF cards, mostly 4GB and 8GB, although the couple of 2GB ones are no good with an 18MP camera so I'll sell these with the 20D.
I'm hoping to try it out properly over the next couple of days; so far just the cat and dogs have been (un)willing subjects. I've managed to figure out the AF system, which is more complicated - but miles better - than the 40D and I have discovered that, joy of joys, there is a grid you can switch on in the viewfinder, so no more wonky horizons! I had one in my old Nikon D80 before my switch to Canon but not in the 40D; if you wanted a viewfinder grid for the 40D, you had to buy one. The 7D also has an electronic level finder, which is activated via the Info button and appears on the screen.
I haven't had a chance to do much with it yet, except pet pics, but so far the results look good. I took a picture of our old Siamese cat in a fairly dark room at 6400 ISO and the noise is well-controlled and easily dealt with in Photoshop and Neat Image, another factor that made me want to get a new camera, as I take a lot of bird and animal pics in quite dark woods. The images at 6400 are a lot cleaner than those at 800 ISO in the 40D.
All I need now is a decent wide-angle lens, and maybe a 100-400mm lens, as the 70-200 is a bit too short when photographing ships in the eastern Solent between the Nab and the forts and the 400mm is too inflexible. I just need to replenish those savings first...
