Canon EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-inch LCD and 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens,4.0 out of 5 stars Nice camera but definitely noisy, November 17, 2011

Help! I have been going blind trying to read ALL the reviews and discussions on the 7d. Not to mention I have probably shot 100's of photos with my new 7d vs my old 50d trying to see if there is really enough difference to justify the price. Blowing them up, changing the exposure. Shooting low and full light. Different colors subjects, it has been maddening. This was a big investment for me.

First, I would say that using this camera compared to the 50d could be compared to driving a Lexus vs. an old Camry. It definitely has the heated seats, the back supports and the nice radio etc. The controls are smooth and easy to use and the options are very nice and detailed. Way too much probably for any casual shooter. I have not had any focusing issues so far, even though I read this is a common problem. In fact, I now have a new respect for my 28-135mm lens that I was ready to trash that came with the 50d. On the 7d it is TACK sharp. I had even calibrated it for the 50d and still did not get results like the 7d straight out of the box. Honestly though, I have not really had time yet to put all the autofocus options to work. I like to be picky about which part of the photo is in focus, so I often just use the center sensor and then move frame the shot once focused. However, I shoot a lot of sports and I have yet to see how this thing tracks.

After many hours of test shots and reading online it comes down to this for me. Picture quality. Is the picture quality reeeaallllyy better than the 50d? Or even a much less expensive and older model Rebel? It may not be. And that my friends is the kicker. There is definitely noise even at ISO as low as 400. I can get this out with Adobe raw and/or slightly overexposing the image. But, do I really want to do this on a $1,500 body? IMHO, i think this issue will cause a lot of serious enthusiasts to switch to Nikon and I might have too if I didn't have a nice collection of Canon lenses already. I decided to keep the 7d so far and will be getting into my RAW and focus tracking testing this weekend. ( I have a real job you know) Honestly, if you don't need 8 frames per second, (which I do) I would go with the Rebel T3i and save a pocketful. I will update after the upcoming tests.