Da Goddess

Remember how I just had my camera repaired? I got it back the day I left San Diego. Wanna guess what needs a little tune up already? Yeah.

The shutter’s lagging again. It has that same draggy feel it had before it conked out on me last time. Last night I shot a concert (about 1000 photos, which would have easily been more had the camera behaved) and I could see the lag after every freaking shot.

I so very much wanted to avoid having to invest in a new camera so soon, but it looks like I’m going to have to bite the bullet and just do it.

I have a couple sessions booked that require me to have working gear. I can’t have any surprises.

Really, as much as I was lusting after the new 7D, I thought it was at least a year off before I had to make that leap. Guess now the decision’s been made for me.

Sigh.

So why the 7D and not the 50D? Why not just another XTi or perhaps the XSi or the T1? Well, let me tell you why. It’s not easy to find a new XTi at a reasonable price these days. Used isn’t an option because of shutter wear and a few other issues. Plus, it was a great camera to learn on but it’s time to step it up. The XSi and the T1 are also in that DSLR starter range like the XTi. That’s not to say they aren’t capable of capturing some beautiful images, they’re just not right for me anymore. Not if I’m going to be working at the level I want to work. The XSi and the T1 also use different memory cards than I use at present. Not that I couldn’t buy new cards, but why? Why would I go that route? I need something more professional at this stage of the game.

Enter the 50D and the 7D. The 50D is a great camera. And I did consider it. However, after consulting an expert (that would be the fabulous Syl Arena of fame around these parts), I realized that as much as I hated to admit it, the video function on the 7D is a very useful feature. The 50D doesn’t have video. When I attended a seminar a few weeks ago, I saw exactly how that video function would work in conjunction with stills. I was suitably impressed. Is video worth the extra $500-600? Well, that’s not the only difference between the two cameras and not the main selling point. The performance of the 7D has rated very high in comparison to the big guns in Canon’s arsenal. For about $1000 LESS than the 5D Mark II (full frame sensor), I can get a camera that gives me a lot of bang for my buck. The 7D performs well according to all the reports I’ve read, and it offers some pretty sharp new color processing technology. Then there’s the whole shutter rating thing. The XTi and other entry level DSLRs just weren’t made to withstand the sort of shooting I do. The 7D is much hardier as far as shutter durability and the housing is weather- and dust-resistant. Yes, I’ve really been doing my research. I’m dead serious about making a sound investment.

The other great thing about the 7D is that all my current lenses are compatible with the APS-C size censor. And the memory cards are the same. Win, win, win all the way around, if you ask me.

Will the 7D make me a superstar photographer? No. Will it get me more jobs? Not necessarily. But it will make those sessions I do book look a hell of a lot better.

The XTi will shoot until it can shoot no more, which feels imminent. If I make the investment in the new camera now, I won’t be caught short when the XTi stalls. As long as it does work, I have a second body, too. It would be really nice to be able to not have to worry about changing lenses at an event.

Was buying a new camera what I expected to have to do at this point? No. As I said, I thought it would be at least another year before I got here. Unfortunately, reality says it’s time.

Fingers crossed that the current camera holds out long enough for me to get the new one. I have sessions coming up that need to go perfectly if I’m going to get where I need to go with this little business of mine.

Thanks again to Syl for the advice and for his time. A girl couldn’t ask for anything more.

Okay, maybe a BIGGER, tougher computer too. But that’s a separate worry for another day.