Is anyone successfully mixing full frame and crop?

Vertigo

Vertigo

Vertigo

Soldato
Joined
28 Dec 2003
Posts
16,497
So I added a 5D3 to my 7D and 40D a couple of months ago.

I decided to keep the existing two bodies for a few reasons. I need two bodies in certain circumstances, such as when shooting weddings, so needed to keep at least one of them. I couldn't really sell the 7D and keep the 40D but the 40D just isn't worth selling as it's worth so little and more valuable as a backup. I also thought that there would be situations where the increased "reach" offered by the crop of the 7D would still be useful and possibly also the slightly faster frame rate.

I've done two shoots since then which have really got me thinking. First was a trip to the Mach Loop in Wales. I was really in two minds about which body to use here so took both. I figured the 7D might be in its element here with the increased reach and frame rate. In the end I took a few shots with the 7D then switched to the 5D3 and didn't look back. I used a 1.4x on my 70-200 to compensate for some of the reach lost relative to the crop and found it perfectly fine.

Second was a wedding a few weeks ago where I spent the entire day with both the 5D3 and 7D on me. I took over 2300 images with the 5D3 and less than 80 with the 7D!

I'm now wondering if there's any point keeping crop cameras. With the quality of images the 5D3 produces I really don't feel like using the 7D most of the time. It's weird but I almost feel like I'm betraying it because it's served me so well over the last few years.

I'm wondering if anyone else here has both full frame and crop bodies and still uses the latter regularly?

Of course I still need two bodies but I'm contemplating selling both the 7D and 40D, together with my 15-85, and using the proceeds to buy a 6D as a second body, thus going completely full frame. I'm aware of the limitations of the 6D relative to the 5D3 but frankly the situations in which I need to use two bodies don't require both of them to have amazing AF and so on. There are also the benefits of the 6D over the 5D3 such as Wifi which might be useful now and then.

Does this sound logical or should I hang onto the 7D? Interested to hear any opinions.
 
I was in the same situation....I was loath to get shot of the 7D because I loved how it handled, after getting the 5D3 and seeing the results (especially at high ISO's) whilst maintaining the handling of the 7D I passed the 7D on to my brother as I'd rather he had it and used it than it sit in my cupboard.
 
As you have the 5D3 a backup 7D doesn't seem logical imo. If you'd had a 6D instead then i'd say it would make more sense (higher FPS + AF system) but as it stands not so much.

7D's seems to go for around £500 and the 40D around £180 so you're not far off your 6D :)
 
al4x said:
For most of the stuff I enjoy doing the best crop makes the most sense
Click to expand...

Well crops in general often give you more "pixels per duck" and are thus often preferred by those shooting from very long range, such as bird and wildlife photographers.
 
Vertigo1 said:
Well crops in general often give you more "pixels per duck" and are thus often preferred by those shooting from very long range, such as bird and wildlife photographers.
Click to expand...

Yeah Tbh I don't see myself needing to go to full frame

I mainly like
macro
Wild life
Night time
Architecture

Only architecture Really benefits
 
Nice to know my cash went on something worthwhile, not booze and women. Seriously though, the 10-22mm has found a good home, it's a really nice copy and I've already got several really sharp landscapes with it :-)
 
Glad you like it, I was rather fond of it.

Haven't actually used the proceeds yet but they'll be going towards a Sigma 35 at some point in the not-too-distant :)
 
Vertigo1 said:
more "pixels per duck"
Click to expand...

:D Great way to put it!


I've got a 5D and a 40D, but most of the time I just use the 5D. The 40D just tends to come out for the occasional airshow. I keep contemplating selling it, but then think I'd be without a camera if anything happened to the 5D.
 
I use them interchangeably all the time. I'd miss my crop if I didn't have it as it gives me more flexibility with my lenses. My 17-40 on a crop makes a nice walkabout lens, for example.
 
I recently got a D800 and although it is a fantastic camera I am thinking of selling it and getting a D7100 instead. When I mount my 300mm f/4 with 1.4xTC you really notice how small birds are in the VF compared with my crop cameras. Yes I can crop down to get the same size and pixels as the D7000 but A) that is a big waste of money, B) the d7100 will put far more pixels over the same bird and give far better feather detail for a lot less money. Originally I was hoping to buy a 500mm f/4 before too long but my finances are a little uncertain now.

Furthermore, the advantage of crop cameras with good AF system is the AF points cover almost all the frame. The D7100 in 1.2x crop mode has AF points into the furthest corners. All FF cameras suffer from AF points being centered, however many points they have.


On the flip side the images I get with the 24-70 are fantastic, although the sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 largely mitigates the difference. The shallow DoF is actually a hindrance more than a bend for my style of shoot, I tend to end up stopping down a lot.



I did enjoy using the D800 with 24-70mm and D7000 with 85mm f/1.8 at a recent aid event. Was a good combo and the crop gave needed reach while remaining small. The crop images easily stood up to the FF images. Funnily enough the DoF was much shallower on the crop camera because I shot it at f/1.8 to f/2 at 85mm at similar or closer distances (getting head shots) while the FF was shot at f/4.0 to f/5.6 and smaller at wider angles to give group and couple photos.
 
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Been running a 5D2 and 7D (60D Backup) for a few years now, usually with a 35mm f1.4 on FF and 85mm f1.4 on crop. More than happy with the results I'm getting from the pair together.
 
I've been using a 7D alongside a 1Ds2 for a few years now. They are both getting a bit old! I'll use the 7D when I want a more speed (fps and handling) or a smaller body to carry around.

I'm thinking of selling the 7D though and putting the money towards a Tamron 150-600...
 
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