I don't buy gear very often. Basically, if my camera and lenses are meeting my needs creatively and technically, I don't have a driving need to replace them. Which is basically why I stuck with my 40Ds for the last 3 years: they did everything I asked of them and the 10 mpx files they generated were perfectly adequate for 90% of my shooting. For the other 10%, I would rent the camera I needed. Which is what I did when I shot the American Rottweiler Club's National Specialty Show in Greeley CO in 2010. I felt I needed more mpx and more fps and so I rented a 7D.

Well, that was clearly a mistake . I really liked that camera. And while my 40Ds were still more than adequate for studio work and the smaller shows I shoot throughout the year, I started yearning for those 7D files and that 8 fps shooting speed as I began to shoot more performance events. The fact that the value of the 40Ds was starting to wane also played a role but, finally a couple of weeks ago after I finished shooting two Herding Trials, I decided to sell the 40s and buy a 7D. This week, I completed the deal and yesterday, the 7D arrived at my doorstep.

It's a very nicely maintained, 4-month-old camera with virtually no wear which was used primarily as a film camera for a student in film school. Why is that good? Because the shutter stays open for video instead of the opening/closing action in still photography. In short, the camera looks and works as if it were brand new.

For the past day, I've been re-acquainting myself with the 7D and actually getting more familiar with some of the features I never used when I rented it last year. The focusing system is much more sophisticated than that of the XXD cameras and is taking some experimentation to find the right setup for what I'm shooting at the moment. Having said that, it's an awesome piece of equipment and I'm enjoying learning what it's all about. Here's a shot I took today in the yard while watching the puppies trying to escape from the Xpen. Yes, we still have an extra boy who goes to his new home tomorrow. The subject is one I've shot all Summer -- the Scarlett Passion Flowers blooming (still) in our yard. I hope you'll like it.



So, how do I like the camera so far? I love it. I'll need to test it out in studio situations but that's usually the least-demanding environment for my cameras. And I'm used to working with the files so I already have my RAW processing shortcuts in place. As I get more share-able shots this weekend, I'll share them.

Jim