Digital Cameras Reviews

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Canon EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3 inch LCD Body Only

Made to be the tool of choice for serious photographers and semi-professionals, the EOS 7D features an all-new 18.0 Megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor and Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors, capturing tremendous images at up to ISO 12800 and speeds of up to 8 fps. The EOS 7D has a new all cross-type 19-point AF system with improved AI Servo AF subject tracking and user-selectable AF area selection modes for sharp focus no matter the situation. The EOS 7D’s Intelligent Viewfinder, an entirely newly-designed technology, provides 100% coverage and displays user-selected AF modes as well as a spot metering circle and on demand grid lines. New iFCL Metering with 63-zone dual-layer metering system uses both focus and color information to provide accurate exposure even in difficult lighting. The EOS 7D also captures Full HD video at 30p (29.97 fps), 24p (23.976 fps) and 25p with an array of manual controls, including manual exposure during movie shooting and ISO speed selection. The EOS 7D features a magnesium alloy body that is dust- and weather-resistant and shutter durability of up to 150,000 cycles. Compatible with over 60 EF and EF-S lenses as well as with EOS System accessories, the creative opportunities – not just with stills but also with video – are beyond amazement. Intelligent Viewfinder with 100% field of view, wide viewing angle of 29.4 , high magnification of 1.0, intelligent viewfinder with glass pentaprism and an overlaid LCD display in viewfinder supports various shooting styles Image Sensor – CMOS sensor 18.0 megapixels Image Sensor Size – 22.3 x 14.9 mm (APS-C size) Media – CF Card Type I and II, UDMA-compliant CF cards, via external media Monitor – 3.0 TFT LCD monitor Viewfinder Type – Eye-level pentaprism Live View Functions – Still photo shooting & video Recording Image Type – Still – JPEG, RAW (14-bit, Canon original), sRAW, mRAW, RAW+JPEG; Video – MOV (Image data –

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Canon’s Newest Crop SLR Packs a Powerful Punch
I’ve had the Canon 7D for about two weeks now and after about a thousand shots:

Introduction. A very impressive high megapixel count for Canon’s new professional/consumer digital SLR, but keep in mind that, as you approach higher resolutions, you need to ensure the lens on the SLR can resolve that much detail. Being that I only purchased the body, I’ll be anxious to see how the lens kit fairs with this new camera. The shots I’ve seen so far across the internet are impressive, however. The lens I’ve used with this camera so far is my Canon 24-70 f/2.8L. A huge jump in ISO performance over my XSi, but that’s to be expected. I’m having troubles with focusing, but I’ll touch on that in a minute.

Image Quality. Outstanding. Perfect Colors in comparison to my Canon G10 and XSi. No color banding, excellent sharpness.

ISO. Canon 7D’s ISO performance is great for the amateur photographer attempting to get great photos (and the semi-pros who know what their doing…I’m the former). As I said previously, I had the opportunity to take photos in a restaurant at about the same time using the same lens with both the XSi and the 7D (different days). The difference in quality and keeper rate was amazing! I am one that will stop shooting at a higher ISO once the grain starts showing more predominantly, but at an ISO3200, I found pretty nice photos in a barely lit restaurant. The LCD screen is the same as the Canon 5D Mark II (3″, 920K Pixels), clear and fully visible even in bright sunlight. In comparison, the Canon XSi SLR also has a 3″ LCD, but with 230,000 pixels.

Size/Build. This build of the camera is substantially well made. It’s supposed to be made of a magnesium body and weather proof. Either way, I have no fears of taking this camera out in the elements. It’s more substantial than the XSi, and after only a few hours of shooting with the 7D, picking up the XSi felt like a children’s toy. I have small hands (ms_ladi hands), but still have no problems carrying the 7D body with the 24-70 lens.

Video. I am not interested whatsoever in the video aspect of SLR cameras and can never understand why this feature is included. Well, yes I can understand. I tried out the video for a few minutes and here are a couple of things I did not like. I also searched a few forums and found a couple of the same opinions. When I start shooting, I have to focus prior to shooting, but if I pan somewhere else, the camera won’t focus again–did I do something wrong???? Also, while I was taking snapshots during shooting, the video paused and the sound of the picture taking was heard. Since I’m not a fan of shooting on cameras, I’m not sure this is normal. The playback, however, is pretty amazing…lifelike, very realistic colors.

Autofocusing. Canon’s new 7D packs 19 AF points. I didn’t include this first because I’m still not sure if this is my lens, or my inability to learn the camera to the best of my ability. Although I’m getting excellent pictures, I fear I’m having problems with autofocusing. I point, shoot and the photo is blurry. The same picture with my Canon G10 comes out fine. After a few more attempts–concentrated, adjust, adjust, focus, focus, manual focus, manual focus, shoot (!!), the photo comes out well. I took a picture of a decorative frame and a photo. The shot came out with the frame in focus and the photo not (!!). Odd. Anyway, again, this is just an initial review as the elements are the user, the camera, and the lens.

Conclusion. For the price, the new Canon 7D is the most excellent camera that Canon has released. For the amateur like myself, by itself or coupled with a Canon G10 for the “low-pro” times, one has a one-two power combination. For the semi-pro, this is the probably the best crop to date. The camera is intuitive enough for those new to photography to pick and learn easily, yet configurable enough for advanced amateurs.

5 Stars Does the 7D beat full frame cameras?
No, but it’s so good that one starts to contemplate this question, which was never the case before the 7D was introduced. Both systems, crop and full frame, have their pros and cons and place in photography. But before I get into that let me say I have not been as excited about a camera since the introduction of the 5D MK I four years ago. That’s because the 7D raises the crop camera bar to the point where crop users will not feel at a disadvantage to full frame camera users, especially if coupled with awesome ef-s lenses such as the 17-55 f2.8.

How so? The 7D sets a new standard in four major ways.

1. It produces whopping 18MP pictures, which are just 3MP shy of the current top of the line full frame Canon cameras. Just few years ago most pros were producing stellar results using the 1Ds MKII 16MP camera. Now you have more MPs in a crop sensor, that’s a major achievement. This achievement translates into bigger prints and, perhaps more importantly, cropping power. Out shooting wildlife with a 300mm instead of 400mm? You can crop the 7D files down to 50% of their original file size and still obtain sharp pictures. It’s just not that easy with the 1D MK III 10MP files.

2. Many worried that extra MPs in small crop sensors would translate into nosier pictures, but the amazing thing is that this camera produces images with what seems to be less noise than the 1Ds MKII. The noise level is very good. At ISO 1600 I still prefer pictures coming from my 5D MKII, but below ISO1600 they are very close. Frankly, I can go with either camera because most of my professionally shot portraits and product pictures are shot at ISO100. At ISO100 both produce very clean files and are practically indistinguishable.

3. Focus is the one area that was lacking on the previous 1.6 crop Canon cameras and this camera changes that. It’s not a 1D in focus speed and accuracy, but it’s the next best thing compared to them. It’s faster than the Canon 5D MKII, which is known to be slightly faster or around the focus performance range of the 50D and 40D.

4. The drive chain is fast, so fast it’s beyond anything I needed in my professional work in portrait, commercial, and product photography. Going through pictures taken at 8fps produces very little difference from frame to frame. One probably has to shoot a very fast moving subject/object to see the advantage of such fast drive system.

There are obviously many other things that I have not covered in this review. But based on the above, all I can say is that this camera has really raised the bar for all cameras and made it much more affordable to obtain a professional level camera for all types of photography. If you were considering buying the 5D MKII as an upgrade give this camera a test because it might be all you need.

As for the advantages of crop cameras I always find it odd that casual users who shoot many things but focus on landscape think they need a full frame to realize their potential. Crop cameras such as the 7D and 50D are fine for most users and offer many advantages including:

1. greater depth of field at lower aperture for landscape photography

2. greater tilt and shift effect because of sensor size relative to effect (8 degrees in shift are greater in effect relative to a 22mm sensor compared to a 35mm sensor)

3. greater magnification with micro lenses and extension tubes because of smaller sensor (1:1 in full frame equals 35mm, 1:1 in crop equals 22mm)

4. smaller lighter lenses with wider aperture that achieve greater reach (such as the 17-55 2.8 vs the 24-70 2.8 similar reach but much lighter and smaller)

Traditionally the three areas full frame cameras outshine crop cameras are a bigger brighter viewfinder, shallower depth of field for portrait photography, and better ISO performance, which on the last point the 7D has proven not be an issue anymore.

And for the second point really, most beautiful low depth of field portraits are done around f2.8-2.0 in full frame (going wider will make depth of field too narrow to place two eyes in focus). Hence, if one is using a wide prime, a crop sensor will produce the same depth of field at 2.0-1.4. Considering an affordable 50mm f1.4 lens on crop has the same field of view as 85mm lens on full frame there is really no reason to discount a crop camera any more as the 7D levels the playing field.

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