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| | Features | 18.0-megapixel CMOS Sensor and Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors for high image quality and speedBody only; lenses sold separatelyAdvanced HD movie mode with manual exposure control and selectable frame ratesIntelligent Viewfinder with 100 percent field of view; 19-point, all cross-type AF system equipped with dual diagonal cross-type sensorsCapture images to CF Card Type I and II, UDMA-compliant CF cards (not included)
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| | Description | Maximum resolution for any application.18.0 Megapixel CMOS Sensor and Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors for high image quality and speed.The EOS 7D features a Canon-designed 18.0 Megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor that captures such a high level of resolution it's easy to crop images for enlargement without concern of losing detail. A major factor in reducing noise, the CMOS sensor assures that images shot at highest sensitivity will be remarkably smooth. Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors ensure that images are captured, processed and saved with remarkable speed. The EOS 7D's ability to capture and process data of images shot at 18.0 Megapixels at 8 fps, as well as Face Detection Live Mode, Full HD video recording, Auto Lighting Optimizer and Lens Peripheral optimization are all possible thanks to the Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors.Low Light Excellence.ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 12,800) for shooting from bright to dim light.With a broad range of ISO settings, the EOS 7D enables shooting from daw... | |
| | Product Details | | Product Length: | 5.8 inches | | Product Width: | 4.4 inches | | Product Height: | 2.9 inches | | Product Weight: | 1.81 pounds | | Package Length: | 11.3 inches | | Package Width: | 8.8 inches | | Package Height: | 6.1 inches | | Package Weight: | 4.25 pounds | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 315 reviews |
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| | Customer Reviews | Average Customer Review: ( 315 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
372 of 376 found the following review helpful:
 A seriously capable and enjoyable camera. Dec 08, 2009
By Anthony Pantliano
"The Photo Guy"
The Canon EOS 7D is Canon's new semi-pro / enthusiast digital SLR and competes primarily with Nikon's recently updated D300s. It's a terrific SLR that shines in photo quality, control placement, speed, and viewfinder size and coverage.
First, let me tell you a little about myself so you can gauge what my expectations for the camera are. I'm strictly a hobbyist photographer and use my camera a couple of times a month at museums, outdoor parks, and vacations. Besides photos of my dog, my photography consists primarily of static subjects. This is my second SLR.
Enough of me, onto the camera. The 7D is a fairly bulky SLR and dwarfs "entry level" models such as the Olympus E-510 (see my photos), though it's no bigger than Nikon's D300s. With that said, it's not uncomfortably large and is easy enough to carry around all day. Build quality is terrific and the camera has a solid, luxury feel to it. The 7D fits very well into my average sized hands and, with the kit 28-135 lens, is nicely balanced. All the buttons are easy to reach and, if you've used a Canon camera before, easy to figure out. The magnesium body is sealed against moisture and dust. The shutter button is well placed and has a nicely defined halfway point. A control dial is on the back of the camera and behind the shutter button too. There is also a joystick-like toggle on the back of the camera as well.
A large (3") and high-resolution (920,000 pixel) screen is on the camera back with a secondary status LCD display on the top (with backlight). The screen is a pleasure to use when reviewing images for focus, and when manually focusing in magnified live view mode. Compared to the 3-inch 420,000-pixel screen on my Panasonic LX3 it's a definite upgrade, and makes a noticeable difference.
The viewfinder is huge and bright and has 100% coverage. Coming from the Olympus, which has a very cramped and tunnel-like viewfinder, it was a revelation, and was one of the reasons I decided to step up to the 7D. Also, by using a transmissive LCD on the viewfinder the only markings you see until you confirm focus are for the selected focus method (for instance, a single box when using one focus point, or brackets when using the auto select autofocus method). Moreover, a composition grid can be imposed on the viewfinder. The information display on the bottom of the viewfinder is large and bright and contains lots of shooting and camera information.
The camera is very responsive and turns on almost instantly. The sensor cleaning occurs when you turn the camera on or off but can be interrupted during power up. Focus speeds with the kit lens are very speedy, even in dim light (two 40 watt lamps and a television as the only light sources in a 17' x 11' room). The 19-point all cross type autofocus is uncanny at picking the correct subject. If it doesn't get it right the first time it will the second. I usually set all my cameras to center point autofocus, but the 7D does a great job picking out the subject, so I leave it on fully automatic mode. Live view focusing is not a quick, especially in low light, and I only use live view when I need to shoot at a weird angle and I can't shoot looking through the viewfinder. Live view can be used with a mirror flip or contrast detection. The contrast detection mode is fairly pokey, while the mirror flip mode is quicker, but introduces a brief break in the view. Continuous shooting is available in both a high and a low setting. High is 8 FPS, while the low speed is 3 FPS. The shutter sound is nicely subdued and not nearly as noisy as the Olympus' is.
Photo quality is terrific. There are various Picture Styles you can choose to alter the contrast, sharpness, color tone, and saturation of the photos. At any rate, 99% of the time, colors are natural, exposure is accurate, and dynamic range is great. At this level of camera, that's expected though. What I really love about the 7D is the high ISO noise, or lack thereof. The luxury of feeling confident while shooting at high ISO is priceless. I've taken a good number of shots as high as ISO 3200 and have no complaints. Of course there is a bit of noise, and the mushiness that noise reduction brings, but for an 18 MP image at ISO 3200, I have no complaints. The ISO speeds above 3200 are OK as well, but I'll reserve those for emergency use only, they get fairly processed looking. The relatively large APS-C sensor not only allows for low noise, but also allows me to produce nicely blurred backgrounds and great depth of field. I couldn't achieve the same degree of that effect with the smaller 4/3 sensor in the Olympus, and I certainly couldn't do it with my point and shoot cameras unless I was in macro mode. There is an Auto Lighting Optimizer feature that attempts to correct photos that are not correctly exposed (e.g. subjects are too dark or highlights are lost). It works well for the most part, but, depending on the subject, the differences are very subtle.
The HD movie mode is nicely done as well. You set your focus, either automatically or manually, before you start recording. You can refocus during recording but you'll definitely notice it. You can adjust shutter speed, aperture, and ISO in manual movie mode as well. There is a monaural microphone on the front of the camera, or you can plug in a stereo microphone. By pressing the shutter button, you can interrupt the movie briefly to take a still photo, similar to Canon's S series super zoom cameras.
The kit lens is nicely constructed and fairly sharp from corner to corner. Purple fringing is not much of a problem in my photos. The field of view is kind of narrow though. The lens starts at 44.8mm with the 7D's 1.6x field of view crop factor taken into account. Without a wide angle it's not an ideal all around lens, but I do feel it's worth the extra money for the kit with this lens. You end up getting a nice, ultrasonic motor, image stabilized, 4.8x lens for a minimal cost.
The only things I don't like about the camera so far are that in auto ISO you can't limit how high it goes. I find the 7D wants to jump up to ISO 3200 fairly quickly in low light when it doesn't need to go nearly that high. When it jumps to ISO 3200 I find I can dial it down to ISO 1600 manually and still get an acceptable shutter speed, so the Canon is being very cautious jumping up so high. The other thing I'm not fond of is the fact that when you're in playback mode the most you can zoom out is a 9-image grid. With such a large high-resolution screen I would appreciate an index grid playback mode that showed more photos. Lastly, I find the process for setting the custom white balance a bit long winded. You have to take a photo of a white reference object then go into the menus to choose that photo as the reference photo. On other cameras, even Canon's point and shoots, the process is much faster, and it doesn't save the reference photo to your memory card. It's not the worst system, and I have become very quick at it, but it could be better.
All in all... a phenomenal semi-pro SLR. The Canon 7D covers all the bases.
12/17/2009 Update: I found a nice case for the 7D which fits the camera with kit lens quite well. It doesn't fit much more than that, but it's a good case if you don't carry too many accessories with you. It's the Lowepro Topload Zoom case.Lowepro Topload Zoom 1 Camera Bag (Black)
12/19/2009 Update: You can change the depth of field preview button to switch to another autofocus mode when you hold it down, instead of doing a depth of field preview. I find this very useful since I hardly ever use depth of field preview. Now if I find that the autofocus is consistently not picking the right subject for a shot, I simply hold down the depth of field preview button to have it temporarily switch from auto select mode to spot focus mode. Very convenient.
01/04/2010 Update: Just got back from a trip to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The 7D was a joy to use. I took about 160 photographs. Of those only 4 or 5 are out of focus due to camera error. The low light performance continues to impress me. I took many photos at ISO 1600 through 3200 and all of the photos are completely usable. In the large "Sea Life" and "African Mammals" rooms I was able to take sharp pictures of these very dim rooms while shooting handheld at ISO 3200 and no flash (see pictures). Anyone who has visited these exhibits knows how challenging they can be to shoot.
10/20/2010 Update: I am still loving this camera. No problems to report. In fact, I was a little miffed when Canon introduced the 60D because it seemed like I could have saved some money by buying that, however, one of the students in my digital photography class bought one, and while it is a nice camera, the build quality and design are nowhere near the standards on the 7D. Still happy with my purchase.
04/05/2011 Update: Still no problems to report with the camera. I took it out after a recent snow storm when it was still flurrying and it survived just fine.
01/02/2012 Update: Still no problems to report with the 7D. I continue to recommend it.
P.S.: Sorry for the long review. There is a lot to cover, and even so I may not have gotten everything. If you'd like to know something I didn't cover, feel free to leave a comment and I'll answer it as quickly as I can. Also, I will update this review as needed based on any new experiences I have with the 7D.
1098 of 1134 found the following review helpful:
 Does the 7D beat full frame cameras? Oct 13, 2009
By Abdulrahman Aljabri
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 (8mm in shift is 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.
420 of 440 found the following review helpful:
Canon EOS 7D Oct 14, 2009
By Richard
Well after much deliberation between this and a 5d Mark II i decided to opt for the 7D and spend the extra I save on some nice wide angle lenses. First of all for anyone who is expecting a 1.6 crop camera's image quality to be better than the 5d mark ii you can forget it. The 5D mark ii is a full frame sensor camera and the 7D is a crop, different cameras for different purposes. I know three people who own a 5d mark II, wedding photographer, cinematographer and a landscape photographer. As you can tell, they all need wide angle and good low light performance. The 5D Mark II/other full frame cameras are targeted towards users with wide angle needs. So if you find yourself in a crowded room with little light during a wedding the EOS 7D may not be for you, less you put on a 10-22mm EFS lens which is the widest Canon Zoom Lens for a APS-C camera. (Or 8-15 F4L Fisheye).
Image Quality from this camera is amazing, I'll put up some pictures once it stops raining where I live. Detail is very good, and the 28-135 lens accommodates this cameras ability very nicely, however, starting off at 28mm will probably be too long for most people in everyday situations such as those for street photographers. Picking up a 17-55 2.8 lens will probably be highly recommended by many.
Build Quality is superb. This "tank" of a camera is no light weight and one of the first things you notice when you pick up the camera is the hefty feel you get. Very ergonomic grip and a robust feel all around. Don't expect to have it hanging around your next too long though. Weather seals are improved and you can notice that the area above the viewfinder is much larger thanks to a 100% coverage pentaprism.
Autofocusing, now I've read some issues about the 7D's new focusing system such as softness from auto zone focusing and I am also getting some mixed results with that as well, some images ranging from very soft to some being as sharp as single AF select. I will update later as I take it out for more situations. However, with that being said, the camera's autofocusing with the 28-135mm lens is very quiet, very fast and accurate for the most part especially with using the cameras single AF select mode.
Battery Life: still on the first charge off the box, taken about 500 test shots and a few seconds of 720p recording, battery life is about halfway.
ISO performance. Now here is where many have a bone to pick. I am not afraid to use high ISO as my prints rarely go beyond 11x14. More than often I found myself using nothing higher than ISO 1600 on my girlfriend's 500D/T1i. With the 7D I feel very comfortable using 3200 with about ISO 4000 being my cut off point, that's where the trade offs between detail and noise will become apparent and start to bother me.
Overall this camera is a very impressive and I'd give it a rating of about 90/100. It has alot to offer being a HD video DSLR. It'll provide many rebel users enough room to learn and grow. However, I cant stress enough that if you find yourself needing wide angle capabilities and low light performance, saving up for a full frame, it will definitely be worth the wait in the long run. In fact a few 5D Mark I cameras are available for cheaper than the 7D. Without a doubt this is one of the top crop cameras of the market right now. You won't regret buying this camera.
*Update* First of all, I've been using the wireless flash with a 430ex II for some portrait photography, it works fine and comes in very handy. Secondly, I've finally had a chance to customize all the settings of my camera, READ THE MANUAL! It's about 250 pages but you'll need to in order to make the most of your camera. Most of it is the usual, but because this camera offers so many different options, reading the latter pages is a must.
Firmware release 1.0.9 is out so dont forget to update if you still have 1.0.7.
For those of you still wondering if the 7D is worth the upgrade or worth buying over a full frame, keep in mind that Canon just release rebates for some EF and EF-S lenses including the 10-22 and 17-55 2.8; as well as some very popular L lenses. So for those of you debating between a 7D and Mark II, getting a kit and using the money saved for a wide angle will pretty much cover all the focal lengths you will really need.
376 of 395 found the following review helpful:
Should I Buy This Camera? Oct 15, 2009
By Gatorowl
I think this question is one that most of us ask ourselves when considering a purchase of this magnitude. The question is not an easy one, and I'm not sure I made the correct decision in purchasing this marvelous piece of technology. Let me put it in perspective; I am a prosumer camera user. I love photography and take a variety of photographs including family pictures, sports photography (see photos at smugmug for gatorowl), and casual street photography. I have owned lots of cameras including film, digital P&S and DSLRs. The 7D is my sixth DSLR (including a DReb XSI that I sold after two weeks). Before the 7D, my main camera was a 40D, which I found to be satisfactory especially the image quality (IQ). The negatives of the 40D are lack of weather sealing, 6.5 frames per second (fps) repeat rate, 1600 ISO max (can be pushed higher) and some focusing issues especially in sports photography. Of course, when comparing with the the DReb series, these "negatives" immediately become positives. The 40D has better construction, much faster repeat rate, and much better focussing (the T1i has, arguably better high ISO capabilities). The 40D compares well with the Nikon D90. Both cameras are very close. The D90 has video, better high ISO performance, and is a little more compact. However, it is a little slower in repeat rate, and I found selecting D90 focus points a bit on the clumsy side. Anyway, because of lens choices, I decided to go Canon. The 50D held no allure mainly because it was an incremental improvement. So, I thought my kit was set for at least a couple of years.
Notice that in the above discussion, I never talk about IQ. Of all the 10MP or better DSLRs that I have used, there is no noticeable difference in IQ. However, after the 7D announcement and some of the preliminary reviews, I was convinced that the 7D was a quantum improvement over the 40D in every respect. I panicked, sold my 40D and bought a 7D.
So, what did I find? The 7D is a great camera and is a clear improvement over the 40D. In some respects, it is substantially better than a 40D, but IQ isn't one of those major improvements. If you look at your files at 100%-300%, you will see more detail in a 7D shot. I have a standard photo that I take in my office when I get a new lens. I had to blow the photos up to 300% before I could detect differences. There was more texture detail in the 7D and the contrast and saturation were better. However, to be honest, it's not clear how much of this difference is attributable to the camera or the lenses (I shot the 40D with a Sigma 70-300mm and the 7D with a Canon 70-300mm IS lens). Frankly, I'm not surprised. DSLRs are so good right now, differences in IQ at low ISO are marginal. However, I do feel confident that I can shoot at 1600 ISO or 2000 ISO with the 7D without a substantial reduction in quality. While I can control noise at 3200 ISO, color saturation and contrast decline more than I like. With the 40D 800 ISO was as far as I wanted to go, but I would push it to 1000 when desperate. The 7D provides is a major ISO gain.
I really love the 7D focus system. I don't know if it is as good as the Canon 1D series, but it is so, so much better than the 40D. By focusing on the exact point in a field, I feel like my creative options are substantially expanded. I was frequently frustrated by having the wrong part of my picture in focus. This need never happen with the 7D.
The 8fps repeat rate is a nice bonus. It just raises the probability that the exact frame you want will be captured.
So, the question is should you upgrade? You have to decide whether you can afford it; so my advice assume that you can afford the camera, but are looking for the camera that best matches how you shoot.
If this is your first SLR (film or digital):
I'd recommend starting with a Canon T1i or Nikon 90D. The 7D is an extremely complex camera that will take many hours to learn and dozen of hours shooting to master. Unless you have the time to invest in such a camera it will just be a source of frustration. Unlike almost every other camera I've owned, the user will obtain disappointing or bad results unless s/he truly understands this equipment. By contrast, you can take other DSLRs and just start shooting. Unlike the other cameras, the 7D has no scene modes. With other DSLRs you can take your time and gradually learn the more sophisticated capabilities. Most importantly, the quality of your pictures will be just as good.
If you are moving up from an entry level DSLR:
You need to ask yourself why you are moving up? If you are dissatisfied with the IQ, then the 7D is not your answer. Using the 7D, it will take a lot more work (initially) to become proficient. However, if you need a faster framerate, better high ISO performance (although the T1i and D90 are very good for high ISO), long for a better focussing system, or shoot in the rain or the beach, then the 7D might make sense.
If you are moving up from a mid-level XXD or Nikon D300:
As before, you're getting very little IQ improvement (wildlife photographers claim they can use the extra cropping capability, but I'm not convinced it's substantial). Buy the 7D because the features provide you with value. Also, I would seriously discourage anyone from switching from a Nikon D300 to a 7D. There has to be an absolute must-have 7D feature for you to make that leap.
As for me, I don't regret this purchase. I'll never say never, but I'm hoping that the 7D will be my last crop-sensor camera. I love the flexibility and expansion of creative options that the new features allow me. It's a wonderful camera. I'm looking forward to spending many hours becoming intimately acquainted with its capabilities.
UPDATE: December 2010:
I guess one should never say, "never" since I've purchased (and sold) two crop-sensor cameras. Since writing this review, the major camera companies have released several cameras in the crop-sensor arena, so I thought that I'd update my review. In terms of best all-around crop-sensor camera, nothing released since the 7D beats Canon's offering. However, the more recent releases are in some cases marginally better than the 7D on certain dimensions.
I'll start with the T2i. It's a great little camera, which is virtually a twin to the T1i but with some updates. Whether these updates are significant depends on how you shoot. The two biggest improvements that the T2i has is its video and jPeg quality. The T2i has the 7D's 18MP sensor, so raw image quality should be virtually identical. However, the low-noise, high-ISO jpeg samples I've seen have been truly amazing. Canon has definitely improved the jPeg engine with this camera. Therefore, if you are on a budget and don't want to bother with raw, the T2i or its bigger sister, the 60D, are attractive choices. The T2i's video is comparable, if not better than the 7D's, so if you want video that is a nice improvement over the T1i, then the T2i is a good choice. The one major T2i flaw is the AF system. It is the same AF system as previous Rebel generations and is clearly inferior to the 7D. The lack of AF flexibility and accuracy on the T1i drove me crazy, so I sold my copy. There were too many missed shots, and I found that it just didn't work well as a backup. I fear that the T2i shares this flaw.
Which brings me to the 60D. Canon has positioned this camera as a replacement for the the 50D, but others have labeled it an upgrade for the Rebel series. I think that both views are correct. Compared to the 50D, the camera has a slightly slower continuous shooting rate, less metal construction, and no micro-lens AF adjustment, but it has video capabilities, a swivel LCD (great for video but also for taking still shots at odd angles). Compared to the T2i, it is bigger (similar in size to the 50D), has a more solid feel to it, much better AF (similar to the 50D but not as good as the 7d), and much faster continuous shooting. Personally, if I hadn't already purchased the 7D, I would be a 60D customer. It's IQ is similar to the 7D (jpeg, almost certainly better), and the AF is adequate for my needs.
This brings up the Nikon D7000, which is currently the rave. It is a D90 replacement and adds some nice improvements including weather sealing, much improved AF, 100 ISO (the D90 started at 200), micro-lens AF adjustment, enhanced video, improved IQ, and greater resolution (16MP). The IQ improvements is the feature that gets the most press. the D7000 most likely offers the best crop-sensor IQ available 2010-11. However, for most purposes, most of us won't notice the difference between pictures taken with comparable quality lenses from any of these camera. Where the D7000 shines is in the quality of noise in shadow and dark areas and in low-light shooting. The D7000 provides a greater capacity to "push" the shadows giving greater dynamic range to those who work in raw. And ISO 3200 shots retain noticeably more color and dynamic range with less noise than the Canons. While it's noticeable, the difference may require near pixel-peeper scrutiny to see. While these features are significantly improved, they are still not at the same level as the better full-frame cameras, but it is at a level that makes low-light shooting and dynamic range less of a reason to consider full frame.
Thus, for anyone with a significant investment in Canon lenses, there is no reason to switch. The 7D is still the best available crop sensor camera for Canon shooters, but the 60D is more than adequate for anyone who doesn't absolutely need the 7D's pro-level features. The T2i is great for anyone on a budget, but if you can stretch a bit, I'd recommend the 60D. You will be able to grow with it and will find little in it to frustrate you. It is a great all-around camera with very few compromises. E.g., I am yet to micro adjust my 7D for any of my lenses. I'm either very lucky or not that picky.
For someone starting out, the decision is harder. the D7000 is a fantastic update for anyone shooting Nikon's entry-level cameras, but it is not a must-do update for D90 users. The D90 is a great camera that still meets my needs and the D7000 improvements are nice but not essential unless one is shooting at a pro or semi-pro level. For a new user, the $1199 price is awfully high for a first camera, especially when there are so many good lower-priced alternatives (look elsewhere for reviews of NIkon's entry level offerings). If someone is an enthusiast and is trying to decide between the D7000 and the 7D, I think that the cameras are sufficiently close that the decision should be made based on lenses that you want to use. All in all, this is a great time to purchase a crop-sensor camera.
90 of 92 found the following review helpful:
Almost perfect advanced DSLR for Action Photography May 29, 2010
By Enche Tjin
Canon 7D is an advanced Canon EOS DSLR camera designed primarily for sports and action photography. EOS 7D is a step up (not replacement) of Canon 40D and 50D. It has similar body like 40D/50D but the buttons and switches has been repositioned for better accessibility.
There are plenty of improvements from 40D/50D line, such as improved image resolution (18 mp), better noise handling and latitude, full HD video recording, 8 fps continuous shooting and improved weather sealing.
Canon 7D weights 900 g or just 90 g heavier than 50D, and has exact dimension 148 x 111 x 74 mm (5.8 x 4.4 x 2.9 in) as 50D. It is make from magnesium alloy body which is lightweight and durable. Unlike entry level cameras, 7D is weather resistant.
Canon 7D has two main dials (one thumb dial and one round dial), an 8 ways joystick and plenty of dedicated buttons and switches. It has dedicated live view button for still or video recording. It also has Q menu, which enable you to see and change popular setting such as exposure compensation, image quality, etc.
7D also has camera mode dials which include full auto, creative auto (CA), P, Tv, Av, M, Bulb and three custom setting. There are no scene modes which are popular in entry level DSLR and compact cameras.
I find finding and changing setting in 7D is easy and fast. Maybe this is due because I used Canon 40D for about two years. If you are new to Canon advanced DSLR, it might take a while to get use to, but it will not be hard.
IMAGE QUALITY
Many cynics complain about Canon decision to increase its image resolution. Most photographers afraid that noise will be awful in images taken in high ISO setting. However, I found that this is not the case. Image quality and noise are excellent up to ISO 3200. ISO 6400 is very acceptable especially after you remove the color noise in software like Adobe Lightroom 3.
18 megapixel is great, however it has a couple consequences. First, the filesize is huge event in JPG. Average file size is around 10-15 megapixel (L quality). Second, it requires an excellent lens to take advantage of the resolution or to make it tack sharp.
18-135mm LENS
Unlike Canon full frame or APS sensor cameras, Canon 7D is compatible with any Canon EOS lens, including EF-S and EF lenses. In this review, I used Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS. This lens is quite good for walk around lens due to its focal length (equivalent to 28-216mm).
It is wide enough for to capture building, and long enough for candids). Image stabilization feature is helpful up to 3-4 stops. The lens does not have USM / Ultrasonic motor, so it produces a bit of noise when focusing. However, focusing speed is very good either for still or moving subjects.
Bokeh / out of focus rendition is soft and pleasing. It is much pleasing than regular 18-55mm VR kit lens. However, it depth of field is still quite large because of the sensor size and big maximum aperture.
To get a very sharp image and get full advantage of Canon 7D 18 mp sensor, better lenses are recommended, such as Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras or Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM UD Wide Angle Zoom Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras. Canon L series lenses are also recommended.
AUTO FOCUS PERFORMANCE
Canon has improved its auto focus system from 9 points (40D/50D line) to 19 points system. With the additional all cross type AF points, auto focus is fast and accurate. New to AF system is Zone system.
Zone AF is Automatic AF point selection, but restricted to a small cluster of AF points in the viewfinder. By grouping several AF points in a cluster, it become easier and more accurate in tracking fast and unpredictable moving subjects such as sport photography. In short, AF system are much better than Canon previous DSLR cameras.
To learn more about this auto focus sytem, Canon has provide a tutorial videos and descriptions.
There are plenty to like about Canon 7D
+ Many dedicated buttons, easy and fast to change settings
+ New AF system works very well, simple and customizable
+ Noise is very well controlled up to ISO 3200, 6400 is acceptable
+ Big and bright viewfinder with 100% coverage
+ Excellent 8 fps continuous shooting
+ Sound of the shutter click is soft, and low. (not "ka-ching")
+ Auto ISO works a lot more accurate than in 40D
+ New Quick Menu make reviewing or changing setting easier
+ 5 stops exposure compensation
On the other hand, these are what I don't like about 7D
- No Auto ISO limiter like in Nikon cameras or Canon EOS Rebel T2i 18 MP CMOS APS-C Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD (Body Only)
- Auto ISO is limited only to ISO 3200
- Relatively big and heavy
- No dedicated button for exposure compensation (you need to go to Q menu to change it)
- Auto focus in live view is a joke, it takes up to 3 seconds to lock focus
COMPETITORS
Nikon D300s 12MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
Nikon D300s is an arch rival of Canon 7D and the only one at this moment. It fell short in some areas such as image resolution (18 mp vs 12 mp), and video recording (full HD vs 720p). However, D300s has some unique feature such as 51 AF points and dual card slots (Compact and SD card).
CONCLUSION
I highly regard Canon EOS 7D as the almost perfect advanced camera today and it is quite hard to imagine what could still be improved in this camera. It has several downside such as Auto ISO is limited to 3200, and AF in live view is still very sluggish. Sports and action photographers will love this camera.
Subjective Rating - Relative to advanced DSLR cameras of 2010
Image Quality : 5/5
Features : 5/5
Performance : 5/5
Body and Handling : 4/5
Value for Money : 4/5
For image samples and ISO comparison, or other reviews, please visit my blog. You can find my blog address from my profile page. Thanks for reading.
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