7D 'Revealed'

[RobDickinson]

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canoneos7d/

http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?ci...

http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/E7D/E7DA.HTM

Well.

After reading the Dpreview preview and RG's text heres my thoughts.

The good.
Great IQ at low ISO, LCD, gadgets, AF system, movies, 100% viewfinder, build, configurability,Uber Spirit level...

The bad.
High ISO, but then its not THAT bad and certainly substantialy better than my 350D's, and honestly not to bad compared to the 5DmkII either.
Suspect tracking AF on fast moving subjects as configured. RG I think has a bug about this and isnt convinced himself, and its a beta body.

The worrying - 'harsh' images at mid ISO this possibly could be fixed in PP anyhow & possibly iffy fast tracking AF.

I'm liking this more than I thought. It seems to kick the crap out of the 1DmkIII for most things apart from 2 extra fps. Seriously our does the 1DmkIIn.

I'm due a new body next year I recon and it'll be this or the 5DmkII I think, I lust after FF but this has all the resolution I need and good low ISO perfomance plus great sports ability.

[jon-]

Just to everyone who laughed at me months ago - ha

So the tossup begins, (second hand) 1d MKIII or 7d. I'm off to read DP review

Edited by jon- on Tuesday 1st September 09:30

[curtisl]

Any speculation on pricing yet?

[RobDickinson]

No speculation, $1699 USD or £1699 GBP.

[curtisl]

So just shy of the 5D MkII.

I am still quite a bit short of this budget but has throw an alternative to the 5D. I think i will have a proper read up.

[jon-]

I've just finished reading the reviews and the 7d looks like a bit of a winner.

The built in flash controller is a big plus for strobists as previously we'd have to either buy a 580exII / ST2 to sit on camera or stump up for radio triggers which don't relay any TTL information.

8fps will be great for sports / wildlife shooting, as will the extra range from the 1.6 crop. Not so good depth of field for studio work though.

Nothing too conclusive about the high iso noise, but 18mp in a 1.6 crop is going to be messy. If it gets close to the 5d MKII I'll be impressed. I imagine once it's analysed properly there will be a lot of noise control softening the images.

So now the only real choice is full frame or not!

[Kermit power]

Gah!!!

What is it with the bloody video obsession???

If I had the slightest interest in filming video, I'd buy a camcorder. If I'm buying a stills camera, then I want every penny I spend on that camera to be buying me the ability to take better photographs, not being wasted on camcorder capability I'll never use.

[jon-]

Kermit power said:

Gah!!!

What is it with the bloody video obsession???

If I had the slightest interest in filming video, I'd buy a camcorder. If I'm buying a stills camera, then I want every penny I spend on that camera to be buying me the ability to take better photographs, not being wasted on camcorder capability I'll never use.

As video is purely software with a couple of extra buttons there's no point in not including it now.

[RobDickinson]

Kermit I'm sure the video side doesnt add more than a few quid in costs.

Mike socket a switch and some software (+ prehaps some chip space for compression).

[x5x3]

I may be the only one - but I am confused?

the 7D seems mightly close to the 5DMk2 (apart from full frame)?

I am a hobby type photographer who likes new toys - why would I go for the 7D over the 5D (I know it is slightly cheaper)

[jon-]

x5x3 said:

I may be the only one - but I am confused?

the 7D seems mightly close to the 5DMk2 (apart from full frame)?

I am a hobby type photographer who likes new toys - why would I go for the 7D over the 5D (I know it is slightly cheaper)

It depends entirely on what you want to shoot

Portrait / Studio work or landscapes you would pick the 5d mkII for the full frame sensor.

Sports / wildlife you would pick the 7d for the improved AF and added range the crop gives you.

[x5x3]

jon- said:

x5x3 said:

I may be the only one - but I am confused?

the 7D seems mightly close to the 5DMk2 (apart from full frame)?

I am a hobby type photographer who likes new toys - why would I go for the 7D over the 5D (I know it is slightly cheaper)

It depends entirely on what you want to shoot

Portrait / Studio work or landscapes you would pick the 5d mkII for the full frame sensor.

Sports / wildlife you would pick the 7d for the improved AF and added range the crop gives you.

I do a bit of all those except for studio work, I think I was trying to ask a more generic question - is there really a big enough market to support both these cameras?

[Murph7355]

Am also now wondering which to go for - 5dMkII or 7d. It would be good to get some real info on image noise.

Was really after a full frame sensor next to avoid the crop factor and get cleaner images. But the low frame rate on the 5dMkII isn't great - something I've made good use of on the 1dMkII I have. And the AF system could prove a hassle (the 1dMkII blitzes the more consumer end cameras in this respect).

Frame rate and the AF system on the 7d look great.

Pricing between the two is close enough too, to make the choice interesting. Could possibly use the difference to look into a better WA lens than I currently have...

I guess an alternative would be to wait a year until the 5dMkIII gets the AF and frame rate of the 7d...but whoever waited that long when awaiting a new toy!?

[neilus]

Prices here

[jon-]

x5x3 said:

jon- said:

x5x3 said:

I may be the only one - but I am confused?

the 7D seems mightly close to the 5DMk2 (apart from full frame)?

I am a hobby type photographer who likes new toys - why would I go for the 7D over the 5D (I know it is slightly cheaper)

It depends entirely on what you want to shoot

Portrait / Studio work or landscapes you would pick the 5d mkII for the full frame sensor.

Sports / wildlife you would pick the 7d for the improved AF and added range the crop gives you.

I do a bit of all those except for studio work, I think I was trying to ask a more generic question - is there really a big enough market to support both these cameras?

Canon have gone their usual route and segmented the market. If you want speed, 7d, if you want full frame 5d. If you want both, stump up for a 1d. Nikon have a much better approach imo, they generally build the best camera they can.

If they'd put the FPS and AF in the 5d they'd have killed the 1d. If they'd put the FF sensor in the 7d they'd have killed the 1d.

neilus said:

Prices here

£1699 as expected. Guess how much it is in America? Yep, $1699

[nick_bbb]

It will be interesting to see if the ungraded video software gets a firmware release to the 5D MKII.

Edited by nick_bbb on Wednesday 2nd September 10:16

[LukeBird]

jon- said:

If they'd put the FPS and AF in the 5d they'd have killed the 1d. If they'd put the FF sensor in the 7d they'd have killed the 1d.

True, but I guess they're giving some option in the segment that covers above the 50D and below the 1D.
I guess a low-end pro and very high-end amateur/enthusiast...
I for instance (if I considered upgrading my 40D)would go for the 7D over the 5D MkII, because I don't want to go FF and lose the use of my EF-S lenses and speed is probably more important to me than FF.
Hence if I wanted to go quicker than the 5D I would be stuck with the 1D, which I can't afford!

[jon-]

LukeBird said:

jon- said:

If they'd put the FPS and AF in the 5d they'd have killed the 1d. If they'd put the FF sensor in the 7d they'd have killed the 1d.

True, but I guess they're giving some option in the segment that covers above the 50D and below the 1D.
I guess a low-end pro and very high-end amateur/enthusiast...
I for instance (if I considered upgrading my 40D)would go for the 7D over the 5D MkII, because I don't want to go FF and lose the use of my EF-S lenses and speed is probably more important to me than FF.
Hence if I wanted to go quicker than the 5D I would be stuck with the 1D, which I can't afford!

Well, I like shooting wildlife so speed and AF leads me to the 7d. I also like shooting people and landscapes which leads me to the 5d. This leaves me with the 1ds.

If I was shooting Nikon I could just buy a d700 and be done with it. Canon segmentation makes me angry!

[RobDickinson]

jon- said:

If I was shooting Nikon I could just buy a d700 and be done with it. Canon segmentation makes me angry!

With the D700 you get a paltry 12mp though, & no video.

And the 40D was 95% of the D300 at 60% of the cost. The xxxD cameras tend to slaughter the nikon equivelants around the same price too.

If canon had put a 21mp ff sensor into the 7D it would be 1.5-2* the cost of the 5D & probably have to drop the frame rate a lot too.

Theres only so much budget the ticket price can buy, canon tend to build more specialised cameras as the price goes up, assuming that if your paying a lot for a camera (typicaly a pro) you have a more specific intended use for it.

Look at the 7D, it destroys the 1DmkIIn and pretty much crucifies the 1DmkIII bar 2 fps, yet you get 18mp and all the other toys, for less money.

Yet people are complaining!?!

[Simpo Two]

RobDickinson said:

With the D700 you get a paltry 12mp though, & no video.

Rob, my little Canon salesman :hug: you forget there are people out there who don't want more than 12Mp or video. There is more to photography than how many toys you can shoehorn into a box.