Canon’s X0D series was, for many years, essentially the default choice for keen enthusiasts, professionals and aspiring-professionals who wanted top-level image quality and functionality without the bulk (or price) of a pro-level camera such as the 1D series. The 10D, 20D and 30D were hugely successful and popular cameras, and you didn’t have to spend long shooting with them to understand why. However, like every other sector of the DSLR market, there are some very competitive rivals, in terms of both price and features. Cameras such as Sony’s A700 and Nikon’s D200 and 300 have meant the most recent X0D EOSs have been held to higher standards and have found it a little harder to stand-out.
Which brings us to the 7D, a camera that seems determined to wrestle back the king of APS-C crown. At first glance it looks a lot like the EOS 50D – it’s unmistakably a member of the EOS family – but a closer look shows that this is far from being the gentle refresh that we’re used to seeing in this range. And indeed, this is intended as big brother to the 50D, rather than as a replacement for it.
For a start, the camera is built around a new 18MP sensor, but the thing you’re likely to notice before you even fire a shot is the impressive new viewfinder. 1.0X magnification and 100% coverage offers a noticeable improvement over the 0.95X, 95% finder in the EOS 50D and puts the camera on the same footing as the D300S (Its 0.94X finder ends up essentially the same size, once the focal length multiplier effect of its fractionally larger sensor is taken into account).
However, the 7D isn’t just a 50D with a new sensor, viewfinder and revised body – other headline changes include a new AF system with a dedicated processor, dual Digic 4 processors and a new shutter mechanism to allow 8fps continuous shooting, and the ability to control groups of external flashguns using its built-in flash. However, the updates extend beyond these big-feature changes to include a variety of tweaks, refinements and additions. Make no mistake, Canon wants to be the default choice again.
Key features
- 18MP APS-C CMOS sensor
- 8 frames per second continuous shooting
- 1080p HD video recording with manual controls
- 3.0 inch Clear View II LCD screen with 920,000 dots
- 19-point AF system (all cross-type)
- 1.0x magnification and 100% coverage viewfinder
- Wireless flash control
- Environmental sealing
Canon EOS 7D Specifications
| List price (body only) |
• US: $1699 • EU: €1649 |
|---|---|
| Price (With 18-135mm kit lens) | • US: $1,899 • EU: TBC |
| Body material | Magnesium alloy |
| Sensor * | • 22.3 x 14.9 mm CMOS sensor • RGB Color Filter Array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter (with self-cleaning unit) • 19 million total pixels • 18 million effective pixels • 3:2 aspect ratio |
| Image processor * | Dual DIGIC 4 |
| A/D conversion | 14 bit |
| Image Sizes ( Still) * | RAW • 5184 x 3456 • 3888 x 2592 • 2592 x 1728 JPEG • 5184 x 3456 • 3456 x 2304 • 2592 x 1728 |
| Image Sizes (Movie) | 1920 x 1080 (29.97, 25, 23.976 fps) 1280 x 720 (59.94, 50 fps) 640 x 480 (59.94, 50 fps) |
| File formats (Still) | • JPEG (EXIF 2.21) – Fine / Normal • RAW • M-RAW • S-RAW • RAW + JPEG • M-RAW + JPEG • S-RAW + JPEG |
| File formats (Movie) | MOV (Video: H.264, Sound: Linear PCM) |
| Lenses | • Canon EF / EF-S lens mount • 1.6x field of view crop |
| Dust reduction | • EOS integrated cleaning system with fluorine coating • Self-cleaning sensor unit (filter in front of sensor vibrates at high frequency at start-up and shutdown – can be disabled) • Dust Delete Data – Data from a test shot is used to ‘map’ dust spots and can be later removed using Canon DPP Software |
| Auto focus* | • TTL-CT-SIR CMOS sensor • 19 cross-type AF points (f/2.8 at centre) • Center point additionally sensitive with lenses of F2.8 or faster • AF working range: -0.5 – 18 EV (at 23°C, ISO 100) |
| Focus modes | • One shot AF • AI Servo AF • AI Focus AF • Manual focus |
| AF point selection | • Auto : 19 point • Manual : Single point/ Spot/ AF point Expansion/ Zone |
| AF Lock | Locked when shutter button is pressed half way in One Shot AF mode or AF-ON button is pressed |
| Predictive AF | • Up to 8 m |
| AF assist | • Stroboscopic flash |
| AF microadjust | • +/- 20 steps • Adjust all lenses by same amount/individually adjust up to 20 lenses |
| Metering* | • TTL full aperture metering with 63 zone Dual Layer SPC • Metering range: EV 1 – 20 EV |
| Metering modes* | • Evaluative metering (linked to all AF points) • Partial (9.4% at center) • Spot metering (approx. 2.3% at center) • Center-weighted average |
| AE lock | • Auto: One Shot AF with evaluative metering • Manual: AE lock button |
| Exposure compensation* | • +/-5.0 EV • 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments |
| Exposure bracketing | • +/- 2.0 EV • 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments |
| Sensitivity * | • Auto ISO (100-3200) • ISO 100-6400 in 0.3 or 1.0 EV increments • H (12800) expansion |
| Shutter | • Focal-plane shutter • 30 – 1/8000 sec • 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments • Flash X-Sync: 1/250 sec • Bulb |
| Aperture values | • 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments • Actual aperture range depends on lens used |
| White balance | • Auto • Daylight • Shade • Cloudy • Tungsten • White Fluorescent light • Flash • Custom • Kelvin (2500 – 10000 K in 100 K steps) |
| WB bracketing | • +/-3 levels • 3 images • Blue / Amber or Magenta / Green bias |
| WB shift | • Blue (-9) To Amber (+9) • Magenta (-9) to Green (+9) |
| Picture style | • Standard • Portrait • Landscape • Neutral • Faithful • Monochrome • User def. 1 • User def. 2 • User def. 3 |
| Custom image parameters | • Sharpness: 0 to 7 • Contrast: -4 to +4 • Saturation: -4 to +4 • Color tone: -4 to +4 • B&W filter: N, Ye, Or, R, Gvan • B&W tone: N, S, B, P, G |
| Image processing | • Highlight tone priority • Auto lighting optimizer (4 settings) • Long exposure noise reduction • High ISO noise reduction (4 settings) • Auto correction of lens peripheral illumination (vignetting) |
| Color space | • sRGB • Adobe RGB |
| Viewfinder * | • Eye-level pentaprism • 100% frame coverage • Approx. 1.0x maginification • Eyepoint: 22 mm • Fixed screen (Transmissive LCD screen) • Dioptric adjustment: -3.0 to +1.0 diopter |
| Mirror | • Quick-return half mirror (transmission:reflection ratio 40:60) • Mirror lock-up (once or multiple exposures) |
| Viewfinder info * | • AF points • Focus confirmation light • Shutter speed • Aperture value • ISO speed (always displayed) • AE lock • Exposure level/compensation • Spot metering circle • Exposure warning • AEB. • Flash ready • High-speed sync • FE lock • Flash exposure compensation • Red-eye reduction light • White balance correction • CF card information • Monochrome shooting • Maximum burst (2 digit display) • Highlight tone priority (D+) • Grid • Dual Axis Electronic level |
| LCD monitor | • 3.0 ” TFT LCD • 920,000 pixels • 100% coverage • 160 ° viewing angle • Coating : Anti-reflection and Solid Structure |
| LCD Live view | • Live TTL display of scene from CMOS image sensor • 100% frame coverage • 30 fps frame rate • Real-time evaluative metering using CMOS image sensor • Best view or exposure simulation • Silent mode • Grid optional (x2) • Magnify optional (5x or 10x at AF point) • Three AF modes – Live mode/Quick mode/Face Detection • Histogram • Remote live view using EOS Utility 2.0 (via USB or WiFi/Ethernet using WFT) |
| Record review | • Off • On (histogram via INFO button) • Display mode same as last used Play mode |
| Playback modes | 1. Single image with exposure, file number, storage slot 2. As 1 but also image count and quality 3. Detailed exposure information, thumbnail and luminance histogram 4. Less detailed exposure info., thumbnail, luminance and RGB histograms |
| Playback features | • Optional blinking highlight alert • Optional AF point display • Magnified view (up to 1.5x – 10x) • 2×2 or 3×3 thumbnail index • Delete / Protect |
| Flash* | • Auto pop-up E-TTL II auto flash • FOV coverage up to15 mm (27 mm equiv.) • Guide number approx 12 m (ISO 100) • Cycle time approx. 3 sec • Flash compensation +/-3.0 EV in 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments • X-Sync: 1/250 sec |
| External flash | • E-TTL II auto flash with EX-series Speedlites • Wireless multi-flash support • PC Sync |
| Shooting modes * | • Auto • Creative auto • Program AE (P) • Shutter priority AE (Tv) • Aperture priority AE (Av) • Manual (M) Stills and Movie • Custom settings 1 • Custom settings 2 • Custom settings 3 |
| Drive modes | • Single • High-speed continuous • Low-speed continuous • Self-timer: 2sec + remote, 10sec + remote |
| Burst buffer * | Approx. 8 fps (speed maintained for up to 126 JPEGs (with UDMA card), 15 images (RAW)) |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| Auto rotation | • On (recorded and LCD display) • On (recorded only) • Off |
| Custom functions * | 27 Custom Fubctions with 70 settings |
| Menu languages | • English • German • French • Dutch • Danish • Portuguese • Finnish • Italian • Norwegian • Swedish • Spanish • Greek • Russian • Polish • Czech • Hungarian • Romanian • Ukrainian • Turkish • Arabic • Thai • Simplified Chinese • Traditional Chinese • Korean • Japanese |
| Firmware | User upgradable |
| Portrait grip | • Optional BG-E7 Battery Grip • Optional WFT-E5 Wireless File Transfer Grip |
| Connectivity | • USB 2.0 Hi-Speed • Video output (PAL/ NTSC) • HDMI connector • N3 type wired remote control • PC Sync flash terminal • External microphone (Stereo mini jack) • Communication terminal on base for WFT-E5 |
| Storage | • Compact Flash Type I or II • Supports UDMA and Microdrive cards • External storage via optional WFT-E5 |
| Power | • Lithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery (supplied & charger) • CR1616 Lithium battery (date/time backup) • Optional AC adapter |
| Wireless connectivity (optional WFT-E5) |
• Mounts on base of camera and also acts as vertical grip • Has its own BP-511A battery • Wireless 802.11b / 802.11g • Wireless security: WEP, TKIP/AES, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK • Wireless methods: Infrastructure or Ad Hoc • Wired ethernet (100 Base-TX) • Transfer: FTP, PTP (remote control by computer), HTTP (view / remote fire) • USB host capable: External hard drives, flash drives • USB comms: GPS devices (records coordinates and altitude in image header) |
| Dimensions | 148 x 111 x 74 mm (5.8 x 4.3 x 2.8 in) |
| Weight * | • No battery: 820 g (1.8 lb) |
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