The Canon EOS 7D SLR , which appeared in September 2009, did not become a full-frame model that would fill the gap between the 5D Mark II and 1D Mark III, as it might have seemed from the manufacturer’s press release, but it is an 18-megapixel APS-C- the camera. Nevertheless, many functions expected by users were realized in it - a wireless flash, 19-point autofocus, the new iFCL metering system, which uses information about the distance, color and brightness of the subject. Main features of Canon EOS 7D:
- image sensor with a resolution of 18 megapixels;
- on-screen sight on a 3 ”920,000-point display;
- Recording Full HD-video at a speed of 30 fps;
- wireless flash control.
Canon 7D: model description
This digital single-lens reflex camera was on top of the Canon APS-C line of models previously occupied by the EOS 50D. Although the resolution of 18 million pixels is impressive, it also warns that the dimensions of the CMOS sensor, equal to 22.3 × 14.9 mm, may be insufficient, resulting in pictures that tend to become very noisy. This problem haunted the EOS 50D, but the manufacturer found a solution in the new sensor. Canon reduced the area of the circuits in it to increase the size of the photodiodes and provide high sensitivity and dynamic range.
In addition, the manufacturer used a new design of solar cells, which allowed to convert more light into an electric charge and increased the signal-to-noise ratio. Like the EOS 50D, the 7D sensor is equipped with gapless micro lenses, but the distance between them and the crystal has been reduced so that more photons fall on the latter.
Despite the large number of pixels, thanks to two Digic 4 processors and eight-channel reading, the manufacturer managed to achieve a maximum continuous shooting speed of 8 fps. And this is without the need for an additional Canon 7D battery pack. It is noteworthy that the speed of the camera is 1 fps faster than the maximum speed that the Nikon D300 can achieve .
It is worth noting that the Canon 7D review for the first time in EOS models reached 100% with a 1x zoom (with a 50mm lens focused at infinity). Therefore, the preview of the frame looks very similar to the final image.
The viewfinder is complemented by an LCD display with the ability to screen sight. Even when displaying the grid, it is very difficult to get a straight horizon (especially when using a wide-angle lens that creates echo-like distortion), so built-in electronic levels are becoming more common. Canon 7D became the manufacturer's first DSLR camera with this feature. The electronic level can be displayed either on the LCD screen or in the viewfinder. When the user IV function is called up using the multi-function key located next to the shutter button, new for EOS cameras, the AF points will indicate whether the camera is in a horizontal position or not. Unfortunately, the level disappears from the viewfinder after the start of shooting or the activation of the focus system, therefore, when shooting manually, it cannot be used “live”.
The camera was first integrated with a Speedlite transmitter that can control 3 groups of EX-series flashes. When operating as a master flash, the camera pre-lights, even if it is not needed during exposure.
With sufficiently high detail, the advantage of the coverage provided by a 1.6x zoom ratio combined with an impressive burst speed, a new AF system and a wide range of functions, the Canon EOS 7D is very attractive for budget sports photography or photo hunting, which usually require APS-H or full frame camera.
Design
In terms of size and weight, the Canon 7D reviews are positioned between the 50D and the full-frame 5D Mark II. Like them, the model is made of magnesium alloy and is protected from water. Canon claims that the camera’s water resistance classifies it in the same category as the EOS-1n professional-grade camera.
Although the weight of one case, equal to 820 g, makes the model quite heavy, its shape and rubber coating of the handle provide comfortable and safe operation. Although, after shooting a football match, the hand still begins to feel tension, despite the use of the relatively small and light for the Canon 7D lens EF 70-300 mm f / 4.5-5.6 DO IS USM.
The EOS 7D's controls are more reminiscent of the 5D Mark II than the 50D, but there are some significant differences. For example, the Live View button, located on the left side of the 5D Mark II rear panel above the screen, is shifted to the right of the 7D viewfinder and is now surrounded by a switch that switches to screen viewing and video modes. This is a reasonable move, since now the control is within the reach of the thumb of the right hand.
The space freed by Live View is occupied by two other buttons. One, labeled Q, is used for quick access to the control screen. Another changes the recording format from RAW or JPEG to RAW + JPEG, and after the picture, the camera returns to its original mode. This may be needed when shooting JPEG files to obtain the maximum series occasionally requires an unprocessed file for additional flexibility in processing the frame.
Ease of use
On the quick control screen, 16 of the most frequently configured parameters are displayed, including an optimizer for automatic lighting. They can be selected using the mini-joystick and any drive. The display is useful for quickly checking settings and making changes quickly, but for setting the white balance, autofocus modes, etc., users still prefer to use the buttons on the top panel.
Like all Canon SLR cameras, the EOS 7D menu is divided into screens, each of which fits on the LCD panel, making it easy to find features. Video controls, for example, are located on a separate page, which allows you to quickly set up the camera for video recording.
With the addition of video technology and additional flash options, the Canon 7D custom settings screen was lacking in 6 functions. The rest is nothing to complain about.
Image settings
According to user reviews, nothing has changed in the Canon EOS 7D white balance system. It provides high performance in a wide range of lighting conditions. Pictures are not subjected to excessive correction, and information about the color of light is available when shooting.
As usual, EOS 7D has a set of predefined image styles (standard, portrait, landscape, natural, accurate and monochrome) and 3 custom. You can control the sharpness, contrast, saturation and tone of color and monochrome frames. The standard mode seems a bit oversaturated, so users prefer to use natural or accurate options.
Metering
The Canon 7D is equipped with color lighting (iFCL) and 63-zone metering. To determine the correct exposure, it uses data on the distance to the subject from the AF system, as well as information on color and brightness. Instead of one sensor, the EOS 7D has two: one reacts to the red and green components, and the other to green and blue. As a result, the metering system is less sensitive to red light.
Since autofocus information is used, the location of the AF point is of great importance. For example, if it is located on the grass, then the foreground is exposed well, and the cloudy sky becomes overexposed. If you focus on the clouds, then they become detailed, and the soil turns out to be underexposed. Although evaluative metering has proven effective in a number of situations, like in many similar systems, it cannot cope in cloudy conditions.
Canon 7D: Auto Focus Guide
The camera received a new 19-point AF system. All its elements are cross-type and effective with lenses with a maximum aperture of f / 5.6 or higher. For added accuracy, a second, diagonal X-shaped cross with f / 2.8 or more is located in the center. In addition, there are 2 offset horizontal lines at the middle upper, lower, and central points. As usual, 3 AF modes are available: single-frame (for stationary subjects), AI Servo (for moving subjects) and AI Focus, which automatically switches between one-time and long-lasting when the subject starts moving or stops.
There are 3 AF selection methods available: single, zonal, and automatic 19-point. The first option gives the photographer the right to make decisions, and the latter fully control the camera.
The second option divides 19 sensors into 5 zones, and the photographer selects the necessary group. It is used when moving objects, when it is difficult for automation to keep track of one point and it focuses on the nearest object. It’s difficult to concentrate on a certain part of the scene - for example, the head of a particular player in a football match.
Canon 7D 19-point auto-tuning reviews are suitable for objects that move erratically, and the camera seeks to find the nearest potential target. In AI Servo, the photographer can specify the starting AF point, and the camera tracks it. In these modes, the active AF elements are highlighted when the III-10 custom function is turned on, so it’s pretty easy to see if the camera is tracking the correct subject or not.
Using custom function III-6, 2 additional autofocus selection modes can be added to the default list. This is Spot AF, which is similar to single-frame, but for greater accuracy, it has fewer points. In this case, the photographer makes the choice manually, but the EOS 7D can use the surrounding points. According to user reviews, this is very useful when shooting sports. Unlike the option to automatically select 19-point AF in AI Servo mode, the surrounding points are not highlighted when they are active.
Two options in the user menu, sensitivity tracking AI Servo (III-1) and AI Servo AF (III-3), add additional flexibility when focusing on moving subjects. Such features were previously used only in the 1D Mark III and 1Ds Mark III. They determine whether the 7D should continue to focus on the subject when the closer subject is in the frame, and if not, how quickly it should respond. The purpose of their work is to help photographers track the subject and, if necessary, ignore the sudden appearance of, for example, a pillar in the frame when panning. In general, the Canon 7D AF system is said to be impressive. Since objects are easy to track in the viewfinder, the number of successful shots exceeds 90%.
In more complex situations, it is difficult to keep the AF points (or their groups), but when this happens, the result is sharp in the vast majority of cases. Provided that the scene is devoid of a large number of potential interference, the option of auto-selecting a 19-point AF in AI Servo mode with tracking the object does an excellent job.
Resolution, noise and sensitivity
According to user reviews, Canon has taken important steps to combat noise across the entire sensitivity adjustment range. The difference between the EOS 50D and 7D images is most noticeable at ISO 12800. There are about half the noise here. Even at ISO 3200, their level decreases by about 30%. Interestingly, the noise indicators for each channel are quite close, which indicates its uniform distribution. Although the high-sensitivity EOS 7D images have a grainy texture, they are much smoother than the 50D. Frames look great in monochrome, and there are no stripes in dark halftones.
High-sensitivity JPEGs are full of detail on a computer screen, but there are also some color spots. This is undesirable, but they are visible only when enlarged to A3 format. Images made in ISO 6400 and above are distinguished by random red pixelation. Overall, the EOS 7D captures a lot of detail. Even at ISO 12800, the camera delivers reasonable performance.
Dynamic range
In the default settings, the Canon EOS 7D has a dynamic range of 12EV, which corresponds to the best SLR cameras of the release of 2009. The camera has 2 options for improving it: using the automatic optimizer for lighting and the priority of light tone. The first lightens the shadows and can be used in manual exposure mode, but it cannot be used simultaneously with the second. Therefore, to preserve the details of highlights, it is better to use the exposure controls and then the lighting optimizer to display the shadow details in JPEG files. The effect can also be applied to RAW files during post-processing, supplied with Digital Photo Professional software.
Color spectrum
With the standard image style set, the color space Adobe RGB Canon 7D, according to the owners, is able to capture almost the entire gamut of ICC with very even red, purple and purple tones. As usual, the scope of green is a bit limited, so it doesn’t quite cover the entire Adobe RGB space.
LCD, viewfinder and video
Although the EOS 7D has a fixed screen, Canon has equipped it with a transparent LCD display that allows you to display compositional grid, electronic level, as well as points and AF areas. In most situations, the appearance is even, clear and bright, but sometimes, according to user reviews, the texture of fuzzy sections of a light even tone is noticeable on the panel. Although the viewfinder is bright enough to allow manual focus, in most situations it is better to use an enlarged image on the LCD screen. It is easier to be precise when the required area of the scene is enlarged.
The EOS 7D has a diagonal of 3 inches and a resolution of 920 thousand pixels (307 thousand pixels). To reduce reflections and glare, Canon filled the gap between the screen crystals and the new hard glass surface with an elastic optical material with a refractive index equal to glass. This turned out to be justified, because the display provides a very clear image even in bright ambient light.
Video can be recorded with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels (Full HD) at a speed of 30, 25 or 24 fps, and 1280 x 720 or 640 x 480 - 60 or 50 fps. As in the screen sight mode, autofocusing is possible during video recording, but it is often better to use manual control, since the system tends to drift past the target.
In addition, if an internal monaural microphone is used to record sound (there is a jack for an external microphone), button presses and hand movements are best minimized. At the highest resolution and frame rate, the video is saturated with many details, and the movements are smooth.
Conclusion
The new EOS 7D autofocus system is impressive and its maximum use requires a good understanding of the subject from the point of view of the camera, as well as knowledge of the available user functions. This brings Canon AF closer to the higher-end Nikon range. The EOS 7D autofocus system works well with a maximum continuous shooting speed of 8 fps, which makes the camera an excellent choice for serious sports enthusiasts and professionals who cannot afford the $ 4,499 1D Mark IV or those who do not need a large sensor . According to user reviews, images in high-speed continuous shooting mode sometimes suffered from ghosting, but the manufacturer released a firmware update, which was supposed to eliminate this drawback.
Canon engineers seem to have fulfilled their hopes by significantly improving the EOS 7D compared to the 50D. The detail of images has significantly increased, and noise in the entire sensitivity range is controlled much better, which has made the camera more versatile.