of my new toy : the Canon EOS 7D
It has been years since I started bitching about my DSLR, the Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D). Released by Canon early 2005 and bought late October 2006, I hate its tiny screen, the poor ISO performance, the inaccessibility of some functions, its built quality, etc., etc. 3 years old and a mere 10′000 pictures later, it was time to switch.
The 50D did not completely fulfill all my wishes, notably the Wireless flash triggering and the viewfinder. A year later, the solution finally appeared, and yesterday it arrived, under the form of a brand new Canon EOS 7D (thanks to my wife 
)
The Canon 7D with the 135mm f/2 attached
Rather than going in details and prepare a full review (I do not have the expertise for it anyway), I simply list here what I love, like, dislike and hate about this new body.
Loves:
- The large screen, very bright. The definition is huge and really allows to review images on the fly
- The viewfinder! The new overlay (grids and AF) are very well integrated
- Great high ISO performance. At 100% the noise is visible at 1250 ISO but with 18MP it will never be noticeable in prints. The built-in high ISO noise reduction seems to give good results, though I have not used it much
- The built-in levels. I use a ballhead on my tripod and sometimes it is difficult to know if you are crooking the whole thing or not. Now I have a solution, really well integrated hence easy to use.
- Customization! At first it seems a bit rough but the Picture Style function and the C1-C3 mode really makes thing simpler to access… Once you have setup everything
- The Wireless flash trigger works wonder. With ISO performance it is one of the main reason I wanted to purchase this DSLR, and I am not disappointed at all on this matter
- The video mode is very easy to use and gives great results. A wide opened lens gives a bit of a challenge in terms of focusing but the output video is just “WOW”
- Coming from the Rebel series, now it is just very fast to take picture. No more menus to change basic settings (ISO, metering, White Balance, Exposure compensation, etc.)
Mimi wondering about my ney toy
Likes:
- The autofocus options. In my mind there are a little too many and I need time to understand them well. the overlay in the viewfinder is really clear
- The switches to turn on the Live View and the Video mode
- The Bulb mode ! Finish the time of going from 1/250 to over 30” with the dial
Dislikes:
- Even though many people mention the comfort of the 7D, I find the space between the lens and the right hand side hold too narrow
- No metering mode information in the viewfinder, hence this parameter cannot be changed without looking at the screen
- I like to have a nice resolution but RAW files of 24MB is a bit bothering me
- No buttons backlight like on the Pentax
- I used to have a grip, I will need one of those soon
- The new On/Off switch position. Perhaps I need to get used to it but I prefer being able to turn off my camera with the right hand (grip owners understand I suppose)
Hates:
- Nothing, really… I’ll update later if I find something
Here a few sample shots ; unprocessed (only some crops)
On this one I tried the Picture Style option ; here with a maximum saturation. Quite happy with how it turned out.
Cats in my house are the easiest models for shooting around. Here I was trying the metering modes which somehow, their labels/icons do not make sense...
A try with "high" ISO setting ; noise is very smooth and colors remains richful.
Good review of the 7D. It truly is an excellent camera. Although, i don’t quite understand the first item in your “Dislike” list. Either you’re not fully understanding AEB, or you just didn’t explain it well in your post. You DO have the ability to set your aperture AND select how many stops (over/under) you wish to expose. Setting your exact shutter speed is not really relevant to the purpose of AEB. And with the 7D, when shooting in Av mode, you can even move your starting middle exposure +/-5 stops each way… even before expanding up to +/-3 stops to bracket. What would be the advantage of setting the exact shutter speeds during AEB?
Also, your dislike of the 24mb RAW files: You may want to consider switching the camera to MRAW. These are roughly 10mb to 15mb RAW files. Still more resolution that a lot of DSLR’s currently out. But easier file sizes to work with.
I agree with the On/Off switch position. I would like to swap it with the position of the Lock function.
And for the record, I do own a 7D.
Take care!
Thorpe
November 1, 2009 at 9:14 am
Hi Thorpe, thanks for your comments.
Actually I do not dislike the 24MB files ; it’s just that it is getting heavier and heavier with consequences usually overlooked (HDD space, Computer RAM for post processing, CF size, etc.)
Regarding AEB, I agree with you! My XT did not work exactly the way you described the 7D does. On M mode, bracketing would give control over which of the value will be bracketed.
On the 7D, I confirm it is much better and as you say it very well “What would be the advantage of setting the exact shutter speeds during AEB?” Now only the shutter speed changes. Great great
By the way, I just dropped by your website and the blog. You have many great shots there ; I am sure you will get the best of your 7D!
I have updated the post accordingly.
Alex Handers
November 1, 2009 at 4:44 pm
Glad all that made sense. hah And thanks for stopping by my sites!
Thorpe
November 2, 2009 at 9:40 am
You did 10,000 in 3 years on the 350D? Yeah i had a bit of an issue with the comfort level, but the grip solved that problem and it instantly became a great camera to hold.
hangingpixels
November 3, 2009 at 6:27 am
Yup, that’s not many pictures. I always get scared when people write on the Internet they may take 2′000 pictures a day…! (Well, for professionals it is understandable)
Definitely agreed on the grip ; I hope to get one before my next major trip
Alex Handers
November 3, 2009 at 9:18 am
Great blog by the way Mr. “Hangingpixels”
Alex Handers
November 3, 2009 at 9:58 am
I started shooting with a vertical grip on my 30D and ended up never taking it off. Love it. So much that I bought the new BG-E7 with my 7D. A little heavier, sure. But it actually helps keep your more steady when shooting in low light.
Thorpe
November 3, 2009 at 9:43 am
I had the grip of my old machine and for the extra comfort I got with it, I also have no issue with the extra weight. Anyway when you have 2 “L” glasses, a Speedlite and a toy like the 7D, 200 grams more won’t make a big difference.
Alex Handers
November 3, 2009 at 10:00 am
Very nice, now I just need to get my hands on one after you bought the only one available in Saigon.
Hanno Stamm
November 3, 2009 at 10:07 am
Well, one little birdie told me “There are still some if you know where to look”.
And he proved to be consistently right
Alex Handers
November 3, 2009 at 12:05 pm
Hey you !
Great review ! I see that your wife knows how talking to you
And regarding the book you have in your library, the opposite is apparently true !
Bises, ciao…
Flo
November 5, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Salut Flo!
Thanks for dropping by
I was sure someone will end up noticing the book(s) in the library…
Bises a Lydie et au froid du ch’Nord
Alex Handers
November 6, 2009 at 7:15 am
I like how your blog is laid out I have bookmark this look forward to seeing more.
Smarty
November 7, 2009 at 8:25 am
I’m adding a link to Roland Lim’s review of the 7D:
http://rolandlim.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/canon-eos-7d-review/
It gets more and more annoying to see that reviews nowadays boils down to one point : ISO performance. Well, for a little over hundred years, ISO performance above 400 was crap. High ISO performance is very nice to have but that does not make a good or bad camera.
I would look more at the productivity a DSLR gives me (faster access to settings + customization, improve on-field review possibilities). At the end of the day, the camera does not take the photographer ; it is the guy behind the viewfinder.
To balance the above, I also post the link to the 7D’s review on dpreview.com : http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos7d/ which for once, include dynamic range information…
Alex Handers
November 7, 2009 at 4:04 pm
For photogs like myself, over packing sensors doesn’t really boil down to just a sacrifice in ISO performance. Over packing also results in a loss of usable dynamic range and the storage of extra noise data (garbage) on hard drives. Had the 7D been released as a 10mp or 12mp camera, not only would you have see a significant increase in ISO performance, but you would also have seen less noise at all ISO and greater dynamic range stemming from a better signal-to-noise ratio. This in turn would translate into an 11-stop range rather than a 9-stop range, thus providing the ability to maintain meaningful detail in the brightest brights and darkest darks. What is disheartening is the fact that Canon could have given us this extended dynamic range with a 10mp 7D at no extra cost (and I would have gladly purchased one). There is a reason why the pro cameras, eg. the EOS 1D Mk4 and the Nikon D3s do not over pack the pixels, and the reason lies in the laws of physics. 18mp on APS-C sensor is nothing more than a marketing decision.
Jim
November 17, 2009 at 1:30 am
Hi Jim,
Let’s put aside the ISO part.
The Dynamic range of the 7D is slightly above average and surely cannot be compared with Full Frame or medium format sensors.
However, if I trust DPReview’s analysis and charts (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos7d/page17.asp), a lower density of pixels on the frame results in a slight gain of DR. See how the DR goes on the 12Mp of the 300s.
Not that I want to defend the 7D this much (I love this camera because it allows me to be a lot more productive and spend less time in post-processing), but high ISO and pixels density are just semantics to me.
On law of physics, I like your comment. We are very far from reaching the physical limits of a sensor. Think of it this way: a pixel may be in theory as small as a photon!
Alex Handers
November 18, 2009 at 12:49 pm
Hello Alex,
While the DR increase on the 12mp D300s may not be all that much, I think if Canon would have employed the same technological sensor advances they had used on the 1D Mark 4 and applied it to making a 10mp 7D, we would have seen a more significant jump in DR. And because the video on a 10mp 7D would have required less compression coming from a lower megapixel count sensor, the quality of video would have probably been even better as well.
And yes, in theory, a pixel could be as small as a photon. But what I am referring to is the laws of physics as they apply to the practical realities of where we are right now in cost effective sensor technology.
Jim
November 23, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Hi Jim,
I get your point and agree a 10mp sensor would have benefited some users.
On the video I am not too sure though. The tests I ran with the Video mode showed me you need a particular setup to use it well (focusing and exposing requires a lot of planning and attention during the shot). It does not fit my needs though it is a nice to have. With such perspectives the video quality is not a must.
As I stated earlier, the new set of functions of the 7D allows me to be more productive shooting and processing the images. At my level – not professional, minor IQ drawbacks are not significant.
Alex Handers
November 24, 2009 at 9:29 am