Canon EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-inch LCD and 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens Reviews

Average Customer Rating - 4.5 out of 5 stars

181 customer reviews

Should I upgrade? Um YES!, October 22, 2009
I upgraded from the Rebel XSi and boy what an upgrade it was! I'm mainly a hobbyist photographer even though my friends adjectives say I should quit my day career (they just suck up because I will shoot their events for free!). I upgraded from the XSi because I kept finding myself arguing with the XSi over it's feathery metering, focus points and choice of shutter speeds in Aperture Priority mode. I can say minus a doubt that the 7D out performs the XSi in every style (and it should since it's a semi pro camera while the XSi is a consumer camera!).

When I bought the 7D I slapped the 28-135 lens on it (already had it for the XSi) and started shooting, quickly notice it's much improved light meter. It blew me away at how immaculately it would calibrate the white balance for every picture and what it was metering the flimsy from. I was blown away just by that! After give or take a few a week of usage I decided to upgrade to an L lens for both the moisture/dust protection all around and also it pass this camera a "proper" lens. It was worth every penny!

Matched with an L lens, this camera far exceeds what I be expecting out of it. I took it to a friends 1st birthday party and shoot the 1 year old using the L lens (17-40 UWA) on full brochure at 100ISO, 50 shutter, aperture 4.0 with the 430EX flash and my god, the pictures are gorgeous! The camera's ability to track face is spot on, the kid's eyes are sharp, crisp, colorful and full of life. They just create your heart melt! I'm sure it helps that this camera have special settings this lens in it's memory and it shows.

I have not played around beside the video much, not my cup of tea. However my brother-in-law, who is a video editor, says the ability to appropriation video at such a short focal length requires thousands upon thousands of dollars in the video world and says that the 7D (and the 5Dmii for that matter) can do what a 10k camera can for a fraction of the price.

Another facet which was a welcome upgrade be the weather sealing. Not that I plan to go into the trenches next to my camera but going out to a dusty, muddy farm and taking fall pictures is smaller quantity worrisome now since I don't have to bother trying to hang on to my camera away from all the floating dust.

This is a phenomenal camera and I highly recommend it to anyone who is into photography as a hobby or a indifferent professional. I'm sure a "real" pro who lives their life on photography would welcome a full frame body more than the 1.6 crop but for me, I don't guardianship, this camera does everything I want and more! It's a perfect addition to my ever growing camera pod and has become my one and only camera for which to shoot near. My poor XSi has been booted from my daylight bag and sits idle on my shelf collecting dust next to it's non-dust protected body. I wonder if I should sell it before it's too belatedly!

Canon EOS 7D, October 14, 2009
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 all-embracing angle lenses. First of all for anyone who is expecting a 1.6 crop camera's image part 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 individuals who own a 5d mark II, wedding photographer, cinematographer and a countryside photographer. As you can tell, they all call for wide angle and good low reading light performance. The 5D Mark II/other full frame cameras are targeted towards users with far-reaching angle needs. So if you find yourself in a crowded room beside little light during a wedding the EOS 7D may not be for you, smaller amount 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 honest, and the 28-135 lens accommodates this cameras ability totally nicely, however, starting off at 28mm will probably be too long for most culture in everyday situations such as those for street photographers. Picking up a 17-55 2.8 lens will probably be highly recommended by copious.

Build Quality is superb. This "tank" of a camera is no light weight and one of the first things you consideration when you pick up the camera is the hefty feel you get. Very ergonomic grip and a robust discern all around. Don't expect to have it flaccid around your next too long though. Weather seals are enhanced and you can notice that the area above the viewfinder is much larger gratefulness to a 100% coverage pentaprism.

Autofocusing, now I've read some issues about the 7D's topical focusing system such as softness from auto zone focusing and I am also getting some mixed results with that as well, some metaphors ranging from very soft to some human being as sharp as single AF select. I will update later as I take it out for more situations. However, next to that being said, the camera's autofocusing with the 28-135mm lens is enormously quiet, very prompt and accurate for the most part especially with using the cameras single AF select mode.

Battery Life: still on the first charge stale the box, taken about 500 test shots and a few second of 720p recording, battery life span is about halfway.

ISO carrying out. Now here is where many enjoy a bone to pick. I am not afraid to use high ISO as my prints rarely stir beyond 11x14. More than often I found myself using nothing complex than ISO 1600 on my girlfriend's 500D/T1i. With the 7D I feel very comfortable using 3200 next to about ISO 4000 being my cut stale point, that's where the trade offs between detail and noise will become adjectives and start to bother me.

Overall this camera is a very impressive and I'd supply it a rating of about 90/100. It has alot to proffer being a HD video DSLR. It'll provide many maverick users enough room to learn and grow. However, I cant stress ample that if you find yourself needing wide angle capability and low light performance, positive up for a full frame, it will definitely be worth the wait contained by 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 very soon. You won't regret buying this camera.

*Update* First of all, I've been using the wireless flash beside a 430ex II for some portrait photography, it works fine and comes in very handy. Secondly, I've finally have a chance to customize all the settings of my camera, READ THE MANUAL! It's in the region of 250 pages but you'll need to surrounded by order to make the most of your camera. Most of it is the usual, but because this camera offer so many different options, reading the latter page 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 contained by mind that Canon just release rebates for some EF and EF-S lenses including the 10-22 and 17-55 2.8; as ably 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 save for a wide angle will pretty much cover all the focal length you will really need.

Does the 7D beat full frame cameras?, October 13, 2009
No, but it's so moral that one starts to contemplate this question, which was never the satchel before the 7D was introduced. Both systems, crop and full frame, own their pros and cons and place in photography. But before I receive into that let me say I enjoy not been as excited about a camera since the introduction of the 5D MK I four years ago. That's because the 7D raise the crop camera bar to the point where crop users will not consistency 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 surrounded by four major ways.

1. It produces whopping 18MP pictures, which are just 3MP shy of the current top of the vein 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 within a crop sensor, that's a major achievement. This feat 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 resourceful file size and still obtain sharp pictures. It's a short time ago not that easy with the 1D MK III 10MP files.

2. Many worried that extra MPs surrounded by small crop sensors would translate into nosier pictures, but the amazing thing is that this camera produces images next to what seems to be less rumbling than the 1Ds MKII. The noise level is terribly good. At ISO 1600 I still prefer pictures coming from my 5D MKII, but below ISO1600 they are very close. Frankly, I can progress with either camera because most of my professionally shot portraits and product pictures are shot at ISO100. At ISO100 both produce extraordinarily clean files and are practically indistinguishable.

3. Focus is the one area that be lacking on the previous 1.6 crop Canon cameras and this camera changes that. It's not a 1D contained by focus speed and accuracy, but it's the next best article compared to them. It's faster than the Canon 5D MKII, which is known to be slightly faster or around the focus performance scale of the 50D and 40D.

4. The drive chain is fast, so express it's beyond anything I needed in my professional work in portrait, commercial, and product photography. Going through pictures taken at 8fps produces exceedingly little difference from frame to frame. One probably has to shoot a very prompt moving subject/object to see the advantage of such fast drive system.

There are unmistakably many other things that I have not covered within this review. But based on the above, all I can read aloud is that this camera has really raised the pole for all cameras and made it much more affordable to obtain a professional height camera for all types of photography. If you were considering buying the 5D MKII as an upgrade donate this camera a test because it might be all you want.

As for the advantages of crop cameras I always find it odd that unflappable users who shoot many things but focus on landscape deduce they need a full frame to realize their potential. Crop cameras such as the 7D and 50D are fine for most users and offer abundant 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 contained by 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 within full frame equals 35mm, 1:1 in crop equals 22mm)

4. smaller lighter lenses with wider aperture that do 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 corral for portrait photography, and better ISO performance, which on the last point the 7D have 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 contained by full frame (going wider will make depth of field too get thinner to place two eyes in focus). Hence, if one is using a wide prime, a crop sensor will produce alike depth of field at 2.0-1.4. Considering an affordable 50mm f1.4 lens on crop has matching field of view as 85mm lens on full frame nearby is really no reason to discount a crop camera any more as the 7D levels the playing pen.

A seriously capable and enjoyable camera., December 7, 2009
The Canon EOS 7D is Canon's current semi-pro / enthusiast digital SLR and competes primarily with Nikon's recently updated D300s. It's a terrific SLR that shines within photo quality, control placement, speed, and viewfinder size and coverage.

First, let me report to you a little about myself so you can measuring device 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 massive and is easy enough to pass around all day. Build characteristic is terrific and the camera has a solid, luxury feel to it. The 7D fits extraordinarily well into my average sized hands and, beside the kit 28-135 lens, is nicely perched. All the buttons are easy to reach and, if you've used a Canon camera past, easy to figure out. The magnesium body is hermetic against moisture and dust. The shutter button is well placed and has a other defined halfway point. A control dial is on the back of the camera and at the rear the shutter button too. There is also a joystick-like toggle on the back of the camera as well.

A voluminous (3") and high-resolution (920,000 pixel) screen is on the camera back next to a secondary status LCD display on the top (with backlight). The screen is a pleasure to use when reviewing imagery for focus, and when manually focusing in magnified live view mode. Compared to the 3-inch 420,000-pixel blind on my Panasonic LX3 it's a definite upgrade, and makes a observable difference.

The viewfinder is huge and bright and has 100% coverage. Coming from the Olympus, which has a terrifically cramped and tunnel-like viewfinder, it was a revelation, and was one of the reason 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 select 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 occur when you turn the camera on or off but can be interrupted during power up. Focus speeds with the tools lens are very speedy, even in dim insubstantial (two 40 watt lamps and a television as the solitary light sources in a 17' x 11' room). The 19-point adjectives 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 available job picking out the subject, so I leave it on fully automatic mode. Live view focusing is not a rapid, especially in low light, and I one and only use live view when I need to shoot at a odd 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 legally pokey, while the mirror flip mode is quicker, but introduces a brief break in the view. Continuous shooting is available within both a high and a low setting. High is 8 FPS, while the low speed is 3 FPS. The shutter sound is other subdued and not nearly as noisy as the Olympus' is.

Photo quality is terrific. There are a variety of 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 even of camera, that's expected though. What I really love about the 7D is the high ISO uproar, or lack thereof. The luxury of feeling confident while shooting at dignified ISO is priceless. I've taken a good number of shots as high as ISO 3200 and enjoy no complaints. Of course there is a bit of noise, and the mushiness that swish reduction brings, but for an 18 MP image at ISO 3200, I enjoy no complaints. The ISO speeds above 3200 are OK as well, but I'll reserve those for emergency use only, they catch fairly processed looking. The relatively large APS-C sensor not just allows for low noise, but also allows me to produce nicely blurred background and great depth of field. I couldn't achieve duplicate degree of that effect with the smaller 4/3 sensor surrounded by the Olympus, and I certainly couldn't do it with my point and shoot cameras unless I be 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 dusk or highlights are lost). It works well for the most part, but, depending on the subject, the differences are totally subtle.

The HD movie mode is nicely done as well. You set your focus, any automatically or manually, before you start recording. You can refocus during cassette but you'll definitely notice it. You can adjust shutter speed, aperture, and ISO within manual movie mode as well. There is a monaural microphone on the front of the camera, or you can plug within 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 other constructed and fairly sharp from corner to corner. Purple fringing is not much of a problem in my photos. The pasture of view is kind of diminish though. The lens starts at 44.8mm with the 7D's 1.6x field of display crop factor taken into account. Without a wide angle it's not an just the thing all around lens, but I do feel it's worth the extra money for the paraphernalia with this lens. You end up getting a nice, ultrasonic motor, symbol stabilized, 4.8x lens for a minimal cost.

The only things I don't like roughly the camera so far are that in auto ISO you can't limit how elevated it goes. I find the 7D wants to lunge up to ISO 3200 fairly quickly within low light when it doesn't need to run nearly that high. When it jumps to ISO 3200 I find I can dial it down to ISO 1600 manually and still get hold of an acceptable shutter speed, so the Canon is being really cautious jumping up so dignified. The other thing I'm not fond of is the fact that when you're surrounded by 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 set off a bit long winded. You have to take a photo of a white mention object then shift 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 insinuation photo to your memory card. It's not the worst system, and I have become very swift at it, but it could be better.

All in all... a phenomenal semi-pro SLR. The Canon 7D covers adjectives the bases.

12/17/2009 Update: I found a nice case for the 7D which fits the camera next to kit lens quite all right. It doesn't fit much more than that, but it's a good case if you don't convey too many accessories near 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 enclosed space 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 adjectives 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 corral preview button to have it temporarily switch from auto select mode to spot focus mode. Very convenient.

01/04/2010 Update: Just got final from a trip to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. The 7D was a seventh heaven to use. I took about 160 photographs. Of those only 4 or 5 are out of focus due to camera error. The low hurricane lantern performance continues to impress me. I took many photos at ISO 1600 through 3200 and adjectives of the photos are completely usable. In the large "Sea Life" and "African Mammals" rooms I was competent to take sharp pictures of these very dim rooms while shooting handheld at ISO 3200 and no flash (see pictures). Anyone who have visited these exhibits knows how offensive they can be to shoot.

10/20/2010 Update: I am still loving this camera. No problems to report. In fact, I was for a moment miffed when Canon introduced the 60D because it seemed like I could enjoy 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 trait and design are nowhere near the standards on the 7D. Still happy near my purchase.

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 similar to to know something I didn't cover, feel free to leave a comment and I'll answer it as immediately as I can. Also, I will update this review as needed based on any new experiences I enjoy with the 7D.

Should I Buy This Camera?, October 15, 2009
I think this request for information is one that most of us ask ourselves when considering a purchase of this magnitude. The question is not an undemanding one, and I'm not sure I made the correct decision in purchasing this marvelous piece of technology. Let me put it within perspective; I am a prosumer camera user. I love photography and take a variety of photographs including family circle pictures, sports photography (see photos at smugmug for gatorowl), and casual street photography. I have owned lots of cameras including picture, 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 adequate especially the image quality (IQ). The negative 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 surrounded by sports photography. Of course, when comparing with the the DReb series, these "negatives" immediately become positives. The 40D have better construction, much faster repeat rate, and much better focussing (the T1i has, arguably better high ISO capabilities). The 40D compares capably with the Nikon D90. Both cameras are very close. The D90 have video, better high ISO performance, and is a bit more compact. However, it is a little slower in repeat rate, and I found select D90 focus points a bit on the clumsy side. Anyway, because of lens choices, I decided to go Canon. The 50D held no allure basically because it was an incremental improvement. So, I thought my gear was set for at least a couple of years.

Notice that within the above discussion, I never talk about IQ. Of adjectives the 10MP or better DSLRs that I have used, there is no apparent difference in IQ. However, after the 7D announcement and some of the preliminary reviews, I was convinced that the 7D be a quantum improvement over the 40D in every respect. I panic, 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 within a 7D shot. I have a standard photo that I take surrounded by my office when I get a latest lens. I had to blow the photos up to 300% before I could detect differences. There be 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 beside a Sigma 70-300mm and the 7D with a Canon 70-300mm IS lens). Frankly, I'm not surprised. DSLRs are so good right in a minute, differences in IQ at low ISO are marginal. However, I do feel confident that I can shoot at 1600 ISO or 2000 ISO next to the 7D without a substantial reduction within quality. While I can control noise at 3200 ISO, color saturation and contrast decline more than I approaching. With the 40D 800 ISO was as far as I wanted to move about, 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 surrounded by a field, I feel close to my creative options are substantially expanded. I was frequently frustrated by have the wrong part of my picture in focus. This inevitability never happen with the 7D.

The 8fps repeat rate is a nice bonus. It freshly raises the probability that the exact frame you want will be captured.

So, the quiz is should you upgrade? You have to decide whether you can afford it; so my guidance 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 clutch many hours to learn and dozen of hours shooting to master. Unless you enjoy 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 come by disappointing or bad results unless s/he truly understands this equipment. By contrast, you can thieve other DSLRs and just start shooting. Unlike the other cameras, the 7D has no scene modes. With other DSLRs you can lift your time and gradually learn the more sophisticated capability. Most importantly, the quality of your pictures will be just as well-mannered.

If you are moving up from an entry level DSLR:

You need to ask yourself why you are moving up? If you are dissatisfied near the IQ, then the 7D is not your answer. Using the 7D, it will take greatly more work (initially) to become proficient. However, if you need a faster framerate, better high ISO recitation (although the T1i and D90 are very good for elevated ISO), long for a better focussing system, or shoot in the rain or the shoreline, then the 7D might make sense.

If you are moving up from a mid-level XXD or Nikon D300:

As beforehand, you're getting very little IQ improvement (wildlife photographers claim they can use the extra cropping know-how, 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 have to be an absolute must-have 7D feature for you to kind 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 option that the new features allow me. It's a wonderful camera. I'm looking forward to spending many hours becoming intimately acquainted next to 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 leading camera companies have released several cameras in the crop-sensor arena, so I thought that I'd update my review. In expressions of best all-around crop-sensor camera, nothing released since the 7D beats Canon's offering. However, the more recent releases are within 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 beside 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 have the 7D's 18MP sensor, so raw image competence should be virtually identical. However, the low-noise, high-ISO jpeg samples I've see have been truly amazing. Canon have definitely improved the jPeg engine next to 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, save better than the 7D's, so if you want video that is a nice improvement over the T1i, afterwards the T2i is a good choice. The one major T2i flaw is the AF system. It is matching AF system as previous Rebel generations and is clearly inferior to the 7D. The lack of AF flexibility and exactitude on the T1i drove me crazy, so I sold my copy. There were too many missed shots, and I found that it a moment ago didn't work well as a backup. I fear that the T2i shares this flaw.

Which brings me to the 60D. Canon have 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 view 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 have 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 within size to the 50D), has a more solid feel to it, much better AF (similar to the 50D but of poorer quality 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 wishes.

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 enhanced 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 get 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 see the difference between pictures taken with comparable quality lenses from any of these camera. Where the D7000 shines is contained by the quality of noise surrounded by shadow and dark areas and in low-light shooting. The D7000 provides a greater size to "push" the shadows giving greater dynamic range to those who work in coarse. And ISO 3200 shots retain noticeably more color and dynamic range beside less noise than the Canons. While it's striking, the difference may require near pixel-peeper scrutiny to see. While these features are significantly improved, they are still not at duplicate level as the better full-frame cameras, but it is at a level that make low-light shooting and dynamic range less of a purpose to consider full frame.

Thus, for anyone with a significant investment in Canon lenses, in attendance 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 without doubt 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 next to it and will find little in it to frustrate you. It is a great all-around camera with unbelievably few compromises. E.g., I am yet to micro adjust my 7D for any of my lenses. I'm either terribly 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 wishes 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 dignified for a first camera, especially when there are so many moral 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 presume that the cameras are sufficiently close that the decision should be made based on lenses that you want to use. All within all, this is a great time to purchase a crop-sensor camera.

I upgraded, should you?, October 25, 2009
It depends! If you are looking for a comparison between the 5D and the 7D, or if I would have a guidance of one over the other, this is not for you. This is written from the perspective of someone who upgraded from the xxD series to the 7D. Before I go into a detailed review about the 7D and whether you should upgrade or not, for a time background about me to help out you guys compare it to your situation. I'm an amateur photographer who does the occasional paid gig, more because I wallow in it rather than for the money. I have be taking pictures for 4 years now, go through 35mm learning curve and then switched to 20D contained by Mar 06. I have shot with the 40D, but never owned the 30/40/50D. Current lenses include 17-40mm f/4L, 24-70mm f/2.8L, Tamron 28-75 f/2.8, 70-200mm f/4L IS, 50mm f/1.4, 85mm f/1.8, 135mm f/2L & 100mm f/2.8macro. I still enjoy my 35mm EOS 3 which I love and use rarely.

Am I happy I upgraded from the 20D?

You bet! I believe that one should invest surrounded by lenses first and keep the camera for the last (unless logically, if you are a pro). It has been a TRUE upgrade from the 20D. The 7D feels like a slightly bigger and categorically heavier camera than the 20D and I am still getting used to carrying it (this is a review after 24 hrs of the purchase). When I put the 24-70 2.8L on to it, it balanced just marvellously, yes, both are heavy, but they just wonderfully balance each other. I could get the 20D with battery grip contained by one hand. However, the 7D+24-70L is definitely a two hand camera, even without the battery grip. If you are a petite woman or a guy with small hands reading this, you could draw from some practice lifting 5lbs dumb bells. No, I am not joking...add the 580EX higher than this, and you will know that I am serious. I love the way it feels surrounded by my hand and the way the camera rests firmly on my not here palm while I hold it. So much for ergonomics and body feel. The neck strap have 7D written on it, which clearly is meant for bragging rights.
The IQ is the biggest jump from the 20D (duh!) Every clickgasm results contained by a beautiful image, especially when you combine it near a good repertoire of lenses. Yes, I said clickgasm, because every click is just so much sweeter close to a 1000 bag pipers playing in the distant, but a moment ago for 1/60th of a second. Love it.
I also love the sensor cleaning functionality, something that was missing in the 20D, which be more prevalent in the 40D & 50D. It provides confidence and reassurance that this is a good item for the camera.
Oh and talk about the LCD. A legitimate leap for me, may be less so from the 50D, but I love how the menu functionality is organized. The resolution of the LCD is outstanding and almost zero look daggers. I constantly had that problem with the 20D, but this is a huge development and am very happy. In the 20D, you could'nt recount if an image was OOF, but within this, it is very obvious if in attendance is a shake or OOF. And the color and contrast visible in the LCD itself is outstanding. Think of the leap between monochrome computer monitors to the color flat screens...that is what it is for me. In totalling, I also like how the Quick Setting is organized, which displays about adjectives the image settings from exposure scale, white be a foil for, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, metering and all the happy stuff. The menu is different from the Quick Setting, and that go into the additional details such as FEB, AEB, ISO expansion, custom functions, Highlight Tone Priority etc. Very well done Canon, I love it so far.
The 8fps is really cool, but I used to enjoy 5 fps in the 20D with the mobile grip and used it only while shooting sports, the 8 will come in handy on the singular occasion that I use it for pro sports. And you get that lacking any additional battery pack, which is devout.
ISO expansion and noise reduction looks fundamentally good at the first glance. The pictures from the 20D be sub par at 800 and unusable at 1600 and above. I took a couple of pictures at 3200 with the 7D and am very impressed near the improvement in IQ. There is a substantial raise despite the higher MP in the sensor, so markedly happy with it. For the thrill of it, I shot a pic at 12800 (posted it within the gallery, the canon 77mm lens cap) and compared it with the same pic at 3200. I would make a contribution a 5 star to canon on this one too.
OMG, the 19pt focus, I absolutely love it. Think of it this way, I learn advanced photography in the Canon EOS 3 (35mm), which has 45 point focus. when I bought the 20D, I feel like it was a huge downgrade surrounded by focusing ability. It was not cool to loose the ECF part of the 3 either. But I love going back to the 19point focus factor...I dont know, something about it is just cooler. It is most nifty in taking macro shots, which I do a lot of, and I dont own to move the focus and then move the camera ( I know, I know, pathetic opening of taking macro shots). Again, glad that finally Canon is bringing this feature in.

Two features I am however to use and will add it to a later review after use are the wireless flash and the HD video.

Should you upgrade from the 30/40/50D?
I hold shot with a 40D and I have to read aloud that the improvement in IQ from 20D to 40D be substantial and a bigger leap than the 40D to the 7D (I have not used the 50D). If you hold $1900 extra and would love to splurge on this, by all means. The simply time I would strongly advise against buying the 7D is if you spent much of your time with your previous DSLR contained by the basic mode and never in the P, Av, Tv, M modes. This camera doesnt own any of those modes and is not meant for someone interesting in erudition photography, it is meant for someone who knows what they are doing.
If you are really interested contained by shooting HD video in one camera and want to make use of a flawless collection of lenses for the video, absolutely go for it. This provides a slightly cheaper way out compared to the 5D. I never even considered the 5D as I knew it was not for me. I dont know that I will gain plus for the additional $800. So cant help you if you are trying to choose between the 5d and the 7d.
The four biggest reason I can see you going for an upgrade are
1. HD video
2. Wireless flash
3. 19 pt focus
4. Weather and Dust sealing that is a quantity of the xD series.
If you are considering an upgrade for the sake of IQ, you may be in for a disappointment. Dont get me wrong, within is an improvement (my POV is from 40D), but just that the 40D itself is so polite that there is little room for Canon to improve. There are abundantly more reasons to upgrade if you are using the 20D or the 30D as I have mentioned more rapidly in my review.
Any complaints with the camera so far?
None so far, Im extremely happy. Of course, the price could be cheaper, but oh well. I also yearning real estate in California be cheaper, but lets be realistic, Canon is contained by this business to make money. I noticed that one reviewer have focusing problems, I have had none and am extraordinarily happy with the camera so far.
I will verbs posting pictures and additional review points...happy clickgasm!

UPDATE AFTER 7 DAYS OF USING THE CAMERA.

So far, I hold been extremely happy. If here is something that has consistently wowed me, it is the LCD, amazing resolution, color and clarity in that. Portraits coming out of this camera are pleasing, more so on the 85/1.8 make it a great combo. ISO1600 is usable, I took one or two in ISO12800, which was better surrounded by quality compared to my 20Ds 3200. Not great, but useful to preserve memories. May not suit professional expectations of trait. I uploaded some of my first pictures, not sure why Amazon is not displaying them (nothing obscene in the pictures). Definitely happy near my purchase and would highly recommend!

Perfect camera for wildlife photography, December 16, 2009
I take photos of birds. 90% of the time of flying birds, mostly raptors -- distant, fast-moving subjects contained by poor quality lighting conditions. I fitted the 7D with a Canon 300 mm F2.8 L IS USM telephoto lens. Also used both Canon Extenders EF II (1.4X and 2X), and sometimes used a feathery Manfrotto tripod. Shot nearly 1,000 RAW and JPEG during the first 10 days after getting the camera. Image quality is outstanding (without the extenders incredibly so). Focusing speed might be even faster than with my previous camera (40D) but it is still too soon to be definitive. 8 fps burst speed is scandalously faster than the 6.4 fps I was used to. "Zone AF" and "AF point expansion" focusing modes (new to me) are very important for following distant flying birds (better than Spot AF mode, that I used with the 40D). For closer birds "Spot AF" is preferable so one can improve likelihood of focusing the head/eye. RAW files are huge (20-24 Mb each) so buy the fastest memory card and card reader you can. Unfortunately, neither iPhoto nor Snow Leopard read 7D's CR2 format as of 15 Dec 2009. Photoshop CS4 (properly updated) does though, and so does Canon's included software, of course. The 7D uses a battery slightly different from the XXD series, so immediately I need to carry two freestyle chargers, and my batteries are not interchangeable between cameras. I also bought the Canon 28-135 mm F3.5-5.6 IS included in the utensils, and however a little less sharp than my Canon 50 mm F1.8 EF II, it perform well throughout the zoom range. If you can afford solitary one lens this is probably a good choice for general photography, and upright value for the relatively little extra money. Full HD Video is very sharp and colors ably balanced. Nice to have the external mic input. Best to turn the IS sour when shooting video without an external mic or a buzzing noise (the IS drives) will contaminate your nouns track. I still need to run a series of more controlled tests to form a sounder evaluation but so far I'm happy with the upgrade. The 1.6X cropping factor rules out this camera for do over photography, but the same feature combined near the 8 fps and new AF modes probably makes this camera -dollar for dollar- the best current choice for telephoto wildlife photography. This is the camera I be waiting for! As simple as that.

17 Dec 2009 update. I updated my software today and both Leopard (Mac OS X 10.5.8) and Snow Leopard (Mac OS X 10.6.2) open and process RAW images (in "Preview") taken next to the 7D. iPhoto '08 (version 7.1.5) imported RAW images from this camera newly fine this time. NOW I'm happy!

Beginners OK!, March 20, 2010
I bought this camera as a complete newbie to photography. My sum total of knowledge give or take a few photography was: keep extraneous second-hand goods out of the shot, fill the frame with your subject, and... that's it. I took pictures near my Olympus C740 UZ in full auto mode, and could not tell you the difference between an f-stop and a flame thrower. However, my plan be to become an accomplished amateur photographer ASAP. Once the camera was on command I got Bryan Peterson's book, "Understanding Exposure" and read it cover to cover. Wow! If you consider yourself a beginner, find this book today. Read its' reviews here on Amazon, this is what you need to understand a tremendous amount nearly photography in, literally, the first half an hour of reading. So, because of that book, I be not the least bit intimidated by the EOS 7D, and was up and running taking photographs immediately. And, by the way, the mode dial have been in aperture priority, shutter priority, or booklet since day one. As far as I'm concerned, "auto" and "creative auto" don't exist. I went from knowing unquestionably nothing about photography to have a firm grasp of the essentials in a week, with this camera and Bryan Peterson's book. As a complement to the camera I also get at the same time Doug Sahlin's book, "Canon EOS 7D for Dummies". It is an excellent accompaniment to the camera manual, and, resembling Peterson's book, full of good general photography ground rules. If you have anything on the ball at adjectives, you can become a photographer with this camera and those two books. From this base, you can after continue to hone your skills and learn forever. So my point is not to speak about the camera, but to tell any neophyte they can use THIS camera starting from a base of no knowledge and near diligent study learn very with alacrity. If it is in your budget, you don't need to jump from a point and shoot to a "bridge" camera to a DSLR. If you are serious, want to learn, and have the chisel, you can start right here.
I have had this camera for eight days and well-read and practiced the following things I never knew in that time: What f-stop is and how it affects depth of pen; how to use shutter speed to stop or imply motion; what ISO is and how it can affect picture quality; how white harmonize works and when and how to modify it; using exposure compensation and exposure bracketing, and how to combine those with filters within unusual lighting situations; when and why to use a tripod with slow shutter speeds; how to take great macros in need a macro lens using a 50 mm prime lens and an extension tube; how to use direct flash, bounce flash, fill flash, ring flash, and off camera flash for macros, portraits etc. to remove shadows and balance exposures. Why you don't use a wide angle lens for portraits! The record goes on but the point is you can do it too. So don't be afraid to buy a "scary" camera, just roll up your sleeves and swot. Also, get a Cotton Carrier to carry the camera around, you don't want this entry hanging on your neck! Cotton Carrier is a vest that carefully clips the camera to your chest, it is a necessity in my opinion, put Cotton Carrier surrounded by a search engine and peruse his website. I took a "Macro Walk" yesterday with it and it is the best! No sore nouns.
Anyway if you want to know more about the camera itself there is plenty of info here, but I freshly want beginners to know you can succeed with this awesome machine.

Best Canon APS-C DSLR Yet, October 28, 2009

By any gauge, the new Canon EOS 7D is a worthy successor to the EOS line of APS-C sensor DSLRs. I believe it finally level the playing field for many Canon shooters envious of Nikon DXXX shooters.

I am an advanced amateur photographer who have owned the 20D for the last 5 years and will use it as a backup body now. With respectively Canon announcement of a successor to the XXD line of DSLRs, I was tempt to upgrade but resisted each time up until now. This be partly due to budgetary constraints, but I felt mostly that respectively new model was with the sole purpose an evolutionary modification rather than a revolutionary one. If there's one thing to preserve in mind in this fast-moving world of DSLR photography, next it is that DSLR bodies come and go (and depreciate quickly surrounded by value, like most electronic goods) but excellent cup will nearly always be sound investments (high-quality lenses maintain in good condition may appreciate contained by value).

The 7D appears to be a game-changer for many Canon photo enthusiasts like myself who prefer or can with the sole purpose afford to shoot with an APS-C sensor body. Nikon shooters have have an excellent choice of a crop sensor body in the D100/D200/D300 (now D300s), but for Canon shooters, the top-of-the-line equivalent was trailing surrounded by the feature set department. Now most of the features that were omitted in the Canon XXD body as compared with their foremost rival are present in the 7D.

Notable features:
- 18 MP APS-C CMOS sensor
- Dual DIGIC 4 processors (a first for a prosumer Canon DSLR)
- Maximum 8 fps frame rate
- Maximum ISO 12,800
- VF with 100% coverage and 1.0x magnification (a first for a Canon DSLR)
- 19-pt AF (all cross-type near f/5.6 or faster lenses)
- 63-zone metering system (measures focus, color, and luminance)
- On-demand grid lines in VF (a first for any Canon DSLR)
- Built-in electronic leveler in 2 planes (a first for any Canon DSLR)
- Built-in wireless flash trigger (a first for any Canon DSLR)
- HD video contained by 1080p (30/25/24 fps) and 720p (60/50 fps)

I have had the camera for over a week in a minute. My initial impressions are mostly positive thus far. Additional thoughts in the form of updates will be forthcoming once I get an opportunity to occupation more images under many conditions (indoors/low light, outdoors, action, etc.) and achieve my act together to type it up. So far, I believe that the IQ, VF, LCD monitor, and handling are all enormous improvements over the 20D. Taking photos at high ISOs and achieving low commotion captures is all the fierceness these days. I feel that unsystematic photos I've taken at ISO settings up to 1600 are completely usuable. In the past, I felt comfortable shooting beside my 20D mostly south of ISO 400/800. I shall pixel peep some more and shoot at even higher ISOs to see where on earth the happy medium for me shooting near the 7D lies. Tolerance for noise, I feel, is fundamentally subjective.

Limitations:
There is a steep learning curve with this camera. The 7D is crammed with new features that I hold yet to maximize to my advantage. Coming from a 20D to some extent than a more recent line of XXD body makes things even more insulting. A careful read of the user's manual is critical.

If ultimately low rumbling captures at high ISOs is most significant to you, then a FF sensor body is the way to run rather than an APS-C sensor body. A larger pixel pitch that captures more wispy (at the expense of lower resolution) will help maintain low jingle levels at very soaring ISOs. This is a key reason why the small-body FFs, such as the Nikon D700, Canon 5D/5DMkII, and Sony A900/A850, are so revered. Any of those cameras will feasible outperform the 7D at high ISOs in expressions of low noise captures. Moreover, they provide smaller number DoF than APS-Cs at equivalent fields of view. However, the palpable downsides are their cost and need for big, heavy, and expensive chalice.

The 7D should not be viewed as an HD camcorder replacement. Although useful to hold and with slightly more shooting options as compared near the version currently offered in the 5DMkII, video occupation in the 7D still suffers from lack of continuous AF. Unfortunately, the jello phenomenon (from rolling shutter) and monoaural nouns (external stereo mic input is available, though) make for a less than musical package.

*** Please be aware that some information about potential problems near the initial batch of 7D bodies has surfaced on photography forums and elsewhere (including here on Amazon). They include difficulties beside the new AF system (particularly in AI servo mode, though some users hold had trouble in any AF mode) resulting surrounded by OOF photos, as well as ghosting (residual preceding images capture in subsequent images) under unquestionable shooting conditions. Canon is aware of the latter and will issue a firmware update in the near adjectives. Meanwhile, a firmware update (1.0.9) has already been issued that fixes problems next to suboptimal AF in Live View, among other bugs. Of note, my copy have no troubles with AF that I have encounter at this point. ***

Overall Impression:
The Canon EOS 7D is probably the best overall Canon APS-C sensor DSLR currently available. As far as feature set, it fares extremely resourcefully with its slightly more expensive main rival, the Nikon D300s. In its favor, the D300s have a larger, 51-pt AF system and dual CF/SD card slots. A scientific shoot-out from a reputable photography website or magazine is sorely needed to help resolve the issue of which have better IQ at high ISOs. I believe the current lack of Adobe software support for 7D RAW metaphors is the rate-limiting step.

With my limited use of the 7D thus far, I have found the camera to be a sheer pleasure to shoot beside. It is a worthy upgrade for 10D/20D users, and probably for 30D users as well. Shooters of the 40D/50D will need to determine whether the unmarked features are worth dishing out $1700 USD for, particularly during these challenging monetary times. Mostly anecdotal evidence exists so far that suggests there may be a slight improvement contained by IQ from the 7D as compared with the 40D/50D. Nikon and other brand photo enthusiasts should weigh the benefits and risks of switching systems.

Once Canon publicly addresses any potential problems near the AF system encountered by some users, then I can give the 7D my highest recommendation.

So, you judge you might want a Canon 7D..., March 26, 2010
By now you've probably read a ton of reviews... here or elsewhere on the internet about this camera. I've have it for a few months, upgrading from a Canon Rebel Xsi and finally decided to do a review, now that I enjoy experience with it and really have have a chance to put it through it's paces. I'll try to keep hold of my review based TOTALLY on my own personal experiences, and not just regurgitate the words everybody else have already said about this camera. I'm going to spread this review out into a couple of lists, later a short question and answer section... so here go!

What's hot?
* Large, 18 megapixel images
* Great low-light performance at dignified iso's
* Fast
* Automatic White Balance does a much better job than my Xsi ever did.
* Rugged/Solid
* Feels very "significant" surrounded by your hands and comfortable to hold
* Automatic Focus is highly configurable to your situational requests and performs VERY well (in comparison to any previous camera I've owned)
* Remote flash triggering
* Movie modes are elegant (I don't play with them much however... I'm more a photographer than videographer)
* Most "professional" ASP-C sensor camera yet.
* Shares battery with the 5Dmark ii.
* Penti-prism 100% view is amazing. Much brighter and more adjectives, to me, in framing a shot than the penti-mirror design of the Rebel series.
* Micro-adjustment for individual lenses is awesome.

What's not?
* Rebel T2i has it's sensor, iso array, movie modes, a bigger and more detailed screen, and a "dumbed-down" version of the 7D's auto-focus... at give or take a few $1000 less.
* If you're used to a Rebel camera (or point-and-shoot), the weight will be impressively noticeable after a while.
* Expensive

Questions and answers:

Q: Would this be a "good camera" for me to buy as my first step into the DSLR realm?
A: No. More accurately... probably not. This camera is complex, and it should be. It's as professional as the ASP-C camera's draw from... and it's in the xD lineup. If you aren't familiar beside basic camera functions... something that takes this tons steps beyond "basic" will either be frustrating, or wasted by other sitting in the "automatic" setting on the dial. I would, instead, recommend you look at the Canon Rebel T2i! It's got frequent of the specs of this camera, at a much cheaper price point. It's lighter, smaller, and more beginner/intermediate friendly.

Q: Should I get this camera over the Rebel T2i?
A: Depends totally on your use of a camera. Need something light, friendly, extraordinarily capable, and a great value? Rebel adjectives the way. Need something with a super-fast shutter, rugged build talent, and a few very advanced features? Go with the 7D.

Q: Which lens should I carry with the 7D?
A: Totally depends on what you want to do and what you need it for. I chose the 28-135mm. So far, it's not a unpromising little piece of glass. That seems to be in the region of the standard idea on all the "kit" lens option. Looking back, I probably could have save myself some cash by buying the body only and used it to buy some REALLY GOOD cup. The sensor on this camera has an nearly un-satiable hunger for sharpness. You won't see it's true potential without amazing optics.

Final word: If you want a blazing fast, rugged, Canon camera and you're willing to really travel through it's complexities and wring every last ounce of "Awesome" out of it... in the ASP-C format... this is it. If you want to accumulate some money and/or are just getting into the world of DSLR's... I'd pass this one by. I made my choice, and I don't regret it.

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