Canon EOS 7D Review

Canon EOS 7D Digital SLR Camera Body (18 MP, 3" LCD, Advanced Movie Mode, 8 fps, ISO 12800)
The Canon 7D is designed for speed, with dual DIGIC 4 chips to speed processing of these large 14-bit files, as well as keep up with the shutter's 8-frame-per-second top speed. Even the sensor had to be tweaked to enable such speed, with an 8-channel readout to more quickly draw the image off the sensor.
The Canon 7D's buffer can handle 94 JPEGs at top speed, or 15 RAW images.
For its part, the Canon 7D's shutter mechanism is rated at 150,000 cycles, and is the same design used by the 1D-series of Canon digital SLRs.
EV compensation has been expanded to five stops in either direction, and the ISO ranges from 100 to 6,400, with an expanded setting up to 12,800. The Canon 7D also sports an HD movie mode that will capture full HD at 30p.
The built-in flash has a wider range to handle up to 15mm wide-angle lenses, like the new EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, and the flash can also serve as the remote commander for up to three groups of flashes, another first for Canon.
Other new features include an electronic level, a RAW button, and a new Multi-function button for quick, programmable access to various functions. And don't forget the new 19-point autofocus system, complete with a new LCD viewfinder display overlay, obviating the need for interchangeable screens.

Specifications

Type

Type: Digital, single-lens reflex, AF/AE camera with built-in flash

Recording media: Type I or II CF card, UDMA-compatible

Image sensor size: 22.3×14.9mm

Compatible lenses: Canon EF lenses (including EF-S lenses)
(35mm-equivalent focal length is approx. 1.6 times the lens focal length)

Lens mount: Canon EF mount

Image Sensor

Type: CMOS sensor

Effective pixels: Approx. 18.00 megapixels

Aspect ratio: 3:2

Dust delete feature: Auto, Manual, Dust Delete Data appending

Recording System

Recording format: Design rule for Camera File System 2.0

Image type: JPEG, RAW (14-bit Canon original)
RAW+JPEG simultaneous recording possible

Recorded pixels:

Large : Approx. 17.90 megapixels (5184 x 3456)
Medium: Approx. 8.00 megapixels (3456 x 2304)
Small: Approx. 4.50 megapixels (2592 x 1728)
RAW: Approx. 17.90 megapixels (5184 x 3456)
M-RAW: Approx. 10.10 megapixels (3888 x 2592)
S-RAW: Approx. 4.50 megapixels (2592 x 1728)

Create/select a folder: Possible

Image Processing

Picture Style: Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User Def. 1 - 3

White balance: Auto, Preset (Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten light, White fluorescent light, Flash), Custom, Color temperature setting (2500-10000K), white balance correction, and white balance bracketing possible
* Color temperature information transmission enabled

Noise reduction: Applicable to long exposures and high ISO speed shots

Automatic image brightness correction: Auto Lighting Optimizer

Highlight tone priority: Provided

Lens peripheral illumination correction: Provided

Viewfinder

Type: Eye-level pentaprism

Coverage: Vertical/Horizontal approx. 100%

Magnification: Approx. 1.0x (-1 m-1 with 50mm lens at infinity)

Eye point: Approx. 22 mm (From eyepiece lens center at -1m-1)

Built-in dioptric adjustment: -3.0 - +1.0 m-1 (dpt)

Focusing screen: Fixed

Composition aids: Grid and electronic level

Mirror: Quick-return type

Depth-of-field preview: Provided

Autofocus

Type: TTL secondary image-registration, phase detection

AF points: 19 point all cross-type AF (f/2.8 at centre: dual cross sensor)

Metering range: EV -0.5 - 18 (at 23°C/73°F, ISO 100)

Focus modes: One-Shot AF, AI Servo AF, AI Focus AF, Manual focusing (MF)

AF area selection modes: Single point AF, Spot AF, AF point expansion, Zone AF, 19-point AF auto selection

AF-assist beam: Small series of flashes fired by built-in flash

AF fine adjustment: Enabled with AF Microadjustment

Exposure Control

Metering modes: 63-zone TTL full-aperture metering
• Evaluative metering (linkable to all AF point)
• Partial metering (approx. 9.4% of viewfinder at center)
• Spot metering (approx. 2.3% of viewfinder at center)
• Center-weighted average metering

Metering range: EV 1 - 20 (at 23°C/73°F with EF50mm f/1.4 USM lens, ISO 100)

Exposure control: Program AE (Full Auto, Creative Auto, Program), shutter-priority AE, aperture-priority AE, manual exposure, bulb exposure

ISO speed (Recommended exposure index): Auto, Creative Auto: Automatically set within ISO 100 - 3200
P, Tv, Av, M, B: ISO 100 - 6400 (in 1/3-stop increments), Auto, or ISO expansion to ISO 12800

Exposure compensation: Manual and AEB (Settable in combination with manual exposure compensation)
Settable amount: ±5 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments (AEB ±3 stops)

AE lock: Auto: With One-Shot AF and evaluative metering, AE lock is applied when focus is achieved By AE lock button

Shutter

Type: Electronically-controlled, focal-plane shutter

Shutter speeds: 1/8000 sec. to 1/60 sec. (Full Auto mode), X-sync at 1/ 250 sec.
1/8000 sec. to 30 sec., bulb (Total shutter speed range. Available range varies by shooting mode.)

Flash

Built-in flash: Retractable, auto pop-up flash
Guide No.: 12/39 (ISO 100, in meters/feet)
Flash coverage: 15mm lens angle of view
Recycling time approx. 3 sec.
Integrated Speedlite Transmitter function provided

External flash: EX-series Speedlite (Functions settable with the camera)

Flash metering: E-TTL II autoflash

Flash exposure compensation: ±3 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments

FE lock: Provided

PC terminal: Provided

Drive System

Drive modes: Single, High-speed continuous, Low-speed continuous, 10- sec. self-timer/remote control, 2-sec. self-timer/remote control Continuous shooting speed: Max. 8 shots per sec.

Max. burst: JPEG Large/Fine: Approx. 94 (126) shots
RAW: Approx. 15 (15) shots
RAW+JPEG Large/Fine: Approx. 6 (6) shots
* Figures are based on Canon’s testing standards (ISO 100 and Standard Picture Style) and a 4GB card.
* Figures in parentheses apply to an Ultra DMA (UDMA) 4GB card based on Canon’s testing standards.

Live View Shooting

Focusing: Live mode, Face detection Live mode (Contrast detection)
Quick mode (Phase-difference detection)
Manual focusing (5x/10x magnification possible)

Metering modes: Evaluative metering with the image sensor

Metering range: EV 1 - 20 (at 23°C/73°F with EF50mm f/1.4 USM lens, ISO 100)

Silent shooting: Provided (Mode 1 and 2)

Grid display: Two types

Movie Shooting

Movie compression: MPEG-4 AVC
Variable (average) bit rate

Audio recording format: Linear PCM

File type: MOV

Recording size and frame rate:

1920x1080 (Full HD): 30p/25p/24p
1280x720 (HD): 60p/50p
640x480 (SD): 60p/50p
* 30p: 29.97 fps, 25p: 25.0 fps, 24p: 23.976 fps, 60p:59.94 fps, 50p: 50.0 fps

File size:

1920x1080 (30p/25p/24p): Approx. 330 MB/min.
1280x720 (60p/50p): Approx. 330 MB/min.
640x480 (60p/50p): Approx. 165 MB/min.

Focusing: Same as focusing with Live View shooting

Metering modes: Evaluative and center-weighted average metering with the image sensor
* Automatically set by the AF mode

Metering range: EV 0 - 20 (at 23°C/73°F with EF50mm f/1.4 USM lens, ISO 100)

Exposure control: Program AE (exposure compensation possible) for movies and manual exposure

Exposure compensation: ±3 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments

ISO speed: Automatically set within ISO 100 - 6400, expandable to 12800
With manual exposure, ISO 100 - 6400 set automatically/manually

Sound recording: Built-in monaural microphone
External stereo microphone terminal provided

Grid display: Two types

LCD Monitor

Type: TFT color liquid-crystal monitor

Monitor size and dots: 3-in. with approx. 920,000 dots (VGA)

Coverage: Approx. 100%

Brightness adjustment: Auto, manual

Electronic level: Provided

Interface language: 25

Image Playback

Image display formats: Single, Single + Info (Image-recording quality, shooting information, histogram), 4-image index, 9-image index, image rotate possible

Zoom magnification: Approx. 1.5x - 10x

Image browsing methods: Single image, jump by 10 or 100 images, by shooting date, by folder, by movie, by stills

Highlight alert: Overexposed highlights blink

Slide show: All images, by folder, by date, movies, or stills

Movie playback: Enabled (LCD monitor, video/audio OUT, HDMI OUT)
Built-in speaker

Direct Printing

Compatible printers: PictBridge-compatible printers

Printable images: JPEG and RAW images

Print ordering: DPOF Version 1.1 compatible

Custom Functions

Custom Functions: 27

Camera user settings: Register under Mode Dial’s C1, C2, and C3 positions

My Menu registration: Provided

Copyright information: Entry and inclusion enabled

Interface

Audio/video OUT/Digital terminal: Analog video (Compatible with NTSC/PAL)/stereo audio output
For personal computer communication and direct printing (Hi-Speed USB equivalent)

HDMI mini OUT terminal: Type C (Auto switching of resolution)

External microphone IN terminal: 3.5mm dia. stereo mini-jack

Remote control terminal: Compatible with N3-type remote control

Wireless remote control: Compatible with Remote Controller RC-1/RC-5

Extension system terminal: For connection to Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E5A/B/C/D

Power Source

Battery: Battery Pack LP-E6 (Quantity 1)
* AC power can be supplied via AC Adapter Kit ACK-E6
* With Battery Grip BG-E7 attached, size-AA/LR6 batteries can be used

Battery information: Remaining capacity, Shutter count, and Recharge performance displayed

Battery life (Based on CIPA testing standards):

With viewfinder shooting: Approx. 800 shots at 23°C/73°F, approx. 750 shots at 0°C/32°F
With Live View shooting: Approx. 220 shots at 23°C/73°F, approx. 210 shots at 0°C/32°F

Maximum movie shooting time:

Approx. 1 hr. 20 min. at 23°C/73°F
Approx. 1 hr. 10 min. at 0°C/32°F
(With fully-charged Battery Pack LP-E6)

Dimensions and Weight

Dimensions (W x H x D): 148.2 x 110.7 x 73.5 mm / 5.8 x 4.4 x 2.9 in.

Weight: Approx. 820 g / 28.9 oz. (body only)

Operation Environment

Working temperature range: 0°C - 40°C / 32°F - 104°F

Working humidity: 85% or less

Battery Pack LP-E6

Type: Rechargeable lithium-ion battery

Rated voltage: 7.2 V DC

Battery capacity: 1800 mAh

Dimensions (W x H x D): 38.4 x 21 x 56.8 mm / 1.5 x 0.8 x 2.2 in.

Weight: Approx. 80 g / 2.8 oz.

Battery Charger LC-E6

Compatible battery: Battery Pack LP-E6

Recharging time: Approx. 2 hr. 30 min.

Rated input: 100 - 240 V AC (50/60 Hz)

Rated output: 8.4 V DC/1.2A

Working temperature range: 5°C - 40°C / 41°F - 104°F

Working humidity: 85% or less

Dimensions (W x H x D): 69 x 33 x 93 mm / 2.7 x 1.3 x 3.7 in.

Weight: Approx. 130 g / 4.6 oz.

Battery Charger LC-E6E

Compatible battery: Battery Pack LP-E6

Power cord length: Approx. 1 m / 3.3 ft.

Recharging time: Approx. 2 hours 30 min.

Rated input: 100 - 240 V AC (50/60 Hz)

Rated output: 8.4 V DC/1.2A

Working temperature range: 5°C - 40°C / 41°F - 104°F

Working humidity: 85% or less

Dimensions (W x H x D): 69 x 33 x 93 mm / 2.7 x 1.3 x 3.7 in.

Canon EOS 7D Digital SLR Camera Body (18 MP, 3" LCD, Advanced Movie Mode, 8 fps, ISO 12800)