Canon 7D

[Jorgen Udvang]

Anything under the 1D line or any thing that's not a new Leica....

Ah... that explains it

 

[wayne_s]

The Canon 1D cameras have always been APS-H sized sensors at 1.3x crop, not 1.6x crop as is found in the APS-C sized sensors of the 10-50D and "Rebel" cameras.

Aside from the not so great experiment of the new AF in the 1DMkIII when it came out, Canon has usually introduced many of the new controls and changes to cameras below their flagship 1-series bodies before moving them up to that level. So it will be interesting to see if Canon does incorporate a new AF system upwards with any new 1-series body(ies) that may be introduced later. The change in pixel pitch to 4.3u is pretty dramatic also. Still looks to be able to deliver nicely to about ISO 1600 but maybe not so good at ISO 3200 and up due to aggressive NR and increased contrast. If that new pixel size holds up, the 1DsMkIV, if it comes out, could have near 35MP resolution or so. Now that could get interesting.

LJ

If the 7D's new AF system tracks a moving object using the center AF point as well as current 1Dx series cameras then this camera will be a great success with the bird/wildlife and daytime sports photographers. I will be looking to replace my 1d2n for birding which I haven't used much since I got my 1ds3. This will save my 1ds3 from the excessive shutter wear from bird photography and give me the extra 1.6 crop reach which I miss right now.

The 1D4 will be more for professional sports shooters who need high iso performance for indoor and nightime sporting events. The 1dx has always balanced the need for better high iso performance and thus larger sensor with the need for some crop factor to give sports shooters the extra telephoto focal length reach so they don't have to lug even bigger lenses around. I would think it will stay 1.3 crop unless they feel they are too far behind the high iso performance of the Nikon D3.

I agree with LJ that this 7D announcement tends to support the rumors of the 1ds4 having 35MP range in the future as it is usually twice the MP of the 1d4 which should be around the same as the 7D. My Leica and Zeiss glass is ready for that 35MP high resolution test hopefully sometime early next year!!! A poor man's S2! Should be interesting to see how close it comes or doesn't.

 

[Guy Mancuso]

No rumors already on sale from Calumet

Product Features
Please Note: The price of $1699.99 is the estimated retail price. If this price changes we will contact you before fullfilling your order.

The EOS 7D represents a whole new class of camera with a host of brand new features designed to enhance every facet of the photographic process, from still images to video.

Made to be the tool of choice for serious photographers and semi-professionals, the EOS 7D features an all-new 18.0 Megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor and Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors, capturing tremendous images at up to ISO 12800 and speeds of up to 8 fps.

The Auto Focus of the EOS 7D has a cross-type 19-point AF system with improved AI Servo AF subject tracking and user-selectable AF area selection modes for sharp focus no matter the situation.

With the Intelligent Viewfinder you'll receive 100% coverage of what you're shooting along with user-selected AF display modes as well as a spot metering circle and on demand grid lines.

Canon's iFCL metering includes a 63-zone dual-layer metering sensor that reads both illumination and color for consistent results in all lighting conditions, keeping exposure levels stable from shot to shot, even as the light source changes.

The EOS 7D also captures Full HD video at 30p (29.97 fps), 24p (23.976 fps) and 25p with an array of manual controls, including manual exposure during movie shooting and ISO speed selection.

Featuring a magnesium alloy body that is dust- and weather-resistant and shutter durability of up to 150,000 cycles, the 7D is designed to be a "workhorse" for professionals in any photography discipline. Compatible with over 60 EF and EF-S lenses as well as with EOS System accessories, the creative opportunities - not just with stills but also with video - are beyond amazement.

EOS 7D Features:

18.0 Megapixel CMOS Sensor and Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors for high image quality and speed.
ISO 100-6400 (expandable to 12,800) for shooting from bright to dim light.
8.0 fps continuous shooting up to 126 Large/JPEGs with UDMA CF card and 15 RAW.
Advanced movie mode with manual exposure control and selectable frame rates: 1920 x 1080 (Full HD): 30p (29.97) / 24p (23.976) / 25p, 1280 x 720 (HD): 60p (59.94) / 50p, 640 x 480 (SD): 60p (59.94) / 50p.
Intelligent Viewfinder with 100% field of view, wide viewing angle of 29.4°, high magnification of 1.0, intelligent viewfinder with glass pentaprism and an overlaid LCD display in viewfinder supports various shooting styles.
New 19-point, all cross-type AF system equipped with dual diagonal cross-type sensors in center at f/2.8 and f/5.6 and AF area selection modes to match various shooting situations.
iFCL Metering with 63 zone dual-layer metering sensor that utilizes AF and color information for optimizing exposure and image quality.
Magnesium body with shutter durability up to 150,000 cycles and exclusive dust and weather resistance.
Item Includes:

EOS 7D Digital SLR Body
Eyecup Eg (Not Shown)
Wide Neck Strap EW-EOS7D
Stereo AV Cable AVC-DC400ST
USB Interface Cable IFC-200U
Battery Pack LP-E6
Battery Charger LC-E6
EOS Digital Solution Disk
Software Instruction Manual

 

[LJL]

Doing a bit more digging and reading..... The "exclusive dust and weather resistance" mentioned in the above specs is evidently the exact same level that is now on the 5DMkII. They also say: "Featuring a magnesium alloy body that is dust- and weather-resistant and shutter durability of up to 150,000 cycles, the 7D is designed to be a "workhorse" for professionals in any photography discipline."

One of the other key items in the press release is "for serious photographers and semi-professionals". So is there PR just trying to capture everybody? A "workhorse" for a professional, especially in sports (outdoor) would probably benefit from a bit more weather sealing than the 5DMkII, ya think? Also, it does have a larger viewfinder than the 40D/50D cameras, and Canon is listing it at "100%".

Personally, I think this 7D is going to be quite a camera. I would prefer the better weather proofing of the 1-series. The various images posted (Galbraith's forum for one place with some ISO 1600, 3200, 6400 and 12,800 shots, plus comparisons with the 5DMkII at same) are not nearly as bad as one might expect for the tiny pixel size. Still lots of noise, and a bit too much contrast, but that may have been the settings, but otherwise able to get the shots in pretty low light. I would venture to say usable at ISO 1600 and 3200 without a problem; 6400 needs some PP NR to clean it up, and 12,800 is just a bit too ugly for my tastes, but if you need the shot.....

Not having any real useful experience on the video side (yet), but the 7D seems to offer some very impressive specs and pretty nice looking clips in the reviews. This is going to make the day of a number of folks wanting both all around versatility and good video in something that is pretty affordable. Just my opinions.

LJ

 

[szk71]

18MP and video aside, what exactly is it that the D300 hasn't been?

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

18MP and video aside, what exactly is it that the D300 hasn't been?

It takes Canon lenses

Jokes aside, I'm a Nikon user, but I also have a lot of good Zuiko OM lenses that could be used on this camera, so I have studied test shots from several sources thoroughly. What I've found is that:

• It has a lot more resolution than the D300, and more or less the same resolution as the 5DII at low ISO. This sounds obvious, but when it comes to images, only seeing is believing.
• It performs slightly worse than the D300 at high ISO, and a bit more than a stop worse the 5DII.
• It's at least one stop better than the Pentax K7 at high ISO, but doesn't resolve much more at low ISO.

It's not much smaller than the 5DII, but with the crop factor, and almost as much resolution, smaller telephoto lenses will be sufficient, making the total package smaller as well as lighter.

My only worry for the OM lenses, is if they are good enough for the pixel density of this camera. From that point of view, a 5DII would probably be better, but for some reason, I like this camera.

Oh, and the wi-fi grip looks like a very neat piece of equipment.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

For those who are interested in the movie capabilities of the 7D, there's a rather impressive clip here:

http://cweb.canon.jp/camera/eosd/eosmovie/index.html

 

[Ben Rubinstein]

Still think I'd take a D300S, same viewfinder, pro AF and dual card capability. I'm extremely wary of that 18 megapixel chip in the 7D. The 5D mkII has already shown that there is no free lunch in chip design with the shadow pattern noise at low iso's.

I'm sticking with my 5D mkI's for the forseeable future. Everything tells me that the correct upgrade would be the D700 not a canon if it wasn't for the lenses. If I wasn't in love with cheap, fast focusing and utterly spectacular primes I'd already be there.

 

[fultonpics]

hmmm, as a sports shooter, the mk3 won't focus, the 7D is only 8 fps and cropped. so i vote 5d mkII and shoot golf...but only when the sun is shinning.

 

[Diane B]

For those who are interested in the movie capabilities of the 7D, there's a rather impressive clip here:

http://cweb.canon.jp/camera/eosd/eosmovie/index.html

Thanks so much Jorgen. I really enjoyed them--very well done and great capabilities it appears for video in the right hands. I actually watched all of them.

Diane

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

The more results I see from this camera, the more impressed I get. Canon have done a lot of things right here.

 

[DonWeston]

DITTO HERE, don't make up your mind until you see prints from this camera. Downloaded a couple available online and did just that, very impressive. It didn't sound like a good thing to me either when I first heard the specs, but if the final firmware is as good as the previews available, it will make a nice stable mate for my 5D2. JMHO, ymmv.....

Btw, I had a D700 and fwiw, noise maybe very low, but rez just wasn't enough for me, this looks like the best of both worlds for me, again YMMV

I will wait for 4-6 mos until the "bugs" are worked out....not that there are any for sure...every time I was an early adopter, I got burned, so NOW I wait...

 

[ChrisDauer]

I for one am excited w/ the new prospects. Canon has really only had 2 AF's. PRO in 1D Series. CRAP in everything else. If this is a 3rd option between the 2, then sign me up!

I figure the 7D will replace my 40D (which will go up on the block in a couple of weeks). I must be the target market because it's exactly what I"m looking for. A bit more MP (than 10/12). Faster FPS. Better AF. All while retaining the APS-C sensor.

5D2 + 24-70/2.8
7D + 70-200/4 IS

Done.

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Ummm... is it possible to have Canon custom make a black 70+200 f/4, or do I have to paint it myself???

Oh, and btw., is that lens still sharp with an 1.4x TC?

 

[ChrisDauer]

Ummm... is it possible to have Canon custom make a black 70+200 f/4, or do I have to paint it myself???
Oh, and btw., is that lens still sharp with an 1.4x TC?

I really don't know. You tell me:



Make: Canon Model: Canon EOS 40D
DateTime: 2008:04:01 20:49:01 ExposureTime: 1/500
ISOSpeedRatings: 3200 FocalLength: 280/1 (70-200/4 @200 w/ 1.4x)


Ps. Yes, you'll have to paint it black (or get a lens cover)

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Thanks, Chris.

Think, think, think....

 

[Corlan F.]

Any links to the nice sample shots of the 7D?


P.S. not asking for myself :angel:

 

[Jorgen Udvang]

Corlan,
The easiest way is to look at the samples at Imaging Resource and dpReview. There's a jpeg converted from a RAW at IR that is very impressive. The 7D thread on FM has a lot of links as well. One important link is this:

http://www.bobatkins.com/photography/digital/canon_eos_50D_review_4.html

It compares resolution between the 40D and the 50D, also at small apertures. The reason for its importance is that some claim that diffraction will kill resolution for 7D at any apertures smaller than f/5.6. Bob Atkins tests show clearly that this is not the case. Although the test is done with a 50D, it's close enough in resolution (15 vs 18MP) to be relevant.

The 7D seems to have ended up in a strange position: it's criticized by many Canon users for not being full frame and by Nikon users for being a Canon (and for having too many megapixels on a small sensor, which is of course completely useless, at least until Nikon launches one with 19MP on the same sensor size )

The way I see it is that:

- Canon has managed to cram more megapixels into the sensor without worsening the level of noise at high ISO, and the banding seems to be gone.
- It has most of the functionality that the D300s has
- The video implementation is completely beyond the competition, and some of the online samples are extremely impressive.
- It will mount all of my Zuiko OM and my Nikkor lenses.
- The 70-200mm f/4.0. Unfortunately, it's white, but that's better than the non-existing Nikkor

To me, this is maybe the most impressive video, since it's very close to what I would like to do:

http://www.vimeo.com/6487566

The guy who made it is obviously extremely skilled, but I do see a potential here. "Street video"? Here's a link to a viewfinder attachment to the back LCD. Very useful for video. They make lots of other useful stuff also btw.:

http://store.zacuto.com/Z-Finder.html

Disclaimer:
Obviously, I've only checked out these things for a friend who is unfortunate enough to be a Canon user :ROTFL: :ROTFL:

 

[Jonathon Delacour]

To me, this is maybe the most impressive video, since it's very close to what I would like to do:

http://www.vimeo.com/6487566

The guy who made it is obviously extremely skilled, but I do see a potential here. "Street video"? Here's a link to a viewfinder attachment to the back LCD. Very useful for video. They make lots of other useful stuff also btw.:

http://store.zacuto.com/Z-Finder.html

Jorgen, thanks for these two links. The video is impressive indeed (and here was I thinking I wasn't the slightest bit interested in video).

 

[Corlan F.]

Thanks Jorgen -i was expectig an answer from some reddish fellow seizing any opportunity to snatch a body from the -sunny- yellow world...

edit: the video is indeed impressive, and more especially in the described loan conditions.

Disclaimer:
Obviously, I've only checked out these things for a friend who is unfortunate enough to be a Canon user :ROTFL: :ROTFL:

As a matter of fact i do. :toocool: