When the Canon 7D came out in 2009 , it soon became one of the most popular DSLRs ever . It was fast , rugged , with great video characteristic , all for a whole lot cheaper than the more pro - oriented 5D Mark II . Five years later on , the 7D Mark II make its debut with spate of hefty specs , yet it ’s not likely to be the same wide - reaching hit as the original .
The 7D Mark II , which costs $ 1,800 for just the body or $ 2,149 with an 18 - 135 mm kit lens , is a high operation television camera . Its 20.2 megapixel APS - C size detector is comparatively humble in resolution , but the sheer computing office that drive it is staggering . It has many of the same guts as the uber - souped up $ 6,800 Canon 1DX . That ’s some impressive tech to contract into a equipment meant largely for ripe amateur . This power is principally used to drive the camera ’s two principal selling percentage point — autofocus performance and burst amphetamine . It ’s tailor - made for fool fast move discipline like sporting events or wildlife . That ’s the recession Canon is chasing .
Please note that the unit we tested was a pre - production sample distribution . After speaking with Canon , we are positive that the production units will be almost identical , but keep in psyche that there could be tweaks in the interlingual rendition that is available for leverage .
On the outside , the 7D Mark II is just another Canon DSLR . If you remove the camera ’s lilliputian “ EOS 7D ” badge , good luck identifying it in a card . Not much on the exterior has been altered except for some button positioning pinch and a raw lever tumbler for shuffling between focal point modal value . It ’s a stubborn approach that hold the current hunger for newness in gadgets , but it does show assurance in the camera ’s tried and rightful form . If you ’re a longtime Canon user , you ’ll be in familiar territory . If you ’re new to DSLRs : slow down and get comfortable with one of the most sensible control layouts in the camera world .
The 7D Mark II ’s atomic number 12 metal exterior is built rugged as nails to hold rain , wind , dust , and other inclement atmospheric condition . In fact , Canon state that it ’s four time as weather - resistant as the original 7D. As long as you have an evenly rugged lens system attached , it should be able to hold everything you project at it . I took it out in the rainwater a few times with no problems , but I ’m sure I did n’t screen the limits of its strength .
The sturdy outside is n’t without tradeoffs though . Many have hope for a farsighted while that Canon would introduce unexampled exterior features like a swiveling display or soupcon - screen , both of which appear on low destruction model like the 70D. These are perfect examples of feature that add public utility company , but the general presumptuousness is that they ca n’t be follow through without compromising the tv camera ’s weather - underground . That is the best explanation for why they have historically been confine to Canon ’s lower ending photographic camera . In any case , what you have with the 7D Mark II is the iconic disgraceful brick that is a DSLR .
And a brick may not be good enough any more . I ’ve been tot around aSony a7for the past yr , and carrying the 7D for my recapitulation cognitive operation frankly experience like a burden . The affair weighs almost two pounds without a electron lens , which immediately makes it something I do n’t want to stock unless I dead have to . But DSLR owner generally sleep together what they ’re in for , so the weight of the 7D Mark II wo n’t necessarily be a surprisal .
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If you ’re shooting a mess of fast moving subjects , the 7D Mark II might be the perfect putz . Tracking something that moves is one of the difficult thing for television camera hardware to do , and it ’s what describe for much of the expense of the in high spirits end camera eubstance . The 7D Mark II brings some of the best autofocus tech within reach of many not looking to spend a fortune .
Its 65 - point autofocus organisation is among the good in the biz , backed by dual Digic6 + processors that let you fire off a blistering 10 frames per secondly . I just roll in the hay the sweet sound of a shutter fire at that speed . In JPG modal value it will pucker over 100 shot before needing to buffer , and in RAW modality , 31 stroke . That is some serious toilsome lifting . By comparison , the top - of - the - blood Canon 1DX germinate 14 Federal Protective Service , and the Nikon D4s 11 Federal Protective Service . There are mirrorless photographic camera that boast similar speeds , but they ca n’t do it with nearly the same focusing abilities , which is , again , what gain the 7D Mark II so vehement .
While my compatriotBob Sorokanichwas test a gyro - stabilized unicycle , I used the 7D II to track him around our rooftop deck . There were a couple of shooting with less - than gross focus , but for the most part it did an telling problem tracking ol’ Bob - o.
I also ran a few trial equate the 7D Mark II ’s trailing to the trashy 70D. I did n’t see a vast dispute in factual tracking amphetamine , but the 7D ’s all-encompassing sweep of focus points meant that as my subject reached the edges of the frame , the camera did a good job of prevent them in direction .
In the first row of images below you may see how as I tear apart across the scene , the green plant stayed in focussing from sharpness to edge . In the next series , take by the 70D , the plant swan out of focus because there are n’t nidus points hitting it toward those outer expanse of the inning .
Autofocus of such power calls for a in high spirits story of customization in just how the photographic camera tracks bm . thing like tracking sensitivity , which AF point are enabled , how they are displayed and selected — there are tons of means to tweak the style the system do , and it ’s all present in a bill of fare organization on the dot like the 5D Mark III . It is intimidating , with five pages of menu token just for AF , but Canon does a great chore of make them clean and readable , with explanations for each item . There is a ton of customization in general , from setting a specific range of shutter amphetamine and ISO , to assign your own functions to each clit . It really is a tinkerer ’s dream .
canyon started the DSLR video rotation in 2007 with the 5D Mark II . Since then , there has been a history of videographers request additional television - centric feature , and companies refusing to deport . The original 7D proud of telecasting gun for hire with things like a dedicated video mode switch and 24p recording . At the time , this made it a darling in the turn DSLR TV community . Five geezerhood afterward , video shooter are a much more needy bunch , and engineering has come a long manner . With Panasonic deliver tussle - free 4Kin their GH4 , and Sony creating the small and sparkle a7s that shoot stellar HD picture , the legal profession has been raise . Unfortunately , the 7D Mark II just does n’t push the legal profession onward when it number to video . The effigy quality is around the same as the 5D Mark III , a camera over two years honest-to-god , with a softness that some regard to be quite dated . It boast Dual Pixel AF , which allow for pretty good autofocus during telecasting shot , but that is n’t enough to lure video shooters back to Canon .
The users who fall in dearest ahead of time on with video shooting on Canon DSLRs hoped and implore that matter like focus peaking , zebra patterns , or mayhap a fresh high fleck - charge per unit codec would look in future poser . None of this is present on the 7D Mark II . In a sense it ’s unreasonable to expect these lineament in a television camera that is so intelligibly for sport and wildlife still photography . But it ’s still thwarting because video - friendly features are basically nowhere to be found anywhere in Canon ’s card , until you arrive at their Cinema EOS models , which are too expensive for most pouch . Even Nikon has address many video shooters ’ requests with the D750 ’s sportsmanlike timber and articulating show . Sadly , Canon DSLR telecasting is at risk of becoming a relic of the past . Besides the large lens ecosystem , I do n’t see a reason to buy a Canon DSLRs for video these days .
range tone on the still side is dependable , but you credibly wo n’t notice any major difference from any other current generation APS - C detector . Staggering simulacrum quality is not a reason to buy this television camera . But we ca n’t hold that against it because range of a function quality across the spectrum of cameras has leveled off in the last couple of years . Still , it was a surprise when comparing RAW data file at ISO 100 between the 7D Mark II and the 70D with the same lens and preferences , I found the 70D to be a hair sharper .
For full res images , visit ourFlickr gallery .
Where the 7D Mark II does excel is in humbled light . With a maximum aboriginal ISO of 16,000 , it ’s somewhat better than the competition , until you get into full - frame territorial dominion which will always be superior . Here are some equivalence between the 7D Mark II and Canon ’s previous APS - C sensor in the 70D. There is a small but noticeable reduction in noise when viewed at full - size . Below are 1:1 crop of a dark elbow room blast at ISo 6400 . These effigy are altogether conversion , with no noise decrease of any variety :
7D Mark II :
70D :
At last , a timelapse intervalometer is built in to the 7D Mark II , so you do n’t have to preposterously purchase a separate accessory . you could pick out to either capture the first 100 frames or pick unlimited , which I wear will go until your card is full . The de - flicker option is super useful for preventing the penetrating jumps in exposure that happen when recording timelapses with motorcar - exposure .
One thing I really savour about the 7D Mark II is actually mostly intended for video recording , but is utilitarian for shooting stills in lively View — the Dual Pixel AF system . In olden multiplication , shooting in live - view , where you are supervise exposure on the LCD rather of looking through the viewfinder , was hampered by near - useless focus speed . Now , concentrate in hot - eyeshot is nice and speedy , and make using the LCD to scud much more gratifying . This is is a perk share with the 70D , though , so it ’s not in all fresh .
In essence , the 7D Mark II is one of the good , most capable APS - C DSLRs you could find . A few years ago , a statement like that would mean that everyone with $ 2000 for a photographic camera would be well - rede to go buy it . But the world has changed . There are abruptly a whole variety of high - remnant tv camera to select from , from the retro range finder - dash Fujifilm X series , to the Sony full - form a7 series . The citizenry who really need DSLRs are those in motive of whip speed , which come up at the expense of convenience , quilt , and innovative features .
It is interesting to see Canon play exclusively for the sports and wildlife crowd with the 7D Mark II , and not really chasing any other grouping of photographers . If you are a travel or street photographer , I would say go with something much lighter and easygoing to send with 2 or 3 lens system . If you are going for super in high spirits reticuloendothelial system Indian file over 24 megapixels , there ’s nothing for you in Canon ’s lineup . And if you are a television gunman , there is a produce list of better options in terms of picture quality and usability . The 7D Mark II is an incredible camera for a few very specific tasks .
Likes
It has the most powerful guts of any APS - C DSLR to - date . Focusing is fast as hell in passably much any circumstance , especially tracking moving subjects . Low wakeful performance is one small step above other APS - C cameras . You ’ll be able to shoot in any condition thanks to the robust weather - waterproofing . The camera is superbly customizable . Autofocus in video mode is big and makes shot stills with live - view much prosperous . It ’s ace - duper rugged .
Dislikes
It ’s still a large and cloggy DSLR that is a pain to carry around . video recording character is improved from previous APS - C trunk , but it ’s still not an improvement over the two year quondam 5D Mark III and ca n’t compete with the latest mirrorless cameras . It also lacks basic picture features like nidus peaking . Still image lineament is largely stagnant from previous generation of Canon DSLRs .
Should You Buy It
If you shoot jock or animals and are trying to keep it under $ 2000 for a young body , I would wholeheartedly recommend the7D Mark II . Besides the increase in scurvy light operation and an obsession with the full - shape “ look , ” there are n’t many reasons to go all - in on a 5D Mark III which is almost double the toll . The 7D Mark II scud quicker and focus good . You ’re getting near the functioning of the photographic camera NFL photographers use without having to spend seven 1000 on a body .
If $ 2000 is still a bad ask , there are no shortage of gaudy options . On the Canon side , the 70D is very capable . It ’s got slimly less low - Light Within insightfulness , bad video quality , and a less tough consistency . But if you do n’t postulate cutting bound focalize and 10 fps fit , it will do you just okay for $ 1000 organic structure - only . The Nikon D5300 is also good , with satisfying picture caliber to boot .
For the thousands of lensman who do n’t focus on immobile moving guinea pig , who primarily shoot traveling , lifestyle , landscape painting , or TV — I just ca n’t see the advantages of the 7D Mark II ( or any DSLR ) outweighing the troublesomeness of this heavy brick . expect , a lot of mass are madly in passion with DSLRs , and they will be speedy to point out that you just ca n’t get the authentic autofocus or the lucidness of an optic viewfinder in a mirrorless camera . Fair enough . But those are n’t universal ideals in earth where pro character cameras exist that you’re able to fit in your pelage pocket . size of it and weight matter hugely . With these heavy DSLRs , more people are second - guessing whether they actually take the massiveness that sportswoman photographer require . Very often they do n’t , and will promptly count away from DSLRs .
But hey , if we are simply judging the 7D Mark II in its own linguistic context of semi - pro DSLRs , it ’s a wild performer . If that ’s your niche , you wo n’t be disappointed .
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