With the release of the 7D, Canon hasn’t so much updated any of its existing cameras as carved out a new niche, creating what the company describes as an “all-rounder” that ostensibly targets the prosumer sports-orientated shooter.

At first glance the 7D looks like it might be a souped-up 50D, last year’s sporty EOS, or a slightly cheaper version of the mighty 5D Mark II. In fact, the 7D actually rumbles all three models in significant ways.

The new camera has had a number of its vital organs completely redesigned, the most important of which would be the 19-point autofocus system, an 18-megapixel CMOS APS-C sensor with dual DiG!C 4 processors, and its ability to shoot eight frames per second in a 90-image burst.

I put the 7D through its paces on a trip to Australia for a Canon workshop on Cockatoo Island, an abandoned shipyard in the middle of Sydney Harbour.  To be honest, I expected a cheaper 5D. That’s not the case.

Firstly, the redesigned autofocus system is a palpable improvement, not just in the EOS range but for dSLRs generally. It’s highly accurate when left to its own devices, a necessity for a camera whose reputation hinges on fast-paced shooting. It’s also customisable beyond your regular AF point-selection, with a new ‘zone’ mode that intelligently focuses on a specific area in the frame.

The ability to shoot at eight frames per second is to photo freaks what turbo is to petrolheads, and undoubtedly it’s going to drive a lot of traffic towards the camera.

What really matters whether you’re taking images one or one hundred at a time is that they’re going to look good. And they do. The 18 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor spits out a file big enough to make a print you can plaster to the side of your house, and colours are rich and sharp.

There was very little noticeable noise up anywhere around the ISO1600 mark, with the fuzz only becoming worth mentioning at around 3000 (I’d still prefer to shoot under 400, though). It’s expandable up to 12,800, though there are few brave souls who’d venture to such lofty heights. Still, it’s nice to know it’s an option in a pinch.

Metering, which tends to vary from camera to camera, was pretty much spot on. When my friends — who’ve barely mastered the art of finger painting, let alone photography — picked up the camera and pointed it towards the object that caught their attention, the 7D created a lovely pic.

For me, the real surprise was something I had initially considered a gimmick on modern dSLRs: HD video. The ability to shoot 30 frames per second of HD video with better quality lenses than those available on most dedicated camcorders is really, really useful.

If you’re considering creating online content, this is a tool with enormous potential. Autofocus during filming has been improved, and aperture can be changed on the fly for shallow, arty looking depth-of-field. In fact, it works so well that I’m going to go out on a limb and risk opining that in terms of video, it beats the 5D Mark II.

The only criticism regarding video would be that without a tripod, rigging or hands like Ken Rockwell, everything gets as shaky as the Blair Witch Project, though this isn’t a problem specific to the 7D.

A glowing review all round. Except for one small detail that, to me, makes a big difference. Many features of the 7D meet and even exceed the performance of the 5D. But without a full-frame sensor, its usefulness is compromised. Dedicated wide-angle lenses suddenly become standard lenses with its 1.6x magnification, and photographers need to back up a long way to get everything in the frame. This might actually prove to be a benefit for sports photographers, and I considered how great the extra length would be shooting live shows.

The 7D isn’t designed to be a full-frame model, and comparing it with the 5D is comparing apples and oranges.  However, it’ll matter to some people regardless of whether the comparison is fair or not.

In almost every other way, the 7D really is a cracker, and is likely to make a whole lot of photographers looking for a step up very, very happy.

TIM GREY
Canon 7D Digital SLR Camera – Tech Specs

Effective Pixels: 18 million
Image Sensor: 22.3 x 14.9mm CMOS
Viewfinder: 100 per cent frame coverage with 1.0x magnification
Monitor: 3.0-inch Clear View II LCD screen, 640 x 480 (921,600 dots) resolution
Shutter: Electronic focal-plane at speeds of 30 to 1/8000 sec
Exposure Metering: TTL, full aperture, 63 zones, evaluative, partial, spot, centre-weighted average modes
Continuous Shooting: 8fps
Focus areas: 19 cross-type AF points
ASA/ISO range: 100-6400 (expansion up to 12,800)
Media: CompactFlash (CF) (Type I or Type II)
File Format: JPEG (EXIF 2.21) – Fine / Normal, RAW, M-RAW, S-RAW, RAW + JPEG, M-RAW + JPEG, S-RAW + JPEG, MOV
Battery: Lithium-ion LP-E6 rechargeable (1800mAh)
Weight: 820g (body only)

Pros
    * Superfast 8 frames per second shooting
    * Spiffy new AF system
    * Sterling HD video capabilities
    * Impressive ISO performance

Cons
    * 1.6x magnification via crop sensor
    * Weird placement of AF button

VERDICT
Great camera, but some may find the crop-frame sensor a stumbling block

Contact
www.canon.co.nz