CANON EOS 7D MINI REVIEW

Posted 30th Nov - Updated 19th April 2010

I bought this Full HD video capable DSLR to provide complimentary shots for work I do (mostly corporate) with my Sony PMW-EX3, mini review HERE. Together with a good fast Canon Zoom lens (I chose the 17-55mm F2.8 IS USM AF EF-S), some cards, lens hood and a spare battery the total cost was similar to buying a wide angle for my EX3. I figured the 7D would give me far more capability and flexibility for the cash. I have two 16GB Sandisk Compact Flash cards for it (an Extreme III at 30MBps and a UDMA one at 60 MBps capability). Both cards work flawlessly.

I’ve now had the set-up for about 6 months so here are my impressions:

Positives - in no particular order:
  • It’s a lot smaller than the EX3 so it goes with me to places that does not
  • It’s relatively easy to get wonderful, flattering, more natural video of people - an SLR seems a lot less of a perceived “threat” than a video camera, e.g. at family gatherings or when shooting in the high street. I shot some people watching / street stuff in Bishopsgate London recently before visiting a Sony Broadcast event and some stuff inside a London pub (low light) afterwards, both resulted in wonderful images of city life with good colour. No one batted an eye lid - no way could I get away with that with the EX3!
  • The much hailed shallow depth of field, since its sensor is close to a 35mm film device, and the low light ability of cameras like the 7D make these cameras invaluable for certain kinds of shots - but this is a two edged sword (see the negatives)
  • It’s stills capability (which is after all it’s main forte) is a major plus as I’m finding clients I do video work for often also ask me for stills too - now I can say yes. Sure, if this was my main business (rather than video) I’d chose a 5D MkII for it’s full frame sensor. The 7D is a more “video-centric” DSLR with its excellent frame rate options (until the promised firmware update, the 5D MkII can currently only do 30fps). The 7Ds dedicated video button works well for my needs too - no delving around in menus
  • Pretty robust video codec (around 45Mbps H.264, a higher rate than on the 5D MkII). Relatively easy to edit in Final Cut (but benefiting from conversion to ProRes 422 first) - which I can do very fast on my Macs
  • Build quality is stunning
  • 3.5mm stereo audio in jack allows me to attach a Rode Videomic or Stereo Videomic (both of which I already had). However, for now, the audio is AGC only - no manual setting of levels possible. Maybe if and when we get the Magic Lantern hack on the 7D this will change (as it did for the 5D MkII). Also, note that at least the audio on the 7D is at the more video friendly 48Khz rate, not the 44.1Khz seen on the earlier 5DMkII (now rectified in a recent firmware update). Even so, plan on using double system sound (i.e. an external capture device) for anything serious / commercial.
  • The Canon EOS 7D utility allows me to hook up my MBP to the camera and view using the laptops screen as a bigger monitor - very useful for corporate stuff for focussing and showing clients the intended shot. You can control recording from the MBP as well.
  • The Canon 17-55mm F2.8 IS USM AF EF-S lens I chose is a champ! Focusing is the same direction as I’d expect from using my EX3s Fujinon and it stays at the same aperture (i.e. minimum F2.8) as you zoom to re-frame a shot, which is great (I would say near enough essential for video work). Unfortunately, it’s not parfocal so won’t retain focus as you zoom and re-frame - something we all take for granted with video cameras. The 17-55mm works out about 28-88mm with the 7Ds 1.6x crop factor - a really useful range. The Image Stabilisation (IS) is great for video and stills work too and the quality of the glass is essentially comparable to Canon’s L lenses (but it lacks the full weather sealing of those). However, it’s pretty big and heavy and catches glare easily so the additional lens hood or better (i.e. a Matt box) is a must. I’ve just got an aftermarket Marumi shade as the Canon version for this lens is a rip off price. Also, I’ve no desire to create a rig as big as my EX3 as that would defeat some of the main advantages of the 7D, it’s small and little noticed when I’m out and about - pretty important here in the UK. I find I get stopped and asked questions by police more often than I’d like if I’m out shooting in public places (which I have a right to do of course), at least with my EX3
  • Update: Got paid for some big jobs recently (shot on my EX3 only) so I’ve added the Canon 10-22mm F3.5-4.5 wide angle to my kit, with it’s Canon shade. Most go for the Tokina 11-16mm F2.8 wideangle (some strengths over the Canon 10-22mm - but weaknesses as well). I have reasons for my choice which are available to read on the link at the end of this article. In short, it’s a stunner! I’m now looking at (maybe) a Steadicam / Glidecam next to work with this wide angle and (almost certainly) a telephoto, which will have IS for sure!
  • Update 2: Got paid on another big job so I recently I bought the Canon 70-200 IS F4. The Image Stabilisation is a little noisy for any on camera sound capture - much louder than my Canon 17-55 F2.8 but it’s a stunning lens - razor sharp for stills and half the weight of the Canon 70-200 F2.8 IS (which I had on extended loan but rarely used as it’s so big and heavy so never had it with me!). I also bought a 1.4X Canon Converter which is excellent in combination with this Tele for those really long shots (at the expense of a stop in light though - but you’d loose 2 stops with the 2X Converter (and noticeable image quality - I know because I had one of those on extended loan too) and that was a step I did not want to take.
  • Other lenses (fast primes) will come eventually (just maybe a Sigma 30mm F1.4 if I can lay my hands on a decent copy - their QC is legendary for being poor) but I’m in no rush as this 7Ds got to earn its keep first and the 3 lenses and Converter I now have are an excellent start point - for my type of work.
  • Update 3: Got a Steadicam Merlin - Wonderful! See the links at the bottom to see my first attempts at flying the 7D with it!
Negatives - in no particular order:
  • At 1080p 25 fps or 720p 60fps it will run for about 11 minutes before the 4GB FAT32 limit is reached (and so it will terminate the recording). This is not an issue for me in most of my uses but in corporate interview situations this is likely to be a bit of a nuisance
  • You cannot set the shutter to 1/50th in 720p 60fps mode, and so risk bad strobing if shooting under fluorescent lights here in the UK. I have to use the EX3 for those shots then
  • Forget all the wonderful simplicity and ease of shooting HD video with a professional camcorder like an EX3 - even if you do that in full manual as I most often do. Shooting (polished) video with the 7D or any DSLR is a REAL challenge. Sure, the 7D is better ergonomically / feature wise than the original 5D MkII (critically for me it has 25p) but not as well thought out perhaps as the Lumix GH1 - but that suffers from a weak AVCHD codec, the bit rate is too low and results in “mud” with any fast motion, at least that’s my opinion. Choices, choices...
  • Also, shooting video outside in sunny conditions (or even just outside) you will soon realise why all professional video cameras have neutral density (ND) filters built in. If you’re planning on staying in the sweet spot of your lens F-stop wise (and for video shutter speed wise) you’ll need to consider attaching one of several different grades of ND filters (or getting one of the rotating variable ND filters). Otherwise, you risk being way out on settings for good results (at least for video).
  • Shooting Full HD does NOT result in the kind of resolution I’m used to seeing on my big editing monitors from my stunning EX3. As reviewers such as Barry Green and others have shown with tests on resolution charts this camera cannot resolve detail like some of the recent HD camcorders (even consumer ones) because of the way it processes the image from the CMOS sensor. But for the kinds of shots I typically want it for that’s not an issue for me
  • And that handling of the HD image brings other potential issues such as aliasing and moire. I’ve experienced both in certain shots rendering them totally unusable for anything commercial. If I’ve got only one chance to shoot something and it must be right / someone’s paying me, I reach for the EX3, at least at the moment.
  • Getting correct exposure and focus when operating in full manual with the 7D is a challenge. It often results in out of focus or wrongly exposed clips...but the ones where you get it right make up for it (I’m getting better - it’s just that it’s a bit unpredictable for any critical work at the stage I’m at right now). Certainly, for video projects where I have more time and flexibility, the 7D comes out instead (or as well). It can certainly deliver stunning, gorgeous clips when things go right as I’ve seen with some private work I’ve done. Just look at the stuff Philip Bloom and many others have shown us recently on Vimeo, Exposure Room etc.
  • All these CMOS based DSLRs suffer from the “jello” effect if you whip pan, for example. I don’t do that, as any kind of fast panning looks horrible in 1080p 25fps anyway - and so this is not really a problem to me at all with what I shoot but I have noticed it on the odd occasional unstable hand held shot
  • Rolling shutter effects (part white frames when others are using flash photography) is present too. Again, something I rarely need to worry about in my kind of work (I’m often the only person shooting my subjects)
  • There are many web reports of 7Ds overheating after extended continuous video use (it seems more than 1 hr, depending on climate / full sun exposure etc.). I’ve yet to experience this problem in a cold wintery England
  • Shooting video goes through batteries so make sure you buy at least one spare!
  • Recently, I’ve been contacted by a number of stills photographers from around the world seeking my advice on moving into video. They often think that they can shoot HD video on the 7D and just click the shutter to get high resolution stills whenever they want as well (i.e. all at the same time). One commented “so now we have no need to employ a separate videographer to cover a once in a lifetime, fast moving event with this capability, right?” Sure you can try this - but note that the video will have a second (or thereabouts) missing while the camera captures the still. Also, that said still will be at the same resolution / camera settings as the ones you dialed in for the video (i.e. 1280x720 or 1080x1920 max), not the hi res images you’re used to working with if you’re a photo professional. Dream on, at least until the technology advances further. If you want a still just do a frame grab from the video in post - but 1920x1080 is the max you’ll get (or go and get a Red until something better comes along). Or better still, you employ me to do the HD video and you concentrate on the hi res photos!
  • If I had to name one issue above all others it’s the risk of being slightly out of focus - this has ruined many shots for me already. I suspect I’ll need one or more accessories to assist focussing very soon, especially for low light indoor stuff. Focusing is VERY difficult, especially if you’ve a moving target despite the otherwise excellent LCD screen, although I’m now getting used to quickly using the 5x and 10x ‘Magnify’ button (top right on the back of the 7D). This works a bit like the much used ‘Expanded Focus’ button on my EX3s handgrip. However, I’m still finding that shots I can easily achieve well on the EX3 with it’s much better ergonomics / excellent viewfinder arrangement (especially with peaking on) and deep depth of field are very difficult to do well on the 7D. The ergonomics for zooming (to compose a shot) then focus off the LCD, especially with manual settings chosen for a shallow depth of field are a challenge for sure. I imagine this would be “even worse” on a 5D MkII, of course (because of the even more shallow DOF). Sure, when you have time to set up a composed shot and are working on a tripod the expanded focus feature is excellent, as is the ability to move the ‘AF focus point box’ on the LCD to where you want it (and it turns green when focus is locked on after a quick press of that button). Then it’s just a quick press of the record button and you’re away. However, for any outdoor and run-n-gun stuff it’s a major challenge to get the focus right unless depth of field is deliberately set deeper than I would perhaps wish, at least for now. And if you use too deep a DOF you risk aliasing and moire issues in certain circumstances, depending on what’s in the shot. Lots to consider! - but as others have written, we’ve been perhaps a bit spoilt the last few years with developments in camcorder technology and using the 7D presents challenges like those experienced by real film shooters!
  • I’ve even got my old light meter out and will start using it again to better nail exposure too. Never thought I’d be doing that until I got the 7D!
  • Finally, the 17-55 F2.8 EF-S lens is a tad soft when fully open on aperture (only at full wide and only noticeable on stills and in the corners) - It’s a truly lovely, razor sharp lens otherwise.
Summing Up and Alternatives?
  • Also consider the Canon 5D Mk II, Canon 550D / T2i, Lumix GH1 and a growing list of others. This niche is here to stay but as you can see from the long list above, as to whether the 7D is right for your needs only you can decide. For me, it’s been a story of some joy and also some initial frustration. This is no “glowing review” like some have written from their own experiences but I’ve not thrown in the towel on the 7D yet! I’ve had glimpses of brilliance and I’m seeing more and more stunning results as I get to grips with the 7D. Already, I’ve certainly got shots I’d never have been able to easily achieve with the EX3. So bottom line, I’m becoming increasingly delighted with it - it has brilliant potential for my work and I’m very excited about that. It’s just that it’s going to be a lot tougher to master it than I’d originally envisaged, but master it I will. Watch this space!
  • And here is a link to all the details on why I chose the CANON 10-22mm WIDE ANGLE. Also, here is a link to the same information and a discussion thread with other opinions on an external site I write on quite often (DVinfo), Canon 10-22mm versus Tokina 11-16mm.
  • Also, here are new links to a test video showing my first attempts at flying the Canon 7D with the above wide angle on a Steadicam Merlin. Lot’s of fun and lots and lots still to learn! See my 7D & Steadicam on Vimeo or Steadicam on YouTube (same 720p video on either site).


Copyright © 2009-2010 Andy K Wilkinson PhD

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