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| Image from Canon website |
At last, the camera body that i have been waiting for for so long for my birding activities has finally arrived, the EOS 7D Mark ll from Canon. Rumors were going around that the EOS 7D Mark ll was going to be announced in September 2014, and it turned out to be true when Canon introduced this body at the recent Photokina 2014 in Cologne, Germany a couple of weeks ago.
I was tempted to buy the first version 7D body due to the superior AF and faster frame per second to my EOS 60D a few months ago, but was holding back because i wanted more improvements to my EOS 60D like a less noisier image quality, faster frame rate per second and better environmental sealing. The shopkeeper where i usually buy my Canon camera equipments said do not believe in rumors and just go ahead and buy the original 7D body which was going cheaper by the week. But i refused to listen to her because i did not want to make a mistake, i am glad i was very patient in waiting.
I usually use either Canon EOS 60D or EOS 5D Mark lll body for my birding, but i was not satisfied as both are lacking something. The EOS 60D has that crop factor of 1.6x which gives me longer focal length like 1.6 x 400mm = 640mm, but was very poor with AF speed as it has only 9 cross-type AF points, slow frame per second and poor ISO performance as it tops the ISO at 6400 with H1-12800. Usable ISO in the field is restricted to ISO1600. EOS 60D AF keeps hunting in low light and the image is very noisy. Weather sealing wise is not as good as the original 7D but it did survive -5C temperature and heavy snow in Mount Titlis, Switzerland the last time i visited it. The 5D Mark lll on the other hand has a superior AF system to EOS 60D and the original 7D with 45 AF points and superb image quality compared to both EOS 60D and 7D, with ISO 100-25600 native with low noise performance, but does not have the crop factor of 1.6x, to give me better reach with my favorite Canon EF400mm f5.6 lens. In birding and sports the focal length is crucial to get close-up shots. The longest lens that i have currently is the Sigma 150-500mm f5-6.3 but it can only be used with the APSC camera bodies. That gives me a headache. Do i change to a higher grade body with superior AF with a crop factor like 1D Mark lV or change the lens to longer focal length like Canon EF600mm f4? Both cost a bomb to purchase. Canon EOS 1D Mark lV is no longer in production as it has been replaced by the EOS 1DX which even more expensive. The EOS 1D Mark lV has a 1.3x crop factor, the EOS 1DX does not because it is a full frame body.
So, i was wishing for someone in Canon to start dreaming of coming up with an ultimate APSC body which comes close to the EOS 1D Mark lV performance or even EOS 1 DX but costs one third of it. Is it possible? Of course it is if Canon wants to. The problem is always in marketing and safeguarding the existing flagship models like EOS 1DX. The original 7D was launched in 2009, five years ago! That is very long to upgrade a model, like the span between the Jurassic Age to the modern day, if you know what i mean.
Bang! My patience paid off, Canon announced the EOS 7D Mark ll model at the recent Photokina 2014 this month. So is it what i have been wishing for? Lets look at some of the features posted on the Canon website as i have not been able to get my hands on the body as they will only ship out the model in November 2014, maybe even later to Malaysia.
Some of the main features:
1) ISO 100 - 16000 native, H1 setting - 25600 , H2 - 51200.
This is a big improvement over the original 7D, an increment of 250% compared to 100-6400 originally. The performance at ISO 25600 based on the image samples posted on the internet showed acceptable noise. I am pleased with this improvement, at least i can increase the ISO in the field to 12800 to get faster shuttle speed and still get clean images. The ISO16000 i will reserve for early morning and late evening shots when the light is low. The ISO25600 can be used a last resort.
2) AF points - 65 cross type, with center one link to spot metering and f8.0 sensitive.
Wow! Even my EOS 5D Mark lll has only 45 AF points and the original 7D 19 AF points! This is a killer feature, fantastic for tracking birds in flight and fast moving objects. Even the sensitivity of the focusing can be tweaked. This feature is borrowed from the EOS 1DX. This is definitely a big yes for birding and sports. For video the AF is similar to 70D with dual phase sensor but is newly designed. I am not much into video, but the AF in video mode is a god-send compared to the manual AF in video mode on my EOS 60D. The central AF point is f8 sensitive means we can use a tele-converter of 1.4x with an f5.6 lens to extend the focal length and still have an f8 so the camera can auto-focus on a subject. That means an EF400mm f5.6 couple with a 1.4x tele-converter will become 560mm f8 and when used on the 7D Mark ll will give an equivalent 1.6 x 560mm = 896mm focal length! Now that is a much much cheaper way than buying an EF800mm f5.6 prime lens and couple it with a full frame body dont you think so? The AF points are spread very wide to the edges of the frame as you can see in the image below. That means you can compose your shot better using the rule of third and still get a fast AF lock on the subject.
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| Image from internet |
3) 10 frame rate per second!
In birding especially bird in flight shots, high frame rate per second is crucial so you do not miss every movement of the birds. Afterwards you can select the best shot that you like and delete the rest. It gives you an option which camera bodies with slow frame rate per second do not give. My EOS 60D gives 5.3 frames per second, the EOS 5D Mark lll gives 6.0 frame per second while the original EOS 7D eight frame per second. The new 7D Mark ll tops all of them with ten frames per second but slightly below the EOS 1DX frame rates of 12 frames per second. That is blistering fast for an APSC camera at the recommended retail price of US1799.00! In Malaysia that will translate to RM5882.00 at a conversion rate of USD1.0 = RM3.27, which is a lot cheaper than the EOS 1DX which sells around RM19,500!
Of course you can always get better deal if you know how to negotiate with your usual supplier.
4) Resolution of 20.2 Megapixel
The new 7D Mark ll has a new image sensor with 20.2 megapixel compared to the old 18.0 megapixel. It comes close to the full frame EOS 5D Mark lll that has 22.3 megapixel. What that means is that you can crop 100% and still have a respectable size resolution, and when you have an APSC sensor which concentrate the main image in the center especially for birding, the increase in resolution will help improve your image quality. However, that also means your card will be filled up faster.
5) Card Slot
I think Canon copy over the EOS 5D Mark lll card slot into the EOS 7D Mark ll body as the slot is identical. The new EOS 7D Mark ll has a CF card slot and SD card slot compared to the old 7D which only has a CF card slot. CF card is faster than the SD card which is good for burst shots and video recording but it is also more expensive. It can be the main storage while the SD card can be the switchable backup storage. I am used to the EOS 5D Mark lll slot, so this upgrade is a plus for me. The EOS 60D has only SD card slot.
6) Weather and Dust Sealing
Canon advertised that the new EOS 7D Mark ll has weather sealing second only to EOS 1DX! Wow! That means it beats my EOS 5D Mark lll eventhough it is less expensive? Seriously?? The EOS 5D Mark lll weather sealing is already impressive when i used it in a snowing condition at -5C on a mountain in Switzerland. It functioned smoothly without any problems. I have also shot the EOS 5D Mark lll in light rain and washed the body under tap water after been at sea fishing. That means the EOS 7D Mark ll will give me more peace of mind shooting outside with bad weather or dusty environment.
7) Bigger Buffer
The new 7D Mark ll boasts 1090 jpeg and 31 raw image buffer for shooting in burst mode. Why do you need a large buffer you might ask? Well, when you shoot a 10 frames per second camera in raw you will fill up the buffer pretty fast in 3 seconds if you pressed the button continuosly. After that the camera slows down as it is trying to clear the buffer while writing the images on the card. The bigger the image resolution you use the slower it gets. Unless you shoot in jpeg which you can keep on shooting until the card is full before you buffer runs out. I think the old EOS 7D has only around 28 raw image buffer? If out in the field you will curse yourself when the camera slows down at the crucial moment of the action. Another way to make the buffer clear up faster is to use the fastest CF card you can afford. It will help.
8) Shutter Cycle - 200000 shots
The old EOS 7D and 5D Mark lll shutter mechanism is rated at 150000 only. This new EOS 7D Mark ll shutter durability is improved up to 200000 cycle. The EOS 1DX has 300000 cycle rating if i am not mistaken. That means it can last longer before it stops functioning. However, if you are the type who shoot at full burst all the time, you will reach that limit quite fast.
9) Magnesium Chassis
Well, the old one already has this feature, so are the 5D Mark lll, 1D MK4 and 1DX. But it is good when you are out in the woods or on a mountain where the possibility of dropping your camera is high, so this body can withstand the abuse pretty good.
10) GPS & Compass
This new body has a built-in GPS module for those who like to record the exact location of their shots and which way they were facing when they took the shots. How important is this to me? Not much.
11) LCD Panel
Canon decided to keep it fixed instead of tiltable like EOS 60D. I think they did not want anything flimsy on the camera which can break in the field. Of course for videographers they will hate this, but i think the new 7D mark ll is meant more for sports and wildlife photography with a video feature. The screen is 3 inch diagonal with 1040000 dots which is more than the previous 920000 dots.How bright is this screen in a bright sunny day we have to wait and see. The screen is also not touch-screen type like it was rumored out to be.
12) Ergonomic and Layout
The new EOS 7D Mark ll ergonomics and button layouts are very similar to EOS 5D Mark lll which is good for me. At least i do not have to learn about what buttons represent what functions on the camera. The big difference being the bulge near the built-in flash to accommodate the GPS unit.
Of course you can always get better deal if you know how to negotiate with your usual supplier.
4) Resolution of 20.2 Megapixel
The new 7D Mark ll has a new image sensor with 20.2 megapixel compared to the old 18.0 megapixel. It comes close to the full frame EOS 5D Mark lll that has 22.3 megapixel. What that means is that you can crop 100% and still have a respectable size resolution, and when you have an APSC sensor which concentrate the main image in the center especially for birding, the increase in resolution will help improve your image quality. However, that also means your card will be filled up faster.
5) Card Slot
I think Canon copy over the EOS 5D Mark lll card slot into the EOS 7D Mark ll body as the slot is identical. The new EOS 7D Mark ll has a CF card slot and SD card slot compared to the old 7D which only has a CF card slot. CF card is faster than the SD card which is good for burst shots and video recording but it is also more expensive. It can be the main storage while the SD card can be the switchable backup storage. I am used to the EOS 5D Mark lll slot, so this upgrade is a plus for me. The EOS 60D has only SD card slot.
6) Weather and Dust Sealing
Canon advertised that the new EOS 7D Mark ll has weather sealing second only to EOS 1DX! Wow! That means it beats my EOS 5D Mark lll eventhough it is less expensive? Seriously?? The EOS 5D Mark lll weather sealing is already impressive when i used it in a snowing condition at -5C on a mountain in Switzerland. It functioned smoothly without any problems. I have also shot the EOS 5D Mark lll in light rain and washed the body under tap water after been at sea fishing. That means the EOS 7D Mark ll will give me more peace of mind shooting outside with bad weather or dusty environment.
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| Weather sealing on previous model. The new 7D Mark ll will have better sealing. Image from internet. |
7) Bigger Buffer
The new 7D Mark ll boasts 1090 jpeg and 31 raw image buffer for shooting in burst mode. Why do you need a large buffer you might ask? Well, when you shoot a 10 frames per second camera in raw you will fill up the buffer pretty fast in 3 seconds if you pressed the button continuosly. After that the camera slows down as it is trying to clear the buffer while writing the images on the card. The bigger the image resolution you use the slower it gets. Unless you shoot in jpeg which you can keep on shooting until the card is full before you buffer runs out. I think the old EOS 7D has only around 28 raw image buffer? If out in the field you will curse yourself when the camera slows down at the crucial moment of the action. Another way to make the buffer clear up faster is to use the fastest CF card you can afford. It will help.
8) Shutter Cycle - 200000 shots
The old EOS 7D and 5D Mark lll shutter mechanism is rated at 150000 only. This new EOS 7D Mark ll shutter durability is improved up to 200000 cycle. The EOS 1DX has 300000 cycle rating if i am not mistaken. That means it can last longer before it stops functioning. However, if you are the type who shoot at full burst all the time, you will reach that limit quite fast.
9) Magnesium Chassis
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| Image from internet. |
Well, the old one already has this feature, so are the 5D Mark lll, 1D MK4 and 1DX. But it is good when you are out in the woods or on a mountain where the possibility of dropping your camera is high, so this body can withstand the abuse pretty good.
10) GPS & Compass
This new body has a built-in GPS module for those who like to record the exact location of their shots and which way they were facing when they took the shots. How important is this to me? Not much.
11) LCD Panel
Canon decided to keep it fixed instead of tiltable like EOS 60D. I think they did not want anything flimsy on the camera which can break in the field. Of course for videographers they will hate this, but i think the new 7D mark ll is meant more for sports and wildlife photography with a video feature. The screen is 3 inch diagonal with 1040000 dots which is more than the previous 920000 dots.How bright is this screen in a bright sunny day we have to wait and see. The screen is also not touch-screen type like it was rumored out to be.
12) Ergonomic and Layout
The new EOS 7D Mark ll ergonomics and button layouts are very similar to EOS 5D Mark lll which is good for me. At least i do not have to learn about what buttons represent what functions on the camera. The big difference being the bulge near the built-in flash to accommodate the GPS unit.
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| back view. Image from internet. |
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| Take note of the GPS unit near the built-in flash. Image from internet. |
There is a new ring dial near the toggle button on the right of the LCD panel which can be used to change the type of AF very fast while shooting. This feature is not present on the EOS 5D Mark lll. The mode dial on the top left side is identical to the one on EOS 5D Mark lll, it has C3,C2,C1,B,M,AV,TV,P and A+. The main dial and lock button below it is exactly the same as EOS 5D Mark lll and so are the right top second LCD panel and the buttons surrounding it. Overall, it looks like the APSC version of EOS 5D Mark lll. Due to its size it will be lighter than the EOS 5D Mark lll which is good if you have to carry it the whole day out in the field. Overall, EOS 5D Mark lll users should feel at ease using this new EOS 7D Mark ll because the layout of buttons are almost identical.
13) Dual Digic 6 vs Dual Digic 4 Processors
Last and not least, the brain of the camera, the processor which functions with complex algorithm to calculate all the data from image sensor and convert them into images in the LCD in blistering speed. The original 7D was blessed with two Digic 4 processors to deal with its eight frame per second frame rate. The new 7D Mark ll has upgraded the processors significantly even more than the 5D Mark lll with two Digic 6 processors. The 5D Mark lll has only one Digic 5+ processor by comparison. The dual Digic 6 processors is Canon answer to speed up the processing when they upgraded the 7D Mark ll image resolution to 20.2 MP from 18.0MP previously, and ten frames per second continuos shooting from eight frames per second in the original 7D. That means the new 7D Mark ll will be no slouch in performance especially for fast action sports and wildlife.
In summary, this new EOS 7D Mark ll represents a very significant upgrades for those who use the EOS 60D like myself, who want better performance like fast AF system, fast frame rate per second, better ISO performance in low light, tough body with good weather sealing, more storage slots and bigger buffer shots but at lower cost than the top pro full frame model like the EOS 1DX. The EOS 7D Mark ll in my opinion was designed for the sports and wildlife shooters in mind, and it will be the ultimate affordable birding camera available in the market by the end of the year. I cannot wait to lay my hand on one when it comes out.
Till next time, happy birding.
UPDATE: Canon will start shipping out the 7D Mark 2 on 30th October 2014. However, i am not sure the same date is applicable to Malaysia. I will keep an eye on the development but i will not buy the first batch because like always the first batch always has teething problems which require fixes.
