Canon EOS 7D Kit with EF 28-135mm

Well after much deliberation between this and a 5d Mark II i decided to opt for the 7D and spend the extra I save on some nice wide angle lenses. First of all for anyone who is expecting a 1.6 crop camera's image quality to be better than the 5d mark ii you can forget it. The 5D mark ii is a full frame sensor camera and the 7D is a crop, different cameras for different purposes. I know three people who own a 5d mark II, wedding photographer, cinematographer and a landscape photographer. As you can tell, they all need wide angle and good low light performance. The 5D Mark II/other full frame cameras are targeted towards users with wide angle needs. So if you find yourself in a crowded room with little light during a wedding the EOS 7D may not be for you, less you put on a 10-22mm EFS lens which is the widest Canon Zoom Lens for a APS-C camera. (Or 8-15 F4L Fisheye).

Image Quality from this camera is amazing, I'll put up some pictures once it stops raining where I live. Detail is very good, and the 28-135 lens accommodates this cameras ability very nicely, however, starting off at 28mm will probably be too long for most people in everyday situations such as those for street photographers. Picking up a 17-55 2.8 lens will probably be highly recommended by many.

Build Quality is superb. This "tank" of a camera is no light weight and one of the first things you notice when you pick up the camera is the hefty feel you get. Very ergonomic grip and a robust feel all around. Don't expect to have it hanging around your next too long though. Weather seals are improved and you can notice that the area above the viewfinder is much larger thanks to a 100% coverage pentaprism.

Autofocusing, now I've read some issues about the 7D's new focusing system such as softness from auto zone focusing and I am also getting some mixed results with that as well, some images ranging from very soft to some being as sharp as single AF select. I will update later as I take it out for more situations. However, with that being said, the camera's autofocusing with the 28-135mm lens is very quiet, very fast and accurate for the most part especially with using the cameras single AF select mode.

Battery Life: still on the first charge off the box, taken about 500 test shots and a few seconds of 720p recording, battery life is about halfway.

ISO performance. Now here is where many have a bone to pick. I am not afraid to use high ISO as my prints rarely go beyond 11x14. More than often I found myself using nothing higher than ISO 1600 on my girlfriend's 500D/T1i. With the 7D I feel very comfortable using 3200 with about ISO 4000 being my cut off point, that's where the trade offs between detail and noise will become apparent and start to bother me.

Overall this camera is a very impressive and I'd give it a rating of about 90/100. It has alot to offer being a HD video DSLR. It'll provide many rebel users enough room to learn and grow. However, I cant stress enough that if you find yourself needing wide angle capabilities and low light performance, saving up for a full frame, it will definitely be worth the wait in the long run. In fact a few 5D Mark I cameras are available for cheaper than the 7D. Without a doubt this is one of the top crop cameras of the market right now. You won't regret buying this camera.

Best Picture I've ever seen.

The Canon EOS 7D has some great features on it. One to start with is just the amazing body solidness and style. Everything on this camera feels solid in your hands and very comfortable. Its almost natural when you shoot with it. Great weight, weather sealed, and button finger friendly. The second thing is the LCD screen. I've never seen such great clarity on the back of a DSLR before. The pictures you take look on the camera LCD screen as clear as they do on a 27inch iMac blown up to full screen. Now this camera is not a full Frame camera like its big brother the Canon 5D mark II. But it also is set up a whole hell of a lot better to take video and fast photography. In my opinion this camera is better then the Canon 5D Mark II and cheaper to buy. This is just my opinion I think they are both great cameras but the 5D is more for portraits and the 7D is more for sports or fast movement and video. HD video is amazing on this Camera too. Although it does not have a 3CCD chip it will take the highest quality of video I've ever seen. If you just shoot video I would suggest you know the differences of having a 3CCD chip and not having one.

There are some things I hope can change on this camera starting with video being displayed only though the LCD screen. When in video mode you can only view what the camera sees in real time on the LCD screen AKA (Live View), The viewfinder is blacked out during Live View. The issue with this is its hard to shoot great quality video "IN FOCUS" on a 3 inch LCD screen. You will have a much better chance looking though the viewfinder and seeing the focus points. Most people will use the ViewFinder on camcorders and SLR cameras to take the best video/picture. The Canon 7D however does not have this option Once in Video mode or Live View mode for pictures you lose Viewfinder. Please don't think its the end of the world because of this. There are some companies out there like "Zacuto" that have made attachments and accessories such as the "Z-Finder Pro 3x", an attachment that slaps on the back of the LCD screen to give you a more traditional viewfinder feel and sight while in video mode that works very well for correct focal points. The second major issue is Audio is shooting video is your thing. Audio is what makes videos. What would a movie be without sound? The Canon 7D has a built in mic, and for the most part it sounds good for youtube videos if someones very close to the mic. But there is no Manual Adjustment on sound control. There is yet to be any indication of Canon releasing a firmware update for this too. There is also no sound meter so your never sure if its even recording sound unless you take a test clip before you shoot your real clip. This however can always be fixed with a sound systems. You can purchase one separately from a 3rd party company. The nice feature about the Canon 7D is the allowing of an external mic to be plugged in.

With all of that said the camera gets a Excellent rating or 5 out of 5 stars if your just using it for pictures However, because it can also take HD video as well as sound we have to factor those into the rating system. Though the video quality is excellent and out surpassing Pro Camcorders the technology is still very young for a DSLR. Sound controls need to be added or controlled from ether externally or internally. Viewfinder needs to become available during video mode. With this being added I give the Canon EOS 7D a Good or 4 1/2 stars out of 5

This camera is awesome!!!!

I got this camera about a month ago and I just love it. I use to have a monolta 5d with a had for about 3 years and was a little scared to make the move over to Canon but let me tell you, this company can makes some good stuff. Picture quality is awesome, the focus time is just unbelievable and don't get me started on the HD movie mode ( it's great). shooting in low light is not a problem with the ISO settings on this camera pictures come out nice and the noise level is not as noticeable as my monolta camera. I would highly recommend this camera to anybody looking for a camera that can get the job done.

Loving the 7D

I bought the Canon 7d with the 28-135 lens. I am happy with this camera it takes good pictures in low light and is easier to use than I thought. I like the on camera flash, just in case. It does have some weight to it but nothing I can't get use to. Using the video feature is easy and I like that I can snap a photo in movie mode. There is some disruption of a split second if you snap a picture in movie mode. This Camera is proving to be a smart purchase. I highly recomend it. Perfect for the professional or an advanced photography student. I think it is a wonder value.

Canon EOS 7D Every Day

This camera is a small step down from a professional model, with the primary differences being the APS-C size sensor as opposed to a full 35mm sensor and, of course, the corresponding price. Many good reviews are available on the net which detail the technical aspects of the unit and compare different brands and models. My discussion will attempt to relate this camera to use by the everyday user. It is HUGE compared to today’s Point and Shoot cameras. It weighs a little over three pounds with an EF-S 18-135 IS lens. This doesn’t sound like a lot but it grows noticeably when it’s hanging around your neck. The design employs many of the features of longstanding professional models which tends to indicate the model is not just a short-term technological step as was suggested by the earlier xxD series. Many of its features and functions can be enhanced with simple firmware updates. The learning curve is quite steep, as you might expect for any complex and fully customizable professional device. This is a camera for someone interested in experimenting with professional level photography. Some of the reviews identify the target market as “enthusiast”. I believe you need to be a little more than just a photography enthusiast to be comfortable with the burdens and benefits of this camera. If you fit the box made for this kind of person, then this is the camera you’ve been waiting for.

My recommendation would be to use this camera body and the best glass you can afford for the particular photographic direction you’re going. On this camera body the lens is the weakest link. A kit package is a good buy if you get a high quality lens in the package. Lens reviews are abundant on the net and should be consulted to aid in the selection of a lens for your purpose. Many of the package parts are only consumer quality but will serve the purpose of a leisurely serious photographer during the growth period and are far less expensive than professional level accessories. Nowhere else is there more truth to the saying that “you get what you pay for”. If you find a price which seems a bargain for the item, you should be very sure of what you're getting because non-USA versions may come without some of the features and benefits of USA versions, i.e., warranty coverage and accessories.

When you reach this level of quality in your hardware, you encounter few who will detect the difference between pictures made with your $500 lens and your $10,000 lens, should you happen to have one of those. If you do, you may not be a mere enthusiast.