Canon EOS 7D In Depth Review

Interface

The EOS 7D features a camera interface quite similar to the EOS 5D Mark II, and as with that one, it’s an interface that’s easy to use and understand, while offering lots of camera customization. There is one notable difference with the EOS 5D Mark II, and that is the EOS 7D’s handy Quick Control screen, implemented by pressing the also new “Q” button on the back of the camera. Similar to other manufacturer’s “Info” screens, the Quick Control screen provides an interactive display of your most relevant camera settings, plus a few other convenient items like your current Picture Style and Auto Lighting Optimizer settings. I’m a big fan of these info type displays, and the EOS 7D’s version is as easy to use as the best of them.

The Quick Control screen makes it easy to go through and change your camera settings.	Here we've switched to the white balance setting.
Pressing the set button provides you with all of the available options.	Potentially confusing, the EOS 7D's info button isn't used like the Quick Control button, and therefore not like most other cameras with this type of info display (generally activated with the "info" button).

Most of your additional interaction with the EOS 7D’s interface, outside of shooting images and movies in live view or image playback, will be the simple and straightforward menu system of the EOS 7D. Again, I find this latest version from Canon to be very easy to use and understand. It presents you with all the basic settings, and does so without crowding or requiring excessive vertical scrolling, if any. In addition, for users needing to tweak or customize certain camera aspects or functions, there’s a dedicated custom functions panel that centralizes all those settings in one tidy place. You can even set up your own menu page with camera settings that you turn to frequently. Settings that will attract attention for many prospective customers are bound to be the flash controls since the EOS 7D’s internal flash can act as a master to Speedlite slaves, the various HD movie frame rates, and another EOS first, the ability to enter in copyright information that is then saved with every image.

The menu system uses a simple tabbed display with icons up top to indicate the various sections. Here we're looking at the flash controls.	Once selected, you're presented with the options that can be changed.
Most of the more advanced camera functions are kept in the custom function section of the menu.	For example, this page of options for changing the functionality of various camera buttons on the EOS 7D.
Also in the menu system, the ability to add copyright information, which can then be added to images as they are saved.	Outside of the menu system, changing camera settings can look similar to this page for Picture Styles.
Here we can change the setup of the Picture Control and create new ones. You can even upload Picture Styles created on your computer with the included software.

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Continue Reading This Review:

1. Introduction
2. Specifications
3. Camera Design
4. Camera Interface
5. Performance
6. Image Quality
7. Playback and Video Options
8. Verdict
9. Image Samples

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• Canon EOS 7D vs. Canon EOS 5D Mark II: ISO Comparison
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1. 

   Eric says:

   February 22, 2010 at 12:20 am

   Hi,

   Just read this review. Great info! What really intrigued me though were the photos of the horse track (toteboard, etc.). Where were these photos taken? They’re awesome!

   reply
2. 

   dylan salt says:

   March 10, 2010 at 7:11 am

   Too be quite honest the pics published (and the originals downloaded) here do zero for the 7D with regards its pedigree & wouldn’t even hold up to my workhorse, a Pentax K10D even at ISO 640

   I’m sure you would admit that the shadow noise in the “sun” landscape is simply ghastly for ISO 200.

   What gives?

   The review was great but the pics presented here certainly did not make me want to rush off and by the 7D

   reply