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Canon EOS 7D Mark II
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| NguyenHoang | Date: Thursday, 2017-04-13, 3:06 PM | Message # 1 |
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In the five years since its launch, the Canon EOS 7D has gone from being a cutting-edge piece of technology to an apparent remnant of a bygone age. Not simply in the sense that its technology has been superseded, but also in that the idea of a pro-grade APS-C DSLR seemed to one whose time had passed. Canon clearly doesn't think this is the case and, just as it did with the original 7D, has applied truly pro-grade autofocus to one of its best-built bodies. While Nikon appears to be encouraging its high-end users across to full frame, Canon's range continues to offer a range of options. The long-awaited EOS 7D Mark II takes the strengths of its predecessor - highly capable autofocus and video - and builds on every aspect of them. Canon EOS 7D Mark II key specifications: - 20MP Dual-Pixel AF CMOS Sensor
- 10 fps continuous shooting with autofocus
- 65 all cross-type autofocus sensor
- 150,000 RGB + IR pixel metering sensor
- Dual Digic 6 processors
- Enhanced environmental sealing
- Compact Flash (UDMA) and SD (UHS-I) slots
- USB 3.0
- Built-in GPS
- Larger-capacity LP-E6N battery
- Shutter speeds up to 1/8000th seconds
- Shutter rated to 200,000 cycles (vs 150,000 on 7D)
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| NguyenHoang | Date: Thursday, 2017-04-13, 3:08 PM | Message # 2 |
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Generalissimo
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| Body & Design The Canon 7D Mark II is very similar in size to its predecessor, but does see some changes in button layout. In fact, the controls are almost identical to what you'll find on the Canon 5D Mark III, save for the addition of a thumb switch around the multi-controller. Canon has said the unified layout was deliberate in order to provide a seamless user experience across Canon's product line.
Compared to the 7DThe 7D Mark II's body is very similar to the 7D, providing similar levels of (generally-good) grip and ergonomics. We were told by Canon that the 7D Mark II is 'four-times more weather sealed' than the original 7D, a claim that seems reasonable based on the detailed analysis done over at LensRentals.com.
 From the front the 7D Mark II looks much like its predecessor, with the most obvious change being the large, repositioned DOF preview button (much like the 5D Mark III). The 7D Mark II sees a button layout almost identical to that of the 5D Mark III, save for the 'AF area select' thumb switch around the rear joystick. Compared to the 7D, the two buttons at the top left have been changed from 'Q-menu' and 'RAW/JPEG' to 'Menu' and 'Info'. The Q-menu button has been moved to the upper left of the thumb dial. The top three buttons on the left edge of the camera have been changed from 'Menu', 'Picture Style', and 'Info' to multi-function 'Picture Style', 'Rate', and 'Magnify' buttons. The magnification abilities have been removed from the two buttons at the upper right. The top view shows a number of things that have changed from the 7D. A lock has been added to the mode dial, and you'll note a small protrusion in front of the hotshoe that includes a GPS module. Also, the 'Creative Auto' program mode has been removed.
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| NguyenHoang | Date: Thursday, 2017-04-13, 3:08 PM | Message # 3 |
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Generalissimo
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| In your handThe 7D Mark II is a substantial camera, with grip and ergonomics very similar to the EOS 5D Mark III. Its grip is well designed to make it easy to support the weight of the camera and attached lens; however, it's unlikely to be a shoot-one-handed camera.
By emulating the EOS 5D Mark III, Canon has made a deliberate decision to be conservative in its button layout and general feel to the camera. But this works to Canon's favor: we generally like the ergonomics of the 5D Mark III, with easy access to commonly used buttons using either your thumb or index finger.
  LCD monitor The EOS 7D Mark II uses a 1.04 million dot 3.0" LCD featuring the latest gapless technology that reduces internal reflections to improve contrast.
The LCD has a 3:2 aspect ratio, with a resolution of 720x480 pixels. It is not touch-sensitive, which we feel is a bit of a shame as it would've benefited focus during video (something the 7D Mark II should be good at given dual-pixel AF).
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| NguyenHoang | Date: Thursday, 2017-04-13, 3:09 PM | Message # 4 |
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Generalissimo
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| Body & Design continuedViewfinder size and cropOne figure hidden away in every SLR's spec is the size of the viewfinder (often in a format that makes comparison between competing models impossible). The size of the viewfinder is a key factor in usability - the bigger it is, the easier it is to frame and focus your shots, and the more enjoyable and involving process it is.
Because of the way viewfinders are measured (using a fixed lens, rather than a lens of equivalent magnification), you also need to take the sensor size into account, so the numbers in the diagram below are the manufacturer's specified magnifications divided by the respective 'crop factors'.
 The EOS 7D Mark II viewfinder boasts 100% coverage and 1.0x magnification in APS-C terms (0.63x magnification in full-frame terms) which puts it squarely with its predecessor as well as the Nikon D7100. To put this comparison in more practical terms, if you put equivalent focal length lenses on the 7D Mark II, 7D, and Nikon D7100 (which would require you to use a 1.07x longer focal length on the Nikon, given its slightly larger APS-C sensor), the scene through the viewfinders across all these cameras would appear exactly the same.Set below the prism itself is a translucent LCD that can be used to display a number of things, like grid lines, customizable warnings (including flicker), levels, and to give a clearer understanding of which AF points are active. The focus screen itself is, thankfully, swappable. We're happy to see this feature filter down from the 1D X and 6D, as it was missing in the 5D Mark III and 7D. This allows you to, for example, swap out the included screen for a higher precision one that allows you to judge focus better with faster lenses (it gives a more accurate preview of the depth-of-field for fast primes compared to the ~f/4-f/5.6 preview the standard screen provides).
Body Elements At the heart of the 7D Mark II is its newly developed 20MP APS-C CMOS sensor. It features Canon's exclusive dual-pixel AF design, which allows for phase-detection pixels across 80% of the horizontal and vertical portions of the frame.It offers a standard ISO range of 100-16,000, expandable up to 51,200. New to the 7D Mark II is a thumb switch located around the familiar joystick.This switch, by default, is set to toggle through different AF area selection modes. It makes sense that this switch is dedicated to, arguably, the next most accessed AF feature: the pattern of AF points that joystick moves around.Note the switch can be customized to control number of other features under 'Custom Controls'. On the top-right shoulder of the camera, the AEL and AF area selection buttons lose their predecessor's ability to de-magnify and magnify, respectively. This is now controlled by the 'Magnify' button on the left of the LCD.The AF area selection button is not reassignable, which is unfortunate given that this function is already the default behavior assigned to the thumb switch mentioned above. The mode dial now has a central lock button, and the previous 'green square' full auto and 'Creative Auto' positions are consolidated to a single 'Auto+' mode (as seen previously on the EOS 5D Mark III which, again, this camera's body emulates on many levels).
Underneath it is the same 7D-style power switch. The IR remote control receiver (bottom left) and self-timer lamp (upper right) carry over from the 7D.Importantly, this means the Mark II continues to have no built-in AF illuminator save for the strobing flash (which we find incredibly annoying and would never use). The 7D Mark II inherits the large depth-of-field preview button of the 5D Mark III, placed for operation by the third finger of your right hand. Compared to the 7D, it's now much easier to reach when using large lenses or shooting in portrait format.
 The pop-up flash means you can trigger other Speedlites optically.It's also used in strobe mode to assist AF in darkness, though we'd recommend you turn this off, as the strobed flash is annoyingly (if not blindingly) bright.Luckily, Canon offers a range of Speedlites that emit IR/red patterns to help the AF system focus in the dark. The 7D Mark II gains dual SD and CF card slots. It allows the same file management options as 1D-series cameras, so you can duplicate all files to both cards, or record JPEGs to one and RAWs to the other, for example. You can alternatively set the camera to auto-switch to the second card when the first is full. The comprehensive bank of connectors adds a headphone jacket for monitoring audio when recording video. Aside from this there are USB 3.0 and HDMI connectors, a stereo microphone socket, PC studio flash and the familiar N3-type remote control socket. The 7D Mark II uses a new battery, the LP-E6N, that has a higher capacity than the previous LP-E6 batteries found in the 5D Mark III and its predecessor. Importantly, though, the form factor remains the same, which means you should still be able to use the older LP-E6 batteries in it.
The battery gives a battery life of 670 shots in viewfinder shooting and 250 shots in live view mode. The tripod socket is positioned in-line with the lens axis, and is surrounded by a decent-size rubber pad for a quick release plate.
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| NguyenHoang | Date: Thursday, 2017-04-13, 3:10 PM | Message # 5 |
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Generalissimo
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| Top of camera controls (right)
The 7D Mark II's top controls will look immediately familiar to existing Canon owners. Behind the shutter release is the main control dial - this changes the primary exposure parameter, e.g. aperture in Av mode, or shutter speed in Tv mode. Between the two is the customizable M-Fn button that can be set to operate functions such as Flash Exposure Lock. Do note that the inclusion of the thumb switch around the multi-controller on the back of the camera, with its default function assigned to changing AF area mode, frees up the M-Fn button to perform a different, customizable action.
Behind the main dial is a row of three buttons which each activate two functions, changed using the front and rear dials. From left to right there's white balance/metering, drive/AF modes, and flash exposure compensation/ISO. The latter button is especially well-placed for changing ISO with the camera to your eye. Beside these is a smaller button that illuminates the top-plate LCD.
Top of camera controls (left)
On the other side of the pentaprism you'll find the power switch and mode dial. This has the familiar four exposure modes - Program, Aperture priority, Shutter priority and Manual - plus Bulb shutter mode and three custom positions into which you can save camera settings for specific commonly encountered scenarios. There's also the Auto+ mode previously seen on the 5D Mark III that offers a range of results-orientated creative control that makes the camera a bit more 'shareable' with non-experts. Notably absent from the 7D is the 'Creative Auto' mode, which was a mix between the green zone and program modes. We can't imagine it'll be sorely missed.
At the bottom of the picture, above the 'Rate' button, is the new image effects button that offers access to Picture Styles, multiple exposure mode and in-camera HDR. In Playback mode, it offers the ability to compare images.
Rear controls (right)
The rest of the 7D Mark II's major shooting controls are on the back, arranged for operation by your thumb. The combined Live View / Movie mode button comes from the 7D - if you flick the lever to the Movie position the camera enters live view with a 16:9 preview, so you can compose in the correct aspect ratio. Pressing the button at its center then initiates recording. With the lever in the Stills position (as shown), pressing the button enters Live View.
The Q button brings up an interactive controls screen while shooting, that allows you to change camera parameters that can't necessarily be accessed directly through external buttons. It also brings overlaid option menus in Live View and Playback modes, offering rapid access to features such as in-camera Raw conversion.
Above the Q button is the new 'AF area select' thumb switch, which allows you to toggle between AF area modes, and can also be reassigned to a number other features using 'Custom Controls'.
The rest of the buttons and dials will be familiar to Mark I owners. The large rear dial sets exposure compensation in P, Av and Tv modes, and changes the aperture in Manual. The multi-controller joystick is used to move the AF point around the frame, either in concert with the button on the top right corner, or if you prefer directly (via a menu setting). We think the latter makes much more sense for fluid shooting, and find it a bit silly that the multi-controller is not directly assigned to AF point selection by default.
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| NguyenHoang | Date: Thursday, 2017-04-13, 3:10 PM | Message # 6 |
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Generalissimo
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| Rear controls (left)There have also been some changes to the thumb buttons on the left side of the camera. The Q button and 'Raw/JPEG' buttons at top left have been replaced with 'Menu' and 'Info' buttons, and the top three buttons down the left-hand side have been replaced the buttons shown below.
 During stills shooting, gives direct access to Picture Style, Multiple Exposures, and in-camera HDR.
In playback, enters side-by-side image comparison mode. Here you can compare composition and focus of two versions of the same shot, compare histograms for exposure, or check sharpness of different areas of the same image. In playback, allows direct 'star' rating of images (1-5) in a format recognized by many image management programs, i.e., Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.
Can be reassigned to Protect/De-protect images if you prefer. Magnify button - replaces zoom in / zoom out controls on camera's shoulder. In play mode, hold down and spin a dial to enlarge/reduce image.
In live view, cycles through full screen, 5x, and 10x views. Allows you to enter, and exit, image playback mode. The trash button allows you to delete images.
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| NguyenHoang | Date: Thursday, 2017-04-13, 3:11 PM | Message # 7 |
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| Brand new 65-point AF moduleThe Canon 7D Mark II introduces a brand new autofocus (AF) module inspired by the professional level AF system in the Canon 1 DX. It features 65 AF points spread across a significant portion of the frame, with especially wide horizontal coverage. All of these AF points are cross-type (when using lenses with a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or faster), with the center AF point capable of high-precision, dual cross-type focusing with wider aperture (f/2.8 and faster) lenses. Additionally, the center point is capable of focusing with lenses (or lens/teleconverter combinations) as slow as f/8, as well as down to EV -3. This gives that center point a 1 EV advantage in low light compared to the 1D X and 5D Mark III.
 An approximation of the position of the AF points in the EOS 7D Mark II. All 65 of its AF points are cross type, with the central point being sensitive to diagonal contrast, as well as vertical and horizontal.The 7D Mark II's 65 cross-type AF points are capable of detecting both horizontal and vertical detail (only 41 of the 1DX and 5D Mark III's 61 AF points are cross-type). The ability to detect both types of detail makes for a more robust AF system. For example, an AF point capable of detecting only horizontal detail in landscape orientation will only detect vertical detail when the camera is rotated into the portrait orientation. This can make focusing on horizontal lines - like horizons or sometimes eyes - harder to focus on.
 The brand new AF sensor module in the 7D Mark II
The center AF point is of particular interest, as it is a dual cross-type design (featuring both x and + shaped sensors, as seen in the vertical 5 center AF points in the 1D X and 5D Mark III). This center point is capable of detecting diagonal detail along two orthogonal axes with high-precision due to a wider baseline (have a look at the drastic separation in the diagonal stripes, above).
This is in addition to the standard horizontal and vertical line sensitivity. Furthermore, it appears that the center horizontally-sensitive (which appear as vertical stripes) and diagonally-sensitive sensors are slightly offset for the detection of 'zig-zag' lines - click on the image for a larger image to see what we're talking about.To combat challenging focus scenarios, the center AF point in the 7D Mark II is both dual cross-type and high-precision when a f/2.8 or faster lens is attached. This means it's capable of detecting diagonal lines with wide aperture lenses, in addition to horizontal and vertical lines (it offers x shaped as well as + shaped sensors). The dual diagonal sensors have wider baselines, which essentially means they can provide higher focus accuracy. This should aid in shallow depth-of-field applications where faster lenses require critical focus.*
Brand new 150,000-pixel RGB + IR metering sensorWith the 7D Mark II, Canon is also introducing a new RGB + IR metering sensor with 150,000 pixels, filtering in and improving upon the technology introduced in the 1D X. The ability of the sensor to use color and IR information to 'see' the scene and perform scene analysis should theoretically result in more accurate metering compared to the 63-zone metering system found in the 7D and 5D Mark III. And while it's exciting to see this technology filter down from the 1D X, we're confused as to why Canon left out the 1D X's ability to link spot-metering to the selected AF point. Frankly, we'd like to see the metering sensor technology and all its benefits (scene analysis, spot-metering linked to AF point, and iTR) in every Canon DSLR - much as Nikon has done across its DSLR line.**
  This is the iFCL metering sensor previously found in the 7D, 5D Mark III, 6D, etc. You can see 7x9 grid of sensors that make up the 63 zones.The 7D Mark II has a 150,000-pixel RGB + IR metering sensor, much like the 100,000-pixel metering sensor from the 1D X pictured here. The extra resolution over the 63-zone sensor pictured at the left offers for more accurate metering, as well subject tracking in conjunction with the AF system.
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