But first, I'd like to give props to the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT. This has been my camera for 5 years, and it has been a workhorse. I've learned so much from it, and it has performed consistently well up until a few months ago. I'm so glad the XT was my first DSLR, and I suggest it to anyone thinking of making a move into digital photography.
So, onto the 7D. (Be forewarned. I'll probably be making a lot of comparisons to the Rebel XT (even though they're not comparable) only because this is the only other DSLR I've been shooting with for any substantial period of time.
I'll start where pretty much everyone else starts. First impressions; the build quality of the 7D is very nice. The camera is weighty at 860 grams. This is a relief for me. It doesn't feel cheap, and I know that if it gets bumped a couple times there won't be anything drastically wrong (although this could be coming from the knowledge that the camera boasts a magnesium chassis and is weather sealed). The grip is very well designed and is quite ergonomic. I like holding it...
The menu system makes sense and is very logical. Some features (like extended ISO) are a little hidden, but once found they can easily be found again. I haven't been able to wrap my mind around the Custom settings (C1, C2, C3,), but I also haven't put forth THAT much brain power into them yet.
What I like best about his camera is its 100% viewfinder. There isn't a whole lot of sensor to go around, and this feature is a great way to make the most of what there is. What is also great about the viewfinder is that its not nestled too closely to the LCD screen, so you don't have to squeeze your face up to the back of the camera to look inside. Something else thats pretty cool is the 8 frames per second this camera can force. Really useful for sports, and something nice to have for those of us who do a little bit of everything. The 18 megapixels isn't too shabby either, and is a HUGE upgrade from the 8 megapixels on the XT. Although, once you get to a certain point, megapixels really don't make THAT much of a difference. I think Canon may have done better to have kept the 15 megapixels as on the 50D and, in doing so, brought the price down a wee tad.
The noise levels on this camera are a bit of an issue for me. The noise section of the DP Revew review for the 7D and competitors can be found here. On that review, the 7D holds its own and does pretty well. In my experience I've found noise levels to be pretty high, especially when shooting in low light (the reason for using high iso). When I got the 7D I expected it to make the XT look like a kid with a new drum set, and it does do a lot better in low light, high iso situations, but not to the extent I expected. Then again, I may have had unrealistic expectations. Canon IS packing 18 megapixels into an APS-C sensor.
The Video feature is easy to access and manage for the most part. When in Manual mode, you can still adjust shutter speed, iso, and aperture while shooting. You can also take stills while recording video which is nice. I just don't know if I have the computing power to manage the massive files. imovie also isn't the ideal editing software, or so I am told... Anyway, from what I've played around with the quality is fantastic and well worth its chunk of overall retail price. This is going to be the area where I may catch a little heat, but I did not choose the 7D for its video! Was that someone fainting in the audience? The 7D is going to be my primary still camera for several years until I move into full frame. But that's not going to stop me from using the 7D's video awesomeness. I just may not be able to use it to its full extent for a little while. I can easily see myself making a few bad short films whenever I have the time. You can see a few clips I took for The War Eagle Reader here.
In summary:
Cosmetically, the camera is pretty. It is weighty, but still feels good in hand.
Menu controls are easy to use, but some features a little hidden.
Video easy to access.
Convenient button options on back of camera.
8 frames per second is quite fast.
Not a great low light/high iso camera
And there you have my sporadic, splotchy, quick and rough review of the Canon 7D.
Canon 7D Test from Nach0o on Vimeo.
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