Looking for a high-end, well performing, dynamic DLSR? Look no further, this camera is a no-brainer. I bought this back when it first came out to help support production efforts for a calendar project I was doing. It’s main function in life is being a backup to my 5D mkII. How would you like the be the 7D, brand new camera sitting the bench, hoping to get in the game, poor guy… However, the first months of it’s life with me it served as a video camera for the calendar project, shooting behind the scenes video for a “making of” bit I cut together for the calendar launch party. It probably got more use that my 5D2 did.

Don’t be fooled, DSLR cameras capture amazing video. The folks at Canon know this, obviously, and video functions are now starting to show up with their own quick buttons on the body of the camera. This means that with a press of a button you can switch your camera from still camera mode to video mode, in fact, it’s so easy to switch modes you don’t even need to take your eye out of the viewfinder to accomplish the task.

An advantage the 7D has over my 5D mkII is the video capabilities. The 5D can definitely shoot full HD video, however, it lacks the dedicated buttons, which requires you to fiddle with menu options and it gets real clumsy. The clear winner… the 7D in the video relm, but to the 5D’s cred, the 7D showed it’s mug almost a year later. It also shows you how fast the video aspect of creative work and it’s importance is leaking into the still camera market. Within less than a year’s window of time, we’ve gone from a $3,000 camera body with HD video functionality (be it a little clumsy) to a camera body at about half the cost of the 5D which has exponentially better video functions. Ok, so you get it, 7D, really really good for photogs who like to integrate video into their work as well. If video is important to your work, save some money, opt for the 7D. Next…

Image quality. Now, I’m not the kinda guy that splits hairs over stuff like this, but I am the kinda guy who believes in paying extra to get a superior product. At 18 mexapixels, resolution is darn near as large as my 5D2 files, the sensor quality is great. I haven’t done any intense side-by-side comparisons of 5D2 vs. 7D images, and to be honest, I don’t know if I could even tell the difference under normal shooting conditions. Long story short, this thing takes one awesome picture, and since I shoot with what they consider much better camera bodies, I’d say that counts for something.

Why didn’t I just buy another 5D mkII instead when it came to buying a backup camera? It wasn’t the price, it was the sensor size and mounting compatibilities the 7D had to offer. The 5D2 is a full frame (35mm equivalent) sensor, the 7D a 1.6x sensor (smaller). You see… I have a 10-22mm EF-S wide angle lens that I use ALL the time, it is the widest piece of glass Canon makes. The “EF-S” pretty much stands for small sensor, at least that how I look at it, I haven’t even taken the time to look up the official meaning. The 7D can accommodate both EF (full frame) and EF-S (small frame) lenses. Sadly, the 5D2 can only mount EF lenses. So there you go, the love of mine for the 10-22mm lens was the deciding factor on which camera body I went with. This is no real surprise, as your camera body purchasing choices will usually be based off of your current lens collection (if you have any considerable amount of money invested in glass).

Just as I went with the 7D because it can mount EF-S lenses, other photogs out there may not desire the downside to a smaller frame sensor camera body. The downside I am referring to is the crop factor it will have with EF lenses. If you are not educated yet on what that all means, here is the Matty, quick and dirty explanation. If I take a standard 50mm lens and toss it on my 5D2 (full frame sized sensor), I get a 50mm framed shot (most of your lenses will be standard mount size, meaning designed for a 35mm equivalent camera, any camera with a smaller sensor will experience a crop factor). A smaller sensor camera, which by the way, is about 90% of the DSLR market (unless you own a very high-end camera body… you have a small sensor camera), will turn a 50mm lens into a 80mm+ lens. This is due to the smaller sensor only being able to use the center of the mounted lens. However, camera makers have come up with a solution, and that is to design lenses specifically for smaller sensor cameras by adding an additional way to mount these lenses on cameras so that they do not experience the ‘crop factor.’ Sounds like a reality tv show in the making, right? Here is a wiki explanation if you want further research. So, if you either own EF-S lenses or don’t mind the crop factor on your 35mm lenses, you are golden. This is the BEST small sensor camera Canon makes.

So, my love for the 10-22mm lens pushed me to get the 7D so I can keep on using the lens. I have no regrets either, as the camera is a champion. This camera also has the ability to capture photos at 8 frames per second. You won’t see that number very often on cameras either! Sports shooters… this is a much cheaper alternative to the 1D, which is the only camera who beats out the 7D’s frame rate. The 5D2 would not be a good choice for picky action shooters, only sporting a little over a 3 frames per second rate. Solid build construction, has some weight to it that lets you know it costs some money, which by the way is 1,700 bones.

Unless you are shooting uber high-profile clients, you can definitely get by with this camera in a professional market.

So there is my no nonsense review of this camera. Yes, I have left a lot out, probably disgusted the camera gods by not ranting about every little thing about the camera, but ya know what, there are countless sites where you can go get your reassurance from. I care about the important things. Can it take a badass picture? Is it reliable? Is it durable? Is it a good investment? Does it have a leg up on the majority of the cameras out there? Yes, yes, yes…. and yes. Sleep easy with this purchase, read the manual when you get that shiny new camera so that you can fiddle with all the unimportant features when you are not busy shooting clients.

With all that said, if you are new to the photography world, hungry to get out there, capture awesome photos, awe your clients, friends, and family… a really nice camera, even a really nice camera and a really nice pro series lens will not make you a great photographer and is NOT the answer. Look at your budget, see how much to you have to INVEST into your hobby, part-time, or even full-time dedication to photography. Most importantly, this is an investment into yourself and the desire to take awesome photos. That investment isn’t a really nice camera, you guessed it – education. Now, I’m not talking 4-year college craziness. I’m talking more about books, videos, workshops, websites, forums… anything you can get your hands on. This is where the foundation and development of your photography will begin, and exponentially increase the rate at which your picture quality will improve. A really nice camera will get you no where fast. So, about that investment… make sure that you push some of that money aside for the good stuff – knowledge. Opt for the low or middle ground equipment and concern yourself more with what you have floatin’ around in your noggin’, don’t worry, all of the modern DSLRs take great photos. I started with a Canon rebel, the most basic DSLR out there, yet it carried me a long ways into my photographic career. In fact, there are STILL plenty of photos you can view in my portfolio right now that were taken with that rebel.

And no, I didn’t take the picture of the 7D at the top of the page, I stole it from the interwebz. What kinda fanboy do you think I am?