New Camera – Canon EOS 7D
Anyone who reads my blog on a regular basis knows I am an amateur landscape photographer. Ever since I was very young I have enjoyed exploring and photographing the Pacific Northwest’s natural wonders. My grandfather taught me the basics of photography when I was very young. Back then we did all of our photography with 35mm cameras. Over the years I have moved to digital and increased my photography skills. Someday I hope to be able to sell my photographs but I still have a long ways to go.
Several years ago, I purchased the Canon Digital Rebel the day it was released. At the time, it was one of the first affordable SLR cameras on the market. Over the past few years my Digital Rebel has served me well but now it is time to upgrade. There have been a number of improvements to digital SLR camera technology since the original Digital Rebel was released and I am excited to take advantage of them.
Why the Canon 7D
I need a professional quality SLR. Prior to the announcement of the Canon 7D I had been looking at the Canon EOS 5D. The 5D is a fantastic camera with a ton of great features but as expected it comes with a hefty price tag. As an amateur, it is hard to justify the cost for any new equipment, especially a camera that expensive.
The Canon 7D suits me very well. It may not have as good a sensor as the 5D but it does take 1080P HD video and offer a solid 18MP CMOS Sensor. It also has a quick 19 point AF system. For the $1699 price tag it is a very nice camera and for an amateur like myself it will do a good job for me for years to come.
I was tempted to buy this camera as soon as it was released like I did with the Digital Rebel but I decided to wait until I knew a few photographers that had purchased the 7D so I could get some honest, first-hand reviews. I find that reading online camera reviews can be both good and bad. Any mid-level camera will get very good reviews and very bad reviews. Some of both come from real experts, some come from people who have either paid much more for a higher model camera and want to justify their purchase, or some are written by people that don’t know anything about good camera technology. I have read many of the 7D reviews but I like to rely on the real world feedback from my friends.
What my photographer friends are saying about the 7D so far:
- The 7D takes great pictures and is very fast
- The 7D is a professional grade camera and with all the options it isn’t as ‘easy’ to use as Digital Rebel
- The 7D has a massive user manual and will take some time to learn and use
- The 7D 19 point AF system is quick and accurate
- The ability to switch between RAW and JPEG is very handy
- Video quality is good and color is better than competing cameras at night
- The viewfinder is very clear and shows exactly what you are photographing
- The large LCD screen provides an accurate view of the photo
Based on what I have read, heard, and the price, I am going to purchase the Canon 7D in the next couple weeks. Once I get it, I will make some posts about my experiences adjusting from the basic Digital Rebel to a semi- professional camera, the 7D. I will also discuss some of the pros and cons of the 7D from my perspective.
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Just looking at the new EOS 550D and the 7D and would love to hear what you thought of the choice.