EOS 70D & EOS 7D Mark II

[dgatwood]

Who really needs a buildin flash? There are a lot of small flashunits out there (f.e. 270EX II), you can stick on the
body of you want. And those are far superior to the buildin-lightbulbs.

You know the quote "The best camera is the one you have with you?"  Applies to flashes, too.  With the built-in flash, that "Ooh, there's not quite enough light" moment takes a single button press to fix.  Without it, you're digging in your bag and fishing out the flash, then swearing when you realize you have to dig again for a replacement set of batteries, and two minutes later, you realize you missed the shot two minutes earlier.

Yes, I often know I'm going to need the flash, and put it on ahead of time.  But I'd be lying if I said I always did. 

With an external flash, I also have to choose between having a flash and having my radio remote, because there's only one shoe to hold them both.  With the built-in flash, it only takes a quarter extra second to slide the remote receiver out of the way so that the flash will flip up.

Finally, even the 270 EX II is huge compared with the built-in flash.  I realize that this helps in terms of avoiding a lens shadow on the floor, but it's a considerable amount of weight and size.

[vscd]

So, everyone should carry more weight just for those who want a flash? I don't think so. I would like to see a
radio trigger inside and everyone could easily go out with a 90EX if he wants to. Normally never the build in flash
saved a picture for me, because frontal white light always looked like a compromise to me. On sunny days with
backlight you can maybe have some advantage. If the flash could be turned to the side or upwise I would try it
again.

[insanitybeard]

So, everyone should carry more weight just for those who want a flash? I don't think so. I would like to see a
radio trigger inside and everyone could easily go out with a 90EX if he wants to. Normally never the build in flash
saved a picture for me, because frontal white light always looked like a compromise to me. On sunny days with
backlight you can maybe have some advantage. If the flash could be turned to the side or upwise I would try it
again.

Come on, does a built in flash really add much weight and bulk? I estimate the pop up flash of my 7D to weigh about 20 grams max. Canon presumably bases a camera's feature set on what it perceives the general target audience for the camera will want, you're never going to please everybody. Just as some people object to having video capability in an DSLR. Saying the built in flash never saved a picture for you doesn't make it apply to everybody else.

[vscd]

Come on, does a built in flash really add much weight and bulk? I estimate the pop up flash of my 7D to weigh about 20 grams max.

You're right, but it's another part to get broken, to be weathersealed and to rely on your batterylife. The whole
effort to give you a 100% view is higher with a builtin flash (which will count on the costs after all). Builtin flashs
are to close to the lens axis, they're prone to red eyes and harsh lightning. I would like to see a buildin trigger,
but maybe that differs the users of pro- or semipro cams. Without running anyone down, really.

[AvTvM]

I knew that this answer will come and it seems to be a valid answer, but as I told... there are small external out there
which can do the same. When I used build in flashs to trigger external ones, they always needed to "look" to the
cam
because they need a visual connection. This was mostyl no help while shooting, and furthermore the small central
flash on the cam had to be bright to trigger, but I can't get rid of them for the result (I just want to flash from the
sides).
I think just getting a real flash is the way to go. I understand why someone needs an internal, but I totally disagree
that this belongs to a "professional" cam.

Yes any "professional camera" from Canon introduced since 2012 should really have come with a RADIO flash trigger built in. It is totally absurd that  Canon did not equip 5D III and 1D-X with a built-in EX-RT radio commander. It would have caused a lot of Canon users to dump their not-so-old speedlites 580+430EX/IIs along with their not-so-old pocketwizards and buy boatloads of new Canon 600EX-RTs ... plus ideally also somewhat less expensive 450EX-RTs as slave flashes.   

And it would have given Canon a truly unique product feature - since neither Nikon nor Sony no any other competetitor have benn able to provide built-in radio ETTL-flash mastering in their cameras. 

Such a radio trigger would come without moving parts, pose no sealing issues and no constant battery drain. And would probably cost less than 5 $  to integrate into a fairly large, "professional" DSLR. :-)

[neuroanatomist]

Come on, does a built in flash really add much weight and bulk?

While it doesn't really add 'bulk' the protrusion of a popup flash is problematic when using a TS-E 17L or 24L II.  Canon does provide an alternate, smaller shift knob to use with bodies that have a popup flash, but it's inconvenient (the little knob is pretty hard to access and turn when it's under the flash). 

So for me, given the 'bad' light from a weak flash so close to the lens axis, and the inconvenience of using a TS lens with the bulge of the on-board flash, I'm quite happy my camera doesn't have one.

[Random Orbits]

Yes any "professional camera" from Canon introduced since 2012 should really have come with a RADIO flash trigger built in. It is totally absurd that  Canon did not equip 5D III and 1D-X with a built-in EX-RT radio commander. It would have caused a lot of Canon users to dump their not-so-old speedlites 580+430EX/IIs along with their not-so-old pocketwizards and buy boatloads of new Canon 600EX-RTs ... plus ideally also somewhat less expensive 450EX-RTs as slave flashes.   

And it would have given Canon a truly unique product feature - since neither Nikon nor Sony no any other competetitor have benn able to provide built-in radio ETTL-flash mastering in their cameras. 

Such a radio trigger would come without moving parts, pose no sealing issues and no constant battery drain. And would probably cost less than 5 $  to integrate into a fairly large, "professional" DSLR. :-)

Except that Canon would have had to have different camera body models because radio spectra and requirements vary from country to country.

[jeffa4444]

For the Canon 60d / 7d replacements to be successful they must move away from the present pixel pitch and increase the MP count. Smaller pixels in newer sensors are not as bad with noise and sensitivity as previous generations (this is born out in Sony professional video cameras) just tweaking the present 18MP sensor is not enough any longer.
The biggest issue for Canon is NOT cameras or sensors but lenses and resolution many fail already with 18MP sensors to be sharp particularly into the corners lenses are seriously lagging sensors with many  basic designs 10-15 years old their past retirement but hugely expensive to redesign & re-tool. 

[AvTvM]

Except that Canon would have had to have different camera body models because radio spectra and requirements vary from country to country.

Nope. Just another urban legend.
Canon is selling its Speedlite 660EX-RT and trigger ST-E3 globally.
These devices are apparently using the very same frequency range/channels everywhere. 
Otherwise we would be seeing product variations - like "model A" or "B" ... or "Euro" vs. "US" vs. "Asia" type.

[x-vision]

You know the quote "The best camera is the one you have with you?"  Applies to flashes, too. 

Yes ... but it makes you lazy too .
You end up using the on-board flash rather than an external flash, which you can bounce or use with a diffuser.

So, I'm actually all for removing the on-board flash on the 7DII. 
I'd rather have WiFi (and a bult-in radio transmitter) than an on-board flash.

[Random Orbits]

Except that Canon would have had to have different camera body models because radio spectra and requirements vary from country to country.

Nope. Just another urban legend.
Canon is selling its Speedlite 660EX-RT and trigger ST-E3 globally.
These devices are apparently using the very same frequency range/channels everywhere. 
Otherwise we would be seeing product variations - like "model A" or "B" ... or "Euro" vs. "US" vs. "Asia" type.

Actually there is a 600EX (no RT) for what I assume is because of this reason.  According to Wikipedia, the RT system is approved for use in 58 countries, so no, it is not global.

[dgatwood]

You know the quote "The best camera is the one you have with you?"  Applies to flashes, too. 

Yes ... but it makes you lazy too .
You end up using the on-board flash rather than an external flash, which you can bounce or use with a diffuser.

Maybe you do.  I certainly don't.  If I expect to need a flash, I bring one, and I use it—the on-board flash stinks on ice with most of my lenses because they're too long and it's too low.    But it is better than nothing for quick shots when I wasn't expecting to need a flash, which does happen once in a while.