Problems with Canon 7D

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It's worth $700? Really? Holy shit are you a spoiled brat. But anyways, it's almost a 4 year old camera... get over it. 4 years ago when it was competing vs the nikon D300s, it blew the d300s out of the water in image iQ and features... ISO... depending on what your shooting, how much post processing you are doing and what not, it is what it is, it's a 18MP sensor (did i mention almost 4 year old sensor at that) on a crop style sensor. I've used it professionally for almost 3 solid years until I got my 5d3 none of my clients ever complained about noise... Yeah if you blow up the ISO 100 file at 100% which is like an 11x16 inch file at 300 dpi, you can find noise if you look for it hard enough... I can guarantee it doesn't print... With this camera I've shot trade show murals that were enlarged to 6 feet tall by 16 feet wide... No noise... not going to happen. Heck, take the 5d3 and 1dx... if you really wanted to find it, you can find noise in the raw ISO 100's in the shadows if you really had a hair up your butt. It is what it is. Above iso 1000, it gets dicey, but still, it was leaps and bounds above the 30D, 40D, and 50D at that point in time in my opinion, which, upon their debut STILL was $1000 cameras... Raw buffer... ehhh... I cant recall a time where I maxed it out, even when shooting cars in motion and flying jets... but then again i'm not a spray and pray shooting 30 continuous shot photographer.. Dont know what to tell you but get faster cards. AF i couldn't make out what your gripe was with your accent... something about a black thing?? Please elaborate. AF, at that time was the best in it's class, even compared to nikons cameras, and the 1dx and 5d3's AF were modeled off that system and technology... AF is tricky to learn but if you post exactly whats going on, we can help. Video... ehhh... I wasn't a big fan on the 7d with video because of the bad rolling shutter... I recall threads on ways to fix it or minimize it on some blog way back then... it hasn't been a problem for me so I didn't pay too much attention to be honest... but if you google it, maybe you'll find it. 2 card slots? Yeah we're spoiled now... Up to that point, the only camera that had 2 card slots were the 1 series cameras... now the 5d3 has it, but still (isn't a big deal)... It is what it is man... it's a 4 year old camera that is due to be replaced soon... While I would assume the buffer, maybe the card slots and maybe the moire in the video would be addressed, I wouldn't hold your breath on the noise... it's the nature of the beast.

p.s. rotating set button... cant say i've ever looked at the set button rotate and i'm usually shooting with my eye in the viewfinder, you know, taking pictures....
 
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RLPhoto

Gear doesn't matter, Just a Matter of Convenience.
Mar 27, 2012
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Lol @ this vid.

I used my 7D for great shots against all those things you said were bad about it. High ISO 3200+, Low ISO landscapes & studio, Using all 17 Black square AF points, etc... My take on it.

It was the best all-around APS-C camera I've used. Is it still the best? Nope, but I still shoot great photos on a D30. That usually has to do more with the guy holding the camera than the camera itself.
 
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well... suggest to return the camera if he does not feel like that he should spend $1K on this. i spent about 1.2K on this camera last year (a month after i started to learn and decided to dig more in photography).

1. noise level increase at linear (not sure how he comes up with this, scientific measurement?). yes, i do care about noise level, but i do not care really much about chromatic noise, but color noise. he can buy t4i or t5i, it is of course cheaper and will outcomes better noise level comparing to 7d, imo.

2. buffer... comparing to his 1D? come on...
a. it is 1d series. canon always allow more power on this series
b. how many 1d megapixel? 11.4
c. how big buffer that he wants?

3. video (no comment since i do not do video)
4. he can hide those autofocus points away as if he does not need to see them.

buying and using camera with knowledges, not sitting there and complain about it. if not being happy, return it. i actually use my 30d and 7d more often than my 5d mark iii. why is that? simply because i am not satisfy with that i have learned. i want to see how far i push myself with shooting in low light with old camera...

do not care how good iso that you have, if subject is not illuminated, then flash ought to be used to outcomes a better image quality if trying to perform a portrait shoot. for street, do not care much about quality... care more about capturing moments. i was one of those who refuse to use flash before and have to admit that using flash in the right way is not easy at all.

below is an example of using canon 30d | 50mm f/1.4 and shooting my mess in low light that (recently shot) while i was trying to learn and understand more about on camera direct flash, yes direct flash no bounce (note: nailed this image with one shot after calculating based on my method of using flash, a little bit slow but fun. this image is straight out of camera, nothing modify or on camera preset. neutral/faithfull picture style if anyone would like to know.) and keep in mind that quality of this image is facebook's image quality

421279_4285547635776_1863576648_n.jpg
 
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Thank you for my laugh of the day. Do I sound mean? Well, I don't mean to but I sure hope no one makes their decision to buy this camera with this "review" in mind.
First of all, I say you ought to sell it. You are very conflicted over this camera. You use the adjectives "wonderful", then "ok" then "awesome". I'm still not sure if you like it or not.
Second, you should also check your specs for a camera you review and you'll find that the raw limit is 25 so that with a fast card, you ought to be just fine shooting action. Oh, and I forgot the other adjective, "horrendous" in regards to iso abilities. You are kidding right? You do realize that you're posting to a forum where many (including myself) have used this camera and taken great shots since it came to market? Do you go on Ferrari forums and talk about how it's a great car but sounds horrendous? I hope not. And if you would take a moment to read the manual, you might be able to get rid of your black thingy that's irritating you. I'm not sure what black thingy you're referring to though I've got a guess and I'm not even sure that you know what it is since you're not very articulate. But, as you say it's just your opinion and others have theirs and that's all well and fine but you might want to have your facts straight when putting them out there in an attempt to influence the decisions of people thinking of buying.
 
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The 7D was my first DSLR. I really loved all of the features, but the low light performance was unacceptable for me. I can see his point about the noise. I could see the noise easily on my 22" monitor and pixel peeping at ISO 100, but I didn't really notice it on some 8X12's I printed. It was the noise performance at 3200 ISO that convinced me to get a 6D. I like to shoot at conventions/car shows where light is not really ideal. I would still love to own a 7D, but I had to sell it to get some more glass when I got my 6D. Looking forward to renting a 7dII.

Edit: I upgraded the firmware just before I sold it ($900 with 7700 shots), and I could shoot Jpgs nonstop and up to 20ish raw before the buffer filled.
 
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captainkanji said:
I could see the noise easily on my 22" monitor and pixel peeping at ISO 100, but I didn't really notice it on some 8X12's I printed. It was the noise performance at 3200 ISO that convinced me to get a 6D.

EXACTLY... and likely you wouldn't see it at 11x14 or 11x16, or 16x20 if needed or bigger... Noise on screen does not translate as much as noise in print... Since the digital revolution, fewer and fewer photos are being printed and being pixel peeped by people who are too lazy to print the freaking pictures. God help you if you saw the noise on ISO 400 at an 8x10 from 35mm film. I would say the noise on the 7D at ISO 1000-1600 (depending on how you exposed and the nature of the shot) would look equivalent PRINTED as old school ISO 400 film did back then.
 
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pj1974

80D, M5, 7D, & lots of glass and accessories!
Oct 18, 2011
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It's a shame far too many people are 'experts' at the 'limitations' of their photography gear (especially cameras & lenses) - and make so much more effort pixel peeping, reviewing, comparing, etc - rather than actually just getting out and taking, enjoying and sharing: PHOTOS! :eek:

I have a Canon 7D. It was my 2nd DSLR (after buying the Canon 350D in 2005). I had a number of digital point and shoot (P&S) cameras for the 8 years prior, and used film before that. 1 week ago (Friday evening 7 June 2013) using my Canon 7D with Canon 15-85mm lens - I took about 50 photos for a friend's 40th birthday party. Most of the photos were with the camera's 'pop up flash'. The party was a 1920's themed evening with friends and relatives in a cocktail bar near the beach. It's winter here, in Australia- so it was already dark - and quite mild (not swimming temperature).

Were the photos the best (eg given I didn't use my external flash)? No. Are the photos worthy of National Geographic or some quality glamour / fashion magazine? No. Am I particularly skilled in this genre of photography? No. However did my friend appreciate me taking the time and effort to take my camera along and spend about an hour of the evening with the camera around my neck - and taking these photos for her? Absolutely! She thanked me many times, as did many of the other guests and friends who have seen the photos on an online album I uploaded them to.

The photos my 7D captured that evening are noticeably superior to the photos others took with their smart phones or P&S cameras of that evening. Part of that I attribute to my photography skills being higher than the average person, and also the capabilities of my gear (and that I know how to use them). ;)

So while the OP might have a gripe about several aspects of the Canon 7D... I love my camera - and use it, and my 5 lenses in all sorts of situations (from landscape to wildlife to macro to event photography to casual sports to architecture to travel to people / portraits).

The 7D outclassed other APS-C cameras when it came out. It's no worse now than when it was released 4 years ago. I'm still very happy with it - particularly the AF, FPS and build quality. Sure I'd like lower noise, etc. But for what it is - a capable photographer can get many wonderful photos from the Canon 7D. Hey, I even have many photos from my other cameras - Canon 350D and even P&S cameras - that people admire (and yes, I do have friends who are concerned about quality of photos!)

Please go out: use and enjoy your camera, lenses and whatever other gear! :)

Paul
 
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