A Few EOS 7D Mark II Specs [CR1]

[SilverSnake]

I'm quite happy with my 7D, but if they release a mk2 with built-in GPS that will probably be enough for me to upgrade. If it comes with better high ISO performance and some other goodies as well I'll probably be first in line to place my pre-order.

I kinda want to make the jump to FF, but I already often feel that I lack in reach with my 7D and I can't afford to buy both a new body and better long lenses, so a really good APS-C would probably be perfect for me.

 

[Don Haines]

Yes.... the touch screen is a game changer... either use it like a 1DX or tap the screen.... as touchscreens mature it will be interesting to see what happens.

I think touch screens will have a lofty place among entry level cameras and mirrorless cameras. When it comes to professional grade cameras...I don't really think that touch screens are going to be all that important. They introduce a highly disruptive workflow for changing camera settings, one that is not conducive to action shooting at all (and, since this is the 7D II were talking about...action is basically what it's designed for.)

Touchscreens? I wouldn't want to swap the major controls on my 1-Series or 5D3 bodies for touchscreens...too slow...but the touchscreen is here to stay. I got a little SL-1 as a lightweight travel camera and was frankly surprised how well sorted its touchscreen is. The SL-1 is much slower than the premium bodies to make adjustments to all sorts of settings, but some of the functions are just plain excellent. Bring them on!

-pw

Some things are better with buttons/knobs/dials, some are better with touch screens. Why not enjoy both?

 

[Tugela]

Historically, those grips were added to film cameras to serve as automated winders so that you could take pictures rapidly in succession. That was a feature primarily used by professional photographers, so it came to be seen as a sign of "professionalism". But, once cameras became digital, those grips no longer served their original purpose, but still serve as a signature of a "professional". That is why they are there, it is primarily for show and as a status symbol. And caters to the macho idea that for a real man, bigger is better. In a practical modern camera it serves no real function, it is just peacock feathers.

The proper name of the grip is a "vertical grip". That's because, shockingly, the primary purpose of the grip is for shooting vertical (portrait) pictures. That is why there are controls on it.

If you do a lot of vertical shots, your arm will fall off if you have to use the normal grip. I shoot a lot of volleyball, for instance, and it just wouldn't be possible without a vertical grip.

In addition, a built-in grip is amazing when used with larger lenses, if only for balance and grip area. You can one-hand an 85 f/1.2 on a 1DX (though I wouldn't recommend it if you don't own said equipment). I've tried that without the vertical grips on 5Ds and 7Ds and it's much harder.

In the old days, when those grips originated, cameras were rectangular boxes with lenses attached. If you wanted to advance film to the next frame you had to flip a lever, it was all mechanical. Sometimes the camera had metering internally, in which case a tiny battery was included to power it (those thin silver disc types).

On high end cameras you could include an additional grip on the camera. On the base was a motorized winder (your "vertical grip"), and on the side was a grip handle that included the battery to power the winder.

That is where that form factor comes from. It is a relic from the ancient past for professional cameras.

 

[Hector1970]

Given the potential customer base of those moving from other APS-C models I reckon
It will have a mode dial,
It will have a flash,
APS-C
It will be size of a 5D or slightly less,
You will have to buy your own battery grip,
I'd say ~10 frames a second.
24 Megapixel.
Reasonably modern focusing (from the 5D M III)
An improved ISO performance - closer to the 5D
Good video but nothing spectacular
Reasonably good screen
Wifi and Gps
Dual cards .
In essence a good camera that makes you feel like a pro but mainly sold to experienced amateurs.
It will be better than most of their friends cameras but still a step below a 1-DX and not full frame so it doesn't impact too much 5D sales
I'd say they have their market down to a T.
It will cost just less than a 5d Mark III .

We'll see I guess

 

[Marsu42]

Given the potential customer base of those moving from other APS-C models I reckon
It will have

... the interesting question and imho more worth speculating about: What will it *not* have other than no ff sensor?

Knowing Canon, they will take great care not to deliver a "mini 1dx" at 1/3 of the price that even works better for wildlife in good light because of the gain in reach. Will they cripple the fw? Will the video have moire? Way less sealing? Will it have touch-amateur usability?

Your guess: (insert here)

 

[vlim]

With the 70D, you really can make clean photo at 3200 iso so we can expect the same result at 6400 iso for the 7dII. i would be very happy with that, APSC can't match FF in that category...

 

[AshtonNekolah]

You guys really going to call this a 7d MK2? it has a 1Dx body style, sounds more like a baby 1DX in a pro body, it looks nothing like a 7D to even begin with. less mode dials really show this will be for pro's more than anything esle. also sounds like its going to have a pro price tag as well. sounds like a dump for the 7D line up of right under the pro lines if you guys remember they did say they are getting rid of the 7d and the 70d models will take that camera over so said so done. looks like they were true. so the 70 line will be the only 7D like cameras and this new one will only be a crop pro camera for the pros to use with there cameras like the 1DX so how it will all look the same, more easy to grab your bodies and run? maybe haha looks like fun.
It cool to have 2 bodies on the filed one full and crop all looking like twins.

So i will not say the 7D line body style is dead after all canon have given us the auto focus system we all can love and shoot images with outstanding focus so I will not worry about auto focus today any experience shooter will agree unless your looking for shooting in complete dark fields with only you and the moon and stars.

sounds like its going to be a great camera, people who don't have the money for it will still be able to have to 70D 80D and future D's to shoot with great 7D like body style.

So far the rumors are solid!!

 

[Marsu42]

With the 70D, you really can make clean photo at 3200 iso so we can expect the same result at 6400 iso for the 7dII.

Right, and pigs can fly :-> ... well, at least if you apply heavy nr you'll have a clean image, though w/o details. Good for shooting doorknobs and brick walls though

 

[jdramirez]

With the 70D, you really can make clean photo at 3200 iso so we can expect the same result at 6400 iso for the 7dII.

Right, and pigs can fly :-> ... well, at least if you apply heavy nr you'll have a clean image, though w/o details. Good for shooting doorknobs and brick walls though

That's what I was thinking... but tolerance to grain is a virtue I guess.

 

[AshtonNekolah]

No.

The whole point of the crop sensor camera range is to reduce the overall size of the camera for the purposes of increased mobility. That is defeated by putting it into a giant body.

Putting a 7D2 into such a package is insanity IMO.

No doubt professional photographers who are used to the 1D series won't mind, but they are not likely to by a crop sensor to begin with (for the most part).

Let me start by saying, again, that the 7D2 should not have an integral grip if Canon knows what they are doing.

But, having said that, remember why people use APS-C:

1) It is smaller than FF -- smaller bodies and smaller lenses (if optimized for that mount, i.e. EF-S)
2) It is cheaper than FF -- bodies and crop-only lenses are cheaper.
3) It grants 1.6x reach compared to FF as if it were a 1.6x teleconverter but without the teleconverter hit on aperture*, so this is gold for folks who shoot moving things from far away. (I asterisk this as crop does affect DOF vs. FF but doesn't affect speed of a lens)

Your statement "The whole point of the crop sensor camera range is to reduce the overall size of the camera" applies to Group (1) only.

Group (2) is why so many people own Rebels. APS-C rigs are at the high-end of the beginners-getting-into-photography camera market but they won't set you back thousands of dollars.

Group (3) devotees are special niche of folks who leverage this oddity about crop sensors for birding, wildlife, and some sports. These folks intentionally don't migrate to FF for length -- APS-C is a strength to them and not a weakness. There are pros in this group, guys with large budgets, etc. -- these are folks that can afford (or justify the investment) on most anything that Canon sells.

That third group has been waiting for the 7D2 (and/or the 1D Mark V) forever.

They will be first in line to get one at nearly any cost.

They are the ones (amongst others) who rack up comical posting counts in this forum.

So, again, I don't think the 7D2 needs an integral grip, but APS-C is not just for size. Not at all.

- A

Very well said indeed.

 

[Lee Jay]

Given the potential customer base of those moving from other APS-C models I reckon
It will have

... the interesting question and imho more worth speculating about: What will it *not* have other than no ff sensor?

Knowing Canon, they will take great care not to deliver a "mini 1dx" at 1/3 of the price that even works better for wildlife in good light because of the gain in reach. Will they cripple the fw? Will the video have moire? Way less sealing? Will it have touch-amateur usability?

Your guess: (insert here)

A 1-series body.

 

[AshtonNekolah]

Personally, I'm kind of excited for it the step up to a pro body...although I am finding all of the "Waaaaaa, it won't look like my pre existing APS-C body!" comments highly amusing! Particularly the ones that say it will be a deal breaker, no matter how good it is, if it doesn't have the body format they expect and want. 8)

I think Canon wants to differentiate this from the existing APS-C bodies in a variety of ways, given that it is going to be more expensive in than any other APS-C body ever. I suspect it will be a different kind of animal than we've ever seen from any APS-C camera, in terms of AF, Speed and buffer (although I suspect it will only be a moderate improvement in IQ over the 70D, but time will tell). I think Canon is seeing if they can redefine what an APS-C camera CAN be--and I'm very excited to see how that pans out!

That's my thoughts anyway.

It is a deal breaker, because when I am slogging through the bush with a camera strapped to my back, having a massive body is a decided detriment. Big bodies are for studio use primarily, where size doesn't matter. And if you are in a studio you don't need a crop sensor. If you are out and about, where mobility is important, a large camera body is a problem.

I'm not trying to troll... but have you tried to slog through the bush before with a 1D style body? That extra inch or inch and a half sticking off the camera, in my opinion, don't make a big difference.

Also I don't think an integrated vertical grip is just for studio. It's such a great feature when mounted to a lens with a lens collar that attaches straight to a gimbal or ballhead. It make rotating to portrait very quick and easy to take a photo.

Historically, those grips were added to film cameras to serve as automated winders so that you could take pictures rapidly in succession. That was a feature primarily used by professional photographers, so it came to be seen as a sign of "professionalism". But, once cameras became digital, those grips no longer served their original purpose, but still serve as a signature of a "professional". That is why they are there, it is primarily for show and as a status symbol. And caters to the macho idea that for a real man, bigger is better. In a practical modern camera it serves no real function, it is just peacock feathers.

Thanks for that input, makes allot of scene.

 

[viggen61]

If this is in a 1D body with built in battery grip, I can see a lot of enthusiasts disappointed. When the 80D or 90D comes out, they'll say that is what the 7D2 should have been.

That may be, but for me, I'd welcome the built-in grip on a 7DII. My hands, while not bigger than many, are bigger than most, and I'm just not comfortable without a grip on the camera. My 7D hasn't gone out without the grip since I bought the grip.

Sure, an add-on grip is good, and better than nothing, but in my experience, the BG-E7 is not nearly as water-resistant as the 7D body is (assuming it is water-resistant at all, which I doubt), and it leaves the body open to water intrusion through the battery compartment, since the grip does not seal that. I got caught in a very slight mist, and the grip basically stopped working, and even since drying out, the grip's shutter button is about a 50-50 chance of it working when I need it. All other grip functions, and the camera body, and the 100-400 are fine, though.

 

[pdirestajr]

The 7DII will be really fast.

 

[garyknrd]

I just broke in my new Pentax K-3. I was VERY impressed. Now with the new 7D II on the horizon? Wow, can't wait to get my hands on that camera. Improvements in sensor technology is amazing.

For birding these crop sensors rock!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/avianphotos

 

[AcutancePhotography]

I just broke in my new Pentax K-3. I was VERY impressed.

That K-3 sounds like a sweet camera. I was looking at that very carefully.

 

[Marsu42]

The 7DII will be really fast.

For fast, look at mirrorless system ... old-school dslr tech with a flipping mirror taking a lot of straing @high fps is really a technology from the last century. Good for Canon there are enough old-school photogs around

In 10 years from now, you won't even use the 7d2 as a doorstopper because your mirrorless does 100fps+ full res (or you just crop frames from video), has much more shutter cycles before it breaks and does things like "automatically track the bird with the read feathers across the whole frame".

 

[NancyP]

GaryKnrd, What lens are you using with the K3, and are you using it for birding? The major downside for supertelephoto users in Pentax line-up is the IBIS. The other downside is the minimal supertelephoto lens choice for K mount. I have had this fantasy of kayaking to approach and photograph birds, and the Pentax weatherproofing would provide a lot of peace of mind against splashes, etc. (probably not against sustained dunk, though). Sensor is very good as well. Oddball feature of "internal equatorial mount" is of interest to astrophotographers - it makes sense that if you can shift the sensor for image stabilization, you also ought to be able to design it to shift to match star motion relative to Earth. The weatherproof and relatively light and compact Pentax line seems like a good choice for the outdoor photographer.

Don't get me wrong, I love my 60D and 400mm f/5.6L. I am pretty invested in the Canon system, have a 6D as well, a few EF-S lenses, a few EF L lenses, the Samyang 14mm, and am covering the gaps with existing vintage film lenses (my Dad's AIS Nikkors and my own M42 screw mount lenses from the 1970s) on adapters. Some of the old multicoatings give a slightly different look, as do the older double Gauss Planar designs.

 

[StudentOfLight]

The 7DII will be really fast.

For fast, look at mirrorless system ... old-school dslr tech with a flipping mirror taking a lot of straing @high fps is really a technology from the last century. Good for Canon there are enough old-school photogs around

In 10 years from now, you won't even use the 7d2 as a doorstopper because your mirrorless does 100fps+ full res (or you just crop frames from video), has much more shutter cycles before it breaks and does things like "automatically track the bird with the read feathers across the whole frame".

It will also be mounted in a headset and will record continuously in extended HDR mode. You wont even need to push any buttons just point your head in the correct direction... ;D

 

[djkmann]

It will have a Mode Dial.