A Rundown of EOS 7D Mark II Information

[LetTheRightLensIn]

"New sensor technology (multi layer)
12fps shooting (or faster)
Dual Pixel AF
New AF system"

Holy moly!!!!

Wow, sounds like the engineers escaped the basement closet and managed to lock the marketing droids in there and turn the tables.

Wow, this sounds potentially pretty amazing. Assuming some of the details did not get lost in translation.

This also sounds like pretty huge leaks to me, even bigger than recent leaks for other bodies though, so I don't see how this is clamping down on leaks???

Almost all the other rumors had hinted that multi-layer or IQ stuff might not fully hit until the 5D4.
I just hope they can pull off multi-layer sensor. I have to imagine they couldn't dream of making this sort of body poor at high ISO. Wow, have they solved all of Fuji's issues? Might it deliver single layer high ISO quality, proper color under all lighting and did they also include new on-chip ADC for exmor shadows??? Or is it some weird mess since multi-layer sensor have all so far been so heavily compromised this would take a shocking level of breakthrough (but why force a weird mess out for no reason? and maybe this is why they reused the old sensors for a while, didn't feel like the expense of bothering with something intermediate and were just waiting for this ground-breaking change?).

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

hmm would a multi-layer sensor AND dual pixel make sense together?

Why not?

 

[Don Haines]

I'll be waiting on this one, not because of specs, but because my finances dictate that I won't be replacing my 7D until early 2016. I should be up to 110K exposures by then, which seems like a good point to make it may backup body. Who knows, maybe by that time Canon will have come out with a 50MP camera with a built in coffeemaker and a unicorn for $500. ;D
In any event, it looks like I will have to have plenty of napkins on hand to wipe away the drool for the next 18 months.

Built in coffeemaker AND a unicorn! Bet it also makes rainbow flavoured popcorn! Sign me up! LOL :

If it comes with a unicorn OR rainbow flavored popcorn, I would be ready to pay up to 3500$. Otherwise, I'll stick to my 60D.

and then a thread will start about how Canon's rainbow popcorn does not have the same DR as Nikon rainbow popcorn and another thread about how it does not match the Adobe colourspace...

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

We’re also told, that just like the EOS 5D Mark III launch. This camera should be available pretty soon after the announcement.




Could that mean in time for Christmas? How quick did the 5d3 hit shelves after formal announcement?

Way before Christmas. The 5D2 was out for Thanksgiving and it sounds like this is coming earlier.

It could mean in time for Fall sports and Fall migration (at least the latter part of) and so on like how the 40D got announced and was out by early mid-Sept!!
Since announcement sounds like 1st week of September.

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

:-\ hmm, if these specs are true, it does not sound exciting.

sarcasm?

 

[Don Haines]

WTF? No Wi-Fi?

Don't worry.... it's all rumours anyway. The truth is that nobody knows anything about the specs and that the rumours are all guesses.

Until it appears on the Canon Website or is officially announced by Canon, it means nothing.

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Regardless, I expect Canon to drain my bank account just like they always do. Something they are very very good at!

You think?

I'm still using my 10-year-old and 9-year-old Canon dSLRs because none of the updates since have been particularly interesting. I have several friends with Canon dSLRs, and they are similar. One is still using his 40D, one is still using his Rebel XT, one is still using his T3i. I'm still using a 20D, 5D and a T2i at work. I've watched every Canon release carefully in the last 10+ years.

Depends on what you shoot. For those of us that shoot sports, wildlife, other fast action, then we would be missing out on a VASTLY improved AF system in the likes of 1DX and 5D3.

I shoot primarily fast-action.

And you stuck with 20D, Xti and 5D???

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

The 5DII was the first Canon DSLR to feature video, and it was THE camera that kick-started the DSLR video craze.

You are correct. But it was the 7D that was the first to have all of the frame rates and resolutions that became standard on all Canon cameras thereafter. The 5DII was at first limited because Canon didn't know video would be a hit. The 7D was launched with full video support.

7D left out all the stuff like focus peaking and so on and didn't get ML until reallllly late in the game and it not among the best for video IQ either

5D3 with ML RAW finally delivered good video quality

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Although video is not my "thing," and I don't agree (at all!) with the assessment that stills cameras cannot benefit from technological improvements, I do appreciate the videographers' desire for new features for their needs. Not much has been said about the 7D II in terms of video lately, so it's a huge question mark. That being said the fact that the new sensor is DPAF is certainly a benefit to AF in video, but I'm a bit surprised at the lack of a touch-screen, given how useful it is for rack focussing the 70D's DPAF video.

For myself, not really being into video much (use it sparingly) and I've always tended to use "Quick" focus for live-view shooting, the absence of a touch screen is a surprise, but it was never more than a tertiary feature for my usage. Do our video enthusiast members have any input on this news? If I was into video, I think the absence of a touch screen to change focus would be a big deal and I'm wondering if this is disquieting news for the video crowd?

Maybe that is how they will give it these mad specs and yet not price it through the moon?
The 1DX2 will have these mad specs and more plus 4k video and 1080p RAW and so on and cost $$$$ and the 5D4 will have great specs but maybe say 6fps plus 4k video and 1080p RAW and 7D2 will have the mad stills specs but lesser video? Hard to say, one half the rumors that seemed potentially believable said that 7D2 would be mega for video and upgrade that more than stills and the other half hinted that the 5D4 would introduce 4k and such. Or maybe this will do it all? And the talk about not revealing specs, although it seems like a TON was revealed up above, is because they are holding back all teh video goodies talk for a big final splash at Photokina?

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Don't forget that earlier reports mentioned the new sensor technology would be applied to other products following this release. It is likely that the 5D Mk IV and maybe a new EOS-1 will follow this release to add the new goodies. The leapfrog effect happens often just as many of the features of the 70D leapfrogged over the 7D (not all features). The 7D replacement is first and afterall, why mess with your top cameras. Make sure it works on the 7D before you mess with the 5D and 1D. Makes sense to me.

+1 I think a lot of the "Canon wouldn't do this or that" or "Canon wouldn't undermine their top of the line, or full frame camera" talk ignores the fact that "lesser" models introduce new tech all the time. The 7D AF system is getting a little long in the tooth now, but it blew away the 5D II AF system when it came out.

Yes and no. My 5D2 center point was perhaps a smidgeon more precise than the 7D center point and when using center point and hidden assists I felt it actually often did better than the 7D for soccer (which at times struggled as badly as 50D, 7D also had the annoyance than one point was kinda small and yet the assists were so large it became too grabby too; although for surfing, for some reason, I found the 7D AF to be superb, at least as good as my 5D3, sometimes I wonder if not a trace better, granted so many settings on 5D3 I may not have had the perfect dial-in for that sport). Now outer points sure the 7D blew the 5D2 away.

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Wow...this is huge if Canon can do what Foveon/Sigma could not (build a multi-layer sensor with good color separation and low noise at high ISO).

AA filter? Hope so.

If the sensor is Foveon-style and multi-layered, wouldn't it eliminate the need for an AA-filter, as there would be no Bayer CFA if the colors were separated in different layers?

Not at all. Look at how harsh some of the AA-less Foveon cameras look. So long as the pixel pitch isn't high enough you get aliasing, you don't need Bayer for that. You automatically avoid color moire that is true, but it does nothing at all whatsoever to get rid of regular aliasing (and since the RAW algorithms don't blend as much that just adds to it).

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

"Serious" videographers should not clamor for freaking video-optimized crap in stills cameras, especially not in DSLRS with a mirror in the lightpath. They should go buy a panasonic GH4 if they are poor or a Sony A7S if they want "full frame/shallow DOF" or a canon C-something if they want a video-optimized camera or if they really dont mind the mirror and want FF plus 4k, then a canon EOS 1D-C ... if they are not so poor. An APS-C DSLR is by its very nature the least suitable video-recording device. So stay away from it.

I hope the 7D successor comes without any video-recording capabilities whatsoever. A lean and mean STILLS machine.

bah and video drove a ton of 5D2 sales

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

<p>This is a small rundown of what we know and can publish about the EOS 7D Mark II (If that’s what it’s called).</p>
<ul>
<li>Full metal body (EOS-1 build quality)</li>
<li>EOS-1 style top plate</li>
<li><b>New sensor technology (multi layer)</b></li>
<li>No Wifi built-in</li>
<li>Not touch screen, super durable LCD cover</li>
<li><b>12fps shooting (or faster)</b></li>
<li><b>Dual Pixel AF</b></li>
<li>New AF system</li>
</ul>

Hmm...dunno about the bolded ones. Let's assume Canon does move to a multi-layer sensor, and that the megapixel counts we've heard in the past are true. That puts the total photodiode count at 24*3 (if it's a three-layer sensor), or 24*5 (if it's their new five-layer sensor design, with the additional layers for dealing with facial spots and the like...I think this is unlikely, the five-layer sensor sounds like a studio camera thing, so would probably find it's way into the bigMP FF camera.) At 24*3, the total readable photodiode count (excluding DPAF) would be 72 million. If you factor in DPAF, that becomes 144 million.

The 5 layer thing sounded more like a P&S thing not even a studio cam so I really doubt it has that, no way.
Maybe it stays 18MP, then it needs to process images and get them through the cameras early stages 3x more quickly. 7D came out, what like half a decade ago? A 3x speed increase would not be unheard of for this level of chips to have improved in half a decade, although it might be slightly more aggressive than things had been progressing.

 

[whothafunk]

haven't read the whole topic, just few first pages, but are you people really believing this rumour? its a rumour, yet you are treating it as a fact.

 

[Tugela]

Although video is not my "thing," and I don't agree (at all!) with the assessment that stills cameras cannot benefit from technological improvements, I do appreciate the videographers' desire for new features for their needs. Not much has been said about the 7D II in terms of video lately, so it's a huge question mark. That being said the fact that the new sensor is DPAF is certainly a benefit to AF in video, but I'm a bit surprised at the lack of a touch-screen, given how useful it is for rack focussing the 70D's DPAF video.

For myself, not really being into video much (use it sparingly) and I've always tended to use "Quick" focus for live-view shooting, the absence of a touch screen is a surprise, but it was never more than a tertiary feature for my usage. Do our video enthusiast members have any input on this news? If I was into video, I think the absence of a touch screen to change focus would be a big deal and I'm wondering if this is disquieting news for the video crowd?

Maybe that is how they will give it these mad specs and yet not price it through the moon?
The 1DX2 will have these mad specs and more plus 4k video and 1080p RAW and so on and cost $$$$ and the 5D4 will have great specs but maybe say 6fps plus 4k video and 1080p RAW and 7D2 will have the mad stills specs but lesser video? Hard to say, one half the rumors that seemed potentially believable said that 7D2 would be mega for video and upgrade that more than stills and the other half hinted that the 5D4 would introduce 4k and such. Or maybe this will do it all? And the talk about not revealing specs, although it seems like a TON was revealed up above, is because they are holding back all teh video goodies talk for a big final splash at Photokina?

The sensor size on a 7D is more suited for video than that on the 5D, so it makes more sense to include video-centric functions on the former than the latter. The market differentiation should be: still priority - get a 5D; video priority - get a 7D; with both cameras delivering very high quality in either imaging style.

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

haven't read the whole topic, just few first pages, but are you people really believing this rumour? its a rumour, yet you are treating it as a fact.

"We’re getting little bits of information, and what we’re getting is going to be true."

 

[PureClassA]

I took the "(multi layer)" bit in brackets to suggest a possible theory. I'm sure how plausible it is with 24MP. I think the general consensus appears to be a high desire for better dynamic range, higher resolution, markedly better performance in low light / High ISOs.

If Canon can accomplish this with a Ritz Cracker, I don't think anyone will care what the specificity of the sensor is

 

[Sporgon]

The 5D series, however, has a stainless steel chassis...

So Canon's own image on the Canon USA page for the 5DIII is just a flat out lie?

Not a lie, but it's showing the magnesium shell. That shell is attached to a composite/stainless steel skeleton whereas the Nikon has a magnesium skeleton throughout. The lens mount, for example, is mounted to the composite mirror box. My suspicion is that the shell is largely structural, especially around the mount area as there's a lip on the lens mount that mates with the magnesium shell, but I don't have any good way to demonstrate that without taking my 5D3 apart. If you read Roger's article you can see how it's all put together.

I think your premise here is that the Nikon has the lens mount fitted to the outer shell whereas the Canon has it fitted to the internal chassis. I bet there is a reason for Canon to fix it to the chassis, possibly accuracy, after all the sensor is fitted to the chassis, not the outer shell. I would very much doubt that a D800 is built 'internally' to the same standard as a 4D, and my experience with the Nikon 'prosumer' grade of camera is that they are not inherently built to the same standard as the equivalent Canon, in fact I'm fairy convinced they are a cheaper unit, and the mount affixed directly to the chassis may be part of this.

The 7D was quite a surprise in that it was a significant upgrade in build from the 5DII ( if you ignore the hideous plastic pop up flash). The 5DIII redressed the balance being closer to the 1D series with only a relatively small increase in cost, so it will be interesting to see how much further the 7DII takes the build quality forward.

 

[schmidtfilme]

I am still wishing for a hybrid viewfinder. What I mean is a viewfinder that can be used for video... I guess only few people care.

 

[Loswr]

Not a lie, but it's showing the magnesium shell. That shell is attached to a composite/stainless steel skeleton whereas the Nikon has a magnesium skeleton throughout. The lens mount, for example, is mounted to the composite mirror box. My suspicion is that the shell is largely structural, especially around the mount area as there's a lip on the lens mount that mates with the magnesium shell, but I don't have any good way to demonstrate that without taking my 5D3 apart. If you read Roger's article you can see how it's all put together.

Roger doesn't seem to say anything about it, that I can tell. A reader comment suggested the mirror box was composite, Roger indicated the circuit boards were screwed into composite, but there could be metal under it. The words 'magnesium' or 'steel' aren't used on the blog page.

It's interesting that the Canon mag-alloy frames seem more tightly constructed, using fewer pieces (at least, that's how it appears).

In other images of the 5DIII chassis, the 'mag allow shell over steel skeleton' isn't apparent, although it does seem the 5DIII's bottom plate may be steel (it's a different finish than the rest of the frame, at any rate).

So, I'm still not sure where you're getting this information... ???