Canon 7D Mark II Owners first thoughts

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#61
Got my 7D Mark II, coming from an original 7D.

Some initial annoyances/thoughts:
  • When you switch it on, it is asking for the date/time. This is because the GPS is initially disabled. Once you turn on the GPS it should get the time.
  • I can't get the GPS working..... I turn it on and in the GPS Information Display I only see the compass heading. On the LCD there's a flashing GPS symbol. Strangely, when I turn off the camera, the GPS symbol is still flashing on the LCD. If I turn on the GPS logger, then also LOG shows on my LCD when I turn the camera off.
  • There's so many menu panels it's a bit hard to find your way around. The Info button usually describes the options in sufficient detail, however certain screens omit any details
  • Playback zoom control is so frustrating, because you cannot use the thumb buttons (AE lock & AF Point Selection) like on the 7D. You have to zoom using the magnifying glass button and then use the Main dial.
  • It is possible to configure the default magnification to actual pixels, and specifically centered on the focus point. Note that you can zoom in one click higher than 100% so your image looks unsharp - so that's going to be annoying.

Anyway, I'm about to start reading the PDF doco to find out what I missed.
 
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#62
Scumbag said:
Got my 7D Mark II, coming from an original 7D.

Some initial annoyances/thoughts:
  • When you switch it on, it is asking for the date/time. This is because the GPS is initially disabled. Once you turn on the GPS it should get the time.
  • I can't get the GPS working..... I turn it on and in the GPS Information Display I only see the compass heading. On the LCD there's a flashing GPS symbol. Strangely, when I turn off the camera, the GPS symbol is still flashing on the LCD. If I turn on the GPS logger, then also LOG shows on my LCD when I turn the camera off.
  • There's so many menu panels it's a bit hard to find your way around. The Info button usually describes the options in sufficient detail, however certain screens omit any details
  • Playback zoom control is so frustrating, because you cannot use the thumb buttons (AE lock & AF Point Selection) like on the 7D. You have to zoom using the magnifying glass button and then use the Main dial.
  • It is possible to configure the default magnification to actual pixels, and specifically centered on the focus point. Note that you can zoom in one click higher than 100% so your image looks unsharp - so that's going to be annoying.

Anyway, I'm about to start reading the PDF doco to find out what I missed.
Click to expand...

Thank you ;)
 
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#63
Scumbag said:
...
  • Playback zoom control is so frustrating, because you cannot use the thumb buttons (AE lock & AF Point Selection) like on the 7D. You have to zoom using the magnifying glass button and then use the Main dial.
...
Click to expand...

The same as on my 6D. This is so annoying and will not get better over time. Every time I use a 5D I feel liberated while reviewing images. Do the AE Lock & AF Point do anything on the 7d while watching images or is it just as silly as on the 6D (where the buttons would be completely free to do all the zooming I would want them too)...
 
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#64
404Nick said:
Scumbag said:
...
  • Playback zoom control is so frustrating, because you cannot use the thumb buttons (AE lock & AF Point Selection) like on the 7D. You have to zoom using the magnifying glass button and then use the Main dial.
...
Click to expand...

The same as on my 6D. This is so annoying and will not get better over time. Every time I use a 5D I feel liberated while reviewing images. Do the AE Lock & AF Point do anything on the 7d while watching images or is it just as silly as on the 6D (where the buttons would be completely free to do all the zooming I would want them too)...
Click to expand...

AE Lock cancels image playback, and locks exposure. The AF Point button does nothing. Of course the AF Point button was the one that you previously used to zoom into the image. In the Custom Controls section the AF Point button is omitted, you cannot override or tweak that button. There are 11 buttons you can override, so there's actually a space for a 12th.
 
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#65
Scumbag said:
Strangely, when I turn off the camera, the GPS symbol is still flashing on the LCD. If I turn on the GPS logger, then also LOG shows on my LCD when I turn the camera off.
Click to expand...

Apparently that's completely normal. If you turn off the camera, the GPS is supposed to keep functioning and will chew up your battery.

Bit absurd it isn't an option. Maybe with the GPS logger you might want it active all the time, but otherwise it just doesn't make any sense.

(So that doesn't explain why I cannot get GPS working.)
 
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#67
I did get the GPS working I had to stand outside for about 2-3 minutes before I got a fix (on a perfectly clear night). I did try outdoors before but only waited a minute. BTW my phone will get a GPS fix indoors.
I still haven't managed to get the time from the GPS. Trying to set the time actually causes the camera to report the GPS signal has dropped out.
 
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#69
AcutancePhotography said:
Kinda stynks when a cell phone's gps works faster than one built in to a fancy new camera.
Click to expand...

A cellphone would have assisted GPS where it would get information from the Network service provider to determine your position (that is the reason GPS on phones works even indoors). In the camera you don't have access to the cellphone network and it communicates exclusively with the satellites resulting in a bigger time window.
 
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#72
Here are some sample shots https://www.flickr.com/photos/128861033@N06/ I was shooting in JPG only so just cropped the pictures. Some of these shots are below the standard I would normal post but I wanted you to get an idea of how the camera handles. You can check the EXIF data which is why I am posting to Flickr.

After seeing this thread this morning I saw the request for photos but none from yesterday were usable. I have a hide on the river Stour so I went down there despite rain being threatened. I have used the hide a few times hoping to get shots of otters (many people have told me that no otters live on the river), I have spotted them twice but never managed an acceptable shot. As I was setting up my 5Dmk3 I noticed movement in the reeds so grabbed my 7Dmk2 pointed it in the direction of the disturbance when suddenly an otter surfaced right at my feet. Using the Cannon 70-300mm L it was to close for me to focus. It disappeared so I ran down the river bank. Spotting the otter I held my finger down taking over 100 jpgs, that is when I realized I had not set RAW+JPG but just JPG, I quickly changed setting and am hopeful for the shots in RAW. Anyway thank you for demanding photos as I finally have proof otters live in Sudbury, Suffolk.
 
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#77
The Canon 7Dmk2 matches my high expectations, however once again lenses make all the difference. My 70-200mm mk2 L works very well. My 70-300mm L focuses slower than I would like.

GPS has worked well and I had no problem setting it up. The 5Dmk3 is so similar in menus, buttons etc that I am enjoying the learning curve. Yes the number of menus can overwhelm you at first but you get used to them.

So far the only other thing I have to complain about is the weather in England...
 
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#79
I'm gonna try the 7D Mark II tomorrow for some football games and I hope it does well. It should.

I have it here today and will take some pics of some critters in the park, just to test it out and get used to it.

(Just a rental, though. If it works great, then my $ will belong to Canon for a while. The low light shots for a crop will be perfect for baseball. It was something that I had trouble with the original 7D and I shoot a lot of baseball and will do so again.)
 
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