Canon 7D Mark II Owners first thoughts

[Don Haines]

having had the camera for a week now, I really really really don't like DPR. Lightroom is a far superior product and I hope they have an update soon.

 

[RichM]

having had the camera for a week now, I really really really don't like DPR. Lightroom is a far superior product and I hope they have an update soon.

+1 (or more). I'm going to have to go jpg as I don't have the patience I used to have. Anyone heard when we might get LR CR2->JPG for the 7d2?

 

[candc]

having had the camera for a week now, I really really really don't like DPR. Lightroom is a far superior product and I hope they have an update soon.

I like it for its quikview feature. It opens up fast and is great for viewing rating and deleting. Also good if you want to convert without any additional auto corrections on top of what the camera does because the default conversion is the same as an in camera JPEG.

 

[RichM]

having had the camera for a week now, I really really really don't like DPR. Lightroom is a far superior product and I hope they have an update soon.

I like it for its quikview feature. It opens up fast and is great for viewing rating and deleting. Also good if you want to convert without any additional auto corrections on top of what the camera does because the default conversion is the same as an in camera JPEG.

So why not just shoot jpeg? If all we're doing is using DPR to convert from raw to jpeg, then why bother.

 

[Steve]

having had the camera for a week now, I really really really don't like DPR. Lightroom is a far superior product and I hope they have an update soon.

Open in DPP->Convert to TIFF->Open in LR

I personally hate LR/ACR (I'm definitely in the minority there, I realize) and this is what I do for pretty much all my photos so that I can work on them in Photoshop. DPP handles noise much better than Adobe. You can set DPP defaults to all zero so that there are no adjustments carried over to the TIFF if you want, as well.

 

[serendipidy]

having had the camera for a week now, I really really really don't like DPR. Lightroom is a far superior product and I hope they have an update soon.

+1 (or more). I'm going to have to go jpg as I don't have the patience I used to have. Anyone heard when we might get LR CR2->JPG for the 7d2?

I don't have LR but I've seen CR posts here recently that say you can just convert the RAW in DPP to TIFF and then import that TIFF into LR easily to PP in LR, if I remember correctly.

 

[candc]

I always shoot raw and normally use dxo but I do my sorting with dpp. I will convert photos with dpp for stitching with ptgui, it seems to work better that way. I think dpp like the camera engine does a really good job of doing a straight conversion but you don't want to be stuck with just a JPEG if you need to do more.

 

[serendipidy]

Steve beat me to the punch by 2 minutes ;D

 

[2n10]

having had the camera for a week now, I really really really don't like DPR. Lightroom is a far superior product and I hope they have an update soon.

I like it for its quikview feature. It opens up fast and is great for viewing rating and deleting. Also good if you want to convert without any additional auto corrections on top of what the camera does because the default conversion is the same as an in camera JPEG.

So why not just shoot jpeg? If all we're doing is using DPR to convert from raw to jpeg, then why bother.

I'm using DPP to convert them from RAW to Tiff with the minimum processing possible. But with DPP I have no idea whats really going on "under the hood". Then I review them in Adobe Bridge. The TIFFs that interest me go through Camera Raw into Photoshop. Probably not the best way but so far it's working OK. I'll bring them all into lightroom once there is an update available. If someone has a better workflow I'd love to here about it. The OOC JPGs looked OK but really weren't suitable for evaluating a new camera.

That is my plan also. Zero out the settings in DPP. I plan on using the lens optimizer in DPP also. I use DPP to sort, then to LR for final cuts and file naming and organization. Back to DPP to convert to tiffs then PS to finish PP and convert to jpegs.

 

[Mancubus]

You will most likely need to get the Sigma rechipped. This is common since Sigma reverse engineers the communications with bodies. Your focus problem is highly likely a Sigma issue.

Well, I guess that's the issue. I've sent an email to Sigma, I'll post the outcome here.

Go into Custom Controls and change the Set button to Mag/Reduce. (I think thats all I did as far as viewing back images.) You should now be able to just push the Set button and rotate the back dial to view the next image or prior image at whatever magnification you set in the Playback section of the main menu. Push the Set button again to change back into normal view size.

Use the top dial to enlarge or reduce the image size while viewing. Now you can playback and view images with just your right thumb and forefinger. Hope this helps ya out

Forgot to mention use the Multi-Controller to move about while viewing images.

It worked, thanks!

Once again thanks to you both. Actually since the Sigma issue is on the lens (I can't blame the 7dm2 I guess), I have no complaints at all now, the camera is awesome.

 

[fragilesi]

It depends how you look at pricing. In the USA the minimum wage for many states is $7.25, and though many states have higher minimums things like overtime, healthcare etc are not paid as they are in the EU, the UK minimum wage is £6.25 for over 21's and that is $10, or nearly 40% more.

That's a good point, and it is all swings and roundabouts, take the price of energy as someone else pointed out. 70 or 80 pounds used to be a purchase I'd have to think about for a bit not so long ago and now it's a trip to fill up the car.

There are also taxes etc but nothing in my view that really explains why such goods cost so much in the UK . . . other than supply and demand of course. Presumably these are the price points companies feel they get the best profits from overall.

 

[pierlux]

having had the camera for a week now, I really really really don't like DPR. Lightroom is a far superior product and I hope they have an update soon.

Open in DPP->Convert to TIFF->Open in LR

I personally hate LR/ACR (I'm definitely in the minority there, I realize) and this is what I do for pretty much all my photos so that I can work on them in Photoshop. DPP handles noise much better than Adobe. You can set DPP defaults to all zero so that there are no adjustments carried over to the TIFF if you want, as well.

I can't say I hate LR+ACR, but I use DPP and it has always worked fine to me. Basically it does all that is needed. Plus, it's free. I guess it's a matter of getting used to the graphics, layout, menus... I'm at ease with the DPP's interface. It's the same old story, once you're accustomed to something you always feel uncomfortable to change to anything else. That said, I believe that if the majority prefers Adobe, DxO or other paid software, then there must be a substantial reason.

 

[Old Sarge]

I like the idea of a built-in GPS. I don't figure I will use it much but I like the idea of having it available. This past weekend my son graduated from college (he was on the 25 year plan but finally made it) and I had to travel to Houston for the ceremony. I had heard how the GPS would devour batteries and I wanted to see how bad it was so I turned on the GPS before leaving my home in the DFW area. I did not enable the logging feature (though I thought I had...my fault). Everytime I looked at the display the GPS was flashing, meaning it was searching for satellites I believe. Took a touch over 100 snapshots, used built in flash for about three of them (I was really wanting to test available light capability). Got home on Saturday evening and was tired (major traffic jam at Woodlands, even worse than the norm there) so I didn't even open my camera bag. Today after church I pulled out the camera and the GPS was still flashing. Battery (which is an old E6 not an E6N) is still at 48% capacity after 50+ hours. And, oddly enough, every picture has Lat/Lon information which appears to be correct (the elevation information is wrong, shows about 700m asl in some pictures and the highest elevation in Houston, outside of a building is closer to 40m asl).

I was pleased with the battery usage. Now the GPS is disabled and probably won't be used again until we take a real trip.

 

[candc]

i don't know if this was mentioned but it has exposure compensation in manual mode.

 

[candc]

There may be another way to set it but if you press the q button then you can select and adjust it in the rear lcd

 

[weixing]

i don't know if this was mentioned but it has exposure compensation in manual mode.

I thought I remembered reading that Canon had included that but I couln't figure out how to get there when I was shooting today. I kept having to drop out of auto ISO. I guess I'll have to go back and read the manual again. Looking forward to using it. I'm guessing that's why they added the meter display on the side of the viewfinder?

Hi,
I set the "SET" button in the "Custom Control" as "Exposure Compensation", then I can use exposure compensation in manual mode by pressing the "SET" button and turn the main dial.

The side exposure scale will show both exposure compensation and flash exposure compensation at the same time and will show the brightness different if you use "AE Lock" function.

Have a nice day.

 

[Canon1]

i don't know if this was mentioned but it has exposure compensation in manual mode.

I thought I remembered reading that Canon had included that but I couln't figure out how to get there when I was shooting today. I kept having to drop out of auto ISO. I guess I'll have to go back and read the manual again. Looking forward to using it. I'm guessing that's why they added the meter display on the side of the viewfinder?

Hi,
I set the "SET" button in the "Custom Control" as "Exposure Compensation", then I can use exposure compensation in manual mode by pressing the "SET" button and turn the main dial.

The side exposure scale will show both exposure compensation and flash exposure compensation at the same time and will show the brightness different if you use "AE Lock" function.

Have a nice day.

Thanks, that sounds like the way to go. Super, the missing piece of the Auto ISO puzzle. I'm a bit farsighted so I try to avoid setting anything on the back panel while I'm shooting. No telling what settings I might actually adjust without my glasses on. Sad but true.

I actually have mine set up so that when I engage the thumb toggle (new button, whatever it's called) that I can adjust the exposure compensation. I find this more ergonomic and natural than using the "set" button.

 

[photorockies]

I returned mine due to front focusing issues. Volleyball players' arms and hands were in focus instead of the torso or face. It was a frequent occurrence. It may be something correctable by AFMA but FOCAL isn't working yet with the camera.

 

[Canon1]

I returned mine due to front focusing issues. Volleyball players' arms and hands were in focus instead of the torso or face. It was a frequent occurrence. It may be something correctable by AFMA but FOCAL isn't working yet with the camera.

Reikan FoCal works perfectly for this camera. It is not able to analyze the RAW files in real time , but you can take all the test shots manually (shooting in JPG) and run these through the program. I have already calibrated my 7D2 to my lenses and it made a big difference.

 

[Helmi2010]

Dear all,

Last week i received my new toy!
I made some pictures with the EF 500mm and 1.4X TC.
As far as i can see the 7D MK II works very good! I used AF mode 1, Focus priority, Auto Iso and D+. All shots handheld with 1/800 Sec.

_T6A0112_Haubentaucher by HelmiGloor, on Flickr

_T6A0092_Graugans by HelmiGloor, on Flickr

_T6A0040_Reiherente by HelmiGloor, on Flickr

Currently we have bad weather, I hope I can make more pictures on the weekend.

Best regards

Helmut