| Section |
The Good |
The Bad |
 |
Product Tour |
Solidly built, weather-sealed body |
Bulkier than other models |
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Color |
Accurate color overall; handles long exposures very well |
Best color modes undersaturated, with sharpness turned down |
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Noise |
Levels reasonably low through ISO 800; effective noise reduction system |
Noisier than others at high ISO settings |
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Resolution |
Good sharpness results; excellent dynamic range for high-contrast shooting; effective image stabilization |
Chromatic aberration noticeable at image edges |
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White Balance |
Highly accurate automatic white balance system |
Custom white balance produced disappointing results |
 |
Sample Photos |
See sample photos taken with the Canon 7D under different conditions |
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Playback |
Nice selection of playback views; easy navigation; full-featured video playback; extensive direct print options |
Lacks in-camera editing capabilities |
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Hardware |
Bright 100% viewfinder; handsome high-res LCD; long battery life |
Nothing significant |
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Controls |
Fast and flexible new autofocus system; high burst rate; depth of field preview |
Slow Live View autofocus; no scene modes |
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Design & Handling |
Excellent textured grip; dual control dials; easy-to-manage menu system; first-rate user manual |
Multi-controller joystick feels imprecise |
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Conclusion |
Read our final conclusion on the Canon 7D |
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| Video Section |
The Good |
The Bad |
 |
Video: Color & Noise |
Strong saturation levels; noise levels were very good in bright light. |
Color accuracy wasn't quite as good as the competition. |
|
Video: Motion & Sharpness |
Good motion performance in both 24p and 30p frame rates. |
Sharpness was a bit lower than other DSLRs that shoot 1080p video. |
|
Video: Low Light Performance |
Very good low light performance all around |
Nothing of note |
|
Video Features |
Manual controls are easy to use in conjunction with video mode; 3.5mm external mic jack is a nice touch. |
No live autofocus; stationary LCD makes shooting hand-held video difficult. |
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The 18-megapixel Canon 7D delivers high-resolution stills and full HD video in a well-built camera designed for serious photographers without the desire (or budget) for a full-frame model.
Exclusive - Video testing on the Canon 7D is provided by CamcorderInfo.com, the world leader in camcorder and video reviewing.