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The new Canon EOS 7D: Canon's answer (finally) to the excellent Nikon D300
Canon had it's press conference today to announce new product. Rumored for at least three weeks, Canon was supposed to have new introductions of lenses and cameras. There were certainly lenses, but only one camera hit the market, the long-rumored EOS 7D. Canon fans have been talking about this camera ever since Nikon made a huge hit with it's D300. This camera is the answer to that Nikon, and only about two years later.
Some will look and ask "So it's a beefed up 50D with video?" And while the body of the camera looks close to it's 50D stable mate, there is a lot more to this camera than meets the eye. First and foremost, Canon has taken the image sensor technology it started with the EOS 50D - the gap-less micro lenses over the photo diodes - to a new level. Now, the micro lenses are closer to the diodes, the diodes are designed to accept more light, and the wires on the sensor are smaller and take up less space. All this combines on an APS-C image sensor with 18MP, and ISO up to 12,800.
Probably the biggest (and best?) new feature is Canon's new Integrated Speedlite Transmitter (IST), which is akin to Nikon's Creative Lighting System (CLS). This new system allows photographers to control off-camera Speedlite flashes with the camera alone, which means there is no reason to buy Canon's ST-E2 Speedlite Controller.
Next on the upgrades list is a feature that so many Canon faithful have been waiting for - improved auto focus (AF). The new AF system has 19 cross type sensors, allowing reliable tracking of a fast moving subject. Also new are zone- and spot-AF systems, helping to allow that new AF to track subjects more reliably. You can also select different AF points for vertical or horizontal orientation so you can switch back and forth more quickly and easily.
A new metering system, called iFCL (standing for Focus Color and Luminance) uses those three traits in 63 zones to accurately determine correct exposure for a scene. This is a big upgrade to Canon's older 43 zone system, and much more contemporary to the competition.
The other notable features - from the laundry list that a new camera line brings - are dual DiG!C 4 processors that allow 8 frames per second (FPS) without the need of an accessory (a'la Nikon); EOS Movie Mode; a new viewfinder with 100% frame coverage and 1.0x magnification; a new Transmissive LCD screen that allows the user to change the look of the focusing screen on the fly (good-bye focusing screens!); a new Clear View II LCD screen that combats screen glare and offers a brighter, easier to use display, especially outside in the sun.
You can see the full press release here - there is far more to this camera than I can write about here. Figure out in stores sometime in October, and a price of about $1,800 - taking direct aim at Nikon's D300s.
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More Canon announcements here:
Canon 100mm Macro IS: The first lens with Canon's Hybrid Image Stabilization
Canon Powersot G11: Canon's new flagship compact
Canon lenses: 15-85mm IS and 18-135mm IS
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