Canon EOS 7D Mark II Review

November 27, 2014 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star Half rating star

Introduction

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II is a new APS-C sensor DSLR camera that's built for speed. Completely rebuilt and redesigned, the EOS 7D Mark II features 10fps burst shooting, a new 65-point cross-type AF system, Dual DIGIC 6 processors, new 20.2 MP APS-C CMOS sensor with a native ISO 100-16,000 range (expandable to ISO 51,200), 150k pixel RGB+IR metering sensor and innovative flicker detection mode, 200,000-cycle shutter durability, pro-level movie features including live, uncompressed HDMI output and Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology, built-in GPS and a digital compass. The Canon EOS 7D Mark II is available for £1,599.99 / €1,999.99 / $1,799 body-only. In the US the EOS 7D Mark II is also available bundled with the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens for $2,149.

Ease of Use

The new Canon 7D Mark II is outwardly very similar to the popular 5D Mark II full-frame DSLR, being very slightly smaller (148.6 x 112.4 x 78.2mm) and weighing 40g less. The 7D Mark II has a magnesium alloy body, which should make it more durable in the longer term than a plastic body, and it also adds a welcome level of weather-proofing for protection against dust and moisture. There's a textured area on both the deep hand-grip and around the thumb-rest on the rear of the camera, and size-wise the 7D Mark II is perfect for everyone with normal to large-sized hands. On the front of the 7D Mark II is an infrared port on the grip, depth-of-field preview button, self-timer lamp and a monaural microphone, along with a small button to pop-up the built-in flash.

Like other semi-pro cameras, the Canon EOS 7D Mark II offers two control wheels; a small one on the top of the handgrip, and a large, spinning dial on the back of the camera. This rear 'quick control dial' is characteristic of all high-end Canon EOS cameras, used to apply rapid exposure adjustments. It's a bit of an acquired taste compared to more conventional control dials, but you quickly get used to it and it is easy to 'spin'. There's a dedicated Lock switch which toggles this dial on and off.

The quick control dial does take up the space where you'd normally expect to find a four-way controller, which means that for menu navigation Canon has had to incorporate an additional small joystick on the back of the camera. This joystick works well enough, but it's not as positive or as easy to use as a conventional four-way controller. Underneath is the Quick button which opens the Quick Control screen. Depending on which shooting mode you're using, this lets you set various parameters via the LCD screen, using the joystick to move around the various options. The useful Quick Control screen is particularly well-suited to beginners and tripod work.

Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Front of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

On the top-right of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II, positioned above the large monochrome status LCD display, are three buttons, each of which has two functions. You press a button and then turn either the top dial or the rear dial to change the corresponding setting. It does take a little while to memorise which button does what, and which dial you need to turn. The 7D Mark II also shows the settings on the main LCD screen as well as the status LCD. There's a smaller fourth button which activates the status LCD display light so that you can use it in the dark.

There are two LCD displays on this camera; the 3.0-inch colour LCD on the rear and the smaller status panel on the top. On cheaper DSLR cameras, the LCD on the rear usually has to do both jobs, but on this model all of the camera's main settings are visible from above on the smaller panel. This makes the Canon EOS 7D Mark II quicker to use and also helps to extend the battery life. The main LCD screen offers a fantastic VGA resolution with 1,040K dots, so you may find yourself using it more often than you thought. Importantly it also allows you to judge the critical sharpness of your photos using the LCD screen. The viewfinder offers 100% coverage with a magnification of 1.0x and dioptre correction, and a transparent LCD screen overlays vital fous shooting information plus a dual-axis electronic level (the overlay information can also be customised to suit your needs).

Like most DSLRs aimed at prosumers, the EOS 7D Mark II offers all the usual serious manual and semi-automatic shooting modes for users who want more advanced exposure control, via a chunky and positive dial on the top-left of the camera body, complete with a central lock button to prevent the dial from inadvertently moving. Canon refers to these advanced operations as the 'creative zone' and provides all the normal settings including Program, Aperture and Shutter Priority and the full Manual mode. There is an auto shooting mode aimed at beginners called Scene Intelligent Auto, which allows you to change just a few key settings using the LCD screen,with the camera setting both the aperture and shutter speed for you.

The 7D Mark II's power switch is located underneath the shooting mode dial, and there's also the same Multi-Function button from the 5D Mark III too, positioned next to the shutter release button. The M-Fn , or Multi-function, button toggles through the various AF area choices after pressing the AF Point select button The AF areas are Manual Spot AF, Manual 1-Point AF, Expand AF Area, Expand AF Area: Surround, Manual Zone AF, Manual Large Zone AF and Auto Selection, and they can also be selected via the Quick Control Screen menu.

Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Rear of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Once the EOS 7D Mark II is in one of the 'creative zones', users can adjust the ISO setting into one of 11 positions from 100 to 51,200 (you need to to enable the 25,600 and 51,200 modes via the "ISO expansion" custom function option). This massive ISO range allows you to shoot in almost any lighting conditions without having to resort to using either the 7D Mark II's built-in flash or an external flashgun. The EOS 7D Mark II offers a range of three Auto focus modes (One Shot, AI Focus and AI Servo), and there are six preset, auto, kelvin and custom white balance options.

The viewfinder displays all key exposure information including the ISO speed, and there are four metering modes including a tighter 1.5% Spot metering mode, useful in tricky lighting conditions as an alternative to the excellent and consistent Evaluative metering system. The 7D Mark II is the first EOS camera to include infra-red and flickering light sensitivity, with the flicker detection mode automatically compensates for tricky indoor lighting by only taking the shot when the light levels are at their brightest level.

The 7D Mark II uses a completely new 65-point auto-focus system, offering more points than the flagship EOS-1D X DSLR, and all 65 of them are cross-type points, with the centre point being the extra sensitive double-cross type at f/2.8 and featuring EV-3 low-light sensitivity, helping to ensure that moving objects remain in focus even in very low light. There's also a whole AF menu dedicated to fine-tuning the 7D Mark II's autofocus system, with a range of customisable AF pre-sets helping you to deal with different subjects, and the new dedicated AF Mode Selection lever on the rear lets you instantly switch between the various AF area modes without taking your eye from the viewfinder.

The menu system is the same as on most EOS cameras, utilising a simplified tab structure that does away completely with scrolling. There are 6 main menu options, each containing up to 5 individual tabs of options. You can even setup your own customised menu page for instant access to frequently used settings via the My Menu setting. Only the complex Custom Functions and AF menus detract a little from the overall usability. Thankfully the documentation that comes with the 7D Mark II is clear enough, as it is with all Canon cameras, if a little light on detail. You do get a the manual in English throughout and you'll find most things that you need to know about the camera's operation in here, without the need to search through the supplied CDs for an 'electronic' manual.

Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Side of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

We predominantly tested the EOS 7D Mark II with the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens, which is offered as a kit lens in some regions. This combination offers fast, positive autofocus, can track moving subjects very well and is also near-silent, and we'd recommend that you choose this kit if you're buying into the Canon system for the first time. The EF-S 18-135mm lens also crucially features image stabilisation, accessed by a switch on the side of the lens barrel. This is important for Canon, as some competitors image stabilisation that's built-in to the camera body. The main difference between Canon (and Nikon) and the other manufacturers is that Sony (plus Olympus and Pentax) have opted for stabilisation via the camera body, rather than the lens, which therefore works with their entire range of lenses. Canon's system is obviously limited by which lenses you choose, but it does offer the slight advantage of showing the stabilising effect through the viewfinder. Canon and Nikon also claim that a lens-based anti-shake system is inherently better too, but the jury's out on that one.

The EOS 7D Mark II features not one, but two of the latest DIGIC 6image processors, which produces noticeably fast image processing, start-up and image review times. Dual DIGIC 6 also allows the 7D Mark II to shoot at a speed of 10fps for up to an incredible infinite number of JPEGs or 31 RAW images with a UDMA7 card. 14-bit A/D conversion, in-camera HDR processing, multiple exposure function and in-camera RAW processing are also enabled by the Digic 6 processors. The 7D Mark II boasts a 200,000-cycle shutter-life, which should help with all those 10fps bursts. Battery life is rated to CIPA standards at 670 shots. This can be doubled by using the optional BG-E16 battery grip which takes two batteries.

The 7D Mark II has an identical Live View system to the 5D Mark III. If you're new to DSLRs and don't understand the terminology, basically Live View allows you to view the scene in front of you live on the LCD screen, rather than through the traditional optical viewfinder. This is an obvious attraction for compact camera users, who are familiar with holding the camera at arm's length and composing via the LCD screen. It's also appealing to macro shooters, for example, as it's often easier to view the screen than look through the viewfinder when the camera is mounted on a tripod at an awkward angle.

Live View is turned on via the dedicated switch on the back of the camera which toggles between Live View and Movie recording and a self-explanatory Start/Stop button. A grid line display, dual-axis electronic level and very useful live histogram can be enabled to help with composition and exposure, and you can zoom in by up to 10x magnification of the image displayed on the LCD screen. Focusing is achieved via the AF-On button, or you can half-press the shutter-button. Live View can also be controlled remotely using the supplied EOS utility software, which allows you to adjust settings and capture the image from a PC.

Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Top of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

The EOS 7D Mark II's Live View mode offers three types of focusing system. The first, Quick AF, works by physically flipping the camera mirror to engage the auto-focus sensor, which then momentarily blanks the LCD screen and causes a physical sound, before the image is displayed after about 1 second. The other methods, Live AF and Live AF with Face Detection, use an image contrast auto-focus system, much like that used by point-and shoot compacts, the main benefits being the complete lack of noise during operation, and no LCD blackout. Unfortunately these are much slower than the Quick AF mode, taking over 3 seconds to focus on a clearly-defined subject in bright light, which will put off most users that are attracted by the promised point-and-shoot experience. On a more positive note, you can move the AF point around the screen, and the 7D Mark II successfully detected faces in most situations.

The 7D Mark II records high-definition 1080p, wide-screen video in 1920x1080 pixel resolution, at a frame rate of 24fps, 25fp, 30fps, 50fps and 60fps in MOV format. There is also 720p 1280x720 pixel recording at 60/50/30/25/24fps. High bit-rate video compression options include intraframe (ALL-I) and interframe (IPB). The maximum size of a single video clip is either 4 gigabytes or one second below 30 minutes. You can also take either single or continuous stills during recording, with video capture continuing after the final still frame has been taken. Audio is recorded in linear PCM format without any compression. There's a built-in microphone on the front of the camera for mono recording, a socket on the side for connecting an external stereo microphone, plus a headphone socket which enables sound level monitoring both during and after shooting. It also has an HDMI port for playing back 1920x1080 still images on a HD TV. It uses the industry-standard HDMI mini-out connection, but note that you'll need to purchase a suitable cable separately. You can also still connect the 7D Mark II to a standard TV set via NTSC/PAL.

Although you can autofocus during movie recording, the camera uses the slow contrast-AF mode. Focusing manually is a much better idea, although most AF lenses have MF rings with very little 'travel' between their close-focus point and infinity, and in a quiet environment it's also possible to hear the sound of the focusing ring. Cleverly, the speed and sensitivity of the auto-focus tracking can be adjusted to allow slow pull-focus transitions. You can set the aperture and shutter speed from the camera in movie mode, and exposure compensation and AE-Lock can also be used. You can take a single/sequence of still shots whilst shooting video, but this causes a 1 second delay which you'll need to edit out later.

The EOS 7D Mark II implements the same dust-removal technology as its predecessor, where the sensor is shaken briefly at high frequency to dislodge any dust particles from its surface. This could delay the need for manual sensor cleaning, perhaps indefinitely, but it won't be able to remove 'sticky' deposits like salt spray, pollen or the smears left behind by careless sensor cleaning or the wrong kind of solvent. The 7D Mark II also inherits the internal Dust Delete Data system from the 5D Mark III, which can map the position of visible dust on the sensor. This can then be deleted automatically after the shoot with the supplied Digital Photo Professional software.

Canon EOS 7D Mark II
The Canon EOS 7D Mark II In-hand

Peripheral Illumination Correction is a feature that's actually a lot simpler that it initially sounds. Basically it corrects the unwanted effects of vignetting, typically seen in wide-angle photos in the corners of the frame. The 7D Mark II contains a database of correction data for various Canon lenses and, if Peripheral Illumination Correction is enabled, automatically applies it to JPEG images. For RAW images the correction is applied later in the Digital Photo Professional software. Up to 40 lenses can be programmed into the 7D Mark II, with over 80 currently available to choose from. Peripheral Illumination Correction is a useful and effective addition, particularly for JPEG shooters, and can safely be left turned on all of the time. Peripheral Illumination Correction is a feature that's actually a lot simpler that it initially sounds. Basically it corrects the unwanted effects of vignetting, typically seen in wide-angle photos in the corners of the frame. The 7D Mark II contains a database of correction data for various Canon lenses and, if Peripheral Illumination Correction is enabled, automatically applies it to JPEG images. For RAW images the correction is applied later in the Digital Photo Professional software. Up to 40 lenses can be programmed into the 7D Mark II, with over 80 currently available to choose from. Peripheral Illumination Correction is a useful and effective addition, particularly for JPEG shooters, and can safely be left turned on all of the time.

Even more useful, especially if you have a number of older lenses, is the AF Microadjustment feature that has trickled down from the pro DSLRs. This allows you to alter the focus of each lens, then use a focusing target to test if the lens focuses correctly, and if it doesn't, alter it slightly using the AF Adjustment option, then test again until perfect focus is achieved. With most other DSLR systems you'd have to send the camera and lens off for calibration (and maybe even have to pay for it), but with the 7D Mark II, you can calibrate all of your lenses in the comfort of your own home (up to 20 lenses can be stored in the camera). The EOS 7D Mark II features a silent shooting mode that reduces the sound of both the shutter and mirror, perfect for situations where you don't want to draw unwanted attention to yourself. A continuous silent mode is also available, although its at a slower rate of 4fps than the headline 10fps mode.

Once you have captured a photo, the Canon EOS 7D Mark II has a range of options for playing, reviewing and managing your images. More information about a captured image can be seen on the LCD by pressing the Info button, which brings up a brightness image histogram and all the shooting Exif data, including shutter speed and the time and date it was captured, with a second press displaying an additional RGB histogram. Highlight Alert and AF Point Display can also be turned on via the Playback menu. It is simple to get a closer look at an image as you can zoom in up to 15 times, and it is also possible to view pictures in a set of nine contact sheet. Pressing the Creative Photo button displays two images side-by-side to allow you to compare the quality of different exposures on the camera. You can also delete an image, rotate an image, view a slideshow, protect images so that they cannot be deleted, and set various printing options. Unlike some competitors, there are no digital styles or effects that can be applied to an image after it has been taken - the more subtle Picture Styles are the only way of tweaking your JPEGs in-camera, before they are captured. In-camera image rating via a new dedicated button on the rear makes it easy to organise your images ahead of post-production, with the rating maintained in IPTC-friendly software.

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II's software suite is very good. Admittedly, photographers who've graduated to a camera like this one will almost certainly have chosen image browsing and editing software already, so they won't need the basic image browsing program included here, but there's more than that. You also get Canon's simple but effective PhotoStitch application for making panoramic shots, a utility for using the 7D Mark II remotely (while tethered to a PC) and Canon's Digital Photo Professional application for converting RAW files. This is a big bonus, because other makers don't always include such good RAW conversion software. Digital Photo Professional certainly isn't the best RAW converter on the market, but importantly does mimic the camera's Picture Styles 'retrospectively'. In addition the supplied Picture Style Editor software can be used to create custom Picture Styles on your computer instead of in-camera.

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this review were taken using the 20.2 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 7Mb.

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II produced images of excellent quality during the review period. This camera produces noise-free JPEG images from ISO 100 all the way up to ISO 3200, with noise first appearing at ISO 6400. The faster settings of 12800 and 16000 display relatively little noise, with ISO 25600 suitable for small prints and web images and the fastest setting of 51200 best reserved for emergenices. The JPEG images were a little soft straight out of the camera using the default Picture Style and ideally require some further sharpening in an application like Adobe Photoshop, or you can change the in-camera setting. The built-in flash worked well indoors, with no red-eye and good overall exposure. The night photograph was very good, with the maximum shutter speed of 30 seconds and Bulb mode allowing you to capture enough light in all situations. The 6 different Picture Styles and the ability to create your own are a real benefit to JPEG shooters, as are the Highlight Tone Priority and Auto Lighting Optimizer custom settings when used in the right conditions. The HDR mode combines three images taken at different exposures to create a single image with greater dynamic range, plus it offers natural and more artistic looks.

Noise

There are 12 ISO settings available on the Canon EOS 7D Mark II which you can select at any time. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting, with the JPEG version on the left and the RAW on the right:

JPEG

RAW

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

iso100.jpg iso100raw.jpg

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

iso200.jpg iso200raw.jpg

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

iso400.jpg iso400raw.jpg

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

iso800.jpg iso800raw.jpg

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

iso1600.jpg iso1600raw.jpg

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

iso3200.jpg iso3200raw.jpg

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

ISO 6400 (100% Crop)

iso6400.jpg iso6400raw.jpg

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

ISO 12800 (100% Crop)

iso12800.jpg iso12800raw.jpg

ISO 16000 (100% Crop)

ISO 16000 (100% Crop)

iso16000.jpg iso16000raw.jpg

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

ISO 25600 (100% Crop)

iso25600.jpg iso25600raw.jpg

ISO 51200 (100% Crop)

ISO 51200 (100% Crop)

iso51200.jpg iso51200raw.jpg

File Quality

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II has 2 different JPEG file quality settings available, with Fine being the highest quality JPEG option. Here are some 100% crops which show the quality of the various options, with the file size shown in brackets.

20M Fine (6.26Mb) (100% Crop)
20M Normal (3.14Mb) (100% Crop)
quality_fine.jpg quality_standard.jpg
20M RAW (23.4Mb) (100% Crop)
quality_raw.jpg

Sharpening

Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the camera images at the default setting are a little soft and benefit from some further sharpening in a program like Adobe Photoshop. Alternatively you can change the in-camera sharpening level if you don't like the default results.

Original (100% Crop)

Sharpened (100% Crop)

sharpen1.jpg sharpen1a.jpg
sharpen2.jpg sharpen2a.jpg

Flash

The flash settings on the Canon EOS 7D Mark II are Auto, Manual Flash On/Off, and Red-Eye Reduction. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.

Flash Off - Wide Angle (28mm)

Flash On - Wide Angle (28mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64

Flash Off - Telephoto (135mm)

Flash On - Telephoto (135mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64

And here are some portrait shots. As you can see, neither the Flash On setting or the Flash On + Red-eye option caused any amount of red-eye.

Flash On

Flash On (100% Crop)
flash_on.jpg flash_on1.jpg

Red-eye Correction

Red-eye Correction (100% Crop)

flash_redeye.jpg flash_redeye1.jpg

Night

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II's maximum shutter speed is 30 seconds and there's a Bulb mode for even longer exposures, which is excellent news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 30 seconds, aperture of f/11 at ISO 100.

Night

Night (100% Crop)
night1.jpg night1a.jpg

Highlight Tone Priority

This custom setting promises to improve the highlight detail of the image by expanding the dynamic range from 18% grey to bright highlights. Turning it on didn't make a great deal of difference in our test shot, as shown below.

Off

On
highlight_tone_priority1.jpg highlight_tone_priority2.jpg

Auto Lighting Optimizer

This setting promises to automatically correct the brightness and contrast of an image, with three levels of varying intensity available. There was a slight difference between the weakest and strongest settings, as shown below. Note that the user guide warns that this setting might cause noise to increase at higher ISO speeds.

Off

Low
auto_lighting_optimizer_01.jpg auto_lighting_optimizer_02.jpg

Standard

High
auto_lighting_optimizer_03.jpg auto_lighting_optimizer_04.jpg

Multiple Exposure

This new setting allows you to combine up to 9 images into a single composite image, with a range of different ways to blend them together. Here's an example with two images combined.

multi_exposure.jpg

HDR

The HDR mode combines three images taken at different exposures to create a single image with greater dynamic range, with natural and more artistic looks also on offer.

Off

+1 EV
hdr_01.jpg hdr_02.jpg

+2 EV

+3 EV
hdr_03.jpg hdr_04.jpg

+3 Natural

+3 EV Art Standard
hdr_05.jpg hdr_06.jpg

+3 EV Art Vivid

+3 EV Art Bold

hdr_07.jpg hdr_08.jpg

+3 EV Art Embossed

hdr_09.jpg

Picture Styles

Canon's Picture Controls, similarly to Nikon's Picture Styles, are preset combinations of different sharpness, contrast, saturation and colour tone settings. The six available Picture Controls are shown below in the following series, which demonstrates the differences. There are also three User Defined styes so that you can create your own look.

Standard

Portrait

picture_style_01.jpg picture_style_02.jpg
Landscape

Neutral

picture_style_03.jpg picture_style_04.jpg
Faithful

Monochrome

picture_style_05.jpg picture_style_06.jpg

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Canon EOS 7D Mark II camera, which were all taken using the 20 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample RAW Images

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II enables users to capture RAW and JPEG format files. We've provided some Canon RAW (CR2) samples for you to download (thumbnail images shown below are not 100% representative).

Sample Movie & Video

This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 1920x1080 at 50 frames per second. Please note that this 21 second movie is 154Mb in size.

Product Images

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Front of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Front of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Front of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Flash Raised

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Side of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Side of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Side of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Side of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Rear of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Rear of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Image Displayed

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Rear of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Info Screen

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Rear of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Info Screen

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Rear of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Info Screen

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Rear of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Main Menu

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Rear of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Live View - Stills

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Rear of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II / Live View - Movies

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Rear of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II - Picture Style Menu

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Top of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Bottom of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Side of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Side of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Front of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Front of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Memory Card Slot

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Battery Compartment

Conclusion

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II is an excellent DSLR camera, with its APS-C sensor, cutting-edge auto-focusing system, fantastic viewfinder and outright speed making it a great fit for sports and wildlife photographers, especially as it doesn't cost the earth.

Featuring a near-identical control layout to the 5D Mark III, the EOS 7D Mark II makes the perfect partner to the 5D for the keen Canon shooter looking for an all-round kit. The new 65-point auto-focus system in particular is a big step forward, along with the excellent performance at higher ISOs, the fast 10fps continuous shooting, excellent metering system, impressive optical viewfinder with 100% coverage and a more refined movie making interface.

While the 20 megapixel sensor doesn't sound like a big improvement on the original 7D's 18 megapixels, in conjunction with the dual Digic 6 processors it results in better low-light performance, with an almost noise-free range of ISO 100-3200 and perfectly usable 6400, 12800 and 25600 settings. The video side of things is also very good, with a wide range of frame rates (although no 4K), more accessible interface, manual exposure, better control of sound and cutting-edge compression rates.

We would have liked to have seen an articulated LCD screen for easier composition, and the omission of built-in wi-fi seems like a very strange decision in 2014, but otherwise the 7D Mark II certainly hits the mark for both stills and video.

Although the EOS 7D Mark II's price-tag of £1,599.99 / €1,999.99 / $1,799 body-only is straying into full-frame territory, the combination of image quality, speed, precision and handling is difficult to ignore. While the Canon EOS 7D Mark II may not be the most innovative new camera of 2014, it is undoubtedly one of the most well-balanced, and is therefore more than worthy of our Highly Recommended award.

4.5 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 4.5
Features 5
Ease-of-use 4.5
Image quality 4.5
Value for money 5

Main Rivals

Listed below are some of the rivals of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II.

Canon EOS 6D

The Canon EOS 6D is a new full-frame DSLR with a much more affordable price-tag than the 5D Mark III and a few tricks up its sleeve that its bigger brother doesn't offer. At over £1000 / $1000 cheaper than the 5D Mark II, have Canon cut too many corners for the 6D to be a real contender? Read our in-depth Canon EOS 6D review to find out...

Fujifilm X-T1

The Fujifilm X-T1 is a brand new compact system camera that looks, feels and performs very much like a classic DSLR that''s been shrunk in the wash. Is this the best X-series camera that Fujifilm have released, and can it compete with the likes of the Sony A7/A7R and Olympus OM-D E-M1, not to mention DSLRs from Canon and Nikon? Read our in-depth Fujifilm X-T1 review to find out...

Nikon D610

The Nikon D610 is a new full-frame DSLR camera that updates last year's D600 with a new shutter mechanism, faster 6fps burst shooting and a new Quiet Release Burst mode, and an improved auto white balance system. The D610 retains the same 24.3 megapixel full-frame sensor, 1080p HD video, ISO range of 50-25600, a 39-point AF system, 3.2-inch LCD screen and a viewfinder with 100% coverage as its predecessor. Read our in-depth Nikon D610 review now...

Nikon D7100

The D7100 is a new prosumer DSLR camera from Nikon, succeeding but not replacing the popular D7000 model. The weather-proof D7100 features a 24 megapixel DX image sensor, 51-point autofocus system, 6fps burst shooting and a high-resolution 3.2 inch LCD screen. Read our detailed Nikon D7100 review to find out if it's the right DSLR camera for you...

Nikon D750

The Nikon D750 is a brand new full-frame DSLR camera aiming to occupy the middle ground between the D610 and D810 models. The D750 features a 24.3 megapixel FX sensor, 1080p/60fps HD video, ISO range of 50-51200, 51-point AF system, 3.2-inch tilting LCD screen, and built-in wi-fi. Read our in-depth Nikon D750 review now...

Olympus OM-D E-M1

The Olympus O-MD E-M1 is a new professional compact system camera. Targeting its DSLR rivals, Olympus are promoting the E-M1 as a smaller and more capable camera. Read our expert Olympus E-M1 review to find out if it really can beat the competition...

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 is the first compact system camera to offer 4K video shooting. The exciting GH4 also features a 16 megapixel sensor, 12fps burst shooting, 3 inch swivelling touchscreen, electronic viewfinder, built-in wi-fi and NFC connectivity, a weather-proof body, and an extensive ISO range of 100-25600. Read our in-depth Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH4 review complete with with sample photos, test shots, videos and more...

Sony A7

The Sony A7 is the second mirrorless camera in the World to offer a full-frame sensor, but this time it's a slightly more modest 24 megapixels, rather than the A7R's 36 megapixels. The cheaper Sony A7 also offers a more innovative and potentially quicker hybrid AF system, faster flash sync and burst shooting speeds, and a quieter electronic shutter. Is the Sony A7 just as good as its big brother? Read our Sony A7 review to find out...

Sony A77 II

The Sony A77 II is a new interchangeable lens camera with a class-leading autofocus system, featuring 79-points with 15 cross-sensors and 40% frame coverage. The A77 II also offers a 24.3 megapixel sensor, 12fps burst shooting, weatherproof body, 1080p Full HD movies, high-resolution OLED viewfinder, 3-inch free-angle LCD built-in wi-fi / NFC connectivity and an ISO range of 50-25,600. Read our detailed Sony A77 II review now, complete with full-size JPEG and RAW files...

Sony A7R

Big sensor in a small body - that's the USP of the new Sony A7R camera. Offering a 35mm full-frame sensor inside a relatively compact body that takes interchangeable lenses, the A7R is a truly unique and genuinely exciting proposition. Is the Sony A7R the ultimate fusion of DSLR technology and compact system camera size? Read our Sony A7R review to find out...

Sony A7S

The new Sony A7S compact system camera offers an incredible ISO range of ISO 50-409,600, 15-stops of dynamic range when shooting RAW, and 12.2 megapixels on a 35mm full-frame sensor. Add in 4K and XAVC video recording, a truly silent shooting mode, and AF performance in light as low as EV-4, and it's clear that the Sony A7S could be one of the most exciting cameras of 2014. Find out how it really performs in our in-depth Sony A7S review...

Review Roundup

Reviews of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II from around the web.

the-digital-picture.com »

The Canon EOS 7D was, at its introduction, without question, the best APS-C sensor-sized DSLR Canon had ever produced. While that camera remains a strong contender even today, 5 years after its introduction, the Canon EOS 7D Mark II is a huge upgrade from this model. At a summary level: Stuff a Canon EOS 1D X into a 7D-sized APS-C body with an APS-C-sized sensor, add a few enhancements (and remove a few), cut the price by 74% (as of review time) and you get a 7D Mark II. This camera is a bargain-priced, professional-duty-ready DSLR waiting to tackle your world.
Read the full review »

techradar.com »

As you might guess from its name, the new Canon EOS 7D Mark II replaces the Canon 7D. It therefore assumes its place above the APS-C format Canon 70D and below the full-frame Canon 5D Mark II in the Canon SLR line-up.
Read the full review »

amateurphotographer.co.uk »

Canon certainly can’t be accused of having a short product cycle with the EOS 7D series. It is five years since the original Canon EOS 7D was launched, but the follow-up is finally here.
Read the full review »

Specifications

Image Sensor

Type

22.4 x 15.0 mm CMOS

Effective Pixels

Approx. 20.2 megapixels

Total Pixels

Approx. 20.9 megapixels

Aspect Ratio

3:2

Low-Pass Filter

Built-in/Fixed with fluorine coating

Sensor Cleaning

EOS integrated cleaning system

Colour Filter Type

Primary Colour

Image Processor

Type

Dual "DIGIC 6"

Lens

Lens Mount

EF/EF-S

Focal Length

Equivalent to 1.6x the focal length of the lens

Focusing

Type

TTL-CT-SIR with a dedicated CMOS sensor

AF System/ Points

65 cross-type AF points (Centre point is an extra sensitive dual-cross-type point at f/2.8, cross-type at f/8 and sensitive to -3EV) (11)

AF working range

EV -3 - 18 (at 23°C & ISO100)

AF Modes

AI Focus

One Shot

AI Servo

AF Point Selection

Automatic selection: 65 point AF

Manual selection: Single point AF (65 cross type only, 21 or 9 points selectable)

Manual selection: Spot AF

Manual selection: AF point Expansion 4 points (up, down, left, right)

Manual selection: AF point Expansion surrounding 8 points

Manual selection: Zone AF

Manual selection: Large Zone AF

AF points can be selected separately for vertical and horizontal shooting

Selected AF point display

Superimposed in viewfinder and indicated on top LCD panel and Quick Control screen

Predictive AF (7)

Yes, up to 8m

AF Lock

Locked when shutter button is pressed half way in One Shot AF mode or AF-ON button is pressed.

AF Assist Beam

Intermittent firing of built-in flash or emitted by optional dedicated Speedlite

Manual Focus

Selected on lens

AF Microadjustment

AF Menu

+/- 20 steps (wide and tele setting for Zooms)

Adjust all lenses by same amount

Adjust up to 40 lenses individually

Adjustments remembered for lens by serial number

Exposure Control

Metering modes

TTL full aperture metering with 252 zone Dual Layer SPC

(1) Evaluative metering (linked to All AF point)

(2) Partial metering (approx. 6% of viewfinder at centre)

(3) Spot metering (approx. 1.8% viewfinder at centre)

(4) Centre weighted average metering

Metering Range

EV 0 - 20 (at 23°C with 50mm f/1.4 lens ISO100)

AE Lock

Auto: In 1-shot AF mode with evaluative metering exposure is locked when focus is achieved.

Manual: By AE lock button in creative zone modes.

Exposure Compensation

+/-5 EV in 1/3 or 1/2 stop increments (can be combined with AEB).

AEB

2, 3, 5 or 7 Shots +/-3 EV 1/3 or 1/2 stop increments

ISO Sensitivity (8)

Auto (100-16000), 100-16000 (in 1/3-stop or whole stop increments)

ISO can be expanded to H1: 25600, H2: 51200

During Movie shooting: Auto (100-16000), 100-16000 (in 1/3-stop or whole stop increments) ISO can be expanded to H: 25600

Shutter

Type

Electronically-controlled focal-plane shutter

Speed

30-1/8000 sec (1/2 or 1/3 stop increments), Bulb (Total shutter speed range. Available range varies by shooting mode)

White Balance

Type

Auto white balance with the imaging sensor

Settings

AWB, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, White

Fluorescent light, Flash, Custom, Colour Temperature Setting.

White balance compensation:

  1. Blue/Amber +/-9
  2. Magenta/ Green +/-9

Custom White Balance

Yes, 1 setting can be registered

WB Bracketing

+/-3 levels in single level increments

3 bracketed images per shutter release.

Selectable Blue/Amber bias or Magenta/ Green bias.

Viewfinder

Type

Pentaprism

Coverage (Vertical/Horizontal)

Approx. 100%

Magnification

Approx. 1.0x(4)

Eyepoint

Approx. 22mm (from eyepiece lens centre)

Dioptre Correction

-3 to +1 m-1 (dioptre)

Focusing Screen

Interchangeable (2 types, optional).

Standard Focusing Screen Eh-A

Super Precision Matte Eh-S

Mirror

Quick-return half mirror (Transmission: reflection ratio of 40:60, no mirror cut-off with EF600mm f/4 or shorter)

Viewfinder Information

AF information: Single/Spot AF points, AF Frame, AF status, Focus indicator, AF mode, AF point selection, AF point registration

Exposure information: Shutter speed, aperture value, ISO speed (always displayed), AE lock, exposure level/compensation, flash metering, spot metering circle, exposure warning, AEB, metering mode, shooting mode

Flash information: Flash ready, high-speed sync, FE lock, flash exposure compensation, red-eye reduction light.

Image information: Card information, maximum burst (2 digit display), Highlight tone priority (D+).

Composition information: Grid, Electronic level

Other information: Battery check, Warning symbol, Flicker Detection, drive mode, white balance, JPEG/RAW indicator"

Depth of field preview

Yes, with Depth of Field preview button.

Eyepiece shutter

On strap

LCD Monitor

Type

7.7cm (3.0") Clear View II TFT, approx. 1040K dots

Coverage

Approx. 100%

Viewing Angle (horizontally/vertically)

Approx 170°

Coating

Anti-reflection and Solid Structure

Brightness Adjustment

Auto: Using extenal ambient light sensor

Manual: Adjustable to one of seven levels

Display Options

  1. Quick Control Screen
  2. Camera settings
  3. Dual Axis Electronic Level

Flash

Built-in Flash GN (ISO 100, meters)

11

Built-in Flash Coverage

Up to 15mm focal length (35mm equivalent: 24mm)

Built-in Flash recycle time

Approx. 3 seconds

Modes

E-TTL II, Manual flash, Multi flash, Integrated Speedlite Transmitter

Red-Eye Reduction

Yes

X-sync

1/250sec

Flash Exposure Compensation

+/- 3EV in 1/2 or 1/3 increments

Flash Exposure Bracketing

Yes, with compatible External Flash

Flash Exposure Lock

Yes

Second Curtain Synchronisation

Yes

HotShoe/ PC terminal

Yes/ Yes

External Flash Compatibility

E-TTL II with EX series Speedlites, wireless multi-flash support

External Flash Control

Via camera menu screen

Shooting

Modes

Scene Intelligent Auto, Program AE , Shutter priority AE, Aperture priority AE, Manual (Stills and Movie), Bulb, Custom (x3)

Picture Styles

Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User Defined (x3)

Colour Space

sRGB and Adobe RGB

Image Processing

Highlight Tone Priority

Auto Lighting Optimizer (4 settings)

Long exposure noise reduction

High ISO speed noise reduction (4 settings)

Multi Shot Noise Reduction

Auto Correction of Lens Peripheral illumination

Chromatic aberration correction

Distortion correction

Resize to M, S1, S2 or S3

RAW image processing - during image Playback only

Multiple exposure

HDR images 5 presets

Drive modes

Single, Continuous L, Continuous H, Self timer (2s+remote, 10s+remote), Silent single shooting, Silent continous shooting

Continuous Shooting

"Max. Approx. 10fps. (speed maintained for up to an infinite number of JPEGs or 31 RAW images (1) (2) (10) with UDMA7 card.

Intervalometer

Built-in, number of shots selectable from 1-99 or unlimited. Bulb timer possible

Live View Mode

Type

Electronic viewfinder with image sensor

Coverage

Approx. 100% (horizontally and vertically)

Frame Rate

29.97 fps

Focusing

Manual Focus (Magnify the image 5x or 10x at any point on screen)

Autofocus: Dual Pixel CMOS AF (Face detection and Tracking AF, FlexiZone-Multi, FlexiZone-Single), Custom Movie Servo AF

Metering

Real-time evaluative metering with image sensor

Active metering time can be changed

Display Options

Grid overlay (x2), Histogram

File Type

Still Image Type

JPEG: Fine, Normal (Exif 2.21 [Exif Print] compliant) / Design rule for Camera File system (2.0),

RAW: RAW, M-RAW, S-RAW (14bit, Canon original RAW 2nd edition), Digital Print Order Format [DPOF] Version 1.1 compliant

RAW+JPEG simultaneous recording

Yes, any combination of RAW + JPEG, M-RAW + JPEG, S-RAW + JPEG possible.

Image Size

JPEG 3:2: (L) 5472x3648, (M) 3648x2432, (S1) 2736x1824, (S2) 1920x1280, (S3) 720x480

JPEG 4:3: (L) 4864x3648, (M) 3248x2432, (S1) 2432x1824, (S2) 1696x1280, (S3) 640x480

JPEG 16:9: (L) 5472x3072, (M) 3648x2048, (S1) 2736x1536, (S2) 1920x1080, (S3) 720x408

JPEG 1:1: (L) 3648x3648, (M) 2432x2432, (S1) 1824x1824, (S2) 1280x1280, (S3) 480x480

RAW: (RAW) 5472x3648, (M-RAW) 4104x2736, (S-RAW) 2736x1824"

Movie Type

MOV (Video: H.264 or MP4: Intra frame / inter frame, Sound: Linear PCM with H.264, AAC with MP4, recording level can be manually adjusted by user)

Movie Size

1920 x 1080 (59.94, 50 fps) inter-frame

1920 x 1080 (29.97, 25, 24, 23.98 fps) intra or inter frame

1920 x 1080 (29.97, 25) lite inter-frame

1280 x 720 (59.94, 50 fps) intra or inter frame

1280 x 720 (29.97, 25, 24, 23.98 fps) lite inter-frame

640 x 480 (29.97, 25 fps) inter-frame or inter-frame lite

Movie Length

Max duration 29min 59sec

Sound Files

Folders

New folders can be manually created and selected

File Numbering

Consecutive numbering

Auto reset

Manual reset

Other Features

Custom Functions

18 Custom Functions

Metadata Tag

User copyright information (can be set in camera)

Image rating (0-5 stars), GPS information: Latitude, Longitude, Elevation, Direction, Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), satellite signal condition

LCD Panel / Illumination

Yes / Yes

Water/ Dust resistance

Yes (equal to EOS-1N)

Sound Memo

No

Intelligent Orientation Sensor

Yes

Playback zoom

1.5x - 10x

Display Formats

  1. Single image with information (2 levels)
  2. Single image
  3. 4 image index
  4. 9 image index
  5. Magnified view
  6. Movie edit

Slide Show

Image selection: All images, by Date, by Folder, Movies, Stills, Rating, Protect images

Playback time: 1/2/3/5/10 or 20 seconds

Repeat: On/Off

Histogram

Brightness: Yes

RGB: Yes

Highlight Alert

Yes

Image Erase/Protection

Erase: Single image, All images in folder, Checkmarked images, unprotected images

Protection: Erase protection of one image at a time

Menu Categories

  1. Shooting menu (x6)
  2. AF Menu (x5)
  3. Playback menu (x3)
  4. Setup menu (x4)
  5. Custom Functions menu (x5)
  6. My Menu

Menu Languages

25 Languages: English, German, French, Dutch, Danish, Portuguese, Finnish, Italian, Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Greek, Russian, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Romanian, Ukrainian, Turkish, Arabic, Thai, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Korean and Japanese

Firmware Update

Update possible by the user.

Interface

Computer

SuperSpeed USB 3

Other

HDMI mini output (HDMI-CEC compatible, output of uncompressed YCbCr 4:2:2, 8-bit for video streaming is possible, sound output via HDMI is also possible)

External microphone (Stereo mini jack)

Headphone socket (Stereo mini jack)

Direct Print

Canon Printers

Canon Compact Photo Printers and PIXMA Printers supporting PictBridge

PictBridge

Yes

Storage

CompactFlash Type I (UDMA 7 compatible), SD card, SDHC card or SDXC card. High-speed writing with UHS-I type SD cards is supported

Supported Operating System

Windows 8.1 / 8 / 7 SP1 / Vista SP2 / XP SP3

OS X v10.8-10.9

Software

Browsing & Printing

ImageBrowser EX

Image Processing

Digital Photo Professional

Other

PhotoStitch, EOS Utility (inc. Remote Capture, WFT utility*), Picture Style Editor

* Requires optional accessory

Power Source

Batteries

Rechargeable Li-ion Battery LP-E6N (supplied)

Battery life

Approx. 670 shots (at 23°C, AE 50%, FE 50%) (5)

Approx. 640 (at 0°C, AE 50%, FE 50%)

Battery Indicator

6 levels + percentage

Power saving

Power turns off after 1, 2, 4, 8, 15 or 30mins.

Power Supply & Battery Chargers

AC Adapter Kit ACK-E6, Battery charger LC-E6, Car Battery charger CBC-E6

Physical Specifications

Body Materials

Magnesium Alloy body covers

Operating Environment

0 – 40 °C, 85% or less humidity

Dimensions (WxHxD)

148.6 x 112.4 x 78.2mm

Weight (body only)

Approx. 910 g

Accessories

Viewfinder

Eyecup Eb, E-series Dioptric Adjustment Lens with Rubber Frame Eb, Focusing Screens Eh (Eh-A Standard Focusing Screen, Eh-S Super Precision Matte), Angle Finder C

Wireless File Transmitter

Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7 version 2

Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E7 requires a firmware update and Interface Cable IFC-40AB II or IFC-150AB II

Compatible with Eye-Fi cards

Lenses

All EF and EF-S lenses

Flash

Canon Speedlites (90EX, 220EX, 270EX, 270EX II, 320EX, 420EX, 430EX, 430EX II, 550EX, 580EX, 580EX II, 600EX, 600EX-RT, Macro-Ring-Lite, MR-14EX II, Macro Twin Lite MT-24EX, Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2, Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT)

Battery Grip

BG-E16

Remote Controller/ Switch

Remote control with N3 type contact, Wireless Controller LC-5, Remote Controller RC-6

Other

Hand Strap E2

All data is based on Canon standard testing methods except where indicated.

Subject to change without notice.

1 Large/Fine(Quality 8) resolution

2 Based on Canon's testing conditions, JPEG, ISO 100, Standard Picture Style. Maximum fps and buffer capacity may be reduced depending on the cameras settings, light level, subject, memory card brand and capacity, image recording quality, ISO speed, drive mode, Picture Style, Custom functions etc.

4 with 50mm lens at infinity, -1m-1 dpt

5 Based on the CIPA Standard and using the battery supplied with the camera, except where indicated

7 with EF300mm f/2.8L IS USM at 50kph

8 Recommended Exposure Index

10 Figures quoted are when used with UDMA7 class cards and with iTR AF feature disabled. When iTR AF is enabled, continuous shooting has a maximum rate of approx. 9.5fps

11 The number of cross-type AF points depends on the lens used

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