Canon EOS 7D review

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Verdict:

Beautiful images, a great video mode and superb build quality mean those in the market for a top-end DSLR need look no further.

Review Date: 21 Dec 2009

Price when reviewed: £1,749

Buy it now for: £1674
(see more store prices)

Supplier: http://www.jessops.com

Reviewed By: Dave Stevenson

Our Rating 5 stars out of 5

User Rating

Indeed, our only serious criticism relates to the battery - shooting stills and HD video on a single device is exhausting work, and after a day of both our 7D's battery was half emptied. For serious users, the £200 battery grip looks like an essential addition. A final neat feature for those with external flashguns is the ability to use the 7D's built-in flash as a Speedlite transmitter to trigger remote flashes. It works superbly. Our only complaint is that the bundled lens, a slow, plastic, 18-135mm EF-S model, is best ignored in favour of something faster.

If you already have a bag full of Canon lenses and accessories, the 7D gives you no reason to move to Nikon; the main consideration is whether to buy a 5D Mark II instead. The 5D Mark II has the edge in image quality and ISO noise performance. However, the 7D, being faster in terms of continuous shooting and focusing, represents a better deal if you regularly shoot moving subjects, besides being £200 cheaper. The Nikon D300s also makes its presence felt.

It's at a significant disadvantage for shooting HD video, but is just as fast and well built and, currently, £400 cheaper. If your priority is video quality or you're already committed to Canon's EOS system, the 7D is a product you won't regret buying for a second. If you're agnostic, the D300s is currently the better deal, but don't be surprised if the 7D's price drops sharply in the run-up to Christmas.

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