Feeling pro

The Canon 7D is a good option for those stuck between the amateur and professional stages

The Canon 7D is a good option for those stuck between the amateur and professional stages
It might have been around for sometime,but the Canon EOS 7D is one of the latest high-end photography tools to reach Indian stores. It looks and feels solid and even gives a new definition to the word stability,but does it stand up to the rigours of shooting in unpredictable and hostile environments? Well,in my opinion I am pretty sure that it does.

Featuring an all-new 18.0 megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor and Dual DIGIC 4 image processors that can capture images at up to ISO 12800 and speeds up to 8 fps,the camera is definitely going to be a stiff competitor for rivals like the Nikon D3000. Among several other enhancements,the EOS 7D has a new all cross-type 19-point AF system with improved AI Servo II and AF area selection modes for sharp focus.
The intelligent viewfinder is something that impressed me a lot. It sports an entirely new design that provides an approximate full coverage and displays user-selected AF modes as well as a spot metering circle and on demand grid lines.

An interesting factor that has changed in the 7D is the repositioning of the RCD Rear Control Dial from the bottom right,for other high-end Canon cameras,to the top left,like in the lower-end 500D. Interestingly,Canon has put in an infrared sensor into the front of the grip for remote release,something they had till now confined to the Rebel series. Since this one can capture HD video too,there is a microphone tucked away in the upper right. For more serious audio,the 7D even has a stereo microphone jack.

Like the 5D,the 7D is devoid of scene modes,the first sign that this is a pro sub-frame camera. One can,however,set up three custom modes on the dial. Then there is the new Multi-Function M-Fn button just behind the shutter release button to quickly adjust several camera parameters. Canon has also eliminated the air gap between the LCD and cover glass by sandwiching a special optical elastic material between the display and the cover glass.

The Quick menu button on the back brings up the Standard status display,allowing easy navigation and adjustment of the various controls. A new RAWJPEG toggle button has been added,an innovation first seen on Pentax digital SLRs. Whether you8217;re in RAW or JPEG mode,pressing this button turns on RAWJPEG for the next frame,then reverts to whichever mode you had active. Another welcome change is actually a return to the old,with the five standard buttons aligned to the left of the LCD,rather than their more awkward position beneath the display on the 50D.

An important criterion for clicking great pictures is a good viewfinder. The viewfinder on the 7D is gigantic and offers full coverage,a feature till now restricted to digital SLR cameras like the Pentax K7 and the Sony A900. Furthermore,the Canon 7D8217;s viewfinder delivers a 1.0x magnification. It also uses a Polymer Network LCD as the focusing screen,and includes 19 auto focus points and grid lines that can be turned on and off electronically.

The new CMOS sensor8217;s 4.3-micron pixel pitch is the smallest Canon has included in an SLR,but they8217;ve improved their sensor performance and image processing sufficiently to handle the smaller size. For the first time on a non-1D EOS camera,Canon has dedicated two separate processors to Autofocus and A/D conversion,despite the extra power offered by the two DIGIC 4 processors; another high point for the 7D. Moreover,it sports an ISO range of 100 to 6,400,plus a Hi setting of 12,800.

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The Canon 7D has a shutter mechanism thats rated at 150,000 cycles and as a result the sound is quick and relatively quiet.
Rumoured to be in the making for five years I found the camera a very good option for those stuck between the amateur and professional stages. The Canon 7D is similar in size to the EOS 50D and weighs 945g with its battery and CF card. With the 18-135mm lens in the kit it will weigh 1,467g. The Canon 7D has a listed price of Rs 98,995,but dealers will be able to offer you a discount as well as freebies.