Introduction and features
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.
Although the new camera has a 20.2-million-pixel sensor like the Canon 70D, we are told that it is a new device. The micro lenses have also been redesigned for improved efficiency (i.e. light transmission) and this should contribute to an improvement in image quality.
What’s more, this sensor is coupled with Dual Digic 6 processing engines to make the camera faster and more responsive. This enables a maximum continuous shooting speed of 10 frames per second (fps) for 31 raw files with a UDMA 7 CF card (such as the Lexar Professional 1066x card) installed or 1030 JPEGs with the same card; and a native sensitivity range of ISO 100-16,000 with expansion settings taking it up to ISO 51,200. That’s the highest non-expansion setting in any Canon SLR.
The maximum continuous shooting rate can be set to 2-10fps in High mode, 1-9fps in Low and 1-4fps in Silent shooting mode. A rate of 10fps is fantastic (although not as good as the 15fps offered by the mirrorless Samsung NX1), but some may find they need to use the slower continuous shooting rates for more sustained continuous shooting.
The Canon 7D’s autofocus system is widely respected, but the 7D Mark II improves upon it with a 65-point system, with all those points being the more sensitive cross-type. In addition, the central point is a dual-cross type at f/2.8 and sensitive down to f/8, which is very useful for photographers who want to use an extender with their telephoto lenses. The central point is also claimed to function down to -3EV (moonlight).
Canon has given the new camera the same EOS iTR AF and AI Servo AF III autofocus technologies as the Canon EOS-1Dx and Canon 5D Mark III. These give the photographer a selection of six shooting scenarios to tailor the AF system so it has the best chance of keeping a moving subject sharp.
There are also seven AF point selection modes; Single Point Spot (Manual Selection), Single Point (Manual selection), AF Point Expansion (Manual selection), AF Point Expansion (Manual selection, surrounding points), AF Zone (Manual selection of zone), Large Zone AF (Manual selection of zone) and 65-point automatic selection AF. These enable the photographer to set the starting AF point and, in continuous AF mode, tell the camera how to track the subject if it moves.
Exposure is handled by a new 150,000-pixel RGB and infrared sensor – that’s better than the Canon 1DX, which has a 100,000-pixel sensor divided into 252 zones. As a result, the 7D Mark II is likely to respond differently to the original 7D in some situations.
Using the Dual Pixel AF technology first seen in Canon 70D, the 7D Mark II’s sensor has pixels that can be used for phase detection focusing (Dual Pixel AF) in Live View and Video mode. This enables smoother, faster focusing than contrast detection alone. Unlike the 70D, however, the speed at which the focusing occurs can be varied to allow for slower, more cinematic adjustments in video mode.
Further good news for keen videographers is that Full HD video can be recorded in Mov or MP4 format at up to 60p in NTSC mode or 50p in PAL. There’s an HDMI port that can provide a clean uncompressed (4:2:2) feed to external recorders and there are ports to connect both a microphone and a headphone for better sound recording and monitoring.
There’s also a USB 3.0 port for faster image transfer, and a bracket ships with the camera to hold the cable securely in place when shooting with the camera tethered to a computer.
On the back of the camera is a 3-inch 1,040,000-dot LCD screen which can be used for composing Movies or images in Live View mode. Naturally, given that the 7D Mark II is an SLR, there’s also an optical viewfinder. This shows 100% of the field of view and is capable of displaying key information such as the drive mode when the appropriate control is used to make an adjustment. There’s also an electronic level visible at the top of the viewfinder which works independently of the AF points.
To help deal with the inconsistent exposure that can trouble images taken under fluorescent lights, Canon has included a Flicker detection option that when selected changes the shutter lag for more consistent exposure.
Canon has given the 7D Mark II dual card slots: one can accept SD/SDHC/SDXC media while the other is compatible with CompactFlash (CF) cards. This may seen unusual now, but it’s a good decision given that the camera is likely to appeal to photographers upgrading from cameras with SD card slots, as well as those looking for a second body to support a camera that uses CF cards.
CF cards also have better heat sinking than SD media, which is likely to make them a better choice in a camera that can shoot at 10fps.
Other specification highlights include an intervalometer for shooting time-lapse sequences and the like (it has the same functionality as Canon’s TC-80N3 Timer Remote Controller), multiple exposure mode, a built-in compass and GPS technology comparable with the Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver to enable geotagging of images.
It’s also nice to see the advanced HDR capability of the 5D Mark III, as this allows you to record a sequence of three raw files as well as the composite JPEG image that is created in-camera.
One disappointment, however, is that the 7D Mark II doesn’t have Wi-Fi connectivity built-in. This is a shame as it would allow photographers to control the camera remotely via Canon’s smartphone app. It seems odd that this is missing from Canon’s top-end, enthusiast-level APS-C format camera when the full-frame Canon 6D, which is aimed at a similar audience, has it. A representative from Canon Europe told me that it has ben omitted because the metal body of the camera may compromise Wi-Fi performance. Those wishing to transfer images wirelessly will have to purchase the Canon WFT-E7B Wireless Transmitter.
The new camera takes a new, higher capacity variety of the LP-E6 battery that the 7D takes; helpfully, this is backwards compatible.
Build and handling
While its sits above the EOS 70D in the Canon SLR line-up, the 7D Mark II is only around 90g heavier. At 910g (body only) and 148.6×112.4×78.2mm, however, it is a little heavier and larger than the original EOS 7D (820g and 148.2×110.7×73.5mm respectively). Some of this change in weight may be attributed to the Mark II’s improved dust and water resistance, which makes it the second most weather-resistant Canon SLR after the 1Dx.
Thanks in part to its magnesium alloy chassis, the new camera certainly feels solid enough and comfortable in the hand. The textured coating on the grips give good purchase (the thumb-ridge on the rear is particularly good) and it feels like an enthusiast-level camera should. This is matched by a claimed shutter durability of 200,000-cycles.
Although the 7D Mark II makes a few changes to the control layout, users of the original 7D will soon find themselves at home. The most noticeable difference on the back of the camera is the arrival of a sprung selection lever around the mini-joystick control.
This acts as a kind of function controller for the main control dial in front of the shutter release on the top of the camera. When the switch is in use, the dial can be used to adjust one of a small collection of features including sensitivity. The preferred option is selected via the Customisation option in the Menu. In addition to sensitivity, it can be set to setting the AF point, AE lock, AE lock hold, switching to the central (or registered) AF point and accessing exposure compensation.
I set the mini-joystick Multi-controller to adjust AF point directly and I used the Selection lever to access the sensitivity options. This lever can also be used to set the AF point selection mode after the AF point button has been pressed. I found this a convenient way of working as the lever is easier to locate than the M-Fn button (next to the shutter release) when the camera is held to the eye. Alternatively, the camera can be set to use the large main dial on the back of the camera (after pressing the AF point button).
Another significant change made since the original 7D is the introduction of a Rate button, like the one on the 5D Mark III. This allows you to quickly rate images out of five as they are reviewed. It turns ‘chimping’ (reviewing images) into a worthwhile pastime because the rating is visible when images are downloaded and you can find your favourite shots quickly.
The Picture Style button has gone, but there’s a Creative Photo button that gives access to the Picture Style, multiple exposure and HDR options. In Review mode, this button enables you to compare two images side-by-side and scroll through your shots, rating as you go if you like.
Turning to the top of the camera, everything is as it was before apart from the addition of a lock on the mode dial. While this is useful for preventing the dial from being knocked out of place, it would be better if it was the type of lock that you can choose to use or not. As it is, it has to be pressed to allow the dial to be rotated.
Although the menu is very familiar to Canon EOS users and it’s logically arranged, it looks slightly neater than the 7D’s menu thanks to the font’s improved letter spacing. It’s a small point, but a noticeable one.
As on the Canon 1-Dx and 5D Mark III, the autofocus system has a dedicated section along with a series of selectable Case Studies that specify the tracking sensitivity, acceleration and deceleration tracking and AF point switching.
These factors help tailor the system to suit the subject by controlling how quickly the camera should respond to factors such as changes in subject distance or the subject moving across the frame. These options are useful, but explanations offered for each one could be clarified a little or perhaps a few more examples subjects given to make it clearer what is being changed.
The Live View switch needs to be set to the video option before pressing the menu button gives access to video controls. It’s a convenient way of reducing the number of features listed at one time in the main menu, however, some of the stills image features, such as image quality, are also shown when the camera is in video mode.
Image quality and resolution
As part of our image quality testing for the Canon PowerShot G7 X, we’ve shot our resolution chart.
Click here to see a full explanation of what our resolution charts mean.
Examining images of the chart taken at each sensitivity setting reveals the following resolution scores in line widths per picture height x100:
Raw resolution test
Full ISO 100 image, see 100% crops below:
ISO 100, score: 30. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 200, score: 30. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 400, score: 30. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 800, score: 28. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 1600, score: 26. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 3200, score: 24. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 6400, score: 20. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 12800, score: 20. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 16000, score: 20. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 25600, score: 18. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 51200, score: 18. Click here for full-resolution image.
JPEG resolution test
Full ISO 100 image, see 100% crops below:
ISO 100, score: 28. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 200, score: 28. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 400, score: 26. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 800, score: 26. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 1600, score: 26. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 3200, score: 26. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 6400, score: 24. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 12800, score: 20. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 16000, score: 20. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 25600, score: 16. Click here for full-resolution image.
ISO 51200, score: 16. Click here for full-resolution image.
Noise and dynamic range
These charts compare the Canon 7D Mark II with the original Canon 7D, Nikon D7100 and Sony Alpha 77 II.
JPEG signal to noise ratio
The Canon 7D Mark II beats the competition here indicating that JPEGs have little noise and good detail resolution throughout the sensitivity range. It compares especially well against the old EOS 7D at the low to mid sensitivity settings.
Raw (after conversion to TIFF) signal to noise ratio
The 7D Mark II leads the way at the low to middle sensitivity settings, indicating that its raw files (after conversion to TIFF) have a strong image signal in comparison to noise. This means that images have lots of detail and noise is not excessive. From around ISO 1600 the D7100 compares more favourably to the 7D Mark II and the two cameras are neck-and-neck through the upper settings.
Our results also indicate that the original 7D is a little better than the Mark II version at ISO 3200 and 6400.
JPEG dynamic range
Interestingly the 7D Mark II has a fairly consistent dynamic range between around ISO 200 and ISO 6400, but it starts to drop-off at higher sensitivity levels. This means that the camera is capable of recording a fairly similar range of tones at these sensitivity settings. And although it’s beaten by the Nikon D7100 from ISO 100 to around ISO 800, it beats the competing cameras by some margin from around ISO 3200 upwards.
Raw (after conversion to TIFF) dynamic range
The situation is rather different with the raw files after conversion to TIFF. The Nikon D7100 has the upper hand for the majority of the sensitivity range indicating that files contain a greater range of tones. This may mean that the Nikon camera’s raw files stand-up to post capture tonal adjustments more successfully. It’s clear that the Mark II is a significant improvement upon the original Canon 7D.
Sensitivity and noise images
JPEG
Full ISO 125 image. See 100% crops below.
ISO 100. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 200. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 400. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 800. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 1600. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 3200. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 6400. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 12800. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 16000. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 25600. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 51200. Click here for full resolution image.
Raw
ISO 100. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 200. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 400. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 800. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 1600. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 3200. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 6400. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 12800. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 16000. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 25600. Click here for full resolution image.
ISO 51200. Click here for full resolution image.
Performance
Canon is claiming that the 7D Mark II produces ‘best in class’ images and while the definition of the camera’s class is doubtless subject to a list a qualifications, it’s certainly in the mix for that accolade. On the whole the images and video that it produces look great straight from the camera.
As it has a pixel count of 20.2 million, we could reasonably expect the 7D Mark II to be unable to match the 24-million pixel Nikon D7100 or Sony Alpha 77 II for detail resolution. However, it actually compares very well and apart from at the upper sensitivity settings it matches the Sony Alpha 77II and beats the Nikon D7100 in this respect. It’s also worth noting that there are lots of cameras around at the moment with 16 million pixels that produce superb images that users are very happy with.
Noise is also controlled well throughout the native sensitivity range, but as usual the expansion settings (the options that Canon considers not of sufficient quality for normal use) are best reserved for emergency situations and when images only need to be viewed at small sizes. JPEGs captured at the ISO 51,200 expansion maximum have luminance noise visible at most normal viewing sizes and some areas appear bruised with green and magenta.
Stepping down to ISO 25,600 improves things significantly, there’s still quite a lot of luminance noise visible, but the false colours are much better controlled. Moving down again to the uppermost native setting (ISO 16,000) results in another major improvement in image quality. There’s a noticeable increase in detail resolution (although images still look a little soft at 100%) and less false colour visible in JPEG files. Meanwhile, when all noise reduction is turned off the ISO 16,000 raw files have a hint of coloured speckling visible when sized to A3. Zoom in to 100% and this chroma noise becomes very noticeable, but there’s still a respectable level of detail visible so it’s possible to find a good balance between the two in post-capture processing.
At the other end of the sensitivity scale there’s just a hint of luminance noise in some areas at 100% (even at ISO 100) and images have lots of detail visible.
One of things that impressed me most about the 7D Mark II during my testing is its new 252-zone metering system which gathers data from a 150,000-pixel RGB and infrared sensor. In the past I have found Canon’s iFCL metering systems a little frustrating because it can put too much weighting on the brightness of the subject under the active AF point so that in high contrast conditions you can end up with badly over or under exposed shots. It acts more like centre-weighted metering than some other systems.
The new system in the 7D Mark II, however, does a better job of taking the brightness of the whole scene into account. Naturally, there is still some weighting applied, but I found there are fewer occasions when the exposure compensation facility is required.
All that said, there seems to be a slight tendency towards bright images and some of my landscapes shot in bright conditions look better when the exposure is reduced by about 1/3EV either in-camera or post-capture. In most cases, however, this slight over-exposure isn’t at the expense of important highlights.
As we have found in the past with Canon SLRs, the 7D Mark II’s automatic white balance system does a great job of capturing the atmosphere of the scene. In bright sun it produces pleasingly warm tones and in overcast conditions it captures the coolness without going overboard and giving a blue tint, the results look natural.
Canon’s Standard Picture Style provides a good general purpose setting that generates JPEGs with pleasant colours and decent saturation. The Landscape option is a nice alternative with appropriate scenes and unlike the Landscape settings on some other cameras it doesn’t overcook the blues or greens. Their saturation is boosted, but it’s safely within the realms of reality. The Portrait Picture Style is also good for people shots and it doesn’t over-enhance reds or bring out pimples.
As usual, the Monochrome Picture Style produces rather dull or muddy images in its default setting. These can be improved by boosting contrast or tweaking exposure, but most 7D Mark II users are likely to use the Picture Style options as a guide and make raw files conversions post-capture.
I’ve been looking forward to testing the 7D Mark II’s 65-point autofocusing system and it didn’t disappoint. It’s both fast and accurate, and capable of working in very low light. It’s also complex with seven focus point selection modes and a collection of AF Al servo adjustment options (Tracking sensitivity, Acceleration/deceleration tracking and AF point auto switching options) for use in continuous AF mode, so it takes some getting to know. Provided that you choose the correct AF point selection mode and AF Al servo characteristics (which can be set via a selection of shooting scenario Case Studies), it does a great job. I found Case 1 in the shooting scenarios list a good starting point that worked well when shooting BMX riders in action.
In addition, the hybrid AF system, which is available when composing video or still images on the LCD screen in Live View mode, is capable and able to find its target even in quite low light. With an STM lens mounted there’s little back-and-forwards adjustment even in fairly dull conditions and although it’s quite a large camera to use held away from your body, it is possible to use Live View mode when hand-holding the camera. It’s a shame that the screen isn’t on an articulating joint (Canon says this would compromise durability) because this would make composing shots at high or low angles much easier.
Switching from the ‘Standard’ to the slowest AF setting in the Movie Servo AF speed options has a significant impact upon the time the camera takes to focus the lens. Either way, it moves the subject smoothly into focus. If you need to speed things up, however, pressing the AF-on button gets the subject sharp quickly.
As mentioned earlier, the 7D Mark II takes a new, higher capacity variety of the LP-E6 battery that the 7D uses. During one day of this test I shot over 1000 images and used the GPS system throughout, and the battery still had power left, with the indicator only going down by two bars.
Verdict
The Canon 7D Mark II sits at the top of Canon’s APS-C format SLR line-up. That means it’s above the Canon 70D, but below the full-frame Canon 5D Mark III. Technically it sits alongside the full-frame Canon 6D as both cameras are aimed at dedicated enthusiast photographers. However, the 7D Mark II seems quite a bit more serious than the 6D, with a better construction, autofocus system, metering system, continuous shooting rate (and burst depth), viewfinder and processing engine(s). It also has more features borrowed from the 5D Mark III and EOS-1DX and is the company’s second most weatherproof camera (after the 1DX).
Although there are many photographers that are happy to use a camera with 16 million pixels on either an APS-C or full-frame format sensor, I suspect that there will be some who criticise Canon for only making a modest increase on the 7D’s pixel count (18 million) for the Mark II version (20.2 million).
However, it seems that the 7D Mark II’s detail resolution is not adversely affected as it manages to keep pace with the 24Mp Sony Alpha 77 II and Nikon D7100 at most sensitivity settings. What’s more, noise is controlled well in the native sensitivity range and the dynamic range is high, so images have a good range of tones.
We like
As well as feeling good in the hand, the 7D Mark II has an impressive feature set. The autofocus system stands out as a particular highlight, with 65 points at your disposal and the ability to tailor how the camera responds to subject movement. It’s complex, but effective. The evaluative metering system is also very good and manages to find a good balance between the brightness of the whole scene and the brightness of the object under the active AF point when suggesting exposure settings. It’s not infallible, but what metering system is?
A maximum continuous shooting rate of 10fps (frames per second) is also very attractive, especially for sport and wildlife photographers.
The changes to the handling made since the original 7D are generally an improvement. The new sprung selection lever provides a useful way of changing the impact of using the main control dial. I’m also a fan of the Rate button, it’s quicker and easier to use than rating controls that are buried in a menu.
We dislike
While the 7D Mark II’s AF system is very good, its customisation takes some understanding and experience. The shooting scenarios help to some extent, but explanations that accompany them don’t always seem that clear. Real world shooting situations often seem to be covered by more than one scenario. It might help if a few more potential subjects were suggested.
I think it is a mistake to miss off one of the current ‘must have’ features – Wi-Fi connectivity. This allows users to control their camera remotely while seeing the live view image on their smartphone screen. It’s the type of feature that an enthusiast will appreciate because they understand the benefit of not touching the camera when taking a shot with the camera on a tripod.
It also encourages the camera to be used instead of a smartphone because the image can still be shared quickly. I think Wi-Fi connectivity is more useful than GPS technology since I usually know where I’ve been shooting. In addition, Wi-Fi connectivity effectively adds GPS technology and geotagging via a smartphone if you want it.
Photography is going though a major transition at the moment, with compact system cameras becoming increasingly significant in the market. There are still photographers who have yet to be convinced of the benefits of an electronic viewfinder (EVF), but these devices have improved to the extent that for many they are now becoming a sensible and desirable option.
It’s starting to seem strange that you can pay £1600 (approx US$2,500/AU$2,825) for a camera and still not know what the image will look like until after it has been taken.
That said, there are still many photographers for whom an SLR and an optical viewfinder is the only option that they will consider.
Verdict
Enthusiast photographers tend to shoot a bit of everything and they need a versatile camera that can cope with a wide range of subjects and conditions. The EOS 7D Mark II’s weatherproofing means that it can be used in harsher conditions than all of Canon’s other current SLRs apart from the pro-level EOS-1DX. Its autofocus system can also get moving subjects sharp quickly, and keep them sharp as they move around the frame or towards/away from the camera. The metering system with its new 150,000-pixel RGB and infrared sensor is also extremely capable and delivers correctly exposed images in a wide range of conditions.
Noise is controlled well, colours are pleasantly rendered and images have an impressive amount of detail for the camera’s pixel count.
Canon also seems to have thought quite a bit about how enthusiast photographers like to use their camera, giving them the ability to produce an in-camera HDR image while capturing a sequence of raw files with different exposures for post-capture merging. There’s also the Creative Photo Button, Image Comparison capability and the Intervalometer along with the Rate button that makes chimping worthwhile.
All things considered, the 7D Mark II is an excellent camera, it’s Canon’s best APS-C format model to date. It’s not often that we recommend making a direct upgrade from the model immediately proceeds a camera, but this case is an exception. The 7D Mark II makes a great upgrade from the original 7D.
Sample images
Here are some shots taken during our tests:
The Landscape Picture Style has brought out the colours effectively. Click here for a full-resolution image.
The 7D Mark II’s AF system is fast and accurate, and it’s easy to shift the AF point for off-centre subjects. Click here for a full-resolution image.
The level of detail in this sheep’s face and fleece show the levels of definition the EOS 7D Mark II can achieve. Click here for a full-resolution image.
This was shot using the Canon’s Monochrome Picture Style – you can also add ‘contrast’ filters such as red and yellow. Click here for a full-resolution image.
Even at ISO 1000 noise is well controlled and the textures in these leaves are still clearly visible. Click here for a full-resolution image.
The Evaluative metering system has done a great job in tricky conditions, and the Canon’s Standard Picture Style has produced vibrant colours. Click here for a full-resolution image.
Click here for a full-resolution image.
Click here for a full-resolution image.
These three shots were adjacent frames in a 10fps burst. It’s amazing how much movement there is in the subject even at 10 frames per second. Click here for a full-resolution image.
Click here for a full-resolution image.
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