Canon EOS 7D Mark II Review

The entire section about dynamic range including a "con" of the 7D Mk II misses the opportunity to leverage the power of Highlight Tone Priority. For those of you envious of the massive native DR of sensors in Sony, Nikon, and Pentax cameras, HTP is the solution in Canon cameras for that advantage. With many Sony/Nikon/Pentax cameras, it is suggested that you expose to the left to preserve highlights, then raise shadow values in post later. With Canon it's the opposite. Enable HTP, and expose to the right (ETTR). This will properly expose your shadows and mid's while HTP preserves highlight detail (well over a full stop advantage) in both Raw and Jpeg images. While the total DR of a printed file from Canon may not reach the same "lab tested range" of the Sony sensor cameras, using this method will still capture the total range of light in a scene, and output a print that will be about a stop behind what the Sony sensor cameras produce.

Jul 2, 2022permalink

There are multiple benefits to using HTP that you'll see in your images. Enabling HTP allows the sensor to have longer exposure times, which allows more photons to be collected in the file- this simultaneously reduces noise (drastically), increases color depth, and produces more detail.

IMO there is no other way to shoot with a Canon camera. Enable HTP. The only drawback is that it will limit your total ISO range a bit on both sides, but the benefits clearly outweigh that convenience. I use HTP on every Canon DSLR I own, and you'd be amazed how good high ISO images look when its used properly, but low ISO images benefit drastically as well.

If you shoot in aperture priority mode, set your exposure compensation for a full stop to the right (metering type doesn't matter) as the camera is set by default to underexpose about a stop with its metering system. This is evident in M, TV, A, and P modes equally. A proper exposure is determined by the final histogram, not the camera!

Jul 2, 2022permalink

Learning to expose to the histogram (with the aid of HTP) will yield you MUCH MUCH better results in your final images and seemingly give new life to your older DSLR cameras like the 7D and 7D Mark II- but it also benefits the new cameras as well.

It's just too bad Canon were so incompetent at explaining how to use this feature to its full benefit. Hopefully some of you see these comments and benefit from them as I have over the last two years since I started using HTP/ETTR and getting a proper exposure via the histogram. Good luck!

Jul 2, 2022*permalink

I'm still shaking my head that the most revolutionary feature of this camera compared to the 7D and Nikon D7100, anti-flicker, was minimized almost to the point of exclusion, while minor nits like metering linked to AF point selection and touchscreen were harped on again and again and again.

For anyone who shoots under stadium or gym lighting (or most older fluorescent lights) the slight IQ advantage cameras like the D7100 had in controlled lab testing paled in comparison to the real-world advantage of always catching the light at the peak of the flicker cycle. Not only does the flicker reduction feature allow one to shoot about 1/2 - 2/3 stops faster (or at 1/3 - 2/3 stops lower ISO), depending on the exact type of lighting involved, than if aiming exposure at the mid-point in the flicker cycle, but the CRI of such lights at peak is far superior to the CRI of those same lights in the trough, when everything has a nasty reddish-brown cast with blues and greens almost totally absent.

Jan 5, 2022permalink

I'd shot with the 7D for about three years (and 5D III for a couple) when the 7D Mark II came out at the end of the 2014 football season. My keeper rate when shooting night sports was less than 50% based purely on light flicker issues.

Nothing is more disheartening than to have nailed the focus and composition only to see the color of the frame shift from brighter and full color on one side to darker and ugly muddled color on the other. I had no plans to ever buy another APS-C camera when the 7D Mark II was introduced, mainly due to the less reliable AF compared to the 5D Mark III. But then I started seeing a lot of buzz about how well the flicker reduction worked. I waited until summer of 2015 before the fall sports season started to get one and try it out.

Not only did it allow my keeper rate to double, but the 7D Mark II also significantly reduced the total time it took me to post-process twice as many images as had been the case with the cameras without flicker reduction.

Jan 5, 2022permalink

I've now put over 300,000 frames on my 7D Mark II and, due to lack of any replacement offered by Canon (the 90D is, most assuredly NOT that) I'm beginning to wish I had bought a second one a year or two ago. I also shoot with a 5D Mark IV these days. It also has flicker reduction, which for all practical purposes should be called flicker elimination. They're a good combination in a two body setup with an EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS on the 7D Mark II and either an EF 24-70mm f/2.8 L or EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS on the 5D Mark IV.

Jan 5, 2022permalink

(unknown member)

MGradyC In mint condition prices in shops are here in The Netherlands about 800 euro's, and from €550 buying private, mostly unnused!

Jun 5, 2022*permalink

@apsc4ever I have no qualms about buying used lenses when I can check them out for a few minutes at the seller first. If anything is amiss it will be evident immediately. With bodies I'm far more reticent to buy used. They are so much more complex and it can take weeks or even months to use an exact selection of settings that results in potential issues. Plus you can't even see hot pixels in test images you just took by looking at the camera's LCD, even at 10X magnification, because they're still being averaged out on the very low resolution LCD. A 1.6M "dot" LCD is only 533K pixels, or barely half a megapixel, so there's a lot of binning going on with what you see on the rear LCD.

Jul 15, 2022permalink

PC-dot-Com

The 7D and the 7D Mark II are the very reason Nikon took so long to come out with the D500. They were in many ways such serious advancements to the D300/S models that Nikon had to change strategies on their R/D investments.

Nov 16, 2020permalink

JSoul

I own Canon 70D for more than 6 years now. I love it but I feel like it’s time to upgrade. I do birds, Macro and wildlife photography with Canon 100-400 ( old version). Do you think I should go for the Canon 7DII Mark or wait for a better body.? From the reviews looks like 7DII is a very good camera for capturing wildlife.

Oct 17, 2019permalink

(unknown member)

Hello JSoul.

Here in Holland the 7DII is now 1100 euro coins.
A no-brainer if you are a pro i.e. taking loads of pictures.

Then again the 90D is out with decent weather-sealing and a possible higher resolving sensor (? comments welcome). 90D is in the same price range.

Personally i am 'excited' about the - non-existing - 7D Mk3.

Nov 1, 2019permalink

lyrajlu

Time passed but I did not give up finding a solution for the undersposed photos compared to the D7000 ... Using the Canon DPP, Technicolor CineStyle Picture Style and shadow / highlight controls, I got a pretty good result , similar to the photos taken with the D7000.

Jan 12, 2019permalink

(unknown member)

I purchased this used primarily for astro work. Used properly, the detail it captures has amazed me. In terms of how clean the dark frames are, it actually outperforms my 5D Mark IV! This is probably one of the more underrated cameras there is and a reason not to put too much stock in arbitrary percentages by reviewers and medals they award but look deeper into the review and see how this or any camera fits YOUR needs.

Jan 4, 2019*permalink

yzhenkai

After 30,000 shots, 7D2 is still my favorite camera.

Dec 30, 2017permalink

yzhenkai

After 25,000 shots, 7D2 is still my favorite camera.

Sep 2, 2017permalink

matthias jurisch

Everrything has been said and done over this great camera....The 7DMk 2 is the reason why i never joined the Full Frame set up...

May 25, 2017permalink

zakool21

Still worth it in 2017? I have a 7D classic and a 6D. The 6D is nowhere near fast enough for birding and other action activities and the 7D is showing its age. I hear rumors there may be a 7D Mark III in 2018... but that's a ways off and I'm sure it won't debut anywhere under $2,000. Seems like I can get one for $1,300-$1,400 as of July 2017, so should I go for it?

Jul 21, 2017permalink

It will still be worth it in 30 years from now, or longer, as long as the 7D II is functional. Light is light and it's been the same amount of light on Earth for billions of years. If the 7D II has the features you need, you can make great images with it forever- its fast enough, capable enough, to always perform no matter what the new cameras bring to the table.

Jul 2, 2022permalink

j_nathan

I'm currently using two systems...Nikon and Canon.... got a Nikon D90 and a Canon 600D. I shoot stills ...mostly outdoor sports- track and field, biking, car races.. occasionally weddings.. I'm completely sold on the image quality and color rendition of my D90 with 55-300 mm VR lens, although its much slower. The 600D with my 55-250 mm is definitely quicker to focus, but sharpness and color just doesn't match the Nikon's. The Canon's really fast and light..love to shoot with it, but I don't get the excellent pictures that the Nikon produces. I'm thinking of getting the Canon 7D Mk2 for its 10 fps, 100+ buffer. Will its 20 mp sensor at least get the same color quality of the D90's? I've read some bad reviews on the color and image quality of the 7D Mk2 ...How true are they? Appreciate your feedback...

Apr 26, 2017permalink

Hope you read more about the 7D II, read the very top comment I've made about it. :)

Jul 2, 2022permalink

runbei99

Worried about autofocus tracking issues? Found this comment on Amazon: "It isn't a mater of just putting the camera in AI Servo, and shooting away. There are a bunch of case modes that you can tweak for the type of action you're shooting. What I would also recommend is turning on all 65-points for your AI Servo needs. You can customize the camera to only show the center point. When you do that, whatever you initially focus on with the center point, will be tracked with the other 64 points as it moves across the frame. Once I did that, my keeper rate skyrocketed. Before this, I would use the single point expanded with four points around it, or the 15 cluster points. The focus in both of these cases was erratic, especially when shooting with a fast aperture where depth of field is razor thin to begin with."

Nov 15, 2016permalink

PKDanny

Poor AF!!??!!

Sep 8, 2016permalink

Mlumiere

I love my 7DII for the accuracy photos of birds in flight ... and ergonomic

Jun 2, 2016permalink

erbtype

I have mixed feelings about the 7D II having used one a lot alongside a MkIV and 1DX.

- The AF is quick I'll give it that - easily on a par with the 1DX and slightly better in low light - but I've found in servo (AI) mode it doesn't lock on as well as either of the 1 series bodies I use, even when set to it's slowest point for tracking. In part I think this is down to it needing a degree of MFA on the 600mm lens I use, something the 1 series bodies have not needed, but I want to be confident in what I use and out of the box I just don't have that confidence with this body.

- The ISO noise is little better than the Mk IV.

- For resolving things at distance the MkIV is much better (as is the 1DX).

Your mileage may vary and I may have received a copy that needs some tweaking. I'm not saying the 7DII is a bad camera and it is an improvement on the original 7D, but I'm sticking with the MkIV and 1DX.

Mar 23, 2016permalink

mailman30

Thanks for your post! I was just going to ask if people thought it would be worth selling my 1d mkiv for this but your post has answered that question for me.

Sep 6, 2016permalink

maximme

the review lost me here a bit.

1) Where the real potential of the AF Area Selection Lever is realized, however, is the ability to assign one of a handful of custom functions to it, including AE lock, ISO setting, and exposure compensation.

2)Another way I frequently used the lever was to assign it to toggle between whatever AF area was selected and the center (or other pre-selected) AF point.

how did you assign the lever to go to pre-selected AF point
when the options were:
AE lock
ISO
exp compensation

Feb 21, 2016permalink

jrobey747

I have had my 7D Mark II for exactly one year now and I absolutely love it!! I shoot a lot of Track & Field, Cross Country, and misc College sports. This camera is lighting fast and produces amazing images, so capturing sports is NO problem for good ole' Mark ;-) Lens I shoot with are the 70-200 f/2.8 II IS and 85 f/1.8 and it's like a marriage made in Heaven. If you're looking to shoot wildlife or sports this camera is the one for you! Buy it, you won't regret it

Feb 8, 2016permalink

I agree. That's a great combination for sports!

Feb 10, 2016permalink

maximme

i tried it with 400mmf5.6 for birds in flight
and its outstanding.
Does require you to fiddle a bit AF system to get the results
but its quick and stay on the subject well
MUCH improved over 7dmk1

Feb 21, 2016permalink

maximme

70d however is a very different.
it would hunt unnecessarily and lose AF midway
especially near some back lit area.

whereas 7dmk2 would just stay and track

Feb 21, 2016permalink

noname10

Just bought the 7Dk2..I have the original 7d and a 6D.. I use the 7D for nature and do a lot of BiF. Something that I think is significant but didn't notice in any reviews is the meter in manual mode is off to the right side of the screen instead of in the center as in the 6D and original 7D.. If you wear glasses as I do it's very difficult to see the meter and even without glasses you have to take your eyes off the subject to ensure your meter is correct. When the action happens fast this is a problem..

Dec 21, 2015permalink

Shifter

Interesting note regarding us eye wear users. Thanks.

Jan 13, 2016permalink

Catkin

I have a 7D2 and a 5D3 and frequently get caught out thinking my metering is okay when in fact I'm looking at the exposure compensation dial that runs along the bottom. I agree it is also harder to see on the right hand side, but I think this is how it is in the 1DX and 1DX2.

Nov 28, 2016permalink

smorgasbord

Just confirmed that the autofocus in movie mode is disabled when shotting at 59.94 frames per second. A bummer, and I can find no mention of it anywhere online. Yes, you can press the AF ON button to focus while shooting, but you're not getting the tracking AF that this review touts so highly when shooting at the faster frame rate. I'm sure there are technical reasons for it, but it's a bummer for my style of video shooting.

Oct 13, 2015permalink

Rawmeister

Sounds like you need an actual video camera. Make too much sense?

Dec 26, 2015permalink

Elise Alpha

I'm quite happy with my newly bought 7DMKII. I know it's not the latest on the line, but had to wait a year for the price to drop down a bit.

Oct 12, 2015permalink

GrayDude

I love the 7DMK ii. I just upgraded from the 7D. I was thinking of buying the 5DMK iii but it's still expensive for me and I don't even have an L lens yet. So, for the price of the 5DMK iii I was able to get a 7DMK ii + battery grip and my first L lens, 24-70 f4 IS USM. Awesome combo.

Sep 10, 2015permalink

entoman

I've been using my 7DMkii alongside my 5DMkiii for the last 10 months. I take both bodies on most expeditions, and use with 100mm IS macro mostly. I'm a pro wildlife photographer, and I typically shoot about 30,000 images per year.

My experience is that 5DMkiii has bigger brighter viewfinder which makes depth of field and manual focus assessment much easier. 7DMkii however is much faster and more accurate in autofocus mode.

The greater reach of the crop sensor is valuable for much of the subject matter I shoot, and its a lot cheaper and weighs a lot less than using an equivalent angle-of-view lens on a full frame body.

I still use the 5DMkiii in very poor light when it has an ISO vs noise advantage, but for 95% of my photography I find myself picking up the 7DMkii instead.

It may be marginally inferior in some ways to certain Nikon or Sony cameras, but overall the 7DMkii is a fantastic camera and I can't think of any other model from any maker that I would use in preference.

Aug 26, 2015*permalink

Sschiff

I bought the original 7D and had issues with it and sold it. I have 2 5D mark III with a 1D mark III. Was thinking of selling the 1D mark III and going with the new 7D mark II. For the little bit of action photography I do any more and to double the MP. Does any one know how this body would compare to the 1D mark III. Should I make the switch? I love the 1D, but just hate the weight of it.

Aug 12, 2015permalink

FlameRobin

Thanks for your thoughts. I actually made a typo - I currently have a 70D (not 7D) but I suspect that doesn't make much of a difference in relation to your response.

Aug 8, 2015permalink

sdeepayne

I have had the 7D MKII for about 5 months. I use it mostly for PRCA rodeo's. It is a great camera. but not as a 2nd to the 7D though... it is much closer to a 1Dx than a 7D in most aspects. I think it depends on how large a print and or the cropping that you do. The 6D is much cleaner in low light but then again, the 6D only has 11 focus points compared to the 7D MKII's 65 all cross types. The focusing cant compare. I miss very few shots and that counts for a lot. I now use my 1Ds MKII and 1D MKII as backups. The 5D MKIII has better focusing than the 6D if you can afford one.

Aug 8, 2015permalink

FlameRobin

I have only had my Canon EOS 7D for about a year but looking at getting a second good quality camera. Now that the 7D Mark II is available I am wondering if there is any point in getting that one as well or going for something totally different to complement my 7D. I photograph birds and landscape and at times it can be handy to have a handheld camera onsite as well as one on a tripod. Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

Aug 7, 2015permalink

Rexgig0

Yes, it can be handy, indeed, to have a second camera, to allow hand-held shots while one camera is secured to a tripod. I used a pair of the original 7D for several years. The 7D and 7D Mark II are close enough in operation to be used together with little chance of fumbling. (The controls on a 6D, for example, are annoyingly different, while the camera body feels largely the same.) Until I bought my second 7D Mark II, I kept using my first 7D alongside the newer II. Acquiring a second II has not prompted me to consider parting with my very first 7D; these two generations of cameras complement each other well. (I did trade one 7D toward the price of my first 7D II.)

Aug 10, 2015*permalink

FlameRobin

Thanks for this. The price tag for a 1DX or mark 5D III would be out of my reach. I am very happy with my 70D camera but at times require an extra camera to capture fast moving birds and from your reply I gather that my initial thought of adding a 7DII will be an excellent addition to my photographic armoury.

Aug 12, 2015permalink

SF_HDV

I have a 7D and a 7D Mark II and have shot over 200,000 images with both cameras. I also have a 5D Mark III and have shot about 100,000 images with it. I'm a landscape and bird photographer. The 7D Mark II does NOT complement the 7D -- it blows it to kingdom come. After shooting with the 7D Mark II for a single day, I have yet to use the 7D for a single shot. As for landscapes, the 5D Mark III is far superior to the 7D Mark II in that category. Where the 7D Mark II excels is in speed and accuracy of AF [especially in AI Servo mode] and fps, which along with it's 1.6x crop sensor makes it a great wildlife shooter. For me, when it comes to moving objects, I use the 7D Mark II, when it comes to landscapes, I use the 5D Mark III.

Aug 20, 2015permalink

EnfieldLady

While a bit over-priced, quality is not questionable - I've seen pretty good photos from it. But honestly I would personally go for 6D.

Jun 28, 2015permalink

Limpan4all

I do have a 7D today and will buy a 7D MKII today.
I do have one simple thing that I would like to change in the future.
With heavy lenses like 24-105/4L IS USM the body should have an extra hanging point for the shoulder-strap. Now it is generating a strange bend in the nylon band and it hangs uncomfortable on the shoulder. This is due to the centre of gravity is much forward related to the weight of the body. Actually why not just make it three times longer and have a movable clip to adjust its position regarding the used lens.

Jun 17, 2015permalink

theefixrr

I shoot with a Mark III and now a new 7D Mark II. I love it! Have had it for two weeks and am so looking forward to football season. Great all the way around from cost to sharpness. Buy this camera!

Jun 17, 2015permalink

Zain Khalid

Hey Guys ,
Should i get the 7D Mark II or The D7200 ?
I'm little confused because of the DXOMark Image Quality Scores .

Jun 14, 2015permalink

Having replace the 7D with 7Dmkii recently after 5 years of use and more than 100.000 frames I can admit that's the most amazing camera I have ever had. It's so god that now I regret the money I spent last November to buy a 5D mkiii too.....

Jun 20, 2015permalink

GFlame

Go for 7D Mark II.
I had 7D, I dont think I would've ever replaced it if an incident didn't occur.

Jul 23, 2015permalink

J R Mathlin

One thing I think people perhaps forget about is the cost, I was going to buy a 5D3 this year and realised for similar money I was able to have a 6D and 7D2, now the 6D has as good image quailty and low light capability as the 5D3 and the 7D2 has the speed and dynamics almost as good as a 1DX, so now I can do fantastic landscapes and architecture and then change to the 7D2 and take mind blowing sports and wildlife, all with the same glass. Fantastic !!
In regard to Image quailty, the 7D2 is noticably less than the 6D, may be as much as 20% less, but for wildlife and sport its focus and exposure system is just incredible, but you do need a 1066x CF card to get the most out of it!

Apr 22, 2015permalink

globethrottle

No touch screen is a con? ! Did my 12 year old nephew have a say in this review :)

Apr 20, 2015*permalink

Azathothh

I guess the 1dXmk2 is aimed at 12 year olds...

Feb 15, 2017permalink

fordman1

Do the AF points only light up red in the fully auto 65 point mode?

Apr 19, 2015permalink

peter1957

Yeah i agree with Photo Nest.
I have four Canon DSLR'S ,two being 5D3 and 7D2.
I also find touch screens awful there just a toy an add on you really don't need
and something to easily break.
Do yourselves a favor, grab a 7D2 and a good lens get off your butts
go outside learn to use it and it will blow you away.
This is one awesome camera and does not deserve to be picked to pieces by
people who most likely have never used one.

Apr 11, 2015permalink

Steve Burns

Got the Ancient 20d and Still love my 50d,BUT will one day get the 7d mk2 ,however aint NO PLEASING some people,ie touch screen,they'll be wanting the fascilitie to phone people up using the camera next....and moan they can't....

May 31, 2015permalink

Mr Low Notes

@peter1957 BS!! Not just a toy add on. I love the touch screen on my 70D and EOS M. It makes for faster selections of parameters, playback panning, touch to change focus points, ect and touch shutter. No vibration from pressing the shutter button or trying to reach it if using the flip out screen to get a shot at an awkward angle. It is Not a gimmick. It's very usefull. I do agree with you about the 7D mk II and like you said about it, picked apart by people who haven't used it. Have you used the touch screen on a 70D or other Canon with one? You have no gear or gallery photos so I can't tell.

Jun 13, 2015permalink

MAC

but for those of us that own touch screen on cameras and 7d2, the 7d2 button customization gets you there quicker

Jun 13, 2015permalink

Under The Sun

Fellow 1DX, 7dm2, and 650d owner and I respectfully disagree that touch screens can't be durable. I have dropped, wacked, and abused my poor 650d and its touch screen still works perfectly. Same with my GH4 and ancient panasonic video cams, used them to death for years but the touch screens still work perfectly.

Jun 29, 2015permalink

Photo Nest

Everybody has the right to their own opinion, I've read some reviews here and honestly let me share something with you, take it from a pro with 28 years in the industry and an active portrait photographer still, what's not to like about this camera??

Those who are writing awful things about the 7DII must be Nikon, Sony or some other brand's shooter and want to make the 7DII look bad for no reason.

"If" and again "if" you know what you are doing this camera with the proper
L Series lens will provide you with excellent image quality and satisfaction.

Some people even complaint about the 7DII not having touch screen, hey I don't even like touch screen.

It's a beautiful piece of equipment, I am very happy with mine, but yes gotta have the glass guys, if not you'll never find out what this camera can give you!!

Apr 8, 2015*permalink

NYCLORENZ

I have had the 7D Mark II for about 3 weeks now. I had upgraded from 60D and there is a huge learning curve. I was thinking of returning it and going for the 5D Mark III, but I am going to keep it. I am keeping because its just fast on all aspects. I am using Tamron (NON VC) lens and they might be a little dated for the body and I need to sell it or just be little less trigger happy. I rented a 24 - 70 2.8 L Series II lens and it is just awesome. Every shot was clear and I could not have asked for more. My debate is now should i go for the Tamron 24-70 2.8 VC or used Canon 24 - 70 2.8 L Series II.

Apr 9, 2015permalink

Steve Burns

Totally agree....WELL PUT

May 31, 2015permalink

MAC

Photo Nest

Totally agree also, glass makes this very good camera sing!

Jun 13, 2015permalink

senu

Tamron 24-70 2.8 VC totally rocks ..Howver a used Canon needs to be cheaper to consider it . I have hired the Mk 1 Mk 1 and have a Tamron

Dont miss the Canon
Same for the 70-200 2.8

Oct 25, 2015permalink

allsnfoster

Unfortunately i got an error from my 7D while taking photograph. However it seems OK on video mode. And service said it will cost like $1,000.

Im really satisfied with 7D but i don't know why i get this error.

Thanks,

Allison.

Mar 30, 2015permalink

Rexgig0

A 7D Mark II should still be under warranty, but then, your post only states "7D," so I would guess you mean an original 7D. It is a shame that the repair would cost more than the retail price of a new-old-stock 7D.

Apr 5, 2015permalink

chakasim

I had a battery error, I took my camera apart following step by step, it was a loose screw, save some money and try this link
http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/54582656

Aug 20, 2015permalink

Tooma

This camera is a complete flop in my opinion. I'm really disappointed with Canon's IQ as of late. Nikon/Sony have completely changed the game with respects to IQ. Nikon was cranking out images that looked this good or better almost 10 years ago. However, I Can't wait to see the image quality from the 5DS! If it surpasses the D800 series we are all winners!

Mar 21, 2015permalink

User0623713067

Wow -- do you own it and use it? I was using my A7II( the latest greatest sony), 5D3, and the 7DII over the last weekend on a mostly bird photography and seascapes trip. The 7DII completely killed the 5D3 in terms of quick focus and tracking. Worked beautifully with my 200-400 and the new 100-400 canon lenses. I like the A7 II and will keep it to use for travel and compact situations and am even willing to trust it for my kids sports. Though at f4 on the 20-200 its not great for low light in an indoor gym. Have mostly tried it with the native 55 zeiss lens on portraits. I love it, but the SIGMA ART 50 on my canon bodies is frankly just as good results wise if not better. And the sony was not quite as quick to focus and shoot though of course its so much cheaper. The 7DII of course has the crop factor, but the Sigma makes for a pleasing 85mm approx equivalent portrait lens on it. So before you dismiss a camera, you should think of the use you have for it.

Mar 23, 2015permalink

Rexgig0

Yes, the 7D Mark II is such a flop, I recently bought a second one, so I can really roll in misery. ;-)

To be clear, I am not unfamiliar with Nikon, and am not a dedicated Canon fan-boy; my wife shoots Nikon DSLRs, and I shoot both Canon and Nikon DSLRs. The 7D Mark II is quite well-suited for some types of shooting.

Apr 5, 2015permalink

senu

Having used a 5D Mk 3 Nikon 7100 and 7D .. There is no way the 7dMk2 can be that underwhelming , and it is so affordable now , it is just a bit more than a 6D
.. Flop ? Hmm

Oct 25, 2015permalink

grafguy

I know any forum on any subject is bound to have users debating the finer points of the latest technology and whether it executes well, has evolved and trumps the competition.

I can't help but wonder if all that discourse misses the point, of in this case, does it take great stills and videos?

I have yet to be proven that a $$$$ camera makes you a better photographer that puts out superior pictures than a competent amateur with a 50D.

I know this won't, and is not intended to, stop the technology pit talk, but just show me the pics.

Feb 22, 2015permalink

I agree with the part about experience but in the digital age, hardware performance does matter. You don't need an expensive camera. e.g. 6D will blow the 50D shots especially in low light shots. Some has change the way they approach low light shots using the advantage of newer digital camera with low light AF acquisition and low light high ISO performance. Many are choosing not to use their flash unit.

Mar 5, 2015permalink

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Digital-Cameras/ci/9811/N/4288586282

To understand the difference the technology brings with a new product I can tell you that with the old 7D I was spending time working on raw files of almost every picture when with the new 7D mkii i can use the picture straight from the jpg file most of the times......

Jun 20, 2015permalink

Paul B Jones

Best selling camera at B&H

Feb 19, 2015permalink

Ranked on top of other cheaper APS-C ILC and MILC. Canon must be doing something wrong here...

Feb 21, 2015permalink

kelleym

So I understand this is sort of comparing apples to oranges... but only "sort of", given how much in common they share. What this review is missing is a discussion about the 70D versus this camera.

Yeah, 7D blows away the 70D in terms of stills, but what about video? It appears to be missing the touch screen, has more modes (but the slow motion modes are somewhat crippled by not using Dual AF) but what about video quality? Is the 70D and 7D about the same? If I want to buy based on video quality is it worth spending the extra $$$ for the 7D?

Anyone have any thoughts about this?

Feb 17, 2015permalink

I have the 7D2 but I think the 70D is more of a jack of all trades one. A comparison without going in to the details puts the 70D as a higher value option than 7D2. Yes 7D2 has some more video mode but the people whom are going to buy it are not going to buy it for that.

Feb 21, 2015*permalink

kelleym

Thanks, I do appreciate the comment. I'm leaning towards getting the 70D mostly because I actually *like* the idea of the pull out screen (unlike the reviewer here) as well as the great ability to change focus with a touch. As you say, it's a higher value (price in terms of features) and perhaps as I get more into digital photography again (having been away for over a decade) I'll decide at some point to upgrade my camera and consider the 7D2 again.

Feb 21, 2015permalink

Canon 7D mkii is the ultimate action photography camera but Canon 1DX and Nikon D4s. If you regret the touch screen look for other choices. ....

Jun 20, 2015permalink

Ashkanani

I finally realise what a lot of friends are telling is to believe in what you try, been a Nikon user for 6 years I rented the 7D MKii for 2 days and end up selling all of my nikon glasses and buying this camera. (user of d750,d810,d7100)
whatever they are saying and I am pointing to DXO Mark don't believe it I did a direct compare to d7100 and IQ in 7D MK ii beats the nikon by a big margin, I encourage everyone to do it and see how quality, IQ, ergonomics and Focusing in Canon is way ahead of Nikon.
That said, now I have a question for Dpreview, why the video quality is not compare to other SLR (d750,d810....ex) but instead its compared to GH4 and A7S which meant for video? GH4 almost the same price but its get the gold award where 7D mk ii way ahead in image quality and silver award if we don't add the focussing, build quality,......ex? and really metering and focusing quality in D7100 better? you joking ? Even the 90% d750 can't match the 7D MKii in this area!!

Feb 15, 2015permalink

pkosewski

Obviously I don't believe in the story, but lets ignore that.
If you've sold all Nikon gear (including FX) after 2 days with the 7Dm2, it seems you have some issues. :o
Is the IQ of 7Dm2 better than of D7100? I guess not, but lets ignore that also.
Why did you replace D750 and D810 with the 7Dm2? Is the IQ of the Canon better?

Mar 7, 2015permalink

Ashkanani

first of all wither you believe or not is not something matter to me when I wrote what I wrote and to make you, you can follow my account on 500 px and see all the photos captured with all the camera I mentioned, my account is Ashkanani1985 in 500px, and if you don't believe in what I said about the canon 7d IQ compare to nikon d7100 you can rent both cameras and see that in your own eyes as I did, now why did I change from full frame to Crop sensor thats another story coz I am more interested now in wild life photography and need a fast camera ..... you have to listen to other ppl opinion without calling them layers and again plz visit my account browse throw the picture from last September up to today and you will see that I used nikon d850, nikon d750 and finally 7d II.

Mar 10, 2015permalink

David zzzzzzzzzz

WOW, the 7D Mark II is really a niche product! For the average photographer, can't think of one good reason to go for the Mark II. I have noticed on the DPREVIEW traffic meter that it is generating very little interest, this is a half baked offering. Not interested at all.

Feb 12, 2015permalink

Paul B Jones

Exactly, a niche product!

The best selling camera at B&H niche.

Feb 19, 2015permalink

bret douglas

You mean besides the increased resolution, faster shooting, and better focusing?

Feb 28, 2015permalink

Having replaced my 7D with the new 7D mkii after 5 years of use i could tell you that the new model is even better to the average user since he can use the jpg files straight from the camera when with the old model he had to spend time working with thw raw files. The difference in image quality is huge!

Jun 20, 2015permalink

Jose Banta

Can the Canon 7 d mkii use 2 sd cards or just 1 with compact flash for the other?

Feb 7, 2015permalink

Sandr62

It has two slots. One for SD and another for CF. Same as 5D MKIII

Feb 11, 2015permalink

GPW

As I said before, to bad Canon didn't use a Sony/Toshiba sensor in this camera. IMO the D7100 has better IQ then the 7DMKll. With that said, if I didn't have so much Nikon glass, I would have jumped ship to this camera in a heart beat as I only shoot wildlife photos.

Feb 5, 2015permalink

Jeata woo

Any suggestion , which mid range zoom that good for canon 7D M2 ?

Feb 3, 2015permalink

JOPhoto

Basically upgrading my 60D. I can only afford the 7D Mii or 6D. I know they are completely different but, for a more all around use.....does one beat out the other?

Is the 7D Mark ii good for weddings and portraits? I understand its forte is sports and nature. Just wondering.

Also, is the 6D good at action shots? I understand it forte is weddings, portraits and being a ff camera.

I have a 60D and looking to move up. I shoot a bit of everything. I have only one efs lens, so, that is not an issue.

I have researched and feel like I still don't have a firm grasp on my question.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Feb 1, 2015permalink

Bramdl

Both camera's are great, but the 7D MKII is newer, with better technology inside, so I'd go for that one for all round use.

Other than that it comes down to your personal preference in the APS-C vs full frame camera 'debate'. Google it and see what suits you best.

Good luck :)

PS: Note that your EF-S lens won't fit the 6D.

Feb 2, 2015*permalink

eternaleye

I own a 6D, and have used a 7D mark II. they are both pretty awesome.. although to be honest, the only real advantage to the 6D is the high ISO performance.. So if you do regularly shoot weddings, or events, you might want the flexibility of that. however, if you are just a hobbyist, the 7D mark II is a beast of a camera, and its what i would go with. personally, IMO. btw, I've been using the 6D for about a year and a half now. (it is too a great camera though)

Feb 3, 2015permalink

I have both bodies, I kind of tilt to 6D for weddings and portraits. I'll tilt towards 7D2 for Outdoor, tele zoom shots.

Feb 5, 2015permalink

XVOYAGERX

Video-wise it would seem that its another triumph for Panasonic.

Jan 25, 2015permalink

I spent 8 hours hiking Illinois' Shawnee National Forest for snakes in Oct '14, with both a Canon 70D and a Sony a7R swinging around my neck as I both photographed and dodged dozens of cottonmouth moccasins and a few copperheads. With appropriate lenses on both, the image quality from the Canon sensor suffered so badly from the comparison I have subsequently unloaded all my Canon gear. EVF is a revelation. Those not using an EVF are using a pre-WYSIWYG computer. The Sony sensor is a revelation (think vastly superior DR).
This comment is likely to evoke unparalleled abuse from Canon fanbois, but if anyone is capable of critical thinking, I hope it will help someone else get the images to which they aspire.

Jan 23, 2015*permalink

first off a7r is a 35M FF body. would you expect the 70D to match it? Why in the world do you abuse yourself by carrying two camera bodys hanging around your neck??? no sure what lens you used but the whole combo would be a painful exercise. You'd have known which ones going to be better before the hike.
Tell us something that we don't know.

Jan 25, 2015*permalink

I comprehend your scorn, but have enough experience with a multitude of cameras/sensors to factor in the APS-c vs FF difference and the Canon still lagged so badly by comparison I sold and replaced the 70D and 100-400mm w/ a Sony A77II and 70-400G2, cheerfully absorbing the financial blow for the improved IQ. Yes, it's a judgment call, and yes, of course FF typically outperforms APS-C, but I believe the difference I experienced was greater than size alone could ever explain or I wouldn't have tossed my money in the ring...
Wishing you good results with whatever equipment you are using!
Oh, a PS - re. why two bodies? Snakes move fast!

Jan 26, 2015*permalink

Tysa AB

What does this post have to do with a Canon 7D Mk II ?

Jan 27, 2015permalink

Brian Christensen

It's so random that it sounds like one of those people who gets paid a small sum of money to post advertisements about competing products.

Jan 28, 2015permalink

If you peruse the thorough DPR analysis, they prominently note the sensor is little changed through the 7D - 70D - 7DII sequence. Having worked hard with the 7D and 70D, I chose to move on rather than continue the struggle with yet another humble Canon sensor.

Jan 28, 2015permalink

Johnny Braggo

Ok here i enter this potentially flawed thread.The question I have to ask, is as you say you "Unloaded all your gear",I'm presume you are an experienced Canon user.You possibly have a reasonable Sony Arsenal too, to have "selected" your lens & therefore be experienced with the camera.Having already used both Cameras,you would surely know how rubbish the Canon was before even taking it out? What was the point of having that paperweight hanging around your neck.I know photographers who are still using Nikon D300's & Canon 7Ds & Canon 5D MKiis & One even using a D90 & they all get superb Images.They are not bothered about Pixel peeping or MTF charts,Rubbishing the 70D sensor in the way that you do,makes me suspect that you have never actually taken any Decent Images with either camera.

Jan 29, 2015permalink

you folks are pretty tedious, all slipping into ad hominem attacks as the coup de grace of your posts. Yes, the lugging of multiple cameras is work, thank you for pointing that out. REAL wildlife photography IS work, somehow most wildlife doesn't like people - and I've learned my own luck is mostly hard work.

I constructed my own reasonable, and final, head to head comparison and changed gear, as I find the Sony equipment superior in the extended direct comparison. How is that so hard to grasp, or accept as someone else's opinion? Please save the ad hominem attacks for your significant others, or maybe buy a roll of poo-in-a-tin of the ussr2.0 portrait toilet paper (ebay) upon which I suggest you really work out those latent hostilities!

Jan 31, 2015*permalink

eternaleye

I love a nice EVF.. the only thing missing from these mirrorless cameras is a proper flash system.. mostly the AF assist.. Id be switching to a Fuji system or Sony system full time if there was a flash that could AF in low light (i.e. a dim church or dark reception hall) with out blasting an LED light in someones face.

Feb 3, 2015permalink

grandmasterphill

#NoFlare

Jan 21, 2015permalink

entoman

Canon 7DMkii cheated of Gold Award!

Can someone explain why, in 2014, a score of only 82% resulted in DPR Gold Awards for the Panasonic FZ1000, Sony RX10, Sony RX100 iii and Olympus OMD-EM10?

The Panasonic DMC-GMI even managed to get a Gold Award with just 78%

Why was the Canon 7DMkii only given a Silver Award, despite achieving a score of 84% in your own review????

Surely the level of award should be directly linked to the percentage score.

Jan 19, 2015permalink

Awards are not directly correlated with the score a camera receives. Scores are intended to be as objective as possible and are "point in time scores," meaning they are based on comparing the camera to competitors in its class at the time of the review.

Awards represent the editorial team's overall opinion of the product and leave leeway to account for things that may not be directly measurable. (For example, the inclusion of some amazing new feature or a missed opportunity where a really important feature performs significantly below expectations.)

Jan 19, 2015permalink

the scoring is still confusing. I have seen similar comments by others on other product review. This shows you that the award and scoring is confusing. Doesn't this reflect that this award systems needs a review itself or DPR internal review process is missing a step called corrective action and improvement process. Something which are practised by most professional organisation.

Jan 21, 2015permalink

brownie314

I think Dale explained it. Percentages are for things that are measurable and awards are for how the staff feels about a product. As an example, a camera could score highly because it has a great sensor and all the bells and whistles. But maybe not get an award because it really sucks to handle and has no "soul" as a camera. Just as an example.

Jan 21, 2015permalink

@Vignes I appreciate your concern. We have a very detailed scoring and award process. You can read about it here:

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/4416254604/camera-scores-ratings-explained

Jan 21, 2015permalink

Canon's continued abuse of the owner base by pushing underperforming legacy sensors comes to mind, actually very, very, quickly. This is a "bells and whistles" tour de force with an oh-so-obviously outmoded sensor. The chain is as strong as its weakest link.

Jan 23, 2015permalink

Dale, thanks for the guide.
It'll be great if you guys can create a matrix to show the actual ranking of e.g. gold on one cat vs gold/silver of another. E.g.
does mid range FF gold means is equal or better compared semi pro DSLR or compact etc.
I see many people argue that, hey this camera has gold and that one has silver but fail to understand the actual score weightage wrt ranking.

Jan 25, 2015permalink

Vignes, good question. Trying to figure out how a gold camera in one category compares to a silver camera in another category would be a bit like comparing ratings between apples and oranges.. You could do it, but it wouldn't mean much. Sure, they are both fruits, but how would it be a meaningful comparison? They are very different things.

We do put a lot of thought into the scores and ratings (as you probably figured out from the link above). However, they aren't meant to be a definitive guide on what any one person should or should not buy. We provide many pages of detailed analysis in each review so that a person can weigh the pros and cons of a particular camera and determine if it's the right one for them. Scores and ratings are important, but ratings alone should not be considered the definitive measure of a camera.

Jan 26, 2015permalink

Paul B Jones

Hey DPR, how about a few no recall bonus points?

Jan 18, 2015permalink

The Davinator

Then the better lower the score for the 5D mirror falling off, the digital rebel rubber grip recall, the 1D3 AF recall, etc, etc.....

Feb 2, 2015permalink