It’s pretty clear that the Canon 7D is all but official and that it is slotted between the Canon 50D and 5D Mark II. While it retains the 1.6x crop sensor format of the 50D and its predecessors, the 7D is definitely geared more toward serious amateurs and pro wildlife and sports photographers.
Along with the 7D, we can expect to see some attractive new EF-S and EF L-series lenses:
1. EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
2. EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
3. EF 100mm f/2.8 L IS USM Macro
The Canon 7D should be should be announced pretty soon (*ahem, September 1). Various forums and blogs predict that the 7D body will be in the $1699 initial price range. Keep checking at Amazon.com for availability.
Canon 7D Key Features
- 18-megapixel CMOS sensor
- Dual DIGIC 4 image processors
- 8 frames per second (max 94 JPEG / 15 RAW images)
- ISO 100-12800 (in ISO expansion mode)
- 19 point cross-type AF sensors
- Center AF point is 8-directional double cross-type
- 100% viewfinder coverage
- 1.0x viewfinder magnification
- 63 zone iFCL metering system
- 3″ 920k dot resolution LCD display
- 1080p HD video
- Live view mode
- External mic input
- HDMI output
- Pop-up Flash
- 150k actuation rated shutter
Kudos to Neutral Day for digging around the Chinese forums for the photos and specs.
Also, watch for updates on Canon 7D Reviews and Resources.
What are the refresh periods for Canon SLRs?
More precisely, when would the 5D Mark II be updated? I’m curious about waiting for the next model or getting the Mk II. I have a 40D and am looking to replace it in a few months.
1Ds, 1Ds II, 1Ds III: approx. 3 years
5D, 5D II : approx. 3 years
20D, 30D, 40D, 50D: approx 1 – 1 1/2 years
Canon has previously said that its upgrade cycle for pro-level DSLRs is 3 years and I believe the spokesperson was directly referring to the 5D at that time.
Hmm. This probably is what I should’ve waited for instead of getting the T1i. Been pretty happy with that camera though, and you can’t make pictures with a camera you don’t have.
I think it’s nice that they are providing a range of cameras, but I hope they don’t start delineating products artificially by omitting firmware features.
Thanks for the info everybody
What is a size of Canon 7D sensor? APS-C or APS-H?
@Iris – APS-C
No surprise. Competitor to the Nikon D300s. They always go hand-and-hand. Odd numbering convention used though. I would have expected 60D or something like that, not a number greater than the 5D. Still … got sweet spec’s.