Canon EOS 7D Owners Thread

It's a shame the last post on this thread was in 2018, especially as I have just picked up a 7D from MPB. Hopefully I can trigger a thread resurrection, if not, I'll just talk to myself :p

I think I did ok on the package. £164 for the body and £62 for a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/4-5.6 IS STM to go with it.

Whilst buying a relatively old camera may seem a bit odd, i didn't want to invest to heavily in a system I have no experience with. This is my first canon, so i am hoping for an enjoyable experience and some decent photos.
 
I bought my 7D when it first came out, and it still does the job. I've not found a situation that it can't cope with. The latest and greatest doesn't always offer a great deal more, other than denting your wallet. Sadly I don't seem to get much time to use my 7D these days.
 
artyman said:
I bought my 7D when it first came out, and it still does the job. I've not found a situation that it can't cope with. The latest and greatest doesn't always offer a great deal more, other than denting your wallet. Sadly I don't seem to get much time to use my 7D these days.
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It's nice to know I won't be alone in using one lol

DPD think it will be here tomorrow.... exciting!!
 
Excellent camera. You’ll know you’re holding fast shutter beast :cool:
I very reluctantly sold mine. Arthritis in the fingers, wrist and back is no friend for the 7D. It show no mercy.
oh yeah, another go thing about it is you can use it as a brick should you be parked on a hill and the handbrake doesn’t work :D
 
Skyline said:
Excellent camera. You’ll know you’re holding fast shutter beast :cool:
I very reluctantly sold mine. Arthritis in the fingers, wrist and back is no friend for the 7D. It show no mercy.
oh yeah, another go thing about it is you can use it as a brick should you be parked on a hill and the handbrake doesn’t work :D
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I do like solid build quality, so this is encouraging!
 
I have a 7D been a long while since used it ( purchased a 5D MK3 a few years ago ). This last week I have brushed the cobwebs off it and started to use it again, ( wanted something a little lighter to carry about ).
I will be away in a weeks time so will be taking my 7D, I have always had very good results with it so not worried at all.

Trevor
 
trevormc said:
I have a 7D been a long while since used it ( purchased a 5D MK3 a few years ago ). This last week I have brushed the cobwebs off it and started to use it again, ( wanted something a little lighter to carry about ).
I will be away in a weeks time so will be taking my 7D, I have always had very good results with it so not worried at all.

Trevor
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I'm over the moon with it. It's early doors, but so far it hasn't missed a shot.

It's raining here so limited options, but I'll be trying to give it a workout over the weekend
 
Continuing with my attempt at a thread revival, I thought I'd post a bit of an update.

Between the monsoons of the last couple of days, the opportunity to give the 7D some attention has been hard to come by. Until we got around two hours of dry and quite bright weather.

Well, it's clear to me that I am now a Canon convert!

I have been using the 18-55 STM kit lens so far and it's quite brilliant! Obviously that's in my opinion, and it's a very novice level opinion, but none the less!!!...I like it a lot. So much so that I decided I'd like a bit more length for some wildlife photography I am planning.

So I ordered a EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

Hopefully by this time tomorrow I will have installed the correction files for the lenses, provided I can do it on a 7D, which I haven't checked yet. Presumably I can, as it is listed on the website.

Then, with a bit of luck, I may be able to share some photos by the end of next week.

Great stuff!

Oh, a good friend also bought me a 7D "bible" as a "welcome to the club" gift. It was written by David Busch.

That is me sorted for bedtime reading for the next 6 months lol
 
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Depending on the wildlife you will find that 250 is a bit on the short side, something in 400 or better 600 is needed. More expensive but perhaps look for an old Sigma 150-500.
 
artyman said:
Depending on the wildlife you will find that 250 is a bit on the short side, something in 400 or better 600 is needed. More expensive but perhaps look for an old Sigma 150-500.
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Well, thankfully it's all harmless stuff like garden birds, squirrels or the odd fox etc. Urban Wildlife.

Getting close enough shouldn't be an issue, but had I more budget, I'd possibly have gone longer.
 
When you can, or if you can afford it now, get the good old, can’t go wrong, well worth the money, nifty fifty.
This is the first link on a Google search. You may find better, as in a couple of pounds cheaper, or the body very good, but for around £40-50 as long as the glass is good you can’t go wrong.… Canon 50mm 1.8

I liked the 7D not just for its speed but it was also great for tabletop or portraits.
 
Skyline said:
When you can, or if you can afford it now, get the good old, can’t go wrong, well worth the money, nifty fifty.
This is the first link on a Google search. You may find better, as in a couple of pounds cheaper, or the body very good, but for around £40-50 as long as the glass is good you can’t go wrong.… Canon 50mm 1.8

I liked the 7D not just for its speed but it was also great for tabletop or portraits.
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Thanks for that. An EF 50mm would give me 80mm on the 7D I believe?

Is there a 28-35mm that you'd recommend? I quite like playing with around 50mm FOV
 
Bigman80 said:
Thanks for that. An EF 50mm would give me 80mm on the 7D I believe?

Is there a 28-35mm that you'd recommend? I quite like playing with around 50mm FOV
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How deep are your pockets. Are you ready to go down the lenses rabbit hole :naughty:

I did own this chunk of glass and I remember it being great. Probably because it was a Canon L lens lol.
Again., the first one that appeared in a search.…. Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM

That said, that cheap 50mm made my eyes widen the very first time I used it. Sharp and wonderful dof/bokeh on it.
I think a lot of people would recommend it as a lens to have in your camera bag.
 
Skyline said:
How deep are your pockets. Are you ready to go down the lenses rabbit hole :naughty:

I did own this chunk of glass and I remember it being great. Probably because it was a Canon L lens lol.
Again., the first one that appeared in a search.…. Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM

That said, that cheap 50mm made my eyes widen the very first time I used it. Sharp and wonderful dof/bokeh on it.
I think a lot of people would recommend it as a lens to have in your camera bag.
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I've watched a few reviews and it's certainly now on the list of possible future purchases.

As is that 24-105...that looks a beauty!
 
Ive been having a play with the new-to-me 55-250 lens and it seems to be pretty good! Both the 18-55 qnd the 55-250mm STM lenses seem to be a serious bargain in my limited experience.

I did a test of the Sony NEX-6 and the 7D with their respective lenses at 135mm and 200mm. It's clear that i am now seeing why Canon seems to be the way forward for me.
 
I still get my 7Dii out now then to use especially with the sigma 150-600 C !
My R7 is on another planet when it comes to Eye AF, also with edge to edge focusing there is no focus and recompose.
Though this is all very good, I miss some of the excite ( and disappointed ) in applying a technique !
 
I hate to burr the bubble but I was never satisfied with my 7D. Massive noise above iso 400 and don’t try to take any dusk long exposures with an ND filter at more than iso 100. Meant I needed a whole raft of lee glass to cope with the changing light, because it was so inflexible

Having said that I still take it with me on rally’s and use it as a remote camera by the side of the road
 
A_S said:
I hate to burr the bubble but I was never satisfied with my 7D. Massive noise above iso 400 and don’t try to take any dusk long exposures with an ND filter at more than iso 100. Meant I needed a whole raft of lee glass to cope with the changing light, because it was so inflexible

Having said that I still take it with me on rally’s and use it as a remote camera by the side of the road
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You haven't burst the bubble.

Nothing is perfect, or likely to be for £167, which is what the 7D cost me. However I am starting to understand the appeal with Canon cameras, and as a tool for learning some photography skills it really is an excellent place to start.
 
I found if needed you could get away with iso 1000. Not good by today’s standard.
640 was very acceptable .
I use to shoot everything at iso 100 in the end.

1000



640



100




In the end I found getting the best glass I could afford and some good software was what I personally needed.


Izabella by Skyline:), on Flickr


Canon 7D and 50mm
Strike A Pose There's Nothing To It by Skyline:), on Flickr

If it wasn’t for the body and lenses being a heavy combo for arthritis I’m sure I would still owned it. Or moved up maybe to the Canon 5D mk2 :D
 
I'm an ex 7D owner now, and like many, I suffered the noise and grain issues, as well as banding. In later years, I improved my handling of it, understanding how to expose it better and I got better images. The 7D was fine in good light, it was just very demanding in low light. Good glass helped too.

I used mine as a p/ex against my R7.

I never loved my 7D but I never hated it either and it did teach me a lot. It was also a very capable camera spec wise back in the day.

I have gotten equally as noisy images out of my 5Div, if I haven't exposed it correctly.
 
Skyline said:
I found if needed you could get away with iso 1000. Not good by today’s standard.
640 was very acceptable .
I use to shoot everything at iso 100 in the end.

1000



640



100




In the end I found getting the best glass I could afford and some good software was what I personally needed.


Izabella by Skyline:), on Flickr


Canon 7D and 50mm
Strike A Pose There's Nothing To It by Skyline:), on Flickr

If it wasn’t for the body and lenses being a heavy combo for arthritis I’m sure I would still owned it. Or moved up maybe to the Canon 5D mk2 :D
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I'd be more than happy with the quality of those images, so the camera can't be THAT bad.

Can I ask what software you use?
 
Dale. said:
I'm an ex 7D owner now, and like many, I suffered the noise and grain issues, as well as banding. In later years, I improved my handling of it, understanding how to expose it better and I got better images. The 7D was fine in good light, it was just very demanding in low light. Good glass helped too.

I used mine as a p/ex against my R7.

I never loved my 7D but I never hated it either and it did teach me a lot. It was also a very capable camera spec wise back in the day.

I have gotten equally as noisy images out of my 5Div, if I haven't exposed it correctly.
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That's probably why the 7D and I are getting on so well, I tend to shoot in mostly daylight. Most likely because any camerani have had has been poor in low light.

It is a heavy beast, mind. Although I find that reassuring too.
 
Bigman80 said:
I'd be more than happy with the quality of those images, so the camera can't be THAT bad.

Can I ask what software you use?
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photoshop 7.

There are so many good free camera software out there now. Are you using Window, IOS or Android?
 
Skyline said:
photoshop 7.

There are so many good free camera software out there now. Are you using Window, IOS or Android?
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I'm using Windows, but my laptop screen is not good enough for photography editing at the moment.

That will come with time.
 
Hey all

Sorry to trudge this one back up again.

I am thinking of getting a Mk2 to use a remote camera - Can anyone let me know how much improved it was over the Mk1 in terms of image quality and flexibility of the focus system...

And...

Just to prove the 7D mk1 can still take a cracking shot... (in the right conditions). This was from my remote camera at the weekend

edit: the upload quality seems poor....

374745128_247086794961436_2020949553130619643_n.jpg
 
I bought a 7D mk1 last year to get back into photography after many years away from it. I found all images with the 7D were soft. I then read the sensor produces soft images (I can't post a link just now as I am NooB and this is my second post). I have kept it though because as soon as circumstances allow I'll see what is like with portraits. maybe the softness will add a certain something. Looking forward to it.
 
Got my second hand mk2 this weekend.

£300 with 20k actuations and a de laminating rear screen. Bargain.

Trying to test/ understand the autofocus system. I always struggled with the best settings for the 7D mk1 and generally just used spot focus cause it was quite confusing.

I am finding the mk2 similar.

Just trying to set it up to track my finger moving across the frame using the 65 point focus tracking from left to right but it’s really hit and miss.

Lens is a 50mm 1.4 so should pick it up

Given I will need it to switch quickly as a car comes into frame then continue tracking it across the screen from that point without switching back to the scenery behind what would be my best settings?

Planning on using the 65 point full screen tracking with an initial point set but I have a few questions


1.) as above what are my best settings for this scenario?
2.) can I use zone or extended af point/area as a starting point in 65 point focus tracking - rather that just spot?
3.) if I use large zone for tracking am I able to set a staring point within that area?
4.) r.e 3 does the autofocus tracking stop at the edge of that zone if the subject moves out of that zone?
5.) as per 4 if I set single point or smaller area I presume the subject modes out of that area the tracking doesn’t track it?
 
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This is the original 7D at ISO1000. I didn't see a big problem with noise unless I underexposed and had to lift exposure during editing.
47680789961_855a451e05_b.jpg
 
I sort of semi retired mine a while back after getting newer cameras, it went in a bag with a Sigma 18-250mm to replace my old 30d that I used for places I didnt want to risk a good camera. That said the 7d is a big step up from the 30d image wise and still a good camera.. Might take it out for a walk tonight just for fun now I've seen this thread,
 
I replaced my 7D with the 7D2 and found that the upgrade was worthwhile. I still have the 7D2 and a 5D3 and am contemplating a move to mirrorless in the future for the better AF and ISO performance.
 
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