CameraFly

Camera Reviews from Amazon.com

• July 26, 2010
  Honest Review of the 7D

  

  I bought my 7D in January of 2010.
  
  I've used this camera for a quite a bit, both in still and video capacities. I'll review both separately to explain the pros and cons of each side of the camera.
  
  Stills:
  
  Pros:
  -Awesome ISO range and low noise
  -Great autofocus (really, really fast)
  -Frame rate is ridiculous
  -18mp is wonderful. Great detail.
  -Custom Picture Styles are extremely satisfying.
  
  Considering I'm more of a video person than a photographer, I've really come to appreciate the stills this camera produces. They are clear, even in horrible lighting conditions. Even photos taken in ISO 3200 have very little noise.
  
  I shoot in Manual mode, but when I need to get photos taken in a quick second, I find myself flipping it to Green Box mode and clicking on auto focus and firing off a few frames within a few seconds. The photos are awesome. Considering I photograph events, this has saved me a few times.
  
  I bought the camera body only so I can use the extra money for a 3rd party lens, the Tamron 17-50 F/2.8. Its a great lens, but the range is clearly designed for "walking around" which I do, but when I am a good distance away, the 50mm end of the range is usually not close enough, and not sharp enough.
  
  I do have to say, for a semi-pro camera, the still side of the camera is the highlight. There are very little things to complain about. If you have the lenses you need, this camera will make those lenses create wonderful images.
  
  Now for the cons: Video.
  
  Video:
  
  Pros:
  -1080p resolution/ 720p at 60fps.
  -Manual controls during shooting.
  -Compact body and weather sealed
  
  Cons:
  -Rolling shutter
  
  Rolling shutter is when the camera takes a frame by "rolling" the scan lines of the CMOS sensor downwards instead of exposing the sensor all at once (called "global exposure"). This is especially obvious in high action scenes and flashing lights. Shooting at 720 at 60fps, it is reduced, but it is still evident, especially in a moving car and looking at tall objects like trees and poles (they appear to lean). This camera is best used in low action scenes with a stabilizer like a tripod or shoulder mount (which kind of defeats the purpose of having a portable camera).
  
  -Chroma sampling
  
  I understand that some of the readers wont know what this is. But for the film people who are considering buying this camera, this is for you.
  
  The sampling ratio is 4:2:0. Which isnt prime for green screen. But another side effect is color grading is affected by this. It creates unsightly artifacts in the footage. There are tutorials online on how to upload custom picture styles to greatly increase the dynamic range of the camera (and custom Picture Styles to create amazing colors in the camera), but there is one more thing that affects the footage: Noise.
  
  -Noise Reduction
  
  The noise reduction in video is no where near as good as the picture side of the camera. Considering that some might not have the best light available, they'll have to boost the ISO, and once it peaks past 1000iso, the noise becomes more evident. Canon markets this camera as a monster in low light situations (which it is), but the noise is very painful to see, especially when the footage is mixed with HVX-200 footage. The difference is obvious.
  
  So, since a good portion of buyers will not really care for the video, most of my cons are irrelevant. It'll be a wonderful camera for the birthday clips and holidays. But for people who want to buy this (or the 5D) for film production (as I did), the limitations should be considered.
  
  It is a good camera for dramatic films with little to no action. But, action is a difficult thing to capture on this camera without it looking gelatinous.
  
  Overall, its a great camera. Actually, this is a wonderful camera. It is limited in the video side, but for a $1700, it offers a relatively inexpensive high definition capability (most film quality HD camcorders are $3000+ and they have inadequate lenses) and a great "equalizer" for film students or indie film productions.
  
  For an example as to how the camera deals with concert areas, I have this video I made. Look at the strange lines created in the flashing lights. Also, be warned, this camera will be destroyed if lasers hit the sensor (as shown is certain videos online).
  
  [...].

• July 26, 2010
  I can not stop enjoying it

  

  What I like about it:
  - Has all the traditional features.
  - Has a live shooting feature (for movies) - the thing I was positively shocked about. It is possible to take a picture with the help of LCD screen despite that it is made for camcorder. Yes, no more looking through the "eye-hole" and besides that it is possible to use a special zooming while using live shooting feature to make the picture as sharp as possible in the manual mode (perfect for Lensbaby).
  - Sits good in the hand.
  Well, if you will buy it, you will not be disappointed.
  

• July 13, 2010
  Canon EOS 7D with Kit lens 28-135mm

  

  This is a hefty camera. I like the Kit lens, Macro shots are impressive. This lens is a $200 premium over body only, well worth it. The lens sells alone (depending on seller) for $377 to $409. I own it for action shots that my 5Dll is not the best at.