I know it’s a little dated at this point, but I still use my 7d II for most of my sporting events, at least daytime events. When shooting action events, (sports, airshows, etc) I find it’s best to use expanded center point focus and control your focal point a little more. In busy scenes, I find that most cameras, (this one is no different) often guess wrong as the focus tends to either lock on the closest moving subject, or in some cases, the fastest moving subject, neither of which may be the intended subject. I’ve never been a huge fan of the lowlight capability of the 7D II, but for a crop sensor, it’s very good. With some post work, you can get some very usable shots.
I have a 7D and bought a 7D Mark II last Dec. It was having focusing issues, esp with wildlife movement. I was about to send it back when I checked the firm ware. The description of the software matched the problem I was having. I love the camera now after the update.
Here's me, years late to the dance again. Just today I got my Mk II, which I traded in my beloved 7D for. Haven't had much of a chance to do anything with it yet other than update the firmware, set the clock, and make a few custom settings that I like. But if this camera is anything like my 7D, I anticipate a long and happy relationship. I'm old-school and archaic; my camera bodies are my original 300D that I got in 2003, and a 20D, 1DX Mk III, and now the 7D Mk II. I've got a few decent lenses, with the 70-200 f/4 the only one on my wish list (except for a 500mm, but that's a ways in the future). I know the world is moving to mirrorless now and I have nothing against mirrorless, but my kit is perfectly fine for my needs, so I'm happy to remain stuck in the past!
I wasn't all that impressed with the 7d mkii AF at first, thinking the 80d was a bit better. Then found out that the camera has a capped SD card transfer rate that causes shutter lag. Purchased a CF card for it and it turned into a totally different beast. Seriously awesome camera.
This is my first comment on RUclips (ever). But I just had to take the time to congratulate Jared with the quality of this review. You simply can see that he has put a lot of time and effort in this one. Great job!
Hey Jared, nice video. I hear your concerns about the autofocusing and here's what I have come up with in my experience this past month. I've shot two events this past week and I also came home with some images that were just a little out of focus. I made a conscious effort to work around it or identify what was causing it today while I was shooting. I usually shoot "One Point AF" and do with all my cameras, so I figured I would do the same with this. Today I found more success with "Expand Area AF" where a few surrounding points from the point you selected can be active - should the camera see fit. It seemed to clear up my problem almost entirely. It would 90% of the time lock on the manually selected point, but it would occasionally show two active points like it maybe used information for a neighboring point to help it lock focus. Still need more time with the camera to be sure, but it looks like it worked well today.
Its 2023 and im considering pulling the trigger on a 7d mk2 and either the 70-200 f2.8 L USM or the 70-300 f4-f5.6 L IS USM for shooting motorcycles, even looking at one of the cheaper sigma/tamron options but im not sure they would be as quick to focus than the USM lenses? Alternative is a Sony A7ii with a Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS.
My 2 favorite things: Photography and Flyers hockey. Awesome video, man! Just recently picked up a 7D Mark II to go with my 5DIII. I had 2 5DIIIs for a while, but I wanted to have a capable crop sensor camera and I'm loving this thing so much so far. Plus for a 2nd camera, the price point of the 7DII is easier to swallow than a second 5DIII lol.
I completely agree, and have the exact same results. I have used my 7d II every day for the past 2 weeks. When pouring over sports shots, I can't explain why certain shots are razor sharp, and others a little soft. I've played with focus tracking and points and gone up to insane shutter rates - to no avail. I can't eliminate the problem. I have about 50% keeper rate. That is certainly better than my regular 7d. Even shooting some portraits I'd get a strange soft shot every now and then. At least now I don't feel like I've got something configured wrong!
Regarding some shots being slightly out: I've seen this before on the original 7D and it can be a MFA issue OR a lens adjustment issue. With my 7D 3 lenses seemed like they would subtly miss at times without any other explanation (i.e. still subject, camera on tripod). One was quickly resolved with MFA, the other two...fast primes, one 3rd party...needed factory adjustment, i.e. the lens itself wasn't tight. Having said that if light is poor and the AF target is small relative to the AF point you can't expect any camera to AF perfectly to human expectations. If someone is far enough from the camera that a single AF point covers more of their face then one eye then the camera isn't going to always hit that eye just perfect (for example). I've gotten a feel for situations where I should flip on spot AF, or if I can't do that and need more points active, just stop down a bit more. And of course if you're talking about a fast prime wide open, i.e. a portrait, simply breathing between AF and shutter release can cause you to move enough to shift focus. Agree 100% on JPEG vs. RAW, you sacrifice fine detail with Canon's JPEG engine, and even with DPP. ACR does a much, much better job here and yields a significant resolution and sharpness boost. In JPEG Canon's files are "meh", in ACR they can be spectacular.
G Naron Let me add I think Jared did a great review as well, and hope my post did not come off as nitpicking his review. Just a comment on my experience with AF issues.
G Naron Check pages 117 and 118 of the 7D II manual and make sure you have the burst shots set for Focus Priority instead of Equal or Release which will cause the burst to fire at times when focus isn't fully achieved. This should help with the missed burst shots.
Jared - great review. I have a 7D2 that I use for hockey, and more everyday as an everyday camera, and I use 5D3s for weddings. The 7D2 I'm learning has a very steep learning curve to figure out all the little things that matter in order to make it work. I have boiled it down it tiny pixels, not close to the size of the 1Dx's nor 5D3s, being asked to do too much in terms of both resolution and focus - and I think it is the size of the pixels in terms of being able to achieve contrast for focus that is at the heart of the issue. The 1Dx can't nearly put the same number of pixels on a subject, given the same lens, but because the pixels are so much larger it's ability to grab focus with contrast is so much better that its hit rate is higher and the user is thus happier - and they aren't printing massive posters with 1Dx crops. I think either another Digic 6 processor is needed and / or better software is needed to pull in more pixels / data to create the contrast that is necessary to nail the tack sharp focus more often - i.e. to simulate the 1Dx type larger pixels. I don't think it is a coincidence that the 1Dx is optimized at 16m pixels on a FF - it was clearly a trial and error and researched process that maximized the focus / high iso sweet spot - the 7D2 on its tiny sensor by comparison is doing a decent job given the task at hand. I think I can safely predict that the 1Dx mark 2 will not have 50m pixels like the 5DS - my guess is 18-20m with a quieter shutter. Keep up the good work
Some of these focusing issues sound like you may need to do some micro adjustments with the lens. I find this is more common on crop sensors given the lenses tend to be made for full frame, especially if you're using L glass. I agree with what you pay it should be spot on, but there are minuscule differences between each copy of a lens and camera body that can put it off ever so slightly. It can be literally microns out and cause these kind of issues, especially the further out you're zooming.
The focus issues could be the 7DII, but it is also just as likely that the lenses you were using and the 7DII aren't fully calibrated to each other. I once read a lengthy description of why micro-adjustments are necessary and why every lens should be calibrated to the camera before use. Basically it boils down down to manufacturing variations (camera and lens), calibration variations (different individuals in different factories at different times doing the base-line calibration) and age (AF apparently changes as a lens gets older; I'm assuming the AF motors wear down changing the calibration). The lenses and the camera are calibrated to a base-line and, in theory, that should work most of the time. However, sometimes they don't (especially with third-party lenses or newer cameras). If you want tack sharp focus, the easiest way to ensure it is to recalibrate the camera's AF to the lenses you're using. I have found that LensAlign makes the whole process of calibration simpler and faster, especially with FocusTune -- there are other products in addition to doing it manually, but I've used LensAlign ... and FocusTune is really neat. It is easily worth the cost of the kit. I agree we shouldn't have to make these adjustments, but it is relatively easy to fix.
Jared, your latest reviews have been absolutely phenomenal. This one included! I got the 7d Mark II on release day and also noticed that the images were slightly under "tack" sharp. Not one other review has mentioned this, so thank you for proving that I am not crazy. I do love the feel of this camera and obviously the AF performance. I was hoping for it to be a 2nd body to my 5d mark III, but with the focusing issue I don't know if I am going to be able to keep it. As you said, most people wouldn't notice it, but it bothers me the same way it bothers you. I am primarily a wedding & portrait photographer and feel that I may still be better off with a 6d as a second body. But I can't stand the lack of AF in the 6d. I do occasionally shoot some action though so I am still very torn. I have a few days left on the return policy. I guess its decision time! Thanks again and I'm loving the DSLR video guide by the way!!
Hi Jared. I had some issues with the AF system in my 1DX along with the 70-200 2.8 ll until I realised that I had to micro adjust a little bit the wide and long focal length. In my opinion it's nothing wrong with the camera because of that. It's good that the feature like the micro adjustment is available because by using it you can get even better results to get tack sharp pictures.
I found a 7d Mark ii with only a 7000 count on the shutter. It was part of a Black Friday sale here in South Africa. My wife told me she would rather have that camera then a new one that is made cheaper. Christmas came a little early this year.... ha ha!
awesome review Jared! As for the tack sharp focus - would be awesome to check it out with the focus point plugin showing where the camera thinks it got focus. best wishes!
So, on a whole, saving up for this camera is something I should do as a enthusiast photographer? I have two Canons now, 1100D and 700D, and they have both been good for me. Will a 7D Mark II work som magic for me? I'm using my cameras in my daily work for things we do everyday, as well as shooting portraits of new employees. But I also use them for nature, private portraits, easier model photography and trains. Will 7D be too much for an enthusiast or is it perfect?
Nothing will work magic for you except you! Sell the t3, keep the t5i as backup, get a used full frame like 5d ii or 6d unless you want to shoot lots of wildlife/sports. 7D ii was made for action. Just my opinion, cheers.
alex0589 Thanks for your quick and kind response. It's not action I'm after so this camera is probably not for me. A used 5D or 6D, I will keep this in mind. Thanks again.
Sorry I'm so late to comment, I just got my 7DII used. I've been watching some of the RUclipss from Pangolin in Africa. My suspicion is that this camera captures a much sharper photo in AI Servo than in One Shot, even if you're only shooting one frame. It's a little bit of a hefty camera and it can be difficult to hold still at times while releasing the shutter. In AI Servo, the camera is anticipating a moving subject. But from the point of view of the camera, camera movement looks the same as subject movement. And the camera is so sharp that even a little movement shows up soft in the photo. Another thing that was recommended was making the focus more "sticky" on the subject with the tracking sensitivity, which can be found in the AF menu. The result is that I can now get very sharp images with hand shooting where I needed to use my tripod to get equivalent results. It's clear to me that I bought above my level. I'm glad Canon included some features to de-tune it a little. And I'm happy at 5 fps silent drive. Another option you might want to consider using is the automatic ISO. The camera's low noise features are so good that it could be one less thing to worry about. Rolls of film tell the camera the ISO automatically and the camera does the rest unless you choose to override it. Thanks for the great video Jared.
The little subtleness of the difference between shots is down to the person holding the camera!! Great review etc... and did learn a lot from this video. Many Thanks
I am a diehard Canon user. I loved this video, but I do wish you would do one on the New Canon 70D. I purchased one approximately 6 months ago and love it.
Jared, I thought I was doing something wrong when I was not getting clear (Crystal) photo, I have been shooting this camera for about a year now. I have not made those micro adjustments, I too believe when you spend the money on L glass and this camera everything should be spot on! I shoot manual most of the time and I was taking portrait shots of my kids and they were soft even when I can see where I had the focus points. I am glad you brought this up. Great video and thank you.
Hi Jared, I shoot 5d Mk3 and I have noticed the occasional lack of sharpness as well. I saw it on the 5d Mk2, too. I shoot mostly landscape and I've resorted to using manual focus with live view at 10x magnification to try and get around the lack of sharpness, but even then, some of my shots do not come out tack sharp, even if they look sharp in preview right after shooting. I've been told that I need to calibrate the lenses for the individual body, but when I'm doing live view, why should that matter? Either way, it's something I'll need to try. Very good review. I'm more in need of full-frame for what I do but it does give me a very good idea of what to expect from the 7D. Also, I do have to give Canon kudos for the new 24-70 2.8 II. Holy cow, what a lens - I have always shot standard zoom more out of convenience, but this lens has a render so nice that I shoot it just because I want the images it produces. While it's not quite as tack sharp as a prime across the whole frame, it's still sharp enough and it just renders so nicely. Definitely my favorite standard zoom so far, but for what they're charging, it better be.
I'm totally stuck in the middle right now. I want to finally replace my 40D that has been old faithful for many years but at the same time I want to do more video. Difference is I'm a much better photographer than a video editor. At the end of your review you stated that if you are looking more towards video get the 70D over the 7D Mark III for the touchscreen features. So now comes the time to process what I want to do. Maybe I should just borrow both bodies and see which one I like the most. All the AF Points though... I want them all!
Jared, although this video was made a few years when the 7D ii came out, you were having trouble with the focus points on some of your shots and you seemed somewhat frustrated. Perhaps you didn't have the right focus points or zone selected, since this was sort of new to everyone at the time?
I managed to get my hands on a 7D II and I have it for a week. Will go through photos properly when I get home. About just missing AF sometimes, you might want to look into AF microadjust.
I really like those kind of real world reviews. You offer a totally different perspective than those specs citing, number throwing, pixel peeping reviews you usually get on the internets. I guess, a review for photographers, not gear heads :) Good work, keep it up, and get even better. As for the video part at the end, it looks waaaay oversharpened. Were those the default settings?
My ex 70D which shared the same focusing system with old 7D had a similar problem.. after a while it makes you want to throw up.. I have a 6D now FullFrame camera with an old school focusing system which is always great and it can lock focus almost in complete darkness.
I don't understand whether it's me or is it actually something is wrong with the contrast... Have you retouched those photos afterwards before posting? I'm just curious because the contrast looks very strong if it's shot as it is. P.S. Shadows on white look amazing.
Very good review, honest and to the points of most interest when looking at the new 7Dii. I loved the traffic lighting on the fro, red, green... awesome shots.
Did you do micro adjustments with you lens before the test? After reading the other post, it looks like the main fault is not knowing the camera and its settings. Its some thing I come across all the time, you must read the manual all the way and do your own settings to get what you want shooting what you shoot. after all we all shoot different.
I recently started getting into sports photography and i shoot with a 7d MkI. Im starting to look for a new body. I like to shoot nikon but I have really enjoyed my 7d. I'm considering the 610 (because i want a full frame), a (7100 for 24mp crop sensor) and the 7d MkII (because i'm used to the already). Which would you recommend? PS. I could put the money I saved on the 7100 for glass. I also love the quality of this video! I have watched you for a few years and you have come along way. Cannot wait to see how much better your work will be as tech keeps advancing!
I think all cameras have some tolerance in the focus. It is a trade between focusing speed and focusing accuracy. Also I know high ISO noise will soften images to make them look slightly out of focus. Finally with a long lens and fast moving subjects motion blur is always a problem. You just have to crank up the shutter speed for that.
Jared Polin I was wondering if you changed the 1st and 2nd image priority to hitting focus over faster shutter release? I know these are settings available on the 7d mkII though you never mentioned them in the video, which could perhaps explain why some shots weren't as sharp as you would like.
Fantastic review! Thank you. I have this camera and I can verify that the batteries do run down quickly. I use a battery pack with two batteries and the camera seams to last a long time with that configuration. I also have large hands and like the pack to hold though I can imagine it might be a lot to carry for some, and it does add a little weight. Love the review and always learn a lot with Jared's videos. This camera has also inspired me to learn to shoot manually and I love the placement of the buttons. Love the camera for nature photography.
Hey great video comparison, i would like your opinion with the 70d, 7d mkii and 5d mkiii. Currently i have the canon rebel t5i (previously had the canon t2i) and I'm looking to upgrade the body. I need this camera to do a little bit of everything, i shoot music videos, short films, live concerts, weddings, birthday parties and this is for both photos and videos. I'm leaning towards the 7d mk ii for both price and quality upgrades but I'm hung up on the full frame censor on the 5k mkiii. also I'm torn with saving money on the 7d (or the 70d) and to get my self a nice lens instead of putting all my money on a 5d mk iii. keep in mind my budget is around $3400 for everything. this isn't a hobby either, I've been doing freelance video and photography for about 5 years and I'm ready to take the plunge equipment wise for the long haul. I look forward to your response, thanks again
When aplying crop-factor, you must also take into account the f-number. 300 f2.8 becomes a 480 f4.5. Also, if the lens is compatible with full frame, you loose part of the light, as it "spreads" around the sensor to cover a full frame sized sensor as it is designed, therefore the now f4.5 acts probably becomes a f5, maybe f5.5...or ... this is included in the first scaling..? Jared, any tips on this?
If the lens is mounted on a full frame camera, there is no crop factor. The crop factor only applies to the cropped sensor; not the lens itself. A 50mm lens is a 50mm lens no matter what camera you put it on. On a crop sensor camera, the IMAGE it produces is the equivalent to the image an 80mm lens creates on a full frame camera. As for the aperture, the same thing applies. An f/2.8 is f/2.8 no matter what camera the lens is mounted on. The f number is simply a ratio of the aperture to focal length. Again, this is a function that has nothing to do with the camera it is mounted to. The crop factors are again merely APPARENT. Applying the crop factor to the aperture has more to do with depth of field than it does light (although there IS less light - it's just inherently so). And the depth of field only changes for subjects because you have to get a lot closer to a subject with the same lens attached to a full frame camera - which means more background blur. The lens itself doesn't cause this - the fact that you moved closer to the subject (in order to get the same framing) is the reason. Imagine you have a projector that projects an image of a landscape on a wall. Suppose you put a sheet of regular notebook paper on the center of the image, and trace it. Now do the same thing with a big piece of construction paper. The projected image is exactly the same in both cases. The only thing that changed between the two images you traced is the size of the paper you traced the image on. If you blew up the smaller image to be the same size as the construction paper image, it would APPEAR that the smaller version is simply a cropped version of the bigger picture. When in reality, it was simply captured on a smaller medium. That's all a crop sensor is.
Constantin Cabiniuc "it acts like a" - yes, and this is the difference, what everyone misunderstood. The 50mm lens is always 50mm. What is changing is only the field of view, because is cropped. But you're right about the light. ;)
The focus misses are the same as the original 7d. Believe me, I suffered for 5 years with the 7d. Finally went with a 5dmIII and couldn't be happier with the auto focus. What a world of difference.
Awesome review, really liked the "new editing scheme" where You review in the cuts between the shooting parts, instead of editing in the review over the video of You shooting
By the way....You probably should go into the menu and set the priority for focus vs shutter release on the first and second shots. I set mine for focus as the first priority and shutter release as the priority for the second shot. You might do well to have both the first and second priority be focus. I shoot mostly wildlife and birds, I might find other settings better for sports (I don't shoot sports at all). The thing about pro-level cameras is that they are meant to be used by people who will take the time to optimize the camera for their particular use...and different people have different priorities...I would not want it any other way, personally. Best!
Jared I am a canon user, I feel there is some lenses from canon that do slight back focus ( I am a photojournalist and I use the 5dMark II) when I use my zoom lens its really sucks to focus but if you use prime lens 99% on my 5d Mark II gets really great so I think some old canon lens needs some calibration!(thats my opinion)
Canon 7D mark II or Nikon D7200? Which one should I buy? I don't have wild life or sports photography passion. I would like to buy a camera for my personal purposes. Image quality is something what matters to me.. Please suggest..
Hey Jared I have been going back and forth for a while now. Like you said in the video. Money is an issue. I would love to shoot wildlife and landscapes! But I just can't decide which camera to get. I am trying to decide whether to go with the Canon 7D Mark ii or with the Canon full frame 6d. (Or keep saving and go for the 5d mark iii) But I want to make the right purchase the first time as money is an issue. I want something that is going to preform well for both wildlife and landscape. But after seeing that this doesn't do the best job of really focusing sharp, I'm not sure which way to go. Today I was thinking after a lot of research that I would go with the 7d mark ii. Because as much as I love landscapes, I really love photographing wildlife. And thought that the 65 points would be great for that. But after seeing your video, I'm not sure how well, it really will do, especially out doors where there are lots of extra things for it to go off and focus on. I want something that is going to do a good job tracking and getting sharp images. Can you point me in the right direction, as to which one you think would do the best for the money???
I'm not sure when this footage was taken or when exactly the firmware was released but canon might have fixed the AF problem you're having in a firmware update: "1. Fixes a phenomenon whereby the AF does not operate properly at a focal length of about 100 mm when used in combination with an EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens."
Hi Jared, I have now the 5d Mark II for a couple of years. I like this one because it is a great allround Camare with great results. But I became nowadays more into sport photography and I'm looking for a better canon boday for shooting sports. I don't want to spend that money as the Canon EOS 1DX mark II. I want to spent around the 1000 tot 2000 Euro. Do you think the 7D Mark II is stil these days (2019) a good one to buy or do you have better options for shooting sport in this price range (1000-2000 Euro)? Thanks for your opinion!
Why does higher ISO change data size? I would think it's less details, or is it because of the noise variation adds more random colors to the overall image?
Because noise doesn't compress. The Jpeg algorithm can save a lot of space if there's an area of similar tones of green (for example) but if there's a lot of noise at high ISO then the algorithm can't compress as effectively.
Damn you guys are getting good at this. Considering overall production quality, I think this video is one of the best, if not the best video I have ever seen on RUclips.
Jared Polin Page 131 of the manual...they can be enabled to light up red when focus is achieved.and there is another setting when enabled that forces them to light up when the Q button is pressed with AI servo is active.
Thanks for the review, if you ever get a chance, a high school volleyball or basketball game would be a lot better for me as a review. I normally shoot ISO 3200 to about 8000 and the 5D is great for that, right now I have 2 7D's and they suck inside and was thinking to moving up to the 7D MK II or getting a couple more 5D's Any thoughts
So Jared, I saw something on the top of the camera. Was that a wireless flash trigger to the strobes in the Wells Fargo Center? I was just wondering if you were using any external light sources other than just the overhead lights in the arena. I know the other photographer Jack has a pocket wizard to trigger the strobes. Thanks
I mainly shoot a "lower end" EOS cameras. T3i, T4i and they too use up more info with a higher ISO. I never noticed that until you mentioned it in this video but I checked just to see if it did.
Thanks Jared for this review. I've downloaded the dng files and yes, I pixel peeped, but your photos made me realise I've been too harsh on my 7d2 as I've seen noise at iso 1600, but only when zoomed in!
I'd like to start off with, I really enjoyed that review. Thank you for all of the time you put into it. Next, I did want to comment on the video quality. While I was watching, I did notice the video seemed "off" a bit. And toward the end of the review you revealed that you shot it with the 7D mkII. The quality of the video is def not up to par with the nikon full frame cameras. Its not bad, but when you are use to the consistent quality time and time again. You do see a change. I never understood the microcalibrations either when it comes to Canon. I also believe that if you mount great glass to a decent body. It should give you the full potential without having to tweak it. Overall, I do think it is a great camera and once the user has all of their lenses dialed in, it should be really great as a step up from the other crop sensors around. This body will def be one I would consider buying. I must give Nikon credit though, my one buddy who shoots high fashion photography uses a crop nikon 5200 I believe and really is one of the best photographers in the Tampa Bay area of FL. Showing great gear only takes you so far.
Hi jared, maybe that in some shots the focus is not so thight because of the image stabilization of the lens? In some cases, when the camera is steady, the stabilization could determine such a "blur" effect.
Hi Jared Polin thanks for the review. I will be shooting mostly video so I would like more the articulating screen from the 70D but my main concern to decide between the 7DMarkII and the 70D is the noise at low light/high ISO situations because I want to shoot some wedding videos at night. I'm trying to decide between the 70D and 7D MarkII for that. Is the noise better with the 7DMarkII when shooting in low light for example at 6400 or 12800 compared to the 70D ?
a grate review my man, I do video reviews and unboxings with slide shots and interviews on my channel and I'm going to upgrade my cam. what would you advise me to get a 7D mark ii or 5D mark iii?
I'm not either a sport nor a wild life photographer, would you advise for this camera for fashion photography?? I'm currently using Canon 650D (rubble T4i) which is fine for me as a freelance photographer, but I'm struggeling when using 800 ISO or above, this is the main thing making me thinking to upgrade to 7D Mark ii.
I'm kinda having a tough time deciding between the 7DII and the 6D. I like to shoot all sorts of stuff, from rally to landscape. My main focus is landscape, which the 6d is great for but I still like shooting sports and portraits too. What do you think I should get?
Tough, as a higher MP camera such as the D810 or Sony a7r would suit you better. Might as well get the 5DIII if you're not willing to sell your glass and camera or wait for the 5DIV.
Excellent review. I would like to see this camera used in a tougher situation. The swimming pool (indoor to boot). I had the old 7D and I thought even that was being put in an uncomfortable position when shooting action inside what is a relatively dimly lit environment. I found focus very tricky in those conditions. I oft resorted to manual are focusing to get the shots.
9:09 I just keep it off and press the 'Q' button whenever I want to see what is on the screen. Most of the time I use the top LCD but when you need the back screen it's a handy way to check it without having it on all the time.
fro,do you think that the 7d mk ii would be a good all around camera for someone that is just starting off in photography. I need a camera that can shoot sports and do great portraits. Or should I look at the 5d mk iii
i think the problem is with the lens. i have the 70 200 2.8 is ii and with my old 7d it just misses focus by a couple of millimeters. made me go nuts. with the 5d it works fine though.
Jared, you didn't know that the images left change when you change ISO? That has ALWAYS been that way all the way back when I owned a Canon 300D (original Rebel)! Look at the jpeg size-on my 7D it can be about 5MP with ISO 100 (at highest JPEG setting), and 8.5 MP at ISO 3200! I'm SHOCKED that you didn't know this!
Hey Jared I had the same, soft focus issue with my 70d either it was back or front focussing and it was very pronounced when using the centre focusing point. I had a chat with canon, and their engineer, apparently the sensor and the focusing system is within tolerance but is slightly misaligned and the super sensitive centre focus point makes it even worse by amplifying the problem. This problem was there in 40% of the European models so I returned it and got one from the USA a couple of months ago and is fine now. usually its the initial models which have these issues, which are later rectified.
Thanks Jared,I processed in Lr and Ps CC,can state with confidence that the 7DmkI would have given crap images at 1600 iso,these shots are great for seeing the difference,BTW coming from Aust [temp currently 39 C and rising]seeing all that ice was nice...
I am upgrading my body from canon t4i, the confusion for me is that I have been shooting youth hockey for teams with my 70-2002.8 and now I am moving into portrait and family photography along with the hockey. I am not sure if I should buy Canon 5Dmark lll or get the 7DM2 along with the D6 (both these bodies are about the same as just the 5DM3 on its own). I would love your imput. This will be a side business for me currently not full time.
Great review Jarid! Do these focus issues appear frequently or just now and then? I'm considering trading in my Nikon D7100 + Nikkor 70-200 f2.8 VR II for the Canon 7D mark II + Canon 70-200 f2.8 because I constantly have these problems, sometimes just 1 out of 6 frames in a burst is sharp and it drives me nuts. Would you say the Canon is an improvement over the D7100? Thanks Rick.
dollypix I think they just are there almost all the time. There are some super tack images and others that I know I should have been right on but I wasn't.
I also own the D7100 and 70-200 F2.8. The focus system with this combo has been simply first class for me these last 18 months. Perfect focus is achieved 85% of the time. You may need to get your gear checked out. Also make sure you have updated the firmware in the D7100.. I am certain Nikon will release a new speed demon DX camera early in 2015 along with a new 300mm F4 prime lens.
***** Gear is checked, cleaned and calibrated. I asked Nikon about this problem and they looked at my equipement, my settings and my pictures and they basically said "after all it is a consumer camera, if you want better performance upgrade to D4(S)"
Jared Polin how about just getting the camera and lens adjusted. I mean in a service center (in-camera micro-adjustments don't always help). I think this particular camera-lens combo has front focusing issues.
Given the AF's inability to stay on the ball so to speak, is there (or will there be?) a Nikon equivalent to 7D MKII anytime soon? The 300S is kinda of old news but has anything replaced it? My 7D was always 'soft' and I've since replaced it with a 60D (also soft and horrible ISO) as a short term replacement while I impatiently awaited the MKII. Doesn't sound like it's all I dreamed of?
Hi Jared Thank you for this review and thank you in general for all the amazing stuff you put for us to learn from and enjoy. Putting the shots that look soft a side how would you compare the good/sharp shots you got to the Nikon D7100 or D750 ? I saw some reviews saying that yes the 7D II is good at low light but the price is softer pictures compared to even the D3300 Its as if Canon made a camera that is not all that sharp and in return its good in low light. Again that's just from reviews that I read and I would love to hear what you think of this and if its true. Thank you Amir
I agree with you on the sharpness. It’s very annoying as I shoot wildlife and they are not tack sharp. I’m dissatisfied with this. I also find that on ISO beyond 800 ISO and my pics become very grainy
Is the 7D Mark II still your go to recommendation for wildlife and sports shooting? I have a 70D and feel the focus system is behind what I need it for. Specifically, shooting my 2 year old running around outside, beach ect. and also trying to capture marlin and action fishing shots on a boat in the ocean. Any thoughts would be appreciated! Thx!
Quick tip on my 70D I discovered a setting that turns off the screen whenever the shutter button is pressed. It would be interesting to see if this camera has that feature as well.
I wonder, do they make any plugins that will automatically analyze an ISO 12233 chart and and simply tell you the effective resolution of the image instead of you having to manually figure it out? I feel that this will work well for calibrating a cameras focus as it will allow for a faster process of locking the camera on a tripod, then tweaking the focus and taking shots until they all give you the best possible sharpness.
I'd like to know what focus mode you were in on those "slightly missed" shots. For my stuff, I think it is operator error a lot of the time....the AF system is complex so it takes time to learn when to use which mode.
Great review. I have owned a 1D MkIII since it came out 7 years ago, and it's a great camera. I'm used to getting up to 9000 images on one battery (even now with the original battery). I don't think any non pro cameras (1D for Canon or D3/4 for Nikon) get many more than 1000 pics max on a charge (which is a bit sad). I don't think the Sony A7 gets close to 1000 shots on a charge. I too though have seen the odd , unexplained, "soft focus" where you can't specifically see what is in focus. It's very odd. As for lens calibration, that's next to impossible to do yourself with a zoom lens (unless the newer cams like the 7D MkII let you calibrate for the different lengths in the zoom). Also, as someone who has shot most sports I can say hockey is probably the most difficult (speed and variability of movement, nothing else really comes close). You did a FANTASTIC job, Jared! Nice to get the ice level hole in the glass too! Btw, nice Mac, is that the 5k retina?
2 things Jared. 1) for battery life, it seems not fair to speak about sporting event battery life without throwing on the battery grip and having double the life. 2) I would love to see the follow up here about your experiences with sharpness after manually focus adjusting the lenses to the camera. Also, were you in ai servo during those concert shots, if so, I would suggest trying out one shot as the ai servo assumes movement and is always trying to guess in what direction that movement will be, hence your lack of tack tack sharpness in still photos. Great review regardless.
Maybe a stupid question...but since the focus in singlepoint AF was not performing as you desired ....did you make a focus calibration test, to see if it was off focus?
I am still using a 5D mk II and I managed to get 1,720 shots (with 19% battery remaining). I really want to upgrade but battery performance may be a deal breaker for me
Great review Jared. One thing that bothers me is the advertising of the crop sensor for nature/sports because of the "extra reach" from the 1.6 crop sensor. Correct me if I'm wrong but there is no extra reach, it's just a different FOV.
I don't think the sensor or anything in the camera magnifies the view (I could be wrong). So I would liken it to looking out a window. The regular window shape would be full frame and then if you create the frame inside the window that would a the crop sensor. Different FOV but that tree outside your window is not magnified any closer.
@@seanehook This is correct but the point you're missing is that you get to extract 20 MP of image from the smaller area. You'd need a 51 MP full frame sensor to maintain the same resolution (20x1.6x1.6). Now if you don't have to crop the image this is no big deal but real world considerations about sizes of lenses and distance to subject mean that you can't often fill the frame (certainly for subjects like birds) so cropping is commonly required. Or, to think of it another way, the 300mm lens on a Canon crop body gives the same field of view as a 480mm lens on a full frame body. But a 300mm lens is a lot lighter and cheaper than a 480mm lens!
Something you said confuses me...did you say that Adobe doesn't allow you to edit RAW?? Surely you know that you open the RAW files in Adobe Bridge, then pre-edit them in Adobe Camera RAW, which then automatically opens them on Photoshop or if you prefer, Lightroom...maybe I am misunderstanding you.
Why do you think it's not good for weddings and portraiture? I'm trying to make up my mind if I should buy the 7d mark 2 or the 5d mark 3... I shoot mostly portraiture and starting to get into shooting weddings and some video as well, is the 5d mark 3 really worth the extra money? Or should I get the 7d mark 2 and use the extra money on glass?
I know it’s a little dated at this point, but I still use my 7d II for most of my sporting events, at least daytime events. When shooting action events, (sports, airshows, etc) I find it’s best to use expanded center point focus and control your focal point a little more. In busy scenes, I find that most cameras, (this one is no different) often guess wrong as the focus tends to either lock on the closest moving subject, or in some cases, the fastest moving subject, neither of which may be the intended subject. I’ve never been a huge fan of the lowlight capability of the 7D II, but for a crop sensor, it’s very good. With some post work, you can get some very usable shots.
Thanks for the tip, Tim
I have a 7D and bought a 7D Mark II last Dec. It was having focusing issues, esp with wildlife movement. I was about to send it back when I checked the firm ware. The description of the software matched the problem I was having. I love the camera now after the update.
Here's me, years late to the dance again. Just today I got my Mk II, which I traded in my beloved 7D for. Haven't had much of a chance to do anything with it yet other than update the firmware, set the clock, and make a few custom settings that I like. But if this camera is anything like my 7D, I anticipate a long and happy relationship. I'm old-school and archaic; my camera bodies are my original 300D that I got in 2003, and a 20D, 1DX Mk III, and now the 7D Mk II. I've got a few decent lenses, with the 70-200 f/4 the only one on my wish list (except for a 500mm, but that's a ways in the future). I know the world is moving to mirrorless now and I have nothing against mirrorless, but my kit is perfectly fine for my needs, so I'm happy to remain stuck in the past!
I wasn't all that impressed with the 7d mkii AF at first, thinking the 80d was a bit better. Then found out that the camera has a capped SD card transfer rate that causes shutter lag. Purchased a CF card for it and it turned into a totally different beast. Seriously awesome camera.
This is my first comment on RUclips (ever). But I just had to take the time to congratulate Jared with the quality of this review. You simply can see that he has put a lot of time and effort in this one. Great job!
Hey Jared, nice video. I hear your concerns about the autofocusing and here's what I have come up with in my experience this past month. I've shot two events this past week and I also came home with some images that were just a little out of focus. I made a conscious effort to work around it or identify what was causing it today while I was shooting. I usually shoot "One Point AF" and do with all my cameras, so I figured I would do the same with this. Today I found more success with "Expand Area AF" where a few surrounding points from the point you selected can be active - should the camera see fit. It seemed to clear up my problem almost entirely. It would 90% of the time lock on the manually selected point, but it would occasionally show two active points like it maybe used information for a neighboring point to help it lock focus. Still need more time with the camera to be sure, but it looks like it worked well today.
Its 2023 and im considering pulling the trigger on a 7d mk2 and either the 70-200 f2.8 L USM or the 70-300 f4-f5.6 L IS USM for shooting motorcycles, even looking at one of the cheaper sigma/tamron options but im not sure they would be as quick to focus than the USM lenses? Alternative is a Sony A7ii with a Sony E 70-350mm f/4.5-6.3 G OSS.
My 2 favorite things: Photography and Flyers hockey. Awesome video, man! Just recently picked up a 7D Mark II to go with my 5DIII. I had 2 5DIIIs for a while, but I wanted to have a capable crop sensor camera and I'm loving this thing so much so far. Plus for a 2nd camera, the price point of the 7DII is easier to swallow than a second 5DIII lol.
I completely agree, and have the exact same results. I have used my 7d II every day for the past 2 weeks. When pouring over sports shots, I can't explain why certain shots are razor sharp, and others a little soft. I've played with focus tracking and points and gone up to insane shutter rates - to no avail. I can't eliminate the problem. I have about 50% keeper rate. That is certainly better than my regular 7d. Even shooting some portraits I'd get a strange soft shot every now and then. At least now I don't feel like I've got something configured wrong!
Regarding some shots being slightly out: I've seen this before on the original 7D and it can be a MFA issue OR a lens adjustment issue. With my 7D 3 lenses seemed like they would subtly miss at times without any other explanation (i.e. still subject, camera on tripod). One was quickly resolved with MFA, the other two...fast primes, one 3rd party...needed factory adjustment, i.e. the lens itself wasn't tight.
Having said that if light is poor and the AF target is small relative to the AF point you can't expect any camera to AF perfectly to human expectations. If someone is far enough from the camera that a single AF point covers more of their face then one eye then the camera isn't going to always hit that eye just perfect (for example). I've gotten a feel for situations where I should flip on spot AF, or if I can't do that and need more points active, just stop down a bit more.
And of course if you're talking about a fast prime wide open, i.e. a portrait, simply breathing between AF and shutter release can cause you to move enough to shift focus.
Agree 100% on JPEG vs. RAW, you sacrifice fine detail with Canon's JPEG engine, and even with DPP. ACR does a much, much better job here and yields a significant resolution and sharpness boost. In JPEG Canon's files are "meh", in ACR they can be spectacular.
G Naron Let me add I think Jared did a great review as well, and hope my post did not come off as nitpicking his review. Just a comment on my experience with AF issues.
G Naron
Check pages 117 and 118 of the 7D II manual and make sure you have the burst shots set for Focus Priority instead of Equal or Release which will cause the burst to fire at times when focus isn't fully achieved. This should help with the missed burst shots.
Jared - great review. I have a 7D2 that I use for hockey, and more everyday as an everyday camera, and I use 5D3s for weddings. The 7D2 I'm learning has a very steep learning curve to figure out all the little things that matter in order to make it work. I have boiled it down it tiny pixels, not close to the size of the 1Dx's nor 5D3s, being asked to do too much in terms of both resolution and focus - and I think it is the size of the pixels in terms of being able to achieve contrast for focus that is at the heart of the issue. The 1Dx can't nearly put the same number of pixels on a subject, given the same lens, but because the pixels are so much larger it's ability to grab focus with contrast is so much better that its hit rate is higher and the user is thus happier - and they aren't printing massive posters with 1Dx crops.
I think either another Digic 6 processor is needed and / or better software is needed to pull in more pixels / data to create the contrast that is necessary to nail the tack sharp focus more often - i.e. to simulate the 1Dx type larger pixels.
I don't think it is a coincidence that the 1Dx is optimized at 16m pixels on a FF - it was clearly a trial and error and researched process that maximized the focus / high iso sweet spot - the 7D2 on its tiny sensor by comparison is doing a decent job given the task at hand.
I think I can safely predict that the 1Dx mark 2 will not have 50m pixels like the 5DS - my guess is 18-20m with a quieter shutter.
Keep up the good work
This is probably your BEST review yet, goddamn Im amazed of the order of things, and the overall composition. Thanks for it.
Some of these focusing issues sound like you may need to do some micro adjustments with the lens. I find this is more common on crop sensors given the lenses tend to be made for full frame, especially if you're using L glass.
I agree with what you pay it should be spot on, but there are minuscule differences between each copy of a lens and camera body that can put it off ever so slightly. It can be literally microns out and cause these kind of issues, especially the further out you're zooming.
The focus issues could be the 7DII, but it is also just as likely that the lenses you were using and the 7DII aren't fully calibrated to each other. I once read a lengthy description of why micro-adjustments are necessary and why every lens should be calibrated to the camera before use. Basically it boils down down to manufacturing variations (camera and lens), calibration variations (different individuals in different factories at different times doing the base-line calibration) and age (AF apparently changes as a lens gets older; I'm assuming the AF motors wear down changing the calibration). The lenses and the camera are calibrated to a base-line and, in theory, that should work most of the time. However, sometimes they don't (especially with third-party lenses or newer cameras). If you want tack sharp focus, the easiest way to ensure it is to recalibrate the camera's AF to the lenses you're using. I have found that LensAlign makes the whole process of calibration simpler and faster, especially with FocusTune -- there are other products in addition to doing it manually, but I've used LensAlign ... and FocusTune is really neat. It is easily worth the cost of the kit. I agree we shouldn't have to make these adjustments, but it is relatively easy to fix.
Garett Harnish hi i have a 7dmii but a 70 200 IS II i see my picture is not Sharp isit the lens have a problem or the camera what should I do
Jared, your latest reviews have been absolutely phenomenal. This one included! I got the 7d Mark II on release day and also noticed that the images were slightly under "tack" sharp. Not one other review has mentioned this, so thank you for proving that I am not crazy. I do love the feel of this camera and obviously the AF performance. I was hoping for it to be a 2nd body to my 5d mark III, but with the focusing issue I don't know if I am going to be able to keep it. As you said, most people wouldn't notice it, but it bothers me the same way it bothers you. I am primarily a wedding & portrait photographer and feel that I may still be better off with a 6d as a second body. But I can't stand the lack of AF in the 6d. I do occasionally shoot some action though so I am still very torn. I have a few days left on the return policy. I guess its decision time! Thanks again and I'm loving the DSLR video guide by the way!!
Hi Jared. I had some issues with the AF system in my 1DX along with the 70-200 2.8 ll until I realised that I had to micro adjust a little bit the wide and long focal length. In my opinion it's nothing wrong with the camera because of that. It's good that the feature like the micro adjustment is available because by using it you can get even better results to get tack sharp pictures.
I found a 7d Mark ii with only a 7000 count on the shutter. It was part of a Black Friday sale here in South Africa. My wife told me she would rather have that camera then a new one that is made cheaper. Christmas came a little early this year.... ha ha!
Hows your experience with it?
awesome review Jared! As for the tack sharp focus - would be awesome to check it out with the focus point plugin showing where the camera thinks it got focus.
best wishes!
Hiya! just uploaded the focus point display here: www.dropbox.com/sh/ja21lzzpreydu5z/AAD4zbYn_Ry2zfw3IXm5S2Gma?dl=0
best wishes,
M>
Jared Polin My 6D also adjusts the number of frames left when changing ISO. That's a nice feuture, because noisy images do take more space.
So, on a whole, saving up for this camera is something I should do as a enthusiast photographer? I have two Canons now, 1100D and 700D, and they have both been good for me. Will a 7D Mark II work som magic for me? I'm using my cameras in my daily work for things we do everyday, as well as shooting portraits of new employees. But I also use them for nature, private portraits, easier model photography and trains. Will 7D be too much for an enthusiast or is it perfect?
Nothing will work magic for you except you!
Sell the t3, keep the t5i as backup, get a used full frame like 5d ii or 6d unless you want to shoot lots of wildlife/sports. 7D ii was made for action.
Just my opinion, cheers.
alex0589
Thanks for your quick and kind response. It's not action I'm after so this camera is probably not for me. A used 5D or 6D, I will keep this in mind. Thanks again.
breakaleg10
A new 6D is cheaper than 7D2 so don't buy used.
Sorry I'm so late to comment, I just got my 7DII used. I've been watching some of the RUclipss from Pangolin in Africa. My suspicion is that this camera captures a much sharper photo in AI Servo than in One Shot, even if you're only shooting one frame. It's a little bit of a hefty camera and it can be difficult to hold still at times while releasing the shutter. In AI Servo, the camera is anticipating a moving subject. But from the point of view of the camera, camera movement looks the same as subject movement. And the camera is so sharp that even a little movement shows up soft in the photo.
Another thing that was recommended was making the focus more "sticky" on the subject with the tracking sensitivity, which can be found in the AF menu. The result is that I can now get very sharp images with hand shooting where I needed to use my tripod to get equivalent results. It's clear to me that I bought above my level. I'm glad Canon included some features to de-tune it a little. And I'm happy at 5 fps silent drive. Another option you might want to consider using is the automatic ISO. The camera's low noise features are so good that it could be one less thing to worry about. Rolls of film tell the camera the ISO automatically and the camera does the rest unless you choose to override it.
Thanks for the great video Jared.
Thanks for the info!
The 7D Mark ii will be my next camera!
was it your next camera then? what are your impressions about it?
Its 5years now, is the camera good?
6 years on and this will be my next camera saving my pennies and can't wait.
The little subtleness of the difference between shots is down to the person holding the camera!! Great review etc... and did learn a lot from this video. Many Thanks
I am a diehard Canon user. I loved this video, but I do wish you would do one on the New Canon 70D. I purchased one approximately 6 months ago and love it.
Jared, I thought I was doing something wrong when I was not getting clear (Crystal) photo, I have been shooting this camera for about a year now. I have not made those micro adjustments, I too believe when you spend the money on L glass and this camera everything should be spot on! I shoot manual most of the time and I was taking portrait shots of my kids and they were soft even when I can see where I had the focus points. I am glad you brought this up. Great video and thank you.
Thanks for taking the time to do such a thorough review. I really, really appreciate it. Sure made my buying decision much easier.
Hi Jared,
I shoot 5d Mk3 and I have noticed the occasional lack of sharpness as well. I saw it on the 5d Mk2, too. I shoot mostly landscape and I've resorted to using manual focus with live view at 10x magnification to try and get around the lack of sharpness, but even then, some of my shots do not come out tack sharp, even if they look sharp in preview right after shooting. I've been told that I need to calibrate the lenses for the individual body, but when I'm doing live view, why should that matter? Either way, it's something I'll need to try.
Very good review. I'm more in need of full-frame for what I do but it does give me a very good idea of what to expect from the 7D.
Also, I do have to give Canon kudos for the new 24-70 2.8 II. Holy cow, what a lens - I have always shot standard zoom more out of convenience, but this lens has a render so nice that I shoot it just because I want the images it produces. While it's not quite as tack sharp as a prime across the whole frame, it's still sharp enough and it just renders so nicely. Definitely my favorite standard zoom so far, but for what they're charging, it better be.
I never realized there are holes to take pictures through! Very interesting.
+Glenners I wonder how often puck goes right through the lens
@@MaherBaba I was thinking the same
I'm totally stuck in the middle right now. I want to finally replace my 40D that has been old faithful for many years but at the same time I want to do more video. Difference is I'm a much better photographer than a video editor. At the end of your review you stated that if you are looking more towards video get the 70D over the 7D Mark III for the touchscreen features. So now comes the time to process what I want to do. Maybe I should just borrow both bodies and see which one I like the most. All the AF Points though... I want them all!
Jared, although this video was made a few years when the 7D ii came out, you were having trouble with the focus points on some of your shots and you seemed somewhat frustrated. Perhaps you didn't have the right focus points or zone selected, since this was sort of new to everyone at the time?
This is the best, most unbias review I have watched to date. Thank you Jared. I love my 7D Mark ii
I managed to get my hands on a 7D II and I have it for a week. Will go through photos properly when I get home.
About just missing AF sometimes, you might want to look into AF microadjust.
Really helpful and great review thanks. Whats your view on the sensor not being full frame in this camera?? Does it matter these days? Cheers
I really like those kind of real world reviews. You offer a totally different perspective than those specs citing, number throwing, pixel peeping reviews you usually get on the internets. I guess, a review for photographers, not gear heads :) Good work, keep it up, and get even better.
As for the video part at the end, it looks waaaay oversharpened. Were those the default settings?
My ex 70D which shared the same focusing system with old 7D had a similar problem.. after a while it makes you want to throw up..
I have a 6D now FullFrame camera with an old school focusing system which is always great and it can lock focus almost in complete darkness.
I don't understand whether it's me or is it actually something is wrong with the contrast... Have you retouched those photos afterwards before posting? I'm just curious because the contrast looks very strong if it's shot as it is.
P.S. Shadows on white look amazing.
Very good review, honest and to the points of most interest when looking at the new 7Dii. I loved the traffic lighting on the fro, red, green... awesome shots.
I agree with the touch screen! I have one on my 70D and it is a total joy to have and use.
Did you do micro adjustments with you lens before the test?
After reading the other post, it looks like the main fault is not knowing the camera and its settings. Its some thing I come across all the time, you must read the manual all the way and do your own settings to get what you want shooting what you shoot. after all we all shoot different.
I recently started getting into sports photography and i shoot with a 7d MkI. Im starting to look for a new body. I like to shoot nikon but I have really enjoyed my 7d. I'm considering the 610 (because i want a full frame), a (7100 for 24mp crop sensor) and the 7d MkII (because i'm used to the already). Which would you recommend?
PS. I could put the money I saved on the 7100 for glass.
I also love the quality of this video! I have watched you for a few years and you have come along way. Cannot wait to see how much better your work will be as tech keeps advancing!
I think all cameras have some tolerance in the focus. It is a trade between focusing speed and focusing accuracy. Also I know high ISO noise will soften images to make them look slightly out of focus. Finally with a long lens and fast moving subjects motion blur is always a problem. You just have to crank up the shutter speed for that.
Best part of this review.... burst mode...j/k, The Fro covers everything I need to know as always!! Thank Mr Fro Knows 👍👍👍
Jared Polin I was wondering if you changed the 1st and 2nd image priority to hitting focus over faster shutter release? I know these are settings available on the 7d mkII though you never mentioned them in the video, which could perhaps explain why some shots weren't as sharp as you would like.
thats why you should rush through your manual, when you get a new camera :D It's always worth it.
Pretty funny he says good if your a birder and then a birds flys by at 1:17
that was unexpected.
Fantastic review! Thank you. I have this camera and I can verify that the batteries do run down quickly. I use a battery pack with two batteries and the camera seams to last a long time with that configuration. I also have large hands and like the pack to hold though I can imagine it might be a lot to carry for some, and it does add a little weight. Love the review and always learn a lot with Jared's videos. This camera has also inspired me to learn to shoot manually and I love the placement of the buttons. Love the camera for nature photography.
Hey great video comparison, i would like your opinion with the 70d, 7d mkii and 5d mkiii. Currently i have the canon rebel t5i (previously had the canon t2i) and I'm looking to upgrade the body. I need this camera to do a little bit of everything, i shoot music videos, short films, live concerts, weddings, birthday parties and this is for both photos and videos. I'm leaning towards the 7d mk ii for both price and quality upgrades but I'm hung up on the full frame censor on the 5k mkiii. also I'm torn with saving money on the 7d (or the 70d) and to get my self a nice lens instead of putting all my money on a 5d mk iii. keep in mind my budget is around $3400 for everything. this isn't a hobby either, I've been doing freelance video and photography for about 5 years and I'm ready to take the plunge equipment wise for the long haul. I look forward to your response, thanks again
When aplying crop-factor, you must also take into account the f-number. 300 f2.8 becomes a 480 f4.5. Also, if the lens is compatible with full frame, you loose part of the light, as it "spreads" around the sensor to cover a full frame sized sensor as it is designed, therefore the now f4.5 acts probably becomes a f5, maybe f5.5...or ... this is included in the first scaling..? Jared, any tips on this?
If the lens is mounted on a full frame camera, there is no crop factor. The crop factor only applies to the cropped sensor; not the lens itself. A 50mm lens is a 50mm lens no matter what camera you put it on. On a crop sensor camera, the IMAGE it produces is the equivalent to the image an 80mm lens creates on a full frame camera. As for the aperture, the same thing applies. An f/2.8 is f/2.8 no matter what camera the lens is mounted on. The f number is simply a ratio of the aperture to focal length. Again, this is a function that has nothing to do with the camera it is mounted to. The crop factors are again merely APPARENT. Applying the crop factor to the aperture has more to do with depth of field than it does light (although there IS less light - it's just inherently so). And the depth of field only changes for subjects because you have to get a lot closer to a subject with the same lens attached to a full frame camera - which means more background blur. The lens itself doesn't cause this - the fact that you moved closer to the subject (in order to get the same framing) is the reason.
Imagine you have a projector that projects an image of a landscape on a wall. Suppose you put a sheet of regular notebook paper on the center of the image, and trace it. Now do the same thing with a big piece of construction paper. The projected image is exactly the same in both cases. The only thing that changed between the two images you traced is the size of the paper you traced the image on. If you blew up the smaller image to be the same size as the construction paper image, it would APPEAR that the smaller version is simply a cropped version of the bigger picture. When in reality, it was simply captured on a smaller medium. That's all a crop sensor is.
Willoughby Krenzteinburg yes, a 50mm lens is 50mm on the crop sensor too. but the guy have right about the light...
On 1.5 crop, it acts like a 75mm on full frame. This is what I was reffering to.
Constantin Cabiniuc "it acts like a" - yes, and this is the difference, what everyone misunderstood. The 50mm lens is always 50mm. What is changing is only the field of view, because is cropped. But you're right about the light. ;)
The focus misses are the same as the original 7d. Believe me, I suffered for 5 years with the 7d. Finally went with a 5dmIII and couldn't be happier with the auto focus. What a world of difference.
Awesome review, really liked the "new editing scheme" where You review in the cuts between the shooting parts, instead of editing in the review over the video of You shooting
You van illuminate the active AF point. Once you set the point from auto to on in the AF folder, hit Q and select to illuminate.
By the way....You probably should go into the menu and set the priority for focus vs shutter release on the first and second shots. I set mine for focus as the first priority and shutter release as the priority for the second shot. You might do well to have both the first and second priority be focus. I shoot mostly wildlife and birds, I might find other settings better for sports (I don't shoot sports at all). The thing about pro-level cameras is that they are meant to be used by people who will take the time to optimize the camera for their particular use...and different people have different priorities...I would not want it any other way, personally. Best!
Awesome camera, but also the sports action, was awesome too. I have the 60D right now, and staying with that for a while.
Jared I am a canon user, I feel there is some lenses from canon that do slight back focus ( I am a photojournalist and I use the 5dMark II) when I use my zoom lens its really sucks to focus but if you use prime lens 99% on my 5d Mark II gets really great so I think some old canon lens needs some calibration!(thats my opinion)
Canon 7D mark II or Nikon D7200? Which one should I buy? I don't have wild life or sports photography passion. I would like to buy a camera for my personal purposes. Image quality is something what matters to me.. Please suggest..
Hey Jared
I have been going back and forth for a while now. Like you said in the video. Money is an issue. I would love to shoot wildlife and landscapes! But I just can't decide which camera to get. I am trying to decide whether to go with the Canon 7D Mark ii or with the Canon full frame 6d. (Or keep saving and go for the 5d mark iii) But I want to make the right purchase the first time as money is an issue. I want something that is going to preform well for both wildlife and landscape. But after seeing that this doesn't do the best job of really focusing sharp, I'm not sure which way to go. Today I was thinking after a lot of research that I would go with the 7d mark ii. Because as much as I love landscapes, I really love photographing wildlife. And thought that the 65 points would be great for that. But after seeing your video, I'm not sure how well, it really will do, especially out doors where there are lots of extra things for it to go off and focus on. I want something that is going to do a good job tracking and getting sharp images. Can you point me in the right direction, as to which one you think would do the best for the money???
I'm not sure when this footage was taken or when exactly the firmware was released but canon might have fixed the AF problem you're having in a firmware update:
"1. Fixes a phenomenon whereby the AF does not operate properly at a focal length of about 100 mm when used in combination with an EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens."
Hi Jared, I have now the 5d Mark II for a couple of years. I like this one because it is a great allround Camare with great results. But I became nowadays more into sport photography and I'm looking for a better canon boday for shooting sports. I don't want to spend that money as the Canon EOS 1DX mark II. I want to spent around the 1000 tot 2000 Euro. Do you think the 7D Mark II is stil these days (2019) a good one to buy or do you have better options for shooting sport in this price range (1000-2000 Euro)?
Thanks for your opinion!
Why does higher ISO change data size? I would think it's less details, or is it because of the noise variation adds more random colors to the overall image?
Because noise doesn't compress. The Jpeg algorithm can save a lot of space if there's an area of similar tones of green (for example) but if there's a lot of noise at high ISO then the algorithm can't compress as effectively.
Damn you guys are getting good at this. Considering overall production quality, I think this video is one of the best, if not the best video I have ever seen on RUclips.
There is a setting to force the focus points to show red.
There is not a way to keep them active red. I asked canon.
Jared Polin The manual says they light up in red, only in low-light conditions
Jared Polin Page 131 of the manual...they can be enabled to light up red when focus is achieved.and there is another setting when enabled that forces them to light up when the Q button is pressed with AI servo is active.
Thanks. I was hoping it was just like the 7D, which did the same.
Anthony Martin Yes, but they do not stay on fully all the time. It's only when it's active. I spoke directly with my person at canon.
Thanks for the review, if you ever get a chance, a high school volleyball or basketball game would be a lot better for me as a review.
I normally shoot ISO 3200 to about 8000 and the 5D is great for that, right now I have 2 7D's and they suck inside and was thinking to moving up to the 7D MK II or getting a couple more 5D's
Any thoughts
So Jared, I saw something on the top of the camera. Was that a wireless flash trigger to the strobes in the Wells Fargo Center? I was just wondering if you were using any external light sources other than just the overhead lights in the arena. I know the other photographer Jack has a pocket wizard to trigger the strobes. Thanks
I mainly shoot a "lower end" EOS cameras. T3i, T4i and they too use up more info with a higher ISO. I never noticed that until you mentioned it in this video but I checked just to see if it did.
Thanks Jared for this review. I've downloaded the dng files and yes, I pixel peeped, but your photos made me realise I've been too harsh on my 7d2 as I've seen noise at iso 1600, but only when zoomed in!
He's complaining that the screen is only 3", not 3,2". Yeah, OK ...
+Lars Pallesen No point whatsoever.
Try comparing 5.5 inch smartphone with a 5.7 inch one. Even then, it would be barely noticeable.
The screen is noticeably smaller then my 6d
@@mikew9788 The 6D and 6D Mk II both have 3 inch LCD screens, so you made need glasses.
my wife complains that mine is 3" and not 3.2" as well.
Dusari Srinivas Srinivas the best of
I'd like to start off with, I really enjoyed that review. Thank you for all of the time you put into it.
Next, I did want to comment on the video quality. While I was watching, I did notice the video seemed "off" a bit. And toward the end of the review you revealed that you shot it with the 7D mkII. The quality of the video is def not up to par with the nikon full frame cameras. Its not bad, but when you are use to the consistent quality time and time again. You do see a change.
I never understood the microcalibrations either when it comes to Canon. I also believe that if you mount great glass to a decent body. It should give you the full potential without having to tweak it.
Overall, I do think it is a great camera and once the user has all of their lenses dialed in, it should be really great as a step up from the other crop sensors around. This body will def be one I would consider buying.
I must give Nikon credit though, my one buddy who shoots high fashion photography uses a crop nikon 5200 I believe and really is one of the best photographers in the Tampa Bay area of FL. Showing great gear only takes you so far.
Brian Michael The entire video was shot with a 5D Mark III. The only portion with the 7D was the ending portion with me talking in my chair.
Jared Polin oh... hehe
Jared, Thank you so much for your help !! You are amazing !!
Hi jared, maybe that in some shots the focus is not so thight because of the image stabilization of the lens? In some cases, when the camera is steady, the stabilization could determine such a "blur" effect.
Hi Jared Polin thanks for the review. I will be shooting mostly video so I would like more the articulating screen from the 70D but my main concern to decide between the 7DMarkII and the 70D is the noise at low light/high ISO situations because I want to shoot some wedding videos at night. I'm trying to decide between the 70D and 7D MarkII for that. Is the noise better with the 7DMarkII when shooting in low light for example at 6400 or 12800 compared to the 70D ?
a grate review my man,
I do video reviews and unboxings with slide shots and interviews on my channel and I'm going to upgrade my cam.
what would you advise me to get a 7D mark ii or 5D mark iii?
I'm not either a sport nor a wild life photographer, would you advise for this camera for fashion photography?? I'm currently using Canon 650D (rubble T4i) which is fine for me as a freelance photographer, but I'm struggeling when using 800 ISO or above, this is the main thing making me thinking to upgrade to 7D Mark ii.
I'm kinda having a tough time deciding between the 7DII and the 6D. I like to shoot all sorts of stuff, from rally to landscape. My main focus is landscape, which the 6d is great for but I still like shooting sports and portraits too. What do you think I should get?
***** I don't think the 6D is worth it, terrible auto focus points as in one cross type.
Hmm... Interesting, as it seems a lot of people have it. What might you suggest to upgrade to then? I currently have a t3i with quality glass.
I'd go 7DII, or sell everything and get a D750 ;)
Tough, as a higher MP camera such as the D810 or Sony a7r would suit you better. Might as well get the 5DIII if you're not willing to sell your glass and camera or wait for the 5DIV.
I have both a 6D and a 7DM2.
Excellent review. I would like to see this camera used in a tougher situation. The swimming pool (indoor to boot). I had the old 7D and I thought even that was being put in an uncomfortable position when shooting action inside what is a relatively dimly lit environment. I found focus very tricky in those conditions. I oft resorted to manual are focusing to get the shots.
9:09 I just keep it off and press the 'Q' button whenever I want to see what is on the screen. Most of the time I use the top LCD but when you need the back screen it's a handy way to check it without having it on all the time.
fro,do you think that the 7d mk ii would be a good all around camera for someone that is just starting off in photography. I need a camera that can shoot sports and do great portraits. Or should I look at the 5d mk iii
i think the problem is with the lens. i have the 70 200 2.8 is ii and with my old 7d it just misses focus by a couple of millimeters. made me go nuts. with the 5d it works fine though.
Jared, you didn't know that the images left change when you change ISO? That has ALWAYS been that way all the way back when I owned a Canon 300D (original Rebel)! Look at the jpeg size-on my 7D it can be about 5MP with ISO 100 (at highest JPEG setting), and 8.5 MP at ISO 3200! I'm SHOCKED that you didn't know this!
Hey Jared I had the same, soft focus issue with my 70d either it was back or front focussing and it was very pronounced when using the centre focusing point. I had a chat with canon, and their engineer, apparently the sensor and the focusing system is within tolerance but is slightly misaligned and the super sensitive centre focus point makes it even worse by amplifying the problem. This problem was there in 40% of the European models so I returned it and got one from the USA a couple of months ago and is fine now. usually its the initial models which have these issues, which are later rectified.
Have you considered that the focusing may be off do to having the IS on even though you are using a higher shutter speed that should not require IS?
Thanks Jared,I processed in Lr and Ps CC,can state with confidence that the 7DmkI would have given crap images at 1600 iso,these shots are great for seeing the difference,BTW coming from Aust [temp currently 39 C and rising]seeing all that ice was nice...
I am upgrading my body from canon t4i, the confusion for me is that I have been shooting youth hockey for teams with my 70-2002.8 and now I am moving into portrait and family photography along with the hockey. I am not sure if I should buy Canon 5Dmark lll or get the 7DM2 along with the D6 (both these bodies are about the same as just the 5DM3 on its own). I would love your imput. This will be a side business for me currently not full time.
I'm a Canon shooter - I also noticed subtle focus missing on my 60D...One of the main reasons I'm thinking of switching to Nikon D610...
Great review Jarid! Do these focus issues appear frequently or just now and then?
I'm considering trading in my Nikon D7100 + Nikkor 70-200 f2.8 VR II for the Canon 7D mark II + Canon 70-200 f2.8 because I constantly have these problems, sometimes just 1 out of 6 frames in a burst is sharp and it drives me nuts. Would you say the Canon is an improvement over the D7100?
Thanks Rick.
dollypix I think they just are there almost all the time. There are some super tack images and others that I know I should have been right on but I wasn't.
I also own the D7100 and 70-200 F2.8. The focus system with this combo has been simply first class for me these last 18 months. Perfect focus is achieved 85% of the time. You may need to get your gear checked out. Also make sure you have updated the firmware in the D7100.. I am certain Nikon will release a new speed demon DX camera early in 2015 along with a new 300mm F4 prime lens.
***** Gear is checked, cleaned and calibrated. I asked Nikon about this problem and they looked at my equipement, my settings and my pictures and they basically said "after all it is a consumer camera, if you want better performance upgrade to D4(S)"
Jared Polin how about just getting the camera and lens adjusted. I mean in a service center (in-camera micro-adjustments don't always help). I think this particular camera-lens combo has front focusing issues.
Given the AF's inability to stay on the ball so to speak, is there (or will there be?) a Nikon equivalent to 7D MKII anytime soon? The 300S is kinda of old news but has anything replaced it?
My 7D was always 'soft' and I've since replaced it with a 60D (also soft and horrible ISO) as a short term replacement while I impatiently awaited the MKII. Doesn't sound like it's all I dreamed of?
Hi Jared
Thank you for this review and thank you in general for all the amazing stuff you put for us to learn from and enjoy.
Putting the shots that look soft a side how would you compare the good/sharp shots you got to the Nikon D7100 or D750 ?
I saw some reviews saying that yes the 7D II is good at low light but the price is softer pictures compared to even the D3300
Its as if Canon made a camera that is not all that sharp and in return its good in low light.
Again that's just from reviews that I read and I would love to hear what you think of this and if its true.
Thank you Amir
I agree with you on the sharpness. It’s very annoying as I shoot wildlife and they are not tack sharp. I’m dissatisfied with this. I also find that on ISO beyond 800 ISO and my pics become very grainy
Is the 7D Mark II still your go to recommendation for wildlife and sports shooting? I have a 70D and feel the focus system is behind what I need it for. Specifically, shooting my 2 year old running around outside, beach ect. and also trying to capture marlin and action fishing shots on a boat in the ocean. Any thoughts would be appreciated! Thx!
Quick tip on my 70D I discovered a setting that turns off the screen whenever the shutter button is pressed. It would be interesting to see if this camera has that feature as well.
I wonder, do they make any plugins that will automatically analyze an ISO 12233 chart and and simply tell you the effective resolution of the image instead of you having to manually figure it out?
I feel that this will work well for calibrating a cameras focus as it will allow for a faster process of locking the camera on a tripod, then tweaking the focus and taking shots until they all give you the best possible sharpness.
It's made me what to choose a little more difficult, 7D or 6D, I shoot a lot of aircraft so I guess because the 7D has 10FPS I'm leaning towards this.
Just for photography... Canon 7 d mark 2 or 5d mark 3?
I'd like to know what focus mode you were in on those "slightly missed" shots. For my stuff, I think it is operator error a lot of the time....the AF system is complex so it takes time to learn when to use which mode.
Great review. I have owned a 1D MkIII since it came out 7 years ago, and it's a great camera. I'm used to getting up to 9000 images on one battery (even now with the original battery). I don't think any non pro cameras (1D for Canon or D3/4 for Nikon) get many more than 1000 pics max on a charge (which is a bit sad). I don't think the Sony A7 gets close to 1000 shots on a charge.
I too though have seen the odd , unexplained, "soft focus" where you can't specifically see what is in focus. It's very odd.
As for lens calibration, that's next to impossible to do yourself with a zoom lens (unless the newer cams like the 7D MkII let you calibrate for the different lengths in the zoom).
Also, as someone who has shot most sports I can say hockey is probably the most difficult (speed and variability of movement, nothing else really comes close). You did a FANTASTIC job, Jared! Nice to get the ice level hole in the glass too!
Btw, nice Mac, is that the 5k retina?
2 things Jared. 1) for battery life, it seems not fair to speak about sporting event battery life without throwing on the battery grip and having double the life. 2) I would love to see the follow up here about your experiences with sharpness after manually focus adjusting the lenses to the camera. Also, were you in ai servo during those concert shots, if so, I would suggest trying out one shot as the ai servo assumes movement and is always trying to guess in what direction that movement will be, hence your lack of tack tack sharpness in still photos. Great review regardless.
I was in one shot at the concert.
Oh, awesome. Great to know, thanks for the comment.
Maybe a stupid question...but since the focus in singlepoint AF was not performing as you desired ....did you make a focus calibration test, to see if it was off focus?
I am still using a 5D mk II and I managed to get 1,720 shots (with 19% battery remaining). I really want to upgrade but battery performance may be a deal breaker for me
Great review Jared. One thing that bothers me is the advertising of the crop sensor for nature/sports because of the "extra reach" from the 1.6 crop sensor. Correct me if I'm wrong but there is no extra reach, it's just a different FOV.
People will get all technical about this but you get more reach simple as that.
I don't think the sensor or anything in the camera magnifies the view (I could be wrong). So I would liken it to looking out a window. The regular window shape would be full frame and then if you create the frame inside the window that would a the crop sensor. Different FOV but that tree outside your window is not magnified any closer.
@@seanehook This is correct but the point you're missing is that you get to extract 20 MP of image from the smaller area. You'd need a 51 MP full frame sensor to maintain the same resolution (20x1.6x1.6). Now if you don't have to crop the image this is no big deal but real world considerations about sizes of lenses and distance to subject mean that you can't often fill the frame (certainly for subjects like birds) so cropping is commonly required. Or, to think of it another way, the 300mm lens on a Canon crop body gives the same field of view as a 480mm lens on a full frame body. But a 300mm lens is a lot lighter and cheaper than a 480mm lens!
Great review Fro. Been waiting for some good old reviews. RAW talks are too long to watch. Nice shots too. Even if they are of Flyers :)
Something you said confuses me...did you say that Adobe doesn't allow you to edit RAW?? Surely you know that you open the RAW files in Adobe Bridge, then pre-edit them in Adobe Camera RAW, which then automatically opens them on Photoshop or if you prefer, Lightroom...maybe I am misunderstanding you.
When the video was made it didn't.
Why do you think it's not good for weddings and portraiture? I'm trying to make up my mind if I should buy the 7d mark 2 or the 5d mark 3... I shoot mostly portraiture and starting to get into shooting weddings and some video as well, is the 5d mark 3 really worth the extra money? Or should I get the 7d mark 2 and use the extra money on glass?
That's easy. The 5d all day