(Pocket-lint) – The R7 is Canon’s flagship APS-C digicam, it launched alongside it is cheaper sibling the R10, and the 2 our bodies are the primary APS-C cameras to utilise the model’s RF mount – beforehand reserved for full-frame cameras.
The R7 is successfully the successor to the long-standing Canon 7D collection of DSLR cameras. However, because it’s 2022, it is now a mirrorless physique. This implies it will get an digital viewfinder and a barely sleeker physique, together with some speedy burst taking pictures capabilities and superior autofocus.
The 7D was all the time an amazing choose for wildlife and sports activities shooters, and on paper, this sounds prefer it ought to greatest it on all fronts. So, how does the Canon EOS R7 truthful in the actual world? We have been placing it to the take a look at.
The Canon R7 supplies spectacular autofocus, speedy taking pictures, glorious color science and strong stabilisation. It does all of it at an affordable worth, too.
The issue lies with the lens ecosystem as a complete. On the time of writing, there are solely two lenses designed particularly for APS-C RF mount cameras, and neither is especially spectacular.
If you have already got a group of full-frame RF glass, and like the concept of getting a smaller physique or the additional attain of a cropped sensor, then it would make extra sense. In any other case, the lenses out there are each too costly and too massive for many to think about for APS-C utilization.
You’ll be able to adapt EF-mount lenses, too, and the digicam is usually out there bundled with this adapter. Nevertheless, the autofocus efficiency is not nearly as good with these lenses, so that you lose out on one of many R7’s strongest options.
Hopefully, we’ll see Canon launch some extra compelling glass within the months to return, when that occurs, the Canon R7 might be a lot simpler to advocate.
- Nice autofocus and topic recognition
- Succesful IBIS system
- Ergonomic design
- Speedy burst taking pictures
- Good worth for cash
- Only a few RF lenses designed for APS-C
- The brand new rear wheel is not nice
- Gradual sensor readout can introduce rolling shutter
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Design
- Physique: 132.0 x 90.4 x 91.7 mm
- Weight: 560g (612g with card and battery)
- Climate sealed physique
- New AF level selector and rear management wheel
Aesthetically, the Canon R7 matches the remainder of the Canon lineup with its clean sweeping curves and hardy plastic development. When you’ve used any Canon our bodies, even DSLRs relationship again a long time, you may little question discover the button structure acquainted and intuitive.
One factor that is new, although, is the position of the rear wheel. It now encircles the AF selector joystick and is positioned excessive as much as the appropriate of the EVF. We’re unsure what the logic is behind this positioning, however we aren’t significantly taken with it.
We discovered it tougher to make use of when wanting via the EVF and sometimes discovered ourselves unintentionally nudging the fallacious management when aiming for the joystick or the wheel. For essentially the most half, it really works as meant, however we a lot want the normal structure discovered on cameras just like the R6.
The on/off swap now has a film mode operate added, which makes it very handy to change to video taking pictures. It remembers your settings once you swap between modes, too. We’re massive followers of this addition.
Across the entrance, there’s an AF/MF swap that is positioned close to your ring finger when the digicam is in use. We discovered this pretty straightforward to function and will think about it coming in particularly helpful should you’re utilizing the digicam to movie your self.
Elsewhere, the buttons and their structure are pretty acquainted. We had been happy to search out that nearly the whole lot is inside attain of your proper hand, making one-handed taking pictures good and straightforward.
When the digicam is turned off, the shutter closes to guard the sensor throughout lens swaps. We love this function and wish to see different producers adopting it, too, it makes altering lenses in less-than-ideal situations a a lot much less hectic affair.
General, it is a very ergonomic design and feels very comfy within the hand. It would not fairly have the identical premium really feel as a physique just like the Fujifilm X-H2, nevertheless it feels sturdy sufficient and is climate resistant for added peace of thoughts.
Connectivity and shows
- Twin SD card slots
- Micro HDMI, 3.5mm headphone and mic sockets, USB-C
- Flip out 2.95-inch 1.62 million dot LCD
- 2.63 million dot OLED EVF
The Canon R7 options twin SD card slots, there aren’t any fancy video codecs in use right here and so no want for costly CFexpress playing cards. We’re glad to see two slots included, as this lets you both bolster your space for storing or, extra possible, again up your recordsdata on the fly.
Port choice is essential for any hybrid shooter, and Canon has finished job right here. A full-size HDMI would have been good, however Micro HDMI will get the job finished, it is just a bit much less sturdy. If you wish to document externally, the HDMI can output YCbCr 4:2:2 10bit when HDR PQ is enabled, at different settings it is 8bit 4:2:0.
We praised the Fuji X-H2S for its port structure, which allowed you to entry the HDMI and microphone ports with the display screen flipped out, however really, what Canon has finished right here is even higher. On this case, you may’t entry the HDMI, however you may entry each the headphone and microphone sockets. Because the HDMI would more than likely be feeding an on-camera monitor, it is much less prone to be wanted, so that is most likely preferable for many customers.
The LCD is a 2.95-inch touchscreen with a 1.62 million dot decision, the identical one discovered on the Canon R6. It will get the job finished handily and is evident and responsive, nevertheless it’s nothing to write down house about.
The identical might be stated of the EVF. It really works properly and is nice to make use of, nevertheless it’s considerably smaller and decrease decision than that of the Fuji X-T5. It’s, not less than, 120Hz, which makes movement very clean when wanting via the eyepiece.
Photographs and movies
- APS-C CMOS sensor – 32.5MP stills
- Sensor shift IBIS: as much as 8-stops
- As much as 30fps burst taking pictures / 15fps with mechanical shutter
- As much as 4K 60fps / 1080p 120fps video
- 4:2:2 10bit color when CLOG3 or HDR PQ is lively
Photograph efficiency is powerful, with speedy burst charges out there and a fast and efficient auto-focus system. There’s loads of decision and a few of Canon’s color magic that gives saturated and lifelike tones.
We discovered that ISO speeds as much as round 6400 offered good clear JPEGs with out muddying the picture an excessive amount of. At 12800 and past there’s an excessive amount of noise discount for use for any severe work.
There’s a vary of topic detection choices that work throughout each video and picture modes, this consists of monitoring for folks, animals and autos. All do an admirable job, however, as traditional, it is most dependable with human topics. In any case, we had been very happy with the excessive success charge.
General, we had been impressed with the pictures that we had been capable of seize with the R7 and, actually, solely seen one important draw back. The sensor has a comparatively sluggish readout pace, because of this when taking pictures bursts with the digital shutter it is pretty straightforward to introduce rolling shutter results that manifest as wobbly strains that must be straight.
When you persist with the mechanical shutter, this impact disappears totally, however you may be caught at a most of 15fps and lose the posh of silent taking pictures. For us, this wasn’t a significant situation, however it might be off-putting for sports activities and wildlife photographers.
When it comes to video, performance is pretty great, too. The oversampled 4K, or 4K Fine as it’s called in camera, looks particularly nice, but you are limited to a maximum of 30fps. Meanwhile, the subsampled 4K mode allows for up to 60fps, at the cost of a slightly less detailed image.
You get 10bit colour when shooting in CLOG3, which is great for colour correction, but there are no professional-grade codecs onboard. You could, of course, use an external recorder if you need something like ProRes.
We found the lack of slow-motion options to be a bit disappointing, you can record at up to 120fps in 1080p, which is nice to have, but lags behind competitors. Many similarly specced cameras will allow for 240fps at 1080p, and in an ideal world, we’d have some high-speed options for 4K, too.
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The Canon R7 is an extremely capable and well-priced camera but it’s let down by its lack of lens options. If Canon releases some more compelling glass for the RF-S system, it’ll be much easier to recommend.
Writing by Luke Baker. Editing by Verity Burns.
