(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 capturing capabilities and superior autofocus.
The 7D was at all times an important decide 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 honest in the true world? We have been placing it to the take a look at.
The Canon R7 offers spectacular autofocus, speedy capturing, wonderful color science and stable stabilisation. It does all of it at an affordable worth, too.
The issue lies with the lens ecosystem as an entire. 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’d make extra sense. In any other case, the lenses accessible are each too costly and too giant for many to think about for APS-C utilization.
You’ll be able to adapt EF-mount lenses, too, and the digicam is commonly accessible bundled with this adapter. Nonetheless, the autofocus efficiency is not pretty much 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 will probably be a lot simpler to advocate.
- Nice autofocus and topic recognition
- Succesful IBIS system
- Ergonomic design
- Speedy burst capturing
- 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 building. In case you’ve used any Canon our bodies, even DSLRs relationship again a long time, you may little question discover the button format 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 fitting of the EVF. We’re undecided what the logic is behind this positioning, however we aren’t notably taken with it.
We discovered it tougher to make use of when wanting by the EVF and infrequently discovered ourselves by accident nudging the incorrect management when aiming for the joystick or the wheel. For essentially the most half, it really works as supposed, however we a lot favor the standard format discovered on cameras just like the R6.
The on/off change now has a film mode perform added, which makes it very handy to modify to video capturing. It remembers your settings while you change between modes, too. We’re large followers of this addition.
Across the entrance, there’s an AF/MF change that is positioned close to your ring finger when the digicam is in use. We discovered this pretty simple 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 format are pretty acquainted. We have been happy to search out that just about every thing is inside attain of your proper hand, making one-handed capturing 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 tense affair.
General, it is a very ergonomic design and feels very snug within the hand. It does not fairly have the identical premium really feel as a physique just like the Fujifilm X-H2, but it surely feels strong 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 are not 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 cupboard space or, extra seemingly, again up your recordsdata on the fly.
Port choice is essential for any hybrid shooter, and Canon has performed an excellent job right here. A full-size HDMI would have been good, however Micro HDMI will get the job performed, 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 format, which allowed you to entry the HDMI and microphone ports with the display screen flipped out, however really, what Canon has performed right here is even higher. On this case, you possibly can’t entry the HDMI, however you possibly can entry each the headphone and microphone sockets. For the reason that HDMI would almost definitely be feeding an on-camera monitor, it is much less more likely to be wanted, so that is in all probability 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 performed handily and is obvious and responsive, but it surely’s nothing to write down house about.
The identical could be stated of the EVF. It really works properly and is nice to make use of, but it surely’s considerably smaller and decrease decision than that of the Fuji X-T5. It’s, a minimum of, 120Hz, which makes movement very clean when wanting by the eyepiece.
Images and movies
- APS-C CMOS sensor – 32.5MP stills
- Sensor shift IBIS: as much as 8-stops
- As much as 30fps burst capturing / 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 accessible 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 supplied 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 critical work.
There’s a vary of topic detection choices that work throughout each video and photograph modes, this consists of monitoring for individuals, animals and autos. All do an admirable job, however, as normal, it is most dependable with human topics. In any case, we have been more than happy with the excessive success price.
General, we have been impressed with the photographs that we have been capable of seize with the R7 and, actually, solely seen one vital draw back. The sensor has a comparatively gradual readout velocity, which means that when capturing bursts with the digital shutter it is pretty simple to introduce rolling shutter results that manifest as wobbly strains that must be straight.
In case you keep on with the mechanical shutter, this impact disappears fully, however you may be caught at a most of 15fps and lose the luxurious of silent capturing. For us, this wasn’t a serious difficulty, however it might be off-putting for sports activities and wildlife photographers.
On the subject of video, efficiency is fairly nice, too. The oversampled 4K, or 4K Superb because it’s known as in digicam, seems notably good, however you might be restricted to a most of 30fps. In the meantime, the subsampled 4K mode permits for as much as 60fps, at the price of a barely much less detailed picture.
You get 10bit color when capturing in CLOG3, which is nice for color correction, however there are not any professional-grade codecs onboard. You may, after all, use an exterior recorder should you want one thing like ProRes.
We discovered the dearth of slow-motion choices to be a bit disappointing, you possibly can document at as much as 120fps in 1080p, which is good to have, however lags behind opponents. Many equally specced cameras will enable for 240fps at 1080p, and in a great world, we would have some high-speed choices for 4K, too.
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The Canon R7 is a particularly succesful and well-priced digicam but it surely’s let down by its lack of lens choices. If Canon releases some extra compelling glass for the RF-S system, it will be a lot simpler to advocate.
Writing by Luke Baker. Modifying by Verity Burns.
