Canon EOS 7D

Canon just announced the availability of a new firmware (v1.2.2) for the Canon EOS 7D.

Main features:

• Fixes a phenomenon in which the set aperture moves when shooting movies in manual exposure mode using some Canon lenses (such as macro lenses).
• Fixes the AF point-selection behavior of the C.Fn III-7 (Manual AF pt. selec. pattern) custom function when set to [1].
• Fixes the AF point display for the viewfinder electronic level when shooting in the vertical position.
• Corrects misspellings in the Spanish and Thai menus for applicable products.

Firmware Downloads from the Canon (Japan) web site: Canon EOS 7D firmware.

Canon 60D mockup (source: www.fetdigitaal.nl)

Even for Canon, next September will see the Photokina show in Koln (Germany). It is often the occasion when brands of photo manufacturers launch the photo cameras they expect will be doing the big sales of the end of the year (a period that is really good for the amateur photography market). This year should not be any kind of exception and Canon has several cards to draw. So, I will not fail to try my hand at a few previsions from the information I got (sometimes they are incoherent, but they are often consistent when they reach my mailbox). The real difficulty for Canon predictions comes from the lack of precision of the current rumours.

To start with something really obvious, it is no longer possible to sort out rumour and fact about the Canon EOS 60D. At the beating heart of the EOS range of D-SLR cameras, the Canon EOS 50D has long been waiting its replacement (The 50D was launched at the end of 2008!). However, the launch of the Canon EOS 7D let think that this xxD series was at its end. But with time, rumours about an upcoming EOS 60D did not stop. Since the EOS 7D is also reaching a 5 quarters availability, it is possible to imagine that time has come to see either one or both replaced. And, consequently, most of the rumours are only that: Rumours… only based upon the wishes of their authors.

To give you a hint at what this new camera could be, here are possible features:

• 18 MP digital sensor
• Sensitivity: ISO 100-6400
• Continuous shooting at 7 fps
• 9-point AF system
• Fixed LCD (maybe tiltable)
• New user interface
• (Minor) improvements to the EOS 7D video capture mode, already in 1080p (FullHD)

But this is still to be confirmed and stays quite imprecise.

Curiously, since the Canon EOS 60D is still a very active hypothesis despite the lack of serious confirmation from the manufacturer, the replacement of the Canon EOS 1000D is not attracting a lot of credible leaks (despite some isolated DIY rumours, here and there). However, there is a very good chance that Canon will offer a new solution in the lower price range (Canon EOS 2000D) to counter-act the ever-more-present competition in the “less than 500€” market which is starting to be very active (Just look at the launch of the Sony Alpha 290 or the price reductions of the Pentax K-x, not even counting the strong offers from Olympus or Samsung). The photo sensor will have to leave the dusty floor of 10 MP, probably to re-use some of the already existing technology of its bigger brothers, but without reaching the expensive 18 MP level (15 MP would be perfect). The only really important issue will be to ensure very low manufacturing costs while staying in the race and it is difficult to precisely forecast the corners that the engineers will have to cut short; However, the higher the resolution, the more expensive the components (and not only the sensor itself).

Additionally, CR speaks more about new lenses for the end of August (in preparation of the Photokina show): EF 60 f/2.8 IS Macro, and EF 24-70 f/2.8L IS.

So, not many fixed certainties, but it is very probable that Canon will make the landscape clear at the end of August to prepare the Photokina 2010 Fair, either with a Canon EOS 60D, or a Canon EOS 2000D, or both.

Could you use such a photo camera? Have a look at Lexar’s latest photo competition, ‘Take the Next Shot’ sweepstake competition on their Facebook page. You could win a Nikon D300s with 16-85mm VR zoom lens or a Canon EOS 7D with an EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS zoom lens.

I found a very good and very detailed field test of the Canon EOS 7D.

Since it is not often that you will find such an in-depth analysis by a pro-photographer (Nature Photographer Ole Jørgen Liodden from Norway) ready to disclose so much information, I wanted to share it with you.

• Weather sealing
• In the Cold of Winter
• Autofocus
• Image Quality

Long, but recommended reading for anybody willing to check the Canon EOS 7D.

Note: After switching from Canon to Nikon, Ole had some hesitations about keeping all the information of this field test available on his wbe site, but this is solved now and we can expect that to stay for a long time, for all Canon lovers to find.

I just updated the tests/reviews in the database of the SLR photo cameras, mostly for the Pentax and Samsung cameras (and some Nikon, Sony, Canon, too).

We may have to group them since the firmware updates sometimes happen nearly at the same time. The latest ones are:

• Sony Alpha series (A380, A330 & A230): Mac, Windows (Sony Europe)
• Canon EOS 7D v1.1.0 (to correct an issue where a previous image may partly superimpose itself on the next, in continuous shooting): Instructions and download link

RAW file conversion process

Ready to celebrate the arrival of 2009 Beaujolais Nouveau, a new version of the RAW conversion utility from Adobe is here: Camera Raw 5.6. It supports a whole lot of recent cameras:

• Canon EOS 7D
• Canon PowerShot G11
• Canon PowerShot S90
• Leaf Aptus II 5
• Mamiya DM22, DM28, DM33, DM56, M18, M22, M31
• Nikon D3s
• Olympus E-P2
• Pentax K-x
• Panasonic FZ38
• Sigma DP1s
• Sony A500
• Sony A550
• Sony A850

It also solves an issue in demosaicing of some Raw files on PowerPC Mac.

Download Adobe Camera Raw 5.6.

These last days, plenty of photo camera manufacturers announced updated and corrections to the firmware of their photo cameras. Uncanny…

• Pentax K-7 : site Pentax UK
• Canon EOS 7D : Canon web site
• Canon EOS Rebel XS/1000D : Canon web site

And we are told that Canon prépares a big firmware update to bring full HD video to the Canon EOS 5D MkII in 2010.

Here it is! The User Manual for the new Canon EOS 7D is available for your download. If you want to read it to decide whether this SLR camera is your next camera, the answer is here:

• In English: Canon EOS 7D user manual or here
• In French: Manuel d’instructions du modèle EOS 7D en français depuis le site de Canon Canada

And finally, here it is! The new canon is born. Some were expecting the Canon EOS 60D, but this is a Canon EOS 7D which is rising. But read more…

• 18 MP sensor, in APS-C size
• Dual DIGIC 4 processor
• 14-bit Analog-to-digital conversion
• Continuous shooting: 8 frames/s
• Sensitivity: 100 – 6400 ISO (ext. 12800 ISO)
• Improved 19-area Autofocus system
• 3″ LCD screen with 920,000 pixels
• Viewfinder: 100% coverage and 1.0x magnification (22 mm eye point) through a glass pentaprism
• 7 image styles
• Horizontal level
• HD video capture (1920 x 1080 @ 24/25/30 fps + 640 x 480 @ 50/60 fps) & stereo sound
• Magnesium alloy chassis
• Weather- and dust-protected body
• Shutter designed for 150,000 snapshots

And the price will be right too: 1699$. Starting in September 2009 (nearly immediately)

Even the press release from Canon is referring to the Canon EOS 50D, and this is really more a successor to the Canon EOS 50D (APS-C for the expert) than a little brother to the Canon EOS 5D or the 5D MkII (Semi-pro Full Frame).

The first preview I noticed (thanks to Bernd) is coming from Rob Galbraith, but DPReview is right on his tail.

Check availability of the Canon EOS 7D with these preferred web sites:

• Carrefour online
• Amazon
• B&H (The Professional’s Source)

(more…)

We already knew a lot about it, but Engadget sums it up quite well. All we already know for sure about this new SLR camera that Canon is about to disclose.

Canon EOS 7D

Features

• 18 MP sensor
• Dual DIGIC 4 processor
• Continuous shooting: 8 frames/s
• Sensitivity: 100 – 6400 ISO (ext. 12800 ISO)
• 3″ LCD screen with 920,000 pixels
• Viewfinder: 100% coverage
• Horizontal level
• HD video capture

Photos of the Canon EOS 7D

In the end, we only needed to get a clear and full picture of the Canon EOS 7D. This is now doe thanks to a Chinese forum.

Canon EOS 7D

We are told that this Fall is a great time for news on the SLR market. I let you judge by yourself:

• Canon: one announcement would be a definite possibility to replace the Canon 1D Mk III with a Canon 1D Mk IV and maybe also a Canon EOS 7D whose top cover and a detail are visible below (August 25?)
• Nikon: D700x (or D800) to offer a 24 MP full frame sensor.
• Sony: Alpha 500, Alpha 550, Alpha 850 (probably on August 28)
• Pentax: an entry-level SLR

We only have to wait (impatiently) for a few days (maybe a few hours) in order to know all about .

Canon 7D ? top

Canon EOS 7D detail

There is a bizarre rush for visibility in the online shops all around the web. I start to feel that most of them are actual fakes. Let’s check this:

• Several (accidental?) leaks from Sony web sites, showing Sony Alpha 500, 550, 850 (and possibly Alpha 750, but this one may be a counter-fire).
• A German site showing the Alpha 850, with price.
• An Andorra web site showing a supposed Alpha 800, no price.
• The Canon EOS 7D spotted in Best Buy internal catalog system.

I will not fully judge their credibility, but I feel that the order I used goes from most possible to mere rumor.

According to Canon Rumors, we can expect an announcement on the 1st September in the Canon EOS line of digital photo cameras.

Photography Bay is showing a list of features for the upcoming replacement of the Canon EOS 50D. Already??? Sure, it seems a bit early to start talking about this one. Did I say rumour?

Anyway, here are the (rumoured) features:

• 15.1MP sensor (no resolution changes, improved IQ?)
• New 13 Point AF
• 1080p Movie Mode
• Continuous shooting: 8 fps
• 3″ VGA LCD
• Viewfinder: 98% coverage
• New battery model
• Weather-sealing (this one would be really nice)
• Ergonomic Upgrades
• Memory slots: 1x Compact Flash & 1x Secure Digital

The more important “information” may be a forecast of the launch date: Fall 2009.

And there is also an intersting tidbit: This camera may be breaking the naming conventions of the Canon EOS line. For sure, this is more rumour than fact: No marketing department would bet on a name as early as that…

Canon EOS 60D?

Crisis, recession, deflation, financial crush, layoffs are all words that we hear about on a daily basis. Whatever you feel/think about them, there is a reality: the consumers are buying less. This is as true for photo hardware and software as for the other markets (maybe it’s worse for cars…)

Made homeless by Bangor fire (Bain News Service, LOC - 1910/15)

Now, this has a clear impact on the decisions in photography-related companies. Who would want to spend millions of dollars on advertisement, press information, etc. if the potential customers are not even listening because their attention is focused on managing their day-to-day life or a foreclosure? Additionally, many camera manufacturers see their prices forced up (at the worst possible time) by unfavorable evolution of exchange rates (everybody is speaking about the world-wide price hike-ups of Nikon, Sigma and a few others). So, many marketing departments of photo companies are reviewing their launch calendar.

It seems that one of the first companies to have made a decision here is Canon. The word is out that the Canon EOS 500D is currently pressured for a delay which would make its launch more in line with a less depressed market. It may be pushed from this Winter to Spring or early Summer 2009 (Northlight Images even say Autumn). Of course, this goes with the possibility for the designers to add new features if it is still possible to use this delay. This could be a good financial and technical strategy.

However, there is a lot of pressure mounting inside Canon in order to close the gap created by Nikon with the launch of the Nikon D90, Nikon D700, Nikon D3x. The Canon 500D with video features would be a good answer.

It is also said that the Pentax K30D may be delayed. Or is it that Pentax is unsure about what to include in the package right now?

Sony has a lot of things to send to the market in 2009. Scheduling the launches in steps could be natural if they need to spread the costs, but I doubt they will adopt such a strategy. Despite the financial issues they recently disclosed, they seem quite able to pursue their usual strategy of “maximum impact” which supports well the simultaneous disclosing of a wealth of products. Nevertheless, it could lead to a step-by-step availability.

Nothing seems to be said of Nikon delays. Is it because they are perceived as having such an impetus that they can’t stop pushing new good products to the market?

Whatever happens, recession is a factor that the marketing department of any major camera company must take into account. There is little doubt that 2009 (and possibly 2010) will be a bad year for all consumer-oriented industries. Since no part of the world will be doing really better than the others, this brings the need to be cautious. Let’s hope that camera brands will not stop showing us good (better?) cameras.

Last minute note: Nikon Watch just announced that both Nikon and Canon were posting decreasing profits.

The Canon teaser known as the “moon teaser” is progressing slowly toward complete disclosure of what will be the next evolution in dSLR : Destined evolution. But still no clue as to exactly what camera will be disclosed. The follower of the Canon EOS 5D? Some other camera?