I haven’t had the privilege yet to hold and test the new 7D but, looking at the 7D’s new spec’s, these are my views :-

1. New 17.92 MPixel (18 MPixel) CMOS APS-C (1.6 cropping factor sensor)
   • One of the problems with the 50D was digital noise from ISO800 upwards, and the cause of this was the small pixel sizes that generated higher signal to noise ratios. With even smaller pixels how will the noise be?? My personal opinion, if it is not the same as the 50D, it will be higher and the 50D was already no good at ISO1600. Why did Canon not reduce the amount of pixels and rather concentrate on getting better high ISO images (less noise and sharper images at ISO800 and higher), especially if this camera is targeted for action/sport that usually occurs in low light conditions?

2. New 19 point AF system
   • I like the continuation of all focusing points that are cross-type sensors.
   • Do the 19 points cover more of the viewfinder than the 50D’s 9 points?. It does not look like it. So, the additional 10 points only gives you more options to focus with, rather than expanding the focus area.
   • Canon has given the user several (maybe several is not the correct word LOADS is maybe better) options to customize the use of the focusing points, from Spot AF, Single Point AF, AF Point expansion, Zone AF to 19 Point AF. Only with testing, we will be able to see how good the focusing is and what combination will work well, but out of experience, I would suggest that Spot AF will be the one to use and, if the expanded focus point modes (Single Point AF, AF Point expansion and Zone AF) works the same as the 50D, 5DMKII and 1DMKIII, then it will be no use or very little use to AI Servo users, which again is the preferred focusing mode for action/sport photographers.
   • Another brand new Custom Function that is only available on the 7D at the moment is Orientation Linked AF Point. This will be a very useful function enabling you to program a preferred focusing point you want the camera to jump to when you change orientation of the camera.
3. 63 zone – meter:
   • Once again we will only be able to comment on the accuracy after testing but isn’t this new metering method very similar to Nikons 3D Colour Matrix Metering II?? Canon’s name for their new metering method is called iFCL (Intelligence, Focus, Colour and Luminosity).
4. Viewfinder:
   • 100% viewfinder, big tick in the plus box!
   • A new LCD transparent overlay gives you the option to show all the focus points in the viewfinder, or only the active point (which is a very big plus, as with all the previous prosumer models the active focus point blinked for a split second and then went off, making it sometimes difficult to track moving subjects). You can also activate a grid to help with composition. Nice feature.
5. Dual-axis Pitch and Roll Electronic Level:
   • A fantastic feature, helping you to align your camera. This feature will be very helpful with panoramic and landscape images.
6. New Controls:
   • Buttons are larger and arranged next to the LCD on the rear of the camera rather than below the LCD.
   • Back of camera:
     • A new button to switch between video and live view, as well as the start and stop of these functions. Nice to have this separate from all the other buttons.
     • Q button – Custom Control Button. This button allows you to enter the numerous button combinations you can set up to customize your camera. A very nice button but, once you have done your setup, does this button become useless?
     • RAW/JPEG Button – By pressing this button you can add either a RAW or JPEG image to the file you are currently photographing. A very nice feature to add another file type without going into the menu.
   • Quick control dial – The On / Off switch is now moved to below the Mode dial on the top left of the camera, and the Quick Control Dial now has a lock switch, taking away the old confusing “push the power button beyond On” system to activate the Quick Control Dial.
   • Top of Camera Right:
     M-Fn – a new button placed just to the left and in-between the front Main Dial and Shutter Release button. This button must have been copied from the 1D series. You can customize this button to do several functions, but one of the most obvious functions will be to allocate Flash Exposure Lock to it so that the can be used as Auto Exposure Lock and therefore separate Flash and Camera Exposure Locks. Great new button, long overdue.
7. Video:
   • The same features as the 5D MKII with some more improvements.
8. Built in wireless TTL flash control:
   • At last! A Canon camera that does not need EXPENSIVE transmitters or a EX580 MKII flash to trigger wireless Speedlites. The built in flash also has a wireless TTL controller enabling you to trigger up to 3 different groups of four flashes each. Nikon has been doing this for years now. Why has it taken Canon so long to implement this? Who knows. What a great feature. The set-up menu allows you to make the pop up flash part of the flash exposure or just for use as a transmitter.
9. Conclusion:
   • Concerns:
     • Digital Noise at ISO 800 plus
     • Focusing in AI Servo
   • Positives:
     • New metering using iFCL
     • Dual Axis Electronic Level
     • The new button configuration, especially the Q-button, separate On/Off switch, separate Video/Live View and the best of all, the new M-Fn button
     • Built in wireless TTL Flash control