Canon 7D

[Rose]

I seem to have acquired a second body LOL... I'm picking up a used 7D (via an acquaintance) on 10 Sep. I've read that it outputs at only 72DPI meaning images have to be resized to 300DPI. I think my LR settings output JPGs at 300DPI anyway so does that mean I don't need to worry, or do I need to do something else to ensure I get the best resolution possible for both print and web ?

[Mike Farley]

Hi Rose

Congratulations on the new acquisition. By digital standards the 7D is a very old camera, having been introduced in 2009, and about to be replaced. Nevertheless, it remains a good camera manages to give good results, although you will find it a bit noisy at highers ISOs. I have been shooting mine for four years and it does not miss a beat.

There is no need to worry about DPI, as all it does is tell an application how big the image should be displayed. On screen, most applications default to 72 DPI which is the standard resolution of most screens, although there is always the option to reduce the size of the image so that it can be displayed in its entirety without having to scroll. DPI only really comes into effect when printing, when 72 DPI will give you a large print at low resolution. Raising the DPI will give a smaller image size, but higher resolution. You can see how changing the DPI changes the image size when changing the parameter in Photoshop and turning off the Resample option.

If you are using Lightroom, you simply tell it what DPI to output at and the required image size, and LR will automatically resample the image accordingly. Epson recommend using 360 DPI for their printers, 300 DPI is standard and it is possible to go down as low as 180 DPI without visibly effecting print quality. Useful if you do not have enough pixels for the required print size at a higher DPI.

[Rose]

Thanks Mike It sounds like I don't need to worry as my LR settings already output to 300DPI. Like I say, this is a second body and I got it for a very good price, complete with no less than 3 batteries which of course will fit my MKII as well. I'm planning to use it with my 100-400 at Duxford on the 14th

[Mike Farley]

You'll find that the AF is better than the Mk II and has more configuration options. Continuous AF works well, although it does slow down if you are using all the AF points, and the 8 fps is also useful. The buffer will fill after about three seconds or in Raw, so it is best to use it in short bursts and only start shooting once the subject is more or less in the position you want. Of course, the 1.6 crop factor making the long end of your zoom equivalent to 640 is an added benefit. Enjoy.

[Rose]

You'll find that the AF is better than the Mk II and has more configuration options. Continuous AF works well, although it does slow down if you are using all the AF points, and the 8 fps is also useful. The buffer will fill after about three seconds or in Raw, so it is best to use it in short bursts and only start shooting once the subject is more or less in the position you want. Of course, the 1.6 crop factor making the long end of your zoom equivalent to 640 is an added benefit. Enjoy.

Yes, that was the reason for getting a 7D as opposed to a 6D - it gives me a level of additional flexibility alongside the 5D MKII The higher frame rate will be good for moving subjects and I'll be using it principally for wildlife and air shows. Now that I have the 70-200 too, the combination of that on the 7D gives me a long zoom that is lighter to carry than the 100-400 (albeit not quite as long as it equates to 320). I'm really pleased with the 70-200 by the way - I took it out on Saturday to a local country fayre as the sole lens on my camera and it was perfect. I really like the fact that it zooms internally so it's much less obvious when you're zooming in on someone for a candid shot

[Rose]

Just picked up the 7D this morning. It came with no fewer than 4 Canon batteries and the chap threw in a Canon 35mm f/1.8 as well ! All for £460 The lens is a bit beaten up and has no cap but hey, if it works great, if not, I've not lost anything Busy setting it up for tomorrow as we're going to Duxford air show so I want to use it with my 100-400 lens.

[Mike Farley]

If the predicted specs on Canon's Rumours for the 7D II are correct, Canon has not moved on greatly in the 5 years since the 7D came out. Some extra features and improved AF, but maybe not enough to justify the upgrade even after this length of time. We'll see soon enough, but it does make your purchase look like a bargain. I look forward to seeing your pics from tomorrow.

[Rose]

I've pre-set my usual air display settings and am all ready to go. We were treated to a Spitfire display at home this evening so I got to practice a little The high speed shutter is crazily fast compared to the 5D !

[Mike Farley]

The high speed shutter is crazily fast compared to the 5D !

The high frame rate certainly helps when dealing with subjects which are moving quickly. If you are shooting in Raw, you'll get a burst of around three seconds before the frame rate starts to slow, although a fast memory card helps improve matters a bit.

[Mike Farley]

Looking at the initial price of the 7DII, a pound shy of £1,600, makes your purchase even more of a bargain.