Canon EOS 7D announced: Magnificent 7?
Canon has unveiled the EOS 7D, an 18-megapixel prosumer-level dSLR offering 1080p video and 19-point autofocus
At work after the bank holiday and looking for something to brighten up that painful first day back? Feast your pork pies on the Canon EOS 7D, a new prosumer-level dSLR camera.
The 7D slots into the EOS range between the the 50D and 5D Mark II. Like the cameras on either side of it, the 7D packs a CMOS sensor, with a resolution of 18 megapixels.
The 7D includes the vast array of features you'd expect from this pro model: two DIGIC 4 processors that do the number-crunching for ISO speed to 12,800 and 8 frames per second burst mode. A 19-point autofocus system allows for different AF points to be set for vertical or horizontal orientation, so you can automatically switch between landscape and portrait shots.
The viewfinder gives 100 per cent frame coverage and is the first EOS to offer 1x magnification -- a roundabout way of saying it doesn't magnify at all, so what you see is what you get. The viewfinder and the 76mm (3-inch) screen offer a spirit level that shows you both pitch and roll.
On the video tip, the 7D shoots 1,920x1,080 footage at 30fps, or 1,280x720 at 60fps. Canon continues to tweak the user experience by adding a selector switch and sort-of-dedicated button for moving pictures.
The Canon EOS 7D will set you back £1,700 from the end of September.