Canon EOS 7D

The Canon EOS 7D arrived in 2009 as an APS-C DSLR. An 18MP CMOS sensor sits behind the EF-S mount, tying the camera to Canon's APS-C lens system.

It was built for action and outdoor work. Shooting runs at up to 8 frames per second, the body is weather sealed, and the optical pentaprism viewfinder shows the scene directly. At 860g it is a substantial body to carry.

Owning one means CompactFlash cards and LP-E6 batteries, and the camera offers no USB charging. Wi-Fi is absent too, so files cannot leave the camera wirelessly.

The APS-C CMOS sensor is paired with dual Digic 4 processors. The Optics score of 43 is modest, and the camera sits in the bottom 12% of our database for optics, so expectations should match its age.

Speed is the stronger suit. The shutter reaches 1/8000s, useful for wide apertures in bright light, and the camera is rated at 8fps. That figure is a maximum burst rate rather than a sustained-speed promise, but it makes the 7D quick for action sequences.

Sensitivity runs from ISO 100 to 6400, and the range ends there. Very dark scenes may call for a faster lens or support, since the settings cannot be pushed higher.

There is no in-body stabilisation, so slow shutter work depends on stabilised lenses or steady technique. Lens choice runs through the EF-S mount, and framing is normally through the optical pentaprism finder, with live view also available on the screen.

The EOS 7D records video up to Full HD, and no mode runs faster than 30fps. Files are saved in the MOV format.

That is enough for web video, family films and documentary-style clips. If you want slow motion, the frame rate ceiling rules out the smooth results you get from faster recording modes.

There is no built-in timelapse function either, so interval sequences need to be triggered some other way.

The fixed, non-touch screen makes handheld framing at odd angles harder work than a tilting display would. The video score of 43 is modest, reflecting Full HD resolution, the 30fps ceiling and the absent built-in timelapse. For a DSLR from 2009, though, the recording options remain usable.

Weather sealing protects the body against dust and moisture, which suits landscape and outdoor sports work. It resists the elements rather than making the camera waterproof, so care is still needed in heavy rain.

The 3-inch LCD carries 920,000 dots, sharp enough for checking focus and detail. It is fixed and not touch-sensitive, so settings change through buttons and dials, and live view cannot be angled for very low or high compositions.

Both a built-in flash and a hot shoe are fitted. The internal unit covers casual fill light, and the hot shoe lets you move up to a more powerful flash when you need it.

There is no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or GPS. Images cannot be sent wirelessly, and location data must be added some other way. The Features score of 54 is modest, with the missing touch screen and Bluetooth among the points lost.

Storage goes on a single CompactFlash slot, which accepts Type I and II cards, UDMA cards and Microdrives. There is no second slot, so no in-camera backup copy or overflow capacity during a shoot.

The LP-E6 battery is rated at 800 shots, though the rating comes without stated test conditions. Heavy live view use and constant review can drain it faster.

The camera offers no USB charging, so a spare battery is a sensible buy before a long day. The single card slot and missing USB charging feed into the Storage & Battery score of 35, which is assessed as limited.