CHIPS AHOY
For videographers who like shooting with shorter lenses and are likely more comfortable with smaller chips, Canon's latest APS-C shooter probably feels like a dream. And how much the "noisier-than-the-5D-Mark II" video footage from the 7D bothers you also probably depends on how accustomed you've gotten to clean low-light files.

I shot with the 7D right after I had a chance to test out a prototype of the full-frame 12.1-megapixel Nikon D3s and both as a still camera and a HD video camera the difference was striking. Even at ISO 12,800, the D3s had very manageable levels of noise while the 7D began to struggle above ISO 800. In general, I'd say the ISO ceiling for useable files from the 7D is 1600. At ISO 6400 and the boosted "high" setting of 12,800, forget about it.

It's not really a fair comparison however to match it against the D3s. That camera has pixels that are nearly twice as big as the 7D and retails for about $3,500 more.

There are other solutions to noise issues than increasing the price or making it a full-frame camera. Canon's addressed some of them by giving the 7D dual Digic 4 processors but I'd have been more impressed if they kept the resolution at 15 megapixels or lower. Seriously, how many field photographers do you know who complain that their digital SLR doesn't have enough resolution?

With the G11, Canon's flagship advanced PowerShot pocket camera which is also reviewed in this issue, the company actually lowered the resolution from the previous model from 14.7 megapixels to 10 megapixels. Though Canon's marketing folks told me privately that they were afraid they might get skewered for reducing the megapixels on the G11, the move has been greeted positively by photographers looking for less noisy images. Canon really should've considered doing something similar with the 7D.

Or as Jason put it bluntly: "Will this be my video camera? Possibly. But it will never be my photo camera. Anything above ISO 800 is a disappointment."

FAST & FLUID
As a regular daylight shooter though, the 7D is terrific all around. First off, the camera feels solid in your hand but not too weighty. Canon calls the 7D's new design "super fluid" and while I'm not too sure what this means—something about the body having "continuous curves"—the camera's comfortable handgrip and sturdy, magnesium, steel and polycarbonate body feels more "pro" than "prosumer."

As an advanced piece of technology, the 7D is an impressive if somewhat complicated device. To understand it fully, make sure to set aside a lazy Sunday for perusing the manual. There's a lot to learn here.

First off, get to know the very fast and sharp new 19-point Autofocus system which uses all cross-type focus points. The 7D's new Multi-function button helps you quickly cycle through the various autofocus configurations and along with Spot AF try AF Expansion which employs a cluster of AF assist points to nail focus when photographing moving subjects such as athletes. Also useful for tracking fast, erratic subjects—such as birds in flight—is Zone AF which divides the 19 AF points into five focus zones. When your subject hits the right zone, the camera will lock in so you can capture the image.