Canon EOS R7 Definitive Review: 32.5MP, 30FPS, 4K60

[@ForrestWest]

The RF100-400mm lens is less than $600 and so lightweight and enjoyable to carry and use with great image quality! I think paired with the R7 it's the best affordable telephoto Wildlife combo out there!

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

...as long as you have good light to work with. A maximum aperture of F8 and a demanding APS-C sensor can be a challenging combination in any kind of dimmer lighting.

[@maximme]

400 f5.6 has faster AF speed and can be had for the same money. BUT heavier and fixed focal length may not be everyone cup of tea

[@sabu5727]

Good camara and good lens

[@nevadaxtube]

Thanks for your review Dustin. I have the R7 and I adapt my old Canon lenses. So far, no problem. I also use amazing noise reduction software that makes ISO and noise a non-issue. Overall, I am very impressed with the R7 and I highly recommend it.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

EF mount lenses do adapt well, though some people tire of using an adapter all the time.

[@nevadaxtube]

@@DustinAbbottTWI I don't even know the adapter is on. The cost/benefit ratio for the R7 is amazing to me. It would cost me a lot more to switch to Sony, Nikon, etc. (even though they may have more dedicated lenses)

[@phoenixhorizon]

What kind nr software? ☺️

[@alansach8437]

Couldn't have said it better! Great little camera. Blows the 7dii out of the pond! As for tiring of using an adapter, mine stays on the camera all the time. It's like it's part of the camera. Nothing to get tired of!

[@christophersteele2531]

Excellent video. Thank you!

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you for the financial support!

[@unknownKnownunknowns]

Thanks for your views. Been shooting indoor and outdoor sports w adapted EF lenses and have been nailing focus. Keeper rate is much higher than my 5D IV. Readers, don’t knock the lens selection until you’ve actively used adapted glass. There is plenty available on the used market for good prices, and there are plenty available for rent. The R7 + EF combination is probably the most affordable system for shooting sports. A Z9 or an A1 are better Sports cameras, but also cost $5000 more.

[@stephanosnicolaou7111]

That's a fair point.

[@zegzbrutal]

You are right, but the anti-Canon lemming train is all over KZbin.

[@IntothewestOkotoks]

I’ve been using my R7 for a month now, only adapted EF glass (two Tamron FF lenses, two Sigma APSC lenses, and two Canon L lenses)…while I agree the adapted works great, I was hoping over time to start getting RF glass. However, as usual there is nothing from Canon for APSC that would match L performance, and the RF L selection is notably more expensive than even their EF L in the past. I use my Sigma DC lenses for travel, but apparently even Sigma has stopped making those lenses now. Even if I have the telephoto range covered, Canon will sorely miss some fast wide angle coverage for this awesome camera.

[@Kunal0915]

Canon hasn't released good, budget and weather-sealed APSC primes like most others have. The extending mechanism on the Canon budget FF lenses is a shame here in 2022. Then they go on to ban other manufacturers from producing cheap, fast primes. I was looking at the R7. Dropped the idea now.

[@unknownKnownunknowns]

@@Kunal0915 agree the extend mech on zooms is a bit of a head scratcher. Not sure if it will be an issue over time with the construction. Don;t forget any APSC lens from any manufacturer in Ef mount will work on the R bodies

[@MrDubicz]

Thanks

[@zegzbrutal]

High ISO /low light performance is better than I expected. Canon RF APS-C cameras lens problem is not really on the tele end. RF 100-400, RF 600/800 f11 does the job perfectly. It's the sub 24mm(FF equivalent) ultra wide focal range that is annoying. You only have 16, 15-30, 14-35L and 15-35L. Suprised there's no mention on using Metabones/Viltrox Speedbooster. They are awesome on R7/R10.

[@kevinconville9258]

Very good review Dustin, thank you! I'm receiving an R7 tomorrow as my path forward, from DSLRs, for wildlife photography. This review was largely instrumental toward that decision. Cheers!

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Have fun!

[@stephanosnicolaou7111]

Thanks for this Dustin. It seems that in every respect - besides the cropped/full frame sensor - this can be considered an upgrade from the RP. Having said that I will not be upgrading unless Canon becomes a bit more transparent with their lens strategy. I would be happy to use my RF24-105L, RF100-400, RF35 and RF50 1.8 with a cropped sensor, but I will not upgrade to an R7 or R6/R5 for the foreseeable future due to the lens situation. It might be worth it to change systems instead (which I really don't want)

[@zegzbrutal]

Upgrade to R6/R5 will unleash much more potential of your RF lens. The minimum you expect from Canon is no 3rd parties in its first 8~10 years. Just like EF days. However I'm much more optimistic to see Canon will allow 3rd parties when their mid-range RF lens arrive

[@Kevon420]

An amazing camera really and the 18-150 is a surprisingly good all-around walkaround lens, perfect sort of vacation set up for day time usage, super sharp and focuses very close as well. My biggest worry is with no 3rd part RF mount lenses (at least autofocus ones) on the horizon, I do hope Canon releases high quality primes for the RF-S system. Looking over to the superb 35mm f1.4 Summilux-TL on the Leica L mount or the 33mm f1.4 LM WR on Fuji X mount, as well as the other heavy hitters for APS-C out there I hope Canon can at least give us a few high end lenses designed natively for this camera that it deserves.

[@wellingtoncrescent2480]

Your reviews are always thorough, scrupulous, and helpful, thanks. On your advice last year, I bought a Tamron 100-400 F4.5-6.3 to use for birding/ wildlife with my Canon M6 II, and I've never had so much fun with a camera. So thanks for that :) Based on your current evaluation, I just ordered a new R7, which has very similar specs to the M6 II (32 MP, 15 fps mechanical, 30 fps electronic, identical view finders, etc). So the main attractions were bird eye tracking and IBIS, which the M6 II lacks. As I mentioned, I use the M6 II primarily for birding/wildlife with Canon's EF- M adapter, which works flawlessly. I was also attracted by a great R7 price from a Canadian photo store that is all-in on their pre-Black Friday sales So now I need to decide whether to replace the Tamron 100-400 EF F4.5-6.3 with the native lens, before the sale ends this week :). To be fair, I really like the the Tamron, which is a full stop brighter, weather sealed, and works well in both the M6 II's One Shot and Servo AF modes. So, I was wondering whether you or your viewers had any experiences/opinions about the relative merits of these two lenses. Keep up the great work.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I'd try your Tamron via adapter first. I suspect it will work better on the R7 than it did on the M6 II.

[@doghouseriley4732]

You mention that it has a fast mechanical shutter but you didn't mention that it appears to have no dampening and so shutter shock/quake is a serious issue. This isn't a problem on the 8 year old 7D Mk2!

[@Chris-NZ]

Great review Dustin, I can fully understand the lens frustration if this is your first step into the RF mount , on the reverse side already having another RF body I find the R7 a great second body when shooting - with the tactical advantage of a bit more reach and none of the disadvantage in being able to put wide lens on the full frame. I can see Canon choosing to properly licence other lens makers in due course because shooting yourself in the foot, or is that body, only gets you so far. Cheers from NZ 😀

[@Jeo-What]

Thank you for this R7 review that really brings back the memory of 7D I had once. Great to see that the Canon mirrorless model's sensor is now having way batter highlight and shadow recovery that the older 7D or even the 5D Mark II can only dreamed of with lots of bending issues. Almost going to get the R5; however, after Canon's anti-third part lens announcement I got the Sony A7 IV with excellent IQ and 10/7 year warranty on Tamron 35-150mm f/2-f/2.8 and Sigma 16-28mm f/2.8 thanks to your reviews. Doing a great job.👍

[@cyberlexicon]

👆👆Thanks for watching and congratulation 🎊 you have been selected among our shortlisted winners. Telegram only to claim your prize 🎁🥰🎁..

[@cjm8160]

Are you selling your EF lenses? Or are you able to adapt them to the Sony?

[@Jeo-What]

@@cjm8160 I no longer have and EF lenses.

[@donesry2902]

Thank you for your review. I appreciate all the information, especially your insight as to the lens availability

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

My pleasure!

[@pokeypop99]

Thank you! This is a great, comprehensive review of the R7. I appreciate it as I look to transition from my 7D to mirrorless (7d or 6dMkii). Very helpful! But I have to say, your exposure target reminded me of why I love photography! That Pentax Spotmatic brought me back to my HS "Photo Staff" days! My first SLR was a Canon FTb, but I needed a longer lens for football. From the school darkroom, I grabbed that same Spotmatic with a 135mm prime! More importantly, that Kodak timer takes me right back to my Dad (don't know why I didn't keep it!). My Dad was a pro photographer, and we spent 100's of hours in the darkroom together. I can still feel the "click" of turning that switch and watching it endlessly! I wonder how many rotations we watched that thing while processing negatives and slides! For me, that is a "Time Machine!" Thank you for a thoughtful review and some great memories!

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

My pleasure. I like to use old camera gear as subjects

[@robertatwell7615]

Dustin, I know that this is an RF mount camera but you have neglected how this camera performs with the three Canon adapters that allow you to use the older Canon EF L lenses on these bodies. Some of that older Canon glass is very good and actually cheap relative to the newer RF mount lenses. Could you comment on the performance of this and other Canon bodies with the Canon adapters and both Canon EF and third party EF mount lenses? Many of us are still using our older EF-L mount lenses. The only affordable way to the new RF mount system is via gradual change for many of us. Spending $1500-$3500 for a new body is a big difference between spending $4500-$6500 for a new body and lens!!! Any insights are greatly appreciated.

[@dreamnight-mq1zg]

Great review of the canon eos r7 Dustin. As you mentioned in the closing statements of your video, I decided against buying the canon eos r7 due to Canon’s decision to block third party rf lens makers. Although canon has every right to do so since they developed and own the rf lens technology, I think this is just a big mistake on canon’s behalf and will most likely only work against them in the future. Sure i can always adapt ef lenses but even then, since i don’t own any ef glass it really wouldn’t make any sense to buy an ef lens just to use it on an eos r mirrorless body. I'd rather just buy native, which brings up another issue with canon apsc lenses. Canon doesn’t have a good history of being committed to making great fast aperature apsc lenses for their crop sensor lineup. Most of what they’ve made for their apsc lineup is just in the form or variable aperature zooms. It was thanks to sigma that we got the 18-35 f1.8 and 50-100mm f1.8 fast zooms on the ef mount, not canon. So considering canon’s bad track record of not developing fast apsc lenses for their crop lineup, the decision to block third party lens makers only makes this issue worse. We have here a great crop camera but unfortunately will be handicapped by the lack of great fast glass. To be fair, sony doesn’t provide any great apsc lenses for their crop cameras as well, but at least sony’s mirrorless e-mount is open to tamron and sigma to produce fast primes for us which resolves the issue altogether. I seriously hope canon changes their decision soon or at least allows third party rf lens development sooner than later, until then I can’t in good conscience invest in any canon eos-r mirrorless system.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

These are all very valid points

[@4thNebula]

I come here when I need to purchase camera equip. due to the amount and depth of info. I have been concerned about IBIS on the R7 due to comments from a few other reviewers. Pleased that you like it. I moved from Canon to Sony due to lack of APS-C and 3rd party lens availability. I use the Tamron 28-200 a lot on my Sony which is a super do-it-all zoom. I miss Canon's ease of use etc. though and grew up shooting Canon DSLRs. May get the R7 as a back-up camera with a few lenses due to ease of use.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Glad to help out.

[@rickyjohnson1034]

Thankyou Dustin. I have been using a 5D IV and a 7DII. I will be geting the R7. The R7 is a bargin. I will be adapting my best lens . The 100-400 II. I also have the very ggod 150-600 G2 tamron. I let a fellow birder with a R7 try the tammy and no problem .

[@kimir_sux]

Considering selling my R6 to get an R7. Nowadays, I mostly do birding and landscapes, and sometimes casual portraits. I have to say that I love the ISO performance on full frame, but DxO PureRAW levels the playing field a bit in favor of the extra detail of the crop sensor

[@kimir_sux]

not to mention the video recording limit disparity between the two

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

The high resolution APS-C sensor will be more demanding on your lenses, to be sure, but there are some real strengths to the R7. I instinctively prefer full frame, but a good APS-C camera does have some advantages.

[@kimir_sux]

@@DustinAbbottTWI That makes sense. How would you compare the RF 100-400 + R7 as opposed to the pricier combo of 100-500 L with R6? Perhaps the R7 is too demanding for the 100-400. The R6's solid ISO performance contributes to usability of the 100-400, and perhaps would not be worth the swap

[@zegzbrutal]

@@kimir_sux the RF100-400 will do well with R7. That lens is a killer for people who know how to use

[@noelchignell1048]

@@cyberlexicon This isn't Canon but a skammer

[@6gwilliams]

Thanks Dustin, another well-thought out and thorough review. Cheers

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

My pleasure!

[@jimreminga7411]

I fully intended to buy this camera - until the 3rd party lens decision. After a lifetime with Canon, I’m very happy with the new Sony A7 IV.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I don't think you're alone in that decision.

[@IntothewestOkotoks]

Great review as usual Dustin. Just a few questions/comments…I seem to recall the RP noticeably “shorter”, and couldn’t get my full hand on the grip - the R7 I can, so not sure it’s the exact same dimensions. I also think one of the weak points of my R7 is the EVF, though the 120hz refresh rate is great for fast moving subjects, I seem to recall the R having a higher resolution. While I agree with your assessment of 12800 iso being the upper limit of acceptable ( which, isn’t bad in my opinion!), I have noticed in some cases, at 3200 and above, DPP seems to retain better detail colour information than what Lightroom is showing (just in certain cases)…so I’d recommend to anyone shooting above 3200 to make sure to try DPP first. DXO pureRaw 2 seems to handle at least as good or better than DPP (but isn’t free). One more thing, eye AF doesn’t work so great on my donkeys, goats and pigs. Works perfect with cats though! Lol. Thanks again for your insights!

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I think it is the shape of the grip that helps. It does feel good in the hand.

[@trevor9934]

To me, this is more of a successor to the 90D, not the 7DII. The lack of weather sealing, and no battery grip are not up to the R7 level. While it has a much better tracking system and a very fast shutter speed, it suffers from massive sensor lag and the manual shutter is very loud. I think a true successor to the R7, as a pro-level crop sensor body, I would like to have seen a backlit/stacked sensor, bigger buffer to take the throughput from the electronic sensor - I would like to have seen at least one express-CF card. This is a brilliant successor to the 90D, and the price point is very compelling. Like others, I would have paid for the extra features that would have made this a true R7 successor.

[@aspotterabroad4145]

I have sidelined my 7D MkII entirely after have shot with the R7 for a few months now. The 7D MkII has nothing on the R7. The R7 shoots faster, with a better AF, and having Dual SD cards simplifies things for me when shooting multiple bodies. I was worried about the lack of grip for the R7 but after having it ion my hand, combined with my RF 100-500 I stopped caring about the grip. I couldn't day the same of my 7D MkII. The smaller size of the R7 with no grip is great for space and weight saving in my gear bag. I also shoot an R5 and I now shoot the R7 more. The price of the R& was just perfect. So far, I see no reason to have wished for a higher price for those "extras" you mention.

[@doghouseriley4732]

@@aspotterabroad4145 I took the R7 out for a spin, great autofocus but that was it. As mentioned by Trevor, this camera has so many flaws it is simply not a wildlife and sports camera. Smashed into the buffer all the time. If you don't go out in the rain and don't care if you get dust in your camera, then it's fine. Canon have confirmed that the weather sealing is not as good as the 7D Mk2. That is an 8 year old camera! So basically, it went back. I could go on about the appaling rolling shutter and the shutter quake when using mechanic shutter. Dampening this would have been a standard proceedure that Canon either forgot about or simply didn't bother doing. The Fuji X-H2S is going to be the next camera I trial. Looking at the specifications, I think it could be the true successor to the 7D Mk2

[@trevor9934]

@@aspotterabroad4145 I think it is absolutely great that you have found the R7 works for you. I have already said that it has many great features but is, to me, not a true successor to the R7 for the reasons mentioned. Canon Oz have pitched it as a successor to the 90D rather than the 7DII, and I agree with them. There is room in the camera market for us to both be able to find the gear we want.

[@aspotterabroad4145]

@@doghouseriley4732 I shoot aviation. If I can shoot airshow aerobatics with the R7, sports shouldn't be a problem for most people. The rolling shutter, I'll give you that one for sure.

[@noelchignell1048]

@@doghouseriley4732 except the autofocus on the Fuji is very inferior to the R7

[@MiniatureTim]

Seriously considering adding an R7 body to compliment my R6. I'm not super thrilled that Canon is so dead-set against 3rd party right now, but I"m also darn near fully converted over to R-mount lenses. My only hold-out is my 150-600 Tamron.

[@maximme]

yes, SONY had a lot of help from the likes of SIGMA n TAMRON. Its good way to build up SONY. Canon is fair that way :0

[@nSpiraliArchitectb]

Hi Dustin, lens catalog/third-party support aside, which body would you choose between the r7 & a6600? Trying to help a friend make a decision between these two systems, and both seem very compelling in different ways. I don't include the upcoming Sony replacement, as that will likely be outside the target budget. Thanks for the awesome review - you're my first stop when it comes to camera hardware journalism.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I would say that I like the EOS R7 better as a camera, but I vastly prefer the Sony ecosystem right now.

[@nSpiraliArchitectb]

@@DustinAbbottTWI Thank you for your advice, Dustin. I ended up putting together a kit of a6600 with Tamron 17-70 f2.8 for my friend who is just beginning their photography journey. All this based on your reviews.

[@bbpettipas6679]

Dustin, As always, a great informative review. I am currently using a Canon 80d with a canon 17-55 f2.8 EFS, Tamron 70-200 f2.8 g2 and a Tamron 100-400. When you get time, can you provide some thoughts on the following: How will all three perform on the R7 in combination with the basic adapter, especially as it pertains to focusing accuracy, speed and tracking. What are your thoughts on the cameras performance at apertures of f8 , f11 and higher? Thanks in advance... Bob

[@philiprolenick4475]

I came to the R7 from a very similar setup: 80D, EF-S 17-55 f/2.8, EF-S 10-18, EF Tamron 45 f/1.8, EF 75-300 and the EF-S 18-135 kit lens. I've sold the 80D and all my lenses on eBay except the kit lens - since I have the motor drive for it for camcorder use - and the 10-18, since that's the only lens to get true wide-angle on Canon APS-C. I recommend using the Control Ring version of the EF to RF adapter, since I love being able to control the f/stop with a ring on the lens, having shot with a film SLR from 1968 to 2005. Following film SLR convention, I set shutter speed on the top deck with the main dial, and use the in-viewfinder RGB histogram to dial in my exposure. (I run in manual exposure almost all the time.) And I set the ISO with the dial around the joystick. The main drawback to using EF/EF-S lenses with an adapter is that they add an inch of length to a lens to position it the proper distance from the sensor - as well as a bit of weight. The 17-55 is a great lens - I've used it since I got my Digital Rebel XT - but given the R7's in-body stabilization, the inexpensive RF 50mm f/1.8 is so much smaller and lighter that I can keep it in my vest pocket to always be available - so I sold both the 17-55 and the Tamron 45mm since they're both so much larger and heavier than the nifty-fifty. The Canon EF 70-300 struggled with autofocus on the R7, so I sold it and replaced it with the RF 100-4000 - and I've just bought my first L lens, the RF 70-200mm f/4 L. The 100-400 lets me photograph birds in flight (but it's too dim to use indoors), while the f/4 70-200 will be great for event photography indoors. I've found that the R7's autofocus struggles when shooting indoors with darker f/stops, which is why I sent back the RF 24-240, which had trouble focusing at focal lengths longer than the RF-S 18-150 because it got so dim, and bit the bullet to get the 70-200 f/4 during a holiday sale. I also financed the purchase of the 70-200 f/4 by returning the excellent RF 85mm f/2. By returning the two of them, I've only had to shell out about $250 to get my first L lens. UPDATE: I also returned the RF 100-400 (thanks to B&H's liberality on the subject, since I had it from August to January), figuring that the 70-200 f/4 L would be superior to the 400mm at f/8- I'll just crop in and take advantage of the two stops to get much shaper bird pix from higher shutter speeds. And this way I actually came out net positive financially on the upgrade.

[@bbpettipas6679]

@@philiprolenick4475 Thanks so much for the feedback. A question for you. How much noise is visible with ISO settings in the 1600 to 3200 range .... compared to the 80d?

[@edmonda.9748]

Thanks for informative video, Do you have any video on the infamous rolling shutter in R7? how to get around?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Hi Edmond, I'm not really a video-centric channel. There are better places to get that info.

[@sicr626]

@@DustinAbbottTWI lol rolling shutter is not (just) a video problem

[@Unpreeeedictable]

Bit late to the comments but I’ve just ordered an R7 to replace a very old 7d Mk I. One common criticism is the buffer performance. As an old timer I am fundamentally opposed to taking photos at video speed (i.e. 30fps.) For one thing, if you are shooting RAW the storage required is ridiculous. Second, I view photography as an exercise in mindfulness. 30 fps is the photographic equivalent of throwing spaghetti at the fridge and seeing what sticks. Just because you CAN shoot at 30fps doesn’t mean you SHOULD.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Fair enough. There are a few situations where I like shooting at 30FPS, but most of the time I'm taking my photos one at a time.

[@petercreagh8797]

I got an R7 and RF200-800 lens last Nov for an airshow. I was disappointed that with very fast flying jets it would not hold focus. I thought it may have been due to the lens not being an L lens but from another review of the R7 they said its due to the slow processor in the camera. As a backup to my RF200-800 I took my EF100-400L and that focused better. Maybe due to the fact as it was a slower focussing lens to start with the processor could keep up with it. I find optically EF L lenses are fine on the R7 with the only benefit of an RF L lens being lighter weight. I might demo the R5mk2 sometime due to reviews of it giving me the impression it would solve the focussing problem on anything flying fast. Like you I did find the buffer not big enough and too slow to empty so I will check that out too when I hire the R5mk2.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I haven't yet tested the R5II, but I suspect it will be fantastic.

[@Brianmatthewlewis]

What do you think about speed-boosters for canon r7. I hear the canon has some purple fringing but the 2 viltrox s.boosters seem good? There aren’t any reviews for photo and none comparing the canon to the 2 viltrox. I saw your review for full frame with the non pro viltrox. Now canon has good crop bodies but limited crop lenses. So it seems like a possible work around but I’d like to be sure before recommending to friends looking to get into photography. Reviews please? 🙏 ideally canon vs viltrox vs viltrox pro

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I can’t promise reviews, but I do think that Viltrox does a good job with speed boosters and it is a valid option.

[@Brianmatthewlewis]

Thanks. That is my guess. I also couldn’t find any used on eBay. Which I think speaks to them working well for people.

[@K9malinois_dog_love]

Dynamic range seem a bit better then the R6 or equivalent.

[@Galeidan]

Thinking of getting this R7 and RF 100-500mm f 4.5 - 7.1 L IS USM to Africa (safari trip) Crop factor gives 160-800mm range which would be very very handy when shooting wildlife.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Definitely would be very handy, and in a fairly compact package, too.

[@Galeidan]

@@DustinAbbottTWI Agreed. Main camera would be R5 and probably 28-70mm f 2. Could also use that in crop mode if needed. So it would be equivalent to 45-112mm basically. Two bodies and two lenses should do the job. All weather sealed and no need to change lenses if animals come closer. Can shoot pretty much anything between 28-800mm. After all we are going to see some local villages, people, sights, landscapes etc also. Not just wild animals. Bonus is that R5 and R7 both use same batteries. If I need wider I just bring RF 15-35mm f 2.8 or shoot vertical panoramas to get wide landscapes. No problem at all.

[@ww3688]

I have excellent results from my R7 + RF 100-500mm + RF1.4 TC for birding... I use my R5 for everything else (portrait, landscape and travel)

[@Chris_Wolfgram]

I owned the R5 for a year, and it was a great camera, that made a lot of great shots for me. Then I rented the R7 and loved it so much, I ordered one of my own, before even returning the rental 🙂 I then used my new R7 exclusively for a month. Feeling guilty about leaving my $4k R5 sitting in the bedroom, I decided to pull it back out. It now felt heavy, and the mechanical shutter was loud and annoying, But the bottom line was, out of the 800 or so shots I took with it that day, I just didn’t get near as many keepers as I had been with the R7 ! So, I sold my R5 to buy another R7 + the RF 100-400 + some other peripherals. I mostly use my RF 800 F11 > which does NOT need great light. And it gives me 1280mm of reach. Some people will point out that this does not technically give me an actual 1280mm. But it does give me a lot more pixels on my bird, and that’s the most important thing 👍 What it needs is a tripod, and good technique. I shoot as slow as 1/40th and still get some tack sharp shots. I also bought the RF 600 F11 for only $509, like new open box. This is the best small bird setup I’ve ever owned + I have a backup of the same, and 3 great RF lenses 👍 In 1 or 2 years, when the R7 Mk II comes out, it will not be such a big deal to part with one of these $1500 cameras, to buy that one. But no hurry. These are almost perfect for my purposes.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I'm glad you are enjoying it.

[@rmm9747]

Gm, first of all, thanks for your review. It’s very complete and didactic. I have the r7 and I use lenses Tamron ef from my 7d mark II. I’m thinking to buy a rf lens and I doubt between 18 150 rfs and 24 105 rf. Which one do you advise me? Thank you

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

The 24-105 is probably the better lens, but 24mm is often not wide enough on APS-C. I'd probably stick with the 18-150

[@rmm9747]

@@DustinAbbottTWI thank you!

[@DavidReade]

No mention of the rolling shutter problem here, how come?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I didn’t really see it, so it didn’t stand out to me for my test.

[@ajschot]

About the menu’s, there is a reason why sony menu is more ‘complicated’ the Sony camera’s are way more customizable, also much more funtions like the auto iso assistant etc. I use both and i really miss these ‘minor’ features. Like on the sony every bitton can do wverything you want, Canon is limiting some buttons, also on Canon you can not change temorarily every thing (even photo mode and weird other things like fps evf) with one button hold for instance. You can program 1 button on the R7 to do some things like shuter speed, iso, drive mode etc but it is more limited then Sony and you can only program one

[@EverythingCameFromNothing]

Great review I believe CRAW is Lossy, NOT Lossless as mentioned. It’s extremely difficult to tell the difference between the two and I always use CRAW, but it’s important to note that you do lose a tiny bit of quality😊

[@samuerkki]

What are the drawbacks with using rf to ef/ef-s adapters? I'm considering to buy new camera and R7 is (after this video, thank you!) one choice. Before this one I was looking for R6. Which one, in your opinion, is better for serious wildlife photography considering both the fast situations and the low light situations?

[@gosammy1971]

The Adapter has no optics, its just to move the lens away from the sensor to match the DSLR distance. The lens image quality will not get worse. Some EF/EF-s lenses can limit the camera, because the mechanical aperture of the lens is to slow or AF is to slow, the lens sends no distance value, .... I came from 7DII, 70D to the R and R7 and my EF100-400II works nice

[@photosamu]

@@gosammy1971 Thank you for your response 🙏

[@RVNmedic]

I absolutely love your reviews. Thorough and in depth. I am considering this as a B camera alongside my R5. I think you've convinced me. As a wildlife photographer I can use the 1.6 crop when neccessary with the RF 100-500 or my EF200-400 F4 w/1.4. Thanks again for your outstanding review. Be well.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Glad to help out.

[@richardbrenkman8587]

Great review Dustin. I am looking for a replacement for my canon 70d (old but still a great camera for me). After your review i think i am going for the R7. The only thing is now considering what lens to buy with the R7 as i do mostly bird and wildlife. As you mentioned the choice is not that great.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Hi Richard, for the most part I would probably recommend just using the adapter and using your existing lenses and save for when genuinely appealing lenses arrive. The camera is great, though.

[@MBraun3]

Great review and really impressive results from the R7! I'm almost tempted to switch back to APS-C. You said, C-RAW ost lossles, but as far as I know, it is lossy, at least in the EOS R. Did they change anything for the R7?

[@paullanoue5228]

Don’t see the lens selection as a problem. I have several of the RF primes that are small, light and affordable. They perform the same on my R7 as my R6. If you need an inexpensive zoom for the R7 the RF 100-400 is small light and for only $649.00. I use a RF 100-500 mm zoom on the R7 for wildlife and it doesn’t feel awkward to me.

[@19ab59]

Hi Dustin, thanks for your findings about the R7. Can you help to choose between a used R6 + 24-105 kitlens (€1800) and a not used R7 18-150 kitlens(€1500)? I can't decide even after viewing so many reviews. €1800 is my max. I use the camera for all sort of photo's. Don't do much video. Thanks in advance. Greetz Ab

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

The R7 is the more feature rich camera, though I'm personally biased towards full frame. If the kit lens you are referring to is the 24-105mm F-7.1, that's a very average lens, so I might recommend the R7 and 18-150 is that will be the majority of what you are using for the present.

[@19ab59]

@@DustinAbbottTWI thank you Dustin, how is it that some people are so satisfied in reviews with that kitlens? It's not easy to find good and honest reviews these days.I think I'll go for the R7 and keep money in my pocket for the 100-400 later on.

[@georgemccormick1247]

Thank you Dustin, I do open the R7 and really like it, I do wildlife photography and shoot at 15 FPS electronic shutter and have learned to to limit burst and have never hit the buffer, so far have not an opportunity to use the 30 FPS. Loved the review and agree with the point on Canon development of quality lenses should be there top priority since they have squashed all third party lenses. Tried using a Tamron 18-400 and it was virtually impossible to use with AF eye tracking. Thanks again. Will be looking forward to you next review👀.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I definitely hope that Canon reverses course on the 3rd party lens situations.

[@junrobato4609]

I have actually thought of getting an R7 and pair it with the 18-400 as a multipurpose travel camera. Can u please let me know more about your experience with this pairing? Tks.

[@georgemccormick1247]

@@junrobato4609 I don’t use the Tamron on my R7 anymore, just couldn’t deal with the eye tracking. I now use it on my EOS RP which I don’t use for wildlife very much. Duane Paton has a video where they have been working on settings to get third party lenses to respond better to the eye tracking for wildlife, they have made some progress, I use my RF 800 and RF 100-400 on the R7 so I don’t bother with the Tamron anymore, will sell it and get an RF or EF instead.

[@Lexxo777]

Thanks Dustin! Are you getting your hands on the A7rV anytime soon for a review?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I don't know for sure. I've been so busy that I couldn't make time for the Sony briefing, so I'm probably not a priority for them.

[@dominik8079]

Would you say that with the right lens it would be good enough for macro video, for example I am looking for a camera that can handle macro photography and videography of insects, mainly ants.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

With the right lens, absolutely.

[@dominik8079]

@@DustinAbbottTWI do you have any lens fitting that description you could recommend ?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I quite like the Laowa 90mm F2.8 2X macro. I use it in Canon RF mount and it produces amazing results.

[@AuxPlumes]

Thank you, excellent review 👏

[@fgb3126]

@6:00 Can you use that menu screen without fingers? I simply cannot use touch screens with my fingers. With my 7D mk 2 I'm able to move thru the menu with a toggle and/or wheel. I'd want that with this camera as well.__________________ Also Dustin, what about this C-RAW? I post-process very simply with my Digital Photo Professional 4. Does the R7 work with that program? And does this C-RAW work as well on the DPP 4?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

You can navigate the screen through both of those other means. C-RAW will work fine with Digital Photo Professonal.

[@willoughbykrenzteinburg]

While talking about the LCD touchscreen : "They have the highest responsiveness......." while it takes three or four touches to get it to work.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

It's not perfect, but Canon is still the best when it comes to camera touchscreens.

[@willoughbykrenzteinburg]

@@DustinAbbottTWI I just thought it was funny. Not knocking on anything.

[@tysonator5433]

Dustin, great review as always, and being a 7Dii owner I had been waiting for the release of 7Diii. Now canon have released the R7 a supposedly a replacement for 7Dii because it has the 7 in the name is the only common Dominator. The R7 has no top screen, weather sealing is OK, no battery grip to name a few, however. ...I am buying the R7( that is another sore point as have it on order and it will be 6 months before I receive it ) for the object / human / animal eye detection AF as it is a game changer. For the interim period earlier this year I purchased Sony A6600 for eye detection, and adapted my canon lens to A6600 via sigma MC-11. I will not be buying RF glass as they are way too expensive not cost of living is going up we are all being squeezed !

[@karencasebeer2483]

I sure hope you do a similar review on the R10.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

No immediate plans, but perhaps down the road.

[@mb-moose]

Another great review. And your comments spot on re third party lenses

[@karlgunterwunsch1950]

Quite the comprehensive review with one very weak area: lenses. It seems you have a very firm understanding regarding sensor and autofocus and body operation. Yet you should read up on lens design if you want to comment on that area too as competently as you have in the other areas. The problem is that it makes 0 sense to design and produce lenses specifically for the RFS mount that are either longer than 50mm at their starting focal length or faster than f/4 - because either design constraint mandates large lens elements and there is virtually no benefit in restricting the image circle. In DSLR the shorter flange distance (clearance of the mirror mechanism allowed the lenses to protrude into the body further) that was a different matter and the EF-S 55-250mm was one of the few notable differences. Here though the restraint of having to have f/5.6 on the long end to not lose autofocus put a stopper to even lighter lenses. With all that said, there is for example already a lightweight and relatively affordable telephoto option available in the RF 100-400 f/5.6-8 IS USM lens. That one even takes a teleconverter (extender in Canon terminology). IMHO Canon will add some of their EF-S lenses to the RF-S mount but until then you can do well in adapting these, especially with the filter holder adapter ring which gives you the ability to use polariser and ND filters in the optical path instead of the front of the lens.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Hmmm, yes, probably reviewing hundreds of lenses is not sufficient for me to understand lens design.

[@bensaunders616]

Appreciate the excellent review. Now if I can just find an R7 in stock!

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Good luck!

[@nitinbhide5964]

How it's in comparison with canon R5?

[@frankelbefotografie]

It‘s a fair review of a great camera i think. Yes there is a lack of RF-S lenses. But how long is there a Canon RF aps-c camera in the market? A few weeks. If Sony released their first e-mount aps-c camera in 2014, we had to wait a long time to get a few really great lenses. It was a pain. And there was no chip shortage or corona lockdowns. I think it‘s a bad time for Canon and Nikon to release their new camera mounts. But if i see how fast they released really great lenses for their full frame cameras, then i hope that they will also release new lenses for their aps-c line of cameras soon. I heard about a rf-s 17-55mm f2.8 lense. That would be great. 🙂

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

That's fair to some extent, though two repackaged lenses is definitely few lenses than what most new systems launch with.

[@tshev]

Why somebody wants an APS-C body? - Better price? - Different depth of field? - Longer zoom with the same lenses? - Theoretical ability to implement a bit better IBIS due to the bigger amplitude of the matrix movements?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

There are some people who prefer APS-C, though I'm not one of them.

[@tshev]

@@DustinAbbottTWI I am trying to understand why. I can't understand why it's the case.

[@simeonandrews8223]

@@tshev I own an R6, and was eager to get the R7 as well, because I love doing bird photography. APS-C gets me far more pixels on my subject. Sure, in theory I would just get closer, but not generally an option with wildlife. So I guess my answer is your third "Longer zoom with the same lens." Not only do I have more pixels on target, it also makes the AF much better when the subject is a bigger part of a frame. When taking photos of a small bird 50 yards away, that's a game changer.

[@stephennowlan2637]

@@simeonandrews8223 Absolutely. My target is a little larger, my son in a sprint kayak, but the race is 500m. 150-200m distance from the finish depending on access to the edge of the race course is the first sequence of shots and pixels on target make a huge difference on the outcome for possibly once in a lifetime events like competing for Canada at the Junior World Championships. The R and EF 100-400 II did well well, but tight shots require cropping at that stage of the race while I had to back down to 150mm for the finish. An R7 would have given much more detail for the long shots. Even if I could afford a 600mm L lens to use on full frame, it would become a two camera operation in order to get the wider view for the finish. That’s a pretty big program for a hobbyist photographer parent. So yes there will always be a place for crop cameras with high performance auto focus.

[@aspotterabroad4145]

This discussion of "it's not a 7D2 replacement" is rather irrelevant I have replaced my 7D MkII with the R7. The R7 does everything my 7D MkII did, only it does it better. The resolution of the EVF ? Hasnt bothered me, it does its job: Lets me find the subject. The buffer is small? Yes it is. That's why I change to CRAW when I need the most of the buffer. CRAW files are amazing so I don't worry about it. No battery grip ? I stopped worrying about it after I saw how comfortably my had can grasp the camera without my pinky finger ending up underneath the body. Combined with my RF 100-500 it all balances quite well, unlike my R5 with the same lens. Low light ? Anyone here who shot the 7D MkII shouldn't have too much to complain. The 7D2 sucked in low light. The R7 isn't great either but it is such better that the 7D2 everyone raves mythically about.If low-light capability is a true priority for you, you aren't really in the market for APS-C. Also having an R5, I didn't miss not having a CFxB in my R7. I have lots of good SD cards already, makes my life simple. Added bonus is that SD cards fit some of the other devices I have in my get bag. The IQ of the R7 is fantastic. I am using my R7 over my R5 more and more these days as it is faster and the 1.6x crop factor allows me to retain more pixels when shooting distant subjects.

[@billx4266]

This or the A6700?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

In some ways I like this camera better, but I like the lens choices of the a6700 MUCH more.

[@johannesimmonen2125]

OM-1 Review when?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

No plans, unfortunately. I don't review Olympus.

[@stevemurnan1702]

@@DustinAbbottTWI Why?

[@jenky1044]

I've always had a canon camera. I'm not buying this r7 for 2 reasons. 1. Canon won't allow 3rd party lenses. 2. Canon is doing away with their dslr line. (I'm not a fan of being forced into something). Especially buying a camera that you can't use its flagship specs (30fps) because you get rolling shutter. I no longer brag up Canon cameras. They upset a lot of people who helped get them where they are.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Canon has definitely made some decisions that I personally disagree with. I really love the EOS R5 and some of their other recent cameras, but their lens choices have really frustrated me. I see so much development on the Sony side and so little for Canon.

[@mbismbismb]

If u dont like stop ranting... canon wont lose a market share because of u

[@gitithadani]

Yes definitely an interesting compelling camera - design & tech. The only thing that goes against canon is that they don't seem to be thinking about an eco system to back up their cameras. Limitation of lenses - not allowing 3rd party & being content to merely keep their ex dslr users to adapt their lenses. Defeats the entire purpose of mirrorless. Sony in contrast brings out a series of compact primes before they announce their fx30 & Fuji has created their own specialized range. This is an era where one isn't merely buying a camera but investing in a system & creating new users.

[@frankelbefotografie]

Don‘t forget sony released their first e-mount aps-c camera in 2014. And we had to wait a long time to get some fast lenses. It was a pain. And there was no chip shortage and corona that time. And how long there is a canon RF aps-c camera in the market now?

[@gitithadani]

@@frankelbefotografie Sony did not stop 3rd party. Neither for aps-c or for FF. I shifted from the canon eos m - which too hardly had any fast lenses - to the sony a7r & the samsung nx 500. The plethora of adapters & eventually the growth of their own sony line & the opening up to 3rd party has led to such a huge eco system of lenses and different kinds of camera bodies. Canon with its huge database of lenses could have easily created their own versatile eco system - not only by allowing 3rd party but also catering to different price points. I used canon SLR for over 3 decades and adapt some of their lenses to the sony a7r4 system.

[@frankelbefotografie]

@@gitithadani Sony had to open their system to 3rd Party, to gain a foothold in the camera market as a newcomer. And the camera market was bigger that time. I‘m not sure if they would do the same today. How long they wanted to use their own memory cards for gaming consoles and cameras? I think it‘s a hard time for a new camera eco system now. If canon opens the door to fast, and Tamron and sigma release new fast lenses faster than canon can do, who will buy their lenses then? We will see what will happen. If I’m right, and the rumors are right, canon will release a few fast primes and faster zooms for aps-c soon. If they do not, then you‘re 100% right. I was a Sony shooter since A7 and Alpha 6000. And to be honest, the autofocus was awful. And the experience with adapted lenses was awful too. But the idea was great. A small full frame camera without mirror, for a smart price. That worked, and Canon and Nikon missed this trend. But yes, I never understood the m system. Why canon did that and then don‘t release lenses for it. And where is Samsung now? Or Olympus? They all are struggling.

[@gitithadani]

@@frankelbefotografie Sony is coming from digital imaging & their digital multimedia technology base is huge. They have made the FF accessible - both canon & nikon shifted late to mirrorless. Panasonic - Sigma & even leica have gone with the L mount & with more compact lens & cameras the smaller sensor companies can no longer survive given also the smartphone cameras. Samsung made some great designs but they were used to huge volume. Fuji on the other hand was one of the slr & film companies who made the shift to first digital & then carved out a niche market. Kodak collapsed. I think the market is changing. In India I am seeing a huge market - from bloggerss to youtube - to budding film makers - to wedding - to the odd finearts types - to those who are passionate. What sony has done is also to understand this market & cater in part to this. During the dslr period canon was the most successful company but not in the mirrorless era.

[@gitithadani]

@@frankelbefotografie Sony was outsourcing some of its memory card production to an indian company which now has got indian government subsidy to do their own manufacturing (price is much lower) + also finally starting semi conductor collaboration with international companies including from Taiwan. AMD has challenged the sony console market.

[@NeXMaX]

Dustin, just kinda curious to know your take on the whole RF third-party AF lenses fiasco, especially with what's going on with Viltrox and Samyang, alongside the news that Tamron and Cosina are starting to make their own name-lineup for Nikon Z-Mount with licensing from Nikon themselves.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I think it is a major misstep by Canon. I get a lot of comments from people who are choosing Sony or Nikon over Canon for just that reason.

[@PavlosPapageorgiou]

11:19 Your dog will be at 100% in just under an hour.

[@45Supergun]

As a Canon owner, my bias is that Canon is a very arrogant company. Then again, Sony and Nikon have very expensive bodies, speedlites and lenses, too. Occasionally, Canon will bend and I think the R7 is a prime example (another being the 430EX III-RT flash). I do wonder how the supply chain is affecting Canon's decision making regarding 3rd-party RF lenses. They might have the attitude that consumers prefer their RF lenses -- but can't get them -- so they'd settle for Sigma, Tamron, etc. and Canon wants to prevent that...for now.

[@pematamang9268]

Sony was in first place in Mirrorless camera but now Canon jump from Sony. Canon EOS R7 is way better than Sony a7IV and it is crop factor 4k60p in crop sensor camera but it is senseless crop factor 4k60p in full Frame sensor camera.

[@mbismbismb]

Indeed it even exceeded the sony latest a6700 in apsc

[@AXYZE]

Perfect camera, worst lens lineup. Even Nikon Z is better because you can adapt E-mount lenses like Sigma 18-50mm, Sony 11/14mm, Sigma 16/30/56 etc... Lack of 3rd party options is a complete deal breaker. EF-S lenses are way heavier and bulkier. RF glass is very expensive or low quality (16mm, 50mm). Nothing in the middle like Sigma C/Tamron glass.

[@akhtarnadeem621]

Sigma fpL 12 bit cinema Dng Raw. Olympus OM-1 12 bit ProRes Raw. For filmmaking

[@rasmokey4]

Too bad they got rid of the top LCD display!!

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

If you are talking from the 7D, then yes, but as the R7 is the first of its kind for Canon in the mirrorless space, it's hard to say they "got rid" of something.

[@mbismbismb]

Nahhh thr R7 is the successor of M6ii not the 7D cause R7 and M6ii has very similar features

[@CO8848_2]

There are no aps-c prime lenses. Skip.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

Yet, though there are only two RF-S lenses, period. There are plenty of EF-S lenses that can be adapted, though.

[@CO8848_2]

@@DustinAbbottTWI agreed, great FF primes on EF can be used with the focal reducer which costs $600. There are no aps-c primes on Ef mount other than the 24mm pancake.

[@mbismbismb]

U can use adapted ef and Rf full frame lens... stop making excuses if u are other brands fanboy

[@jamesgaszak3685]

Time to shower Dustin. The flys are getting a bit distracting from the video. LOL

[@ChaitanyaShukla2503]

At best R7 is overpriced 77D replacement not 7D replacment and not worth getting at its current price. Low res viewfinder(sub $1000cameras use that vf), non BSI sensor(sub $1000 cameras also come with BSI sensors and rolling shutter is quite noticable when using electronic shutter) plasticy build, weather sealing lacking, no N3 remote port, no larger card format, no battery grip option, no gps(7D mk 2 had it), no info display(not big gripe), etc... make this camera not worth looking into as replacement for 7D.

[@noelchignell1048]

I've tried the R7 out at a promotion where I could use my own EF100-400 ii zoom and EF400 f/2.8 prime lenses and it's vastly better than my 7d mark ii in every way. Ergonomics are great too and it's got a magnesium frame under the plastic just like my 7Dii. I thought the EVF was excellent. Go try the R7 out for yourself.

[@ChaitanyaShukla2503]

@@noelchignell1048 I tried R7(someone upgraded from 7D II and he returned it to get R6 instead) and while shooting birds in forest with electronic shutter rolling shutter is noticable(unusable). Also build quality is not as good as 7D series before. When compared to R5(even similarly priced XT4) evf definitely feels like a downgrade and overall package is quite lacking.

[@noelchignell1048]

@@ChaitanyaShukla2503 if you stick to mechanical shutter it's vastly superior to a 7D mark ii and I thought the EVF was better than the 7Dii's OVF The autofocus is so much better too which is critical for action photography

[@stephennowlan2637]

@@ChaitanyaShukla2503 if the output of the EVF was doubled for example, wouldn’t the energy required to run it cause a reduction of shots/battery? Many people are saying it works well as is, perhaps better battery life is a good trade off?

[@gerhardwiesinger]

As Canon locks out 3rd party manufacturer with AF-lenses for the RF-mount, Canon will never be a option anymore. Bye Bye Canon, forever.

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

If there are enough people who vote with their wallets like you, then Canon may reconsider.

[@rickyjohnson1034]

by by

[@mbismbismb]

Bye bye dont come back crying to canon again... canon doesnt need ppl like u

[@ddolde]

I don't get why they'd use an APS-C sensor. I sure wouldn't buy one

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

There are certainly plenty of APS-C fans for a variety of reasons. I prefer full frame as well, but there's no question that some people prefer APS-C.

[@sabu5727]

Rf100-400 usm lens Is the canon lens good? I plan to buy next week. Can you give me your opinion? Please replay sir 🤔?

[@DustinAbbottTWI]

I've got a full review of that lens on this channel. I don't love it, but some do.