The Canon 7D Mark I In The Year 2023!? Should I Buy This ~$300 Camera

[@MichaelQPowell]

I am a wildlife photographer and am currently still shooting with a Canon 7D Mark I. I can often get photos as good as the guys with newer cameras. I like the heft of a big camera that is waterproof and durable and the 7D serves me well. As you note, the 7D does not do video very well, but its still photos are really good. With the older sensors, noise can be problem when the light is low, but today's software handles that well. Thanks for highlighting this camera--I'd recommend it to others.

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

Yeah. I like the new mirrorless cameras, but, at times, I miss the simple predictable dslrs like the 7D Mark I.

[@quazisanjeed6395]

I regularly use this wonderful camera. It's a lion in the field. Works perfect with all-native lenses. Do not use third party glass.

[@Z-Hock]

I might actually shoot stills with my S23 mounted on it for the 8k video 😊

[@ckdflbrew1776]

Have a T4i I’ve used for years. Just picked up a 7D for $150 still in the box, in mint condition. With my 18-135, and 70-200, my pic have gotten a whole new life

[@BobWatts-q9h]

If this was all someone could afford, to get into photography, wildlife & sports /action - it is an EXCELLENT choice. Seeing them now for $200. GREAT option.

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

Yeah! This, and the 7D Mark II if the card format is more advantageous.

[@sithlordsoup]

I love my mark 1, still use it for KZbin videos, even at 720p. I just assume most people watch KZbin on their phones anyway. As for the photography side, with proper maintenance, it’ll be good for the next 100 years.

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

WOW. I never thought about it for video! LOL yes. I think it's the people who are still learning that tend to reject the old cameras and get caught up in the marking for the new ones.

[@pacmanpills1073]

i use my 7d for motersports around the uk with a 100 400 and im still pleased with what it gives me .its been rained on loads this year and it still keeps going for me.

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

I remember when I was in flash flood with my 7D...Good times.

[@SackyX]

Good review of a camera I have been using for several years and still do to this day. Now I don't feel like I'm so far out of the loop. Thanks.

[@alecbuxton7634]

I would say that the 7D mark I Is still a usable camera in 2024 because if you really think about it the sensor is very close to ones in the entry level cameras that we would cost twice the price and probably also wouldn't be able to take as many photos in burst mode as the entry level ones are usually limited to 3 fps plus it's also a better quality built camera than an entry level one

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

Great point!!

[@quazisanjeed6395]

I love shooting with old gears. Therefore, Canon 7D is still one of my main action cameras. Will continue using it as long it keeps shooting. Thank you for the video.

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

Yes! I love that mentality. I teach my students to always get an advantage with older gear. Save money on the bodies.

[@irishseaswimmer]

Those old digital digitalrev vids were class 🤣😂 great days.

[@jeffreyonline]

7D was my dream student walk around camera. I should've kept it - your video gives me some good insight into whether I should pick up a good used one.

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

Thanks! It took sometime to put this together and the 7D meant something to us all. What you thinking of getting into now?

[@jeffreyonline]

@@DevynFromCFXTV honestly I'd probably get into a 7D just for the nostalgia and fun factor of it. I'm so behind from when I graduated like 15 years ago so my trust of mirrorless is low, still. Gonna check out your other videos and maybe learn more 😎

[@roywales4444]

Get it, you won't regret it :) I bought my first one new, sold it and changed systems. Missed it and grabbed an excellent used one again when one popped up locally for a bargain price. One of the best all round camera bodies for the price today.

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

@@roywales4444 Team 7D!

[@h.s.4654]

I bought my second canon 7D m II in 2024. First still working perfectly but high shutter count after 9 years of use. Looked at R7 but too small for my hands and not in balance with the 100-400 L lens which I use often and is a very good combination with the 7D m II

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

Ive been thinking about the R7.... you know that are thinking about an R7II

[@adude394]

After many years of basically never taking my 300D off of full auto, I decided that it was time to learn about how to actually take pictures. One of my purchases has been a used 7D and I love it. It may be old and out-of-date, but that's OK, because so am I! Interestingly, I find it to be a little more difficult to control than my 20D, but that's great because it forces me to pay a lot of attention to the triangle, which I should be doing anyway.

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

Usually when your mid can wrap around the new system you will see the advantages

[@mor.6860]

I have the 7D Mark II and yesterday I ordered the 7D as a backup and for my second shooter. I don’t shoot video anyway, so that doesn’t matter to me. Can’t wait to use it.

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

YEAH!!!!!!

[@sabeloculsi]

Im from Spain, somewhere between Africa and France, and I just bought a new one (7D Mi) today for less than 300$ US. Hope you are right and it work so well for bird and nature photography I practise. Thanks.

[@BobWatts-q9h]

Taking this from the standpoint of when this camera was released was cool You did some good research.

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

THANKS

[@robertoorru5191]

I am an old photographer, and I agree with all you said (also very well explained). I use micro four thirds with Olympus, but I owned a 7d back in the days and now (yesterday, actually) I bought it again on ebay. True, technology goes further and further, but it'not a big deal to renounce to the last available technology if we feel confortable even without it. I also use some manual focus lenses and it'not a big deal to me...we all should keep in mind your considerations. Thanks for that!

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

Yeah!

[@roywales4444]

Love the 7D ... on my second one now :)

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

Team 7D!

[@irishseaswimmer]

Nice little vid 👍. Thanks for sharing.

[@InconsistentTechDad]

So can the 7D use SD cards? Or do you have to have compact flash?

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

7DII Uses both 7DI Uses only CF Cards (Original Compact Flash Cards)

[@brunodrakenas9575]

You can get a CF to SD adapter and use SD cards. Haven’t tried it myself and some people claim it doesn’t work but every video of seen when people use them it works perfectly.

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

@@brunodrakenas9575 I tried this but It was not a reliable memory set up. Allot of errors reading in-camera. I haven't tried it recently, but I dont trust it

[@attiliop474]

I use a 7d after countless tests with mirrorless focusing. And I tried a lot. The noise of the 7d is perfect in my eyes. Extremely good. The files I get with other converters on other mirrorless cameras have less noise but also less detail. With more megapixels. The 7d raw files work much better and you get equivalent results. Easier to compress, leaving acceptable detail even at ISO 3200. The grain is very fine. The dynamic range can actually be annoying and perhaps even more annoying not being able to change the compensation via automatic ISO. To catch up on the shadows.In M mode this is not there. In other modes yes . Having 2 processors, compression up to 800 ISO is actually perfect. I don't have to touch anything because the jpgs in the car are perfect.

[@audijohns9187]

Great video, this was my first major camera and I still have it and still use it to video with. ML changed the game on the 7D and continue to make it a beast today. Upscaling has changed video quality beyond what our eyes can even perceive. Once you learn ML you will look at other cameras and 😂

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

I remember that

[@SDeonDsouza]

Is it good beginner camara

[@ChrisJS1987]

I bought an a7s a few years ago. Beautiful images... But I'm back to using my 7D.

[@whosflair3716]

I'm just getting into sports photography, would this still be a good camera for me?

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

Yes and no. Yes: If you just want a good action camera for pictures only in decent lighting conditions. No: I would not recommend this camera if you need video with auto focus. If you find yourself in low light situations. It has a CF card that you'd have to get a reader which is cheap but most people don't use the old CF cards today. If you'd like a Canon sports camera, like this, for cheap but corrects the issues, get a 7D Mark II ($500) 18-135mm STM Lens ($250). Use SD cards because you can reuse SD cards if you upgrade. Then focus on lenses to upgrade to in the future like a 70-200 2.8. The 80D and 90D are comparable with the same lens too and they have flip screens unlike 7D Mark II. They cost more usually. But these are just suggestions based on that one comment you told me. I'd have to know more about your content plans to really get a full grasp.

[@whosflair3716]

@centuryfxstudios2489 Thanks for the response. I plan on shooting ice hockey. I'm just wondering if this camera would be usable by a beginner, or if I should start off with something simpler

[@swesleyharris]

Great video!

[@Robert-ug5hx]

I still use the 7d and 60d, they work well for me

[@sunlbx]

The only issue I have with 7d is banding noise when shooting high dynamic range landscapes. Not only there is banding in the shadows, but also in the lights! The dynamic range is catastrofically low, and the noise is too high even for a crop sensor. Micro 4/3 are less noisy nowadays

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

Yes the 7D Mark I's sensor dynamic range was low and Nikon's competitor at the time had dual card slots. Also, Nikon always had a leg up over Canon's Dynamic range. But no one matched Canon's AF system in combination with their lenses. So, were Nikon could take a better quality picture, Canon had the better change of capturing more pictures in focus for the equivalent moment in time.

[@Steve_1401]

Have you tried the Magic Lantern firmware?

[@sunlbx]

@@Steve_1401 yep, dual iso is a good technology, however the resolutuion drop makes shooting landscapes out of the question. for some, that might work alright!

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

@@Steve_1401 A long time ago, why?

[@Steve_1401]

​@@DevynFromCFXTV I was wondering if the ML ability to take more bracketing shots would help with the OP's banding noise. (I was only ever an enthusiastic hobbyist, not claiming any knowledge!). It's been a long time since I used it, but I think it could do up to 7 shots, possibly more.

[@scottriverof]

i am a novice who just qcquired 5d-2. Can i justify getting 7d? Still?

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

5D Mark II has better low light abilities, but it is slower than the 7D. Also the 7D Mark I focus better. Note that these cameras have difference sensor sizes making the focal length different. There are lots of reasons but if you like the 5D stay with it. It's image quality will take you farther in lots of situations. I'd choose the 5DIII if I wanted to upgrade from 5DII, for better focusing

[@scottriverof]

@@DevynFromCFXTV Yeah I felt same. Thanks for explanations.

[@brunodrakenas9575]

How bad is this for indoor sports? 🤔 I would love a fast indoor shooter for low light but the 1dx is a little pricey!

[@RolandHoltz]

Well, I bought the 7D II in 2023 and paid 330 € for it. The more I use it, the more I love it. You love it best with good glass. That's the secret to it. But let's have a comparison in 2024 I bought the galaxy S 24 Ultra, not for the camera function but for the AI function. I am doing medical research, so that was it. I compared the 200-megapixel sensor to the 7D II. The 7DII was notably sharper than the Samsung phone, even though that thing costed 5 times the money than I paid for the 7D II. I combined it with a 6D I also getting the holy trinity and it's great. I also feel the 7D II is a mayor improvement over the 7D I, specially in image quality, even though in the low light performance, It’s got it’s limitations. I would not have opted for the later. But that’s what I have the 6D1 for. Done deal. I am an amateur. Photography is one of the very essential things in my life, that I may not miss. It's the air that I breathe and this system will take me over years to come. Great vid bro. Roland from good old Germany.

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

Yes! Thank you! This message means alot. I have an S21. My father has the 6D Mark I and I used the 7D II and I agree that the image quality leaf-frogged the 7DI. I like the 7D II better than the 6DI for its handling. I love the 6DI's image quality better though. I want to make another 7DVideo. What should I do it on? Maybe 7D Mark II in 2025!? or 7D vs 7DII in 2025!?

[@alex_jermaine]

Y’all, what’s the deal with shutter counts? Is it really that bad to buy a camera with a high shutter count?

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

I have never cared to be honest, but I know I have to mention it because its a concern when using high burst rate cameras for a lot of people. What about you, have you experienced a broken shutter?

[@alex_jermaine]

@@DevynFromCFXTV I have not yet (thankfully) But that's interesting that you never cared. I've always thought that was big deal. I just bought one of these and it's great but it was a real work horse so I was just wondering if I should be concerned with the shutter count. But I guess you have a point. It shouldn't really matter right? I shouldn't have to worry?

[@jameshogg601]

At this point i would push to the mark 2. There doesnt seem to be a big difference price wise... BUT the canon 7d is a great camera

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

Interesting. I seem to get both sides of the coin here. It seems that most people like the 7D I over the II as a legacy camera, but I'd defiantly want to do a video like this for the 7D II

[@funkndonut]

i just bought one from keh with a two-year warranty for a little over $200. i'll probably get a 5Dii soon too before they all get snapped up.

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

2 of my favorite cameras ever

[@14369bialy]

I'm glad Canon introduced the R series. Thanks to this, eos have become cheaper. Just buy a good lens and enjoy beautiful photos. Cool. I think I'll buy another 7d.

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

Yeah, I'm considering getting a 7D Mark II for my students.

[@ginbn7019]

Hi, could you give me some guidance? because I am an amateur photographer and I want to buy one but I know that the world of professional cameras is very complex and it depends on what exactly you want to take, I am looking for a camera that takes all kinds of movement or static, also for night like concerts that can be seen clearly in the dark or for travel and for daytime photos like Instagram influencers, I know there is no camera for everything in general, but I more or less wanted to get an idea of what camera would be best for something in general, especially for someone who wants to buy a camera for the first time, for example on EBay now I have seen one that is at 340€ second hand the Canon EOS 700 D with EF-S 18-135 mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM from 2013 with 4. 980 of shots the shutter count with less than 5,000 that I do not know if it is the same as the shots, but more or less that was what the seller told me, I do not know if this camera could serve me for what I ask as well as for videos related to what I mentioned before that I would like to take or record, I know that the canon 7 D of 2013 is more for the movements and that, but I do not know if it will be good for almost in general or which other camera of this type and price of second would suit me better?. Well thank you very much and sorry for the inconvenience, I just need some guidance because I've seen videos and I'm still undecided or I do not clarify very well. Best regards. Thanks

[@gergogergo01]

The Canon 7D Mark I the best (choice) camera in 2023 but in 2024 is a very good camera!

[@daktarioskarvannederhosen2568]

why the heck did canon throw so much into a crop-sensor camera?

[@louisdefunes8952]

But the 70-300 f/2.8 is way more expensive. And it's "all" about the ens.. I have the same 7D (I) with 3000( yes ; not 30.000) clics for €300,-, so very nice! This moment only with the "plastic-fantastic" Canon 75-300mm f4-5-6(version II), but will get some fast primes. Nice informative video!

[@DevynFromCFXTV]

Yes I get it. I brought the 300 along for other reasons that pros might get into. That's why I used the 50. But If you have questions about the 7D on cheaper lenses I can give you my opinions on that too. Yeah, since I have made the transition I don't have many lenses compatible with the 7D unfortunately.

[@nycyclist4154]

I bought the Canon EOS 7D used and it's an amazing Camera. I also have a Canon EOS 10s film camera and that too is a great camera.

[@DisleyDavid]

Bought 2 of these for £100 each.

[@sylvestermueller1930]

'Promosm'

[@apollontv1078]

I bought it 5 months ago for 200€....(50k s.c)