Canon 7D MII vs Canon 7D Comparison

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Canon 7D MII

20 MP | APS-C (22.4 x 15 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Canon 7D

18 MP | APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Canon 7D MII vs Canon 7D Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing 7D MII and 7D, two Advanced DSLR cameras by Canon. Canon 7D MII was introduced to market in September 2014 and Canon 7D was launched in November 2009. As you can see, 7D is 5 years older than 7D MII. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

7D MII and 7D are members of Canon's 7D series of cameras. Below you can find the latest models from this series.

Canon 7D Series History

	Model	Release Date	Sensor	Max FPS	Dimensions	Weight
	Canon 7D MII	2014	20.0MP - APS-C	10.0 fps	149 x 112 x 78mm	910g
	Canon 7D	2009	18.0MP - APS-C	8.0 fps	148 x 111 x 74mm	860g

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon 7D MII Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2014-09-15

20MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 16000 ( expands to 51200)

Canon EF/EF-S Mount

3" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

10.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in GPS

910g. 149 x 112 x 78 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Replaced Canon EOS 7D Compare

Canon 7D Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2009-11-06

18MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400 ( expands to 12800)

Canon EF/EF-S Mount

3" Fixed Type Screen

Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder

8.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

860g. 148 x 111 x 74 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Canon EOS 7D Mark II over Canon EOS 7D

GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
Max Sensor Resolution	20 MP vs 18 MP	11% more pixels
Max ISO	16.000 vs 6.400	150% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	65 vs 19	46 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution	1.040k dots vs 920k dots	13% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 8.0fps	2 fps faster
Headphone Port	Yes vs No	better video control
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Color Depth	22.4 vs 22.0	higher color depth
Dynamic Range	11.8 vs 11.7	higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO	1082 vs 854	better High ISO performance
AE Bracketing Range	±5 EV vs ±3 EV	Wide Bracketing range is useful for HDR
Shutter Life Expectancy	200000 cycles vs 150000 cycles	Longer use without changing the shutter mechanism
Storage Slot	2 vs 1	Extra storage slot
Autofocus at f/8 aperture	Center point vs none	Autofocus with teleconverters
UHS Card Support	UHS-I vs none	Read/Write in Ultra High Speeds
Webcam Function	Yes vs No	Use your camera as a Webcam
Anti Flicker	Yes vs No	Reduced uneven color and exposure under flickering light

Reasons to choose Canon EOS 7D over Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Battery Life	800 shots vs 670 shots	130 more frames with a single charge
Weight	860 g vs 910 g	50 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area	18.54µm² vs 16.83µm²	10% larger pixel area

Common Strengths of Canon EOS 7D Mark II and Canon EOS 7D

Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs Yes	Better for flash photography
Viewfinder	Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Max Resolution	20 MP vs 18 MP	Bigger prints and more details
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 8.0fps	Fast shooting speeds
Microphone Port	Yes vs Yes	High quality audio recording option
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs Yes	shoot at tough conditions
Top LCD Display	Yes vs Yes	Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Flash Sync Port	Yes vs Yes	Connect off-camera flash
AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)	Yes vs Yes	Adjust each lens for accurate focusing
Shutter Life Expectancy	200000 cycles vs 150000 cycles	High Shutter Rating
Dual-axis Electronic Level	Yes vs Yes	Level the camera easily in two axis

Common Weaknesses of Canon EOS 7D Mark II and Canon EOS 7D

In-body Image Stabilization	No vs No	No Built-in stabilization
Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles

Canon 7D MII vs Canon 7D: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon 7D MII has external dimensions of 149 x 112 x 78 mm (5.87 x 4.41 x 3.07″) and weighs 910 g (2.01 lb / 32.10 oz) (including batteries). Canon 7D has external dimensions of 148 x 111 x 74 mm (5.83 x 4.37 x 2.91″) and weighs 860 g (1.90 lb / 30.34 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D. Canon 7D is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 1mm narrower, 1mm shorter and 4mm thinner than Canon 7D MII.

Comparison image of Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D.

Comparison image of Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D Size and Weight - Back View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon 7D is 50g lighter than the Canon 7D MII but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since both Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D have the same Canon EF/EF-S lens mount and APS-C sized sensors, lenses will not be a differentiator on total size of the system.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

7D MII

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

7D MII

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Both 7D MII and 7D have weather sealings in their body, making them resistant to water and dust.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Canon 7D MII vs Canon 7D: Sensor Comparison

Canon 7D MII has a 20.0MP APS-C (22.4 x 15 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features DIGIC 6 (dual) processor. On the other hand, Canon 7D has a 18.0MP APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Dual Digic 4 processor.

Below you can see the 7D MII and 7D sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D Cameras

Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

DxOMark Sensor Scores

Both Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D sensors have been tested by DxoMark. DxoMark scores camera sensors for color depth (DXO Portrait), dynamic range (DXO Landscape) and low-light sensitivity (DXO Sports), and also gives them an overall score. Of the two cameras that we are comparing, 7D MII has scored 70, 4 points higher than 7D.

Model	Overall	Color Depth	Dynamic Range	Low-light ISO
Canon 7D MII	70	22.4 bits	11.8 Evs	1082 ISO
Canon 7D	66	22.0 bits	11.7 Evs	854 ISO

Canon 7D MII vs Canon 7D Comparison of Available Lenses

Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D have the same Canon EF/EF-S lens mount and currently there are 326 native lenses available for these cameras.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. None of these bodies have sensor based image stabilization so you have to buy lenses with Optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 112 lenses with Image stabilization for Canon EF/EF-S mount.

Lens Type	# of Canon 7D MII Lenses	# of Canon 7D Lenses
Standard Zoom	40	40
Standard Prime	19	19
Wideangle Zoom	37	37
Wideangle Prime	49	49
Telephoto Zoom	58	58
Telephoto Prime	43	43
SuperZoom	28	28
Wideangle Fisheye Prime	7	7
Macro Prime	28	28
Perspective Control Prime	16	16
Telephoto Mirror Prime	1	1
TOTAL	326	326

Here are some of the most popular Canon EF/EF-S Mount Lenses on Camera Decision:

Popular Canon EF/EF-S Mount Lenses for 7D MII and 7D

	Coverage	Weight	Focusing	Street Price
Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II	35mm FF	130gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM	35mm FF	670gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 50mm f1.8 STM	35mm FF	159gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM	35mm FF	630gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF-S 10-18mm f4.5-5.6 IS STM	APS-C / DX	240gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 15mm f2.8 Fisheye	35mm FF	330gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM	35mm FF	290gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo
Canon EF 40mm f2.8 STM	35mm FF	130gr	AF	Amazon B&H Photo

What types of Photography are Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Canon 7D MII for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Canon 7D for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (22.4 x 15 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon 7D MII for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Canon 7D for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (22.4 x 15 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
No Image Stabilization
Large Body
Read the details

Canon 7D MII for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT

Canon 7D for Sports Photography

GOOD

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
65 Cross Type Focus sensors
65 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 670 shots
Good Low Light ISO
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Continuous Shooting: 8.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
19 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 800 shots
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Canon 7D MII for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Canon 7D for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (22.4 x 15 mm) sensor
Anti Flicker feature
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
910g
Body Thickness 78mm
Read the details

Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
860g
Body Thickness 74mm
Read the details

Canon 7D MII for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Canon 7D for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Large APS-C (22.4 x 15 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Built-in GPS
Read the details

Large APS-C (22.3 x 14.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 18.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Read the details

Canon 7D MII vs Canon 7D: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Canon 7D MII and Canon 7D scores compare:

Canon 7D MII

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #38 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #170 out of 1230 in all Cameras

Canon 7D

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #47 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #257 out of 1230 in all Cameras

Canon 7D MII is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon 7D in all criteria except one: Portability. But the size difference between these cameras are negligible in real world so it is not a big disadvantage for Canon 7D MII.

Canon 7D vs Canon 7D MII Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Canon EOS 7D Mark II	Canon EOS 7D
Brand	Canon	Canon
Announced	2014-09-15	2009-11-06
Body Type	Mid-size SLR	Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type	CMOS	CMOS
Size	APS-C	APS-C
Dimensions	22.4 x 15 mm	22.3 x 14.9 mm
Area	336.00mm²	332.27mm²
Megapixels	20 megapixels	18 megapixels
Max Resolution	5472 x 3648	5184 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	16,000 ISO	6,400 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	51200 ISO	12800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	65	19
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	Canon EF/EF-S	Canon EF/EF-S
Number of Available Lenses	326	326
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	1,040k dots	920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Optical (pentaprism)	Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.63x	0.63x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/8000s	1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	No	No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	12.00 m	12.00 m
Max Flash Sync	1/250s	1/250s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	10.0 fps	8.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	910g	860g
Dimensions	149 x 112 x 78mm	148 x 111 x 74mm
Battery Life	670 shots	800 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Built-in	Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	70	66
DxO Color Depth	22.4	22.0
DxO Dynamic Range	11.8	11.7
DxO Low Light ISO	1082	854
	Report a correction	Report a correction