A 32.5MP APS-C mirrorless camera with Canon’s RF mount, the Canon EOS R7. It was introduced alongside the EOS R10 as a more expensive sibling model. It is aimed at the same market of enthusiast photographers as the current EOS 90D DSLR and possibly the EOS M6 II.
Key Particulars
- Dual Pixel AF on an APS-C CMOS sensor with 32.5MP
- Up to 7 stops of mechanical in-body image stabilization with up to 30 frames per second (e-shutter) and 15 frames per second
- Line-skipped or cropped 4K/60p 10-bit video as “PQ” true HDR footage or C-Log, oversampled UHD 4K up to 30p,
- OLED viewfinder with 2.36M dots
- 1.62M-dot touchscreen with full articulation
Environmental sealing Mic and headphone sockets, two UHS-II SD card slots
The list price of the EOS R7 is $1499 for the body only or $1899 with the brand-new 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM zoom lens.
New Sensor information
The 32.5MP CMOS sensor inside the EOS R7, as with the R10, is a new design, according to Canon. Since it doesn’t seem likely that Canon will spend a lot of money on developing brand-new front-side illuminated sensors at this time, we assume the new model will be an adaptation of the current design, possibly produced on a more modern production line that enables more precise fabrication of the sensor’s circuitry.
Whatever the distinction, the sensor’s combination with the most recent “Digic X” processor enables faster continuous shooting and faster video rates than any of Canon’s 32.5MP cameras to date.
This speed also feeds into a significantly updated AF system.
Autofocus
The R10’s autofocus system is added to the EOS R7. By doing so, the separate Face/Tracking focus mode is eliminated, and you can now choose to use tracking when using any of the AF area or zone modes. As a result, you have the option to start tracking using an AF target that is suitable for the subject you’re attempting to photograph.
Three customizable AF zones with variable size and shape are now included in the AF areas.
Additionally, you can choose to prioritize people, animals, or vehicles using the EOS R7’s subject recognition modes, which it inherited from the EOS R3. We don’t necessarily anticipate the same AF performance as Canon’s sporting mirrorless model due to the slower read-out of the R7’s FSI-CMOS sensor, but the R7 should be just as effective at identifying the subjects of the type you choose.
Ongoing shooting
The R7’s electronic shutter can provide continuous shooting at up to 30 frames per second thanks to its quick sensor readout. Although we haven’t had a chance to test the camera’s ability to maintain 12-bit readout (which seems likely with an FSI sensor), or to measure the rolling shutter rate, it’s a respectable specification to be able to guarantee.
Perhaps more importantly, the R7’s mechanical shutter allows it to shoot 15 frames per second with full autofocus, so there won’t be any rolling shutter issues (and it hasn’t been that long since Canon’s flagship sports model was able to do the same). Notably, the EOS R7 is more useful for action burst photography than the R10 because it has a larger image buffer.
In our initial testing, we were able to take about 100 compressed Raw images when shooting at 15 frames per second with a mechanical shutter, and about 65 shots when shooting at 30 frames per second. This is roughly two to three times as many images as the R10 can take in a burst.
In mechanical shutter mode, the shutter can sync with flashes at up to 1/250 sec, or at 1/320 sec in electronic front curtain mode. For use with flash, the e-shutter is too slow.
Video
The EOS R7’s video specifications surpass those of the R10 and cameras that used earlier iterations of the 32.5MP Canon sensor. The biggest difference is that it can capture sub-sampled (likely line-skipped) UHD 4K at up to 60p from the entire sensor width in addition to being able to shoot oversampled 4K at up to 30p using the full 7K area of the sensor.
A native 3840 x 2160 pixel crop of the sensor can also be used to record 4K/60p video, just like the R10. However, because the R7’s sensor has a higher resolution than the R10’s, a larger crop is necessary to reach that native region. In addition to the sensor’s existing 1.6x crop, the R7’s cropped 4K/60 adds a 1.81x crop. This will help you get a zoomed-in look, but since only a quarter of the camera’s sensor is being used, there will be a noticeable noise cost in all but the best lighting.
According to Canon, the oversampled 4K “Fine” setting can record for about 30 minutes, depending on the camera’s temperature and the surrounding environment (at least in 29.97p form). For either the sub-sampled or cropped modes, there are no thermal restrictions listed.
The R7 offers the ability to capture 10-bit footage in the C-Log 3 profile, designed to retain flexibility for color (and brightness) grading, in addition to the HDR PQ option for capturing true HDR footage for HDR displays. This makes the R7 a fairly competitive video machine at its price point, especially when combined with in-body stabilization, a headphone jack, and pretty good video AF (although not as good as in stills mode).
True HDR photographs
The EOS R7 and R10 can capture 10-bit HEIF files using the HDR ‘PQ’ curve, as we’ve seen with the EOS R6 and R5. If you connect the camera to a high dynamic range display or TV, these cameras can shoot wider dynamic range images that can realistically display that wider dynamic range.
Frame and handling
The R7 body has no direct counterpart in Canon’s lineup; it resembles a smaller R6 in shape but has a few novel control points. However, the R-series or X0D users will feel right at home with the large, comfortable grip and instantly recognizable feel in the hand.
But the R7’s dial configuration is unusual. Directly behind the shutter button, just like on the R10 and a lot of Canon cameras, is an upward-facing command dial. The R7’s second dial, in contrast to the R10’s large, horizontal second dial, is vertical and surrounds the AF joystick on the camera’s back. It’s an unusual design, and some of us found it led to exposure adjustments when trying to move the AF point. But since this wasn’t the case everywhere, maybe we’ll get used to it.
A viewfinder and a display
A 3.0″ fully articulating rear touchscreen is available on the R7. It has 1.62M dots, giving it a 900 x 600 pixel resolution.
A 2.36M dot OLED panel, which is still a standard feature on mirrorless cameras under $1,000, serves as the viewfinder. Refresh rates are typically not disclosed by Canon, but the 1.15x magnification (0.72x in equivalent terms) is excellent. Although neither is a particularly high-end panel, they are currently on par with the (relatively old) cameras’ peers.
Battery
The LP-E6NH batteries that power the EOS R6 and R5 models are also used by the EOS R7. This battery has a capacity of 15.3Wh, which is more than twice that of the R10’s. In the more power-hungry “smoothness priority” mode, this powers the EOS R7 to a rating of 660 shots per charge, or 380 when using the viewfinder. In power-saving mode, these numbers can be increased to 770/500.
In many types of photography, CIPA numbers frequently understate the actual number of shots you’ll take. Even for quite intensive sports or event photography, we find that 660 shots is enough to keep you from frequently having to worry about running out of battery.
