News Reviews Features Buying Guide Sample Images Videos Cameras LensesPhonesPrinters Forums Galleries Challenges

197

Video: Capturing nature with the Canon EOS 7D Mark II

Published Nov 10, 2014 | dpreview staff

When we review high-end DSLRs, one of the most common requests we receive is to get them into the hands of professional photographers that work in the kinds of environments for which they were designed. That's why when we received the Canon EOS 7D Mark II we joined up with Adam Jones, a professional wildlife and nature photographer, to see what he makes of the new camera. Adam works with Canon as an Explorer of Light and has been using an EOS 7D Mark II for the past few weeks.

Watch out for more videos like this, covering gear from several other manufacturers soon.

Tags: cameralens-features, canon, nature-photography, video

Gear in this story

Canon EOS 7D Mark II

320

I own it

394

I want it

I had it

Discuss in the forums

Shop now

91 customer reviews

Body In stock Usually ships in 24 hours	$1,699.00 »
w/ 18-135mm STM In stock Usually ships in 24 hours	$2,049.00 »

Comments

Total comments: 197

Physics decides the resolution and size of lenses. That's why then best astronomical telescopes have the greatest aperatures. No camera manufacturer or set of its fanatics can change the fact the resolution scales with the inverse of the diameter of the objective lens.

0 upvotes

Those big lenses sure do look unwieldy. When will we see some advances to make lenses much smaller? (I remember mirror lenses from film days, and of course they had their limitations.)

0 upvotes

Keep these types of reviews coming please! Awesome stuff

0 upvotes

Great review! Keep'em coming!

If I could suggest anything would be for the DPreview host to speak up a little more clearly. Thanks.

0 upvotes

This video is one of the best things I've seen from DPreview. Videos like this in the future will be most welcomed. The text review of 7DmkII has also been great.
Carry on! :-)

0 upvotes

Cudos to Adam Jones for holding on a to a PowerBook! it's not every day that you say a computer as old as that in work. :)

0 upvotes

Canon's development is to slow.
Now young in photo market Samsung is ahead.
The only reason to keep Canon is older system so more mature - many accesories atc. and of course if it is must have mirror presence.
And this mirror probably is a STRONG brake for VERY POOR EOS-M SYSTEM.

But people like mirrorles cameras every year more and more....

1 upvote

Yes the 7Ds mirrorless rivals are so far ahead now,with their crappy tracking focus and hilarious buffer rate,Samsung is ahead,Dream on.

0 upvotes

Actually, if you take the time to actually look into things, in terms of overall technology Samsung ARE way ahead. Only brand prejudice and a limited lens range ( for some ) is stopping them.

The only reason to buy the 7D2 is the AF performance and the wide availability of lenses. In all other respects, it is outclassed.

0 upvotes

Nice review. I've had mine for about 4 weeks now and so far it looks like a keeper. I'm particularly happy with its performance with my Sigma 18-35mm and my Sigma 50-150mm lenses.

0 upvotes

Thanks for review, it's very useful

1 upvote

Awful music and hairdo. Drop them in next installments. And nobody cares how you get to your destination.

0 upvotes

I love the video. And I don´t care about your negative comments. You don't know nobody...

1 upvote

Finally ... stress testing. My biggest complaint of DP's reviews. Not enough AF testing, etc. under tough conditions

0 upvotes

Could somebody please tell me what the stand is called when he is making the interval ometer video. Does the stand have a build in feature to move along it over the 15 minutes. cheers.... ps yes im a complete camera noob

Comment edited 35 seconds after posting

0 upvotes

Brendan,

It's called a camera dolly. It can be of several types, like a linear one (as shown), a rotating one and one that does both movements. Examples of manufacturers are Dynamic Perception for the first and third types and Losmandy's Starlapse for the 2nd type.

Good luck.

0 upvotes

Very, very good, A first rate professional photographer with a bulk load of experience, ..... no question about it!

Thank you for this production, I will watch it again it was so good.

Baz Australia

0 upvotes

Well done, a joy to watch!
Thank you!

0 upvotes

Barney -

I was wondering which Canon 16-35 you were using?

0 upvotes

The new F4 version.

0 upvotes

Raw data shows 16-35 F2.8.

0 upvotes

That is incorrect. Where are you seeing the data?

0 upvotes

Although I am not interested in the camera, I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation of this video. It is very well thought out and very informative.

1 upvote

Great footage for enjoying in the evening with a glass of wine, watching how a pro wildlife shooter works, and how the reviewed gear performs in real life. Since all digital cameras today deliver quite good quality compared to some years ago, I think those real life reviews are getting more and more important (e.g. AF performance in challenging moments) - and scientific lab tests less and less important at least for real photographers (excluding geeks).

Please DPR, I want to see more of this very good stuff! (And, please, not always with Country muzak.)

Comment edited 2 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

One of your best dp reviews to date..So many people are knocking this camera for not being 4k ....This is a camera first and video is a second.. this camera will grab focus in stills and video better than any 4k camera thats out there...oh and we will see if samsung nx 1 will do what it says it can do....Great job and effort in making this video...people need to stop bashing and star shooting....

1 upvote

I agree. I don't think nx1 will come even close.

0 upvotes

I thought this video was informative and interesting. I did not care about the gear but much more interested in how they were shooting. There were bits and pieces of things that I picked up that may help me to be a better photographer.

1 upvote

It was informative listening to Adam setting-up and using the camera. With this level of camera an exhaustive video is impossible, unless a full-length feature "film" is made, and I just consecrated on what I could learn. The video presentation and location represents a lot of work which I am thankful for - IMO nicely done! (As my hearing is going, please kill the music.)

2 upvotes

This is a (way) too long infomercial no more or less informative than any other infomercial. Next time don't make me loose so much of my all too short life.

Comment edited 54 seconds after posting

1 upvote

Hello Barney,
Could you tell me if this film idea was initiated by Canon or dpreview?
And also was any part of it paid for by Canon?

Thanks

2 upvotes

why do you want to know this? I just like to the value of this info?

1 upvote

We were not paid to produce this video, but all costs (flights, camera crew etc) were covered by Amazon.com, and it was featured on Amazon.com as well as DPReview.com. We had full editorial control and it was our concept and our execution. Canon USA supplied all the equipment used on camera, as well as the C300s used to shoot the film.

7 upvotes

I feel sad for peole who wants to know how these videos were made.
Sure canon has something to do at some point, and if dpreview wants to get help about this camera, joining experienced shooters with this new 7d2 is the right thing to do.
These cameras are complex, specially this new autofocus.
Anyway, thanks for dpreview to make this nice little gem, and would really like to see this canon-nikon pseudo war ending soon by lots of users here at dpreview, its really annoying.

2 upvotes

Seagman : No, it's healthy to want know who's behind these videos, and good that DPReview is transparent about it. We should all look at advertising with a critical eye.
Here you've got an advertising aspect to it (well someone has to make and sell the cameras we want!), but also a great hands-on feed-back from someone with experience.
I'm sure that much of the feed-back on DPReview including our comments influence the developments of the cameras.

2 upvotes

Sure its healthy"LeKit", i would never say the contrary, but as we all know, Dxo is a partner with Dpreview....so.....

0 upvotes

Hi Barney, thank you. However question still remains; who initiated the idea to make the video, perhaps the work instigates would be a better choice.
I hope you are enjoying Superbowl, I am enjoying the silence!

0 upvotes

Loved the video. Adam was the perfect guest, clear, succinct and instructive. I have no interest in the camera --- too much for me. But I used the video to learn, and for that purpose it was superb.

4 upvotes

That was an awesome video. One of the best I've seen from dpreview. A good review/test of a new camera used in situations for what the camera is designed to do. Well done!!!

1 upvote

Great video. It's not all about the dynamic range and low noise and more about the photographer.

Still, I think I'll hold out for the 7D Mark III. It should be ready in 2020 and if we're lucky maybe 4K.

0 upvotes

DPreview and Adam Jones : Thank you !!!

Most enjoyable to watch and very helpful, it confirms I want one too :-)

4 upvotes

I guess I've been delivered the hardest critics on this video, so I'll comment on this one.

I assume that "I want one" refers to a 7DII .
And that's exactly why I react so strongly.

The video doesn't make you say "I want to book a similar trip to take great shots".
That would have been appreciated and fine.

But in reality you have learn't nothing about whether this camera is better suited for the task than anything else out there.
-- Yes, you know it can do the job. But maybe there are options out there that can do the task for half the price. How would you know?
Do you know more about the keeper ratio compered to other offers?

So to me, this is an informercial for Canon. Not photography.

Barney doesn't lie when he says that Canon had no influence on the editorial content, but the fact that only Canon equipment was used means that the content was limited to only Canon equipment.
With so many different brands out there, I'd say that is a big influence on the editorial content.

1 upvote

I'm on the same page as you, but for slightly different reasons. While the video was very informative to viewers for how a pro actually uses his camera to capture different types of wildlife situations, as you said it didn't actually show how the 7DII might be better/ different at it than any other camera. Not to mention, the actual camera use wasn't really specific to the features of the 7DII - most all of the features, settings, and techniques used could have been just as successfully shown with an original 7D or even a 70D.

Comment edited 2 times, last edit 8 minutes after posting

0 upvotes

I would disagree with you about it being a Canon infomercial, in that it was not actually a very effective "7DII" infomercial - because the new and unique autofocus features of the 7DII, that Canon has developed specifically for these type of action scenarios, weren't even demonstrated, much less mentioned. It would have been nice to have taken advantage of this situation to learn if these features actually work as promised in a demanding wildlife situation, to learn if they have been improved over their implementation in the 7D and 5DIII, and to see how tweaking the various AF tracking parameters and using the different AF Cases actually affects the performance and keeper rate in real-life use. Plus seeing how the Dual Pixel technology works for Live View/Movie continuous focusing in such a perfect demonstration situation. Perhaps next time bring Canon's Rudy Winston along to remind you how to take advantage of the camera's new and unique features!

Comment edited 3 times, last edit 8 minutes after posting

2 upvotes

Fair enough. Maybe I'm taking it just a bit to far with the word Infomercial.
Let's just disagree on the distance. :)

0 upvotes

Eleson, you're presuming a lot. I said "it confirms that I want one".
I have used all three 5Ds, a 1D-X, and a 7D with many lenses, including a 70-200 F2.8L IS, the 100-400 L and 500mm F4L, so I do know what I want, not "I want to book a similar trip to take great shots", I do that already.
If you have invested in Canon lenses and don't want to switch to Nikon, the 7D will give a lot more reach than any of the Canon FF. The improvements on the 7DII sound very good, and it's great to see someone in action with it, in complement to a usual review.
What I was also looking for was any feature or performance where the guy says "this is really not good for me", as did Bettina Hansen in her hands on testing. That also helps me decide.
If it was pure commercial junk, then we wouldn't have your or my comments here to praise or slag off what we see, a great feature on DPreview.

0 upvotes

Turns out it is an infomercial, as the video is part of the 7DII product page on Amazon!

1 upvote

Canon seems to be enjoying more of the limelight ....

2 upvotes

Great video! This is where DPReview should be, head and shoulders above the average turntable review.

Although I don't shoot with Canon these days, I'll add my appreciation for a great review of a very nice camera. I see this style of review as appealing to photographers, not just for someone contemplating the purchase of a specific camera model.

The only problem is... we'll now expect this done for every new camera ;-)

4 upvotes

What Rob just said. Great job, team. :)

1 upvote

Excellent video! A lot of information delivered in an entertaining and enjoyable way. I'll be watching this video a second time.

3 upvotes

Entertaining and enlightening.

Is there a rating site for game farms and safari packages? That might help people assure people better wild animal shots than the choice of camera. The only wolves or cougars I've ever seen are only out of the corner of my eye, at dusk, and in flight into the brush. Sharp-eared bears that don't flee before I see them are probably not ones I'd want to face anyway. No kidding: wildlife encounters that facilitate photography are either by chance or require extensive patience and preparation, neither of which monetize easily. Pros who must deliver money-shots with tight turnarounds need see-'em tricks besides a camera. An early GH4 promo featured Crococun zoo reptiles. Odds are I'll never see a wild chimp in native habitat, or be in danger if I did, so maybe the zoo or chimphaven are the answer. Canon does sponsor the PBS Nature series, though, so maybe varmints will pose more willingly for that brand.

2 upvotes

Yeah! great example of exactly why I would want to upgrade from the 7D to the MkII...( a note to the video editor, the audio is really booming, try to keep the levels neutral in post and keep the floor lower, the music can be moved back to allow better vox)

1 upvote

It is important that Adams uses a Canon Mark II for all his work, not even the 5D Mark III. This is rather amazing, given that the Mark II and Mark III are have very small buffers and do not hold many images in burst mode and do not track moving images nearly as well as the 7D Mark II and perhaps other makes of cameras. This should be mentioned. Adams tries very hard NOT to be a Canon fanboy and to have integrity and objectivity so kudos to him. And the dp presentation lays out the shoot in a way that is not overly conclusion filled. So I came away feeling it was a well done piece, that allows us to judge for ourselves the merits of this camera in a real life setting. Yes, it would be nice to know if Canon paid for this, likely they did. Doing a piece on the video there would not have been helpful as he was not a videographer as he said.

0 upvotes

great video~icle! nicely done. :)

0 upvotes

I attended a workshop of Adams here in KY at a state park about 25 years ago and it was a turning point for me. Great photographer and very generous with his knowledge. He showed us some samples of his work and I decided right then thats what I was going to do. Went on later to work on some of the same projects as he did. Never did get to thank him, but if he sees these reviews, THANKS!

4 upvotes

Barney, great video, I hope DP Review does more of this.

Is there any chance you could post some examples of the types of angles Adam chose for his shots that you missed? I would love to gain some insight into the way a professional sees.

3 upvotes

Awesome review! Much better than the typical DigitalRev videos. Can we expect more of these?

2 upvotes

The heart of this camera, its most powerful and customizable feature, is its AF system - the AF Cases, the AF Area Modes, and the AF settings such as Tracking Sensitivity, Accel./Decel. Tracking, AF Point Auto Switching, and AI Servo Image Priority. Taking full advantage of all these options is the key to capturing in-focus images of moving subject, and these settings are able to be adapted for predictably moving subjects vs. more erratic subjects, as were encountered.

The video was informative, but I am disappointed that the above features were barely mentioned, even though the situation was an ideal opportunity to explain, test, and take advantage of those key features which distinguish the 7DII from any other camera in its class.

Comment edited 33 seconds after posting

1 upvote

I loved seeing this new body put through it's paces out in the real world. I for one look at specs as a guide, but I always look to real world examples before making a purchase of this nature. I have a 7D MKI, and have been waiting for a replacement for a year or two. After seeing this I'd be ready to part with my hard earned cash!

1 upvote

Great effort, awesome review.

Thanks for every second of this nature, photographer and photography ( gear & print) experiences.

1 upvote

I feel sorry for DPReview editors these days. So many people criticizing everything no matter what they do. This is a photo site about photo gear and making images. Why people feel the need to be critical about every minute thing (I mean 4:1 compression on audio??? REALLY???) is beyond me. Throughout my years in the business, I find that measurbaters typically are not the ones out there making images but rather trolling sites just to see their comments online. If you have trouble making good/useful/sellable images with most any modern camera and lens these days, then you have an issue elsewhere, than blaming the equipment itself. I'll just leave it there because I fully expect to get bashed for stating my opinion here. I just need to learn to quit reading comments here. It's like being on YouTube. SMH

33 upvotes

You are right.

0 upvotes

Amen that!

Cheers

0 upvotes

Can i bash you ? Not ;)
DP do most things the right way to me. And the rest is almost peanut.
I seen Oly/Pana/Fuji/Sony/Canon/Nikon cameras praised the same way when DP was thinking it was a good camera.
Seeing the last Gx7 review, they are, once again, honest and professional.
And about this video, some ppl asked DP to go outdoor with this camera...and they done it ;) But even then, there will be some complaints...

0 upvotes

Good, you guys finally went really outdoors! Two thumbs up!

3 upvotes

I think I can explain why Canon gets the in-depth reviews, besides the speculation that Canon paid for the expenses in cases like this. If you ask the major retouching studios what cameras are used for print, web and portrait use you will get the answer that 95% of all commercial images come from Canon bodies with Canon lenses. You go where the money is, simple answer.
As far as I know, not one image from a Sony has been post processed by a major retouching studio.
If you want supporting data for my claims, please contact me and I will put you in touch with someone at the top retouching studios.

5 upvotes

Sony cameras don't need retouching...just saying

2 upvotes

Steelhead, This is camera independent, what David is saying is that studios see more Canon images but doesn't mean Sony images don't require this process/step for the sort of publish/presentation.

0 upvotes

Of course...I was just making a joke to a Canon fan boi.

3 upvotes

Nice video. I think everyone should switch off the thought that the 7DMk2 was used, go through the video and see how Adam gets what he wants. It’s about what he wants that’s interesting NOT what he is using. I don’t understand some of the comments. Some mentions about DXOmark score which I’m not sure how it changes how Adam does his business – does Adam needs to change his approach on photography because of DXOmark scores?

11 upvotes

I echo all the positive replies...really enjoyed the video and was a welcome change for reading a review

12 upvotes

Great video - I like what you guys did with this. I would have liked to see another camera or two out there alongside the 7DII for comparison, but I think you found a winning format for reviewing new gear.

2 upvotes

Great video review from someone that actually uses the camera as intended. I'm sure more details will come when DPR completes its full, in-depth review.

2 upvotes

Great. Now make the same with Sony A77II.

6 upvotes

I really envy barney for being there...such a great nature & landscape, you guys can be that happy....if i'd had the money, being a billionaire, i would just shoot landscapes, animals, nature, seasons on all places over the planet i'd like to go & see...for the rest of my life...just for fun, because i'd enjoy it.

Feb	MAR	Apr
	12
2014	2015	2016


Video: A conversation with Olympus' Richard Pelkowski about the OM-D E-M5 II Mar 10, 2015	Making 'Art': We go inside Sigma's lens factory Mar 9, 2015	Livestream's new Broadcaster mini dongle broadcasts live video Mar 6, 2015	CP+ 2015: Canon Interview - 'every day I'm saying 'speed up!'' Mar 10, 2015

85	I'm reviewing my lenses -- just thinking out loud here! :)
68	Thunderbolt Is Dead? VGA Is Alive? How To Connect a Macbook 12 to Apple's 27" Thunderbolt Display?
50	>>> Street Photography eXchange #134 <<<
49	Is 24mp important enough for you to upgrade?
46	Serious Lenses
45	What lens is on your a7 most of the time?
43	* Wed C&C No Theme Thread #359 15 03 11 *
42	B&H free shipping to Canada doesn't work
41	D7200 Sensor, Toshiba or Sony? (part 2 cont)
40	One prime - which would it be?
39	Words to live by:
39	PART 4- This Week Through YOUR m4/3 2015.03.07 -PART 4
37	The Camera Store hands-on D7200 field test.
37	Achieving FF IQ from Nikon 1 system
36	A5000 or A6000? Real users only, please.
35	My GF1 and 20mm found in a snowbank
35	Another possible reason for the reduction in real camera sales
34	Canon's mirrorless challenge
34	Depth Of Field Question (A7 vs. A6000)
33	Is it true Zeiss will make you a better photographer