After having attended Canon’s Basic Photography workshop, I now finally came to understand why Canon is still a leading brand of cameras, especially for DSLRs. Like Canon’s compact cameras, Canon DSLRs are also very user-friendly. I should say that it is almost designed for professional photographers. Like Canon EOS 5D series of cameras, the Canon EOS 7D Mark II is a great companion for professional photographers. Other than the slight differences in LCD monitor resolutions, effective ISO, image format and resolutions of still images, I find that the Canon EOS 7D Mark II is as good as the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. If I were to invest in a professional DSLR, I would opt for Canon EOS 7D Mark II which is half the price of the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV.
The purchase of Canon EOS 7D Mark II comes with the following items:
EOS 7D Mark II Digital SLR Body
Cable ProtectorUSB Interface Cable IFC-150U II
Battery Pack LP-E6NBattery Charger LC-E6
EOS Digital Solution Disc
Wide Neck Strap EW-EOS7DMARKII
Now that I understood the photographer’s trinity of ISO, Aperture and Shutter speed, I actually found the top-panel LCD display on the camera very useful when I shoot in manual mode. The buttons and dials on the camera body also allow the user to set and check the camera settings more conveniently.
Features of Canon EOS 7D Mark II
It runs on Dual DIGIC 6 Image Processors and 20.2 Megapixel sensor that delivers high-resolution image files. The sensor captures images at up to ISO 16000 (expandable to H1: 25600, H2: 51200) with remarkably low noise. With a rugged shutter designed for 200,000 cycles, the EOS 7D Mark II can shoot up to 10 frames per second to capture all the fast sports action. The camera also employs an advanced mirror vibration control technology that reduces vibrations during continuous shooting and this allows for accurate autofocus to capture clear shots at up to 10.0 frames per second. Like other Canon DSLRs, the Canon EOS 7D Mark II body is made out of magnesium alloy body and it is built to resist water and dust. A camera has got to be made tough in order for you to shoot in extreme weather conditions.
I was given two lenses to test out with Canon EOS 7D Mark II. EF-S15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
is the kit lens that comes together with the camera body. It’s a standard zoom lens and a lens that I am pretty familiar with so I didn’t really test out. Instead, I toyed with EF-S60mm f/2.8 Macro USM which is actually a medium telephoto macro lens for EF-S lens compatible EOS digital SLR cameras. It is great for nature photography where you could really take lovely pictures of flowers or insects in greater details. It’s also quite compact in size which makes it a little less bulky to carry around. The optical system of the lens uses only environmentally friendly lead-free glass and that’s pretty cool.
And if you pair it with the Macro Ring Lite MR-14 EX II, you can achieve really beautiful macro and close-up shots without any vignetting effect. You could also use it to shoot portraits as the Macro Ring Lite MR-14 EX II fires a flashlight that covers the entire subject to ensure that it is evenly lit. It acts like the ring lights used in indoor photography. I’ve not tried shooting portraits with the Macro Ring Light but I did it with my Pikachu given by Canon. Did you know that Canon has launched a special Pikachu Plushie which could be attached to your camera strap? Want one? Canon’s special edition EOS M10 box set comes with this adorable 20-cm sized Pikachu plushie.
The flashlight from the Macro Ring Lite works differently from the flashlight function found on the camera itself. Below is a photo which was taken using the camera’s flashlight in low-lighting conditions.
With the Macro Ring Lite, I took another shot of the Pikachu plushie under the same lighting conditions. See how soft and natural the flashlight is? The light from the Macro Ring Lite lights up the subject more evenly. I love the soft glow which bounces off from the subject.
So other than exploring the use of difference lenses, you can also play with the camera accessories like their Macro Ring Lite and Speedlite to achieve various photo effects. With these accessories, it does allow you to get creative in photography.
It was rather easy to attach the Macro Ring Lite to the camera body itself. It was also very easy to detach ring lite as well. But, of course, the whole camera set is going to very heavy with the Macro Ring Lite attached to it.
Nonetheless, after reviewing several Canon cameras, I still find that it’s one of the most user-friendly camera brands around. They also have a variety of cameras which can suit any budget. And remember, you don’t have to use a professional DSLR to get great photos because you can also achieve really nice shots with Canon’s mirrorless or compact cameras. They are much cheaper in price but yet the cameras are capable enough to take decent great quality shots. Taking great shots also depend on the photographers’ skills. This is why I signed up for Canon’s Basic Photography workshop with my SkillsFuture credits and so far, I learnt so much more about photography. It has really made me appreciate the design of Canon’s camera and technology better after studying how the camera actually functions.
I am still in the midst of completing the workshop but I’ve been enjoying the classes so far and would be blogging about it soon. I excited to share with you guys more about the course! So stay tuned!
For more information, visit http://www.canon.com.sg.
