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32.50 Megapixels	Canon RF	APS-C size sensor

Canon EOS R7 Hands-on Review

Canon's enthusiast APS-C camera could become the company's next all-time classic

by Jeremy Gray | Posted 08/03/2022

In late May, Canon hosted us and some of our colleagues in the industry at a special launch event in Orlando, Florida. The purpose of the event was to give us a hands-on look at Canon's new – and first two – APS-C EOS R mirrorless cameras, the EOS R7 and EOS R10. After getting a short hands-on experience with each camera, we now have review units. I've been working with the EOS R7 for the last couple of weeks, and after a positive first impression of the camera in Florida, the camera has continued to impress me.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 500mm (800mm equiv.), F7.1, 1/1250s, ISO 2500. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

Of the two APS-C R-series cameras, the EOS R7 is the more "enthusiast" oriented camera, delivering a higher resolution image sensor than its R10 sibling alongside a sophisticated autofocus system and impressive DIGIC X processor. At $1,499 (body only), the R7 isn't cheap by any stretch, but it nonetheless offers impressive performance for its price. Without further ado, let's dive in and see how the EOS R7 did during extended hands-on time.

Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens at 150mm (240mm equiv.), F8, 1/160s, ISO 100. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

Canon EOS R7 key features and specifications

• All-new 32.5-megapixel APS-C CMOS image sensor
• DIGIC X processor
• Continuous shooting at up to 15 frames per second (mechanical shutter) and 30 fps (electronic shutter)
• Similar autofocus system as the Canon EOS R3
• AI-powered subject detection autofocus
• In-body image stabilization
• 4K/60p video oversampled from 7K
• Canon Log 3
• Dust- and moisture-resistant construction
• Dual UHS-II card slots
• W x H x D: 132 x 90.4 x 91.7mm (5.2 x 3.6 x 3.6 inches)
• Weighs 612 grams (21.6 ounces)
• $1,499 (body only), also available in a kit with the new RF-S 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM lens for $1,899

Canon RF-S 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM lens at 29mm (46mm equiv.), F7.1, 15ss, ISO 400. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

Canon EOS R7 design and handling: A mid-size mirrorless camera with great and familiar ergonomics

During our initial hands-on with the R7, we enjoyed the camera's overall look and feel. I don't want to retread all the same ground, so if you want a detailed breakdown of the camera's size and design, read our preview. In this review, I want to focus on the camera's usability over an extended period.

The Canon EOS R7 is a stylish and relatively small mirrorless camera.

Since the R7 and R10 were announced simultaneously and we used both, the R7 felt relatively large since it's quite a bit bigger than the very compact R10. However, that does a bit of a disservice to the R7. Without the R10 in tow to compare against it, the R7 looked and felt reasonably small for an interchangeable lens mirrorless camera. It's certainly much smaller than Canon's old APS-C DSLR cameras, such as the 7D Mark II. Compared to the 7D Mark II, the R7 is nearly 17mm narrower, 22mm shorter, and a little over 13mm thinner. The R7 is also nearly 300g lighter. That's a large difference.

Does the R7 sacrifice usability in pursuit of a compact form factor? In my opinion, no, not at all. The R7 has all the physical controls I expect from an enthusiast-oriented camera, including a dedicated autofocus joystick, dual command dials, and direct access to ISO via an ISO button near the top command dial.

The R7 has a good control layout overall, although I don't love the rear command dial. The camera's EVF, while decently large and with higher magnification than the R10's EVF, is somewhat lacking. The rear display is a fully-articulating display, which is useful, but I think a traditional tilting display would be better for photographers.

The rear command dial surrounds the AF joystick and is a typical rotating Canon control dial. I prefer a more traditional recessed dial, like the command dials on Sony and Nikon mirrorless cameras. However, I often shoot in aperture priority (Av) or shutter speed priority (Tv) modes, so in those cases, you use the traditional command dial on the top of the camera to adjust the aperture and shutter speed, respectively. In these modes, the rear command dial controls exposure compensation. However, given the relative ease with which it rotates, it's easy to overshoot your desired exposure compensation. Or, worse yet, change it by accident when using the camera. I did this a few times, but not enough to change the settings because it's useful to have direct access to exposure compensation.

I like that Canon included a fully articulating display on the R7. It's a reasonably sharp display with 1.62M dots of resolution. It also works well in bright lighting conditions. I don't always like displays that require me to pull it out to the side of the camera for tilting, but given that Canon wants the R7 to appeal to content creators and vloggers, I understand the decision. I'd have preferred a regular tilting display or, even better, a three-axis display like what Fujifilm uses on many of its high-end cameras.

Although the rear display is nice, I often shot through the electronic viewfinder. The EVF has 2.36M dots, which isn't a paltry amount, but it doesn't quite stand up to cameras like the Canon EOS R3. Of course, it's not fair to expect a $1,500 camera to include the same EVF as Canon's recent pro-level full-frame model. Nonetheless, despite not being incredibly high-resolution, it's an okay EVF. If Canon had released the R7 a couple of years ago, I think I'd be higher on the EVF than I am. However, after using cameras like the Sony A1, with its super-fast, high-res EVF, and the Nikon Z9 with its incredibly bright, clear EVF, it's hard not to lament the somewhat low-quality of the R7's EVF. I know, the R7 isn't a flagship camera, so those aren't fair comparisons. However, it remains that for someone switching from an older Canon APS-C DSLR, the R7's EVF doesn't deliver the brightness or clarity that might make a convert forget about their old optical viewfinder.

I'm getting a bit nitpicky here. There's a lot to like about the R7's design, and I found it a delightful camera to use overall. Sure, the LCD design isn't perfect for me – but it could be for someone else – and the EVF doesn't make a powerful impression. But the camera has many useful physical controls, an intuitive menu system, and robust dust- and water-sealing, making it a good choice for outdoor photographers looking for a relatively compact, lightweight camera that still delivers impressive performance. Is the R7 the next great camera in terms of design and usability? No. Is it really good? Absolutely.

Image quality: Newly-developed 32.5-megapixel APS-C CMOS image sensor delivers great image quality

If you want to get into the weeds, Canon's 32.5MP image sensor doesn't seem new on paper. After all, the Canon 90D has a 32.5MP sensor, too. In Florida, Canon was adamant that it's an all-new image sensor inside the R7. We're not clear precisely what's new, but we can say with certainty that the results are excellent.

RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens at 35mm (56mm equiv.), F9, 1/60s, ISO 100. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

Looking at our lab shots, you can pore over .jpg and raw (.cr3) image quality. At base ISO, which is 100, the 32.5MP sensor delivers sharp, detailed images. As you increase the ISO, detail decreases, as is always the case, but it remains good for an extended range. Up through ISO 1600, the detail is excellent. Around ISO 3200, it dips somewhat noticeably, but it's still good. I wouldn't hesitate to use the camera at ISO 6400 or even 12,800, when necessary.

The 32.5MP image sensor isn't a backside-illuminated sensor, which is slightly unusual for a new $1,500 camera in 2022. Typically, BSI sensors deliver better low-light image quality, all else equal. However, I don't think the Canon EOS R7 is wanting for low-light performance, considering that it's an enthusiast APS-C camera. Speaking of APS-C, it's worth noting that the sensor is slightly smaller than the sensor in a Sony or Nikon APS-C mirrorless camera. The R7's sensor, like many prior Canon APS-C cameras, has a 22.2 x 14.8 mm image sensor, whereas the Nikon Z50's sensor is 23.5 x 15.7 mm. This means that the R7's crop factor is 1.6x, while the Z50's is 1.5x.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 363mm (581mm equiv.), F6.3, 1/640s, ISO 4000. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

Image quality is about more than sharpness, of course. Let's talk about color next. The R7 produces images with great colors and tonality. The camera delivers smooth tonal transitions and generally pleasing color tones for various subjects. When shooting portraits, skin tones look nice. The camera nicely captures vibrant greens and blues when doing wildlife and landscape photography. While you can easily tweak different colors when processing raw files, a camera must deliver nice colors straight out of the camera because not everyone wants to edit their photos. It's also great to have an excellent starting point if you opt to edit images. Suppose you're only interested in .jpg files. In that case, you'll be treated to detailed, vibrant photos at lower ISOs and slightly flat, overly smooth images at high ISO, thanks to the typical heavy-handed default noise reduction we see applied in nearly every camera.

Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens at 50mm (80mm equiv.), F9, 1/160s, ISO 100. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

Speaking of editing images, the raw image files hold up well to extensive processing. While the APS-C sensor doesn't deliver the expansive dynamic range of most full-frame cameras, you'd be hard-pressed to know it in all but the most challenging situations. Even so, it's easy to recover hard-to-see details in shadow areas and recover detail in bright, overexposed parts of an image.

Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens at 32mm (51.2mm equiv.), F10, 1/25s, ISO 100. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

There's no doubt that you don't get the same image quality from an APS-C camera as you do a full-frame camera, all else equal, but the R7 comes pretty darn close. As we'll see throughout the rest of this review, there are also advantages afforded by a smaller than full-frame image sensor beyond the lightweight design.

Canon EOS R7 autofocus: A big step up from Canon's APS-C DSLR cameras

The R7 includes many of the same AI-powered autofocus features as you find in the $6,000 Canon EOS R3. That flagship camera is extremely reliable, and the R7 can't quite match it there, but the R7 is great.

For example, the camera has AI-powered subject detection, like the R3, and it automatically detects and tracks people (body/head/face/eye), wildlife (dogs/cats/birds), and vehicles. You must manually select from these three subject groups, which is slightly cumbersome but rarely problematic. The performance is quite good when paired with Servo (continuous) autofocus. While not every image in a burst is in focus, at least not when photographing a moving subject, the R7 does a fantastic job of identifying a subject and tracking it throughout the frame. That's another thing, the R7's 651 autofocus points cover nearly the entire image area. No matter where a subject is in the frame, the R7 can pick it up.

Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM lens at 85mm (136mm equiv.), F1.4, 1/320s, ISO 100. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

I spent a lot of my time with the R7 photographing birds with the RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens, which was sent to us courtesy of Lensrentals. This combination proved incredible for wildlife photography. While the lens is a little slow at the long end, it's not too large or heavy, and thanks to the 1.6x crop factor, it's an impressive 160-800mm-eq. zoom. The R7 did a good job identifying and focusing on the subject in relatively low light. The camera also did a nice job of picking up a subject against difficult backgrounds.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 500mm (800mm equiv.), F7.1, 1/1250s, ISO 320. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

When not photographing wildlife, I recommend disabling the subject tracking. This can be done through the camera's quick menu and only takes a couple of button presses. I say this because the R7's subject detection is sensitive enough that there were numerous occasions when it identified a non-animal as an animal when no animals were in the frame. The system's sensitivity is amazing when photographing wildlife but not so great when I accidentally forgot to disable the AI detection feature.

Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM lens at 18mm (29mm equiv.), F7.1, 0.6s, ISO 400. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

The camera includes several autofocus modes, including Flexible Zone AF. This AF area mode lets you customize the size and shape of the AF area to limit the camera's tracking to a smaller portion of the frame. This is useful when you know the general shape of the subject you'll photograph.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 400mm (640mm equiv.), F7.1, 1/1250s, ISO 4000. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

I have few complaints about the R7's AF system, but I wish there were an easy way to switch between eyes and subjects. For example, the camera picked a primary subject when I was photographing loons, and there were multiple loons in the frame. That's fine and makes sense. However, there's no easy way to swap between different detected subjects. There's also no way to switch between the eyes of a single subject. In some cases, I needed to disable subject detection and manually override the camera so that I could focus on a specific bird in a scene. This situation doesn't come up often for me but could come up frequently for event and portrait photographers when photographing people.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 363mm (581mm equiv.), F5.6, 1/1000s, ISO 400. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

Overall, the R7's autofocus system is extremely impressive. If you're coming from a Canon APS-C DSLR, there are a couple of primary aspects of the R7's AF that I think will blow you away. First is the autofocus area coverage. Having coverage across the entire image sensor is something DSLR shooters aren't used to. It's a massive advantage. The second is the R7's speed and accuracy. The AI-powered subject detection is excellent, and the R7's overall autofocus speed is swift.

Performance: The Canon EOS R7 is quick

Powered by a DIGIC X processor, the R7 shoots fast, especially for an enthusiast-oriented camera. Using its mechanical shutter, the R7 shoots up to 15 frames per second, which is up among the fastest mechanical shutters across all camera segments. You can shoot at 30 fps with an electronic shutter if you require even more speed. However, given that the image sensor isn't stacked, the readout speed isn't quite fast enough to handle that shooting speed. There's a lot of rolling shutter distortion at 30 fps, although it may not appear in every situation. I frequently used the mechanical shutter, and 15 fps is plenty for photographing almost any action.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 400mm (640mm equiv.), F6.3, 1/2000s, ISO 1600. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

Another great aspect of the R7 is its in-body image stabilization system. Along with the higher-res sensor and more enthusiast-oriented controls and design, one of the R7's biggest advantages over its more affordable, smaller sibling, the R10, is the inclusion of IBIS. When using the 100-500mm telephoto zoom, the importance of IBIS can hardly be overstated. It's hard to keep a subject in the frame when handholding an 800mm equivalent lens, but IBIS makes it much easier.

In the field: Wildlife photography

I know that not everyone interested in the Canon EOS R7 will be using it for wildlife photography, but it's such a good camera for it. While I've never owned a Canon camera, I've used many of them over the years, and one of my favorites is the Canon 7D Mark II. I enjoyed that camera because it was amazing for wildlife photography. However, it came out in 2014, so its technology is long in the tooth. The R7 feels like a mirrorless follow-up to the 7D Mark II that has been a long time coming.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 500mm (800mm equiv.), F8, 1/1000s, ISO 2500. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

Wildlife photography brings out many of the R7's best features. Let's take a closer look at a few of them.

Usability: The R7's relatively small size and lightweight design make it easier to fit into a backpack and more comfortable to hold for extended periods. Add in that the camera includes IBIS, and handholding is even easier, even when using a larger lens, like the RF 100-500mm.

The R7 also includes dust- and moisture resistance so that it can stand up to the elements better. This is important for many photographers, including landscape, nature, wildlife, and sports photographers.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 300mm (480mm equiv.), F5.6, 1/320s, ISO 2000. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

Image quality and APS-C crop factor: At lower ISO settings, many cameras capture good-quality images and the EOS R7's 32.5MP image sensor is no exception. The camera captures sharp images with good detail and great color. The images look great.

For wildlife and sports photographers, high ISO performance matters a lot. Fortunately, the R7, which has a native ISO range of 100-51,200, delivers the goods here, too. Despite the smaller sensor than full-frame cameras, you don't give up much regarding image quality at ISO 3200, 6400, and 12,800. You lose some detail, but it's possible to produce sharp images at high ISO without distracting noise, especially when you process raw files.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 500mm (800mm equiv.), F8, 1/1250s, ISO 1600. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

The smaller sensor may have some downsides regarding image quality, although not many, it has upsides when doing wildlife and sports photography. When trying to photograph wildlife, the longer your lens, the better. Of course, the longer the lens, the more it costs and the heavier it is, all else equal. Thanks to the R7's APS-C sensor, there's a crop factor, which makes your telephoto lenses deliver a longer 35mm-equivalent focal length. The 1.6x crop turns an RF 100-500mm into a 160-800mm lens in full-frame terms, allowing you to get up close and personal with skittish wildlife. Consider another example lens, like the Canon RF 800mm F11, a popular and affordable choice for photographers wanting to try their hand at wildlife photography without breaking the bank. On the R7, the 800mm lens is equivalent to a 1280mm prime.

Autofocus: The R7's autofocus system is impressive. It's well-suited to a wide range of subjects but since I'm talking about wildlife right now, let's talk about the R7's AI-driven subject detection autofocus modes. You can set the camera to track animals, like dogs, cats, and birds automatically, and it works very well. When photographing unpredictable, erratic, and fast-moving subjects like birds, it is tricky to move an autofocus point around to stay locked onto the subject. Full-area AF without sophisticated subject detection doesn't work well either since it's unreliable. That's where the R7's fancy AF system comes in. It automatically picks up your subject and tracks it throughout the frame, making capturing sharp, in-focus shots much easier. It's not perfect. There were some misses here and there, and not every shot in a burst will be sharp, but it's a big improvement compared to Canon's APS-C DSLR cameras.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 500mm (800mm equiv.), F7.1, 1/800s, ISO 6400. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

Performance: If you want to capture action, you often want to shoot multiple frames in quick succession. The R7 is a fast camera, capable of shooting at 15 frames per second when using its mechanical shutter and 30 fps when using the electronic shutter. I'm not incredibly impressed with the latter option due to the rolling shutter, but the mechanical shutter works great. It's not all that loud, and there's no distortion. Plus, 15 fps is plenty for nearly every situation.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 400mm (640mm equiv.), F6.3, 1/800s, ISO 1250. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

The R7 has a pair of UHS-II SD card slots, so its buffer performance is pretty good. The camera can shoot around 50 raw images before its buffer fills when using the mechanical shutter at 15 fps. You can extend the buffer by shooting at a lower speed or by shooting .jpg only, which increases the buffer depth by more than fourfold. Your mileage may vary based upon different settings, but overall, that's solid performance.

IBIS: I've already espoused the benefits of in-body image stabilization, but it's worth mentioning again. It's an important part of what sets the R7 apart from the R10. Yes, the megapixel count is instantly noticeable when viewing specs, but IBIS is something you'll notice more when using the camera. It's a big deal for all situations, including wildlife photography. Keeping the viewfinder stable is important when tracking moving subjects. Being able to capture sharp images at slower shutter speeds is great, too, especially for landscape and travel photography when you don't want to bring a tripod.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 500mm (800mm equiv.), F8, 1/1000s, ISO 800. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

Canon EOS R7 Hands-on Review Summary

Canon's best mirrorless APS-C camera and one of its best cameras, period

What I like most:

• Reasonably compact and lightweight camera
• Rugged design
• Good physical controls
• Impressive image quality
• Good high ISO performance
• Reliable autofocus
• Useful subject detection AF modes
• Fast shooting speeds

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 200mm (320mm equiv.), F11, 1/320s, ISO 400. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

What I dislike:

• The EVF is middling
• Fully articulating display is a bit cumbersome
• Buffer depths could be better
• Very few APS-C (RF-S) lenses in the EOS R ecosystem

As a big fan of wildlife photography, the Canon EOS R7 is nearly the perfect camera for me. The APS-C crop factor makes long lenses even more useful while not making a sizable tradeoff regarding image quality and high ISO performance. Further, the R7's sophisticated autofocus system is very good, even when tracking moving subjects throughout the entire image area. When you add in in-body image stabilization, you end up with a versatile camera that makes capturing good images in challenging situations easy and enjoyable.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 500mm (800mm equiv.), F8, 1/40s, ISO 100. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

What if you're not a wildlife photography enthusiast? There's still a lot to like here. The R7 offers great image quality at low ISO settings, includes a fully articulating display, and the autofocus system works great for everything, not just fast-moving animals. The R7 also includes appealing video features, which I'll write about in a forthcoming review addendum.

Canon RF-S 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM lens at 38mm (61mm equiv.), F9, 1/100s, ISO 100. This image has been edited to taste from a raw file. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the original raw file.

The benefits of an APS-C sensor may be most helpful for sports and wildlife photography, but the R7 has appealing qualities for everyone. It's a relatively compact camera with great image quality, autofocus, and performance. It's also well-priced at $1,500. Canon has done an excellent job with the EOS R7.

 

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Canon EOS R7 Hands-on Preview

Canon's first enthusiast-oriented APS-C camera in its mirrorless EOS R system delivers a good first impression

by Jeremy Gray | Posted 05/24/2022

Last week, he had the chance to go hands-on with Canon's two new APS-C EOS R-series cameras, the EOS R7 and the R10. While the cameras have a lot in common, there are some key differences, and the cameras have different target audiences. If you'd like to read about the consumer-oriented, compact EOS R10, head over to my colleague William Brawley's Canon EOS R10 Hands-on Preview. If instead, you're more interested in an enthusiast camera, even if it comes at the expense of a larger size, more weight, and a higher price, you're in the right place.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 500mm (800mm equiv.), F8, 1/1000s, ISO 2500. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Canon Digital Photo Professional 4 (Beta). Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Canon calls the EOS R7 its "high-end APS-C model." Whereas the EOS R10 targets a similar audience as Canon's EOS M6 Mark II camera, the R7 is aimed more at EOS 90D and 7D Mark II DSLR users. Basically, the EOS R7 is Canon's enthusiast-oriented EOS R-series camera. It's a first for the EOS R-series, which has thus far exclusively featured full-frame image sensors.

What makes the R7 a "high-end" APS-C camera? It combines a high-resolution APS-C image sensor, a sophisticated autofocus system borrowed from the EOS R3 flagship camera, impressive physical controls, and competitive video features. Let's dive in and see what the R7 is all about and why Canon users should be excited about the new camera.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 254mm (406mm equiv.), F5.6, 1/500s, ISO 640. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Canon Digital Photo Professional 4 (Beta). Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Canon EOS R7 key features and specifications

• All-new 32.5-megapixel APS-C CMOS image sensor
• DIGIC X processor
• Continuous shooting at up to 15 frames per second (mechanical shutter) and 30 fps (electronic shutter)
• Similar autofocus system as the Canon EOS R3
• AI-powered subject detection autofocus
• In-body image stabilization
• 4K/60p video oversampled from 7K
• Canon Log 3
• Dust- and moisture-resistant construction
• Dual UHS-II card slots
• W x H x D: 132 x 90.4 x 91.7mm
• Weighs 612g
• $1,499 body only

Canon EOS R7 design and handling: Midsize mirrorless camera with impressive usability

The Canon EOS R7 isn't as small as the R10, but it's far from a large camera. The R7's dimensions (W x H x D) are 132 x 90.4 x 91.7 millimeters (5.2 x 3.56 x 3.6 inches), and it weighs 612 grams (21.59 ounces) with a battery and memory card. Compared to the Canon EOS R5, the APS-C R7 is slightly deeper but is otherwise narrower by 6mm and shorter by nearly 8mm. What about the 7D Mark II DSLR? That camera is 148.6 x 112.4 x 78.2mm, so the R7 is significantly narrower and shorter, although not quite as thin. The 7D Mark II weighs 910g, so the R7 is much lighter. The EOS 90D is 140.7 x 104.8 x 76.8mm and weighs just over 700g, so even that smaller DSLR is still a lot larger than the R7 overall.

The Canon EOS R7 is a good-looking R-series camera with a similar style and design as Canon's full-frame EOS R5 and R6 cameras.

The move to mirrorless then has afforded the R7 a smaller size and weight than its DSLR predecessors. Does that mean you give something up regarding physical controls and usability? I don't think so. The R7 has a lot going for it. When I first picked up the camera, I was impressed by its overall feel. The front grip is quite large, although not overly so, and fits very nicely into my hand. Even when using a large lens like the RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM telephoto zoom, the R7 maintains a good balance. It's not a large camera, but it feels large, if that makes sense. That's a good thing, by the way.

The R7 has a large joystick near the thumb rest, which can be used to navigate menus and move the autofocus area around. Surrounding this joystick – which works well – is a rotating control dial. The inclusion of the dial is fantastic and makes the R7 more user-friendly than the R10, which not only has a smaller joystick but lacks the rotating control dial altogether. On the top of the R7 is a dedicated ISO button, too, which I like. You can access ISO on the R10 using a function button on the directional pad, but I prefer ISO control on the top deck.

As for the electronic viewfinder, it's pretty good. It's not in EOS R3 territory, but the R7's EVF has 2.36 million dots, which is sufficient and provides a clear, sharp view. The EVF also performed well regarding refresh rate, although we don't have detailed specs about the EVF yet. It's not an overly large EVF, but it never felt too small in use. The eyecup is also quite comfortable and did a good job keeping ambient light out of the EVF.

The R7 has a rather large rear LCD. It's a touchscreen, of course, and it's fully articulating. The articulating display is nice for video, although I prefer a more traditional tilting display for still photography. On the plus side, you can use the display in portrait orientation, which is nice. The LCD is reasonably sharp and has approximately 1.62 million dots, up from 1.04 million on the R10. The LCD worked well in bright light, which proved useful outdoors during the day in sunny Florida.

The Canon EOS R7's LCD touchscreen is fully articulating and has 1.62M dots.

Further evidencing the R7's positioning toward enthusiast users, the camera includes two UHS-II SD card slots. Sure, they're not CFexpress slots, but dual UHS-II slots are still nice. The R7 also includes in-body image stabilization, which promises up to 8 stops of stabilization. The camera also has an "auto-level" feature that can slightly rotate the image sensor itself to keep your images straight. It's an optional feature but a great one to have. It's not a "cropping" function either because the sensor physically rotates.

The Canon EOS R7 has a large joystick near the thumbrest, which also includes a surrounding rotating control dial. I really liked using the joystick and control dial.

APS-C cameras are great for wildlife thanks to the crop factor, so it's good news that the R7 includes dust and water resistance. The camera promises about the same level of weather resistance as the EOS 90D, which should be sufficient for shooting in inclement weather. It's not waterproof, of course, but it should hold up well to regular use in bad weather. The camera feels robust, too.

Canon EOS R7 image quality: All-new image sensor delivers strong performance

The Canon EOS R7 sports an all-new 32.5-megapixel APS-C CMOS image sensor with a 1.6x crop factor. It's worth noting that 1.6x is slightly different than some other APS-C cameras, including those from Fujifilm, Nikon and Sony, all of which have a 1.5x crop factor. That means that Canon's sensor is slightly smaller than those found in some other APS-C cameras, but I doubt that there's any noticeable impact on image quality. It'll be interesting to see how the R7 performs in our lab.

Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM lens at 85mm (136mm equiv.), F1.2, 1/500s, ISO 100. This image has been cropped but is otherwise straight from the camera. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

The new image sensor is different than that found in the EOS 90D and EOS M6 Mark II, which offers the same resolution, but like those other sensors, the new one isn't backside-illuminated, and it's not stacked. The lack of a stacked design isn't all that surprising. Still, it does mean that despite featuring a similar autofocus system as the EOS R3, the R7 doesn't deliver quite the same level of performance as that full-frame flagship camera.

The EOS R7's native ISO range is 100-32,000, with an expanded range up to 51,200. While we won't know the full story on the R7's image quality until it goes through our lab, the initial impressions are quite positive. The camera performs well at higher ISOs, including up to ISO 6400, which is as high as I got during daytime shooting. Consider the image below shot at ISO 6400. Looking at the 100% JPEG crop straight from the camera, the image maintains good detail without being overly noisy. I'm pretty impressed by the default noise reduction, although you could do even better with a processed raw file. Speaking of processed raw files, the R7's images aren't yet supported in Adobe Camera Raw, so I used a beta version of Canon's Digital Photo Professional 4 app, which isn't my preferred way to process Canon raw files.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 500mm (800mm equiv.), F7.1, 1/1000s, ISO 6400. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 500mm (800mm equiv.), F7.1, 1/1000s, ISO 6400. 100% crop. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

When shooting at lower ISO settings, the EOS R7 performs even better. At or near base ISO, the camera delivers good dynamic range, tonality and color. Canon is lauded for its color processing, and the R7 continues this positive trend. All the portrait images in this preview are straight from the camera, and I'm pleased with how the R7 handled skin tones and general color accuracy.

Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM lens at 85mm (136mm equiv.), F1.4, 1/320s, ISO 100. This image has been cropped and I've made cloning adjustments, but it's otherwise straight from the camera. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Autofocus and performance: EOS R3-lite, or something else entirely?

Without a stacked sensor, the EOS R7 cannot quite match the R3 in terms of performance. However, many aspects of the R3's autofocus system are present in the R7, including its AI-powered subject detection features. The R7 can automatically detect and track people (body/head/face/eye), wildlife (dogs/cats/birds) and vehicles. However, like the R3 and unlike the Nikon Z9, you must manually select which subject you want the camera to track. That's not a big annoyance, but it's worth pointing out.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 300mm (480mm equiv.), F5.6, 1/1000s, ISO 800. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Canon Digital Photo Professional 4 (Beta). Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

The R7 is powered by Canon's DIGIC X processor, and its autofocus system includes 651 autofocus points, which is less than the R3's 1,053 points. This, of course, makes sense given the smaller APS-C image sensor. The R7's autofocus coverage is excellent, though, going across nearly the entire frame. The camera did a great job of focusing on moving subjects throughout the entire frame and showed a strong ability to reacquire focus when a subject left and re-entered the frame.

When photographing wildlife especially, the R7 did a great job of finding birds and then focusing on the eye, even when the eye was relatively small in the overall frame. When the subject was too small for the camera to zero in on the eye, it still did a good job tracking the body.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 400mm (640mm equiv.), F6.3, 1/2000s, ISO 1600. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Canon Digital Photo Professional 4 (Beta). Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

To help the system, especially when multiple birds were in the frame, I often utilized Flexible Zone AF. This allows you to customize the size and shape of square and rectangular autofocus areas to limit the camera's tracking priority to a smaller portion of the frame. The camera includes three Flexible Zone AF slots, so I set ones up for landscape and portrait orientation shooting. Otherwise, it can be a bit tricky to get the camera to focus on the correct subject when there are multiple ones to choose from in the frame – this applies to wildlife and portraiture. The camera generally did a good job dealing with this situation, though it wasn't perfect.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 200mm (320mm equiv.), F5.6, 1/2000s, ISO 500. This image has been cropped but is otherwise straight from the camera. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

When it comes to performance, it's mostly good news. The EOS R7 can shoot at 15 frames per second using its mechanical shutter. While we need to do full buffer testing in our lab when we have another hands-on opportunity with the camera, I found the buffer to fill quickly. Fortunately, it also cleared quite quickly when using a UHS-II SD card. It's a high-speed camera with its mechanical shutter and allows you to capture bursts of action effectively. If you want even more speed, you can shoot up to 30 fps when using the electronic shutter. However, the lack of a stacked sensor strikes again, as the R7 is prone to rolling shutter.

This image illustrates the rolling shutter distortion that can be present when using the R7's electronic shutter. This image has been cropped. Image courtesy of William Brawley. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Overall, the EOS R7 delivers impressive autofocus and performance. It's certainly geared toward enthusiasts, and while it can't match the speed and performance of the full-frame R3, the R7 offers a heck of a lot of performance for its price.

Video: 4K/60p and 1080/120p video

Given our brief time with the new R7 and R10 cameras, we focused on still photography. However, we'll dig into the cameras' video performance during our full reviews. Nonetheless, to give an overview of the R7's primary video specs, they're impressive. The camera records 4K/60p video using the full width of the sensor. The 4K video is oversampled from 7K resolution. The camera offers Canon Log 3 and HDR video, plus Full HD video at up to 120p. The R7 records uninterrupted video, limited only by battery, memory card and temperature, although Canon promises impressive continuous recording under typical conditions.

In the field: Wildlife with the Canon EOS R7

While the smaller sensor can make an APS-C camera less compelling for landscape or portrait photography, the crop factor makes them great options for wildlife photography. When using the RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens, for example, the 1.6x crop factor makes the lens deliver the same field of view as a 160-800mm lens would on a full-frame camera. That makes getting "close" to wildlife that much easier. APS-C cameras are popular choices for bird photographers for this very reason.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 363mm (581mm equiv.), F6.3, 1/2000s, ISO 2000. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Canon Digital Photo Professional 4 (Beta). Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

My experience using the R7 for wildlife photography was positive. The camera's impressive autofocus system and speedy performance make it a great choice for wildlife photography. The camera's robust design and ample physical controls help, too, allowing me to make fast adjustments to exposure compensation, ISO and autofocus modes without diving into complicated menus. The EVF also did a good job of keeping up with action, although it's not a blackout-free EVF or anything quite that sophisticated.

The R7's in-body image stabilization, a feature missing from the new R10, also helps, especially when using longer lenses. Combined, a lens's image stabilization and the camera's IBIS produce a steady image when composing at longer focal lengths and, of course, promise a sharper image at slower shutter speeds, all else equal.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 400mm (640mm equiv.), F6.3, 1/800s, ISO 400. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

The R7 has a few advantages over the R10 that are especially noticeable when doing wildlife photography. Beyond the higher-resolution sensor, the R7 also offers faster continuous shooting speeds, albeit only when using the electronic shutter and running the risk of rolling shutter. The R7 also has better physical controls, meaning I spent more time shooting and less time messing around in menus. The R7 has better weather resistance and dual SD card slots, which means more reliability. The R7 also has a higher-resolution LCD monitor, although that's not quite so important when photographing wildlife. The R7's mechanical shutter sensor cover is important when doing any outdoor photography, as it protects the sensor when changing lenses in the field.

Summing up my hands-on time with the Canon EOS R7

The Canon EOS R7 is like a new and improved mirrorless version of some of Canon's most popular APS-C DSLR cameras, including the 7D Mark II and 90D. For wildlife shooters in particular, although sports photographers as well, the R7 is a welcome addition to the EOS R-series family, and it's made a strong first impression.

Canon RF 85mm F1.2 L USM lens at 85mm (136mm equiv.), F1.8, 1/250s, ISO 100. This image has been cropped but is otherwise straight from the camera. Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

The R7's 32.5-megapixel image sensor may not be stacked or backside-illuminated, but it still delivers good image quality. Likewise, the camera's autofocus system, which is borrowed from the EOS R3, can't quite reach the lofty heights of that flagship full-frame camera, but it nonetheless performs very well. Simply put, the EOS R7 offers good performance in a reasonably compact package and at an attractive price.

Pricing and availability

Speaking of "attractive price," just how much is the EOS R7? The camera launches next month for $1,499 body only. The R7 will also be available in a kit with one of Canon's new APS-C RF-mount lenses, the RF-S 18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM. The kit will cost $1,899.

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens at 400mm (640mm equiv.), F7.1, 1/1250s, ISO 4000. This image has been converted and processed to taste in Canon Digital Photo Professional 4 (Beta). Click for the full-size image. Click here for the RAW file.

Our hands-on time with the Canon EOS R7 was brief, spanning just over a day, but the camera looks very good. We're anxious to get our hands on the R7 and R10 again so we can put them through more extensive testing. While most of the images here are from my time with the EOS R7, William Brawley also went hands-on with the EOS R7 and R10 cameras, so there are many more real-world EOS R7 images available in our Canon EOS R7 Gallery. Be sure to check them out. Don't forget to read William's Canon EOS R10 Hands-on Preview if you think a smaller APS-C EOS R-series camera is more your speed.