So after a few days with the new 7d, I am very pleased. It is wicked fast; I had no idea what 8fps shooting was like. It's almost surreal. The camera handles very nicely and the build seems professional quality to me. The other day I compared it to a friend's 5d II, and they are actually quite similar in build. layout and feel (except of course the 5d II is larger). The fit and finish are excellent. In any case, now my old XS feels like a cheap toy.


I am still experimenting with the different AF choices to see if any of the options are better than the tried and true single point AF. Thus far, the zone AF seems to work pretty well. Some people say the menus are complicated and the camera is hard to navigate. I disagree wholeheartedly. Maybe they're just not gadget people. []


The evaluative metering seems to be smarter than the XS.


The sensor resolves tons of detail and I have produced some very sharp images. I do see, however, what some people call "noise" at ISO 100. It tends to be in the background/bokeh, but it is easily handled with some post processing noise reduction, and it doesn't happen consistently either. My take: Canon probably crammed a a few too many megapixels into this camera. Maybe 15mp would have been better, but I am not complaining.


High ISO performance is in another league from the XS. You can get really good shots at ISO 1600, and quite useable shots at 1/3 stops above that. I haven't had much luck with ISO 3200 though.


The video feature is nice, but certainly a sideshow for me. Keeping moving subjects in focus is a chore. However, it is amazing how well the video comes out in low light with my EF 50 f/1.4. My HD camcorder doesn't compare at all in low light.


All in all, I am really happy with the purchase, and now I am just waiting to take the camera somewhere that I can actually capture something interesting.


Below is a shot that would have been IMPOSSIBLE with the XS, which is why I am including it. I snapped it at f/1.8, which almost never produced anything useable on the XS. Thankfully, I am playing in another league now.


EF 50 f/1.4 lens, ISO 1600, f/1.8, 1/160s, handheld, in terrible indoor light. White balance corrected in post processing using a WhiBal. Some noise reduction added.


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