Canon 7D

<p>Hi all,<br>

I'm interested in purchasing a used 7D from a private individual and wanted to know if anyone had any tips for "putting it through its paces" before the purchase.<br>

Any and all advice will be appreciated.</p>

<p>Here's my tuppence:<br /> I advocate for some initial due diligence, especially if it is a stranger: Ask the buyer if he/she is willing to send it in to an authorised Canon service centre to get it checked out. Also check the serial number with Canon to confirm it's not been reported stolen or anything like that.</p>

<p>As for putting it through its paces, go with some of your own lenses and your memory card(s), shoot in your typical situation and settings if possible. Scrutinize the files for sharpness, etc. Maybe later, on your computer, take them through your typical digital workflow if you can. Make sure all the buttons do what they say on the tin.</p>

<p>Also, if the savings aren't that big on this particular deal, I would strongly advocate for buying a refurbished model from Adorama, B&H or KEH. These typically come with some sort of warranty and you get the assurance that a Canon tech gave the body some individual TLC. I bought my first 5D2 that way, from Adorama.</p>

<p>I'm sure a few people on here with far more experience in lens and body testing will weigh in soon enough though ;-)</p>

<p>To check for sensor glass cleanliness fire some shots at a blue sky at F22.</p>

<p>Skateboarders and running dogs work well to see if it can track. Also, you might wanna download the manual. The AF system and modes is very different from EOS and takes some study and practice to figure out.</p>

<p>Run a fully charged battery through there and see how long it lasts.</p>

<p>I had error 30 problems with mine, see if those come up. I've read unsubstantiated rumours that error 30 is associated with the use of live view, so you might want to ask about that.<br>

But the 7D is a great camera and if you’ve got a good one, you are going to enjoy it a great deal.</p>

 

<p>I suggest to check the metal lens mount ring too. If the lenses was changed in worst environment (sand, salinity), it maybe scratched.</p>

<p>Don't buy one from a pro, or somebody who calls themselves a pro. Getting one from a 'hobbyist' usually indicates a whole different level (and character) of wear. I beat the hell out of my cameras (even though they rarely show it -- externally), and it's part of doing business. The 7D is a durable enough camera to endure professional use, but, since you don't have a magic crystal ball, you may not be able to tell how it's been used (and abused perhaps), but most hobbyists baby their gear, so often it's a great buy from them.</p>

<p>Another thing you should definitely do is check the exposure count, the EOSinfo utility works for the 7D, and often, the # of exposures can tell you whether it's been used professionally. Many pros will do 1-2000 exposures in a single shoot (or wedding or whatever), but many hobbyists have ridiculously low shutter counts (for example, the last 5D2 I bought (used) had 4569 exposures -- total)</p>

<p>One of the 7D's biggest assets is its AF, which requires studying and re-studying to truly learn. I don't know how much time you have to "put it through its paces" and if you'll have time to familiarize yourself with the AF, but doing so is a part of assessing the camera's overall performance, in my opinion. I say this because a number of 7D owners had issues with their AF; I was not one of them and have found the camera to be simply <em>amazing, </em>as have most owners, I believe. If you do buy the camera, make sure you spend a lot of time learning the 'ins and outs' of the AF system. It's pretty impressive but knowing all that it can do is one of the keys to maximizing this camera's potential. Enjoy it!</p>