Canon EOS 7D Camera

<p>I just bought the Canon EOS 7D Camera. I was told by a photography teacher that I really needed to take a class on how to use this very sophisticated technical camera. I have a Canon EOS 30D camera now. I use the manual and all the preset modes all the time, but have never really understood all of the capabilities that my old camera has. I read the user manual and played around with the camera, but I'm sure there was a lot more to know that I never touched on. I would like to completely understand all of the features of the 7D and how to best utilize all that this camera has to offer. I know that there are a lot of books, DVD's, and on-line classes. Anyone have any suggestions of the best tutorial for the Canon 7D?<br>

Thanks,<br>

Kathleen</p>

<p>Kathleen, good luck with your new camera! I am fortunate to own one and absolutely love it. It takes some getting used to, but can it ever deliver once set up properly for your style of work. Try to remember, it's not about memorizing and using every function or capability, just those that will make it work optimally for you.<br />One of the best books I've found for detailing it's functions and uses is David Busch's "Canon EOS 7D" available at B&Noble or elsewhere. There are several online tutorials as well, I'm hoping others can provide links as I don't have them.</p>

<p>Randall</p>

<p>This may sound simplistic, but just go out and take photographs with it. Since it is digital, you have made the investment in a fine photographic instrument and like a musical instrument you can read all about it, but you need to play it to get better. Unlike a film camera, you don't have the continuing expense of film and developing and you can take photos over and over, changing settings and instantly checking the results.</p>

<p>Read this forum, there are many people willing to help with your questions and you can learn a lot from other people's questions (I know I do). There are links to other sites and poking around can lead to very interesting finds.</p>

<p>But as with anything on the internet, you can find good information and bad information. You need to be able to tell the difference. Don't let pixel peepers get you confused with their arguing over minutiae.</p>

<p>Have fun.</p>

<p>Ed</p>

<p>Go to the canon site. There are about 15 canon videos specifically for the 7D. They explain the workings of this camera better than the manual ever dreamed possible. I have downloaded all of them to my iphone for reference any time I want them in the field. They can also be downloaded to your camera to see on that screen. <br>

http://learn.usa.canon.com/galleries/galleries/tutorials/eos_7d_tutorials.shtml<br>

Also on the canon site are articles on using the video features and so on, but the video series is really excellent. Unfortunately, they are hidden from view and close to impossible to find unless you know they are there and are actually looking for them...Come on Canon...promote this stuff...</p>

<p>I bought the book "Canon EOS 7D" Digital Feild Guide by Charlotte K. Lowrie and published by Wiley Publishing, $20. USD. It is excellent. I would never have figured out how to use many of the 7D's features on my own. Sure, you can keep it on auto, and you will get good shots, but you can get good shots with a point and shoot. Since you paid for all that leading edge technology, why not learn to use it to your advantage. You can do so much with this camera, it is amazing. The videos are also very good, but you can't take them with you.</p>

<p>DeLoyd's advice is good. Go check out Canon's video tutorials first as you explore the new features. I came from a 5D and 50D and it took me several weeks to get a handle on the 5 different AF modes. I fell in love with spot AF and even programed the DOF button to instantly invoke spot AF while in other AF modes. The other features--save video and LV--are not much different from your 30D.</p>

<p>I bought the book "Canon EOS 7D" Digital Feild Guide by Charlotte K. Lowrie and published by Wiley Publishing, $20. USD. It is excellent. I would never have figured out how to use many of the 7D's features on my own. Sure, you can keep it on auto, and you will get good shots, but you can get good shots with a point and shoot. Since you paid for all that leading edge technology, why not learn to use it to your advantage. You can do so much with this camera, it is amazing. The videos are also very good, but you can't take them with you.</p>

<p>EDIT<br>

I reread your post and conclude that am off in my assumptions. I'll keep my post unchanged because it reflects my basic view: your teacher seems to focus on the machine and not on photography which is wrong in my idea. It's the journey and the result that counts, not the vehicle by which you travel. If you're happy using the camera the way you do and the pictures come out the way you want, your camera is being used as it should be.<br>

Kind regards, Matthijs.<br>

END EDIT</p>

<p>Dear Kathleen,</p>

<p>I'm going to make some assumptions and then write some thoughts. If the assumptions are wrong the thoughts won't help you.</p>

<p>I assume that:</p>

<ul>

<li>You only want to shoot pictures, not video.</li>

<li>Your knowledge of photography is limited.</li>

<li>You mostly used your 30D on full automatic mode.</li>

</ul>

<p>Thoughts (o.k. maybe just opinions)</p>

<ul>

<li>Photography is primarily about composition, secundary about light, thirdly about technical perfection.</li>

<li>Composition is a combination of intuition, learning and art. Combine what you know, how you prefer to learn and what others do into your own style. (Style might be a big word, just shoot pictures you deem beautiful and talk to people about them.)</li>

<li>Light is pretty much defined by exposure. (and composition...) Exposure is a combination of ISO / shutter speed and aperture. This is the second area with which you'll have to play a lot before you know what you need or like. (Rule of thumb: higher ISO wil introduce noise, Lower shutterspeeds will introduce unsharpness unless you use a tripod, open apertures = lower F number will yield a thinner slice of sharpness.)</li>

<li>Technical perfection. If the first two are good then sharpness becomes an issue. Deciding what you want perfectly sharp, aligning your camera and choosing the right aperture for the right depth of field is needed.</li>

</ul>

<p>There's a lot more (like using artificial light) but I'm not going into that.</p>

<p>What does this have to do with your 7D and getting to know it?</p>

<ul>

<li>Read the manual once. Go out shooting.</li>

<li>Play with composition, exposure and technicalities using the settings on your 7D.</li>

<li>Go back to the manual.</li>

</ul>

<p>Most important:<br /> Learn how to change ISO, shutterspeed, aperture. Learn how to get that part of the picture sharp that you want. Try the relatively simple method of selecting centre focus point, focus on what you want sharp by half pressing the shutter button and then recompose before pressing it until the camera fires.</p>

<p>Ultimately you must find out what works for you. (And for example when NOT to use focus-recompose.)</p>

<p>I hope this helps, you can mail me for more or post questions in this or the beginnersforum.</p>

<p>Again, if my assumptions were wrong this won't help you. In that case, could you give us some more background and then I (or another photo.netter) will try better.</p>

<p>All the best, Matthijs.</p>

<p>Kathleen:<br>

Look at the BnH videos from Rudy Winston of Canon on the 7D. Good stuff on the 7D. Just go to<br>

http://www.video.bhphotovideo.com/ and do a search on the 7D.</p>

<p>Katleen,<br>

I started in photography when cameras all had the same four controls, and on most cameras those four controls were in the same place!<br>

I have been a professional photojournalist for over forty years now and like you, recently bought a Canon 7D. Even for an experienced professional that's one complicated camera.<br>

Yes, photography is about light and all that, but you've bought a very sophisticated tool, it would be a shame to leave it in Program. As my daddy told me,"if the only tool you have is a hammer, you'll tend to treat everything as though it were a nail."<br>

The books and videos recommended are not only useful, but should be required reading, in my opinion. The Japanese make wonderful cameras, and great lenses so you'd think they could also write a decent manual...not so much!<br>

I suggest learning the very basic things then, as was mentioned, shoot lots. Then find a feature that will let you expand your horizons a bit and shoot some more. Keep this up for a while and you'll soon be feeling very comfortable with the camera. It's what I'm doing, I've had my 7D since January, so I know it works. Trying to learn the whole feature set at one time is just too overwhelming for any normal human.<br>

If you have a smart phone or iPod you might consider down loading the manual from Canon's web site as a pdf and using iBook or a similar app to have the manual with you at all times in case you get stumped. I have an iPod app that is the manual for my 40D I haven't seen one yet for the 7D.<br>

Have fun, <br>

JD</p>

<p>I would also recommend the "Canon EOS 7D" Digital Feild Guide by Charlotte K. Lowrie. The 7D is a great camera and can do many things. I would suggest though that you think of what you want it to do and then learn how to do those things as opposed to trying to learn everything the 7D can do. Have fun and shot lots.</p>

<p>David Busch's book wasn't out yet when I got my 7D, but I prefer his books over the Field Guides (which I ended up getting), but that's just personal preference. I think either of those books will suit you just fine; no need to take a class.</p>

<p>Once you learn the basics of how to control your camera, and learn how to tweak various options, learning and practicing how to take better pictures will certainly pay off more than knowing off the top of your head how to enable every little feature, many of which you may never use. But you'll know they are there and what purpose they serve after reading the book, and if you're like me, you'll have the camera manual stashed in your camera bag so you can quickly refer to it in the event you need one of those features.</p>

<p>Other than Live View, shooting videos and some other new features such as the new AF system and Grid, the 7D manual is practically the same as the 30D manual. However, when you get to around page 200 of the 7D manual, the "Customize Camera" section, that is when the real differences come through. I had my 7D for 5 months now and haven't even scratched the surface of that section and still have not shot any videos. I'm having a really good time taking pictures though. </p>

<p>I appreciate all the responses and great information that all of you have provided.</p>

<p>I have the book by Charlotte Lowrie and although it's very good, David Busch's book is much better and much more comprehensive. I absolutely love my 7D and even after 18 months I'm still learning more about it. Read and re-read the manual/guide books and then read them again; there's a lot to learn about the AF alone. It's really an amazing camera!</p>