Canon 7D firmware, and the 650D

[Grant Atkinson]

Some interesting times for the Canon shooters out there, just looking at what is on Canon Rumours website at the moment.
The specs for the 650D would seem to show that with its new AF system basically lifted straight from the 60D, and with a new frame rate of 5 fps, that there are some serious improvements being moved down from the higher-end cameras. I will also be interested to see what sort of improvement the raised iso normal range represents? There is no word yet from Canon as to whether the sensor has been reworked, or whether the new processor is enabling cleaner output and thus the higher sensitivity settings. It is also looking to be a top choice for video shooting with the touch screen, controls and silent lenses.
The 650D is moving very close to the 60D in specifications....

Then there is information pertaining to what must be one of the biggest, most significant firmware upgrades yet for the 7D...for stills shooters who take action shots the increase in the RAW buffer size from 15 to 26 is really big...that is a very positive step forward.
Also part of the 7D upgrades are a whole lot of menu additions and upgrades, many of which have already appeared on the 5D3...so the new firmware will make the 7D much more similar to the 5d3 when it comes to menu operation and options. Some of these changes include in-camera raw processing, rating, Q-button functionality totally expanded to include protection, rotation and more.
It will become possible to cap how high the iso goes when the camera is in Auto-Iso, and image playback and zooming/comparison speed has been enhanced.
There are also video enhancements audio control.
Also, compatibility with the GPS unit GP-2 is also added.
With these firmware upgrades, it would seem to me that the 7D's menu offerings and operation, and that of the 5D3, will be a bit more similar in terms of some of the menu choices, despite the fact that the 7D uses Digic 4 and the 5D3 uses Digic 5.

Continued enhancements to existing cameras is always a great value-add, and for me as a wildlife shooter the bigger RAW buffer is huge, it can make the difference between getting a shot and missing out.
Perhaps this may also indicate that the 7D might not be replaced in the very near future as some might have expected.
Exciting times as always
cheers
Grant

[Chris F]

Thanks Grant

[Alvin]

Hi Grant
Thanks for yet another informative post
What version of new firmware for the 7D are you referring to?
All I can find is v1.25 which is the current already for some time - and I dont find anything newer on the Canon download site.
Do you perhaps have a link to a newer version that you talking about? - please would you post it?
Thanks
Alvin

[Grant Atkinson]

Hi Alvin
The firmware for the 7D has only been announced, it is not available for download yet...I just found the article on Canon Rumours..they lifted it from a Canon website somewhere, and it looks fairly official. I am sure that more info and the version number, and where to get it will follow soon..sorry if I gave the impression that is was already out and available..
cheers
Grant

[Alvin]

No problem Grant
eager to get this upgrade though

[Chris F]

Grant of course you will "have to" test this new firmware ....

may I offer my 7D for this test ?

[Grant Atkinson]

Thanks Chris
Actually, this firmware is going be of benefit to a lot of 7D owners:
Action shooters will love the bigger buffer.
The camera will become more user-friendly for everybody in terms of dealing with images in playback mode, also with the added functionality that the Q-button upgrades will allow.
Those who want to output different jpgs direct from their camera will like the greatly improved functionality in that regard.
Video shooters are going to benefit from the new manual controls for audio.
Tech heads can enjoy the GPS connectivity options.
And then I think that anybody who shoots their 7D alongside a 5D3, 1DX, and probably every other new Canon going forward will likely enjoy the common features that all share.
I have always found Canon dslr bodies to have a strongly similar feature set when it comes to their main set of shooting controls...and their menus...you don't realize how important this is until you end up switching between bodies whilst shooting. The more similar the controls and menus are, the less frustrated you get, and you don't waste any time looking for things in different places.
cheers
Grant

[Anonymous]

Sounds good to me. I usually shoot jpg so the [staggering] increase in the RAW buffer isn't going to affect me much but some of the others certainly will. One in particular that wasnt mentioned here but featured in the original is the ability to set custom file names. Farewell IMG!

[Alvin]

Grant
do you think they will also release a 5dII firmware update?
may not be possible to match up all buttons and features but where possible?

[Chris F]

Alvin at the Canon roadshow they emphasised that the 5D3 is an addition to the line up, the 5D2 is to REMAIN.

That having been said, a firmware update would make sense .... WHEN is the big question ....

[Alvin]

Hi Chris,
I hope you right
At the moment there is already a slight gap in the current menu systems between the 7D and 5DII
So a jump as proposed in the 7D firware would put a bigger gap between the small differences if using these in combination
I hope they release both ASAP.

[Grant Atkinson]

Hi Guys
My guess is as good as yours, but I am thinking that the 7D was made to slot in with the 5d3 and the 1dX ,right from the beginning..with their LCD viewfinders, and their AF grouping/selection setups, and the 7D and 5D3 are also quite similar in shape, and design...they clearly share the latest EOS philosophy when it comes to construction, layout, buttons, styling. So it kind of feels to me that right now that upgraded firmware for the 7D just takes it a step nearer to the 5D3 and 1DX way of working.
Also, the 7D, 5D3 and 1DX all fit well together now in terms of their specification and price..no more anomalies like the 5D2 which cost more than, but had lesser AF and weather sealing than the 7D...now the spec list in most regards pretty much fits the prices and position in the line-up when it comes to the 7D, 5D3 and 1DX.
I don't see that same need for Canon to make any changes to the 5Dmk2, which is really being sold now as a very good value, full-frame camera, with none of the frills that the other three share..and lets not forget the 5D2 has already benefitted from tons of firmware upgrades that took its video functionality a very long way forward from when it was released...and one way for Canon to be able to continue to sell the 5D2 at a good price is to not spend any more money on it with development. I also wonder how much processing power it has to spare..remember it is handling 21mp images with just a single Digic 4..whereas the 7D has extra capacity built-in with two processors.
Short answer Alvin and Chris, I don't expect to see a firmware upgrade like this for the 5D2...but hope I am wrong of course :-)
cheers
Grant

[Richard Sloman]

Was looking at the specifications of the 650D, 600D and the 60D on Canon's comparison site and couldn't find a lot in terms of the three, what make the 650 and the 600 less "professional" than the 60D? If they are so similar, does it come down to price or am I missing something?

[Grant Atkinson]

Hi Richard, well the 600D has a lower spec to its AF system, and it shoots at 3.7 fps, compared to 5fps for the 650D and 60D. Also the AF systems for viewfinder shooting now near identical on the 650D and 60D. The 60D has a larger, more robust body with more a bit more space for the hands and bigger spaces between the control points...a bigger viewfinder, also a degree of weather-sealing, and a bigger battery that should take more frames...but for Live View shooting and video, the 650 looks like it is going to be quite special...
Lots of choices

[jayson]

Anyone have any close to solid news on whether the 7D will be replaced this year ? As Grant says the release of a firmware upgrade with these significant changes may imply that Canon will not replace the 7D in the near future.

[Deon RacePics]

I will most certainly not wait to do 7D firmware update. most notable;
* increased buffer.
* File naming other than IMG_
* curious about the menu changes
* geo tagging can be interesting indeed.

[Ravilj]

Some interesting times for the Canon shooters out there, just looking at what is on Canon Rumours website at the moment.

...

Then there is information pertaining to what must be one of the biggest, most significant firmware upgrades yet for the 7D...for stills shooters who take action shots the increase in the RAW buffer size from 15 to 26 is really big...that is a very positive step forward.
Also part of the 7D upgrades are a whole lot of menu additions and upgrades, many of which have already appeared on the 5D3...so the new firmware will make the 7D much more similar to the 5d3 when it comes to menu operation and options. Some of these changes include in-camera raw processing, rating, Q-button functionality totally expanded to include protection, rotation and more.
It will become possible to cap how high the iso goes when the camera is in Auto-Iso, and image playback and zooming/comparison speed has been enhanced.
There are also video enhancements audio control.
Also, compatibility with the GPS unit GP-2 is also added.
With these firmware upgrades, it would seem to me that the 7D's menu offerings and operation, and that of the 5D3, will be a bit more similar in terms of some of the menu choices, despite the fact that the 7D uses Digic 4 and the 5D3 uses Digic 5.

Continued enhancements to existing cameras is always a great value-add, and for me as a wildlife shooter the bigger RAW buffer is huge, it can make the difference between getting a shot and missing out.
Perhaps this may also indicate that the 7D might not be replaced in the very near future as some might have expected.
Exciting times as always
cheers
Grant

One word: AWESOME!

[camerasaurusrex]

I think if they do bring out a 7D mkII it is not going to be all about the sensor. I think sensor technology is starting to saturate a bit, and we can only expect slight improvements in the future. The laws of physics determines this. The 7D mkII may be a completely revolutionary camera in terms of how it operates. The touch screen of the 650D is a hint of what we might get, especially considering how far this technoogy has gone with tablets, imagine a camera with a fully customisable touch screen that you can set up your operations like the desk top of a computer.

OK, maybe not something my 75 year old dad would enjoy

[Richard Sloman]

Hi Richard, well the 600D has a lower spec to its AF system, and it shoots at 3.7 fps, compared to 5fps for the 650D and 60D. Also the AF systems for viewfinder shooting now near identical on the 650D and 60D. The 60D has a larger, more robust body with more a bit more space for the hands and bigger spaces between the control points...a bigger viewfinder, also a degree of weather-sealing, and a bigger battery that should take more frames...but for Live View shooting and video, the 650 looks like it is going to be quite special...
Lots of choices

Thanks Grant. I guess with the 650 now becoming closer to the 60D, the replacement for that shouldnt be too far off?

Larger and more robust body sounds like selling points for me... :-)

[Alvin]

Hi Grant (or anyone else on this thread?),

Any news on this firmware release update for the 7D
Checked the Canon site and still only ver125 from 2011 shows as current

Anyone know if new update released or when expected?