G Lavaty
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My overall experience with the R7 has been pretty positive, especially in light of its $1500 price point. I use it pretty much exclusively for bird photography and with long telephoto lenses.
The main lens I’ve been using the camera with is the original EF 500mm f/4L IS USM that’s more than 20 years old. The particular unit I’ve been using was manufactured back in 2005. I’ve also used it a good bit with the EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM from around the same time period. The other lenses I’ve used with the R7 are modern RF lenses (RF 100-500L, RF 100-400 and RF 800mm f/11).
My main interest is general bird photography typically in the environment (not so much at feeders/setups) and while I do some in-flight photography, it’s not my primary interest though it is of interest..
Overall I am pleased with the image quality from the R7 as long as I remember that it is a crop sensor camera and don’t push the ISO too far and also avoid underexposed images. I’m not big on de-noise software and generally try to stick with ISO 1600 or less and think that has served me well so far. I’m sure the camera can be pushed farther in terms of ISO and coupled with de-noise software with good results but I don’t really have much personal experience doing that as post processing isn’t really my strength.
I generally like the control layout of the R7 and if it was the only camera I use I’m sure I’d love it. However, if you’re using other R cameras alongside the R7 like I do the unique control layout can be frustrating at times. I do, however, really like that the R7 shares the same battery as the R6 and R5. In my experience the battery life with the R7 is quite good and in my opinion this is one of the strengths of the camera. I find that I’ve never needed more than two batteries for a full day of photography and most of the time I get through the day on a single battery.
The sensor readout speed on the R7 is a bit disappointing to me though it doesn’t keep the camera from being very useful. You just have to keep in mind its limitations. I love the ability to have a silent shutter and for static subjects I find the electronic shutter works well. I believe the images are “only” 12-bit in ES mode vs 14-bit with the mechanical shutter but I haven’t really noticed it being a big issue in my photography. Where I do notice the limitations of the ES is when I’m photographing action or particularly when I’m panning with a moving subject. Rolling shutter effects can definitely be obvious and annoying with the R7 in ES mode, often in the form of slanted objects in the background. I have also noticed some wild distortions when photographing hummingbirds using the ES.
The obvious answer to the rolling shutter problem is to use Mechanical Shutter or Electronic First Curtain Shutter. This drastically reduces rolling shutter effects though I believe you still get reduced bit-depth in EFCS mode. The other potential issue with these shutter modes is shutter shock. This typically shows up at slower shutter speeds in the 1/25s - 1/200s range. I’ve definitely observed shutter shock when using the R7, even in EFCS mode when the drive mode is set to 15 fps. Not all lenses are affected equally though I have noticed shutter shock In EFCS and 15fps for all three of the RF lenses that I’ve used with the R7. At slower frame rates I haven’t noticed any obvious signs of shutter shock in EFCS. This indicates to me that the workaround is to simply avoid max fps or use ES when in the shutter speed range of 1/25s - 1/200 sec. This isn’t usually a big deal because I’m not usually trying to photograph action sequences at these sorts of shutter speeds and I really don’t need 15fps for a static subject nor do I experience rolling shutter for static subjects. This could potentially be an issue for panning shots however.
Another area where I’ve sometimes encountered frustration with the R7 is with the buffer. In general I haven’t been challenged with the buffer on the R7 but when I have maxed out the buffer it has been maddening. I’ve tried to stick with v60 and v90 SD cards with the R7 which helps, but when you do fill the buffer, it can feel like an eternity for the buffer to clear. I’ve found that the R7 tends to sputter more than any other camera I’ve used when the buffer fills. I appreciate that Canon needed to hold back some for product segmentation and the buffer is one of the places I really notice it. For this reason, I tend to try to not be so free-wheeling with the bursts and this not only helps avoid buffer fits but also means less photos to delete when I get home.
One thing I’ve been very pleased about with the R7 is that I am able to get the full 15fps In EFCS mode even when using my old EF lenses. I do still get a reduced AF area but overall the camera allows me to extend the life of the old lenses nicely. In ES I’ve found that I am limited to 15fps with the old lenses. Interestingly enough, when using ES I have to switch to H drive mode to get 15fps as if I leave the camera in H+ i only get around 6fps instead of 30fps. It can be a little annoying when switching back and forth between EFCS and MS but since I’m usually only using ES for static subjects it’s actually a bit of a blessing as I don’t really want a bunch of the exact same image. I’ve set up the DOF preview button to toggle between EFCS and silent mode (ES) so I can quickly change mode if a bird flies past and then switch back to ES for the slower moving stuff…
I am for the most part very pleased with the AF of the R7. I do very much appreciate the features inherited from the R3 and in general find the AF experience better with the R7 than with the R5 and R6. The exception, in my experience is with really fast/erratic subjects (think swallows flying around). For those most challenging subjects I do think the R5 still has an edge though it’s really difficult to do a systematic comparison. My guess is that the difference in performance here is likely a consequence of the slow readout speed of the R7. I am pleasantly surprised by how much performance Canon does offer in a $1500 body.
One last thing I think is worth mentioning is that the sound of the shutter on the R7 is rather obvious. It reminds me of being back in the SLR days and it definitely gets attention from others when I’m not out by myself. I’d gotten used to a quieter shutter with the R5 & R6 so the R7 shutter sound was a bit jarring when I first started using it though I have gotten used to it now and I don’t think it’s any worse than the noise the flapping mirror made with my SLRs.
Overall, I’m pleased with the R7. I’d have gladly paid more for a bigger buffer and a faster readout speed (even the readout speed of the R5 or R8 would have been a nice improvement). At the end of the day this is a $1500 camera and I’m impressed with how little Canon held back.
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Don't mean to steal the thread. 
