1 September 2009 8:02 GMT / By Stuart Miles
Canon has confirmed the rumours we reported on over the weekend and announced the launch of a new mid-range DSLR - the Canon EOS 7D - on Tuesday morning.The new camera will, say Canon, be a "brand new product that stands on its own with new features never before seen in any Canon camera."
In reality that means that it can shoot 8 frames per second (up to 126 in a single burst), offer 24p Full HD video recording and come with an 18-megapixel sensor, dual DIGIC 4 Imaging Processors, and a 3-inch LCD screen.
If that wasn't enough to impress the EOS 7D boasts "significant EOS advancements" including a completely new 19-point autofocus system, a new Canon iFCL Metering System (Intelligent Focus, Color, Luminance) and a new Intelligent Viewfinder.
A wide range of ISO speed settings from 100-6400 (expandable to 12,800) continues the current Canon theme of a focus on low-light shooting.
Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 resolution with selectable frame rates of 24p, 25p or 30p should please the video junkies with the native 24p recording helping achieve a more cinema-style look for their footage without the need for post-processing.
New AF modes include a Spot AF mode that reduces the size of a single AF point to focus on small subjects like an animal in a cage, AF Point Expansion mode that uses a cluster of AF points adjacent to the selected AF point to automatically assist focusing on moving subjects, such as an athlete on the run, and Zone AF that divides the 19 AF points into five selectable focusing zones and makes it easier to achieve focus with subjects that are difficult to track with Single Point AF or AF point expansion, such as birds in flight.
The new model is expected to hit the US and the UK at the end of September.
In the UK it will cost £1699.99, while the US price will be the same just with a dollar sign in front of it: $1699.
The move means there will be a UK/US price difference of around £550 in favour of going Stateside even when you include US sales tax.
The US will also offer a kit version with Canon's EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $1,899.00.
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