1 September 2009 17:25 GMT / By Stuart Miles
Canon have announced a new digital SLR under the name of the EOS 7D and Pocket-lint managed to grab the new camera ahead of the UK event on Wednesday.Pitched as a 5D Mark II for sports and wildlife fans, the new model comes with a bevy of features aimed at making your life easier.
On the speed front you'll get two DIGIC 4 processors working some multi-core processor magic to process your images pronto. That pronto equates to 8 frames per second and 126 shots before you run out of buffer space. Pressing the button sounds like you are in charge of a Gatling gun picking off your photos subjects 10 at a time.
Get past the sheer speed of the unit and the 7D boasts a 19-point AF system that means you'll struggle to snap out of focus.
Of course, as you would expect, you'll get full control over what you can focus on. There is auto, single, zone, and orientation settings that work out you have rotated the camera and a stack of other control mechanisms. If you want the focus in the bottom left that's fine by Canon.
As with many new DSLR models you get video - here Full HD - and you'll be able to shoot in 24p (the stuff they use in cinemas). There is HDMI out and an external mic switch to cover all bases.
Finally that design. Reworked to be a bit more "in the field" friendly, you get a deeper hand grip than the lower end models (about the same as the 5D) and buttons that are raised or flush to better work with your needs.
Other features you'll like are a spirit level that looks more at home in an aeroplane, a JPEG RAW button that lets you switch between the two, and a way of increasing the exposure compensation settings up or down by -/+8.
A quick play offers promising stuff and although we weren't able to shoot any samples, Canon were happy to show us a photoshoot of a swam slashing about in the river. It was pretty impressive, pre-production or not.
Available in October for around £1699.99, or $1699.99 in the US, the camera is going to be one to watch.
Oh and that kit lens, an EFS 18-85mm Image Stablizer Ultrasonic offering, will push you up to a recommended £2399.
We will be bringing you a full review shortly.
Nikon D800 pictures and hands-on Full frame camera in the flesh
Nikon D700 vs Nikon D800 New and improved?
BlackBerry PlayBook 2.0 demoed, Bridge 2.0 gives remote control Coming in February
