The Canon EOS 70D breaks cover

After what seems like an age in the rumour mills, the EOS 70D from Canon has finally broken cover. Sitting above the highly popular EOS 60D, the EOS 70D at first glance looks very much like a replacement for the EOS 7D rather than a XXD range product – certainly it’s hard to see where they may go with an EOS 7D based on the specs of the 70D.
Here’s the key specs:

20.2Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor (new design featuring Dual Pixel CMOS AF… more later)
ISO 100-25,600 with expansion
19-pt AF system – all points are Cross-Type AF
7fps
DIGIC 5+ processor
Full 1080p HD movie shooting
SD card slot (SDHC and SDXC compatible)
3.0″ vari-angle touchscreen
Built-in WiFi

If you put these alongside the EOS 7D specs and then look at the EOS 5D Mark III above, there is very little room for movement. As such, for all enthusiasts looking for a sports or wildlife camera, this could be exactly what you’ve been waiting for…

New technologies
In terms of new technologies, the real headline feature is the Dual Pixel CMOS AF performed by the CMOS sensor. It addresses one of the biggest weaknesses for many people when movie shooting – the lack of effective AF in Live View or Movies mode. From our point of view, and for many professionals, autofocus when shooting movies is something that is hardly ever done – the organic nature of manual focus is much more pleasing to the eye. However, there are situations where autofocus is exceptionally useful, especially for solo film makers without access to a dedicated focus-puller. It for these (I’m guessing most of you…!) that this development has appeared as it allows you to track a moving subject and keep it sharp, even when shooting with a shallow depth of field – something DSLR movie shooting excels at.

It works in a very clever way – the pixels on the sensor actually consist of two photodiodes rather than one. For focusing, each diode (one left, one right) is read independently to provide phase-detection AF becasue the subtle parallax shift between the two can be measured and compensated for by focus. However, to form the image, the two diodes are combined and read as one. It’s a novel approach and differs from other sensor-based AF systems which have separate pixels for AF and imaging. The advantages are clear – there is no additional image processing required and the sensor can use all the pixels for imaging to provide the highest image quality possible.

Once the subject is selected, with Face and Object tracking activated, the Movie Servo AF will follow the subject across the frame either as the subject moves or as you move the camera to recompose.

Could this be the big break-through that opens up EOS Movie shooting to more people? Is it something you could see yourself using and will it entice you to give movie shooting a go? Hit up the comments and let us know.

To give you some more info on the EOS 70D, here’s the Canon UK press release…

Unleash your potential with the powerful and versatile Canon EOS 70D

United Kingdom, Republic Of Ireland, 2 July 2013 – Canon today unveils an outstanding new addition to its world-famous EOS series – the EOS 70D. Designed for aspiring enthusiast photographers, the EOS 70D is the ideal camera for anyone looking to take their photography to the next level. It combines completely new, world-first Canon imaging technology with powerful, creative and wireless sharing features – delivering a responsive, all-purpose camera ideal for capturing the moment with stunning images and Full HD video.

Capture the moment with stills and Full HD movies

The EOS 70D features a new 20.2 MP APS-C CMOS sensor, designed and manufactured by Canon. It’s the first Digital SLR in the world to feature ground-breaking Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology, which delivers smooth and accurate autofocus (AF) when shooting Full HD movies and fast AF acquisition when shooting in Live View mode.

Paired with the 14-bit DIGIC 5+ processor and 19-point all cross-type AF System, the EOS 70D captures incredible, full resolution images at up to 7 frames per second, with up to 65 JPEG or 16 RAW images in a single burst¹. Additionally, a native ISO range of ISO 100-12800 enables photographers to shoot in lower light conditions and use faster shutter speeds whilst retaining high image quality.

“I was incredibly impressed with how many new technologies the EOS 70D packs into one body, and how versatile it is,” said Brutus Östling, Canon Ambassador. “The EOS 70D is the perfect camera for anyone that wants to develop their photography skills. Not only is it suited to shooting people, landscapes and action easily and in outstanding quality, but also filming subjects in Full HD with focus speeds I never thought would be possible. The camera proved itself in the most challenging of circumstances, and had a range of new-generation technologies to comfortably solve any test I threw at it – especially with the new Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology. It really takes DSLR shooting and filmmaking to a whole new level.”

Canon’s new Dual Pixel CMOS AF provides swift AF performance when shooting in Live View mode and smooth accurate focus for Full HD movies. It makes it easy for users to take their next step with movies, enabling them to keep moving subjects in sharp focus and create professional-looking pull-focus effects. The technology utilises advanced CMOS architecture, allowing two photodiodes to be mounted within each pixel, both of which can be read independently to achieve autofocus, or together for image capture, with maximum image quality at all times.

An advanced AF system for stills includes 19 cross-type AF points spread across the frame, providing high speed, accurate AF – ideal for tracking sports and wildlife subjects as they move within the frame. The AF system is customisable, allowing photographers to adapt to the subject they’re shooting. AF points can be used individually, together in small groups, or as a wide active area for more unpredictable subjects. A dedicated AF area selection button, positioned conveniently next to the shutter release, enables quick switching between modes, without having to take the camera away from the eye.

Expertly designed for professional control

The EOS 70D’s powerful specification is packed into an expertly-engineered body that’s designed for comfort and swift operation. The Intelligent Viewfinder, with 98 per cent frame coverage and 0.95x magnification, allows photographers to comfortably frame their images and visualise settings via the electronic overlay. Conveniently-placed controls provide instant access to the most frequently used settings, such as ISO, AF mode selection and metering, so users can quickly change settings and concentrate on capturing the moment.

A 7.7cm (3.0”) Vari-angle Clear View LCD II Touch screen with a sharp 1,040k dot resolution is ideal for video shooting, or composing images from unusual and creative angles. The screen is a capacitive type, which supports a series of multi-touch gestures including swiping and pinch-zooming – perfect for navigating menus, amending settings or flicking through images.

Clever connectivity for easy control and instant sharing

The EOS 70D is the latest EOS model to feature integrated Wi-Fi, providing the freedom to remotely control the camera, as well as share images. Using Wi-Fi connectivity, users can connect to the EOS Remote app and control a wide range of image settings, including ISO and exposure, as well as focus and release the shutter. Photographers can also remotely use Live View mode, as well as review and rate their images.

Instant creativity unleashed

The EOS 70D features a host of creative modes to make capturing unique images easy. In-camera HDR removes the challenges of shooting in tricky, high contrast situations, merging three exposures into one that captures more detail in both the shadow and highlight areas. With multiple-exposure mode, photographers can shoot and combine up to nine exposures into a single image, or use a range of Creative Filters to instantly change the style and look of their shot.

Experimenting with creative off-camera flash is easy, thanks to the Integrated Speedlite transmitter, which provides in-camera control of multiple Canon Speedlite EX flash units.

Creative Full HD Movies

Alongside beautiful stills, the EOS 70D allows photographers to create high quality movies with ease. Full HD (1920 x 1080p) resolution video can be captured with a choice of selectable frame rates, including 30, 25 or 24fps, and 60 and 50fps at 720p, and a range of compression options for post-editing and sharing. Thanks to new Dual Pixel CMOS AF, Movie Servo AF mode tracks subjects as they move, or even as shots are recomposed, ensuring they’re always in focus. Alternatively, users can select different focus areas over 80 per cent of the frame² simply by tapping the touch-screen, even when recording – ensuring that movies stay sharp and clear if a subject moves or the user changes the composition of a shot.

Videographers can also enjoy stereo sound using the internal microphone, or enhance audio with the in-built external microphone input terminal. Full control over settings such as aperture and ISO is also possible within manual mode, giving users greater freedom as their skills develop.

EOS 70D – key features: