The announcement of any Canon DSLR usually creates a lot of excitement, but when that camera launches a new sensor with a new pixel count (for the manufacturer) and is aimed at enthusiast photographers, it ups the ante considerably. So naturally there's been quite a buzz surrounding the new Canon EOS 70D, which has a 20.2 million-pixel CMOS sensor coupled with a Digic 5 processor.
As well as having a higher pixel count than Canon's other recent APS-C format sensors, the EOS 70D's sensor is a Dual Pixel CMOS device, which enables faster focusing during Live View and video mode. There are two photo diodes for every pixel site (strictly speaking pixels don't exist until an image is created) on the sensor, and each of them can read light independently to enable a form of phase detection autofocusing to be used to focus the lens.
While the diodes are read separately for autofocusing, they are read together to form the image, and this means the Canon 70D creates 20.2 million pixel images.
Although every 'pixel' is a dual diode device, only the central 80% are used for auto focusing, because using the outer edges makes the system more prone to errors.
The Canon 70D also has a dedicated phase detection sensor for use when images are composed in the viewfinder. This has 19 AF points, all of which are cross-type, just like the Canon 7D's AF system. However, the two cameras' AF systems aren't identical, since the Canon 70D only has three AF point selection modes: Single point AF, Zone AF and 19-point Area AF.
While the 60D has a maximum continuous shooting speed of 5.3fps, the 70D can shoot at up to 7fps at full resolution for up to 65 JPEGs or 16 raw files, which is useful when shooting sport and using the 60D's continuous focusing capability.
Sensitivity may be set in the native range of ISO 100-12,800 with an expansion setting allowing the equivalent of ISO 25,600. The top native setting, ISO 12,800 is an expansion setting on Canon's other enthusiast SLRs.
Canon was the first manufacturer to give a DSLR a touchscreen, and the 70D has a 3-inch 1,040,000 dot LCD that can be used to make settings adjustments and scroll through images. As with the Canon 700D, the manufacturer hasn't added the touchscreen functionality at the expense of buttons or dial controls, since the Canon 70D has all the physical controls that you'd hope for.
Further good news with the Canon 70D is that the LCD screen is on an articulating joint, and this makes it easy to view from a range of angles, whether shooting in landscape or portrait format.
Wi-Fi connectivity is fast becoming one of the must-have features for cameras, and the Canon 70D does not disappoint in this respect.
While the ability to download images wirelessly may not be all that enticing, the possibility of controlling the camera remotely using Canon's free EOS remote app for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets is a real bonus for wildlife photographers.
Canon has also included a few features to enable more creative images to be captured with a Canon 70D - there's a built-in Speedlite transmitter, for example, which gives wireless control over multiple Canon Speedlite EX flashguns, a multi-exposure mode and an HDR mode that combines three images to create one with a greater range of tones.
There's also a collection of Creative Filters (Grainy B/W, Soft Focus, Fish-Eye effect, Art Bold effect, Water Painting effect, Toy Camera effect or Miniature effect) that can be used to give JPEGs a particular distinctive look when shooting in Live View mode.
While it's disappointing that these can't be used when shooting raw files simultaneously, or when using the viewfinder, they can be applied post-capture in review mode, so it's possible to retain a 'clean' image as well as one with the filter effect.
The Canon EOS 70D has a full price of £1,089 / US$1,199 / AU$1,499 body only, putting it well above the Canon 700D but at the same price point as the Nikon D7100.
Some photographers get a bit worked up about Canon's choice to use polycarbonate rather than metal for some of its camera bodies - including the Canon 70D' - but the new camera feels nice and solid and seals ensure that it should survive some exposure to the weather.
Not surprisingly there are no major changes to the overall shape and feel of the replacement to the Canon 60D. The buttons and dials are sensibly arranged and the deep grip has a textured coating that makes it feel secure in your hand.
As with the Canon 700D and Canon 100D, the brand has opted to use capacitive technology for the Canon 70D's touchscreen, and this ensures that it's very responsive. We suspect that even those who don't intend to use the touchscreen will find that they do gradually, starting with swiping from image to image in review mode, perhaps progressing to pinch-zooming to check images' sharpness, and then eventually progressing to taking more control over the camera via the screen.
One downside to a touchscreen is that the screen inevitably gets covered in fingerprints, and this makes the image harder to see, especially in bright light. Nevertheless we found that the Canon 70D's screen provides a pretty decent view in most lighting conditions. Although they are often present when shooting outside, it doesn't suffer too much from reflections.
The touchscreen is particularly useful for quickly setting the AF point in Live View and Movie mode, It can also be used to set the AF point when shooting with the camera held to the eye, just press the AF point selection button and then tap the desire point on the screen (or use the navigation keys). However, you need to be careful that your nose doesn't pres the screen when the AF point options are displayed otherwise there's a good chance that you'll select the wrong AF point.
Because the Canon 70D has a new, faster AF system in Live View mode, we think that users are far more likely to compose images on the LCD screen than they may have been in the past. But it's quite bulky compared with a compact system camera (CSC), and it doesn't feel totally natural to hold it away from your face to compose images on the screen.
However, it's very useful when shooting with the camera on a tripod or composing images at awkward angles - it's here that Touch-shutter mode comes into its own, since it enables you to set the AF point, focus the lens and trigger the shutter with a single touch on the screen.
No matter how good the LCD screen may be, there are times when it just seems more natural to compose an image in the viewfinder. It's much easier to follow a moving subject with the camera held to your eye, for example, than when it's held in front of you. Because it's a DSLR, the Canon EOS 70D has an optical viewfinder, and it's a nice bright unit. However, since it 'only' covers 98% of the frame (the 60D's covers 96%), you may still find the odd surprise around the edges of your images.
One advantage that electronic viewfinders offer is the ability to display the image as it will be captured. Naturally as an optical finder the Canon 70D's viewfinder can't do this, but it does have an electronic overlay that displays key settings.
There are also three new icons at the top of the viewfinder that indicate the AF point selection mode. In the past we have found some of Canon's icons difficult to interpret, but these three make it clear which option has been selected.
It's also easy to change the mode, because Canon has introduced a new button just to the side of the shutter release. A single press activates the system, and subsequent presses toggle through the selection mode options. Alternatively, a single press of the new button followed by presses of the navigation keys selects the AF point to use. It's a great system.
The viewfinder can also display an electronic level to indicate whether the camera is on an even keel or not. In the past, Canon has used the AF point display for its electronic level, but this has the disadvantage of switching off the minute the shutter release button is pressed.
While this level is still available, Canon has also given the 70D the option to display a new icon at the bottom of the viewfinder, and this remains visible even when the shutter release is pressed. It's a much better system, but it takes a little while to get used to how sensitive the level is. Because the level icon isn't illuminated, it's also quite hard to see when shooting dark subjects, or when shooting at night-time.
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