Up until very recently, the EOS 70D was the primary digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) among Canon DSLR customers who were interested in upgrading from more entry-level versions such as the Rebel T6i (EOS 750D). The focus has now switched to the most recent model because the EOS 80D has been available. However, this does not mean that you should disregard the Canon 70D, especially considering the fact that it can currently be purchased for a price that is far lower than what was first asked for.
Canon EOS 70D Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
- 20.2 MP APS-C CMOS sensor and DIGIC 5+
- 19 point cross-type AF System
- Up to 7 fps shooting
- ISO 100-12800, expandable to 25600
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF for fast focus in live view and video
- 20.2 MP APS-C CMOS sensor and DIGIC 5+
- 19 point cross-type AF System
- Up to 7 fps shooting
- ISO 100-12800, expandable to 25600
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF for fast focus in live view and video
- 3" articulating touch panel LCD screen with 1,040,000 dots
- Built-in flash with integrated speedlite transmitter and hot shoe
- Intelligent viewfinder with electronic overlay
- 1080 (30, 25, 24 fps) and 720 (60, 50 fps) HD video (H.264/MPEG-4/MOV)
- Instant sharing and remote control with built-in Wi-Fi and EOS Remote app
- GPS compatible (sold separately)
- Full manual mode in video
- Built-in stereo or external microphone terminal
- SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card (not included)
The release of a new digital single-lens reflex camera from Canon invariably generates a great deal of buzz, but when that camera also introduces a new sensor with a new pixel count (for the company) and is designed with amateur photographers in mind, the stakes are significantly raised. The newly released Canon EOS 70D, which features a CMOS sensor with 20.2 million pixels and a Digic 5 processor, has, as one might expect, generated quite a bit of excitement among photography enthusiasts.
Because the sensor of the EOS 70D is a Dual Pixel CMOS chip, the camera is able to focus more quickly when shooting in Live View and video mode. On the sensor, there are two photodiodes for every pixel site, and because each photodiode can read light separately, a sort of phase detection autofocusing may be employed to focus the lens. Strictly speaking, pixels don’t exist until a picture is generated.
Because the diodes are read individually for autofocusing but combined to generate the image, the Canon 70D is capable of producing photographs with a resolution of 20.2 megapixels.
Even though each “pixel” is actually a twin diode device, only the center 80% of the pixels are utilized for auto-focusing. This is because employing the pixels on the device’s periphery makes the system more error-prone.
When shooting sports and making use of the 70D’s capability for continuous focusing, it is helpful to have the ability to shoot at up to 7 frames per second at full resolution for up to 65 JPEGs or 16 raw files. Sensitivity can be set anywhere within the native range of ISO 100-12,800, and there is an expansion set that allows the equivalent of ISO 25,600.
Canon was the first company to include a touchscreen on a DSLR, and the 70D features a 3-inch LCD with 1,040,000 dots that can be used to make modifications to the settings and scroll through photographs. As was the case with the Canon 700D, the manufacturer has not introduced the touchscreen capabilities at the expense of the buttons or dial controls found on the Canon 70D. This is because the Canon 70D already has all of the physical controls that one could ever want.
The LCD screen of the Canon 70D is mounted on an articulating joint, which makes it simple to see from a variety of angles regardless of whether you are shooting in landscape or portrait orientation. This is yet another advantage of this camera.
Wi-Fi networking is rapidly becoming one of the most important features that cameras may have, and the Canon 70D does not fall short in this regard.
The capability of wirelessly downloading photographs may not be all that appealing, but for wildlife photographers, the potential of operating the camera remotely using Canon’s free EOS remote software for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets is a significant benefit.
In addition, Canon has included a few features that make it possible to take more creative photographs with a Canon 70D. These features include a built-in Speedlite transmitter that enables wireless control of multiple Canon Speedlite EX flashguns, a multi-exposure mode, and an HDR mode that combines three photographs into one with a wider tonal range.
When shooting in Live View mode, there is 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 look that is very distinctive. These filters include Art Bold Effect, Water Painting Effect, Toy Camera effect, and Miniature effect.
Canon EOS 70D (8469B002) Digital SLR Cameras Black 20.2 MP Digital SLR...
- 20.2 MP APS-C CMOS sensor and DIGIC 5+
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF for fast focus in live view and video
- 3" articulating touch panel LCD screen with 1,040,000 dots
- Built-in flash with integrated speedlite transmitter and hot shoe
- 20.2 MP APS-C CMOS sensor and DIGIC 5+
- Dual Pixel CMOS AF for fast focus in live view and video
- 3" articulating touch panel LCD screen with 1,040,000 dots
- Built-in flash with integrated speedlite transmitter and hot shoe
- This version is originally intended for sale outside the USA, However all Product Specifications are up to par with USA Standards.
Design And Handling
The new camera has a nice, solid feel to it, and the weather-sealing ensures that it should be able to withstand some exposure to the elements. The decision by Canon to use polycarbonate rather than metal for the camera bodies of some of its cameras, including the Canon 70D, has caused some photographers to become somewhat agitated.
The dials and buttons are laid out in a logical manner, and the deep grip has a textured covering that gives the impression that it is firmly planted in your hand.
Similar to the AF system found in the Canon EOS 7D, the Canon 70D includes 19 autofocus points, all of which are of the cross-type variety for increased sensitivity. However, the autofocus (AF) systems of the two cameras are not similar since the Canon 70D only has three AF point selection options: single point AF, zone AF, and 19-point area AF. The Nikon D7100 has seven different AF point selection modes.
However, when compared to the 51-AF point system of the Nikon D7200, the 19-point system does not seem to be nearly as spectacular; however, the central portion of the frame is adequately covered. Due to the fact that most of the points are concentrated in the middle of the frame, the field of view appears to be somewhat limited in contrast to what you would obtain with a typical small system camera. This indicates that the focus and recompose approach, which is a typical issue with DSLRs, is required for subjects that are not centered in the frame.
Although Canon’s new Dual Pixel AF technology is faster than its prior Live View AF systems, it isn’t nearly as fast as the contrast detection systems in Panasonic’s newest G series small system cameras.
However, it is not that far off, and the camera is sufficiently quick that it can be used handled when creating photographs on its screen – at least when the lighting conditions are regular daylight. In addition, this indicates that the articulating joint on the screen has a far larger range of applications.
However, when the amount of available light decreases, the focusing process becomes more gradual, and an apparent adjustment in both directions is observed.
Performance
Because Canon chose to implement the capacitive technology for the touchscreen on the Canon 70D, this assures that it has a high level of responsiveness. Even people who don’t intend to use the touchscreen may find that they do so gradually, beginning with swiping from image to image while in review mode, possibly progressing to pinch-zooming to check the sharpness of images, and eventually progressing to taking more control over the camera via the screen. We suspect that even people who don’t intend to use the touchscreen will find that they do so gradually.
The touchscreen is particularly helpful for rapidly 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; all one needs to do is press the AF point selection button and then tap the desired point on the screen. The touchscreen is particularly useful for setting the AF point quickly in Live View and Movie mode (or using the navigation keys).
The viewfinder can additionally display an electronic level to indicate whether the camera is on an even keel or not. In the past, Canon has utilized the AF point display at its electronic level. This method has the drawback of turning off the moment the shutter release button is touched, which might be an inconvenience.
While this level is still accessible, Canon has also included in the 70D the capability to display a new icon at the bottom of the viewfinder. This icon is displayed at all times, including when the shutter release button is being pushed. Although it is a lot superior system overall, getting used to how sensitive the level takes a little bit of time at first.
When photographing dark objects or when taking pictures at night, the level icon is nearly impossible to detect due to the fact that it does not emit any light of its own.
Canon has one of the most advanced automated white balance systems now available, and overall, its cameras do a fantastic job of capturing colors that have a pleasing appearance and accurately represent their surroundings without unnecessarily compensating for any one specific light source. Images occasionally err on the side of warmth, but the effects were often quite pleasant and improved upon photos that were icy and 100% true.
When using the Standard picture style, the Canon 70D creates photographs with colors that are naturally pleasing and nicely saturated. However, since there is a current trend toward tones that are more colorful and contrast that is greater, some individuals may find it more convenient to increase the saturation and contrast in-camera by making use of the many settings modifications that are accessible.
When it comes to the Canon 70D’s 63-zone iFCL metering technology, there are no unexpected developments. Because of the weighting that it gives to the brightness of the subject and the fact that the active AF point, it is prone to over- or under-exposing in settings with strong contrast because of the weighting that it gives to the brightness of the subject.
When photographing sunny landscapes, this may be a significant challenge since you need to be quite cautious about where you put the autofocus point on your camera. If it is placed over a patch of white grass that is in direct sunlight, there is a good possibility that the remainder of the image will be underexposed. On the other hand, if the active AF point is placed in an area that is in the shade, the bulk of the image will be overexposed.
Many of the photography lovers who make up the market for the Canon 70D will have enough expertise under their belts to be aware of how to approach a problem of this nature. However, photographers with less expertise are more likely to have issues with the metering mechanism. To get around the issue, you may try shooting in the manual exposure mode and getting a reading from the spot meter (in addition to the evaluative mode, you also have the option of using the partial, spot, and center-weighted metering modes).
Image quality
According to the results of our tests, the Canon 70D is capable of capturing a significant amount of information. However, even when the sensitivity is set to its lowest level, there is a distinct advantage to shooting raw files. This is because out-of-focus regions in JPEGs can occasionally have a little watercolored appearance when seen at 100% on the screen. Raw files, on the other hand, have a more organic appearance.
Even photographs captured at ISO 100 have a faint texture when viewed at 100%, although chroma noise, also known as colored speckling, is not a significant problem over the whole native sensitivity range of the camera. However, as usual, the in-camera noise reduction has a negative impact on the level of detail captured by the camera.
Raw files that are converted to TIFFs using the default settings in Digital Photo Professional look a little bit better than the JPEG files that were captured at the same time, but we believe that it is best to turn down the noise reduction a little bit as the raw files are processed, in order to reveal a little bit more detail.
Having said that, there is an incredible level of information evident in photographs that were shot at an ISO of 12,800, and even while there is a fine-grained texture visible when images are enlarged to create A4 prints, it isn’t unattractive at all. However, if the light levels are sufficient, we suggest maintaining an ISO that is lower than 6400 whenever it is practicable to do so.
Conclusion
The Canon EOS 70D is a well-built and powerful camera that is capable of producing exceptional photos with a great deal of information, particularly in raw file formats.
Even if you need to be careful while working in high-contrast environments, the 63-zone Evaluative metering system performs a wonderful job in the majority of scenarios and delivers a subject that is perfectly exposed. The images captured by the camera have natural colors and a pleasing saturation and contrast; however, as is always the case, the settings of the camera can be adjusted to deliver results that are more to your liking if you find that the defaults are not satisfactory.
The Canon 70D features a standard assortment of physical controls in addition to a touchscreen, making it both speedy and simple to operate. Although there are still some photographers who are cautious about the advantages of a touchscreen, we would encourage them to give one of the more recent systems a try because they are far more responsive than some of the earliest touchscreens that were introduced on small cameras.
Canon EOS 70D Specs
| Body type | Mid-size SLR |
|---|---|
| Sensor | |
| Max resolution | 5472 x 3648 |
| Other resolutions | 3468×2432, 2736×1824, 1920×1280, 720×480, 4864×3648, 3248×2432, 2432×1824, 1696×1280, 640×480,5472×3072, 3468×2048, 2736×1536, 1920×1080, 720×408, 3648×3648, 2432×2432, 1824×1824, 1280×1280, 480×480 |
| Image ratio w:h | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 |
| Effective pixels | 20 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 21 megapixels |
| Sensor size | APS-C (22.5 x 15 mm) |
| Sensor type | CMOS |
| Processor | Digic 5+ |
| Color space | sRGB, Adobe RGB |
| Image | |
| ISO | Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400, 12800 (25600 with boost) |
| Boosted ISO (maximum) | 25600 |
| White balance presets | 6 |
| Custom white balance | Yes |
| Image stabilization | No |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| JPEG quality levels | Fine, Normal |
| File format | JPEG: Fine, Normal.RAW: RAW, M-RAW, S-RAW (14bit) |
| Optics & Focus | |
| Autofocus | Contrast Detect (sensor)Phase DetectMulti-areaCenterSelective single-pointTrackingSingleContinuousTouchFace DetectionLive View |
| Autofocus assist lamp | Intermittent firing of built-in flash |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Number of focus points | 19 |
| Lens mount | Canon EF/EF-S |
| Focal length multiplier | 1.6× |
| Screen / viewfinder | |
| Articulated LCD | Fully articulated |
| Screen size | 3″ |
| Screen dots | 1,040,000 |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Screen type | Clear View II TFT color LCD |
| Live view | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | Optical (pentaprism) |
| Viewfinder coverage | 98% |
| Viewfinder magnification | 0.95× (0.59× 35mm equiv.) |
| Photography features | |
| Minimum shutter speed | 30 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/8000 sec |
| Scene modes | Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Night Portrait, Handheld Night Scene, HDR Backlight Control |
| Built-in flash | Yes (Pop-up) |
| Flash range | 12.00 m |
| External flash | Yes (Built-in flash works as wireless commander) |
| Flash modes | Auto, On, Off, Red-eye |
| Flash X sync speed | 1/250 sec |
| Drive modes | Single, Continuous L, Continuous H, Self timer (2s+remote, 10s +remote), Silent single shooting, Silent continuous shooting |
| Continuous drive | 7.0 fps |
| Self-timer | Yes (2 or 10 sec, remote) |
| Metering modes | MultiCenter-weightedSpotPartial |
| Exposure compensation | ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
| AE Bracketing | ±3 (2, 3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
| WB Bracketing | Yes (3 frames in either blue/amber or magenta/green axis) |
| Videography features | |
| Resolutions | 1920 x 1080 (29.97, 25, 23.976 fps), 1280 x 720 (59.94, 50 fps), 640 x 480 (59.94, 50 fps) |
| Format | H.264 |
| Microphone | Stereo |
| Speaker | Mono |
| Storage | |
| Storage types | SD/SDHC/SDXC |
| Connectivity | |
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| HDMI | Yes (HDMI mini) |
| Microphone port | Yes |
| Headphone port | No |
| Wireless | Built-In |
| Remote control | Yes (RS-60E3 cable release, RC-6 wireless remote, or using smartphone over Wi-Fi) |
| Physical | |
| Environmentally sealed | Yes (Water and Dust resistant) |
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | Lithium-Ion LP-E6 rechargeable battery & charger |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 920 |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 755 g (1.66 lb / 26.63 oz) |
| Dimensions | 139 x 104 x 79 mm (5.47 x 4.11 x 3.09″) |
| Other features | |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| Timelapse recording | Yes (by USB cable and PC) |
| GPS | Optional |
Canon EOS 70D Price
