I expected that the 7D II would be greeted with high demand (and it was), but that prediction was not hard to make. "Building on the class-leading performance of the iconic EOS 7D, and harnessing technologies found in the flagship, professional EOS-1D X ...

Canon's EOS 7D DSLR camera was regarded as one of the best prosumer cameras of its time. Five years later, DSLRs, point-and-shoots and the like have already evolved, and the 7D became a relic of a bygone era.

Image quality; Fast autofocus

Price; Shutter button

The Canon 7D Mark II is a fantastic DSLR. While it has some video shooting chops to it, the camera is first and foremost a sports- and wildlife-shooting beast.

With both Canon and Nikon sitting quietly for almost 6 years and not releasing updates to their high-end APS-C DSLRs, many thought that demand for such market was dead and neither company would release such a camera.

To pinch the well-known slogan: good things come to those who wait. And wait we have. For the Canon EOS 7D Mark II is a DSLR that has shunned the typically frequent product cycle, instead taking five whole years to calculate its position in the market.

Fantastic image quality including to high ISO sensitivities; rugged and weather-sealed build quality; new 65-point autofocus system is brilliant; stacks of customisation; battery outperforms official quota

No tilt-angle screen; no touch controls; live view autofocus not always on point; not a huge image quality upgrade over original 7D; no 4K video; no Wi-Fi built-in

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II is an update to a classic. The original EOS 7D was released five years ago, and has long been considered royalty among APS-C sensor DSLRs. A refresh was long due, though.

Good image quality; Decent burst performance; Fast; reliable AF

Lacks 4K video recording; No Wi-Fi

Released in 2009, the original Canon EOS 7D has become a firm favourite APS-C Digital SLR, and impressively has lasted well for a 5 year old camera, a testament to how popular the camera is.

10fps continuous shooting - max 9.5fps with C-AF; Improved noise performance compared to 70D; Tough weather-sealed magnesium alloy body; Quick live view shutter response and focus speeds; Dual axis electronic level; 65 cross-type AF points; USB3.0 socket; 100% viewfinder coverage; GPS built-in,...

High Price; Does not feature Wi-Fi; Images can appear soft straight from the camera; Separate port covers would be good to help weather sealing; Tilting screen would be a benefit for video

Canon certainly can't be accused of having a short product cycle with the EOS 7D series. It is five years since the original Canon EOS 7D was launched, but the follow-up is finally here.

Fast 10 fps continuous shooting with large buffer; Ultra-fast autofocusing system with 65 cross-type AF points; Crop-frame camera giving more reach with telephoto lenses

No built-in Wi-Fi; No touchscreen or tilting LCD

As you might guess from its name, the new Canon EOS 7D Mark II replaces the Canon 7D. It therefore assumes its place above the APS-C format Canon 70D and below the full-frame Canon 5D Mark II in the Canon SLR line-up.

Canon has made another fine all-round enthusiast DSLR, but it's not mind-blowing on the tech front

Good all-round performance; Fast; accurate autofocus; Weatherproof and rugged

A little pricy; Doesn't "push the envelope" tech-wise