[Brightcolours]

This is a genuine if not legitimate question.  I am but a Canon Rebel user since 2007.  My first was the Rebel XTi, my latest, the Rebel T1i.  They have both been very reliable, and I have been happy with them.  Of course, you eventually realize better cameras are out there, but that they are rediculously expensive.  Now that the 7D is such an old model, it can be found, brand new, body only, for less than the 70D.  I don't even have to wait to know that Canon will price the 7D mark II at a level that insures that a regular guy can't own one.  The question in my mind is whether the 70D's hybrid focus, and better screen going to make up for cheaper veiwfinder?  Ultimately, I doubt (without actually knowing) if the higher resolution of the 70D really equates to better image quality.  My evidence, owing to my limited experience with DSLR's is pretty much anecdotal, but I think the pixel desity beyond 18mp on an APS-C sized chip is pretty close to optimal.

 The hybrid AF works in live view. You won't use it when using the PD AF. The view finder is not cheaper, both use a penta prism. It is just more accurately assembled in the 7D.

With regard to the 70D

I don't know what Digic 5+ means.  Does it render better than Digic 5 as far as color and exposure are concerned?  Higher usable ISO?  Some other advantage?

In JPEG shooting it means faster processing and better noise reduction capability. When shooting RAW you won't notice much of the version of processor used.

Why does Canon have to push cheap viewfinders on everyone?  I don't know that the size difference between the 7D's 100% and 70D's 98% is a big deal, but I wear glasses.  That means my eye is further away already, so I am guessing that it is a big for me.  Even though I only have experience with Rebels, I have looked through the viewfinders of old film bodies that I have.  What a difference!  I can't believe my T1i viewfinder is made the way it is, when the old viewfinders were, subjectively speaking, 10x better.

The view finder of the 70D is not cheap. The "rebel" line has a penta mirror view finder implementation, to save money and weight. The 70D and 7D both use a penta prism. The eye point (are they published?) is relevant to glasses wearers, the 100% vs. 98% are of not interest. Of course, the view finder from an APS-C camera is smaller than that of a FF camera.

WIFI- Does this mean I will be able to be tethered wirelessly and be able to to control the camera remotely with the computer's keyboard, and focus while viewing my computer's screen instead of the camera's while manually focusing?  All without a wired connection the the computer?  I read that live view is diabled while using WIFI.  If that is the case...What's the point?

I don't know what is the advantage of using WiFi over USB when shooting via the computer with EOS utility. Maybe one wants to drain the camera battery?

The real advantage is that one can use an iOS or Android device (like your smartphone) for remote live view, with the EOS Remote app.

The split sensor thing is relevant only to live view?  So autofocusing while using the (smaller) viewfinder is not better than the 7D?

The PD AF os the 70D is pretty good (to say the least). It probably is better than that of the 7D, which has some performance quirks according to some owners.

 

With regard to the 7D

This was not really capable of unlimited HD recording when release (same as my T1i).  Instead, you could record only a few minutes at a time.  Considering the dual processors, it should have been easy.  I'm not sure if the firmware was updated to fix that.  I'm pretty sure a third party fixed it.  I'm not sure what the implications of updating with a third parties firmware is.

The 7D can record 12 minutes of HD video at one take. Why would you need longer takes? It has to do with import tax laws on video cameras and file size of the file system, more than on heat production of the sensor.

 

Live view on the T1i

My only experience with live view is on the T1i and it is indespensible on the one hand, but leaves a lot of room for improvement.  When I focus manually the response time is so slow that you don't exactly feel live.  Does the 7D do any better?  Presuably the 70D does.  But maybe not.  It is possible that it has better autofocus, but slower rendering do to having a single processor which might mean that for manual focusing purposes the 7D has better live view.

I have the 450D/XSi, which predates the 500D/T1i. I have NEVER noticed slow live view rate. It does not matter if one uses manual focussing, no focussing, or live view contrast detect AF, the frame rate does not change (and is pretty good).

 

If I seem biased toward the 7D it's only because being a Rebel user, I feel victimized by tactics like crippled software and all plastic all the time.  I'd love to have a "Professional" model.  Even if it is on the way out.  It least you know the 7D was designed to be the best they could make it at the time, rather than made only as good as necessary. 

 

Sorry if the points I raise seem a bit impressionistic.  If I migrate to either the 70D or the 7D I will know a lot more...but it will be after the decision has been made, not before!

 

-Arthur

The 70D is the better camera. The 7D is bigger and metal bodied. The 7D mk II will be more expensive.