Canon EOS Rebel T7i Review

Last Updated on May 13, 2023 by Photography PX

The Canon EOS rebel T7i makes yet another smashing successor in the Rebel lineup of entry Digital SLR and continues the lasting tradition and principals behind the line: low priced, attractive and feature rich entry level cameras geared to give beginning photographers the competitive edge.

Historically, the Rebel lineup has remained among the topmost recommended camera lines to initially start learning photography with.

With the T7i, this tradition continues and, in fact, has been amplified where now the line is among the top three entry live lines within the overall APS-C ecosystem.

Originally released in 2017,  the T7i offered easy navigation, strong image quality, superb autofocusing performance all coupled with ample features at a lower price point. Because of this, it’s no question why it was, and still is, one of the top recommended camera bodies in our industry, even in 2019. While, I shoot Sony personally, if I were to go back and switch to cannon, this is definitely where I would have started. Today my friends, we will explain why it should be a key consideration in your final decision as well.

What Kind of Camera is the Canon T7i Classified as?

The T7i is considered an APS-C camera. With that, it does have a cropped sensor and is not a Full Frame camera. Even so, this camera does fall towards the upper end of the spectrum in comparison to other entry-level APS-C cameras.

Namely, in the following categories: overall features, image and video capabilities, focusing performance, burst mode and starting price point. Now,  given its been a few years since it’s original release date, the camera is very affordable and is definitely one to look at if you’re still exploring options for cameras.

What are some of the goods, bads, and the uglies of the T7i?

The primary reason the T7i still remains competitive even to today’s standards of entry-level Digital SLRs is that it’s pros actually outweigh its cons. Obviously, nothing in life is perfect, so the cons are still present here. Even so, there are relatively few cons with this camera in comparison to other similarly priced and feature cameras.

Pros

The 3 inch articulating LCD touchscreen is brighter than its predecessor and now works absolutely flawlessly even in bright direct sunlight. Viewing in direct and bright sunlight was found to be difficult with the previously released T6i. Thankfully, the T7i has fully corrected this issue.

As with its predecessor, having an articulating LCD offers photographers greater overall flexibility, especially during situations when using the optical viewfinder is problematic or inconvenient. Outside of just the changes to brightness, the LCD is now updated with better touch recognition and menu navigation. Making navigation as a whole easier than the predecessor as well.

The T7i has Dual Pixel Autofocus, which allows the camera to do the following:

• The main LCD now has the ability for users to simply touch to change focus and the camera automatically adjust focus from the current point to the desired point. By just pressing, holding and then dragging on the display, you can now adjust the focusing of the lens throughout the entire display, no need to perform adjustments through menus or dials.
• There is now native Subject Tracking, allowing users to single-handedly recording complex video content without needing to change the focus manually because subjects in frame are now automatically tracked.
• There is now a Spot Tracking mode that tracks whatever is in the selected spot of the display frame automatically.

Outside the addition of the above features offered by the updated autofocusing system, there are also more autofocusing points as well. The Canon T7i now has 45 AF points, up from 19 in the previously released Canon T6i and all of which are cross-type, as well. Dual Pixel AF was typically only found on Canon’s higher-end of cameras.

Yet, is readily available in the Rebel T7i, a surprising addition that makes raw focusing performance, speed and accuracy the best out of the current Rebel lineup to date. With these additions, autofocusing capabilities and overall functionality on the T7i are similar to that of which are found on Canon’s Full Frames, namely the EOS 80D. Continuous AF performance also surpasses all previous models within the Rebel Lineup.

The T7i has the ability to remotely start and stop video recording through a simple wireless remote, a great plus for those looking to record video content alone.

The T7i now records video in 1080 and 60 frames per second. This allows for the ability to slow down the footage captured in post-processing to get very detailed slow-motion videos.

Now has HDR video and timelapse mode.

Shoots at 6 frames per second in burst shooting compared to 5 frames in the predecessor.

The Camera to Connect app, used to pair devices to the camera through its NFC capability, is now updated to support both Photos AND Videos. Also, it has the ability to completely control manual exposure and focusing control through the app itself.

Has upgraded NFC capabilities, now allowing the ability to directly transfer photos through tapping the device to the camera once in playback.  Overall, transferring photos is significantly easier than its predecessor.

Has a Mic input to allow of external microphone usage for those needing an external microphone for better audio capture.

Has built-in stabilization. For photos, this becomes advantageous when shooting handheld and a slower Shutter Speed is needed. For video, however, the results are minor and not extraordinary.

Has an Increased ISO sensitivity range, now to a maximum of ISO 25,600. Up one stop from the 12,800 found in the predecessor.

Cons

Still has no headphone jack for headphone input. A shame for those wanting to listen to audio recordings directly from the camera body itself or to monitor audio from external microphones.

Still, only a single adjustment wheel to adjust settings in manual exposure. It defaults to changing Shutter Speed. Thankfully, holding down the A/V button then adjusting the wheel, changes it’s functionality to the adjust Aperture. Not totally awful, but definitely a drawback in comparison to having two distinct and dedicated adjustment wheels.

Is still unable to display audio levels during video recording, making adjusting microphone gain a bit tedious initially.

Video recording is limited to a 30-minute maximum.

Is still not weatherproof, so take care when shooting in unfavorable conditions.

It will definitely feel plasticky. Overall build quality isn’t industry-leading, by no means. Buttons remain as mushy as predecessors and don’t have any weight or body to them. This camera is easily prone to scratches and nicks. So long term cosmetic condition, depending on your shooting style and medium, will degrade significantly with use.

All APS-C cameras also alter focal length when shot with Full-Frame lenses (Canon EF Lenses). So know, if you have Full Frame lenses already and are looking to move over to the T7i, your focal lengths will be multiplied by its 1.6X crop factor. For example, take a 50 mm f/1.8 lens, when multiplied by the crop factor, this same 50 mm lens turns into an 80 mm equivalent.

However, this could be converted into an advantage if you shoot wildlife or sports since APS-C lenses are cheaper than Full Frame counterparts, and this magnification can be used to get equivalent lenses for less money.

Since the T7i is also a cropped sensor camera, it too will fall victim to reduced Depth of Field at wide-open Apertures, a problem faced by all APS-C cameras as well. Simply said, APS-C cameras will have greater Depth of Field when directly compared to Full-Frame cameras if all variables are equal (lighting, subject matter, distance, lens and camera settings).

If shallow Depth of FIeld is important to you, then crop sensor cameras will not be the ideal fit unless you’re willing to slightly compromise.

If you want the shallowest Depth of FIeld possible, say you shoot portraits, for example, then Full Frame is best. However, If you’re on a budget and can’t afford a Full-Frame at the moment, then the slight compromise on Depth of Field will be sufficient enough for your needs so you can at least get started, then upgrade later.

Is the Canon T7i a good beginner camera?

Yes! It’s a fantastic entry-level camera for the beginning photographer that remains strong from a technical standpoint yet simple to master. Even in 2019, the T7i is still competitive with all of the advancements in today’s marketplace of APS-C cameras. In fact, it’s a bargain considering how affordable it is now.

It offers enough technical ability and ample software advantages to meet the needs of the starting photographer. Not to mention, coupled with the ability to use Canon’s full range of lenses (both EF and EF-S lenses are supported). The overall variation offered will be sufficient to meet your specific shooting needs. Granted it does lack several of the features listed above.  But, overall, its a strong entry-level camera to hit the ground running with.

Best Canon 7Ti Bundles

Is the Canon EOS Rebel T7i a good camera for you?

Yes! Especially for those of you who are on a budget and need something without breaking the bank. This is also an excellent choice for those of you looking to stay in the APS-C ecosystem, yet want a more robust feature set. This is also a great choice for those looking at the Canon 80D, but still, believe it’s too price and can’t quite afford the price jump over to Full Frame.

The T7i will deliver the identical image quality and a similar feature set, so you can still easily deliver compelling images nonetheless. Of course, with this camera, you will not get absolutely industry-leading image quality nor the shallowest Depth of Field possible. Nonetheless, it’s definitely a contender to take a deeper look at to see if it makes sense to pick up to start learning the fundamentals of our craft on.