The future is here. For years (decades, even?), low-budget filmmakers have dreamed of being able to achieve the look of film without the headache and cost of film equipment, processing etc. Over the past decade we've seen digital cinema grow and develop, starting with 3-chip DV cameras and moving to SD 24P cameras and, most recently, prosumer HD camcorders that shoot true, native 24P video.
And while all these cameras did their best to mimic the look and feel of film by simulating film gammas and frame rates, they have all been a bit lacking with their smaller chip sizes and hardware limitations.
Unless you wanted to upgrade to a more expensive camera, say the Red One, you were stuck with these limitations. But now comes the 7D, out of nowhere, to redefine what we think of as a "video camera."
The Canon 7D can do wonders in low-light situations. This screen grab was shot at ISO 2500 and was lit with a lighter and a 100watt light bulb, severely dimmed.
The 7D, like the full frame 5D Mark II before it, is first and foremost a still camera. Built in the body of a digital SLR, the camera takes fantastic images at high resolutions. But it also shoots video, and here is where we get the true advantage. By using a sensor size more comparable to that of film (approximately the size of 16mm film), we get a more robust image. That and the interchangeable still lens system finally brings a filmic depth-of-field within the sights of the prosumer price range.
Basically, the 7D works so well because of its CMOS sensor. This censor is capable of scanning extremely high resolutions for still photographs. The images are then down-rezzed to create the 1080P video image. Basically, it looks more like film because the image system is closer to the way film works, complete with film lenses and a film-sized sensor.
Of course, there are drawbacks to this system. First of all, it is in the unwieldy body of a still camera, so handheld work is difficult. The controls are often buried in menus, and there is no servo for smooth zooms. Also, because the lenses are still lenses, the focus distances are very short, making racks more difficult to pull off.
