I have run the test today with the center Zone focusing, the buzzard was nowhere to be seen so had to make do with a Jay and a crow.

I was very impressed with the speed in which it locked on once I had the bird in the viewfinder, whether it would have been easy with a busy background I don't know, that will have to be my next test with Zone AF.

The first and last shot of the crow have blur because I couldn't find it at first in the viewfinder and two the last shot I was about to stop the sequence.

I have posted two full sequences on flickr as there is just to many to post on here. The first one of each set is the full frame so you can see how large the bird was in the frame, the rest are 100% crops.

I received my 7D Tuesday @ a cost of £1300.

For the first time in over 40 years I've got to read the manual, and no doubt will have to read the "Flash" section a number of times.

First impressions are, Very impressed.



Harry

Congratulation Harry, enjoy using it.
You will find its a very big learning curve with this camera its so different than in previous models, as I have found out with the new AF system. I am getting there and now starting to get some stunningly sharp photos I just need to have some photo opportunities.

Here are some more test done last night indoors testing out ISO12800 the result are very pleasing.
Setup.
Canon 100mm macro lens
No flash taken in room lighting.
1/13s F5.6 Hand held.
1st Image just re-sized for upload no editing.
2nd Image 100% crop
3rd image with a little colour noise removed I have left the luminance at zero I prefer the noises instead of smearing.

BIF Sequence
 

This was not intended as a test but turned out pleasing considering the circumstances.
These are from 18 continuous frames.
Very overcast with no light ISO 3200 1/800s Hand held, Canon 400 f5.6 @f5.6. Please ignore the noise the bird was about 150 yards away.

Out of the 18, 3 were OOF, the first shot and the last 2 is where I lost sight of the kestrel. If I hadn't lost sight of the Kestrel in the viewfinder I think its possible there could have been more sharp images.

Two samples. The first one is the 2nd shot of the sequence and the other is frame 16 of the end of the sequence. I have put a 100% crop overlay-ed on the photos.

That's very good for ISO 3200 Christine but how are you finding the Low ISO noise levels? I saw some samples on BF at ISO400/500 and they were terrible. I have also seen a few post's elsewhere that question the low ISO noise levels. This bothers me as I shoot predominately at ISO 400.

Hi Roy the noise is there at lower ISO but I don't think its any worse than the 50D although I don't look that closely. Most of the photos I have taken since I got the 7D have all been high ISO. With the bad weather I haven't been able to go below 800 I have also shot a lot of indoors without flash, using available light. The High ISO is definitely much improved over the 50D.

I post most of my photos on the web at reduced sizes which doesn't show up any noise anyway. As long as the photos are sharp with plenty of detail I really don't bother about it, I can soon clean them up.

Another two taken today in better light, again unfortunately a long distance.
ISO 400
1. Full frame with 100% crop insert, no editing.
2. 100% crop, noise reduced on the sky, kestrel no noise reduction.
Link ro the RAW file
http://www.mediafire.com/?yn3oigahtwi

I was on the beach yesterday trying out the autofocus on seagulls, must practice more as I had great difficulty tracking the birds.

What was obvious was the noise in a blue sky at 400ISO which was atrocious when run through ACR RC 5.6. but reasonable at 100ISO. but when run through DPP was pretty good.

Hopefully I'll be able to get out Friday and give it another whirl.

I deleted my first attempts, but managed to rescue this from the recycle bin.

This one has had full noise reduction applied in DPP.

Harry

Weather sealing of the 7D
 

This looks rather impressive

http://canonfieldreviews.com/7d-1-weather-sealing/

Harry