koffiejunkie
Executive Member
I just had both out and the build quality of the 7D is good, but the 1D is just better and the weathersealing on the 1D just looks way better to my eye. Battery and CF/SD slot seals are Rubber seals that look like they can do the job while on the 7D it's a I don't know probably a foam rubber type seal, not solid rubber. On the little joystick there is a visible seal on the 1D while I can't see anything on the 7D. Just pressing a button on the 1D feels more solid.
The 7D is fantastic however and the autofocus is awesome. I would still go for it but just know to not treat it like a 1D.
The joystick is sealed:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos7d/page3.asp
The 7D has better sealing than the 40D/50D by Canon's account, and I can tell you from experience that the the 40D and 50D can take a lot of splash. When I was in NY last year, I went out for the Halloween parade, and because I knew there was going to be a lot of people, I didn't take anything other than just the 50D around my shoulder. Well, it started raining, as in big hard hitting drops - the kind we get in Jo'burg during thunderstorms. It rained most of the evening, enough that my press pass disintegrated and mostly all the paper I had in pockets (map etc). Camera was over my shoulder all this time, and it was absolutely soaked on the outside. I was stuck in this massive mob of a crowd, with no chance of getting to cover, so I was outside in direct rain for a bout two hours. When I got back to my hotel, I wiped it down, and removed the lens and opened the battery compartement to check if it got wet. It didn't. Not even the bits under the pop-up flash had any water in.
Similarly, my Scotland trip rained from beginning to start, so the 40D got wet all the time for days on end - no problems.
I think the only thing that makes a difference is L glass (i.e. sealed glass). I wouldn't try that with the 18-200 IS (I had a rented 24-105L in NY).
Last edited:
