Customer Reviews

Canon EOS Elan 7 35mm SLR Camera (Body Only)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I just purchased an EOS Elan 7E the last week of Feb. 2001. The Elan 7E is the Elan 7 with eye control focus added--not worth the extra $... or so since I wear bifocals and the manual says eye control can often be fooled by bifocals. Overall, I've been very impressed with the camera.

I had considered the Rebel but got turned off by the plastic body and savvy buyers' concerns about ruggedness (the Elan 7 has an aluminum body). See the reviews of the Rebel 2000 and several buyers' admonitions to buy the 28-105 USM lens rather than the cheaper--and more cheaply made--28-90 that comes standard with the "kit." I bought the 28-105 and love it even though it's ... more expensive.

If you want very detailed information about the camera, go to the Canon web site where you'll find lots of info and recommended accessories (most of which Amazon carries). In addition you can find out more detailed info about the EF line of lenses.

The camera is smooth, quiet, and feels very solid. It operates like a dream, although I was a bit overwhelmed by all of the options the camera provides and the information I had to absorb (I'd never used anything except totally manual SLRs). The 7-zone autofocus system works well but does take some getting used to. One advantage to the zone system is that you can select a single focus point (or have all 7 in operation) to help you key in on an essential detail that absolutely must be in focus.

My only gripe, and it's a big one: there's no fine focusing center spot prism and the prism is fixed (not interchangeable like some of the higher-priced bodies). While you can switch the lens and camera to totally manual operation (something I'm doing quite a bit), there isn't the traditional center spot fine focus prism arrangement like there was in the older cameras in the mid-priced line. As a result, you have to depend on the autofocus (which you can still use even in the manual mode if you like) or you have to trust your eye to focus the whole image in the viewfinder. So, especially on outdoor and distance shots where there's a lot of detail and varying depth of field, I usually stop down the lens a bit just to be on the safe side. It does have depth of field preview which helps a bit. Nikon's center circle split image and the older Canons' center circle fine focus systems provided much greater control, however.

I bought the Elan because I've used Canon products for 25 years and love the construction, optics, and feel. The newer EF-mount lenses are interchangeable with Canon's digital SLRs as well so being able to use the same lens on both film and digital bodies is a plus. The USM (ultrasonic motor) lenses are accurate and quiet.

From the reviews I've read, people love the Rebel--especially with the better 28-105 USM lens. If you want greater control and a more rugged camera, upgrade to the Elan 7.

BTW: the Magic Lantern camera guides are an excellent investment. While there isn't one available yet for the Elan 7 since it's so new, I did buy the Rebel 2000 guide when I was considering purchasing the Rebel. It answered many technical questions about the Rebel's features--all (and more) of which are included in the Elan 7.

I recently purchased the Canon Elan 7 camera body about two months ago and am very pleased with it. I just recently started to take up photography about 5 months ago and started out with a Canon rebel 2000 Kit. Although it was a good starting camera, I quickly grew out of it and decided to get a better camera with more features. The Elan 7 was a perfect choice. I currently have a Sigma 28-300 lens with the camera and the pictures I take are excellent. The Elan 7 has all the features needed for a beginner to intermediate level photographer and I can't imagine purchasing another camera.

The camera with my sigma lens is extremely quiet, fast, and responsive. Although I still consider myself a beginner to intermediate level photographer, this camera has all the advanced features that can be used in professional photography. If you're one of those types like me who always asks the question, " Will I outgrow this camera? Will I want something better soon with more features? Is it worth the extra $$?"Answer: Get the Elan 7. You will not be disappointed.

If you want power, control, and quality in your photographs, look no further than the Canon Elan 7. Any variation is equally as good (7E,7EQD,w/lens,etc...). This past summer I purchased a Rebel G from a pawnshop and was amazed at how nice it was, considering the low price in retail stores and the fact that it was all plastic, but I soon began to notice some of it's shortcomings. The AF system was grossly outdated, as was the AE, the drive was loud and whiny, the shutter was too slow, and it just seemed to be made for somebody that would never really want to use it beyond family gatherings. Then I found out about the Elan 7. 7 focusing points that can pick out the finest line in the darkest room. 4 frames per second motor drive. Extremely silent if properly set up. All the latest technology in photography, outside of color metering, which is only available in super high-end professional 35mm cameras. The control layout is easy to learn within an hour or so, and nothing is out of reach if you are properly holding the camera. Acessories and lenses number in the thousands (counting third-party lenses, which are just as good, and less $$$). All metal construction, including the lens mount and the body plates. Still light enough to comfortably wear around your neck. And, well, you get the idea. I'm running out of room to go on, and there are so many things left over. So, to end it all out, from fully manual operation to fully automatic operation, the Canon Elan 7 has everything any non-professional could ever need.

Going from a total manual slr to the Elan 7.....I can't rave about this camera enough. From portraits, to city scapes, ocean shots to a crowded family gathering - you'll LOVE THIS CAMERA! The photos are sharp, clear (use fugi) and professional. I would skip the kit purchase and opt for an alternate lens like a 28-200 or 300 like a previous reviewer also did. If you're in the market for a great camera you'll have forever at an affordable price, you won't be sorry if you purchase the Elan 7 (also skip the 7e it's not worth the extra you pay for redundancy.

strengths: autofocus, easy manual modes, everything about it. weakness: ? overall: the controls and dials are very easy to learn. The autofocus is fast and accurate. i love being able to control EVERY single detail on the camera. its amazing experimenting with the shutter, aperture, depth of field, exposure, and flash. the structure is very nice. its very easy to use, even when its in manual mode. the pictures come out beautifully. i couldnt be happier with anything else.

I purchased the Elan 7 about two months ago as a refurbished unit. Unfortunately, the camera had a defective feature button. But the problem was quickly resolved by sending the camera back for a replacement.

Since then, I have shot quite a few rolls of film. I have been impressed with each roll (except the ones I screwed up by not being careful). The metering is fairly accurate- I feel I can trust what it tells me. While in manual focus, however, it only meters the center focusing point, which can be a pain at times. But, the metering is displayed in both the viewfinder and the LCD display, which is quite handy.

The camera is loaded with features- more than I really need. If you need help taking pictures, this camera is for you. It has a setting for almost every circumstance of shooting. I prefer the manual mode, which gives the user complete control.

The included lens is nice. Certainly not the best lens out there, but for starters it works great. The auto-focusing happens instantly, but beware it has a hard time in low light. One bonus is it goes down to 28mm, nice and wide. And you can zoom to 100mm within about a foot of a subject, bringing things really to life on prints. The drawback is it only stops down to f/4.5 at 28mm, f/5.6 at 100mm. It would be nice if it would open up a bit more.

Also, it has an electronic shutter. So, if you're planning on doing astrophotography or very long exposures, plan on bringing extra batteries or shop for a different camera.

So far, I have no standing complaints about this camera. It's built well, is rather light and feels good in my hands. It's quiet, fast, and leaves little to be desired in features. I recommend this camera for anyone who is beyond 'point & shoot' and is looking to take their photography to the next level.

The Elan 7 is an excellent, high quality SLR camera for amateurs, particularly those who are learning more advanced SLR techniques. One of the things I appreciate the most about the Elan 7 is that it switches easily between manual and automatic modes for those times when the amateur needs to have the reliability of an automatic mode. Also, there is a broad range of Canon lenses available for this body which also switch easily from manual to automatic for such occasions. I've found that I've been able to hand my Elan 7 off to others (who can sometimes barely use an automatic 35mm camera) while traveling and still get excellent photographs. On the other hand, the control offered by this camera in manual mode is unparalleled by other consumer SLR cameras such as the EOS.

The Elan 7 is the best SLR I've owned. While I've not owned an EOS, I have used an EOS. I highly recommend spending the extra money for the Elan 7 for those amateurs who strive to test their abilities with the more advanced manual modes. The EOS, however, may make a better "first" SLR camera for those who are trying SLR photography for the first time.

I've been "into" photography for a very long time. I started out with a Mamiya-Sekor 35 mm SLR. That camera was built like a tank and could take a lot of abuse. Its best feature, however, was that it was an all-manual camera and so I had to learn about exposure from the ground up. I did not trust auto-exposure cameras but eventually I broke down and bought a Minolta XE-7. That camera shared its body, and many other features, with the Leica R3. Again, like the Mamiya, the XE-7 was a solidly built and rugged camera but its aperture-priority mode had its limitations. Then the Minolta X700 came along and it featured dual-mode exposure automation. The Minoltas were both great cameras, but I wanted a little bit more.

When AF hit the market I switched over to a Canon EOS 10s because I liked it better than anything else that Minolta had to offer 10 years ago. I am glad that I did.

That was my entry into the EOS world. I recently bought my son a Rebel GII and the same week I bought the EOS Elan 7. I love the camera.

The EOS Elan 7 is a smooth, quiet and easy to use camera. It takes great pictures, under almost all conditions. It has features to satisfy the "pro wanna-be" in me (I can run the camera in full manual mode and the camera is still very fast and responsive). Or, if I am feeling particularly lazy, I can let the camera's brain do all the thinking for me and I still get great pictures over 99% of the time. The controls are easy to use and the functions are all very intuitive, so that I don't have to carry the manual with me at all times. In fact, after having used the EOS 10s for so long, the Elan 7 feels right at home in my hands. The Elan 7 has definitely cured me of my "Nikon-envy."

I followed the salesperson recommendation and bought the standard 7 model, w/o the eye focusing feuture. I am glad that I did because I can now use the extra money to buy accessories such as the battery grip.

I bought the EOS 7 from japan, the original EOS 7, without the elan branding.

THe pictures are amazingly sharp and perfectly light balanced.
I have a matching Tamron 28-200 mm lens for this, as well as a used 50mm fixed focal length canon lens. I find this to be a good balance of lenses.

the 50mm lens allows shooting in extreme low light. imagine taking photos without a tripod or flash, with just room lighting.
The camera is heavy enough not to shake too much when you press the shutter button.

You can safely pass up the eye controlled focus, its a gimmick, your almost never use it.

I bought this as my first (and as of now, only) auto-focus SLR. I'm generally pleased with the camera: the metering is fine and it's fairly problem free.

I do have one gripe: low-light focusing. Unless you have an attached flash (I use a 550 Speedlite), low-light focusing is a pain. It doesn't come with a built-in infra-red light for such situations and instead, fires the flash like a strobe. Not exactly inconspicuous.

Other than that, a good camera for more experience amatures like myself.