Customer Reviews

Magic Lantern Guides: Canon EOS 7D

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I've gotten Magic Lantern Guides for several cameras I've had over the years, and each has proven indispensible. I've had the MLG for the Canon 7D on pre-order since I got the camera, and it was well worth the wait. This one has a new look: color coded chapters and section headings, highlighted commands/functions, sturdy glossy pages, and full color photographs. It includes a pop-out trifold quick reference card that you could carry in a wallet, but frankly my MLG's always go with me in my camera bag. I've been doing SLR photography for 30 years, and have found that there is always some function on my camera that I could do better or differently, and especially with the vastly complex DSLRs, having the MLG in my bag for reference is extremely helpful.

As for the text, I find it extremely well-written and thorough. It follows an outline-discussion format with a fair amount of visual examples. It tells you how to use every feature of the camera clearly and concisely, as well as suggesting settings for specific situations. The 10 pages devoted to white balance settings and features are extremely thorough, covering not only why you want to use white balance settings, what the presets do, and how to make custom settings, but how to make white balance corrections also. While I think this book has a wealth of information for a beginner (disregarding the fact that the 7D is not an entry-level camera), I see it more as an invaluable tool to make learning, and becoming more comfortable with a very high-end camera, easier for an intermediate to advanced-amateur photographer. The way it is laid out, it is also very usable as a reference guide when you want to look up specific topics also.

Incidently, I looked at the 7D Digital Field Guide by Lowrie at a bookstore while I was waiting for my Magic Lantern Guide to be shipped, and I am glad that I was patient. The Digital Field Guide was larger in physical dimensions so it would not fit well in a camera bag, unless you had a large one. It was certainly not as thorough as the Magic Lantern Guide, and really didn't provide much more than the manufacturers' manual that came with the camera. I just did not find any information in the text that made me go "hmmmm...I hadn't thought of that...".

The Magic Lantern Guides Canon EOS 7D will not disappoint you. My only complaints about the book is that I wish they had used a slightly larger font for the text (it is well spaced, just wish it was a tad bigger), and I would have preferred a photograph of something other than a snake at the beginning of the Controls and Functions chapter. I really don't like snakes. I do expect to be using my MLG with my 7D for years to come.

If you're a 7D owner looking for a supplemental manual look no further. This is "Da Bomb." I ordered Lowrie's book first as this book was not yet available, and while that book was somewhat helpful, it still left many questions unanswered. In fact for someone acquainted with Canon systems (I shot an Elan and A2, and then a G6 and SD950 IS for years) Lowrie's book does not provide that much more information than what one could garner intuitively and from the Canon manual supplied with the camera. This Magic Lantern Guide by Guncheon is far more thorough and comprehensive, providing much more explanation of how things work and why.

I would like more examples of when you would choose this function over that function, but I realize that an author cannot address every exigency in a volume of this nature. The thing that has me tied up in knots is archiving in particular, and processing. Slides in slip pages and three ring binders is a manageable concept for me. Folders and computer filing sends me in search of an early cocktail. Though this manual is not dedicated to these issues it does include information that was very helpful to me in beginning to get a grip on especially the archiving process.

I have come away from the reading of this book with a ton of knowledge that is going to enable me to use this camera much, much more fully and efficiently than before. This is an amazing camera and Guncheon shows you how so and why, and how to capitalize on it's features and functions.

It is a small matter but one thing I wish Guncheon had included along with his photographic images is the shooting data for each image. I think this would be if interest to many of his readers. And I loved the picture of the green snake. Guess its a guy/girl thing.

Dale Smith
North Richland Hills, TX

I ordered this book because other reviews were favorable however I did not think what was covered was that much more informative then the manual that came with the 7D. Since then I ordered a new book (published July 2010) on the 7D by David Busch. This book is much more descriptive with great graphics and detailed explainations written in layman's terms. I highly recommend the Busch book over Magic Lantern version.

I was disappointed that the author took so long to get to actually guiding the reader to better use the 7D. The first 130 pages are dedicated to all the camera's buttons and the main and quick menu items. I was expecting the author to spend more time describing photo techniques using the 7D. He does offer suggestions but he does spend a lot of time on each dial setting. He kind of glosses over the importance and use of F stop, Shutter speed, ISO, and Movie shooting to get the most out of the 7D. Like I said before, the author takes a while before offering suggestions to help the user become more comfortable and confident with the 7D. He spends more time telling you how to find the settings options rather than directly guiding the reader to set up the camera a certain way to obtain desired photo affects. He only makes mild suggestions as to how to photograph fast objects such as humming birds or race cars. For me the author;s style was long winded and not always dierct. I feel that the manual provided with the camera does a far better job of explaining in plain detail how to use certain: settings, modes, and functions to achieve certain objectives by the user than the Magic Lantern Guide did. This book did guide me to get a little more out of the 7D, but not much.
I know a lot of other people really liked this book, but I was expecting more details on: night photography, and video. I do recommend this book but I say check it out at the library first.

Those who rate the Magic Lantern Canon 7d Guide with low ratings are either just plain ignorant, they think they already know it all, or they thought the few bucks they spent should have turned them into Ansel Adams. If you are a new Canon 7d owner and/or a beginning-to-intermediate photographer, you will need this guide to maximize the features the 7d offers and to optimize your capabilities. Even a seasoned pro or Canon user would have a much easier time mastering the custom functions and menu options using this guide. Beginners should be especially cautious to avoid having wasted their money on the 7d by going out and relying on auto modes and general picture-taking paramaters. If you and I are alike, then you bought your 7d to give yourself the greatest opportunities to creatively express yourself through your camera while not having to worry about your equipment giving you limitations. If you don't take the time to become somewhat technically savvy about your 7d, then you're photos and videos will be average. If you take the time to master the information in this guide, then you will have achieved a strong, intermediate level foundation as a photographer. If you're already an advanced or pro photographer, then you will appreciate having this guide to better utilize the advanced features and custom functions the 7d offers. Beginners might also consider the Magic Lantern Canon 7d Multimedia Workshop as a supplement to this guide. To summarize, buy the guide and the workshop, take the time to learn all of the material, and then buy specialized digital photography guides that focus on your unique, creative interests to take you to the highest level of creativity you can achieve.

Succinct language. Color-coded sections. Distinct diagrams and icons. Color images. Every menu function displayed and explained clearly. Easy to use, read, and even carry.

This book has small type, even smaller illustrations. The paper manual that comes with the camera has more info and better dialog than this book. Little if any discussion on custom settings other than simple lists. I went out in frustration and purchased the Course Technology PTR book by Busch. What an improvement. You would think Magic Lantern books would be among the best. This one sure isn't

I've got an EOS 7D after using a 450D for a few years. I was already familiar with Canon's DSLR, but I was looking for a book that could guide me into the different/unique features of the 7D; this book was just fine for the task. It's also small and lightweight, so I keep carrying it around together with the camera, for those cases when I need to refresh something or use a feature I am not yet fully familiar

Wow. This book is sooo much better than the little instruction book that came with the camera. The book is easy to use and is written in a way that makes complete sense.

I have found this book very helpful as I am learning all the features of my new camera. I will say that I think the book does take some things for granted, ie, they assume you are fairly experiensed with this level of camera and at times i find myself unclear with some of the information. I actually had to go to other sectins of the book and better understand other features first before trying to use some of the other features. Maybe I am somewhat different in my approach but I will have a feature I want to understand and will go directly to that section of the book and start reading. The challenge here is that I may need to better understand some other features first and than move into that area. But overall, I have learned a lot and still have a lot more to learn about this camera. I feel this is a professional level camera but the operator isn't. This book is helping me understand the settings of the camera so I can improve my knowledge and skills. What would be great is to have this book and an online class to go through this book front to back. That would force me to stay on task.