The Canon EOS 70D user manual can be downloaded from this link. As you can see from the cover above there will also be an EOS 70D version without WiFi functionality.
Canon Japan published (in English) an interactive guide to the Canon EOS 70D, called EOS 70D Master Shooting Guide. The guide is divided in three main sections: 1) Select Shooting Genre, 2) Select Shooting Style and 3) Select Function. Each of these sections contains more subsections and deliver a lot of information about how to to things with the EOS 70D. The brand new, innovative Dual Pixel CMOS Af is also covered.
Latest Canon EOS 7D Mark II rumor. It is said that Canon will not announce the successor of the highly popular, and 4 year old, Canon EOS 7D until the Canon EOS 70D starts to ship regularly. Moreover, if there is no sign of Nikon announcing a D400, it could be that Canon will further delay the announcement until early 2014. The EOS 7D Mark II sensor should have “additional functionality”, and could subsequently be featured on the whole Canon APS-C line-up. This gets me a little puzzled since Canon introduced a new and innovative sensor with the EOS 70D, and it could be hard to top this sensor’s functionality (especially if considering how conservative Canon is regarding the release of new technology).
The most interesting part of the rumour: the EOS 7D Mark II could introduce a new, more advanced Auto-Focus system, and the talk is not about life-view AF. This AF system is said to going to be featured also on the replacement of the Canon EOS-1D X, so it should be a very sophisticated AF system. If Canon will really feature an AF system advanced enough for the EOS-1D X successor on an APS-C DSLR is something I would take with a grain of salt. But then…
Ok, samples first. Canon Japan (thanks Mark) published a page with sample images and videos (downloadable). The following crop is taken from a sample shot at ISO 3200.
Let’s go on with some consideration by DPreview about the EOS 70D’s sensor:
[…] on the inside it sports an entirely new sensor that is, potentially, revolutionary. It offers 20.2MP resolution, but uses a ‘Dual Pixel CMOS AF’ design in which every single pixel is split into two separately-readable photodiodes, facing left and right. This means that in principle they are all capable of phase detection autofocus in live view and movie mode.
Yes, the new sensor, and its AF capabilities, are the true innovation that Canon introduced with their latest prosumer/enthusiasts DSLR. Canon has long be criticised for their rather conservative approach to sensor technology. Having “only” 18MP on most of their recent APS-C DSLR was by some people interpreted as a inability to keep up with modern imaging technology. Now we know that Canon was quietly researching something that’s throughly innovative. If you want to have a deeper look into the Dual Pixel CMOS Auto-Focus system featured on the EOS 70D, have a look at this well made technical introduction by Canon itself. The technology behind the Dual Pixel CMOS AF is well explained also on this page of dpreview’s hands-on. About the AF system, they write:
So far we’ve only had our hands on a non-final EOS 70D for a relatively short time, but our initial impressions are pretty positive. With the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM kit zoom, the camera is clearly much faster and more decisive at focusing in Live View than any previous EOS – or indeed any other SLR.
The new AF system of the Canon EOS 70D is a great leap forward in sensor tech. So much that it will challenge the likes of Sony and the 4/3 consortium in general. This is the sensor that most probably will be featured on the EOS M2, and it is a game changer, hence the next Canon mirrorless system camera could be a game changer.
Canon also beefed up the 70D, compared to its predecessor, the EOS 60D EOS 60D (price & specs). For example, AF micro-adjustement has been introduced.
A behind the scenes that explains the Dual Pixel CMOS AF:
That’s all for the time being. If you like what I am doing here on Canon Watch, then consider pre-ordering your EOS 70D using one of the links below. It won’t cost you a penny more as usual, and I get a small commission that helps me to pay the bills at the end of the month.
Let’s start with the real game-changer featured on Canon’s new EOS 70D, the dual pixel Auto-Focus system. Canon has a good introductory article about the new AF, with videos and a list of compatible lenses. Canon’s press release for the EOS 70D is here, for the Dual PIxel AF here.
We’re also pleased to see Canon cramming in all the best features from its other cameras. The touchscreen interface that the 70D borrows from Canon’s Rebel series is, we think, just about the best in the business. It complements the new AF system in offering focus point selection by touch, along with the ability to ‘pull’ focus from one subject to another during movie recording simply by touching the screen. Meanwhile the on-board Wi-Fi offers genuinely useful features, including the ability to use your smartphone as a remote control (complete with live view), and to browse and rate your images on a tablet. These may not be features you use all the time, but they expand the possibilities of what you can do with the camera.
The Phoblographer had their hands on the EOS 70D, the reviewer says:
I like the way that Canon is going with the 70D. Though I’ve bashed them in the recent years, I like the direction that they’re going, the fact that they see other companies innovating and trying to fight back. The 70D seems like quite a camera for a news shooter, sports shooter, father, and for anyone looking to get more serious about their photography overall.
Next is Engadget, fairy impressed with the performance of the Dual Pixel AF:
There are other improvements as well, but they pale in comparison to the Dual Pixel CMOS AF, which is fully compatible with 103 EF lenses. That tech is likely to make its way to the rest of Canon’s lineup eventually, but if you want to take advantage now, there’s only one model in the world that includes it. As for other features, a boosted consecutive mode enables 7 fps captures, compared to just over 5 with the older model. There’s also a multi-shot noise reduction mode, which we often see on higher-end point-and-shoots, but rarely DSLRs
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