It's been a long time since Canon introduced a new enthusiast-oriented APS-C D-SLR. The last, the EOS 60D, was announced in Aug. 2010, but the company's newest camera, the 70D, replaces that in its SLR lineup. The 70D offers a number of new features, including a new sensor design that promises to deliver a much improved autofocus experience during video recording.
The 70D is built around a 20-megapixel APS-C image sensor with a Dual Pixel CMOS autofocus system. This covers 80 percent of the surface area with pixels that feature two photosites. These allow for phase detect autofocus, which is much faster than the contrast detect focus that is generally used in live view mode. The technology not only allows for quick focus, but smooth, flowing transitions between subjects. The focus can be controlled in a few different ways—tapping an area of the rear display or using the directional pad moves a flexible spot, face detection can be enabled, or you can simply allow the camera to decide focus on its own.
We tried out the new video focus system using a few different lenses. Lenses with STM motors were silent and amazingly smooth; a 24-70mm lens with a USM motor was quiet, and almost as smooth as an STM lens. Older low-end lenses with DC motors, like the previous versions of the 18-55mm and 18-135mm kit lenses, are a bit loud and still somewhat choppy, but perform better than they do on a body like the EOS Rebel T5i. The video itself is in QuickTime format at up to 1080p30 quality with ALL-I and IPB codec option.
There's also a traditional autofocus system for those times when you peer through the 70D's pentaprism viewfinder. It's the same system that's found in the EOS 7D£484 at Amazon UK, featuring 19 points, all of which are cross-type. The image processor is a DIGIC 5+, which allows for an ISO range of 100 through 12800, with 25600 available as an expanded setting, and shooting at up to 7 frames per second.
Like the full-frame EOS 6D, Wi-Fi is built in. This makes it possible to transfer images to your phone, tablet, or computer without dealing with cables or card readers. If you're connected to a Wi-Fi network you can post photos and videos directly to social networking sites from the camera. It's also possible to fire the 70D remotely using your iOS or Android device.
The 70D puts shooting controls right at your fingertips. There are dual control wheels, a dedicated autofocus button and an exposure lock control, and buttons to set the drive mode, ISO, autofocus mode, metering pattern, and active focus point. The 3-inch display is packed with more than a million dots, is touch-sensitive, and is hinged so it can be viewed from any angle.
The 70D is set to go on sale in early September. It will retail for about $1,200 as a body only. It can be had with an 18-55mm STM lens for $1,350, or with the 18-135mm STM lens for $1,549.