If you’re serious about photography and looking to buy your first DSLR, today we present you the Canon Rebel T7 review. T7 doesn’t stand for “the Terminator”; actually, it’s pretty far from it. The Rebel T7 is an entry-level DSLR, a no-frills camera that got a minor update over the EOS Rebel T6 aka EOS 1300D, and that’s about all there is to it.
A quick word of advice for our readers: if you’re not sure about which is the best Canon camera for your money, just go and check out our comprehensive article on the issue. Now, getting back to our topic, the Rebel T7 is known as the EOS 1500D in Australia and the EOS 2000D in the UK, and it makes for Canon’s triumphal march into the highly competitive entry-level DSLR niche.
As we already told you if you were paying attention, the T7 replaces the Rebel T6, and offers an interesting mélange of decent features and build quality at a reasonable price. Currently, this modest DSLR retails for under $500 and has an incredible ratio of 5-star reviews, hence today’s Canon Eos Rebel T7 review.
What it is
The Rebel T7 is a low-priced entry-level DSLR, which is significantly cheaper than most bridge cameras and compacts. Basically, the T7 is a great choice if this is your first DSLR and you’re not sure if it’s worth spending thousands of dollars on professional gear.
As in, this is the type of camera that traditionally introduces new users to a certain brand, in this case Canon, and the respective brand hopes that it will be the one the user sticks with as they grow as photographers and expand their knowledge.
In this regard, the T7 has a lot to prove to first-time users, and tries to win the hearts and minds of conscious buyers that try to find the sweet spot between affordability and features.
Features
To begin with, we must congratulate Canon for finally slapping a modern 24 megapixels image sensor on its most affordable DSLR. Even if megapixels are not everything, this is good news, especially since the T7 has only seen minor improvements over the previous generation.
Truth be told, the only significant upgrade over the T6 is the sensor, yet this is not even the latest-gen image sensor, but an older variant. Hence the low price ladies and gents.
Speaking of old technology, the T7 also comes loaded with the DIGIC 4+ image processor, even if Canon is now at its 8th iteration of the DIGIC image processor, the company’s proprietary technology. Needless to say, the DIGIC 4+ was looking pretty dated back in 2018, when the Rebel T7 was first introduced, not to mention the current year.
The T7 arrives with an 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II lens (don’t forget to read our article about how to clean camera lens) and features ISO100-6,400 (native sensitivity), expandable up to 12,800. With regard to the autofocus system, there are no great news here either: you won’t get Canon’s excellent Dual Pixel CMOS AF system for Live View focusing, as you’ll have to live with the relatively modest 9-point AF thing, and a “medieval” 3.0-inch display that features 920k-dot pixel count and lacks touchscreen capabilities.
The Rebel T7 also comes with a 95 percent-coverage optical viewfinder, which is “business as usual” with entry-level cameras; as in, not great, not terrible. Connectivity-wise, this cheap Canon stands pretty featuring both Wi-Fi and NFC, yet, surprisingly enough, the camera lacks a Bluetooth Low Energy module.
Another omission on Canon’s part is 4K video capture; however, the T7 offers Full HD 1080p video recording with 30, 25 and 24fps frame rates available, which is not bad for an entry-level DSLR.
Build and handling
We already explained how the internal changes in the T7 are minimal, and here’s the bummer: the same goes for the “shell”, as in there’s not much to report on the outside either. As expected from an entry-level DLSR, the Rebel T7 has a solid yet plasticky overall feel, logical button placement and an ergonomic design.
The bad news is that you won’t get Canon’s new graphical interface. Speaking of minimal outside changes, except from the badges, the T7 looks exactly the same as the older T6, including finishes and button placement.
You will definitely recognize (and appreciate if you are honest) the chunky front grip and rear thumb rest, as well as the textured coating. Even if the camera doesn’t have that premium vibe as its more expensive siblings, everything is easy to understand/navigate, and the logical button placement allows you to quickly access and adjust commonly used settings, even if this is your first serious toy.
Autofocus
We already told you that the Rebel T7 is a low-tech entry-level DSLR built for low-budget consumers, hence the dated 9-point autofocus system, that feels (and is) dated. The AF points are clustered in the center of the frame, hence you must expect to re-frame your subjects when off-center.
Performance-wise, the camera does a solid job if you’re not expecting miracles, as in the single cross-type sensor located at the center of the diamond pattern is more than enough for day-to-day shooting. However, we must tell you that the AF system struggles a bit in low lighting conditions. Also, due to its dated AF system, focusing speeds in LiveView mode are painfully slow.
Overall performance
The T7 is, unfortunately, one of the slowest DSLRs out there, even if burst shooting has never been a superpower of entry-level DSLRS. Even so, the Rebel T7’s 3fps continuous shooting is, let’s say, sub-par, hence if you’re a shoot action hero, move along, this is not the droid you are looking for.
Also, the rear screen in the T7 has 4:3 aspect ratio, while the sensor has 3:2 format, which means that when using the camera’s Live View mode or reviewing images you can’t take advantage of all the screen real estate.
Canon’s old-school 63-zone dual-layer metering sensor with Evaluative, Partial, Centre-weighted and Spot metering options does a solid job in most cases, and the same goes for the white system balance. Battery life is also solid, though not the best in class, standing at 500-shot CIPA rating and 240 shots when using Live View.
Image quality
Here is some good news, finally: detail rendition in the T7 is vastly improved over the older T6 due to the upgraded 24.1 MP sensor, which is a huge improvement over the older-gen. The T7 delivers solid noise handling performance with good levels of image detail, with the DSLR producing adequate ISO performance.
Dynamic range is good, although not class-leading. Keep in mind that if you shoot in Raw, the T7 produces crisp images without too much grain through ISO 3200, but at ISO 6400, detail holds up well, but the grain is stronger.
Video quality is pretty good too, but then again, nobody is going to use the T7 and expect to get pro results; while we’re at it, we must mention that the AF system does not function when the camera is rolling, but you can set focus before you start recording a clip. As in, if you want to record video, there are much better options out there.
Bottom line: if you’re a novice, the Canon Rebel T7 is decent starter camera for an entry-level DSLR.
- Solid build quality
- Ergonomic design
- Raw support
- On-screen shooting guide
- 24 MP sensor
- Decent battery life
- Easy to use
- Dated hardware
- No touchscreen