Rockwell's review of the Canon 7D has some major negatives listed:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/7d.htm
"If you can get over this graffiti in the finder, the 7D's AF system usually works great, and especially intriguing is how well it works in dim light with slow zoom lenses with no need for an AF illuminator. By "
usually," it's fast, but in the auto-sensor-select mode, it usually picks the closest thing, which isn't always your subject. The Nikon D3 is uncanny at finding and focusing on the subjects eyeball, while the 7D just guesses. Worse, instead of the 7D needing just one button to select the AF sensor you want when the auto-select doesn't get you there, you have to use three different controls in exact sequence! ([ + ], M-Fn, then the little thumb controller or control dials.)"--Ken Rockwell
"The Canon 7D adds the first completely new AF system in Canon's amateur cameras in a very long time, which sounds nice, but it's still not as good as Nikon's 51-point systems in their better cameras. Nikon's better AF sensors don't go black and block your finder, either. The Nikon D300 isn't all that exciting, but the AF system of the Nikon D3 is worlds better than the 7D.The side AF sensors are less precise than the center sensor, if you're using a lens at least as fast as f/2.8. With a fast lens, like the
50mm f//1.8 II, I get much better results using only the center sensor. Unlike the
Nikon D3, which really uses facial recognition acquired with its full-color three-dimensional 1,005 zone light meter to nail focus right on the closest eye of your subject, the relatively primitive 7D has no such ability. In its auto-AF select mode, the 7D merely focuses on whatever's closest, which may or may not be your subject."--Ken Rockwell
"Tracking AF, where the 7D tries to move AF sensors as the subject flies around the finder, is nowhere near as good as Nikon's 51-point color 3D system. The 7D is simply too blind to capture and track subjects across the finder, compared to all the data the Nikon systems use to keep that AF sensor uncannily on your subject as it moves around, or as you change composition. There is no AF illuminator, and the 7D doesn't need it. Be careful; sometimes the 7D will try to pop off a flash for AF assist unless you disable that in a menu. If it's very dark, the AF zones will blink in red for a moment as selected, but they also stay black until after you shoot. I'm not all that impressed with the 7D's AF performance. The ergonomics are worse than older AF systems as in the
, I don't see that I got particularly well-tracking autofocus. I prefer the
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