Canon Revolutionizes Autofocus with EOS 70D

2013.07.03

Today, Canon unveiled the EOS 70D, the successor to their mid-range APS-C DSLR. While looking very much like the 60D it follows, the 70D incorporates one of the most revolutionary steps in sensor-design. Called Dual Pixel CMOS AF, this achievement makes every pixel capable of Phase-Detect Autofocus. Even more amazing is that Canon managed this by doubling the number of photosites to 40 millions for a 20 MP sensor.

Even though this DSLR is equipped with a traditional all-cross 19-point Phase-Detect AF system used when capturing stills using the reflex viewfinder, Dual Pixel CMOS AF lets it focus continuously and precisely during video capture and Live-View. This gives a 30% speed improvement over hybrid autofocus and the ability to follow moving subjects across 80% of the frame with at least 103 Canon EF-mount lenses.

The new Canon EOS 70D is a feature-rich DSLR which offers significant advantages over its predecessor, even exceeding the higher-end 7D in some areas. Its 1.6X crop-factor sensor packs 20 megapixels, the highest resolution Canon APS-C camera to date. Even with the dual-photosite structure, this one manages an ISO 100 to 12800 native sensitivity range, expandable to 25600 as needed.

Speed is provided by a Digic 5+ processor which can sustain 7 FPS continuous shooting for up to 65 JPEG images or 16 RAW files. It can also capture full 1080p HD video @ 30 FPS and encode it at 685 MB/min for all-inter-frame output that produces smooth videos of moving subjects with minimal artifacts. This can be reduced to standard 235 MB/min IPB encoding to save space. Smoother motion is even possible with 720p @ 60 FPS. The same processor and per-pixel autofocus, lets it track faces while filming.

This DSLR offers plenty of external controls, including dual control-dials, in a weather-sealed body. Its bright pentaprism viewfinder shows a slightly cropped-view at 98% with 0.95X magnification. For Live-View and video capture, this is complemented by a 1 megapixel 3" touchscreen LCD mounted on a rotating hinge. Even more versatility for shooting at odd-angles is offered by built-in WiFi which is compatible with a large number Android and iOS devices.

The Canon EOS 70D is scheduled to be available in September 2013 for a suggested price of $1299 CDN or $1199 USD. B&H Photo and Adorama are already accepting pre-orders. Those two reputable stores shop internationally and Canadian buyers can choose pre-paid custom-clearance to avoid hassles crossing the border.

• Digital Camera