Canon 7D Accessories

First published on: Friday, 23 July 2010

The System Map / Chart with information on accessories for the Canon 7D starts on Page 250 of the Canon 7D Manual.

Here’s a screen capture of the said chart (click to view larger): Canon 7D Accessories Chart / System Map

Accessories supplied with the camera

See “What’s in the Box” for details of accessories that are bundled together with the US version of the 7D package.

Accessories Included With The Canon 7D

Canon Eyecup EGCanon Eyecup EG
Canon EW-EOS7D Wide Neck StrapWide Neck Strap EW-EOS7D
Lithium-Ion Battery Pack LP-E6 (with protective terminal cover)Lithium-Ion Battery Pack LP-E6 (with protective terminal cover)
Battery Charger LC-E6 for the Canon LP-E6 Lithium Ion Battery PackBattery Charger LC-E6 for the Canon LP-E6 Lithium Ion Battery Pack
EOS Digital Solution Disk (credit: VsTheBlog) (Thumbnail credit: VsTheBlog) EOS Digital Solution Disk containing software and programs. Here’s an interesting article on VsTheBlog about using EOS Utility, one of the software in this disk, to control a tethered Canon 7D, and see what the camera is seeing in LiveView mode, using a MacBook Pro.
Stereo AV Cable AVC-DC400STStereo AV Cable AVC-DC400ST Lets you connect the 7D to the Video IN and Audio IN jacks on your TV or other video playback system.
USB Interface Cable IFC-200UUSB Interface Cable IFC-200U (1.9m / 6.24ft in length) — Allows for connection to Canon PictBridge Compliant Printers such as the SELPHY range of compact photo printers and PIXMA inkjet printers.
CR1616 Lithium Coin Cell BatteryCR1616 Lithium Coin Cell Battery — maintains date and time on the EOS 7D.

Optional accessories which can be separately purchased

USB Interface Cable IFC-500UThe USB Interface Cable IFC-500U serves the same functions as the supplied IFC-200U cable, but is much longer, measuring 4.7m / 15.42 ft, to allow connection of the 7D to printers which might be far away or not so easily accessible. At the time of writing, the IFC-500U is listed at Adorama and B&H Photo Video.
Canon Speedlite Flash UnitsCanon Speedlites Flash Units: 270EX, 430EX II, 580EX II. Get one of these external flash if you want better quality of illumination than what the camera’s internal flash can offer, of if you want to start experimenting with off-camera lighting. These portable Canon flash units are also a mandatory part of your photography gear if you are being paid to do any kind of event or wedding photography.
Canon MT-24EX Macro Twin Lite FlashMacro Twin Lite MT-24EX Flash — to understand the differences between the MT-24EX (has two separate strobes) and the MR-14EX (two flash tubes formed into a ring) for your 7D macro photography, read “Canon Macro Ring Light and Twin Light” and “MR-14EX verses the MT-24EX“.
Macro Ring Lite MR-14EXMacro Ring Lite MR-14EX — to understand the differences between the MT-24EX (has two separate strobes) and the MR-14EX (two flash tubes formed into a ring) for your 7D macro photography, read “Canon Macro Ring Light and Twin Light” and “MR-14EX verses the MT-24EX“.
Canon ST-E2 Speedlite TransmitterSpeedlite Transmitter ST-E2 Lets you wirelessly control slave / remote Speedlite flashes (with the exception of the 270EX model).
Canon ACK-DC50 AC Power Adapter KitCanon ACK-E6AC Adapter Kit, which consists of AC Power Adapter AC-E6 and DC Coupler DR-E6. This allows you to use a household electrical power source if you intend to use the 7D for an extended period of time. Note that this kit cannot be used to charge a battery in the camera. Full instructions for using this kit starts at page 234 of the 7D user manual.
CF CompactFlash Memory Storage CardsCF CompactFlash Memory Storage Cards — the fastest cards these days are of the UDMA variety.
CF CompactFlash Card ReadersCF CompactFlash Card Readers — purchase UDMA Compact Flash Card Readers for the fastest possible transfer speeds from your UDMA CF cards.
Canon Remote Control / Shutter Release OptionsRemote control / shutter release units — you get a variety of remote options, made by Canon, and made by third parties. Some come with a cable, others wireless (infrared / IR or RF / radio frequency), and yet others combine both. Official Canon-made controllers are Remote Controller RC-5, Remote Controller RC-1, Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3, Remote Switch RS-80N3 and Wireless Controller LC-5. To get a better understanding of the pros and cons of these remote options, read “Remote Shutter Release / Trigger Options for Mid to High End Canon Digital SLR Cameras” and “Wireless infrared remote triggers for the Canon XSi / 450D” The main idea behind shutter release units is to let you release the shutter without having to touch the camera, thereby minimizing the risk of camera shake.
Canon HTC-100 Mini-HDMI CableMini-HDMI Cable HTC-100 Lets you connect the 7D to the HDMI terminal on a High Definition TV (HDTV) for viewing still photographs or video clips shot with the camera.
Canon Dioptric Adjustment Lenses EgPage 34 of the Canon 7D Manual recommends that you purchase a Diopter Correction Lens if the strength adjustments available (-3.0 to +1.0 m-1) via the use of the built-in dioptric adjustment knob is not sufficient for your eyesight requirements. These Eg dioptric adjustment lenses from Canon (the eyepiece assembly integrates the Eg diopter lens and Eg rubber frame) come in a range of strengths from -4 to +3, and can be found online, at the time of writing, at Amazon (in limited quantities) and Adorama (this store has a better selection of eyepieces).
Canon Angle Finder CThe Canon Angle Finder C is a viewfinder attachment with a built-in magnification feature that allows you to comfortably compose your photos with the Canon 7D held at low angles. Applications include ground-level macro photography or any shot where you want to go in low. The right angle finder is even useful for bird photography with super telephoto lenses where you can just sit down and look through it. Birds tend to feel less threatened and would not think of you as a predator if you were to look through the angle finder instead of the camera’s viewfinder where you would be facing them directly.
Canon Anti-Fog Eyepiece EgThe Canon Anti-Fog Eyepiece Eg replaces the original eyepiece on your Canon 7D. The thin, moisture-absorbing membrane on the glass surface gives it its anti-fogging properties. This eyepiece comes in handy during cold or humid weather when there is a higher chance that your stock viewfinder fogs up from your breath or the evaporated moisture from your eyes. Currently, the Canon Antifog Eg Eyepiece is listed at B&H and Adorama.
Canon BG-E7 Battery GripThe Canon BG-E7 battery grip was designed specifically for the EOS 7D. This BGE7 vertical grip holds up to two Canon LP-E6 batteries, and can alternatively take 6 AA batteries via the use of the included Canon BGM-E6 battery magazine. Refer to Tyler Ingram’s review for detailed pictures of the BG-E7 and BGM-E6 accessories and how they fit together. Battery grips are commonly purchased by professional photographers who shoot events, sports or weddings as the additional battery in the grip lets you shoot for a longer duration. The vertical shutter button on the grip also makes holding the 7D more comfortable on the wrists if you frequently shoot with the camera in a portrait / vertical orientation. If you’re fussy about build quality and overall feel of your camera equipment, you might prefer the sturdier magnesium grip shell on the BG-E7 which matches the 7D’s body over the plastic construction of third-party / aftermarket / compatible BG-E7 knock-offs such as the value-for-money options that you get from Zeikos, Flashpoint and Opteka.
Canon BGM-E6 Battery MagazineThe Canon BGM-E6 battery magazine (sometimes mistakenly referred to as BGM-E7) is already provided as part of the BG-E7 vertical grip package. Buy this accessory as a replacement only if you have misplaced your BGME6 or if it is damaged. The BGME6 battery magazine allows the photographer to use 6 AA batteries to power the 7D in cases of emergencies where their standard LP-E6 batteries are completely drained and they are nowhere near a store that has these.
Canon CBC-E6 Car Battery ChargerThe Canon CBC-E6 Car Battery Charger set lets you charge your LP-E6 batteries while you’re in your vehicle. The CB570 cord plugs right into your car’s cigarette lighter outlet where it draws power from.
Canon CB-570 Car Battery CableThe CBCE6 in-car charger for charging LP-E6 batteries already comes with a Canon CB-570 Car Battery Cable. Purchase this as a replacement part if required.
External microphone for the Canon 7DThe biggest benefits of external microphones on the 7D is better sound quality and isolation from the unwanted lens IS (image stabilization) and operational noise from both the lens and the camera (turning the zoom and focus rings, pressing buttons and activating switches). Some examples of external mics for the EOS 7D include:
  1. Audio-Technica AT8015 Condenser Microphone
  2. Azden SMX-10 Stereo Condenser Microphone
  3. Sennheiser MKE 400 Shotgun Microphone — Excellent for recording audio from people talking while facing the camera directly.
  4. Sennheiser Wireless Camera Microphone Systems
  5. Rode VideoMic Directional Video Condenser Microphone (Mono) — Like the Sennheiser MKE 400, this mic picks up a very narrow directional point of sound directly in front of the mic itself. This is useful if the mic is mounted on a camera and is intended to record voices of the subject in front of the camera and reject sound from the sides (credit to Sal Baker for the explanation).
  6. Rode SVM Stereo Condenser Microphone — Better for capturing ambient audio rather than focusing on recording narrations and interviews. Stays in the 7D’s hotshoe (see a photo of the same mic, but mounted on a Canon 1D Mark IV). “5DamienMkII” writes:
    Rode SVM does what I need, and with the included deadcat (the Rode Deadcat Microphone Wind Muff), in gale force winds it cuts out the noise and you can hear people talking perfectly.
  7. Sony ECM-MSD1 Stereo Zoom Microphone
Pairing an external mic and a digital recorder allows you to get audio from a location other than on the top of the 7D. Recording levels will also be unconstrained by the automatic gain control (AGC) on the camera. Digital recorders with integrated mics also allow you to record ambient sounds and interviews without having to turn on the camera. With the exception of the Fostex FR-2LE below, these have their own built-in mic and accept input from external microphones. Examples of audio recorders that provide a better quality destination than the 7D itself for the sound from your external microphones to feed into:
  1. Edirol R-09HR High-Resolution WAVE/MP3 Recorder
  2. Fostex FR-2LE High Definition Field Memory Recorder
  3. Olympus LS-10 Linear PCM Recorder — “kb2zuz” writes the following about the LS-10:
    Very good quality, ability to easily adjust recording levels (and if you have someone else working with you they can monitor the sound with headphones and adjust the sound while you’re worried about shooting), basically wireless as you can place the recorder wherever you need it, does not have to be tethered to the camera, can use all kinds of external mics if you wish or just use the good quality built in stereo mics, can keep recording sound if doing a long scene and you run past your 12 minute limit (this is the per-clip video recording limit duration on the 7D) and have to reset your video, good dynamic range from picking up whispers across a room or recording a loud concert.
  4. Zoom H2 Handy Portable Stereo Recorder
  5. Zoom H4n Handy Portable Digital Recorder — Comes with XLR inputs, and is a higher-end solution than the Zoom H2, and improved from the older Zoom H4.
  6. Sony PCM-D50 Professional Portable 24-bit Linear Audio Recorder — Read Brad Linder’s test comparing the sound quality from the Zoom H4, H4n, and Sony PCM-D50 internal mics.
To attach your recording device to the 7D’s hotshoe, consider purchasing the Pearstone Male Accessory Shoe Adapter w/ 1/4-20 Stud Connector, Adorama Shoe-To-Tripod Screw Adapter or one of the many tripod screw to flash hot shoe adapters on eBay. Tripod Screw to Flash Hot Shoe Adapters To synchronize the sound tracks from digital recorder to the video clip from your 7D, consider the use of video editing software such as Adobe Premiere or Sony Vegas for the Windows PC, and iMovie (part of the iLife suite), Final Cut Express or Final Cut Pro for the Mac. If you wish to learn more about microphone selection and how to manage the audio quality of your recordings, read up juicedLink’s tutorial videos.
Canon WFT-E5 Wireless File Transmitter paired with a Canon EOS 7DThe Canon Professional Network site has a full description of the DLNA-compatible WFT-E5 Wireless File Transmitter:
The Canon WFT-E5 Wireless File Transmitter has been launched alongside the Canon EOS 7D to offer the ability to wirelessly transmit images from your camera to a computer, and give enhanced remote capture, media server functionality and linked shooting.
Several model variations of the WFT-E5 are available: WFT-E5A: 5180-5320MHz (36-64 channels), 5745-5825MHz (149-165 channels), 2412-2462MHz (1-11 channels) WFT-5B: 5180-5320MHz (36-64 channels), 5500-5700MHz (100-10 channels), 2412-2462MHz (1-13 channels) WFT-E5C: 5745-5805MHz (149-161 channels), 2412-2472MHz (1-13 channels) WFT-E5D: 2412-2462MHz (1-11 channels) Here’s what Alex Karahalios has to say about the WFT-E5:
The WFT-E5 is easy to use once you configure it. Here are some things I find useful:
  • You can save several network configurations and then quickly recall them
  • It allows you to hook up an external USB storage device
  • It has an Ethernet wired connector
  • Acts as a battery grip and has vertical shooting controls
  • Various network transfer options including FTP
  • Camera control via the built in Web Server. I use my iPhone to control it.
Canon says that the WFT-E5 has bluetooth compatibility for reading in data from a bluetooth-capable GPS data logger device, but did not make it clear that you would need to purchase a separate bluetooth dongle that plugs into the USB Host port on the WFT-E5 itself. “Over_X_posed” has the following related write-up:
I’ve had a great experience with Canon’s support team and now can use the WFT-E5A with a Holux M-1000C (or any bluetooth-enabled GPS device, receiver or data logger, got the BlackBerry GPS to work also) , using the Canon BU-30 Bluetooth dongle.
Alternatively, you could directly plug in USB-equipped GPS devices. The WFT-E5 in WFT Server mode also enables you to remotely and wirelessly browse images on the 7D, see the Live View display, trigger the shutter and adjust camera settings from a web-browser on a mobile device, for instance via Mobile Safari on the iPhone (watch this YouTube video and read Rob Galbraith’s article for more information). The WFT-E5 is powered by a single LP-E6. No battery is provided in the box, so you would need to buy an additional LP-E6.
Canon OSK-E3 Original Data Security Kit The Canon Professional Network site has more details on the Canon OSK-E3 Original Data Security Kit and how to perform the related setup on the EOS 7D:
If you need to be able to prove that an image is completely un-retouched from when it was taken, you can make use of the OSK-E3 data security kit. To do this, you need to enable C.Fn IV -3 -1 so that a data code string is appended to each image. This can be checked by the OSK-E3 after shooting – for example, if can be used in legal cases where it would be unlawful to adjust an image submitted as evidence.
You might like to read more on Canon’s image data verification system.
Canon brand bags for the EOS 7DIf you visit the accessories page for the 7D at Canon USA, you’ll see the following Canon Gadget Bags listed:
  1. Canon Deluxe Gadget Bag 100EG
  2. Canon Professional Gadget Bag 1EG
  3. Canon 100DG Bag for Canon SLR Cameras
  4. Canon 2400 SLR Gadget Bag for EOS SLR Cameras
  5. Canon 200DG Digital Camera Gadget Bag
  6. Canon Deluxe Gadget Bag 10EG
The bags differ in volume, size and materials used for the construction. The EH20-L Camera Case for the 7D that is mentioned in the Canon 7D Manual isn’t listed on any of the major online stores in the US at the time of writing (see the item description at Canon Japan (read Google’s English translation)), but you might want to consider having it shipped from ShaShinKi.com, a reputable online store in Malaysia.

Related

Canon 7D – Main page.

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