Canon EOS Elan 7E • Page 2

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Canon EOS Elan 7E • Look 'n Feel

Peter Kun Frary

Appearance, Weight and Feel
This petite camera is rounded, curvy and a looker. Most will favor the Elan 7E's satin black "pro" finish. I'm tired of black cameras and audio equipment. A brushed aluminum or stainless steel finish would be extremely classy and propel me straight into hog heaven. Nevertheless, the satin black finish has proved to be both durable and handsome. After months of rubbing against my clothing and camera bag, the finish has not worn or taken on a shine. In contrast, the satin finish of my EOS A2 and 1N had many shiny spots after only a few months of use.

Update (10/19/03): after 29 months of rubbing against my clothing and camera bag, the finish has not worn or taken on a shine. Indeed, the finish is more durable than most prior EOS models.

Canon EOS Elan 7E • The polished aluminum logo glistens in the light.

I like a camera with enough mass for stability and to counterbalance big glass. Thus, my initial impression of the Elan 7E was that it was too small and light, weighing 575g and measuring a tiny 146.7mm (W) x 103mm (H) x 69mm (D). This makes it slightly bigger and heavier than a Rebel 2000 and 19mm smaller (W) than the Elan II. Subsequently, it tends to bob around due to lack of heft and feels out of balance with large lenses, e.g., EF 70-200 2.8L or EF 300 4L. Nevertheless, once I adjusted to this featherweight, its features and handling grew on me. Although small for an AF SLR, it's still much larger than a Nikon FM2 or Olympus OM1.

When in hand, the Elan 7E feels solid and doesn't squeak or flex when you squeeze it. The aluminum body panels are cool to the touch and reinforce the sturdy and confident feel of the camera. Unfortunately, the grip is narrow and, thus, digs into the joints of my fingers during extended use. The larger and more contoured grips of the Elan and EOS 3 are more comfortable, almost like part of my hand.

Multnomah Falls, Oregon • EOS Elan 7E, EF 28-135 IS USM & Elite Chrome

The shutter button requires a light touch, a characteristic I like. In contrast, the original Elan's shutter button required so much pressure I sometimes jerked the camera during verticals.

The Achilles heel of the Elan 7E is the battery door hinge. It's not a hinge in the traditional sense, but a delicate strip of plastic bent at an extreme angle when the door is closed. Canon estimates two CR123A batteries will power 33 rolls of 36 exposure film with 50% flash use--125 with no flash--so wearing out the battery door hinge won't be an issue for most amateurs. The battery door hinge in my heavily used 2001 Elan 7E is still going strong (7/1/04). Unfortunately, the hinge becomes brittle under cold conditions and may break if flexed back and forth excessively. Thus, you may wish to change your batteries indoors or use the BP-300 Battery Pack on your next Arctic vacation. In the unlikely event the battery door hinge breaks, it is replaceable (you can order the part and replace it yourself). Also, the camera will function with the BP-300 even with a broken battery door.

The lens release button feels a little wobbly compared to the release buttons on my EOS A2 and EOS 3. If you don't push it dead center it doesn't work well. I plan to be gentle with this button when changing lenses.
Viewfinder
The non-interchangeable focusing screen is adequately bright and contrasty, about the same as the original Elan. In other words, it's better than the Rebel 2000 or EOS IX, but is a little on the small (.7x) and dim side. A slow zoom, e.g., F4.5-5.6, makes for dim viewing. Moreover, slow lenses make the screen texture readily apparent. Canon has linked increases in viewfinder quality and size to successively higher and more expensive EOS models. For example, the viewfinders of the EOS A2 and EOS 3 are brighter (at least one stop), more contrasty and bigger than the Elan 7E. The the Nikon FM3A has the largest (.83x) and brightest focusing screen I have used, albeit the shortest eye relief.

I find the eye relief of 19.5mm ample and have no problem whatsoever seeing the entire viewfinder display, including F stop, aperture, etc. With my Oakley sunglasses (low, sports style nose pads), I can still see the entire viewfinder display. With my Revo sunglasses (high nose pads), I can see the entire image/frame but must move slightly to see the information display. To put the 19.5mm eye relief in perspective, the Elan and A2 sport 20mm while the Nikon FM3A has a surprisingly diminutive 14mm (I must move to see the corners of the image).

Canon claims 90% vertical and 92% horizontal coverage of the image area for the Elan 7E. This translates into about 83% coverage of the total image area (.90 x .92 = .828). This figure seems alarming low, but if you shoot print film, labs crop off 15-20% of the image, even for 4x6 inch prints. Standard enlargements of 5 x 7, 8x10 or 11x14 inches lose even more. If you shoot chromes, you may find surprises lurking around the extreme edges of your slides. Nevertheless, even slide mounts cover some of the image area.

I wish it had interchangeable focusing screens as I prefer a grid screen for composition (I use one in my A2). An interchangeable focusing screen is easier to clean: simply remove it and blow off the particles with canned air. With a fixed screen, the blower can't reach all surfaces. Moreover, you should use a bulb blower as canned air will blow particles in unreachable places, e.g., between the screen and pentaprism. Unfortunately, the Elan 7E is more prone to sucking in dust than my EOS A2 or EOS 3. After several months of use and little lens changing, I have more dust on the focusing screen than five years of A2 use. The EOS 3 has dust and water seals so it's not a fair comparison.

Viewfinder with focusing retangles

The viewfinder display shows everything you need to know: F stop, shutter speed, exposure compensation and flash compensation are displayed in green below the image. Display brightness automatically adjusts according to ambient light. In addition, icons for AE Lock, AF confirmation, ECF and flash illuminate when appropriate. The transparent gray focusing rectangles flash red when activated (this may be disabled with a custom function).

Ease of Use

If you've used other EOS cameras, you'll feel at home with the Elan 7E. Everything is clearly labeled and works like an EOS A2, Rebel, Elan or Elan IIE. You won't crack the manual except to look up a custom function. It has an analog scale for manual exposure, unlike some earlier North American EOS models. If you have never used an electronic SLR, the Elan 7E is one of the easiest to learn with fully automatic modes (point 'n shoot) and intuitive semi-automatic and manual modes when you're ready to take control.

The Elan 7E is a nimble and decisive picture taking machine. All important controls are clearly labeled and available at the twist of a dial or switch. I could toggle in and out of drive, AF and exposure modes in a flash. For example, change drive modes by pushing a clearly labeled thumb switch on the top deck. You can easily do this while looking through the viewfinder! Unlike the EOS 1N, 1V and 3 cameras, there is little screwing around with shift buttons and menus.

Battery Pack BP-300

I shoot a lot of verticals and can't imagine using the Elan 7E without the optional Battery Pack BP-300. I never remove it. The vertical shutter release, AE lock and focusing point selector make verticals as easy as horizontals. The additional grip surface really improves handling and balance. Unlike some vertical grips or battery packs, the BP-300 fits fairly snugly and feels like part of the camera. If your battery dies far from a well stocked photo store, you'll appreciate the BP-300's ability to use either CR123A or AA batteries.

Too bad the BP-300 lacks a main dial. My index finger often tried to turn the missing dial (the vertical grips on my other EOS cameras have this dial). The BP-300 has a strap lug on the right side for a hand strap. There isn't a strap lug on the left side of the BP-300.

EOS Elan 7E, EF 50 1.4 USM, BP-300 Battery Pack, E-1 Hand Strap & ST-E2 Speedlite Transmitter. Photo taken with EOS 10D, EF 50 2.5 Compact Macro, 420EX Speedlite and Off-Shore Cord 2

One small but useful change from the older Elans: all on-off switches--command dial, QCD and Battery Pack BP-300, etc., are now labeled "on- off" rather than "I-O."

There is one potential gotcha with the BP-300: it will not clear some tripod heads when using smaller telephoto lenses with a tripod ring mount (teleconverters and big glass work fine because of the extra clearance between lens and camera). For example, the protruding front grip of the BP-300 hits the mounting plate of my Bogan 3265 Ball Head when using an EF 300 4L USM. I can mount the rig backwards and it works fine, but it's awkward with the release lever in the front. Most screw-in tripod heads are fine as the mount rides a little lower. Quick-release heads are prone to this problem because the QR plate elevates the camera slightly.

5/28/2001 • Revised 6/28/2004
©Copyright 2001-2004 by Peter Kun Frary • All Rights Reserved

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.	. Canon EOS Elan 7E • Look 'n Feel Peter Kun Frary Appearance, Weight and Feel This petite camera is rounded, curvy and a looker. Most will favor the Elan 7E's satin black "pro" finish. I'm tired of black cameras and audio equipment. A brushed aluminum or stainless steel finish would be extremely classy and propel me straight into hog heaven. Nevertheless, the satin black finish has proved to be both durable and handsome. After months of rubbing against my clothing and camera bag, the finish has not worn or taken on a shine. In contrast, the satin finish of my EOS A2 and 1N had many shiny spots after only a few months of use. Update (10/19/03): after 29 months of rubbing against my clothing and camera bag, the finish has not worn or taken on a shine. Indeed, the finish is more durable than most prior EOS models. Canon EOS Elan 7E • The polished aluminum logo glistens in the light. I like a camera with enough mass for stability and to counterbalance big glass. Thus, my initial impression of the Elan 7E was that it was too small and light, weighing 575g and measuring a tiny 146.7mm (W) x 103mm (H) x 69mm (D). This makes it slightly bigger and heavier than a Rebel 2000 and 19mm smaller (W) than the Elan II. Subsequently, it tends to bob around due to lack of heft and feels out of balance with large lenses, e.g., EF 70-200 2.8L or EF 300 4L. Nevertheless, once I adjusted to this featherweight, its features and handling grew on me. Although small for an AF SLR, it's still much larger than a Nikon FM2 or Olympus OM1. When in hand, the Elan 7E feels solid and doesn't squeak or flex when you squeeze it. The aluminum body panels are cool to the touch and reinforce the sturdy and confident feel of the camera. Unfortunately, the grip is narrow and, thus, digs into the joints of my fingers during extended use. The larger and more contoured grips of the Elan and EOS 3 are more comfortable, almost like part of my hand. Multnomah Falls, Oregon • EOS Elan 7E, EF 28-135 IS USM & Elite Chrome The shutter button requires a light touch, a characteristic I like. In contrast, the original Elan's shutter button required so much pressure I sometimes jerked the camera during verticals. The Achilles heel of the Elan 7E is the battery door hinge. It's not a hinge in the traditional sense, but a delicate strip of plastic bent at an extreme angle when the door is closed. Canon estimates two CR123A batteries will power 33 rolls of 36 exposure film with 50% flash use--125 with no flash--so wearing out the battery door hinge won't be an issue for most amateurs. The battery door hinge in my heavily used 2001 Elan 7E is still going strong (7/1/04). Unfortunately, the hinge becomes brittle under cold conditions and may break if flexed back and forth excessively. Thus, you may wish to change your batteries indoors or use the BP-300 Battery Pack on your next Arctic vacation. In the unlikely event the battery door hinge breaks, it is replaceable (you can order the part and replace it yourself). Also, the camera will function with the BP-300 even with a broken battery door. The lens release button feels a little wobbly compared to the release buttons on my EOS A2 and EOS 3. If you don't push it dead center it doesn't work well. I plan to be gentle with this button when changing lenses. Viewfinder The non-interchangeable focusing screen is adequately bright and contrasty, about the same as the original Elan. In other words, it's better than the Rebel 2000 or EOS IX, but is a little on the small (.7x) and dim side. A slow zoom, e.g., F4.5-5.6, makes for dim viewing. Moreover, slow lenses make the screen texture readily apparent. Canon has linked increases in viewfinder quality and size to successively higher and more expensive EOS models. For example, the viewfinders of the EOS A2 and EOS 3 are brighter (at least one stop), more contrasty and bigger than the Elan 7E. The the Nikon FM3A has the largest (.83x) and brightest focusing screen I have used, albeit the shortest eye relief. I find the eye relief of 19.5mm ample and have no problem whatsoever seeing the entire viewfinder display, including F stop, aperture, etc. With my Oakley sunglasses (low, sports style nose pads), I can still see the entire viewfinder display. With my Revo sunglasses (high nose pads), I can see the entire image/frame but must move slightly to see the information display. To put the 19.5mm eye relief in perspective, the Elan and A2 sport 20mm while the Nikon FM3A has a surprisingly diminutive 14mm (I must move to see the corners of the image). Canon claims 90% vertical and 92% horizontal coverage of the image area for the Elan 7E. This translates into about 83% coverage of the total image area (.90 x .92 = .828). This figure seems alarming low, but if you shoot print film, labs crop off 15-20% of the image, even for 4x6 inch prints. Standard enlargements of 5 x 7, 8x10 or 11x14 inches lose even more. If you shoot chromes, you may find surprises lurking around the extreme edges of your slides. Nevertheless, even slide mounts cover some of the image area. I wish it had interchangeable focusing screens as I prefer a grid screen for composition (I use one in my A2). An interchangeable focusing screen is easier to clean: simply remove it and blow off the particles with canned air. With a fixed screen, the blower can't reach all surfaces. Moreover, you should use a bulb blower as canned air will blow particles in unreachable places, e.g., between the screen and pentaprism. Unfortunately, the Elan 7E is more prone to sucking in dust than my EOS A2 or EOS 3. After several months of use and little lens changing, I have more dust on the focusing screen than five years of A2 use. The EOS 3 has dust and water seals so it's not a fair comparison. Viewfinder with focusing retangles The viewfinder display shows everything you need to know: F stop, shutter speed, exposure compensation and flash compensation are displayed in green below the image. Display brightness automatically adjusts according to ambient light. In addition, icons for AE Lock, AF confirmation, ECF and flash illuminate when appropriate. The transparent gray focusing rectangles flash red when activated (this may be disabled with a custom function). Ease of Use If you've used other EOS cameras, you'll feel at home with the Elan 7E. Everything is clearly labeled and works like an EOS A2, Rebel, Elan or Elan IIE. You won't crack the manual except to look up a custom function. It has an analog scale for manual exposure, unlike some earlier North American EOS models. If you have never used an electronic SLR, the Elan 7E is one of the easiest to learn with fully automatic modes (point 'n shoot) and intuitive semi-automatic and manual modes when you're ready to take control. The Elan 7E is a nimble and decisive picture taking machine. All important controls are clearly labeled and available at the twist of a dial or switch. I could toggle in and out of drive, AF and exposure modes in a flash. For example, change drive modes by pushing a clearly labeled thumb switch on the top deck. You can easily do this while looking through the viewfinder! Unlike the EOS 1N, 1V and 3 cameras, there is little screwing around with shift buttons and menus. Battery Pack BP-300 I shoot a lot of verticals and can't imagine using the Elan 7E without the optional Battery Pack BP-300. I never remove it. The vertical shutter release, AE lock and focusing point selector make verticals as easy as horizontals. The additional grip surface really improves handling and balance. Unlike some vertical grips or battery packs, the BP-300 fits fairly snugly and feels like part of the camera. If your battery dies far from a well stocked photo store, you'll appreciate the BP-300's ability to use either CR123A or AA batteries. Too bad the BP-300 lacks a main dial. My index finger often tried to turn the missing dial (the vertical grips on my other EOS cameras have this dial). The BP-300 has a strap lug on the right side for a hand strap. There isn't a strap lug on the left side of the BP-300. EOS Elan 7E, EF 50 1.4 USM, BP-300 Battery Pack, E-1 Hand Strap & ST-E2 Speedlite Transmitter. Photo taken with EOS 10D, EF 50 2.5 Compact Macro, 420EX Speedlite and Off-Shore Cord 2 One small but useful change from the older Elans: all on-off switches--command dial, QCD and Battery Pack BP-300, etc., are now labeled "on- off" rather than "I-O." There is one potential gotcha with the BP-300: it will not clear some tripod heads when using smaller telephoto lenses with a tripod ring mount (teleconverters and big glass work fine because of the extra clearance between lens and camera). For example, the protruding front grip of the BP-300 hits the mounting plate of my Bogan 3265 Ball Head when using an EF 300 4L USM. I can mount the rig backwards and it works fine, but it's awkward with the release lever in the front. Most screw-in tripod heads are fine as the mount rides a little lower. Quick-release heads are prone to this problem because the QR plate elevates the camera slightly. 5/28/2001 • Revised 6/28/2004 ©Copyright 2001-2004 by Peter Kun Frary • All Rights Reserved	.
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