Guys and Gals,
Resurrecting an old thread.
1 year since I bought the R7. I have been very happy with it. After a year of use and I don't know how many images 50K maybe, I've become comfortable with the quirks of mirrorless in general and the R7 specifically.
My overall impressions:
1) All the RF glass I have (100-500L, 24-105 F4L, 100 F 2.8L Macro, 16mm F2.8, 10-18 variable aperture RF-S). Are sharp. Even the more inexpensive non "L" lenses have exceeded my expectations.
2) the Canon Macro I do not like as well as the 105mm Nikon macro. I can't put my finger on it. The Canon lens is incredibly sharp, focuses fast, but the image quality lacks some character that the Nikon had. The Canon lens seems sharper than the Nikon (looking over hundreds of photos shot) and there was just something about that Nikon Macro that was magic on my D500. Don't get me wrong, the Canon Macro lens is an incredible lens. To my eye, the Nikon macro was just a little better.
3) Rolling Shutter - Not sure what all the hub Bub is about. Yes, it is there and yes, there are ways to get around it (i.e. mechanical shutter if you want to freeze dragonfly wings or you're photographing a flock of ducks flying over the marsh). I can make it happen at will but I also can avoid situations where it exists and still get the shots I want.
4) Focus issues? I have seen the You Tube videos where photographers have been experiencing every other shot being out of focus. I simply have not had that problem. I shoot at 15fps mechanical and electronic. I don't find 30fps useful in all but a few specific. circumstances. I can quickly shift to it if I think I'm going to need it. Perhaps the focus issues are a 30fps issue.
5) Only 2 SD Cards. Yes that's the case. I've not had a problem with it. In fact, SD cards are less expensive, my computer and USB Hub have built in SD readers and in a pinch, I can get SD cards at just about any Walmart, gas station or dollar card. Not V90 cards but at least I'm not out of business if I leave the cards at home.
6) limited buffer (partly related to SD cards mentioned above). I'm not one to hold the shutter button down for extended periods of time. With C-Raw on card one and JPG on card 2 both being V90 cards,I get a few seconds buffer which is all I've ever needed. Perhaps because I learned photography with manual advance film cameras and over the years got used to a more leisurely pace. I came to the Mirrorless world from a D500 which "only" had 10fps. The R7 at mid speed is 15fps which is a 50% increase over what I had before. If your photography needs lengthy bursts with extremely deep buffer, then this camera is not the one for you. If you can live with 3 or so seconds of buffer before it fills (35-45 images in a burst) then it is worth a consideration. Just wanted to point this limitation out. It's not been problematic for me but it may be a deal breaker for others so consider this if looking at the EOS R7.
7) Pre-capture - I kind of thought this was a gimmick but after using it, I like it. I have been able to capture many dragonflies in flight, birds taking off from a branch, frogs jumping, and even salamanders coming up for air during their mating rituals. I like how it captures about 15-20 shots before the shutter is fully pressed and will continue capturing shots until the buffer fills up as long as you hold the shutter button down. I put it on my "My Menu" quick access and assigned a button for the menu option to get there quickly. One of the things I ended up liking about mirrorless cameras when I thought it was a "ho hum" thing before using it.
Closing Thoughts:
Is it the "best?" I'm not really sure there is a "best" camera any more. All the current "top tier" cameras from the major manufacturers are all great. I really like the 100-500 lens for its clarity, sharpness and light weight. Battery life is on par with other mirrorless cameras my friends and local photographers are getting. Overall, I think it is a really good camera at any price and a steal for the current price. If anyone is looking for an ASP-c mirrorless camera, the Canon EOS R7 is worth considering. I'm not suggesting everyone should run out and buy it, it's not going to solve world hunger or end wars, it is not going to turn every one of your average shots into National Geographic Cover shots. But it is a solid camera platform with a very good array of lenses available for it.
Would I buy it again?
Yes. Would I look at Sony and Nikon offerings? Yes and I would buy the system that best meets my needs at the time I decide to get a new camera.
Hope this helps.