Canon 7D II vs 80D

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II and the Canon EOS 80D are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2014 and February 2016. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 7D Mark II has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the 80D provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon 7D II		Canon 80D
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
20 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-16,000 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-16,000 (100 - 25,600)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
10 shutter flaps per second		7 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
670 shots per battery charge		960 shots per battery charge
149 x 112 x 78 mm, 910 g		139 x 105 x 79 mm, 730 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 7D Mark II and the Canon EOS 80D? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon 7D II and the Canon 80D. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 80D is notably smaller (13 percent) than the Canon 7D II. Moreover, the 80D is markedly lighter (20 percent) than the 7D Mark II. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
2.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
5.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
6.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon 50D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	800	Y	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
8.		Canon 60D	145 mm	106 mm	79 mm	755 g	1100	Y	Aug 2010	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
9.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
10.		Canon 90D	141 mm	105 mm	77 mm	701 g	1300	Y	Aug 2019	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
11.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
12.		Canon T5	130 mm	100 mm	78 mm	480 g	500	n	Feb 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
13.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
14.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	US$ 749	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7500	136 mm	104 mm	73 mm	720 g	950	Y	Apr 2017	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The 80D was launched at a markedly lower price (by 33 percent) than the 7D Mark II, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the 80D is 1 percent bigger. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24MP, the 80D offers a higher resolution than the 7D Mark II (20MP), but the 80D has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.75μm versus 4.10μm for the 7D Mark II). Yet, the 80D is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 5 months) than the 7D Mark II, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 80D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 80D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 7D II are 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm for good quality, 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm for very good quality, and 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 7D Mark II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 16000, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 80D are ISO 100 to ISO 16000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-25600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. Of the two cameras under consideration, the 80D has a markedly higher DXO score than the 7D Mark II (overall score 9 points higher), which will translate into better image quality. The advantage is based on 1.2 bits higher color depth, 1.4 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.1 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
2.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
3.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
5.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
6.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
7.		Canon 50D	APS-C	15.1	4752	3168	none	21.8	11.4	696	63
8.		Canon 60D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.5	813	66
9.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
10.		Canon 90D	APS-C	32.3	6960	4640	4K/30p	24.0	13.5	1848	83
11.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
12.		Canon T5	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.9	11.3	724	63
13.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
14.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
15.		Nikon D7500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	14.0	1483	86
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 7D Mark II and the 80D are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the 7D Mark II has a higher magnification than the one of the 80D (0.63x vs 0.59x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 7D II and Canon 80D in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
2.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
5.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 50D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.3/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 60D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	n	1/8000s	5.3/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon 90D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	Y	n
11.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T5	optical	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
13.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
15.		Nikon D7500	optical	Y	3.2 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The 80D has a touchscreen, while the 7D Mark II has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Canon 7D II and the Canon 80D both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

The 7D Mark II writes its imaging data to Compact Flash or SDXC cards, while the 80D uses SDXC cards. The 7D Mark II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the 80D only has one slot. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II and Canon EOS 80D and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
7.		Canon 50D	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Canon 60D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Canon 90D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Canon T5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Nikon D7500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the 80D offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the 7D Mark II does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 7D II (unlike the 80D) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the 7D Mark II has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the 7D Mark II and the 80D have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 80D was replaced by the Canon 90D, while the 7D Mark II does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the 7D Mark II and 80D can be found, respectively, in the Canon 7D II Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 80D Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 7D II or the Canon 80D – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Canon EOS 7D Mark II:

• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.63x vs 0.59x).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2014).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 80D:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 20MP), which boosts linear resolution by 10%.
• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (9 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.2 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (1.4 EV of extra DR).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More compact: Is smaller (139x105mm vs 149x112mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 180g or 20 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (960 versus 670) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (33 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Was introduced somewhat (1 year and 5 months) more recently.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the 80D is the clear winner of the contest (14 : 7 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 7D II and the Canon 80D place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the 7D Mark II or the 80D. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
2.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
3.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 2 099	ebay.com
4.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
5.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	US$ 1 699	ebay.com
6.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	US$ 1 499	ebay.com
7.		Canon 50D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
8.		Canon 60D	5/5	+	..	79/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2010	US$ 1 399	ebay.com
9.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	US$ 1 199	ebay.com
10.		Canon 90D	4/5	+	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2019	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
11.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
12.		Canon T5	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 449	ebay.com
13.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	US$ 649	ebay.com
14.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 749	ebay.com
15.		Nikon D7500	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	US$ 1 299	amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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