Canon EOS 80D Review,Canon,EOS 80D,
The Canon EOS 80D is an enthusiast-level DSLR, and the successor to the 70D. It sports a new 24MP APS-C CMOS sensor which, like the 70D, offers Canon's Dual Pixel on-sensor phase-detection autofocus system. The 80D also gains a new 45-point hybrid AF system with all of the points being cross-type. This is a step up from the 19-point AF system in the 70D, though not quite at the same level as the 65-point coverage offered by the more professionally-oriented 7D Mark II.
Featuring a body sealed against dust and moisture, the 80D has a polycarbonate exterior and magnesium alloy chassis. It is nearly identical in design to its predecessor, with the majority of controls accessible via the articulating rear touchscreen, as well as via physical control points. Video is a major part of the 80D's total package. While it cannot shoot 4K, it does offer 1080/60p capture and continuous autofocus during video. A headphone socket has been added to compliment its microphone port.
Canon EOS 80D key features:
24MP APS-C CMOS sensor with Dual Pixel AF
45-point AF system with all cross-type points
3" 1.04M-dot articulating touchscreen
1080/60p video capture
7 fps continuous shooting with AF
Weather-resistant body
7560-pixel RGB+IR Metering Sensor
Wi-Fi + NFC
Other improvements come in the form of a new mirror vibration control system (similar to the 5DS and 7D Mark II), which should help reduce the blur-inducing effects of shutter shock. The 80D also gains the same 7560 pixel RGB+IR metering sensor found in the Rebel T6s and T6i, a serious improvement over the 63-zone dual layer sensor found in the 70D. This new sensor gives the camera some degree of human subject awareness for subject tracking through the viewfinder. However, unlike the 7D Mark II, the 80D does not have Canon's 'Intelligent Tracking and Recognition' (iTR) system, which uses the metering sensor along with distance info to subject track.
The new sensor
It's no secret that some Canon shooters have been frustrated as of late, as Sony's sensor technology marches ahead in terms of dynamic range. Fortunately, the 80D marks a significant step forward in Canon's sensor development, offering much better DR than the 70D or 7D Mark II. But the new sensor isn't interesting just because of the pictures it can capture. Dual Pixel AF not only allows for continuous focus during video capture, but during still capture (in live view mode) as well. We first saw this feature in the Rebel T6s and it is exciting to see it now making its way up Canon's food chain to enthusiast-level cameras.
Compared to its siblings
| Canon EOS 80D | Canon EOS 7D Mark II | Canon EOS 70D | Canon EOS 6D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sensor | 24MP APS-C | 20.2MP APS-C | 20.2MP APS-C | 20.2MP full-frame |
| ISO range | 100-16000 (expands to 25600) | 100-16000 (expands to 25600) | 100-12800 (expands to 25600) | 100-25600 (expands to 50-102800) |
| AF (viewfinder) | 45 all cross-type points | 65 all cross-type points | 19 all cross-type points | 11 point, center point is cross-type |
| AF (Live view/video) | Dual pixel AF | Dual pixel AF | Dual pixel AF | Contrast Detect, Phase Detect (in 'Quick' mode) |
| Intelligent Tracking and Recognition | No | Yes | No | No |
| C-AF in live view during still shooting | Yes | No | No | No |
| AF joystick | No | Yes | No | No |
| Video capabilities | 1080/60p | 1080/60p | 1080/30p | 1080/30p |
| Burst rate | 7 fps | 10 fps | 7 fps | 4.5 fps |
| LCD spec | 3" 1.04M-dot articulating touch LCD | 3" 1.04M-dot fixed LCD | 3" 1.04M-dot articulating touch LCD | 3" 1.04M-dot fixed LCD |
| Weight | 730 g (1.61 lb) | 910g (2.0 lb) | 755g (1.7 lb) | 770 g (1.70 lb) |
Aside from the 70D, the closest sibling to the 80D is the more professionally-oriented Canon EOS 7D Mark II. It uses a slightly lower resolution chip and offers less dynamic range than the 80D. While the two share the same basic video specs, the 7D Mark II is better equipped for fast action, thanks to greater AF point coverage, a dedicated AF joystick and the inclusion of Canon iTR, as well as a faster shooting rate. On the other hand, the 80D's touch focus capabilities make it a more appealing choice for video.
Of course the full frame Canon 6D now falls into a similar price class to the both the 80D and 7D Mark II, making it worthy of consideration. Although it's far from new the 6D remains a solid and popular camera despite its comparatively simplistic AF system.
Accessories
The 80D shown with PZ-E1 Power Zoom Adapter connected to the EF-S 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS USM kit zoom. This adapter allows for smooth zooming at variable speeds.
Along with the announcement of the 80D, Canon announced the DM-E1 shotgun microphone (compatible with any camera that has a 1/8" socket). Canon also announced the PZ-E1 Power Zoom Adapter. It can clip onto the new EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM kit lens and control the zoom, with two speed options. The DM-E1 will sell for $250, while the PZ-E1 will run you $150. Unfortunately, we weren't able to get hold of either new accessory in time for this review, but we'll be updating our impressions as soon as we can.
Pricing and availability
The Canon EOS 80D is available now for a body-only price of $1199/£999/€1199. Kitted with Canon's new EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens, the 80D will run you $1799. Kitted with the EF-S 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 IS STM lens, the 80D will run $1349/£1089.
Canon EOS 80D Specifications
| Price | |
|---|---|
| MSRP | $1199 (body only), $1799 (w/18-135 lens) |
| Body type | |
| Body type | Mid-size SLR |
| Body material | Composite |
| Sensor | |
| Max resolution | 6000 x 4000 |
| Image ratio w:h | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 |
| Effective pixels | 24 megapixels |
| Sensor photo detectors | 26 megapixels |
| Sensor size | APS-C (22.5 x 15 mm) |
| Sensor type | CMOS |
| Processor | DIGIC 6 |
| Color space | sRGB, Adobe RGB |
| Color filter array | Primary color filter |
| Image | |
| ISO | Auto, 100-16000 (expands to 25600) |
| Boosted ISO (maximum) | 25600 |
| White balance presets | 6 |
| Custom white balance | Yes |
| Image stabilization | No |
| Uncompressed format | RAW |
| JPEG quality levels | Fine, normal |
| File format |
|
| Optics & Focus | |
| Autofocus |
|
| Autofocus assist lamp | Yes |
| Manual focus | Yes |
| Number of focus points | 45 |
| Lens mount | Canon EF/EF-S |
| Focal length multiplier | 1.6× |
| Screen / viewfinder | |
| Articulated LCD | Fully articulated |
| Screen size | 3″ |
| Screen dots | 1,040,000 |
| Touch screen | Yes |
| Screen type | TFT LCD |
| Live view | Yes |
| Viewfinder type | Optical (pentaprism) |
| Viewfinder coverage | 100% |
| Viewfinder magnification | 0.95× |
| Photography features | |
| Minimum shutter speed | 30 sec |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/8000 sec |
| Exposure modes |
|
| Scene modes |
|
| Built-in flash | Yes |
| Flash range | 12.00 m (at ISO 100) |
| External flash | Yes (via hot shoe) |
| Flash X sync speed | 1/250 sec |
| Drive modes |
|
| Continuous drive | 7.0 fps |
| Self-timer | Yes (2 or 10 sec) |
| Metering modes |
|
| Exposure compensation | ±5 (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps) |
| Videography features | |
| Resolutions | 1920 x 1080 (60p, 30p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 30p) |
| Format | MPEG-4, H.264 |
| Videography notes | Choice of ALL-I or IPB codecs |
| Modes | Not implemented |
| Microphone | Stereo |
| Speaker | Mono |
| Storage | |
| Storage types | SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I support) |
| Connectivity | |
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| HDMI | Yes (mini-HDMI) |
| Microphone port | Yes |
| Headphone port | Yes |
| Wireless | Built-In |
| Wireless notes | 802.11/b/g/n with NFC |
| Remote control | Yes (Wired, wireless, or via smartphone) |
| Physical | |
| Environmentally sealed | Yes |
| Battery | Battery Pack |
| Battery description | LP-E6N lithium-ion battery & charger |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 960 |
| Weight (inc. batteries) | 730 g (1.61 lb / 25.75 oz) |
| Dimensions | 139 x 105 x 79 mm (5.47 x 4.13 x 3.11″) |
| Other features | |
| Orientation sensor | Yes |
| Timelapse recording | Yes |
| GPS | None |
Body & design
Control points on the Canon EOS 80D are nearly identical to its predecessor, the EOS 70D. In fact, with the exception of a change in the physical shape of the Q Menu and Playback button, you'd be hard pressed to tell the 80D apart from the 70D, in terms of physical design and button placement.
There are a couple of other subtle differences between the two though, like the addition of a headphone port on the 80D as well as an extra custom spot on the mode dial ('effects' has also been added to the mode dial).
Top of camera
From the top, the 80D looks just like the 70D. On the left side of the camera is the mode dial, which has a locking mechanism to avoid accidental bumps. On the right side of the camera, along the LCD, you'll find direct access to AF mode, Drive, ISO and Metering. None of these buttons can be reassigned, but given how EOS DSLRs have evolved over the past couple of decades we didn't expect them to be. To the right of the Metering mode button is the LCD panel illumination button.
In-between the control dial and shutter release is the AF area selection button. It is specifically meant to be used with one's eye to the finder. Tapping it allows users to jump between the four AF area modes quickly (modes are displayed in the top of the finder when the button is hit).
Of the buttons offered along the top right portion of the camera, only the ISO and AF area selection button can be used with one's eye to the finder. The rest require looking at the top LCD to change.
If you're considering the 80D as an upgrade to one of Canon's Rebel-series cameras you'll get quite a few more physical control points. Even an upgrade from the current flagship Rebel T6s (which has two control wheels) gains you an AF-On button, AF Mode button, Drive button and Metering button. An upgrade from any other Rebel camera will double your number of control wheels.
Back of camera
The 80D (left) has an articulating touch LCD, but no AF joystick, while the 7D Mark II (right) has an AF joystick but no articulating touchscreen.
Ergonomically, the major thing that you sacrifice by choosing the 80D over the 7D Mark II is an AF selection joystick. There are, however, several options for moving your point or zone around the frame. The default method involves hitting the AF Point Selection button and then using the control dial and Multi-controller to move up/down and left/right. You can also reprogram the Multi-controller's arrow keys to move your AF point, but that can be uncomfortable to reach.
When I started this review, I also found the location of the AF-On button to be a little confusing, especially with the other two identically sized buttons next to it. This often resulted in me hitting the wrong button when I meant to hit AF-On. And was especially true with my eye to the finder.
Of course, in addition to physical buttons, the 80D also has a touchscreen where most settings can be adjusted with the press of a finger. You can read more about its functionality.
In your hand
The majority of control points on the 80D are well-placed and easy to access without much fuss. However, if you opt to set the multi-controller as your AF point selector, it can be very difficult to access with one's eye to the finder. It requires a fairly large downwards movement of your thumb.
Operation and Controls
The 80D's menu contains no surprises. Those upgrading from older generations of EOS cameras should feel right at home.
The 80D incorporates Canon's latest tabbed menu system. Depending which mode you've selected via the Mode dial, you'll have either five menu sections or three (when using P, TV, AV, M, B, C1, or C2, you'll have all five). Those five sections, (shown above) include the Shooting, Playback, Setup, and Custom Function menus and a My Menu option in which you can save your favorite options for quick access. Those last two sections are not available in what Canon refers to as the 'Basic Zone Modes,' AKA, the beginner modes.
For more control offer the nitty gritty operation, head to the Custom Function Menu. There you'll find three sub-sections including Exposure, Autofocus and Operation/Other. The Autofocus sub-section in particular has a lot of useful options, which we look at closer on the AF page. Unlike it's big brother, the 7D Mark II, the 80D does not have a dedicated AF menu.
Touchscreen operation
The bottom left corner of the screen has a nifty toggle to switch between touch-to-shoot and touch-to-focus. You can also access the Quick Menu via the 'Q" in the upper right.
The Canon 80D uses the latest implementation of Canon's touchscreen interface - basically the same found in the EOS Rebel T6s. All of the functions and settings you can access via physical buttons, you can also change through the touchscreen interface via the Q menu (simply tap the 'Q' in the upper right of the screen). When shooting stills in Live view mode, the touchscreen can be used to select a subject to track or to lock focus on a specific point. You can also set the camera to focus and fire the shutter with a single tap of a finger.
For users worried about using the touchscreen when shooting in the cold while wearing gloves, there is an option on page four of the Setup Menu called 'Touch control.' Here you can switch the touchscreen to sensitive mode (or turn the touchscreen off all together). I tried using the 80D on sensitive mode wearing a pair of relatively thin gloves and found it still was quite responsive.
Unfortunately, the touchscreen can not be used as an AF touchpad when one's eye is to the finder. We've seen this feature offered by other manufacturers, and it would be a nice way to get around the fact that the 80D does not have a physical AF joystick for selecting autofocus points.
The touchscreen interface can also be used from within the camera menu and during playback. Users can pinch-to-zoom and swipe to quickly flip through images. For more on using the touchscreen's operation and best practices in both stills and video mode, head to our live view & touchscreen page.
Q Menu
The Q menu can be interacted with by touch, which makes accessing controls very easy.
When shooting through the viewfinder, hitting the 'Q' button on back of the camera calls up the Quick Menu. It looks identical to the Q Menu found in all current Canon DSLRs, and is not customizable. The touchscreen is especially handy for quickly changing settings from the Q menu. You can also use the Multi-controller to access the various settings.
Auto ISO
There are a couple of ways to bias the default Auto ISO shutter speed, including the slider shown above.
The 80D uses Canon's most recent iteration of Auto ISO, which is fully programmable. You have two ways to control your minimum shutter speed: either by picking a physical shutter speed, ranging in full stops, or by using a slider to bias the default shutter speed to faster or slower than the default.
The default shutter speed tends to be near one over the focal length, which in real world shooting, is often too slow, certainly for anything other than static scenes or landscapes. If you intend on using Auto ISO, we recommend biasing to a faster speed. I personally biased it 2-stops over the focal length.
Customization
The function of many of the buttons and dials on the 80D can be customized to a modest extent from within the Custom Function Menu. To do this, head to page four of the Operation/Other sub-section, where you'll find a list of control points with re-assignable functions.
| Functions that can be assigned when the shutter is half pressed: | |
|---|---|
| • Metering and AF start* • Metering Start | • AE lock (while button is pressed) |
| Functions that can be assigned to the AF-on button: | |
|---|---|
| • Metering and AF start* • AE lock/FE lock • AF stop • AE lock (hold) | • AE lock • FE lock • Off |
| Functions that can be assigned to the AE-lock button: | |
|---|---|
| • AE lock/FE lock* • Metering and AF start • AF stop • AE lock (hold) | • AE Lock • FE Lock • Off |
| Functions that can be assigned to DOF Preview button: | |
|---|---|
| • Preview Depth of Field* • AF stop • AE lock/FE lock • One Shot/AI Servo toggle • IS start | • AE lock (hold) • AE lock • FE lock • Off |
| Functions that can be assigned to the Lens AF Stop button: | |
|---|---|
| • AF stop* • Metering and AF start • AE lock/FE lock • One Shot/AI Servo toggle • IS start | • AE lock (hold) • AE lock • FE lock • Off |
| Functions that can be assigned to the Set button: | |
|---|---|
| • Off* • Image quality • Picture style • White Balance • Menu | • ISO speed • Flash Exp. Comp. • Exp. Comp. • Flash function setting |
In addition to the above, you can also determine whether the front and rear dial control your shutter speed or aperture.
Custom Shooting Menu
The 80D has two spots on the mode dial where camera settings can be saved. Once you have the camera set up to your liking, you can register and save its settings to either C1 or C2. To do that, simply head to the Setup menu, and select the option "Custom shooting mode (C1, C2)," found on page four. From within that option, click "Register settings," and your done.
This can be extremely handy if you need to frequently shoot in the same environment. For instance, there's a local music venue by my apartment I like to shoot at. Using the C settings banks I can just dial in the correct settings for the lighting in that venue, and for the kind of bands I shoot. This way, I can simply roll into the venue and hit the ground shooting with the right camera settings, without having to fumble with controls in the dark.
Shooting Experience
All of the images and videos on this page were shot using the new EF-S 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 IS USM kit lens. ISO 100, 1/1250 sec, F5.6. Shot at 18mm.
The Canon EOS 80D is an enthusiast-level DSLR geared toward photographers looking for a capable stills and video camera. The 80D sports a brand new 24MP APS-C sensor, a 3" articulating touchscreen, a new 45-point AF system (with dual pixel AF for movies and live view shooting) and 1080/60p video capture capabilities. Like its predecessor, the camera has a weather-resistant construction and a nearly-identical body design.
I had the opportunity to test the 80D having just finished field testing the Sony a6300, a mirrorless camera which also sports a 24MP APS-C sensor and a similar launch price. On paper, the a6300 out-specs the 80D in many categories, like 4K video capture, 11 fps shooting and most notably, its 425-point AF system. But don't fall into the trap of thinking specs alone make the a6300 a better camera. In hand, it feels as if you're holding a small magnesium rectangle jam-packed with cutting-edge technology, but to some degree, the operation and menus feel like a work in progress. In contrast, holding the 80D feels like you're holding the product of 20+ years of R&D. Which is to say: the 80D feels more refined in operation and more intuitive to use than the a6300.
Of course there are also quite a lot of other APS-C sensor cameras on the market that fall into a similar price range and class to the 80D. Its closest DSLR competitor is most likely the Nikon D7200 (though the Pentax K-3 II also comes to mind). Both the Nikon and the Canon offer very similar still and video specifications, though the D7200 does not have a touchscreen, nor does it offer an equivalent to Canon's dual pixel AF. There's also the EOS 7D Mark II, Canon's top tier APS-C camera. It offers features generally associated with more pro-level cameras like Intelligent Tracking and Recognition (which the 80D does not). And while the 7D Mark II is priced higher than the 80D, it is interesting to note that the 80D uses a newer sensor that we've found offers much better dynamic range than previous Canon cameras, including the 7D II.
General camera ergonomics
The 80D is very easy to operate with a single hand. The grip is extremely comfortable, and at 1.8 lbs, the 80D shouldn't break your back. I do have few small frustrations though: the AF-on button is located next to two other identically-sized buttons and is the most difficult, at least for me, to hit of the three. I also find the switch to lock the back control wheel, which by default is set to Exposure Compensation, can be bumped into the lock position far too easily. In fact, every single time I went to adjust my Exposure Comp., it was locked.
The 80D has an articulating touchscreen, which I used to frame this shot. ISO 100, 1/200 sec, F10. Shot at 24mm.
Finally, I've found that the video record start/stop button isn't quite as sensitive as it should be. I actually missed a few clips because I hit the start button, thinking capture had begun, when in fact it had not.
Of course, it is much easier and quicker to point out frustrations in a camera's ergonomics, than list everything the company did right. Overall the 80D is a well-designed camera with terrific ergonomics, sensibly-organized menus, and mostly-logical button placement. And unlike most mirrorless cameras, the battery life on the 80D is frankly, a breath of fresh air. A whole day of shooting stills and video (about 700 stills, and 35 videos, most about 30 secs in length) resulted in only a 1/4 drain on the battery.
Dynamic range
Canon's large-sensor cameras are not exactly known for their dynamic range. Pushing the exposure on a Canon Raw file even a couple stops (or just turning on vignetting correction) can result in the shadow detail starting to fall apart. But the 80D uses a spanking new sensor that supposedly offers better dynamic range than past Canon release. But does it?
Yes it does! We ran the 80D through our exposure latitude and raw dynamic test and found that the new sensor is substantially better than previous Canon sensor in terms of dynamic range. It's not quite on the same level as the Nikon D7200 or other cameras using recent Sony APS-C Sony sensors, but the improvement is definitely something to cheer about if you're a Canon shooter.
Original exposure, gently edited in ACR. ISO 100 1/500 sec at F16.
Exposure pushed +2.5 stops, Shadows pulled up +50 in Adobe Camera Raw.
The silhouetted image above on the left was processed through Adobe Camera Raw without adjusting the exposure, while the image on the right was pushed a full 2.5 stops. Have a look specifically at the areas in the image on the right that were previously in the shadows. While this isn't a perfect example, it should give you an idea of what kind of dynamic range the 80D offers.
Video
It is very easy to shoot nice-looking video with the 80D. The touchscreen is an absolute pleasure for selecting focus points, and Dual Pixel AF allows for continuous focus during video capture. In use, it is excellent, with minimal to no hunting and fast acquisition. When using the widest AF area option, called 'Auto selection: 45 pt AF,' the camera will automatically look for faces in the scene and focus on them. If it finds no face, it will instead focus on the nearest object.
Video quality looks decent. It can't touch the quality of footage coming from the likes of the a6300, but for most enthusiast shooters, the quality will be good enough. And the inclusion of both a mic and headphone jack should add to the camera's video appeal.
Unfortunately, several video making tools that seem to be par for the course when it comes to other manufacturers, are absent in the 80D, specifically: Focus peaking, zebra stripes and a clean-HDMI out option. There is also no C-Log gamma option (a very flat tone curve useful for color grading).
Auto ISO
The default Auto ISO shutter speed often was not fast enough for the scenarios I was shooting. At one point while field testing the camera, a humming bird flew right up to me and hovered mid air for long enough for me to bring the camera to my eye and fire a shot. Unfortunately, the 80D decided that 1/200 sec was the most appropriate shutter speed. Needless to say, the resulting shot was blurred.
Canon has recently been updating its Auto ISO implementations to make them fully programmable (a la Nikon and now Sony), and it's great to see this update in the 80D. You have two ways to control your minimum shutter speed when using Auto ISO. You can either pick a physical shutter speed, ranging in full stops, or use a slider to bias the default shutter speed to faster or slower than the default. If you use Auto ISO, I strongly recommend the first thing you do when picking up the 80D is push the shutter default to a faster setting.
AF features
The Canon 80D features a brand new AF system and an increase in AF points over its predecessor, from 19 to 45. Coverage area has also been improved, and all of the points are cross-type. One of the most note-worthy features of the 80D's AF system comes in Live View, which now offers continuous AF (called AI Servo). It is only the second Canon camera to do this (the Rebel T6s was the first), but the 80D's Dual Pixel AF is far more capable than the Hybrid AF system found on the T6s. This feature can be used during still or video shooting and should prove especially useful on the video end. That said, we're also hopeful that it can be used to reliably subject track in stills mode as well (initial impressions are positive, but more on that below).
The 80D's touchscreen has both touch-to-shoot and touch-to-focus capabilities. In use, the touchscreen is just OK - its operation can be a bit laggy, especially if you are trying to quickly move your AF point. The camera does have a sensitivity slider, but even adjusting it to its most sensitive setting doesn't seem to help the lagginess much.
I was disappointed to find out that the touchscreen can not be used as an AF track pad when one's eye is to the finder. Many camera companies have been including this feature (like Olympus in the PEN F and Panasonic in the GX8, and Nikon in the D5500) and it is extremely useful. A missed opportunity on Canon's part for sure. To be fair, the 4-way controller on the back of the camera can be assigned to direct AF point selection (but it's mushy and not well-positioned for quick thumb access with your eye to the finder). You can also use the AF Point Selection button, though I found it frustrating to use when shooting with a single AF point.
I also discovered that there is no way to use touch-to-shoot in continuous drive. Even if you have the camera set to continuous drive, it will simply ignore your selection and default to single frame advance mode (the use cases for this may be limited, but I did find myself in a scenario where touch-to-shoot + burst would have been helpful). In general, I found that using the FlexiZone-Single option, while tapping to specify the area, gave me the best results when using both touch-to-shoot and touch-to-focus.
AF real world impressions.
Of course, continuous AF and subject tracking aren't the only things that matters in an autofocus system, sensitivity is also important. Canon states the 80D's center AF point is sensitive down to -3EV, which should translate to responsive AF performance using the center point, even in very low light. I ran a quick test in our studio to see if this was the case. Using the EF-S 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 kit lens, and with all lights off except for a dimmed incandescent bulb, I pointed the 80D at out studio test chart. But not before first switching the lens to MF and throwing focus way off (I then switched it back to AF before shooting). With my eye to the finder, I acquired focus and fired a frame. I did this several times at both the wide end and the tele end of the lens' zoom range. In both cases, the 80D was able to acquire accurate focus nearly instantaneously, which is impressive, especially considering the F5.6 max aperture at the tele end.
And to give you a sense of how dim the above scenario was, when I was testing the low light AF performance at the kit lens' widest end, I was shooting at ISO 16,000, at 1/30 sec F3.5, which gave me a proper exposure. This is good news for low light shooters, like myself. I'm especially fond of music photography and its encouraging to know that the AF system will perform, even in some of the lowest light scenarios the camera is probably capable of shooting an image in. For instance, with a 24mm F1.4 lens attached, I should be able to shoot at ISO 12,800 1/100 sec F1.4 while still enjoying accurate and responsive AF performance (well, as long as I've microadjusted).
The takeaway
It can be hard to get excited about enthusiast level DSLR updates. But in the case of the 80D, enough has been improved upon over its predecessor that while looking nearly identical, the 80D truly is a whole new camera (not just a granular update).
It offers reasonable specs, an easy-to-use interface (the touchscreen adds quite a bit to the camera's ease of use) and a familiar design. Toss in the fact that it offers maybe the best dynamic range of any Canon DSLR to date, and the 80D has even more appeal. For Canon system users, specifically enthusiasts considering an upgrade from either a Rebel or an older camera, there is an awful lot to like about the 80D.
Performance
Auto ISO
This was shot after I pushed the 80D's Auto ISO minimum shutter speed default to its fastest setting. Out of the box, when using Auto ISO, the 80D offers a shutter speed about equivalent to 1 over the focal length. However, in the menus, there is a slider to bias the minimum shutter speed by 1, 2 or 3 stops above default (as well as 1,2 and 3 stops below the default). You can also assign a physical shutter speed number to be the camera's default. ISO 100, 1/400 sec, F7.1. Shot at 135mm.
Canon has recently been updating its Auto ISO implementations to make them fully programmable (a la Nikon and now Sony), and it's great to see this update in the 80D. You have two ways to control your minimum shutter speed when using Auto ISO. You can either pick a physical shutter speed, ranging in full stops, or use a slider to bias the default shutter speed to faster or slower than the default. If you use Auto ISO, I strongly recommend the first thing you do when picking up the 80D is push the shutter default to a faster setting.
AF features
Shot using touch-to-focus. ISO 100, 1/200 sec, F5.6. Shot at 50mm. Cropped in slightly using ACR
The Canon 80D features a brand new AF system and an increase in AF points over its predecessor, from 19 to 45. Coverage area has also been improved, and all of the points are cross-type. One of the most note-worthy features of the 80D's AF system comes in Live View, which now offers continuous AF (called AI Servo). It is only the second Canon camera to do this (the Rebel T6s was the first), but the 80D's Dual Pixel AF is far more capable than the Hybrid AF system found on the T6s. This feature can be used during still or video shooting and should prove especially useful on the video end. That said, we're also hopeful that it can be used to reliably subject track in stills mode as well (initial impressions are positive, but more on that below).
The 80D's touchscreen has both touch-to-shoot and touch-to-focus capabilities. In use, the touchscreen is just OK - its operation can be a bit laggy, especially if you are trying to quickly move your AF point. The camera does have a sensitivity slider, but even adjusting it to its most sensitive setting doesn't seem to help the lagginess much.
I was disappointed to find out that the touchscreen can not be used as an AF track pad when one's eye is to the finder. Many camera companies have been including this feature (like Olympus in the PEN F and Panasonic in the GX8, and Nikon in the D5500) and it is extremely useful. A missed opportunity on Canon's part for sure. To be fair, the 4-way controller on the back of the camera can be assigned to direct AF point selection (but it's mushy and not well-positioned for quick thumb access with your eye to the finder). You can also use the AF Point Selection button, though I found it frustrating to use when shooting with a single AF point.
I also discovered that there is no way to use touch-to-shoot in continuous drive. Even if you have the camera set to continuous drive, it will simply ignore your selection and default to single frame advance mode (the use cases for this may be limited, but I did find myself in a scenario where touch-to-shoot + burst would have been helpful). In general, I found that using the FlexiZone-Single option, while tapping to specify the area, gave me the best results when using both touch-to-shoot and touch-to-focus.
AF real world impressions.
Continuous AF (AI Servo) using a single point gave me the best hit rate, as long as kept my point over the subject. ISO 100 1/500 sec, at F8 (I probably should have used a faster shutter speed).
My initial impressions of the 80D's AF capabilities are largely positive. I shot quite a bit using the camera in AI Servo mode using either a single point or the Zone AF area mode, with mostly excellent results. Zone AF can sometimes get confused as to which point(s) to use to stay on your subject, so single point is still most reliable. Subject tracking is particularly limited compared to the EOS 7D Mark II, the company's priciest APS-C offering, because the 80D lacks Canon's Intelligent Tracking and Recognition. Still, I wanted to get some real impressions of advanced subject tracking ability, so I set AF area to the entire frame (Multi-Area AF) with a manually selected initial point - where the camera automatically moves the initial AF point throughout the entire grid to stick to an initially targeted subject, no matter where it moves to within the frame.
When shooting with one's eye to the finder, the 80D isn't great at staying on a subject once it has been identified. This is partly due to the fact that being a DSLR, the 80D cannot not use its image sensor to track (except in Live View mode of course) and likely does not use its metering sensor, which is essentially a low resolution image sensor, either. Although I got lousy results in my initial tests, subject tracking in viewfinder mode is somewhat case specific and has the potential to work well for subjects on non-complex backgrounds, and particularly subjects well isolated in depth (distance) at longer focal lengths.
On the other hand, my experience trying subject tracking in Live View mode was much more positive. When using the touch LCD to subject track, one can simply tap the screen to identify a subject. I had the chance to use this method while shooting candids of friends. The 80D did a great job staying on a subject once identified, which isn't very surprising: using the image sensor to identify, understand, and track your subject is more reliable than using only distance information to subject track. Furthermore, if you do not tap the screen to identify a subject right off the bat, the camera will settle for the nearest face it finds (as long as you're in Face + Tracking mode).
Of course, using Live View (the touchscreen) to shoot a burst means you only get the stop-action-style playback of images when firing, which can make it difficult to follow your subject.
Also shot using AI Servo, this one using the Zone AF area, placed in the center of the frame. Overall I found using a single point gave me better results when using continuous focus. For the record, the little guy was cruising real fast! I saw him coming down the sidewalk out of the corner of my eye, and only had time to snap two frames; the first was a little blurry, the second (shown here) was sharp. ISO 100, 1/500 sec, F7.1. Shot at 135mm.
And to give you a sense of how dim the above scenario was, when I was testing the low light AF performance at the kit lens' widest end, I was shooting at ISO 16,000, at 1/30 sec F3.5, which gave me a proper exposure. This is good news for low light shooters, like myself. I'm especially fond of music photography and its encouraging to know that the AF system will perform, even in some of the lowest light scenarios the camera is probably capable of shooting an image in. For instance, with a 24mm F1.4 lens attached, I should be able to shoot at ISO 12,800 1/100 sec F1.4 while still enjoying accurate and responsive AF performance (well, as long as I've microadjusted).
The takeaway
It can be hard to get excited about enthusiast level DSLR updates. But in the case of the 80D, enough has been improved upon over its predecessor that while looking nearly identical, the 80D truly is a whole new camera (not just a granular update).
It offers reasonable specs, an easy-to-use interface (the touchscreen adds quite a bit to the camera's ease of use) and a familiar design. Toss in the fact that it offers maybe the best dynamic range of any Canon DSLR to date, and the 80D has even more appeal. For Canon system users, specifically enthusiasts considering an upgrade from either a Rebel or an older camera, there is an awful lot to like about the 80D.
Performance
The Canon EOS 80D can fire bursts at up to 7 fps. ISO 160, 1/1000 sec at F5. Shot using the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM at 234mm
Overall performance from the EOS 80D is excellent. The camera is very responsive and quick to start up. The location of the on/off switch also makes it easy to turn the camera on with one's hand as the camera is brought up to the eye. Also convenient: the menu remembers the previous location you accessed, making it easy to jump back and readjust settings.
Burst shooting
The Canon EOS 80D is capable of 7 fps continuous shooting, which is the same burst rate as its predecessor, the EOS 70D. By comparison, the EOS 7D Mark II can shoot at 10 fps.
We decided to put the 80D's burst capabilities to the test, for both through the viewfinder and live view shooting. 'Buffer Limit' in the charts below refers to the number of images you can expect before the camera begins slowing down the burst. All of our testing was done using a SDXC UHS-II/U3 card.
Sequential High (through the viewfinder)
| Frame rate | Buffer limit | |
|---|---|---|
| JPEG Large/Fine | 7 fps | Unlimited |
| RAW | 7 fps | 24 shots |
| RAW + JPEG Fine | 7 fps | 20 shots |
Sequential Low (through the viewfinder)
| Frame rate | Buffer limit | |
|---|---|---|
| JPEG Large/Fine | 3 fps | Unlimited |
| RAW | 3 fps | 95 shots |
| RAW + JPEG Fine | 3 fps | 30 shots |
Regardless of what image size you've selected, you'll get either 7 fps in sequential high, or 3 fps in sequential low, when shooting through the viewfinder. The only thing your file size limits is the number of shots per burst.
Sequential High (live view)
| Frame rate | Buffer limit | |
|---|---|---|
| JPEG Large/Fine | 3.6 fps | Unlimited |
| RAW | 3.6 fps | 45 shots |
| RAW + JPEG Fine | 3.6 fps | 25 shots |
Sequential Low (live view)
| Frame rate | Buffer limit | |
|---|---|---|
| JPEG Large/Fine | 2.4 fps | Unlimited |
| RAW | 2.4 fps | Unlimited |
| RAW + JPEG Fine | 2.4 fps | 36 shots |
In general, shooting bursts in live view slows things down quite significantly. It's also worth pointing out that regardless of whether we fired bursts with the AF mode set one shot or AI Servo, we experienced the same exact burst speeds and buffer limits, across the board.
Battery
The Canon EOS 80D uses the LP-E6 rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which is standard among the majority of the DSLRs in the EOS system (excluding Rebels and the flagship EOS-1D X and 1D X II). The unit also ships with a dedicated LC-E6 wall charger.
According to CIPA standards, with a fully charged LP-E6 users can expect at least 960 shots out of the 80D. In my real world shooting, I was easily able to surpass that number on a single charge. In fact, my first day out with the camera, I shot around 700 stills and 35 videos (most 30 seconds in length) and only drained an indicated 1/4 of the battery.
