New 70d

[Yorptunes]

Santa brought me a new 70D. All I can say is awesome. Will spend the day getting to know the camera. I am also a 7D owner so a smaller learning curve I am sure.

[TCampbell]

I certainly hope you had amazing cookies and milk laid out for Santa!

Now you have the cool focusing system that does an amazing job tracking focus when shooting video! The phase-detect is nearly (but not quite) identical to your 7D. The 7D allows you to set reduced or expanded size focus points. The 70D has the same 19 point cross-type focus point layout but you can't reduce or expand them.

[Yorptunes]

I have had a few hours to try the 70D out and the continuous auto focus in live mode is living up beyond my expectations.  I consider myself to have a real good eye for getting great shots, however that eye is weak and my focusing with my other cameras has had some moments and some disappointing results.  I wish I would have had it on my last two trips to Alaska and Switzerland.  This coming year I will be touring the British Isles and will take the 70D and the 7D.  I am struggling with the wifi set up.  I will wait until my IT son comes over to help with that.  

[Yorptunes]

I figured out the WIFI set up on my own.  It was quite easy when I realized the camera emits the signal and not visa versa.  I love the remote feature on the iphone.  It shows what my camera is looking at, the settings that are set, and a button to press on when I snap the picture.  I have been experimenting with the camera now putting it down low, up high to get different perspectives which are difficult when holding onto the camera.  

[TCampbell]

Sounds like you're having fun!  

The height of the camera can really change the look when shooting people.   Shooting a standing human subject from a slightly lower height will make them appear tall to the viewer.  If the camera is up high and angled slightly downward then it will make a subject appear a bit shorter.  These aren't drastic height differences... just a foot or so is enough to suggest a difference.

The remote app makes it possible to mount the camera on a tall mono-pod or even a boom-arm or mast to capture shots with very interesting angles.   On another forum, I know a photographer who owns a fairly substantial camera mast (I don't recall the heigh, but he can run the camera fairly high up in the air -- it might be 50'.).  He showed us photos taking from a beautifully landscaped park (formal gardens) -- from normal eye-level and another from the top of the camera mast.  It's amazing how much it changes the overall look and perspective. 

[KarlKrueger]

  I love the remote feature on the iphone.  It shows what my camera is looking at, the settings that are set, and a button to press on when I snap the picture.

1) Are you saying that you can set up the camera ready to shoot, move away from it and see what is on the field of view, then when your subject of interest enters the field you can snap the picture?

2) If that is true how far away can you get to activate the shutter?

3) What about the camera shutting off automatically to reserve power? How long can you keep it in wait mode like this?

[Yorptunes]

KARL:

Reply to question #1.....yes that is exactly what you can do.  

Reply to question #2.....As long as the battery life of your camera and phone.  the 70D can be set at turn off increments up to 30 minutes, or totally disabled.  

Replu to question #3....pending I have to resarch or field test that.  But so far no problems to at least 20 feet.  

[Yorptunes]

Sorry got the numbering order messed up.

I also found a WEB article that report ranges of 140-180 feet pending on the location where your shooting. I am sure any wall between the camera and you will shorten the distance.

[Yorptunes]

I did fail to mention the WIFI feature does not work if you are shooting video. You must disable the WIFI to shoot video on the 70D.

[KarlKrueger]

Wow what you guys are saying is almost too good to believe. My reason for asking this I'm thinking of upgrading to a 70D from the SX-50 I have been using for doing wildlife photography. Many of the prettiest waterfowl are very shy of humans so they will move to the other side of the lake (usually about 200 feet away - out of reach for a quality photo). I can see myself setting this up on a tripod, moving away, and wait till they swim back again within view of the camera. With this kind of feature who needs a 800mm lens for those type of situations.