I’ve tried the Canon EOS 80D recently and really enjoyed the camera, but it is always interesting to listen to what others have to say about a new model, especially when they take the time to mention the pros and cons of a model.
The reviewers from The Camera Store TV have not been very happy with Canon DSLR models up to now, but their review of the EOS 80D does change things. They absolutely liked the camera, although they pointed to some aspects that could be bettered. Maybe on a EOS 90D, if Canon decides to put more of the features of their Cinema EOS line on models of the EOS XXD series. They probably won’t, because that’s how it works, I guess…
If you use to read reviews and opinions online about cameras, be prepared to find a lot of different points of view regarding the same models. Do also try to read a few reviews, articles, opinions, and then form your own opinion. In the end, I do think you’ll tend to do as I do: prefer some writers/reviewers, those that write concise information about the models used, and take the time to explain what they did to reach their conclusions. Some articles we find online look more like a “hate note” on a particular model and/or brand than anything else, and they will not help you to make a decision if you’re looking for a model to buy.
I like written reviews, which I feel are easy to explore, browsing through different sections, going back to a specific paragraph, etc. Reviews like those published by Bryan Carnathan at The Digital Picture are what I consider a reliable source of information. I read his review of the Canon EOS 80D as soon as it was available, so I had the chance to compare some of his notes with the experience I had using the camera for some days.
Video reviews are usually something I skip, because many times I reach the end and discover that I lost a long time for nothing. This said, some reviews, like those I’ve seen from The Camera Store TV, are also on my list of reliable sources of information. Because I am a Canon user – I do not jump between brands as some people seem to do, although I’ve a few Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic and Fujifilm systems around – I’ve a special interest into whatever is Canon-related, so I could not skip the 18 minutes video-review, which confirmed the pros I found about the camera and also points to some cons I completely agree with and others that I understand may be important for the reviewers but I do not care about.
What’s important about the review and one of the reasons I, in the end, enjoy some video reviews, is the practical aspect of the whole presentation. You get to see people testing the camera, see the results they achieved and in the end you have a good idea of what the equipment can do in a real world situation. Both photography and video aspects of the EOS 80D, which I consider to be a video-centric DSLR, are reviewed in the video.
So, if you prefer to watch a video and want to know more about the Canon EOS 80D, sit back for 18 minutes and enjoy. In the end you’ll discover, as I did, that The Camera Store TV gave the camera a “glowing review” and that the EOS 80D is, according to their tests, the best Canon DSLR in the market now. Ah, and one last thing: the whole video was shot in autofocus using the Dual Pixel AF system from Canon. The camera will be one of the stars of the Canon booth at NAB 2016.