Canon EOS 7D Mark II vs Pentax ist DL2

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2
      72
      Image cannot be found
      55
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found

      Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Canon EOS 7D Mark II and the Pentax ist DL2, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II was introduced in September 2014 and Pentax ist DL2 was introduced in January 2006. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II Highlights

      • 20.2 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 16,000 Native ISO
      • 65 Focus Points (65 Cross-type)
      • 3.0" 1,040k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder
      • 10.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1920 x 1080 Video Shooting
      • 30 min Video Recording Limit
      • Built-in Flash
      • Built-in GPS
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Pentax ist DL2 Highlights

      • 6 MP APS-C CCD Sensor
      • 200 - 3,200 Native ISO
      • 5 Focus Points
      • 2.5" 210k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (pentamirror) Viewfinder
      • 2.8 fps Continuous Shooting
      • Built-in Flash
      Table of Contents
      1. Overview
      2. Pros and Cons
      3. Advantage of Canon EOS 7D Mark II
      4. Advantage of Pentax ist DL2
      5. Common Strengths and Weaknesses
      6. Screen and Viewfinder
      7. Sensor
      8. Photography Features
      9. Connectivity, Battery and Storage
      10. Other Features
      11. Physical Parameters
      12. For Different Types of Photography
      13. Evaluations
      14. Specifications  

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Canon EOS 7D Mark II and Pentax ist DL2.

      PROS

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      •   Video Capture
      •   65 Focus Points
      •   65 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      •   Built-in Flash

      CONS

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Video Capture
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 6 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   5 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.8 fps
      •   Low USB Speed
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      •   Price
      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.2 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   16,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   -3 EV Min AF Detection
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   DxO Overall Score - 70
      •   Weight - 910 g (2.01 lb / 32.10 oz)
      •   Battery Life - 670 shots
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   DxO Overall Score - 65
      •   Weight - 565 g (1.25 lb / 19.93 oz)

      Advantage of Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Canon 7D II
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Canon EOS 7D Mark II over Pentax ist DL2.

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II vs Pentax ist DL2
      Video Capture vs
      Higher Sensor Resolution 20.2 Megapixel vs 6 Megapixel
      Lower Native ISO 100 vs 200
      Higher Native ISO 16,000 vs 3,200
      Max Image Resolution 5472 x 3648 vs 3008 x 2008
      Timelapse Recording vs
      More Focus Points 65 vs 5
      Center Autofocus vs
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Face Detection vs
      Live View Autofocus vs
      Contrast Detection for Autofocus vs
      Larger Screen 3.0" vs 2.5"
      Higher Resolution Screen 1,040k dot vs 210k dot
      Top LCD Screen vs
      Live View vs
      Higher Viewfinder Coverage 100% vs 95%
      Higher Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent) 0.63x vs 0.57x
      Higher Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/8000 sec vs 1/4000 sec
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 10.0 fps vs 2.8 fps
      Center Weighted Metering vs
      Spot Metering vs
      Partial Metering vs
      Higher DxO Low Light ISO 1082 vs 639
      Higher DxO Dynamic Range 11.8 vs 11.1
      Higher DxO Overall Score 70 vs 65
      Higher USB Speed USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (5 GBit/sec) vs USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbit/sec)
      HDMI Output Mini vs
      Microphone Input vs
      Headphone Output vs
      Built-in GPS vs
      Environmental Sealing vs
      More Storage Slots 2 vs 1
      Orientation Sensor vs

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Canon EOS 7D Mark II.

      Canon 5D II
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      21.1 MP

      Nikon Z6 II
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      24.5 MP

      Nikon Z5
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      24.3 MP

      OM System TG-7
      Image cannot be found

      1/2.3-inch

      12 MP

      Fujifilm X-E2S
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      16.3 MP

      Nikon 1 V2
      Image cannot be found

      1-inch

      14.2 MP

      Pentax 645Z
      Image cannot be found

      Medium format

      51.4 MP

      Canon 7D
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      18.0 MP

      Nikon L100
      Image cannot be found

      1/2.33-inch

      10.0 MP

      Canon SD1400 IS
      Image cannot be found

      1/2.3-inch

      14.1 MP

      Pentax K10D
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      10.2 MP

      Panasonic FH1
      Image cannot be found

      1/2.33-inch

      12.1 MP

      Advantage of Pentax ist DL2

      Pentax ist DL2
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found
      Image cannot be found

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Pentax ist DL2 over Canon EOS 7D Mark II.

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II vs Pentax ist DL2
      Average Metering vs
      Higher DxO Color Depth 22.4 vs 22.9
      Lighter 910 g (2.01 lb / 32.10 oz) vs 565 g (1.25 lb / 19.93 oz)

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Pentax ist DL2.

      Sony a7R V
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      61.0 MP

      Pentax K-01
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      16 MP

      Canon 5DS
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      50.6 MP

      Sony a7
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      24.3 MP

      Epson R-D1
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      6 MP

      Canon 70D
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      20.2 MP

      Sony DSLR-A580
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      16.2 MP

      Canon 5DS R
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      50.6 MP

      Canon Rebel T5
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      18.0 MP

      Samsung NX mini
      Image cannot be found

      1-inch

      20.5 MP

      Canon Rebel SL1
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      18.0 MP

      Sony DSLR-A700
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      10.24 MP

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Canon EOS 7D Mark II Pentax ist DL2
        Built-in Flash
      WEAKNESSES Canon EOS 7D Mark II Pentax ist DL2
        No Image Stabilization
        Screen TypeFixedFixed
        No Built-In Wi-Fi
        No Built-In Bluetooth

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II has a 3.0" screen with 1,040k dot resolution and Pentax ist DL2 has a 2.5" screen with 210k dot resolution. Both have Fixed screens.


      Viewfinder

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II has a built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinderPentax ist DL2 has a built-in Optical (pentamirror) viewfinder. Canon EOS 7D Mark II has 100% coverage with 1x (0.63x 35mm equivalent) magnification and Pentax ist DL2 has 95% coverage with 0.85x (0.57x 35mm equivalent) magnification.

      Sensor

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II features a 20.2 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 22.4 x 15 mm and a total area of 336 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 16,000 and expands to 100 - 51,200 in boosted mode. Pentax ist DL2 features a 6 megapixel APS-C CCD sensor with dimensions of 23.5 x 15.7 mm and a total area of 246.5 mm2. Its native ISO range is 200 - 3,200.


      Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how different sensors compare with each other:

      Sensor size chart
      Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
      Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
      Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
      Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
      Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

      Photography Features

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II is equipped with Dual DIGIC 6 processor and can take pictures up to 5472 x 3648 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 4104 x 2736 (M-Raw), 3648 x 2432, 2736 x 1824, 1920 x 1080, 720 x 480 with 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios. Pentax ist DL2 can take pictures up to 3008 x 2008 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 2400 x 1600, 1536 x 1024 with 3:2 aspect ratios.


      Lens Mount

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II has Canon EF/EF-S lens mount and Pentax ist DL2 has Pentax KAF lens mount. They both have APS-C sensor but because of a small size difference their crop factors (also called lens multiplier) differ from each other. Canon EOS 7D Mark II has the crop factor of 1.6x which means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.6. Pentax ist DL2 has the crop factor of 1.5x which means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.5.


      No Image Stabilization

      The cameras do not have image stabilization. On Canon EOS 7D Mark II it means that you need lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction. As for Pentax ist DL2 nothing can be done. On Pentax ist DL2 it means that you need lenses with optical image stabilization for vibration reduction. As for Canon EOS 7D Mark II nothing can be done.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Built-in GPS on Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II has a built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) technology which allows you to automatically tag the location where you took your photos. You can later categorize, organize, and search for photos based on location. This is very useful for travel and outdoor photographers for documenting the locations where images were captured.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in GPS.


      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB inputs for data transfer. connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II comes with LP-E6N battery pack with battery life of 670 shots and Pentax ist DL2 comes with 4 x AA battery pack.


      External Storage Slots

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II has two card slots - one for SD/SDHC/SDXC (UHS-I) and one for CompactFlash (UDMA 7). Pentax ist DL2 has a single SD/SDHC card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II has Electronically Controlled Vertical-travel Mechanical Focal-plane shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/8000 sec on Canon EOS 7D Mark II, and up to 1/4000 sec on Pentax ist DL2. Canon EOS 7D Mark II can shoot continuously up to 10.0 fps. Pentax ist DL2 can shoot continuously up to 2.8 fps.


      Focusing

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II has Dual Pixel CMOS AF system with 65 (65 cross-type) focusing points and Pentax ist DL2 has 5 focusing points. Canon EOS 7D Mark II has detection range from -3 to +18 EV.


      Exposure

      Exposure meterings of Canon EOS 7D Mark II ranges from 0 to +20 EV and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±5 EV range on Canon EOS 7D Mark II and ±3 EV range on Pentax ist DL2. You can also do exposure lock, exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Canon EOS 7D Mark II and exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Pentax ist DL2.


      Flash

      Cameras have built-in flash with maximum range of 12.00 m on Canon EOS 7D Mark II. They also accept external flash which can be connected via Hot Shoe or PC Terminal to Canon EOS 7D Mark II. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/250 sec on Canon EOS 7D Mark II.

      Physical Parameters

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II body has dimensions of 149 x 112 x 78 mm (5.87 x 4.41 x 3.07") and Pentax ist DL2 body has dimensions of 125 x 93 x 66 mm (4.92 x 3.66 x 2.6"). Canon EOS 7D Mark II weighs 910 g (2.01 lb / 32.10 oz) and Pentax ist DL2 weighs 565 g (1.25 lb / 19.93 oz).

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      149 mm

      112 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      125 mm

      93 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      112 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      93 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      Size comparisons of Canon EOS 7D Mark II and Pentax ist DL2

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II and Pentax ist DL2 for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      EXCELLENT
      86
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      AVERAGE
      63
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      GOOD
      71
      •   16,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   65 Focus Points
      •   65 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Battery Life - 670 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      POOR
      49
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   5 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.8 fps

      Wildlife Photography

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      AVERAGE
      66
      •   16,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   65 Focus Points
      •   65 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Battery Life - 670 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor
      POOR
      48
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   5 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.8 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Portrait Photography

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      GOOD
      79
      •   65 Focus Points
      •   65 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   5 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View

      Street Photography

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      GOOD
      79
      •   65 Focus Points
      •   65 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 910 g (2.01 lb / 32.10 oz)
      GOOD
      76
      •   5 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 565 g (1.25 lb / 19.93 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      GOOD
      79
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      •   Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 910 g (2.01 lb / 32.10 oz)
      •   Battery Life - 670 shots
      GOOD
      79
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 565 g (1.25 lb / 19.93 oz)

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Canon EOS 7D Mark II and Pentax ist DL2 and give them scores of 72 and 55 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      OVERALL
      72
      OVERALL
      55

      Sensor

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      AVERAGE
      68
      •   Sensor Resolution - 20.2 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   16,000 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 70
      AVERAGE
      68
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 6 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   3,200 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 65

      Photo

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      GOOD
      71
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      POOR
      52
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.8 fps

      Video

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      BAD
      32
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1920 x 1080
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   Low Video Recording Limit
      BAD
      0
      •   No Image Stabilization

      Focusing

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      GOOD
      84
      •   -3 EV Min AF Detection
      •   65 Focus Points
      •   65 Cross-type Focus Points
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      AVERAGE
      69
      •   5 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      GOOD
      73
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,040k dot
      AVERAGE
      64
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 2.5"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 210k dot

      Connectivity

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      EXCELLENT
      86
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      POOR
      47
      •   Low USB Speed
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Canon EOS 7D Mark II

      Pentax ist DL2

      GOOD
      72
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 910 g (2.01 lb / 32.10 oz)
      •   Battery Life - 670 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      POOR
      43
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 565 g (1.25 lb / 19.93 oz)


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

      Amazon Affiliate Disclosure
      ZKelectronics is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon (.com, .co.uk, .ca, etc) and any other websites that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program.