In bright sunlight, the LCD is still very readable. It's great for shooting video with the tap-to-focus feature, as I can minimize the risk of jostling the camera when tapping or pressing on the screen. Quick, light touches are enough to navigate through menus or tap on icons, even on the 'Standard' sensitivity setting. It doesn't appear to add any bulk compared to my 7D, and seems relatively robust and rugged. The touchscreen on the 70D is excellent, and feels very similar to that of a high-end smartphone. It can also be stored with the screen against the camera, meaning it's protected from scratches and bumps when I'm carrying it around, or when it's stashed away.Ĭoupled with fantastic capacitive touch capabilities, the articulating monitor proved to be a very versatile feature - made even more important since Live View shooting has been improved by the 70D's Dual Pixel CMOS AF system. The LCD folds out from the body and can swivel 270 degrees. For certain scenarios, I discovered that I love the 3-inch tilt-screen, such as when I needed to shoot at awkward angles on a tripod.

However, after using the 70D, I have to say, I think I'm a convert. In the past, I've normally dismissed this type of screen as somewhat gimmicky, and something that either adds bulk or is more fragile and easily broken. The 70D maintains the characteristic articulating LCD screen design of the 60D. Let's take a closer look at the camera, first. Did it work? Oh yes! But I won't spoil the surprise just yet. However, I started thinking creatively about what kinds of subjects I could shoot - or shoot more easily - in Live View mode, thanks to its Dual Pixel CMOS AF technology. The 70D does have a dedicated phase-detect AF sensor for viewfinder shooting, just like any other DSLR. My personal preference when shooting stills with a DSLR is to use the viewfinder nearly 100% of the time, unless I'm on a tripod shooting landscapes or using manual focus. When I first learned about the 70D's new AF system, it was immediately clear the camera would be huge for the video crowd, but I wondered how it would handle still photography.

In terms of still photography, I love my 5D Mark II for landscapes and occasional events or portraits, but my 7D has been my go-to still camera for capturing anything fast and tough to shoot, such as sports and wildlife, thanks to its more advanced autofocus and higher speed continuous shooting.

I started with a 7D, and a while later added a 5D Mark II to the mix. I've been a Canon user for a few years now and shoot both still photography and video.

Canon 70d bokeh video lens