The Canon EOS IX7 – Photography Shouldn’t Be This Easy!

In its roundup of the top 56 cameras for the new millennium, Popular Photography December 1999 issue included the Canon EOS IX7 in its list (also known as the IX Lite)You can find the full review here. In part it stated:

” this IX remains an exceptionally capable SLR usable by beginners, yet having sufficient controls and features for critical advanced photographers”

Over twenty years later and I can indeed testify to the accuracy of that statement. This APS camera makes taking photos sooo simple. 😮 Let me tell you why I found that to be the case.

Firstly, because it takes an APS film cassette, loading the camera is supremely easy. Pop the door of the film chamber open,

put the film cassette in and close the door, done!

The film has DX coding so the film speed is immediately recongnised and set. You can manually set the film speed. This was the principle reason for purchasing this camera as I have a number of out of date films to use up. I have used a Nikon Pronea S, review found here, but it only has Auto DX coding. The only way to compensate for out of date film in the Pronea S is to use exposure compensation, which did work but I would rather have the ability to set my own film speed. So a compelling reason to get a Canon EOS IX 7, well I think so anyway🥸

Because it is an EOS , it benefits from all the controls and features that I have grown accustomed to using in a camera in this range.

One unusual function is the shutter release button or rather the dial around it that allows the user to make selections of shutter speeds when in Tv mode or aperture values while in Av mode or both when in full manual mode. I was initially concerned that I might actuate the shutter when trying to set my aperture values when I was in Av mode. I shouldn’t have been concerned because in reality it worked really well.

The button the the left of the shutter release allows you to make selections from the three, yes I said three, focus point included with the IX 7. I found I used the camera mostly with all three available. When the subject was out of range of these focus points it was not difficult to achieve focus lock. By partially holding the shutter button and acquiring focus on the subject then simply recompose the image.

The IX 7 came with a number of 200 ISO, 40 exposure Centuria films all with process before dates of 09/2006.

An interesting aside is that they all have the price of £5.95 on them. I thought that helps to put the price of film that we now have to pay in some context 🤔

I decided to rate the film at ISO 100 and developed it as detailed here. Since I have a small supply of these films I thought I would create my own bespoke film holder as the one supplied with the Epsom V370 does not support that format.

It did the job!

I knew from my previous encounter that there may be some colour shift. Not bad methinks! I very quickly found myself right at home with the IX7, so much so that I tried a little experimentation with ICM.