Watch Your Exposure When Shooting!!

That's right...this ain't your momma's video camera!

If you're used to shooting stills on a DSLR, then you'll know how vital it is to use that exposure meter within your viewfinder. Even with the 7D's LiveView feature for still shooting, what you see in the 3" LCD is NOT what you're shot is going to look like when you load it onto your computer's display.

The same goes for shooting video on the 7D. When setting your aperture & ISO, don't rely on the viewfinder for a good, balanced image. Use the meter! Keep your exposure somewhere within -1 to +1, or as close to center as possible. Trust me, you're going to look at your screen and want to crank open the iris or increase your ISO. You will regret it in post...trust me, I learned that the hard way!

The day after my 7D arrived (and after having shot maybe 3 minutes of footage with it) I was invited to tag along with a friend who was photographing a wedding. I got permission to bring my 7D and shoot some footage. We were outdoors, and there was still snow on the ground. The building where the wedding took place was a large granite temple...snow + granite = blazingly bright! Things looked great in my viewfinder, but in my haste and inexperience, I failed to consult the ever-vital light meter. When I got home and plugged the camera to my TV to preview the shots, I was blown away - not by how great they were, but by how BRIGHT they were! Lesson learned!

There are a lot of great forums on this topic, my favorite are from DVinfo.net. I recommend signing up for a free users account there, and ask your questions. You'll be answered by some of the best minds in the world of 7D filmmaking.