Hi guys, I'm thinking of upgrading from a 550 (t2i) to a 7d for not other reason than the ability to output 1080i through hdmi whilst recording (iso increments and build quality a bonus)

Can anyone confirm that it is possible to focus/pull focus on a lilliput monitor whilst rolling with the 7d? Does anyone have experience of this or any further comments?

Many thanks, John

Just a note on the 7d's output John, it is NOT a clean 1080p. It is a scaled down rez, and you will be seeing parts of the HUD.

That being said, it is possible to pull focus from an external monitor.
My friend has a t2i + redrock FF + and Jag35 SD external monitor, and by using the "zoom" function, we can pull critical focus.

I recommend taking a look at the SmallHD DP6 monitor. Very high resolution and a built in mode for filling the monitor screen with the 5D and 7D HDMI output.

You can also rent from them to try it yourself before you make the decision to purchase.