Canon refreshes the EOS 20D
By
Michael R. Tomkins, The Imaging Resource
(Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 06:00 EST)
Camera giant Canon Inc. has today announced the much-rumored EOS 30D digital camera, a closely related sibling of the existing EOS 20D model, but with a number of notable changes.
The most outwardly notable change is the replacement of the 20D's 1.8" LCD display with a 2.5" LCD that offers double the resolution, and is said to offer a wide angle of view and improved visibility. Canon has also added its Picture Style controls as previously seen on the EOS-1D Mark IIN and the EOS 5D, which aim to tweak the camera's sharpness, contrast, saturation, and tone to match specific needs. ISO sensitivity can now be adjusted in 1/3 step increments, with a viewfinder readout to allow you to adjust sensitivity without removing your eye from the camera, and a new spot metering function likewise improves the camera's versatility. Battery life is said to be improved by 10% and can now be seen indicated in four steps, and folder management has been changed to allow up to 9,999 images per folder. The burst mode now allows more images than previously, up to a maximum of 11 RAW or 30 large / fine JPEG frames. A range of other changes are aimed at fixing common grievances in the EOS 20D. Courtesy of Canon, we have specifications and product photos for the EOS 30D, as well as a bulleted list of changes including those we've highlighted here: - New 2.5-inch LCD monitor with approximately 230,000 pixels, wide viewing angle and substantially improved visibility
- New direct printing capabilities, unique to Canon
- Picture Style controls make it easier to get what you want
- New, switchable high-speed/low-speed continuous shooting
- ISO settings in 1/3-stop increments with readout in viewfinder
- Reduced energy consumption for roughly 10% more shots per battery charge
- New 4-step battery level display
- New spot metering, same as EOS-1 Series and EOS 5D
- New, professional-quality shutter rated to approximately 100,000 cycles
- Workflow improvement with upgraded software package, including (at no extra charge). ZoomBrowser/ImageBrowser, and Digital Photo Professional, backwards compatible to D2000 and D6000 of 1998
- Improved folder management with up to 9,999 images in each folder and file numbering with manual reset
- 0.15-second startup time, fastest of any EOS camera*
- 30-frame Large/Fine JPEG burst, up from 23 frames**
- 11 RAW frame burst, up from 6**
- Improved image playback functions, including new enlarge function in Quick Review as well as Playback, software-only auto rotate, and an improved jump function
- Enhanced Info screen with new, switchable RGB histogram as well as AF frame and File Size displays
- New auto noise reduction for long exposures with new Custom Function 02
- New magnified view with Custom Function 17
- Error code readout on back screen together with countermeasures help
- New display for image transfer failure using the WFT-E1A
- Improved recovery from Auto Power Off
- Single-shot AE/AF lock retained for subsequent shots
- Separate flash exposure (FE) lock icon displayed in the viewfinder
Canon EOS 30D |
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General |
Camera Type |
SLR |
Manufacturer |
Canon |
Model Number |
EOS 30D |
Dimensions |
5.7 x 4.2 x 2.9" 144.0 x 105.5 x 73.5mm |
Weight |
700.0 g 24.5 oz |
Image Capture |
Sensor Type |
APS-C Canon CMOS CMOS 8.20 megapixels (effective) |
Focal Length Multiplier |
1.60 |
Aspect Ratio |
3:2 |
Image Dimensions |
3504 x 2336 (8.2 megapixels) 2544 x 1696 (4.3 megapixels) 1728 x 1152 (2.0 megapixels) |
Capture Speed |
Continuous: 5.0 frames per second for 30 frames |
Image Preview / Review |
Viewfinder |
Yes, TTL 95% field of view |
LCD |
2.5", 230,000 pixels |
Playback Zoom |
10.0x max |
Lens |
Lens Type |
Interchangeable Lens |
Focusing System |
9-point CT-SIR Type CMOS Sensor Manual Focus possible (0) steps |
Exposure |
ISO Sensitivity |
Auto, 100 - 1600, 3200 via custom function |
Shutter Speed |
30 - 1/8000 second |
Exposure Modes |
Aperture, Shutter, Manual |
Metering Modes |
35-zone evaluative, 9% partial, 3.5% spot, center-weighted average |
Exposure Compensation |
+/- 2.0EV in 1/3EV increments |
White Balance |
Image Sensor - Auto, 6 presets, Custom, Kelvin 2800K - 10,000K, Manual |
Internal Flash |
Modes: E-TTL II |
Storage |
Recording Medium |
CompactFlash Type 1, CompactFlash Type 2 |
File Format |
CCD-RAW, RAW, JPEG |
Connectivity |
Computer |
USB 2.0 High Speed |
Product Bundle |
Flash Memory |
0.0MB |
Other |
Tripod Mount |
Yes |
More Photos |
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