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Canon EOS-10D

Canon revamps their hugely popular D60 SLR, with ahost of improvements and a dramatic price cut!

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Page 1:Intro and Highlights

Review First Posted: 02/27/2003

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Canon EOS SLR designed ground-up to be digital
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6.3-megapixel CMOS sensor, 3,072 x 2,048 pixel images
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ISO of 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
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Three frames per second, photo-centric design – touch shutter button in Play mode and camera returns to Record mode.
* Compatible with all Canon EOS system lenses and accessories, focal length multiplier of 1.6
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Multiple improvements and enhancements throughout the camera.

 

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Manufacturer Overview

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Look along the sidelines of any professional sports game, and the array of big, white Canon lenses will speak volumes of Canon's presence and reputation in the world of professional photography. If you ask experienced photographers what the Canon name means to them, many would suggest that they associate the name with innovation, the company having brought such technological advances as Eye-Controlled Focusing (Canon EOS 5, 1992) and the USM ultrasonic motors used in the more recent Canon EF lenses, which are extremely quiet and very fast.

Canon film cameras cover the full range from models such as those targeted at professionals (the EOS 1 and 1N for example, and more recently the EOS 1V, to those aimed toward the consumer (such as the tiny ELPH series or the EOS Rebel cameras). Back at the Spring 2000 PMA show, Canon announced the EOS-D30, their first digital SLR, in the process turning the Digital SLR market on its ear with its excellent features and image quality and surprisingly aggressive price.

Now, Canon has once more upped the ante and upset the D-SLR pricing apple cart (to mix metaphors a little), by updating last year's already highly affordable D60 SLR with the new EOS-10D, in the process dropping the price to an announced Suggested Retail price of $1999 at introduction. I'm told that this list price will translate into "street" prices of $1499, an astonishing price point for a camera with the 10D's capabilities, and one that will put "no excuses" digital photography into the hands of thousands more photographers than has ever before been possible.

While the EOS-10D has the same roughly six megapixel resolution as the D60, Canon has built in a host of improvements, from a metal-alloy outer housing to a greatly improved autofocus system, improved electronics, with a faster processing chip, improved signal processing algorithms to reduce noise and improve color fidelity, and many more besides. There are so many improvements to so many aspects of camera performance and image quality that I suspect even some D60 owners will be tempted to upgrade. Or to simply purchase a 10D to have a second body. All in all, an impressive upgrade to an already excellent camera, and one that's accompanied by an eye-popping price drop! Read on for all the details!

Highlights

  • 6.3-megapixel, 22.7 x 15.1mm, 12-bit RGB CMOS sensor delivering 3,072 x 2,048-pixel images. Effective count of 6.29-megapixels and 2:3 aspect ratio.
  • Single-lens reflex digital camera with interchangeable lenses (supports all Canon EOS series lenses). Focal length multiplier of 1.6x as compared to a 35mm camera.
  • Variable ISO (100, 200, 400, 800, 1,600, and 3,200 settings).
  • TTL optical viewfinder with detailed information display, diopter adjustment, and depth-of-field preview.
  • 1.8-inch, low-temperature TFT LCD with 118,000 pixels.
  • Automatic, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Depth-of-Field AE, Programmed AE (Landscape, Macro, Night Portrait, Portrait, Sports, and Flash Off), and Manual exposure modes.
  • Operates in "shooting priority mode," meaning the camera does not need to be set in "play" mode to view pictures. Pictures can be viewed in between shots, and even if camera is showing a picture or in a menu, pressing the Shutter button halfway prepares camera to take a photo immediately.
  • Continuous Shooting mode capturing as many as nine images as fast as three frames per second with shutter at 1/250 second or faster.
  • Variable white balance with Auto, six manual presets, Custom (reads from a neutral gray or white card), and a color temperature setting. White balance can be changed on-capture for RAW-format files, using either presets or manually selecting a neutral target in the image from which to reference white point
  • TTL autofocus with seven focusing points, manually or automatically selectable. One shot AF, AI Servo AF with focus prediction, AI Focus AF, and manual focus with AF assist beam. Working range of EV 0.5 to 18 at ISO 100.
  • Built-in E-TTL type retractable-type flash with red-eye reduction. Guide Number is 13/43 at ISO 100, m/ft, flash angle covers the field of an 18mm lens. Topside hot shoe for external flash connection of EX Speedlite flashes as well as a PC flash sync socket.
  • Flash exposure compensation of +/- 2 stops in one-half or one-third stop increments. Flash exposure lock function. First and second curtain sync function. External shoe supports E-TTL, FEL, and FP (high speed sync) flash metering with Canon 550EX speedlight.
  • Redeye Reduction by built-in illuminator.
  • TTL maximum aperture metering with a 35-zone silicon photocell. 35-zone Evaluative metering linked to all focusing points, Center weighted average metering, or nine percent central-area spot metering. Metering range of EV 1 to 20 (at normal temperatures, EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, ISO 100).
  • Adjustable exposure compensation from -2 to +2 EV in 1/2 EV or 1/3 EV increments in all exposure modes.
  • Auto exposure bracketing (AEB) from -2 to +2 EV in 1/2 EV or 1/3 EV increments in all autoexposure modes.
  • White balance bracketing. (JPEG file format only)
  • Shutter speeds from 1/4,000 to 30 seconds, and a Bulb setting for longer exposures.
  • Electronic self-timer with a fixed duration of 10 seconds.
  • Optional external hand grip/battery pack adds secondary shutter release and control wheel, as well as AE lock and focus point buttons for vertical-format shooting.
  • Image storage on CompactFlash Type I or II, compatible with IBM MicroDrives
  • USB connectivity with TWAIN driver for PC and Adobe Photoshop plugin for Macintosh. NTSC/PAL selectable video out connectivity. N3 remote control socket.
  • 24-bit JPEG and 36-bit RAW data file formats. Available resolution settings are: 3,072 x 2,048; 2,048 x 1,360; and 1,536 x 1,024.
  • Backlit LCD data readout, for easier operation in the dark.
  • Magnesium-alloy body panels, stainless steel chassis.
  • DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) and DCF (Design Rule for Camera File System) compliant.

Comparison with the EOS-D60
Many of our readers will be familiar with Canon's earlier D60 SLR, a hugely popular model throughout 2002. The table below highlights similarities and differences between the EOS-10D and the EOS-D60. Areas in which the 10D's specs constitute an improvement over the D60 are highlighted. (Thanks to Canon USA Technical Info Department and Chuck Westfall for concisely assembling this information.):

Canon EOS 10D vs. EOS D60

Item
EOS 10D
EOS D60
Imaging
System
Imaging Element/Effective Pixels CMOS/6.30 Megapixels
Effective Sensor Size 15.1 x 22.7mm
35mm Focal Length Equivalent Approx. 1.6x
Image Processor SLR-DIGIC Pre-DIGIC
Recording
System
Recording Media/Quantity/Slot Type CF card/1 slot/Type I or II
Compatible File Formats FAT 16/32 FAT 16
Recording Formats RAW (CRW), JPEG
Maximum Resolution 3072 x 2048
Reduced Resolutions (JPEG only) 2048 x 1360, 1356 x 1024
RAW + JPEG Recording Yes/Selectable JPEG resolution/compression Yes/Middle Fine JPEG only
Color Space &
White Balance
User-Selectable Color Space Yes
sRGB + Adobe RGB
No
sRGB only
Processing Parameters
(Contrast, Sharpness, Saturation, Color Tone)/# of Increments
Yes/5 Yes/3
# of preset WB settings 6 5
Manual Color Temperature Setting Range 2,800 ~ 10,000K
in 100K increments
None
WB Bracketing Range (JPEG only) ±3 steps
5 mireds per step
None
Autofocus
System
# of Focusing Points/Superimposed Display 7/Yes 3/Yes
AF Working Range EV 0.5 ~ 18
One Shot AF Speed Faster Fast
Predictive AF Minimum Tracking Distance
at 50kph/30mph with EF 300/2.8L IS USM
8m/26.4 ft. 12m/39 ft.
AF Point Registration/Assist Button Yes No
Exposure
Control
Shooting Modes 12 11
Metering Zones 35
Metering Modes Evaluative, center weighted, partial
Metering System Working Range EV 1 ~ 20 EV 2 ~ 20
ISO Range/Extended 100 ~ 1600/3200 100 ~ 1000/ --
Shutter Speeds,
Framing Rate
Shutter Type Mechanical, all speeds electronically controlled
Shutter Speed Range/Maximum X-Sync Speed 1/4000 ~ 30 sec. & B/Ê 1/200
Maximum Frames Per Second/Burst Rate 3 fps/9 frames 3 fps/8 frames
Built-in Flash Built-in Flash/GN @ ISO 100, ft. Yes/39 Yes/36
Playback
System
Playback Monitor Size/Type/Pixel Count 2 in./LCD/118,000 2 in./LCD/114,000
Enlarged Playback/Scroll 2x~10x/Yes 3x/No (9 segments)
LCD Monitor Brightness Adjustment Range 5 steps 2 steps
Automatic Rotation for Vertical Shots Yes No
Other Features Direct Printing (CP-100, BJ Photo Direct) Yes No
Menu Languages 12 4
Camera Default Reset Yes No
Custom Functions (Quantity/Settings) 17/61 14/38
LCD Panel Illumination Yes (dedicated button) Yes
Body Structure Body Cover/Chassis Magnesium Alloy/Stainless Steel Plastic/Stainless Steel
Power System Battery Compatibility BP-511/BP-512 BP-511
Shooting Capacity at 20C/68F 100% AE: 650
50% Flash: 500
100% AE: 620
50% Flash: 490
Dimensions & Weight Dimensions (WxHxD,mm) 149.7 x 107.5 x 75 149.5 x 106.5 x 75
Weight 790g/27.9 oz. 780g/27.5 oz.
Operational
Environment
Operating Temperature Range 0~40C/32~104F
Operating Humidity Range 85%


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