This month's Technical Report introduces the EOS 30D, advanced amateur digital SLR camera, with an 8.2-megapixel CMOS sensor, Picture Style, a large high-definition 2.5'' LCD monitor and 5 fps continuous shooting.
Concept of development
The EOS 30D (Photo 1), successor to the EOS 20D, is a state-of-the-art digital SLR designed and developed for advanced amateur photographers, with the highest performance in its class. Details of the development concept are as follows:
Precise, high image quality
• 8.2-megapixel CMOS sensor
• DIGIC II digital imaging engine for precise natural color reproduction
• Picture Style
High performance, advanced functions, quick response
• Wide-area, precise 9-point AF (high-precision center AF point compatible with f/2.8)
• 5 fps continuous shooting and maximum burst of 30 shots
• 1/8000 shutter speed, X-sync at 1/250
• 0.15-second start-up time
Enhanced functions suggested by EOS 20D users
• 2.5'' LCD monitor with approx. 230,000 pixels and wide viewing angle
• Spot metering
• Shutter durability of 100,000 cycles
• Switchable High/low-speed continuous shooting
• ISO speed setting in 1/3-stop increments
Quality design, compact body
• Magnesium alloy exterior
• Strong, rugged design
• The same compact and lightweight body as the EOS 20D
Evolution of digital features for precise and high-quality image
The EOS 30D inherits popular EOS 20D specifications including its large CMOS sensor with approx. 8.2 effective megapixels (total of about 8.5 megapixels) and an effective sensor size of 22.5 x 15.0mm, a hybrid low-pass filter with three-layer construction and the DIGIC II high-speed imaging engine.
(1) Picture Style function provides optimal images for the photographer's needs and desired effects
Picture Style is a new standard specification that the EOS 30D share with the professional EOS Digital cameras.
Six Picture Style settings
The Picture Style function provides optimal images for the photographer's needs and desired effects much like film was chosen in the past according to the desired effect and the subject. Like the EOS 5D and the EOS-1D Mark II N, the function has preset settings for Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful and Monochrome (Fig. 1).
Three user-defined Picture Style settings
The EOS 30D can also store up to three Picture Style settings set as desired by the user. Adjustable parameters are sharpness, contrast, saturation and color tone. The adjustment range of each parameter is twice that of EOS 20D.
Expansion of functions through new Picture Style files
Picture Style files are provided on the Internet through CANON iMAGE GATEWAY. In addition to the three types (Nostalgia, Clear, Twilight) made available last autumn, the new ''Emerald'' Picture Style is also prepared.
Picture Style files optimized for different purposes are planned to be provided in the future.
(2) 230,000-pixel, 2.5'' LCD monitor
The EOS 30D employs the large, high-definition 2.5'' LCD monitor (Photo 2) without sacrificing operability.
With its wide viewing angle, this monitor is very easy to see even from a considerable angle. Its large area, about 2 times larger than that of the EOS 20D, means the menu display is large and easy to read as well.
(3) Additional and improved functions more finely tuned to reflect the needs of users
Automatic noise reduction with long exposure time
While noise reduction could be turned ''on'' and ''off'' manually for exposure times of longer than 1 second in the customization function with the existing EOS DIGITAL cameras, with the EOS 30D, ''automatic'' has been added and noise peculiar to long exposure times is automatically reduced if detected.
9,999 images per folder
In order to reduce the number of folders automatically created when taking a large number of photos, the maximum number of images that can be saved in each folder has been increased to 9,999.
Manual reset of file numbering
In response to the ability to save up to 9,999 images per folder, a ''Manual Reset'' function has been added to the file numbering. When the manual rest is used, a new folder is automatically created and numbering starts from 0001.
Evolution of shooting features for speedy and comfortable operation
(1) Approximately 0.15-second quick start-up
The EOS 20D has a quick startup time of about 0.15-sec., allowing users to shoot comfortably as with a 35mm film EOS series camera.
The shutter release time lag is approx. 65ms and the viewfinder blackout time is approx. 110ms. This enables users to capture the moment without delay and have a clear image through the viewfinder even during 5 fps continuous shooting.
(2) Switching between high and low speed continuous shooting
Like the EOS 20D, continuous shooting is possible at up to approx. 5 fps in both One-Shot AF and AI Servo AF modes. The EOS 20D only offered approx. 5 fps high-speed continuous shooting, but the EOS 30D allows the selection of 3 fps low-speed continuous shooting according to the purpose of the photos.
(3) Maximum 30-shot burst in JPEG Large/Fine format
The EOS 30D gives high-speed continuous shooting up to a maximum burst of 30 shots in JPEG Large/Fine format with the highest image quality, and 11 shots in RAW format. The approximate maximum burst during continuous shooting for each image-recording quality is indicated in Table 1.
When a buffer memory (temporary recording memory) on the camera becomes full, it takes about 0.9 second for JPEG (Large/Fine), or about 2.3 seconds for RAW before the camera is ready for the next shot.
(4) Spot metering
Center spot metering (metering area is approx. 3.5% of the viewfinder/ Fig. 2, Fig. 3) enables precise exposure control.
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| Fig. 2 AF Points in the Viewfinder | Fig. 3 Spot Metering Characteristics |
(5) ISO speed setting in 1/3-stop increments
The EOS 20D had 1-stop increments for ISO speed setting, but the EOS 30D enables setting at 1/3-stop increments like the EOS-1D series.
(6) Compact, high-speed shutter with a top speed of 1/8000 sec. and shutter durability of 100,000 cycles
Based on the compact shutter unit optimized for the APS-C size CMOS sensor in the EOS 20D, shutter durability of 100,000 cycles has been achieved with the professional performance retained by improvement of, for example, X-sync piece (Photo 3).
(7) Shooting performance better than the EOS 20D
By compensating for the increased power consumption required by the 2.5'' LCD monitor with improved microcomputer-based power management, the EOS 30D can take approx. 1,100 shots without flash or approx. 750 with 50% flash use at normal temperatures (about 20 °C), or approx. 900 shots without flash or approx. 600 with 50% flash use at 0 °C.
The nine-point AF sensor of the EOS 20D has been retained in the high-speed AF system. The center AF point is a high-precision cross-type sensor compatible with f/2.8 large aperture lenses (vertical line-sensitive at f/2.8, horizontal and vertical line-sensitive at f/5.6). The eight other AF points are sensitive to f/5.6 (horizontal line-sensitive at top and bottom focusing points, vertical line-sensitive at the other six points), which is standard sensitivity for the EOS series.
Evolution of design and operability
(1) Very rigid, high-quality body
The EOS 30D employs the well-received magnesium alloy exterior (Photo 4), realizing a solid body.
The design pursues a ''rugged image'' and a ''powerful look for a high-end camera'', suitable for its compactness and high-performance, giving the camera a more unified appearance.
(2) Compact and lightweight body
Despite having a larger LCD monitor than the EOS 20D, the height and width are the same, and the depth and weight only increased by 2mm and 15g respectively in the EOS 30D's compact, lightweight body.
(3) Improved LCD monitor display functions
The menu display on the LCD monitor uses the same scrolling format as the EOS 20D, but the following functions have been added or improved.
Magnified view immediately after shooting
If ''1: Image review and playback'' is selected for C.Fn-17 ''Magnified view'', the magnified view can also be used to review images immediately after shooting.
Rotation of vertical images
A setting has been added to enable vertical images to only be rotated on computer screens when using compatible applications and not on the EOS 30D's LCD monitor.
Enhanced jump functions
Functions have been added to enable jumping 100 images at a time or to an image taken on a specified date.
AF point display
The focused AF point is shown on the image in the info display.
RGB histogram display (Fig. 4)
Direct image transfer function
A function has been added to enable the direct transfer of images to PCs using a one-touch button on the EOS 30D.
Addition of error countermeasures display
In addition to the standard error code display, a message regarding countermeasures is shown on the LCD monitor (Fig. 5). The LCD monitor menu design is based on that of the EOS 5D.
(4) Improved operability for continuous shooting in single-frame mode
In single-frame drive mode, the next shot can be taken immediately by fully pressing the shutter button from the half-pressed standby state after the previous shot. This utilizes a specification from the EOS-1D series to improve ease of operation for continuous shooting in single-frame mode.
This issue of the Technical Report introduces the EOS 30D. Table 2 shows the major specifications comparison between the EOS 30D and the EOS 20D.
The evolution of the direct printing function, simultaneously developed lenses, software and printers (Photo 5) will be introduced in the next issue and onwards.
