“Canon EOS 1D MarkII”<\/p>\n
“Canon EOS 20D”<\/p>\n
“Canon EOS 10D”<\/p>\n
“Read review”<\/p>\n
Ok, here’s my<\/em> lowdown of the Canon EOS 20D<\/a><\/p>\n There have been arguments that it’s more like a baby MarkII<\/a> rather than a successor to the 10D.<\/a> Of course, it still is shit compared to the MarkII<\/a> but the 20D<\/a> as of this moment, probably merits it’s own pricepoint – right smack in the middle of the 10D<\/a> and MarkII<\/a>.<\/p>\n Lucky for us, it’s still<\/em> priced like a 10D… which makes it as valuable as a 300D at its pricepoint. Seems that Moore’s law is gaining.<\/p>\n For a really detailed<\/strong> review of the 20D<\/a> (and picture quality comparisons), check out dpreview’s article<\/a> on the 20D<\/a>1<\/a>: http:\/\/consumer.usa.canon.com\/ir\/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=139&modelid=9808<\/a>\n“Canon EOS 1D MarkII”<\/p>\n “Canon EOS 20D”<\/p>\n “Canon EOS 10D”<\/p>\n “28-135mm IS USM”<\/p>\n I believe that this has minimal impact on photogprahy as far as “needs” are concerned. When on a DLSR standpoint, a 6 or above megapixel count is enough, unless you’re doing some really large<\/em> prints. But as they say, “the bigger the better.”<\/em> I’m just relieved that they we’re able to up the resolution, while reducing (or at least maintaining) the noise ratio.<\/p>\n Now this (and the sensor) is what matters in the field more than the MP count. This is the reason why a 4MP 1D still is more expensive than a 6MP 300D (of course the speed and feature set also plays a part, but you know what I mean).<\/p>\n As of this posting, only two Canon models use the DigicII processor. Namely, the EOS 1D MarkII<\/a> and the 20D.<\/a> Obviously, every model hereafter will probably have the same or even better sensor\/processor.<\/p>\n Regardless, this is one reason why 20D<\/a> performance is being compared to the MarkII<\/a> instead of the 10D<\/a><\/p>\n Similar to the 300D. For me less is still better for a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) shooting experience. However, to support EF-S lenses, shrinking stuff was necessary (and hence the crop factor).<\/p>\n Honestly, it doesn’t matter to me, as long as you can<\/em> focus – since you can always recompose. Yet like the MP count, more is a welcome development.<\/p>\n What I did<\/em> like though, is the new “joystick”-button\/multi-controller which allows you to select your AF points instantly.<\/em> This means no more dialing until the AF point is selected (though it could still be done)<\/p>\n I have yet to experience the time when I’ll actually need that fast a shutter speed. This usually means uber bright daylight settings and\/or the necessity to stop motion of something going extremely fast<\/em>… maybe stopping the motion of a fly’s wings perhaps?<\/p>\n Then again, this will probably allow you a large aperture on uber bright days, assuming you don’t use ND filters<\/p>\n 5 frames per second. Now this is something useful. And I’m not only talking about events\/sports photography, which almost always<\/em> require this feature. The faster the better, and you can never have “too much” speed.<\/p>\n If you like bracketing shots while shooting a couple of scenes regardles<\/em> of the type of shoot you have, this could help too – as it takes the bracketed shots faster [obviously] so your subject\/s (if alive or moving) will have more chances of being in the same “pose” or position on all your bracketed shots.<\/p>\n This is connected to the continuous shooting mode. It states the maximum number of shots before the camera starts slowing down (or stalling). This basically says you can normally take 25 continuous shots at 5fps before it slows down (assuming you’re on a fast shutter speed). That roughly translates to 5 full seconds<\/em> of continuous shooting. schweeet!<\/em><\/p>\n The more you can shoot, the more data you’ll have to be writing. Especially since they now upped the resolution to 8MP (and upped the frame capture rate to 5fps). You can never have too much “slack” when it comes to frame buffering.<\/p>\n The million dollar question is if Canon intends to concentrate on EF-S lens production in the long term… which I highly doubt. But then again using EF-S lenses allows your cam to have smaller sensors, therefore cheaper production.<\/p>\n Honestly, I think this was just a financial move rather than introducing a feature that can aid<\/em> in photography. Not that I’m complaining… On one hand, you can make your sensors larger, until you have a 1:1 ratio with your focal lengths but that would yeild hella-expensive camera bodies. On the other, you can just shift to EF-S to make everying more affordable, which could<\/strong> entail future lenses (even the L series) to use EF-S, which in turn will force<\/em> people to upgrade… and people don’t like being forced into anything.<\/p>\n Like the DigicII processor, only the MarkII<\/a> and the 20D<\/a> currently support this type of metering.<\/p>\n Flash photography can be a pretty complicated thing when you’re trying to balance natural and fill light. The purpose of such application us to usually get a decently lighted subject while<\/em> maintaining a “natural” feel to the scene. This is particularly true indoors, where not everyone has the benefit of a fast lens (or bright ambient light).<\/p>\n E-TTL II is yet another improvement on metering and flash compensation, so how could anyone diss it? Anything better<\/em> is always welcome.<\/p>\n Now this<\/em> is another big reason to upgrade! You may say that “I can be patient while my cam boots up,” but I wonder how long you can keep saying that – especially after you’ve missed all those “moments.”<\/p>\n I usually leave my 300D on auto off\/standby (keeping it on) when I know I’ll be shooting once and a while… but when I’m ready to pull it out and wake it up from standby, it takes a whole 2.5 seconds<\/em> (try counting from 0-2, that’s pretty long!), which pissed the hell out of me.<\/p>\n Now it’s down to a quarter of a second, which is a godsend. The time it will take to move your camera to your eye [after switching it on] guarantees that you’re ready to focus and shoot.<\/p>\n It’s an all metal body now, which will mean it’ll be heavier. even a plastic<\/em> 300D with a battery grip and flash (and decently sized lens) can leave your arm sore at the end of a shoot (unless you use a monopod or tripod). What more with a metal body?<\/p>\n Of course lighter is better!<\/p>\n The dioptric dial can now be easily adjusted\/accessed even with an eyepiece extender installed. This isn’t really necessary since you usually only adjust it once. Having to adjust it multiple times means you either have prescription optical paraphernalia of different<\/em> grades, which is ridiculous.<\/p>\n The built-in flash is [again] higher than the 300D. This is good, since there are<\/em> instances that the height of my 300D’s built-in flash still<\/em> coudn’t cut it – like my 28-135mm IS USM<\/a> lens (the light couldn’t clear the top of the lens)<\/p>\n Of course this argument is pretty much a moot point – the built-in is probably just an emergengy measure. If you got yourself a 20D, then you should be serious enough to get a decent external<\/em> flash for it.<\/p>\n Aside from the obvious improvement by introducing the new “multi-controller,” (which acts like a “joystick-button”) there are now more<\/em> dedicated buttons to access more<\/em> settings realtime.<\/p>\n You can now adjust the following features easily:<\/p>\n The IMHO, the The best way to utilize the cam is to learn how to shoot with your middle finger, that way your pointer can easily access the A custom function to reverse the roles of the The best<\/strong> layout [for me] would be putting the My main gripe is why did they have to change the interface for an external remote and battery grip. Now we’ll have to sell more stuff to replace hehehe.<\/p>\n There are a lot of white balance options – bracketing the This camera seems pretty serious about getting its colors right hehehe.<\/p>\n The 20D<\/a> has 18 custom function settings ranging from how other buttons should<\/em> and could<\/em> work, to how the camera behaves in other modes.<\/p>\n I’ll be talking about some<\/em> custom functions (not all) that I’ve found useful or irritating.<\/p>\nThe Features<\/h1>\n
8.2 MegaPixels<\/h2>\n
DIGIC II Image Processor<\/h2>\n
1:1.6x Crop<\/h2>\n
9 Point focusing<\/h2>\n
1\/8000s Max Shutter speed<\/h2>\n
5fps Continuous Shooting Speed<\/h2>\n
25 Frame Buffer<\/h2>\n
EF-S support<\/h2>\n
E-TTL II support<\/h2>\n
0.2sec startup time<\/h2>\n
50g lighter than 10D<\/h2>\n
Other Nuances<\/h1>\n
Using with the eyepiece extender<\/h2>\n
On the Built-in Flash<\/h2>\n
Buttons<\/h2>\n
\n
<\/p>\nOn Usability<\/h2>\n
main dial<\/code> is that dial near the shutter button. The quick control dial<\/code> is the big-assed dial at the back of the unit.<\/p>\nquick control dial<\/code> is easier to manipulate rather than the main dial<\/code>.<\/p>\nmain dial<\/code> (and top buttons, which select the WB, ISO, Drive mode, etc.) and<\/em> your thumb on the quick control dial<\/code>. I just don’t know the drawback it will have with regards to weight, since you’ll have 2 fingers left supporting your cam (of course the your other hand supporting the lens)…<\/p>\nquick control dial<\/code> and main dial<\/code> in Av<\/code> or Tv<\/code> would probably have been welcome. Since the quick control dial<\/code>, as I said, is much easier to fiddle with.<\/p>\nmain dial<\/code> below<\/em> the shutter button (like how Nikon does it) – that way you hold everything naturally, and probably put the other top buttons to the right of the quick control dial<\/code>. That way everything will be accessible without shifting fingers much… even<\/em> with a battery grip.<\/p>\nRemote and Battery Grip<\/h2>\n
White Balance (WB)<\/h2>\n
WB<\/code>, even a matrix that can allow you to fine tune your WB<\/code> setting.<\/p>\nCustom Functions<\/h1>\n
ISO Expansion<\/h2>\n