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Canon's Autumn Collection

Canon has introduced two EOS cameras, two EF lenses and a Speedlite as part of its autumn collection of new products.

The camera receiving the most attention is the EOS 5D. This has a full-frame sensor, capturing the same field-of-view from EF lenses as 35mm film cameras. Canon says that it belongs in a new D-SLR category, appealing both to enthusiast and professional photographers. Think of it as the digital equivalent to the EOS 3.

The second new camera is the EOS-1D Mark II N, which replaces the EOS 1D Mark II. Among several new or improved features is a high performance buffer which delivers a 48 frame burst in JPEG (22 frame burst in RAW).

The lenses are EF 24-105mm f4L IS USM and EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM. The light weight of the 24-105mm lens makes it ideal for news, reportage and any type of travel photography. The 70-300mm lens will appeal to nature and sports photographers.

Finally, the Speedlite 430EX replaces the 420EX. The new model is fully compatible with the distance-linked E-TTL II system found on recent EOS cameras (including the new EOS 5D and 1D Mark II N), but is also compatible with earlier models.

Full details of all these products, together with details specifications, are available at EOS magazine

Picture Style

One of the new features of both the EOS 5D and EOS 1D Mark II N is 'Picture Style'. Here is a brief introduction.

Picture Style is a new image processing tool which gives users better control over image quality variables. It replaces the colour matrix and picture parameter settings of earlier Canon D-SLR models. More immediately usable JPEG images are, as a result, available straight out of the camera.

Picture Style pre-sets can be likened to different film types - each one offering a different colour response. Within each easily selectable pre-set, photographers have control over sharpness, contrast, colour tone and saturation.

With six different Picture Styles, users have a range of options at their disposal that will be familiar both to photographers used to working with film and to Canon users accustomed to the colour matrix settings of existing D-SLRs.

Sharpness, Contrast, Colour Saturation and Colour Tone can all be independently adjusted within each Picture Style. The range of control over these variables doubles in comparison to previous models. To give an idea of the increased control now available, the EOS 5D and EOS-1D Mark II N feature 48,816 possible setting combinations, while the EOS 20D is limited to 1,355 combinations.

Standard
Equivalent to the 'Parameter 1' setting of the EOS 20D and EOS 350D, for circumstances where users want to avoid post-processing. Images look crisp and vivid with sharpening levels set to '3' and colour tone and saturation scaled to obtain vivid colours.

Portrait
Similar to 'Color matrix 2' of earlier EOS-1 series D-SLRs. Colour tone and saturation levels are set to complement skin tones and sharpening is less than the Standard setting, softening both skin and hair.

Landscape
Similar to 'Color matrix 3' of earlier EOS-1 series D-SLRs. Colour tone and saturation are set to obtain deep blues and greens, complementing sky and scenery. Sharpening is one step higher than Standard, making outlines appear crisper.

Neutral
Equivalent to the default setting of earlier EOS-1 series D-SLRs. Natural colour reproduction is obtained and no sharpening is applied. The setting is ideal for images that are to undergo work in post-processing.

Faithful
Equivalent to Digital Photo Professional's Faithful setting, when the subject is photographed under light with a colour temperature of 5,200K, the colour is adjusted colorimetrically to match the subject and no sharpening is applied.

Monochrome
The same setting as the EOS 20D's monochrome setting.

Three extra user-defined Picture Style settings are available to users, to store customised settings. These can either be based on an existing Picture Style or (in the future) downloaded from Canon web sites.

Order instruction books online
You can now order Canon instruction manuals online. These cover most Canon cameras dating back to 1959, plus lenses, Speedlites and accessories. There are also manuals for other Canon consumer products, such as camcorders, printers, scanners, fax machines and word processors. Find out more at Canon instruction books

Back issues now available online
You can now order back issues of EOS magazine online. They cost £3.50 each, plus postage, and can be despatched worldwide. For more details go to EOS magazine back issues

Free issue when you subscribe online
If you are not already a subscriber to EOS magazine, visit the EOS magazine website to see what you are missing. Subscribing online gives you the bonus af a free back issue.