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Canon EOS 20D
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 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Maker | Canon Inc. |
| Type | Single-lens reflex |
| Lens | |
| Lens mount | Canon EF-S |
| Lens | Interchangeable |
| Sensor/medium | |
| Sensor | 22.5 mm × 15.0 mm CMOS |
| Maximum resolution | 3,520 × 2,344 (8.25 megapixels) |
| Film speed | 100–1600 in 1 EV steps, 3200 in extended mode |
| Storage media | CompactFlash (CF) (Type I or Type II) and Microdrive (MD) / max 8GB (The camera can format up to 8GB, but can use larger cards. [citation needed]) |
| Focusing | |
| Focus modes | One-shot, AI servo, AI Focus, Manual |
| Focus areas | 9 autofocus points |
| Focus bracketing | none |
| Exposure/metering | |
| Exposure modes | Full auto, programmed, shutter-priority, aperture priority, manual |
| Exposure metering | TTL full aperture, 35 area evaluative, partial, center-weighted |
| Metering modes | Evaluative, Partial, C/Wgt Average |
| Flash | |
| Flash | Auto pop-up E-TTL II (retractable) |
| Flash bracketing | none |
| Shutter | |
| Shutter | Vertical travel, focal-plane shutter, all speeds electronically controlled |
| Shutter speed range | 1/8,000 to 30 s, bulb |
| Continuous shooting | 5.0 frame/s, up to 23 frames (6 in RAW) |
| Viewfinder | |
| Viewfinder | Optical, pentaprism |
| Image processing | |
| Image processor | DIGIC 2 |
| White balance | 7 presets, Auto and custom |
| WB bracketing | ±3 stops, blue-amber or magenta-green bias |
| General | |
| LCD screen | 1.8 in (46 mm), 118,000 pixels |
| Battery | Main battery Li-Ion BP-511A rechargeable battery pack; internal memory battery CR2016 supports clock, frame counter |
| Optional battery packs | Li-Ion BP-511A, BP-511, BP-512, BP-514AC and optional DC coupler. |
| Dimensions | 144×105.5×71.5 mm (5.67×4.15×2.81 in) |
| Weight | 685 g (24 oz) (body only) |
| Made in | Japan |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Canon EOS 10D |
| Successor | Canon EOS 30D |
The Canon EOS 20D is an 8.2-megapixel semi-professional digital single-lens reflex camera, initially announced on 19 August 2004 at a recommended retail price of US$1,499.[1] It is the successor of the EOS 10D, and was succeeded by the EOS 30D in August 2006. It accepts EF and EF-S lenses and uses an APS-C sized image sensor.
Improvements
[edit]The 20D features a new sensor and a greater megapixel count (8.2 megapixels instead of 6.3) and retains the Canon 1.6x crop factor. The 20D supports USB 2.0. The 20D has a larger buffer and can shoot more frames per second. It also uses the E-TTL II flash metering system and uses the DIGIC II image processor.
The EOS 20D (with appropriate firmware updates) can also accept the Canon Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E1/E1A for fast file transfer to a remote file server, either through an ethernet cable or a Wi-Fi network.
Resolution
[edit]The Canon EOS 20D has several resolution settings:
- Large/Fine (3504 x 2336 JPEG Fine)
- Large/Normal (3504 x 2336 JPEG Normal)
- Medium/Fine (2544 x 1696 JPEG Fine)
- Medium/Normal (2544 x 1696 JPEG Normal)
- Small/Fine – (1728 x 1152 JPEG Fine)
- Small/Normal (1728 x 1152 JPEG Normal)
- RAW + Large/Fine (3504 RAW + 3504 JPEG Fine)
- RAW + Large/Normal (3504 RAW + 3504 JPEG Normal)
- RAW + Medium/Fine (3504 RAW + 2544 JPEG Fine)
- RAW + Medium / Normal (3504 RAW + 2544 JPEG Normal)
- RAW + Small/Fine (3504 RAW + 1152 JPEG Fine)
- RAW + Small/Normal – (3504 RAW + 1152 JPEG Normal)
- RAW (3504 x 2336 RAW)
Features
[edit]The 20D is the first Canon prosumer camera to use the EF-S lens mount; the first Canon EOS camera to use the mount was the 300D (the Digital Rebel in North America).
Creative Zone
[edit]- A-DEP: The camera automatically selects the aperture and shutter speed to keep most of the image in focus. (Only recommended in high light conditions as the camera tends to choose smaller f/stops)
- M (Manual): The camera lets you choose manually the aperture and shutter speed.
- Av (Aperture priority): The camera lets the user choose the aperture (f/) value and then automatically adjusts the shutter speed for correct exposure.
- Tv (Shutter speed priority): The camera lets the user set the shutter speed and automatically sets the aperture for correct exposure.
- P (Program AE): The camera automatically chooses an aperture and shutter combination for correct exposure and the user can change between one of these combinations.
Basic Zone
[edit]- Auto (represented with a green rectangle): Completely automatic shooting.
- Portrait: The camera attempts to create a more shallow depth of field to create more striking portraits.
- Landscape: For shooting landscapes and sunsets.
- Close-Up: For shooting small objects near to the camera.
- Sports: For capturing fast moving objects.
- Night Scene: Shoots with flash and with slow shutter so that the subject is illuminated by the flash and the background (e.g. a city) is also captured naturally in the night.
- No Flash: All automatic with no flash.
EOS 20Da
[edit]Canon released the EOS 20Da on 14 February 2005 in Japan. It is a variant of the 20D designed for astrophotography. On 1 June 2005 Canon announced that the 20Da would be made available worldwide.[2]
The main differences between the 20Da and 20D are the replacement of the "hot mirror" infra-red (IR) filter which covers the CMOS sensor on the 20D and live view mode.[3]
In conventional photography, the IR filter is used to make the spectral response of the CMOS sensor more like that of the human eye. In this way, the pictures gathered by the sensor more closely resemble the world as we see it. In astro-photography, many objects of interest emit strongly in the red H-α line, which is heavily attenuated by the IR filter on the 20D. The IR filter of the 20Da passes 2.5 times more light at around this 656 nm wavelength as the filter of the 20D, allowing more fine detail to be revealed in long exposures of emission nebulae. As a side effect, the color balance is slightly altered in normal daylight photography.
It is extremely difficult to focus an extremely dim image with a reflex viewfinder; locking the mirror up and opening the shutter (live view) was introduced in the 20Da to address this issue. When used the camera provides a live image of the center of the field of view to allow focusing on a bright star. Live view for this application requires a lens which supports fully mechanical focus in manual mode, and is not suitable for normal daytime use.
Reviews report that image noise in the 20Da is lower than in the 20D,[4] and equivalent to that of the 5D MkII.[5]
The EOS 20Da was discontinued when the 30D was introduced in 2006.[6] Canon produced no similar model for astrophotography for years, resulting in many astrophotographers making similar aftermarket modifications to later Canon models.
In April 2012, Canon announced the EOS 60Da which is the successor to the EOS 20Da.[7]
Firmware
[edit]The latest firmware available for the 20D (and believed to be the final update) is version 2.0.3, made available 23 August 2005, which improves the communication reliability with some CF cards and other minor changes.
References
[edit]- ^ "Canon EOS 20D Review". dpreview.com. November 2004. Retrieved 4 March 2011.
- ^ "Canon EOS 20Da for the rest of us". dpreview.com. 1 June 2005. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
- ^ "Canon EOS 20Da DSLR". Bob Atkins Photography. 15 February 2005. Retrieved 19 November 2009.
- ^ Lodriguss, Jerry. "Canon 20Da First Starlight". astropix.com.
- ^ Dyer, Alan (September 2012). "The 60Da: Canon's Astrophoto DSLR". Sky & Telescope. 124 (3): 38–41. ISSN 0037-6604.
- ^ Raymond, Emily (10 April 2006). "Canon to Discontinue EOS 20Da". DigitalCameraInfo.com. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
- ^ "New Canon EOS 60Da DSLR Camera For Astronomy Enthusiasts Captures The True Colors of the Cosmos". Retrieved 3 April 2012.
External links
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Canon EOS 20D.
- Canon EOS 20D Specifications Archived 25 September 2004 at the Wayback Machine
Canon EOS 20D
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
History
Development and Announcement
The Canon EOS 20D was announced on August 19, 2004, as a prosumer digital single-lens reflex camera positioned to bridge the needs of advanced amateurs and professionals seeking accessible yet high-performance digital imaging tools.[5][6] Developed as the direct successor to the EOS 10D, which had launched in March 2003, the 20D emphasized improvements in resolution, shooting speed, and user interface responsiveness to address feedback on its predecessor's limitations in digital workflow efficiency.[7][5] This model played a pivotal role in Canon's early 2000s strategy to drive the industry's shift from film to digital SLRs, building on the EOS system's legacy since 1987 by making advanced digital features more attainable and integrating them into a lightweight, magnesium-alloy body for broader adoption.[8][7]Release and Pricing
The Canon EOS 20D became available globally in September 2004, marking a significant step in Canon's prosumer digital SLR lineup.[7][6] In the United States, the camera launched in September, positioning it as an accessible option for advanced amateurs and professionals seeking high performance without pro-level costs.[6][9] At launch, the recommended retail price for the body-only configuration was US$1,499, with kits including the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 lens priced at $1,599 and the EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens at $1,999, making it competitively affordable compared to higher-end models.[6] This pricing strategy targeted photojournalists, wedding photographers, and enthusiasts, emphasizing its value as a cost-effective tool for news, portrait, and event photography.[6][10] The EOS 20D remained in production until early 2006, when it was succeeded by the EOS 30D announced on February 21, 2006, after which Canon shifted focus to the newer model.[11] It quickly gained popularity among photography enthusiasts for its balance of advanced features—like improved autofocus and faster shooting over the predecessor EOS 10D—and relative affordability, contributing to a surge in DSLR adoption during 2004-2005.[2][10]Design and Build
Body Construction
The Canon EOS 20D features a robust construction with magnesium alloy panels covering the top, front, and rear, combined with a rigid internal chassis of engineering plastic and stainless steel for enhanced durability and a premium feel.[12][13] This build provides rigidity suitable for prosumer use while keeping the camera lightweight at 685 grams (body only).[4] Measuring 144 × 105.5 × 71.5 mm, the EOS 20D offers a compact form factor that balances portability with the capabilities of a mid-range DSLR.[4] The body lacks dedicated weather sealing, making it less resistant to dust and moisture compared to professional models, though it performs adequately in normal conditions.[14] Ergonomically, the camera includes a redesigned grip with rubberized surfaces that promote comfortable handheld operation during extended shooting sessions.[13] The lens mount is compatible with Canon's EF and EF-S lens systems.[3]Controls and Display
The Canon EOS 20D features a top-mounted LCD status panel that provides essential shooting information, including shutter speed, aperture, ISO sensitivity, exposure compensation, battery level, shots remaining, and flash status, allowing photographers to monitor settings without accessing the rear display.[7] This monochrome panel illuminates for visibility in low light and includes icons for autofocus points and warnings, enhancing usability during operation.[15] On the rear, the camera is equipped with a fixed, non-articulated 1.8-inch TFT color LCD monitor with approximately 118,000 pixels, offering 100% coverage for accurate image review and menu navigation.[7] The display supports playback functions such as single-image view, 9-image index thumbnails, and magnification up to 10x in 15 steps, with adjustable brightness across five levels to suit varying lighting conditions.[16] Menu navigation is facilitated through intuitive controls, including the SET button for selections and the multi-controller joystick for scrolling options.[15] Key physical controls include the mode dial on the top left, which selects shooting modes such as Program AE, Shutter-priority AE, Aperture-priority AE, Manual, and automatic modes, providing quick access to creative options.[7] The multi-controller joystick, positioned on the rear right, enables precise AF point selection among nine points, white balance adjustments, and panning in magnified playback, while the main dial and quick control dial allow for rapid changes to settings like exposure parameters.[15] Additional buttons, such as the AE lock and AF point selection buttons on the rear right, can be customized via Custom Functions for personalized workflows.[15] For connectivity, the EOS 20D includes a USB 2.0 Hi-Speed port for fast data transfer to computers and direct printing compatibility with PictBridge-enabled printers, alongside a video-out terminal supporting NTSC/PAL formats for external monitor review.[7] An N3-type remote control terminal is also provided for wired shutter release, supporting tethered shooting scenarios.[16]Sensor and Imaging
Sensor Specifications
The Canon EOS 20D is equipped with an APS-C sized CMOS image sensor measuring 22.5 × 15.0 mm, designed for high sensitivity and resolution in a digital single-lens reflex camera. This sensor utilizes a single-plate configuration with a Bayer filter array composed of RGB primary color filters to capture color information, enabling accurate color reproduction across the imaging pipeline.[7] The sensor delivers an effective resolution of approximately 8.25 megapixels, specifically 8,240,480 pixels arranged in a 3520 × 2344 array, while the total pixel count reaches about 8.50 megapixels (3600 × 2360) to account for non-imaging border areas. This setup provides a native 3:2 aspect ratio, balancing detail capture with file efficiency for both still photography and post-processing workflows. A fixed low-pass filter positioned in front of the sensor mitigates moiré patterns without compromising overall sharpness.[7][3] Complementing the sensor is Canon's DIGIC II image processor, a second-generation digital imaging core that performs real-time noise reduction—incorporating a three-stage on-chip circuit for improved signal-to-noise ratios—and efficient JPEG compression, ensuring natural color rendition and reduced processing artifacts in output files. The processor's high-speed parallel data handling supports the sensor's output without introducing delays in image pipeline operations.[7][12] Due to its APS-C dimensions, the sensor applies a 1.6× crop factor to focal lengths, effectively multiplying the field of view equivalent of attached lenses compared to full-frame 35 mm formats, which influences lens selection for wide-angle and telephoto applications.[7]Resolution and Image Quality
The Canon EOS 20D delivers a maximum resolution of 3504 × 2336 pixels in its Large JPEG mode, yielding approximately 8.2 effective megapixels from its APS-C CMOS sensor, with additional options at 2544 × 1696 and 1728 × 1152 pixels for smaller file sizes. It supports 12-bit RAW capture in the CR2 format, enabling extensive post-processing while preserving full sensor data, alongside JPEG output compliant with the Design Rule for Camera File System (DCF). The camera accommodates both sRGB and Adobe RGB color spaces, enhancing versatility for standard web/print workflows or professional color-managed environments.[3][7][16] Image quality benefits from the sensor's measured color depth of 21.9 bits, which supports accurate and vibrant color reproduction, particularly in default processing modes that apply moderate boosts to contrast, saturation, and sharpness for punchier results without excessive artifacts. Dynamic range stands at 11 EV, providing solid tonal latitude for handling high-contrast scenes like landscapes, where shadow and highlight details are retained effectively compared to earlier models. The default parameter settings yield natural tones with good skin rendering and faithful primary colors, though neutral profiles offer subtler output akin to prior EOS bodies.[17][18][7] Noise performance is a highlight, with clean, silky-smooth images at ISO 100 and 200, minimal luminance noise up to ISO 800, and only slight increases that remain unobtrusive for most applications. At ISO 1600, noise is fine-grained and field-usable, outperforming the EOS 10D by a noticeable margin, while the extended ISO 3200 setting introduces more visible but controllable grain, suitable for low-light scenarios with post-processing. The native ISO range spans 100–1600, expandable to 3200 via the built-in extension for added flexibility in dim conditions. Overall low-light sensitivity scores 721 ISO, indicating reliable performance before noise significantly impacts detail.[18][17][7] Storage relies on CompactFlash Type I or II cards, with a maximum formatted capacity of 8 GB, though real-world limits depend on card speed—faster cards enable sustained bursts of up to 23 Large/Fine JPEG frames at 5 fps, while slower ones may reduce buffer performance and overall capacity. RAW files average around 8.7 MB each, emphasizing the need for sufficient media in high-volume shoots.[19][16][7]Performance
Autofocus System
The Canon EOS 20D employs a 9-point wide-area TTL-CT-SIR (Through-The-Lens Cross-Type Secondary Image Registration) autofocus system utilizing a dedicated CMOS sensor for phase-detection focusing. This system provides coverage across the central area of the frame, enabling reliable subject tracking in various compositions. The center AF point functions as a high-precision cross-type sensor when paired with lenses having a maximum aperture of f/2.8 or faster, offering sensitivity to both horizontal and vertical contrast lines for enhanced accuracy, while the remaining eight points are line-sensitive (horizontal or vertical).[20][21] The camera supports three primary AF modes to accommodate different shooting scenarios: One-Shot AF for stationary subjects, where focus locks upon achievement and allows exposure lock with the shutter button half-press; AI Servo AF for continuous focusing on moving subjects, maintaining tracking until shutter release; and AI Focus AF, which automatically switches between One-Shot and AI Servo based on subject movement detection. Manual focus override is available at any time via the lens focus ring, supporting full-time manual adjustment even in AF modes. Photographers can select AF points manually using the multi-controller or allow automatic selection, with the active point illuminated in the viewfinder.[20][22] In low-light conditions, the AF system operates down to -0.5 EV at ISO 100 and 20°C (68°F), an improvement over the predecessor EOS 10D's 0.5 EV threshold, thanks to the updated sensor design. An AF-assist beam from the built-in flash extends usability in dim environments, effective up to approximately 4 meters for the center point. The system integrates with the camera's evaluative metering mode, where metering calculations are weighted toward the selected AF point to ensure balanced exposure tied to the focused area, facilitating precise focus-and-recompose techniques in One-Shot AF.[23][4][20]Shooting Speed and Buffer
The Canon EOS 20D offers three primary drive modes: single-shot, continuous shooting, and self-timer, allowing users to select the appropriate capture method based on their needs. In single-shot mode, the camera captures one image per full press of the shutter button, with the shutter remaining locked until the exposure is complete. This mode is ideal for deliberate compositions where precision is prioritized over speed.[20] Continuous shooting enables the EOS 20D to capture images at a maximum rate of 5 frames per second (fps), provided the shutter speed is 1/250 second or faster, making it suitable for action photography such as sports or wildlife. The camera's buffer capacity supports up to 23 frames in JPEG Large/Fine format or 6 frames in RAW before the shooting speed slows due to data processing and storage limitations, thanks to the DIGIC II processor and internal memory buffer. During bursts, the autofocus system can track subjects in AI Servo mode, though performance depends on lighting and subject movement.[12][4] The self-timer mode provides a 10-second delay after the shutter is pressed, accompanied by a beeping sound and flashing self-timer lamp to indicate countdown, which is useful for group portraits or reducing camera shake in low-light conditions. Additionally, when used in conjunction with mirror lockup, the self-timer activates a 2-second delay after the mirror is raised, further minimizing vibrations for sharper long-exposure shots.[20] Complementing these modes, the EOS 20D's mechanical shutter supports speeds from 30 seconds to 1/8000 second in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments, along with Bulb mode for extended exposures beyond 30 seconds, enabling versatile control over capture timing across all drive options.[4]Features and Modes
Exposure Modes
The Canon EOS 20D offers a range of exposure modes divided into Basic Zone and Creative Zone options, allowing users to select between fully automatic settings for beginners and manual controls for advanced photographers. These modes determine how the camera handles shutter speed, aperture, ISO sensitivity, and other parameters to achieve proper exposure.[2]Basic Zone
The Basic Zone modes provide point-and-shoot simplicity, where the camera automatically configures exposure, focus, and other settings based on the selected scene type, with limited user adjustments available. The available modes include:- Full Auto: The camera selects all settings, including aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and autofocus mode, using evaluative metering for general shooting conditions.[24]
- Portrait: Prioritizes wide apertures to create a blurred background, employs One-Shot AF for stationary subjects, and uses single-area autofocus to isolate the main subject.[24]
- Landscape: Uses small apertures for maximum depth of field, One-Shot AF, and wide-area autofocus to capture sharp details across distant scenes.[24]
- Close-up: Optimizes for macro photography with large apertures, One-Shot AF, and close focusing distances to highlight subject details.[24]
- Sports: Employs fast shutter speeds to freeze motion, AI Servo AF for tracking moving subjects, and wide-area autofocus.[24]
- Night Portrait: Combines slow shutter speeds with flash for low-light portraits, using One-Shot AF and single-area focus to balance ambient and subject lighting.[24]
- Flash Off: Functions like Full Auto but disables the built-in flash, suitable for environments where flash is prohibited or undesired.[24]
Creative Zone
The Creative Zone modes grant greater control over exposure parameters, enabling photographers to override automatic decisions while still benefiting from the camera's metering system. These include:- Program AE (P): The camera sets both aperture and shutter speed for balanced exposure, but users can shift the combination using program shift via the main dial while maintaining equivalent exposure.[4]
- Shutter-Priority AE (Tv): Users select the shutter speed (from 30 seconds to 1/8000 second), and the camera automatically chooses the aperture to achieve correct exposure.[4]
- Aperture-Priority AE (Av): Users set the aperture value (f/1.0 to f/91, depending on the lens), and the camera adjusts the shutter speed accordingly, ideal for controlling depth of field.[26]
- Manual (M): Full user control over shutter speed and aperture, with the exposure level indicator providing real-time feedback; bulb mode allows exposures longer than 30 seconds.[27]
- Automatic Depth-of-Field AE (A-DEP): The camera uses all nine AF points to measure distance to near and far subjects, automatically selecting aperture and shutter speed for maximum depth of field while ensuring proper exposure.[20]
White Balance
White balance adjustment ensures accurate color rendition under varying light sources and is accessible in all shooting modes via the WB button. The options include:- Auto: Automatically detects and corrects white balance based on image sensor data, effective in the range of 3000–7000 K.[30]
- Daylight: Set for 5200 K illumination.[31]
- Shade: Calibrated for 7000 K shaded conditions.[31]
- Cloudy: Optimized for 6000 K overcast light.[31]
- Tungsten: For 3200 K incandescent lighting.[31]
- Fluorescent: Adjusted for 4000 K fluorescent sources.[31]
- Flash: Balanced for 5500–6000 K flash output.[31][4]
- Custom: User sets by photographing a neutral gray card under the shooting light.[32]
- Kelvin: Manual selection from 2500 K to 10,000 K for precise color temperature control.[4]
Metering and Flash
The Canon EOS 20D employs a TTL full-aperture metering system utilizing a 35-zone silicon photocell (SPC) for exposure evaluation.[4] This system supports three primary metering modes: evaluative, partial, and center-weighted average. Evaluative metering divides the scene into 35 zones and links to the active AF point, providing a balanced exposure assessment that considers backlighting, subject position, and overall scene brightness, making it the default in most shooting scenarios.[20] Partial metering concentrates on approximately 9% of the viewfinder at the center, ideal for high-contrast situations where the subject occupies a small central area, such as backlit portraits.[4] Center-weighted average metering, available in Creative Zone modes, prioritizes the central portion of the frame while averaging the entire scene, offering a traditional approach for evenly lit subjects.[3][20] The metering range spans EV 1 to 20 at 20°C with ISO 100 and a 50mm f/1.4 lens.[20] For flash illumination, the EOS 20D integrates E-TTL II autoflash metering, an advanced system compatible with Canon EX-series Speedlites that incorporates distance information from EF lenses for precise exposure calculation and reduced underexposure in complex scenes.[18] This enables features like FE (flash exposure) lock, high-speed sync up to 1/4000 second, and flash exposure compensation in 1/3-stop increments up to ±2 stops.[20] The built-in pop-up flash has a guide number of 13 (ISO 100, meters) and covers a 17mm lens angle of view, automatically deploying in low-light or backlit conditions within Basic Zone modes (except sports or bulb), with a recycle time of about 3 seconds.[3] It also emits an AF-assist beam effective up to 4 meters for low-light focusing.[20] External flash support includes a standard hot shoe for mounting Speedlites and a PC sync terminal for wired studio strobes, with synchronization speeds up to 1/250 second for non-Canon units.[4] Wireless flash control is facilitated through a master/slave setup using compatible EX-series Speedlites, such as the 580EX as master on the hot shoe to trigger multiple off-camera slaves without cables, supporting E-TTL II ratios and multi-Speedlite configurations for creative lighting.[20] This setup integrates seamlessly with the camera's metering modes, particularly evaluative, for consistent results in varied environments.[18]Variants
EOS 20Da Modifications
The Canon EOS 20Da was initially released in Japan on February 14, 2005, as a specialized variant of the EOS 20D tailored for astrophotography enthusiasts.[33] This model maintained the same physical body and core specifications as the standard EOS 20D, including its 8.2-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor, to ensure compatibility with existing Canon EF and EF-S lenses while focusing on enhancements for low-light celestial imaging.[34] The primary modification centered on the camera's built-in low-pass filter, which incorporates a revised infrared (IR)-blocking component designed to transmit approximately 2.5 times more hydrogen-alpha (H-α) light at the 656 nm wavelength compared to the EOS 20D.[34] This adjustment significantly improves the capture of red emissions from hydrogen-rich nebulae, such as the Orion Nebula, by reducing the filter's attenuation in the deep-red spectrum without compromising overall image quality for general photography—though users may need an external IR-cut filter for daytime shots to avoid color shifts.[34] To further support astrophotography workflows, the EOS 20Da introduced real-time mirror lock-up functionality, allowing the mirror to be raised immediately before exposure to minimize vibrations from mirror slap during long exposures.[34] It also added a magnified live view mode on the 1.8-inch LCD monitor, enabling up to 10x magnification for precise manual focusing on faint stars in real time under dark skies, a feature particularly useful when tripod-mounted for deep-sky imaging.[34] These additions, combined with optimized noise reduction for exposures up to 30 seconds, made the 20Da a dedicated tool for capturing emission nebulae and other astronomical subjects.[34] Production of the EOS 20Da ceased in April 2006, coinciding with the launch of the EOS 30D, after which Canon did not immediately offer a direct successor in this niche. Canon later released the EOS 60Da in 2012 as a successor optimized for astrophotography.[35][36]Compatibility Differences
The Canon EOS 20D and its variant, the EOS 20Da, feature full compatibility with Canon's EF lens mount, supporting all EF lenses designed for full-frame cameras, as well as the newer EF-S lenses optimized for its APS-C sensor crop factor of approximately 1.6x, which provides an effective focal length multiplication for wider field of view coverage on the smaller sensor.[4] This dual compatibility allows users to leverage the extensive Canon lens ecosystem without restrictions, though EF-S lenses include a rear projection that prevents mounting on full-frame bodies to avoid damage.[4] Power is supplied by the rechargeable Lithium-ion BP-511A battery pack (or compatible BP-511, BP-512, and BP-514 variants), which delivers approximately 500 shots per charge under CIPA testing standards at 20°C with 50% flash usage, ensuring reliable performance for extended shooting sessions.[4] The camera also supports the optional Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E1, enabling Ethernet or wireless LAN transfer of images directly to FTP servers or computers, a feature that enhances workflow efficiency for professional photographers.[37] Regarding variants, the EOS 20Da maintains identical compatibility profiles to the standard 20D in terms of lenses, batteries, and accessories, with the primary distinction being the 20Da's modified infrared-blocking filter for astrophotography; both models utilize CompactFlash Type I or II cards (including Microdrives) for storage, supporting up to 8 GB formatted capacity without functional differences.[34]Firmware
Update History
The Canon EOS 20D digital single-lens reflex camera was released in August 2004 with an initial firmware version of 1.0.2.[38][39] Subsequent updates addressed various operational aspects, progressing through intermediate releases including version 1.1.0 (adding menu language support for traditional Chinese, Korean, and Russian, and fixing high-ISO noise issues with built-in flash), version 2.0.0 (adding compatibility with the Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E1), and version 2.0.2, to the final version 2.0.3, which was made available on October 24, 2005.[40][41][42] Firmware for the EOS 20D can be downloaded directly from Canon's official support website, where users select the appropriate version based on their current installation.[40] Installation requires copying the firmware file to the root directory of a formatted CompactFlash (CF) card, inserting the card into the camera, and following the on-screen prompts to apply the update while ensuring a fully charged battery and stable power source.[40] Version 2.0.3 is fully compatible with both the standard EOS 20D and the astrophotography-optimized EOS 20Da model, allowing the same update file to be used across both variants without modification.[42][43]Key Improvements
The firmware updates for the Canon EOS 20D introduced several functional enhancements and fixes that addressed reliability issues encountered by users. In version 2.0.3, Canon improved the reliability of communication with CompactFlash cards, which reduced errors during high-speed writing operations and enhanced overall data handling stability.[42] This update also resolved a specific issue with color temperature information transmission when using the Speedlite 430EX flash unit, ensuring accurate white balance in flash photography scenarios.[42] Earlier firmware iterations, such as version 1.0.5, focused on foundational stability improvements. This update fixed a bug in the previous 1.0.4 version that could prevent proper installation if a lens was attached, potentially causing power or communication failures; the core content remained the same as 1.0.4, which addressed shutter release issues such as camera freezing during lens changes in auto power-off mode or continuous shooting, and improved communication reliability with certain CF cards.[39] Collectively, these updates provided better error handling for demanding tasks, including long exposures where freezing could interrupt shots and burst shooting where image recording failures might occur.[39] No firmware updates were released after version 2.0.3 in 2005, indicating the end of official support for the EOS 20D as Canon shifted focus to newer models.[44]References
- https://camera-wiki.org/wiki/Canon_EOS_20D