Although slightly smaller than the EOS 10D the overall design and layout is very similar, and that's really not a bad thing, there was little about the design of the EOS 10D which drew criticism. A few subtle changes like larger buttons and the re-location of button labels have been done to bring the overall look and feel of the camera more in line with the professional EOS Digitals. Somehow the EOS 20D feels that little bit more professional than the EOS 10D, perhaps it's a change to the material used or the paint but it really does feel even more durable.

 

Handling

Not surprisingly the EOS 20D feels very much like the EOS 10D, albeit a little lighter. The EOS 20D is a great camera to hold and shoot with, it's small enough not to be bulky and 'weighty' enough (without feeling heavy) to provide a little weight induced stabilization. It's probably also worth noting that the rubber used on the rear of the camera and hand grip is now softer and more sticky than before.

Features

8.2 MP
5 fps with up to 23 frame burst
9-point AF
DIGIC II Processor
E-TTL II distance-linked flash
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed/Video Out
Magnesium alloy body
Compatible with Canon EF/EF-S lenses and EX Speedlite flashes
DPP RAW processing software

Quality

A rugged magnesium alloy body provides the first clue that the EOS 20D is no ordinary camera. Canon's award-winning CMOS technology delivers outstanding image quality and 8.2 Megapixel resolution. The DIGIC II architecture drives blistering 5fps continuous shooting with a maximum burst of 23 frame JPEG images, class-leading colour rendition accuracy, quick start-up times and rapid display and zooming of images during in-camera review. JPEG and RAW files write simultaneously with no loss of performance. 9 auto focus points are carefully distributed across a wide area of the frame for fast, accurate focusing, even with off-centre subjects and particularly with 'rule-of-thirds' compositions.

Distance-linked flash

The E-TTL distance-linked flash algorithm takes factors such as lens distance information and ambient light readings into account for accurate flash metering, even in circumstances such as recomposed shots, or where high or low reflective objects appear in the frame. The camera is compatible with the entire EX-series Speedlite flash range. This includes the 580EX, which transmits colour temperature information for improved colour stability and auto zooms to match the camera's APS-C sensor size. The EOS 20D is compatible with more than 60 Canon EF lenses, including Canon's EF-S lenses. Built with the EOS 20D photographer in mind, the EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM and EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM cover popular wide (approx. 16-35mm) and standard (approx. 27-136mm) ranges in the 35mm equivalent.

LCD Panel

On top of the camera is a large LCD panel which provides a wide range of information about the current camera settings and exposure. The main numeric section of the panel doubles up to provide other types of information such as the 'Busy' warning, ISO setting and processing parameter set when these are being changed. The panel has an orange backlight which is illuminated by pressing the backlight button to the top left of the panel, the backlight stays on for approximately six seconds.

Viewfinder

The EOS 20D's viewfinder is clear and bright with a high quality eyepiece lens (very little corner distortion). It has an all new 'Precision Matte' focusing screen which is supposed to have a more neutral color response and provide better manual focus with faster lenses thanks to a steeper change in blur at the focus point (in use I have to agree, it's a noticeable improvement over the 10D. The rubber surround can be removed and the supplied eyepiece cover (on the shoulder strap) can be slipped over to stop stray light from entering the chamber during long exposures. The eyepiece will also take E-series dioptre adjustment lenses to further expand the dioptre correction range.

Through the viewfinder you'll see the partial metering circle and the nine focus points of the new AF system. In automatic AF point selection mode the AF points chosen by the camera are highlighted when you initiate AF (half-press shutter release / AF button), otherwise the selected AF point is highlighted*. In the example below all AF points are illuminated, this would only occur if you had pressed the AF point button with all points selected.

Battery Compartment

The battery compartment on the EOS 20D is in the base of the hand grip, behind a simple clip- locked door. The door itself is removable (to make way for the optional battery grip). The EOS 20D is supplied with the higher capacity BP-511A Lithium-Ion battery pack, it provides 1390 mAh at 7.4 V which is 10.3 Wh vs. the older BP-511's 8.1 Wh, this will no doubt mean longer battery life. There's a tiny door on the inside edge of the hand grip where the cable from the optional AC adapter's dummy battery exits.

Battery Grip (optional)

Because of its smaller dimensions the EOS 20D gets a new battery grip, the BG-E2. This provides additional battery capacity as it can take two BP-511A (or BP-511/512/514) batteries. Also supplied is a new six AA battery magazine which is described by Canon as for 'get you home' use only (this basically means that the camera will soon suck a set of AA's dry). Compared to the EOS 10D's BG-ED3 the new grip gets an on/off switch (to help avoid accidental shutter release).

The grip is attached to the EOS 20D by removing the battery compartment door (which fits neatly into a slot on the edge of the inserted part of the grip), inserting into the battery compartment and screwing tightly to the tripod mount. The grip and two batteries adds 374 g (13.2 oz) to the weight of the EOS 20D with just one battery.

CompactFlash Compartment

The CompactFlash compartment on the EOS 20D is at the rear corner of the hand grip and is opened by sliding the door towards you and flipping outwards. The door itself has a metal hinge and opens with plenty of room to remove the CF card once ejected. It's worth noting that the CF activity light has moved from a hole in the compartment door to just below the quick control dial on the rear of the camera. The EOS 20D supports both Type I and Type II CompactFlash cards and cards greater than 2 GB in capacity (FAT32).

Flash

The EOS 20D features an all new E-TTL II pop-up flash, the flash itself raises much higher than the EOS 10D's unit which means fewer problems with lenses causing a shadow and will probably improve red-eye performance. The internal lens has a guide number of 13 (approx. 3.3 m @ 17 mm / 2.3 m @ 85 mm; ISO 100) and a wide angle coverage of 17 mm. Support for E-TTL II means that lens distance information is now used to calculate the required flash power. Flash sync speed is up slightly to 1/250 sec. The EOS 20D's hot-shoe can be used with Canon and third party flash units (sync only). As with the internal flash the hot shoe supports the new E-TTL II metering which uses distance information from the lens to calculate flash power. This works with all Canon lenses (although distance information is only provided by lenses with ring type USM motors).

Black & White Mode

The EOS 20D features a new Black and White parameter set. In this mode you can choose the B&W filter and toning effect in addition to contrast and sharpness. The sample below was produced from a single RAW file converted by EOS Viewer Utility with different B&W settings (the same result as taking multiple shots in each B&W mode). In addition you can also add toning to these filters. Place your mouse over the label below the chart to see that image.

Conclusion

If you've ever handled an EOS 10D and you pick up the EOS-20D you'll be immediately struck by how much smaller and lighter the camera feels, whilst retaining its build quality and sturdiness. The body adds to the feeling of quality, but the optional battery grip and accessories are not equal to this high standard, which is a real shame. The auto focus is a considerable improvement over the 10D being fast and extremely positive. The start up time of less than 0.2 of a second is virtually instant and the write speeds are excellent. An improvement in Image quality is also evident although it is not a massive leap over the already excellent 10D. The upgrade is worth it in terms of speed of operation, accuracy of auto focus and improved all-round performance, but probably not in terms of sheer image quality.