And finally, a 7.4v lithium-ion battery that I have yet to run down over multiple shoots provides power to the EOS 20D. An add-on DC coupler is available to run the camera from AC power, and an extended battery bracket is also available to add an extra set of batteries. Here's another difference between the EOS 20D and the EOS 10D. The EOS 20D has a slightly smaller footprint than the EOS 10D, so it can't use the extended battery pack from the EOS 10D, but rather requires its own. The majority of other accessories are interchangeable though.

Rounding out the Canon EOS 20D package is a software suite that includes Canon's Digital Photo Professional and Adobe Photoshop Elements. I get the impression the EOS Viewer Utility, EOS Capture, and Photostitch were supposed to be included too, but for the life of me, I couldn't find the CD for them, only the manual. Also included is a USB cable for connecting the EOS 20D directly to a computer, and a component video cable to connect directly to a TV.

There's so much more to this camera, I know there's no possible way I could cover it all. A lot of the features I cover may seem old hat to some of you, but are new and innovative to me. The reason is that the Canon EOS 20D is not only my first digital camera; it's also my first auto-focus camera. Up to now, I have relied solely manual focus cameras. From my very first Pentax Asahi 35mm, to the Mamiya 645 Pro I just gave up, all of my cameras have been completely manually operated, and this was how I liked them. I always felt it gave me a higher degree of control over my images. Then again, it also gave me a higher degree of screwing them up too.

How it feels
In your hand, the Canon EOS 20D feels pretty much like any other recent 35mm film camera, but a lot of function has been packed into this form-factor. It's much easier on the wrists than my Mamiya 645 Pro was, and it's quite easy to shoot one-handed, which wasn't possible with the Mamiya.

All of the function and interaction buttons on the EOS 20D are within millimeters of a thumb or finger, making switching functions or altering settings as simple as clicking the shutter. Figure B shows the back of the camera, with the viewing screen, settings buttons, on/off switch, and navigation dial.

FIGURE B


The back of the Canon EOS 20D, with viewing screen and settings menu. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Through the menu, you can change settings such as the format images are recorded in, RAW or JPEG, turn Red-eye reduction on and off, Auto-Exposure Bracketing, White Balance Bracketing, Color Temperature, custom parameters, and so much more. The LCD status screen on the top-right of the camera, shown in Figure C, should look pretty familiar to most camera users as it serves pretty the same purpose as those on film cameras.

FIGURE C


The LCD status screen is where to look for pertinent information. Roll over picture for a larger image.

On the status screen you'll find information such as how many exposure you can fit on your CompactFlash card with the current settings, auto-focus mode, image quality setting, white balance setting, exposure compensation, drive mode (single, continuous, timer), and battery status. The setting buttons along the front of the status screen, and the selector dial next to the shutter release, allow you to change these settings, as well as set the ISO equivalent.