This crop of the crab's face is admittedly a bit noisy, but we're talking about an area of space that's about 3/8 inch across in real life. The fact that this camera can capture that small of an area, and show this much detail, just blows me away.

In a previous article, I put forth the belief that medium format film is superior to 35mm, which it is, and that digital cameras couldn't compete with medium format. I now have to retract that statement, as digital SLRs are clearly superior to medium format film, as proven with the Canon EOS 20D.

I haven't really had the opportunity yet to delve REAL deep into the Canon Digital Photo Professional software. Essentially, it's used to interpret the camera's RAW file information into a usable and editable image. Digital Photo Professional lets you adjust the brightness, white balance, color, etc., then process the image into a TIFF or JPEG for later editing with your image editor of choice. So far I've really only used it for interpreting the RAW and converting to a TIF, then doing my real editing and adjustment with Photoshop.

In the future, after I've had more time to get acquainted with it, I'll do a more involved piece on Digital Photo Professional. In the meantime, for more information the RAW format, I'll refer you to John Roling's excellent article "A RAW deal" (at http://www.connectedphotographer.com/issues/issue200505/00001529001.html) in this month's Connected Photographer Magazine.

I briefly checked out EOS Capture, which works with Digital Photo Professional to allow you to shoot a picture with the EOS 20D, and view it immediately on the computer. This is a definite plus in the "digital developing" process, eliminating the step of transferring a flash card to the computer, and then loading the image to see the results. I definitely plan on investigating this feature further.

I also plugged the camera into the component video port on my television with the supplied cable to check that out as well. In doing this, the image preview when the shutter is released, and the image playback feature is forwarded to the television, allowing you to see the images in a much larger setting. To quote my dad, I thought this feature was "Slicker than snot on a doorknob." You can find a TV almost anywhere, so it makes for a nice show when you're on location and would like to show off your images.

I know I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of what this camera is capable of, nor have I committed to memory every feature and setting that I can customize. At this time though, I only really have two complaints with the camera. The first is the manner in which the strap attaches. I know, minor, but still kind of an annoyance.

All of my previous cameras have had quick release mechanisms where the strap attaches to the body. The Canon EOS 20D though has the strap threaded through metal loops on the camera body. The ends of the straps are then fed through a couple of buckles and keepers on the strap itself. My wife's Maxxum has the same setup with its strap, so it's not a system that's unique to the EOS 20D. I'd just like to be able to remove the strap quickly if I chose to, and clip it back on at a moment's notice.