Lake Success, New York – Canon U.S.A., Inc., the company whose imaging
solutions give people Know How, is once again combining its expertise in
camera design and advanced digital imaging technology to create the EOS
D30 — the world’s smallest and lightest digital SLR camera with
interchangeable lenses.
At a size of 5.9 x 4.2 x 3.0 inches and a weight of just 1.6 lb., the new,
affordably-priced, digital camera retains the proven operability of the
company’s best-selling EOS 35mm SLR system. The EOS D30 features a
large-area CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor) imaging sensor
newly developed by Canon, with outstanding image quality sufficient for
producing richly detailed color prints up to 11×14-inches.
The new digital camera also accommodates all Canon EF lenses plus a wide
range of EOS system accessories, giving photographers greater creative
flexibility and providing current EOS System users an economical way to make
the transition to digital imaging.
Canon’s previously released professional digital SLR cameras — the EOS
D2000 and EOS DCS 1 are based on the company’s autofocus SLR EOS-series
flagship-model EOS-1N, are widely used in journalism, medicine and
publishing. Demand among general EOS users, however, has been on the rise
for an affordably priced digital SLR camera offering high cost performance
that can be used for leisure photo taking as well as in the workplace. The
new Canon EOS D30, developed to satisfy a wide range of uses from advanced
amateur photographers to business use, represents the standard in
next-generation digital SLR cameras.
“The EOS D30 was designed to support our existing customer-base of EOS
System users and other advanced amateur photographers who want to explore
the world of digital imaging at an affordable price,” said Yukiaki
Hashimoto, vice president and general manager, Photographic Products Group,
Canon U.S.A. “In addition, the camera’s price point will also make it a
viable and practical tool for a number of business applications including
real estate and publishing.”
The EOS D30’s high resolution and outstanding color reproduction is made
possible by a proprietary 3.25 megapixel large-area CMOS sensor, an RGB
color filter and a newly-designed digital imaging processing LSI. The camera
also incorporates the same mode settings and dial operations found in
existing EOS System cameras, making it easy for current EOS users to quickly
acquaint themselves with the camera.
Functions specific to the digital camera have been added to the LCD panel,
including recording format (Large/Fine, Large/Normal, Small/Fine,
Small/Normal and Raw) and white balance. The 1.8-inch LCD color monitor on
the back panel provides a display for viewing and confirming images, as well
as screens for 13 types of Custom Functions and a variety of camera settings
including shutter speeds, aperture and exposure. The menu screen simplifies
display settings by using color codes for the imaging system (red), playback
system (blue) and set-up system (yellow).
The new camera offers a range of camera features including fully automatic
operation with 11 shooting modes; a high-speed, high-performance 3-point
autofocusing system; a 35-zone evaluative metering sensor linked to each
focusing point; 13 Custom Functions; 7 white balance modes for optimum color
renditions; a built-in USB interface; a PC socket for studio-type strobes;
and a built-in E-TTL flash system a first in an EOS System camera. The
camera also allows high-speed shooting at a speed of approximately 3 frames
per second for up to 8 continuous images at the default image quality
setting.
Image data is stored on CompactFlash cards, permitting the storage of up to
approximately 12 pictures on a 16MB card when shooting in the “Large/Normal”
mode. The camera is also compatible with the CompactFlash Type II card,
enabling users to take advantage of the IBM Microdrive and other
high-capacity storage media. The lithium ion Battery Pack BP-511, which is
included with the camera, provides enough power to take approximately 540
images while in the Large/Fine mode.
The EOS D30 is bundled with a variety of image management, editing,
compositing and printing software including Canon’s exclusive TWAIN driver
software; ZoomBrowser for acquiring, viewing, filing and printing captured
images; PhotoStitch for creating panoramas; and PhotoShop LE retouching
software. All packaged software will run on Windows (95/98/2000/NT 4.0) and
Macintosh (Mac OS 7.5.3 or higher, QuickTime 2.1 or higher).
The EOS D30 digital still camera measures 5.9 x 4.2 x 3.0-inches and weighs
26.8 ounces (body only). The new camera will be available in the Fall, 2000
and have a suggested retail price of $3,500.
