Canon EOS EOS 5D White Paper

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WHITE PAPER

THE CANON EOS5D
CAMERA:

THE WORLD’S FIRST
PREMIUM DSLR

able of Contents I OVERVIEW 3

T

I SUMMARY OF NEW AND IMPROVED FEATURES 5

I

II PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY 7

I

emarkable New Full-Frame 12.8 Megapixel CMOS Sensor 7

R

ophisticated New AF System 8

S
Highly Durable New High-Speed Shutter 9
Design and Construction 10
Power Sources 11
E-TTL II Autoflash 11

IV CONTROLS AND DISPLAY 12

High Performance LCD Screen 12
Large, Bright Viewfinder With Interchangeable Focusing Screens 12
New Picture Style 13
New Automatic and Intelligent Noise Reduction Function 14
Flexible and Convenient Folder Creation and Selection 14
Ultra-precise White Balance 15
Extensive Exposure Control 15
Image Recording, Processing and Protection 16
Im

age Playback 17
Menus 18
Customization 18

V SOFTWARE PACKAGE, COMPATIBILITY AND SUPPORT 19

Extensive Software Package 19
Enhanced PictBridge Functions 19
Interfaces 20

VI SPECIFICATIONS 21

VII

CONCLUSION 25

Contents ©2005 by Canon U.S.A., Inc. All Rights Reserved. Excerpts from this material may be quoted in

published product reviews and articles. For further information, please contact Canon U.S.A., Inc. Public Relations Dept.,

[phone].

I. OVERVIEW

In the Canon DSLR lineup, the gap between the EOS 20D camera, at about $1,500, and
the new EOS-1D Mark II N camera, at about $4,000, represents an irresistible marketing
and engineering opportunity. Of course, many combinations of size, performance,
ruggedness and complexity are possible, especially for Canon. Canon has the
inestimable advantage of being able to mix original design elements with existing,
proven, successful components and software, as appropriate, from the EOS-1Ds Mark II,
the EOS-1D Mark II and new Mark II N, the EOS 20D and the EOS Digital Rebel XT
cameras. Because Canon manufactures not only its own CMOS sensors but also the
machinery that makes those sensors, as well as the devices that test and maintain that
machinery, Canon has extraordinary control over the manufacturing process. Canon has
developed leading mold making and metalworking technologies, and it makes virtually
all of the critical electronic and optical parts in its DSLRs. Consequently, the occasion of a
new camera brings with it the possibility of some new and very special items to throw into
the mix. That is exactly what has happened with the new Canon EOS 5D Digital SLR.

The heart of the EOS 5D SLR is its all-new, specific to the 5D model, 12.8 megapixel
full-frame, Canon-designed and -manufactured single-plate CMOS sensor. Each pixel is a
very large 8.2µm, and is therefore able to receive a great deal of light, producing not
only excellent resolution but a wide range of ISO settings and low noise levels on a par
with the 8.2 megapixel EOS-1D Mark II camera. The DIGIC II Image Processor, DDR
SDRAM and 4-channel reading enable an incredible burst performance of 60 Large/Fine
JPEGs or 17 RAW images at 3 fps.

Also newly developed for the EOS 5D camera are the 9-point AF unit with 6 invisible
Supplemental AF points and a more durable shutter rated to 100,000 shots as required
in a pr

ofessional camera. This shutter mechanism has to be large enough to handle the
full-frame sensor, which, in turn, has required the development of a new, large mirror
box assembly.

New and shared with the concurrently-introduced EOS-1D Mark II

N camera, is the

2.5 inch, approximately 230,000 pixel, wide-view monitor, which is an absolute delight

1Ds Mark II

1. OVERVIEW

ark II

N

5D Digit

20D1D M

al Rebel XT

3

o use. Also new and shared with the EOS-1D Mark II

t

pproach to the management of image characteristics, which users will appreciate for its

a

ase of use and more coherent set of controls.

e

rim and convenient size and weight are important parts of the EOS 5D camera’s

T

haracter. At 810 grams, the 5D model is unusually easy to carry and to hold, especially

c

hen its resolution and full-frame sensor are taken into account. It is roughly the size of

w

amera is the Picture Style

N c

the original EOS 1 film SLR sans booster. When combined with compact new top-quality
lenses such as the EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM or the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM, the
result is a unique tool: a lightweight, high performance camera with outstanding optics
at a modest price. If 1-Series heft is required, the optional BG-E4 Battery Grip is available.
It provides a comfortable vertical shooting grip and doubles shooting capacity.

At an estimated selling price of $3,2991, the Canon EOS 5D Digital SLR has actually
invented a new category: the mid-price, high-end DSLR or, as Canon prefers to say, the
first Premium DSLR camera.

1

Actual selling price will be set by dealers and may vary.

1. OVERVIEW

4

II. SUMMARY OF NEW AND

IMPROVED FEATURES

• World’s smallest and lightest

full-frame digital SLR (as of
August 2005)

• Full-size 12.8 megapixel

Canon-designed and

-manufactured CMOS image
sensor with large 8.2µm
square pixels for ultra-fine
detail and high image quality

• Incredible value at an

estimated selling price of

3

$3,299
Photo Professional v2.0

• New Picture Style function for easy, customizable and complete image control

• DIGIC II Image Processor and 4-channel reading for fast 3 fps continuous shooting,

even at full resolution

• Outstanding burst performance: 60 Large/Fine JPEG or 17 RAW frames

• Fast, 0.2 second startup

• Newly developed 9-point AF unit with 6 invisible Supplemental AF points, improved

AI SERVO AF subject tracking and improved focusing from a defocused state

• 3 AF points work with f/2.8 or faster lenses for enhanced precision

• Improved 35-zone exposure metering

• Spot metering, approximately 3.5% of viewfinder area

• Rugged body built using magnesium alloy (including battery grip) and stainless

steel chassis

•

Compact and lightweight for a DSLR with a full-frame sensor

• New, more durable shutter rated to 100,000 shots for professional use

• New 2.5 inch, approximately 230,000 pixel, wide-view LCD monitor

• 6 selectable JPEG recording modes, RAW and simultaneous RAW+JPEG

• Interchangeable focusing screens: 3 types

• Shutter speeds to 1/8000 sec. and X sync at 1/200 sec.

• More advanced PictBridge functions

• New automatic noise reduction function

• Wide ISO range: 100 to 1,600 in 1/3 stop increments (extendable to 50 and 3,200)

• Ultra-precise white balance (9 types), WB bracketing (blue-amber and magenta-green,

even on RAW and RAW+JPEG shots) and WB correction

• Full-featured INFO screen (including RGB histogram and AF frame displays)

• Quick review images enlargeable

in complete Power Kit form with full software package including new Digital

II. SUMMARY OF NEW AND IMPROVED FEATURES 5

Powerful new Jump function for image viewing (jump by 10 or 100 images, date

•

r folder)

o
Storage of one set of frequently used camera settings

•

21 Custom functions with 57 settings

•

Flexible folder creation and selection

•

USB 2.0 Hi-Speed connection for fast image transfers

•

Compatible with wireless/wired LAN image transmission via optional WFT-E1/E1A

•

• Original image verification system with optional DVK-E2

• Sculpted Canon logo, electroplated “EOS 5D” badge and higher density matte finish

for quality look and feel

• Optional battery grip, BG-E4, accepts up to 2 battery packs (BP-511A/511/512/514)

or a set of six AA-size batteries for long periods of continuous shooting

2

As of August, 2005

3

ctual selling price will be set by dealers and may vary.

A

II. SUMMARY OF NEW AND IMPROVED FEATURES 6

III. PERFORMANCE AND

35.8mm

23.9mm

Low-pass filter
(Separates image in
vertical direction)

Low-pass filter
(Separates image in horizontal
direction)

Phaser layer
(Converts linear polarized
light into circular polarized light)

Dichroic mirror
(Reflects infrared rays)

Infrared-absorbing glass

CMOS
sensor

RELIABILITY

Remarkable New

Full-Frame 12.8 Megapixel

CMOS Sensor

generous 8.2µm, resulting in exceptionally low shadow noise. The sensor’s low power
consumption extends battery life and also lowers noise. A finer CMOS production
process and optimized photodiode construction increase the light-sensitive area of each
pixel and improve dynamic range as well.

The f

ull-size sensor maximizes the performance of EF lenses, the world’s largest
selection of autofocus lenses. With the full-size sensor, EF lenses — even wide-angle
lenses — have the same look and feel that they have with conventional SLR cameras,
preserving their optical signatures.

The anti-aliasing filter, which also functions as the
CMOS sensor package’s cover glass, consists of an
infrared-blocking filter, a primary low-pass filter, a
phase plate and a secondary low-pass filter. While
other cameras, such as the EOS 20D camera, have
three crystal plates, the EOS 5D model’s filter has one
independent
cover glass. This reduces cost without affecting the
filter’s performance.

Also significant are the large microlens array that
gathers light for the photodiodes with great efficiency
and the second-generation, on-chip, noise reduction
circuit that effectively minimizes random noise and
eliminates fixed-pattern noise. A wide standard ISO
range is possible, 100 to 1,600, extendable to 50 and
3,200. Further, 4-channel reading is performed per
line, so shooting can continue at 3 fps, even at 12.8 megapixels per frame resolution.

The result is very high resolution and exceptionally low image noise, on the same level

III. PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY 7

The heart of the Canon EOS 5D Digital SLR is
its extraordinary new, Canon-designed and
–manufactured, full-frame, single-plate 12.8
megapixel sensor. This is enough resolution
for a double page spread in a magazine, a
large print of the bride and groom, facial
detail in group shots or a landscape of

MOS sensor (actual size)

C

impressive dimensions. The sensor’s 35.8mm
x 23.9mm size means that each pixel can be a

crystal plate doing double duty as the

Cross section of infrared cut, low-pass filter

s the EOS-1D Mark II camera. Seen in its totality, this is groundbreaking performance:

f/2.8 / f/5.6-sensitive sensor

f/5.6-sensitive sensor

f/5.6-sensitive
major defocus
detection sensor

: Sensitive to f/2.8
Assist AF points

Intermediate
AF points

: Sensitive to f/5.6
Assist AF points

a

op-of-the-mark image quality in a beautifully balanced package for thousands less than

t

ver before.

e

ophisticated

S

ew AF System

N

he EOS 5D camera has a new 9-point AF unit

T

ith six Supplemental AF points, a new AF

w
algorithm and new AF circuitry. The new AF
system improves subject detection and focusing
precision at the center, the most frequently used
area, and significantly enhances subject tracking
performance. The nine AF points are concentrated
at the center, but the extreme left and right AF
points are located in the same positions as the
corresponding AF points on the EOS-1Ds Mark II.
In addition, the six Supplemental AF points,
grouped around the center of the image, provide
highly accurate focusing and do an especially
good job of tracking the subject in the AI SERVO
AF mode. These Supplemental AF points are not
visible in the finder and cannot be selected
manually, but they can be seen in the
ZoomBrowser or ImageBrowser software. They
are used during automatic AF point selection (AF
calculation speed and accuracy are as good as,
or better than, the EOS 20D’s) and as AF area
expansion points when the center AF point is
selected in C.Fn-17-1, “Expanded AF point
activation area.” They do not function in the
One-Shot AF mode.

AF sensor positions

AF sensor

The EOS 5D camera has three autofocus modes
p

lus manual focus (MF). In One-Shot AF, when
focus is achieved, the AF operation stops and
locks. Predictive AI SERVO AF tracks subject
movement and focuses continuously until the
start of exposure. AI Focus AF provides automatic switching from One-Shot AF to
Predictive AI Servo AF when subject motion is detected. The manual focus mode
provides a focus confirmation light, an illuminated superimposed AF point display
(enabled/disabled with C.Fn-10) and a beeper (enabled/disabled with the power
switch). AF-Assist is provided by EOS-dedicated Speedlites equipped with a near-

infrared (peak wavelength approx. 700nm) AF-Supplemental beam.

In AI SERVO AF mode and with automatic AF point selection set, a total of fifteen AF
points, including the six Supplemental AF points, will function automatically. As with

III. PERFORMANCE AND RELIABILITY 8

AF

points

and in

ib

s

i

v

e AF points

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