Digital Camera Review: Canon EOS 20D

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The Canon 20D digital SLR camera is a fantastic tool for sports and action photographers who like to make large prints. The camera is geared toward professional photographers, but priced with consumers in mind.

Key features

The 20D has a very fast 9-point autofocus system, can take 5 photos per second up to a maximum of 23 and it turns on in 0.2 seconds.

The 20D is compatible with over 50 Canon EOS lenses, which gives you a lot of variety to choose from.

The 8.2 megapixel CMOS sensor inside the camera will let you print your digital photographs clearly up to a size of 12x16 inches.

The 20D stores photos on CompactFlash cards. The CompactFlash market is competitive, which means you can get a lot of memory card for a minimal price.

Drawbacks

In all my time using the camera, I have only found 3:

• The predictive autofocus is not 100% accurate. When predictive autofocus is turned on, the camera "guesses" where to set the focus based on the direction your subject is moving. I've found that only about 50% of the photos that I take with predictive autofocus turn out, but this is only a problem with fast-moving subjects like dogs and cars.
• The camera needs an immediate firmware update. The camera might lockup on you without the firmware update. The 20D stops taking photos, and won't start working until you remove the battery and put it back in again. Once you download and install the firmware update from Canon's web site, this shouldn't happen to you.
• Highlights tend to be washed out. Finally, if you don't make adjustments to the way the camera takes exposures, you'll find that highlights (bright areas in the photo) get washed out, leaving little or no detail.

Look and feel

The Canon 20D is a large heavy camera compared to the other digital SLR models available. It weighs in at a pound and a half just for the camera, so when you attach a lens it's easy for it to weigh between 4 and 5 pounds.

While that doesn't seem like a lot, it can be a bit much when you take the camera with you on a hike.

The camera fits well into the hand. Canon did a great job designing the grip so that you don't get hand cramps when you're taking photos all day.

Controls are in the right places, and I am especially fond of the scroll wheel on the back of the camera. This wheel lets you make adjustments to exposure and other camera settings. Rather than pushing a lot of buttons, you just spin the wheel to get the setting you need.

The 1.8 inch LCD on the back of the camera is small compared to the competition. Unlike my compact digital camera, I don't use use the LCD on the Canon 20D as much, so the size is less of an issue.

All of the important camera settings are easily accessible, and you don't have to wade through a lot of digital camera menus to find what you're looking for.

In use

The Canon 20D is a dream come true for any sports enthusiast. I use it all the time to take photos of dogs romping and playing, and the camera catches all the action at 5 photos per second.

I also use it indoors a lot and have found that the autofocus is instantaneous, even in low-light conditions where most digital cameras have trouble.

The camera takes a photo the second you press the button � there is little or no delay. If you see something starting to happen, you can get a photo of it. You won't miss a single memorable moment.

Summary

I have focused on the speed of the 20D, but don't let that discourage you if your preference is for still life instead of sports. The Canon 20D takes beautiful portrait and landscape photographs, but it's the speed (which you pay a premium for) that sets the camera apart from its competition.

What also sets it apart is the cost: while it comes with a higher price tag than most consumer models (like the Canon 350D, the Nikon D50 and the Minolta Maxxum 5d), it's half the price of high-end professional digital SLR cameras.

Chris Roberts purchased his first digital SLR camera three years ago, and hasn't looked back. He loves taking photos, is a digital SLR nut and he enjoys providing others with practical advice about these complicated cameras. He continues to learn and write about new and emerging digital SLRs to this day. His Digital SLR Guide provides consumers with camera comparisons and reviews, a free monthly newsletter, and plenty of tips and practical advice on digital SLR technology.