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paths, it is difficult to combine them
to form large sensors without
affecting their charge transfer
characteristics. CMOS sensors,
however,
can be combined easily
because their vertical and horizontal
wiring points simply have to be
connected electronically.
Canon’s CMOS sensors incorporate
a unique on-chip noise reduction
technology to deal with both
fixed-pattern and random noise,
resulting in silky-smooth, film-like
images, with limited power
consumption, at breathtaking speed.
In addition, a multi-layer low-pass
filter is placed in front of the sensor
in order to isolate false colours that
the sensor may detect. Then, Canon’s
proprietary imaging engine processes
the image to eliminate the false
colours while retaining full detail.
Canon Image Rendering
As the only company in the world that designs, develops and manufactures its own cameras, lenses, image sensors and
image processors, Canon brings an unrivalled level of technological know-how to the digital SLR world. By sharing
research and information among development teams, and keeping the entire creation and production of a product
in-house, Canon is able to create technologically advanced products faster than any other company. Only Canon EOS
digital SLRs benefit from Canon’s decades of innovation in both the consumer and professional markets.
Canon digital SLRs utilise the latest in sensor and processor technology to ensure the purest, highest quality images
available today. All EOS digital SLRs provide the user with quick operation, virtually identical to that of a traditional
35mm SLR, so that users will feel no compromise in working with digital photography.
Innovations like Canon’s CMOS Sensor and DiG!C Imaging Processor, combined with Canon’s years of experience
in making industry-leading EOS cameras and lenses, have kept Canon Digital SLRs leaps ahead of the competition.
It must be large enough to ensure
wide depth of field, as in traditional
photography, but must also be
efficient, or the photographer will
have to change batteries all day long.
Bearing this in mind, Canon developed
its own CMOS (complementary metal-
oxide semiconductor) sensor to record
digital images, taking advantage of
proprietary know-how gained during
the development and manufacturing
of its renowned autofocus sensors
and semiconductor manufacturing
equipment. Compared with CCD
sensors which amplify signals only after
they have been transferred to an image
processor, CMOS sensors convert
and amplify signals before they
Camera: EOS-1D, Lens: 24-70mm f/2.8L, ISO Speed: 100, Aperture: f/8.0, Shutter: 1/250, White Balance Natural Sunlight
captures an even wider gamut of
colours than your computer is capable
of recognising and, through complex
operations, the processor ensures
that whether you’re shooting
in sRGB for the web, or in Adobe
®
RGB colour space for commercial
applications, your colours will turn out
just right. Beyond what your EOS SLR
does on its own, advanced users
can set their own white balance,
colour temperature, saturation and
much more.
colour, tone and white balance
settings as recorded by the camera.
Taking up less storage space,
JPEGs are often more immediately
pleasing to the eye, and, thanks to
the high-quality signal processing
applied by Canon’s image processor,
can withstand significant retouching
with virtually no loss in quality.
In-camera JPEGs are also
convenient for immediate usage
in a wide variety of applications,
such as e-mail, Web galleries,
and office-related applications
such as word processors and
presentation software.
COLOUR MANAGEMENT
At every step of the design and
manufacturing process Canon ensures
that your SLR, lens and computer will
work together seamlessly resulting in
colour that is both sharp, accurate and
pleasing to the eye.
Canon’s proprietary image rendering
processes utilise numerous data
for colour rendition. The sensor
original data captured by digital
cameras. At the same time, JPEG
files are convenient to use while
preserving high image quality. With
an eye to the future of digital
photography, Canon is convinced that
the further development of RAW and
JPEG technologies will enable digital
photographers of the future to have
the highest quality images possible.
Bearing that in mind, all of Canon’s
digital EOS SLRs can record JPEG
and RAW files simultaneously.
Often referred to as “digital
negatives”, RAW files are
no-compromise, reversible
compression, full resolution files
with minimal in-camera processing;
essentially, they are unaltered raw
image data. Properly post processed,
RAWs provide the highest possible
image quality from a digital SLR.
Using software bundled with the
camera, users can preview RAW files,
adjust settings like colour balance,
saturation,
sharpness and exposure
compensation,
and save final images
in other file formats.
In post processing, it’s possible to
find and extract highlight and
shadow detail from RAW images,
extending the dynamic range of your
digital SLR, often exceeding the
range of 35mm slide film.
Additionally, RAW files are the best
way to store your unaltered image
data for use in the future. JPEG
images created by Canon digital
SLRs are compressed files,
processed to reflect the sharpness,
DiG!C IMAGING PROCESSORS
No matter how advanced the sensor,
metering or lens of your SLR, the
backbone of a good digital camera
is the signal processing technology
that renders and writes your image
to your card. Developed to maximise
performance between the capture
and recording aspects of digital
photography, Canon’s DiG!C (Digital
Imaging Integrated Circuit) chip
enhances the signal-processing
algorithms associated with image
capture, resulting in improved
image quality and a more intuitive,
responsive camera. This ultra-high-
performance imaging engine speeds
up the processing, compression,
display and write times for
each image, all with low power
consumption, saving valuable battery
power. The latest-generation DiG!C II
Imaging Processor works in concert
with Canon’s newest CMOS sensor
to achieve even higher levels of
performance. New signal processing
algorithms work with the multi-channel
signal from the sensor and the
high-speed DDR-SDRAM (Double
Data Rate Synchronous Dynamic
Random Access Memory) buffer to
deliver dramatically improved camera
response. Power consumption has
been further reduced for even longer
battery life. Colour reproduction,
too, is significantly better, with
more natural rendition of bright,
high-saturation subjects and more
precise auto white balance. Colour
accuracy and noise performance in low
light have also been much improved.
SIMULTANEOUS RAW + JPEG
RECORDING
While negatives contain all original
image data captured by film-based
cameras, RAW files contain all
imaging engine
high speed enables high quality
without anti-noise Processing
white balance function
Camera: EOS-1D Mark II, Lens: EF 17-35mm f/2.8L USM, Width: 2464 pixels, Height: 1648 pixels,
ISO Speed: 200, Aperture: f/11, Shutter: 60, Exposure Mode: Aperture-priority AE, Drive Mode: Single,
White Balance: Auto
CMOS sensor
with anti-noise Processing
Canon digital camera colour space
preview display
thumbnail display
are transferred. Using this method
together with additional proprietary
technology, Canon’s CMOS sensors
produce a cleaner signal from the
beginning. At the same time, power
consumption is reduced by up to
90% compared with CCDs, and data
transfer speeds can be significantly
increased via multi-channel readouts.
To mirror the characteristics of 35mm
cameras, CMOS sensors can easily
be built as full-frame 35mm sensors,
something that is difficult, if not
impossible, with CCD sensors.
To fabricate a full-frame 35mm sensor,
the manufacturing equipment must
produce “adjoining exposures”.
Since CCDs have both vertical and
horizontal electrical charge transfer
A Closer Look at Canon
Digital SLR Technologies
CMOS SENSORS
A good digital image sensor must
meet or exceed a photographer’s
requirement for film. It must work well
in low light, with a good signal-to-noise
ratio, yet must have a broad dynamic
range for use in bright light.
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EOS CAMERAS
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