Here, the EF 28–135mm image-stabilizer zoom lens was used at 28mm, with +1 exposure compensation in aperture-priority AE mode. The resulting image holds detail throughout the tonal range—especially important in a study of shape and tone. Photo by Ron Leach The EOS 10D's Canon-made 6.51-megapixel CMOS image sensor is very sharp, noise-free, and produces very accurate colors—this is just what this building facade looked like in the early-morning sunlight. EF 300mm f/4L IS USM lens, wide-open in aperture-priority mode. Photo by Mike Stensvold Another wide-angle shot with the 15mm (now a 24mm) lens. The built-in flash unit was used along with ISO 800 to permit hand-held shooting in the dim light. Photo by Ron Leach Digital Features As mentioned, the 10D uses the same Canon-produced 6.5-megapixel CMOS sensor as its predecessor, producing 6.3-megapixel (3072x2048-pixel) images, but the new DIGIC processor results in less image noise and quicker operation. The sensor measures 22.7x15.1mm, for a lens focal-length factor of 1.6X—a 100mm EOS lens used on the 10D crops like a 160mm lens on a 35mm film camera. Like the D60, the 10D allows you to choose among three full-resolution (3072x2048-pixel) file types: .CRW-type losslessly compressed RAW (approximately 6.3MB per image), Large/Fine JPEG (approximately 2.4MB per image) and Large/Normal JPEG (1.2 MB per image). When storage capacity is more important than image quality, you can also choose a couple of lower-resolution modes: Medium/Fine and Medium/Normal (2048x1360 pixels, 1.3 and 0.7 MB per image, respectively), and Small/Fine and Small/Normal (1536x1024 pixels, 0.8 and 0.4 MB, respectively). RAW mode always simultaneously captures a JPEG version of each image as you shoot; you can choose the quality of the accompanying JPEG image from any of the aforementioned sizes. A RAW image plus a Large/Fine JPEG together take up about 8 MB on the CF card. JPEG images are ready for use in image-editing programs; RAW images must be processed with Canon's supplied File Viewer Utility software first (the Canon software is also needed to extract JPEGs recorded with RAW images). Like Canon's other digital SLRs, the new EOS 10D stores images on Type I and II CompactFlash cards and Microdrives. The 10D's rear LCD monitor is the same size as the D60's (1.8 inches measured diagonally), but sharper and much brighter (we had no trouble viewing it in daylight). It's not used for previewing images as with consumer digicams (the SLR viewfinder serves that function admirably), but lets you check images after shooting. You can set the post-shooting review time for two, four or eight seconds, or hold, which keeps the image on screen until you press the shutter button halfway. We found the two-second display time sufficient, and most beneficial in terms of battery life. While the D60 allowed you to zoom the displayed image 3X, the 10D lets you zoom from 1.5–10X for critical examination of specific areas. You can also set the display to show the image with information and histogram, or nine images at a time, and for auto playback of all images like a slide show. A very nice feature is that the 27 menu items that display on the LCD monitor are grouped into shooting items, playback items and set-up items. Supplied Software When you buy a digital camera, you get more than just a picture-taking device. You also get software. With the EOS 10D you can shoot in high-res JPEG mode, download your images via a CompactFlash-card reader, then open them in Photoshop and do with them what you will, all without using the software that accompanies the camera. But to get the best possible images, you will have to deal with the software, because you need it to download and use RAW images. You also need the software to download images via USB cable, if you don't have a card reader. Canon supplies several programs with the 10D, on two CDs. On the EOS Digital Solution Disk, you'll find the File Viewer Utility, RemoteCapture, ZoomBrowser EX/PhotoRecord (Windows) or ImageBrowser (Macintosh), and PhotoStitch (plus some Windows drivers). On the Adobe Photoshop Elements 2.0 disk, you'll find the second-generation version of this fine image-editing program. The versatile File Viewer Utility lets you view and download images from the CompactFlash card in the camera, process images (including RAW images), and transfer images to your image-editing program. RemoteCapture, as its name suggests, lets you operate the camera from your computer, and even provides an intervalometer function. The browsers are aimed more at beginners, and let you download, save, view and print images. PhotoStitch (which operates through the browser) lets you merge up to four images into a single seamless panoramic one. Photoshop Elements 2.0 is an excellent image-editing program, much easier to learn and use than its professional-standard big brother. In Use The EOS 10D feels great in the hands, and all the controls are well positioned and easy to operate. One of our editors took the camera on an easy three-mile hike with the EF 300mm f/4L IS telephoto lens and a not-so-easy eight-mile brushy-mountain hike with the EF 28–135mm f/3.5–5.6 IS zoom, and found it surprisingly comfortable to carry using the nice neckstrap that came with the camera. Autofocusing performance with moving subjects was excellent. The AF system acquired and tracked birds in flight as well as any camera's—digital or film—we've used. While the 10D's 80ms shutter-release lag time is longer than that of the high-end EOS-1D and EOS-1Ds, the camera reacts very quickly if it isn't in "sleep" mode. If you anticipate a shot about to happen, ready the camera by pressing the shutter button halfway down to activate the systems. Then, when something good happens, you and the camera will be ready to capture it. Metering performance was also excellent. The 35-zone evaluative system handled just about everything we aimed the camera at perfectly, including tough part-sun, part-shaded snow scenes. While it offers easy manual control of everything whenever you want it, this camera produces great results point-and-shoot simply, too. Unlike consumer digicams, the EOS 10D has serious battery capacity. The manual says a full charge is good for about 650 shots if you don't use the built-in flash (about 500 shots with flash used for half of them). We twice shot more than 225 images on the battery (no flash, but all with image-stabilizer lenses), and the battery had plenty left (and recharged quickly once we got back from the field). The optional Battery Grip BG-ED3 holds two BP-511s and doubles shooting capacity. All in all, we had a ball shooting with the EOS 10D. One editor shot 450 pictures in two days—without spending a cent for film or processing, and storing the images "archivally" on a couple of $1 CDs. More than one editor's bottom-line reaction was, "I want one!"