cgardner
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 p.4 #10 · The most influential Canon d/SLR | |
My vote was for the 20D. That was the camera which made me finally make the jump into a DSLR system.
I was a long-time film shooter in 35mm and Med. format and work in graphic arts / printing. I worked with high-end scanners and Photoshop and understood the technology and the resolution needed to make a decent looking 8x10 print (about 3MP). I bought one of the first digitals, the 0.8MP Apple QuickTake 100, to replace a Polaroid we used for documentation at work..
(QuickTake100 - Cavite, Philippines, Christmas 1994) ...
The 3MP D30 was a huge breakthrough; the first reasonably priced ($3,000) DSLR. But since I could scan my film and print on a 20 x 24 $25,000 dye-sub proofer at work there wasn't a huge sense of urgency to spend my own money on a camera that would be obsolete in a few years  I was a long time Nikon user (two Nikonos, two Nikon F, and a N8008) but I saw the long term technological advantages of CMOS over CCD and loved the results I saw with the D30 and L glass vs the Nikon offerings at the time.
In 2000 I opted for a Kodak DC290 which met my needs at the time, which were not that demanding. Only 2.1MP but outperformed all the 3MP cameras its price class. It was no match for the D30, but it only cost $500, the arbitrary personal price point I'd set for entering the digital realm. A year or so later, not impressed with the D60 or 10D I opted for a 5 MP Minolta D7Hi, still sitting on the DSLR fence. Getting a set of studio lights knocked me off the fence about the same time the 20D hit the market. The launch of the 10-22mm zoom at about the same time sealed the deal: I'd also been waiting for a ultra-wide lens for the 1.6 crop before taking the plunge.
At 8MP I saw the 20D would meet my needs for quite some time, at least until an under $2,000 full-frame model hit the market. So I took the plunge, got the 20D and some L glass and the 10-22mm and am still a happy camper. I didn't see the 30D as offering much over the 20D. The 40D would be a significant improvement in many respects, but I'd really like to go FF for the next body and am waiting to see what replaces the 5D. I want FF not just for the IQ, but for the bigger viewfinder. The 'ol eyes are not what they were and the tiny 1.6 viewfinder is a PITA. So I'm waiting it see what 2008 brings. I plan on retaining the 20D as a second body.
Edited on Jan 15, 2008 at 03:11 AM
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. When it came out--I was able to afford FF and haven't looked back, as many did, and it certainly has had a major impact on the digital SLR world also.