Canon photo FAQ
This is miniature photo FAQ with information mainly about Canon products.
Last updated September 17 2012.
Camera bodies:
Lenses:
Software:
Links:
A.1 What is the maximum size of memory card I can use in my camera?
Note: A SD card which follows the SD standard fully is max 2 GB.
- Canon EOS 1000D: all SD and SDHC cards*
- Canon EOS 1100D: all SD, SDHC and SDXC cards*
- Canon EOS 300D: max 8 GB CF (larger than 8 GB if preformatted)
- Canon EOS 350D: max 8 GB CF (larger than 8 GB if preformatted)
- Canon EOS 400D: all CF cards*
- Canon EOS 450D: all SD and SDHC cards*
- Canon EOS 500D: all SD and SDHC cards*
- Canon EOS 550D: all SD, SDHC and SDXC cards*
- Canon EOS 600D: all SD, SDHC and SDXC cards*
- Canon EOS D30: max 2 GB CF
- Canon EOS D60: max 2 GB CF
- Canon EOS 10D: max 8 GB CF (larger than 8 GB if preformatted)
- Canon EOS 20D: max 8 GB CF (larger than 8 GB if preformatted)
- Canon EOS 30D: all CF cards*
- Canon EOS 40D: all CF cards*
- Canon EOS 50D: all CF cards* **
- Canon EOS 60D: all SD, SDHC and SDXC cards*
- Canon EOS 7D: all CF cards* **
- Canon EOS 6D: all SD, SDHC and SDXC cards*
- Canon EOS 5D (firmware older than 1.1.1): max 8 GB CF (larger than 8 GB if preformatted)
- Canon EOS 5D (firmware 1.1.1 and later): all CF cards*
- Canon EOS 5D Mark II: all CF cards* **
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III: all CF cards* **, all SD, SDHC and SDXC cards*
- Canon EOS 1D: max 2 GB CF (4 GB if preformatted as FAT16 with 64K clusters)
- Canon EOS 1D Mark II (firmware older than 1.2.6): max 2 GB SD, max 8 GB CF (larger than 8 GB if preformatted)
- Canon EOS 1D Mark II (firmware 1.2.6 and later): max 2 GB SD, all SDHC cards*, all CF cards*
- Canon EOS 1D Mark II N (firmware older than 1.1.2): max 2 GB SD, max 8 GB CF (larger than 8 GB if preformatted)
- Canon EOS 1D Mark II N (firmware 1.1.2 and later): max 2 GB SD, all SDHC cards*, all CF cards*
- Canon EOS 1D Mark III: max 2 GB SD, all SDHC cards*, all CF cards*
- Canon EOS 1D Mark IV: max 2 GB SD, all SDHC cards*, all CF cards* **
- Canon EOS 1Ds: max 8 GB CF (probably larger than 8 GB if preformatted)
- Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II (firmware older than 1.1.6): max 2 GB SD, max 8 GB CF (larger than 8 GB if preformatted)
- Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II (firmware 1.1.6 and later): max 2 GB SD, all SDHC cards*, all CF cards*
- Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III: max 2 GB SD, all SDHC cards*, all CF cards* **
- Canon EOS 1D X: all CF cards* **
* Including cards over 8 GB in size. ** Supports UDMA. *** Supports UHS-1.
A.2 My Canon camera suddenly creates pictures with
the filename _MG_nnnn.JPG or
_MG_nnnn.CR2. Why?
According to the DCF- and EXIF-standards a
leading underscore shall replace the first letter in the filename when the
picture is stored with AdobeRGB color space. The default setting for Canon
digital cameras is sRGB
color space and the pictures are saved with the filenames IMG_nnnn.JPG
and
IMG_nnnn.CR2 respectively.
The content of RAW image files are not
affected by the color space setting in the camera.
A.3 Where do I find firmware updates to my camera?
On
this page you find firmware updates to all Canon EOS DSLRs as well as wireless transmitters.
A.4 Can my Canon camera benefit from Sandisk Extreme IV CF cards?
Sandisk Extreme IV CF cards supports
a new transferring protocol called UDMA. Currently, the only Canon DSLRs which
can utilize UDMA is the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III, EOS 1D Mark IV, EOS 5D Mark II, EOS 7D and the EOS 50D. The 1Ds Mark III is almost twice as
fast writing files to a Extreme IV CF card than to a Extreme III CF card. For
all other Canon camera bodies the Extreme III CF cards are fast enough.
Note: It might be worth getting a
Extreme IV CF card if your computer have a CF card reader which supports UDMA
transfer even though your camera will not benifit from the extra speed.
A.5 Naming of Canon consumer DSLRs in different regions
- Digital Rebel (North America), Kiss Digital (Japan), EOS 300D (Europe and the rest of the world)
- Digital Rebel XT (North America), Kiss N Digital (Japan), EOS 350D (Europe and the rest of the world)
- Digital Rebel XTi (North America), Kiss S Digital (Japan), EOS 400D (Europe and the rest of the world)
- Digital Rebel XSi (North America), Kiss X2 (Japan), EOS 450D (Europe and the rest of the world)
- Digital Rebel T1i (North America), Kiss X3 (Japan), EOS 500D (Europe and the rest of the world)
- Digital Rebel T2i (North America), Kiss X4 (Japan), EOS 550D (Europe and the rest of the world)
- Digital Rebel T3i (North America), Kiss X5 (Japan), EOS 600D (Europe and the rest of the world)
- Digital Rebel XS (North America), Kiss F (Japan), EOS 1000D (Europe and the rest of the world)
- Digital Rebel T3 (North America), Kiss X50 (Japan), EOS 1100D (Europe and the rest of the world)
B.1 Do I need to turn of IS when the camera/lens is mounted on a tripod?
The following Canon lenses are equipped with an older
version of IS which is not suited for usage with camera mounted on a tripod. IS
should be manually disabled when mounted on tripod to avoid blurry images.
- EF 28-135/3.5-5.6 IS USM
- EF 75-300/4-5.6 IS USM
- EF 100-400/4.5-5.6 L IS USM
- EF 300/4 L IS USM
When using modern IS lenses (for example
24-105/4 L IS USM, 28-300/3.5-5.6 L IS USM, 70-200/2.8 L IS USM,
70-400/4 L IS USM, 70-300/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM, 300/2.8 L IS USM, 400/2.8 L
IS USM, 400/4 DO IS USM, 500/4 L IS USM and 600/4 L IS USM) it's not necessary
to turn of IS as the lens detects the stable environment and automatically
deactivates IS. Turning of IS manually has the advantage of saving camera
battery.
B.2 Black Canon L-series EF lenses
Some people try to avoid the white Canon L-series lenses. This is a list of black L-series lenses.
Prime lenses:
- EF 14/2.8 L USM
- EF 14/2.8 L II USM
- TS-E 17/4 L II
- EF 24/1.4 L USM
- EF 24/1.4 L II USM
- TS-E 24/3.5 L
- TS-E 24/3.5 L II
- EF 35/1.4 L USM
- EF 50/1.0 L USM
- EF 50/1.2 L USM
- EF 85/1.2 L USM
- EF 85/1.2 L II USM
- EF 100/2.8 L Macro IS USM
- EF 135/2 L USM
- EF 180/3.5 L Macro USM
- EF 200/2.8 L USM
- EF 200/2.8 L II USM
Zoom lenses:
- EF 8-15/4 L Fisheye USM
- EF 16-35/2.8 L USM
- EF 16-35/2.8 L II USM
- EF 17-35/2.8 L USM
- EF 17-40/4 L USM
- EF 20-35/2.8 L
- EF 24-70/2.8 L USM
- EF 24-70/2.8 L II USM
- EF 24-105/4 L IS USM
- EF 28-70/2.8 L USM
- EF 28-80/2.8-4 L USM
- EF 50-200/3.5-4.5 L
- EF 80-200/2.8 L
- EF 100-300/5.6 L IS
B.3 Which EF lenses are resistant to dust and moisture?
The following Canon EF lenses are resistant to dust and moisture.
Prime lenses:
- EF 14/2.8 L II USM
- EF 24/1.4 L II USM
- EF 50/1.2 L USM
- EF 100/2.8 L Macro IS USM
- EF 200/2 L IS USM
- EF 300/2.8 L IS USM
- EF 300/2.8 L IS II USM
- EF 400/2.8 L IS USM
- EF 400/2.8 L IS II USM
- EF 400/4 DO IS USM
- EF 500/4 L IS USM
- EF 500/4 L IS USM II
- EF 600/4 L IS USM
- EF 600/4 L IS USM II
- EF 800/5.6 L IS USM
Zoom lenses:
- EF 8-15/4 L Fisheye USM
- EF 16-35/2.8 L USM*
- EF 16-35/2.8 L II USM*
- EF 17-40/4 L USM*
- EF 24-70/2.8 L USM
- EF 24-70/2.8 L II USM
- EF 24-105/4 L IS USM
- EF 28-300/4 L IS USM
- EF 70-200/2.8 L IS USM
- EF 70-200/2.8 L IS II USM
- EF 70-200/4 L IS USM
- EF 70-300/4-5.6 L IS USM
- EF 200-400/4 L IS USM EXTENDER 1.4X
Tele converters:
- EF Extender 1.4x II
- EF Extender 1.4x III
- EF Extender 2x II
- EF Extender 2x III
* These lenses are only dust and moisture resistant if a front filter is attached.
B.4 IS-generation of Canon lenses
When a camera/lens using IS generation 1 is mounted on a tripod, IS should be turned off.
Generation 1:
- EF 28-135/3.5-5.6 IS USM (mode 1, 1.5-2 stops)
- EF 75-300/4-5.6 IS USM (mode 1, 2 stops)
- EF 100-400/4.5-5.6 L IS USM (mode 1 and 2, 2 stops)
- EF 300/4 L IS USM (mode 1 and 2, 2 stops)
Generation 2:
- EF 300/2.8 L IS USM (mode 1 and 2, 2 stops, 1 s until effective)
- EF 400/2.8 L IS USM (mode 1 and 2, 2 stops, 1 s until effective)
- EF 500/4 L IS USM (mode 1 and 2, 2 stops, 1 s until effective)
- EF 600/4 L IS USM (mode 1 and 2, 2 stops, 1 s until effective)
Generation 3:
- EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM (mode 1, 3 stops)
- EF-S 17-85/4-5.6 IS USM (mode 1, 3 stops)
- EF 24-105/4 L IS USM (mode 1, 3 stops)
- EF 28-300/3.5-5.6 L IS USM (mode 1 and 2, 3 stops)
- EF 70-200/2.8 L IS USM (mode 1 and 2, 3 stops)
- EF 70-300/4.5-5.6 DO IS (mode 1 and 2, 3 stops, 0.5 s until effective)
- EF 70-300/4-5.6 IS USM (mode 1 and 2, 3 stops)
- EF 400/4 DO IS USM (mode 1 and 2, 3 stops)
Generation 4:
- EF-S 15-85/3.5-5.6 IS (4 stops)**
- EF-S 18-55/3.5-5.6 IS (4 stops)*
- EF-S 18-135/3.5-5.6 IS (4 stops)
- EF-S 18-200/3.5-5.6 IS (4 stops)*
- EF-S 55-250/4-5.6 IS (4 stops)*
- EF 70-200/4 L IS USM (mode 1 and 2, 3-4 stops)
- EF 70-200/2.8 L IS II USM (mode 1 and 2, 4 stops)
- EF 70-300/4-5.6 L IS USM (mode 1 and 2, 4 stops)
- EF 200/2 L IS USM (mode 1 and 2, 4 stops)
- EF 300/2.8 L IS II USM (mode 1, 2 and 3, 4 stops)
- EF 400/2.8 L IS II USM (mode 1, 2 and 3, 4 stops)
- EF 500/4 L IS II USM (mode 1, 2 and 3, 4 stops)
- EF 600/4 L IS II USM (mode 1, 2 and 3, 4 stops)
- EF 800/5.6 L IS USM (mode 1 and 2, 4 stops)
Hybrid IS:
- EF 100/2.8 L Macro IS USM (4 or 2 stops)
* Automatically switches between mode 1 and 2.
** Detects if tripod is used.
B.5 Alternative hood for the EF 17-40/4 L USM
- If you use the EF 17-40/4 L USM on a camera with a
sensor in APS-C size the standard hood can be replaced with an alternative and
more compact one. Canon EW-83D II (originally made for EF 24/1.4 L USM)
can usually be used without modification. In some cases it tends to bind a bit
which can be solved by gently grinding the gliding surface of the hood a bit
(don't grind the gliding surface of the lens).
- Canon EW-83H (originally made for EF 24-105/4 L IS USM) also works very well.
- The EW-83J (originally made for EF-S 17-55/2.8 IS USM) is another hood which allegedly can be used on the 17-40/4 L USM.
B.6 Which Canon cameras accepts Canons, Sigma's, Tamron's and Tokina's APS-C lenses?
Canon lenses for camera bodies with APS-C sensors are
equipped with a special mount which is called EF-S. This mount was introduced
with the camera model 300D. The reason for the new mount is to prevent
accidental mounting of a EF-S lens on a camera with a full 35 mm sensor. Cameras
equipped with EF-S mount also have an ordinary EF mount. The following cameras
have EF-S mount:
- Canon EOS 1000D
- Canon EOS 1100D
- Canon EOS 300D
- Canon EOS 350D
- Canon EOS 400D
- Canon EOS 450D
- Canon EOS 500D
- Canon EOS 550D
- Canon EOS 600D
- Canon EOS 20D
- Canon EOS 20Da
- Canon EOS 30D
- Canon EOS 40D
- Canon EOS 50D
- Canon EOS 60D
- Canon EOS 60Da
- Canon EOS 7D
Sigma, Tamron and Tokina lenses made for cameras with APS-C sensors are equipped with the ordinary EF mount. They can be used with all Canon cameras which have a APS-C size sensor:
- Canon EOS 1000D
- Canon EOS 1100D
- Canon EOS 300D
- Canon EOS 350D
- Canon EOS 400D
- Canon EOS 450D
- Canon EOS 500D
- Canon EOS 550D
- Canon EOS 600D
- Canon EOS D30
- Canon EOS D60
- Canon EOS 10D
- Canon EOS 20D
- Canon EOS 20Da
- Canon EOS 30D
- Canon EOS 40D
- Canon EOS 50D
- Canon EOS 60D
- Canon EOS 60Da
- Canon EOS 7D
The manufacturers use the following terms to distinguish the APS-C lenses from the lenses which can illuminate a full 35 mm sensor:
- Sigma: DC
- Tamron: Di II
- Tokina: DX
The DC, Di II and DX lenses can be mounted on cameras with a full 35 mm sensor but they will not illuminate the whole sensor at all focal lengths which will create major vignetting.
C.1 Adobe Camera Raw camera support
List of Canon cameras with information about required version of Camera Raw and Lightroom:
- Canon EOS 1000D: Camera Raw 4.6, Lightroom 2.1
- Canon EOS 1100D: Camera Raw 6.4, Lightroom 3.4
- Canon EOS 300D: Camera Raw 2.0 (included in CS2), Lightroom 1.0
- Canon EOS 350D: Camera Raw 3.1, Lightroom 1.0
- Canon EOS 400D: Camera Raw 3.6, Lightroom 1.0
- Canon EOS 450D: Camera Raw 4.4, Lightroom 1.4
- Canon EOS 500D: Camera Raw 5.4, Lightroom 2.4
- Canon EOS 550D: Camera Raw 5.7 / 6.1, Lightroom 2.7
- Canon EOS 600D: Camera Raw 6.4, Lightroom 3.4
- Canon EOS D30: Camera Raw 1.0, Lightroom 1.0
- Canon EOS D60: Camera Raw 1.0, Lightroom 1.0
- Canon EOS 10D: Camera Raw 2.0 (included in CS2), Lightroom 1.0
- Canon EOS 20D: Camera Raw 2.4, Lightroom 1.0
- Canon EOS 20Da: Camera Raw 3.3, Lightroom 1.0
- Canon EOS 30D: Camera Raw 3.4, Lightroom 1.0
- Canon EOS 40D: Camera Raw 4.2 (correction in Camera Raw 4.3), Lightroom 1.2 (correction in Lightroom 1.3)
- Canon EOS 50D: Camera Raw 4.6, Lightroom 2.1
- Canon EOS 60D: Camera Raw 6.2, Lightroom 3.2
- Canon EOS 60Da: Lightroom 4.1
- Canon EOS 7D: Camera Raw 5.6, Lightroom 2.6
- Canon EOS 6D:
- Canon EOS 5D: Camera Raw 3.3, Lightroom 1.0
- Canon EOS 5D Mark II: Camera Raw 5.2, Lightroom 2.2
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III: Camera Raw 6.7, Camera Raw 7.1, Lightroom 4.1
- Canon EOS 1D: Camera Raw 1.0 (changes in Camera Raw 2.1), Lightroom 1.0
- Canon EOS 1D Mark II: Camera Raw 2.2 (correction in Camera Raw 2.4), Lightroom 1.0
- Canon EOS 1D Mark II N: Camera Raw 3.3, Lightroom 1.0
- Canon EOS 1D Mark III: Camera Raw 4.1, Lightroom 1.1
- Canon EOS 1D Mark IV: Camera Raw 5.6, Lightroom 2.6
- Canon EOS 1Ds: Camera Raw 1.0 (changes in Camera Raw 2.1), Lightroom 1.0
- Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II: Camera Raw 2.4, Lightroom 1.0
- Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III: Camera Raw 4.3, Lightroom 1.3
- Canon EOS 1D X: Camera Raw 6.7, Camera Raw 7.1
Camera Raw compatibility with different Photoshop versions:
- Camera Raw 7.0-7.1 can be used with Photoshop CS6
- Camera Raw 6.5-6.7 can be used with Photoshop CS5 and Elements 10.0.
- Camera Raw 6.3-6.5 can be used with Photoshop CS5 and Elements 9.0.
- Camera Raw 6.0-6.2 can be used with Photoshop CS5 and Elements 8.0.
- Camera Raw 5.6-5.7 can be used with Photoshop CS4 and Elements 8.0.
- Camera Raw 5.6 can be used with Photoshop CS4 and Elements 8.0.
- Camera Raw 5.0-5.5 can be used with Photoshop CS4 and Elements 6.0-7.0.
- Camera Raw 4.6 can be used with Photoshop CS3, Elements 5.0-6.0 for Windows and Elements 4.01 for Mac.
- Camera Raw 4.0-4.5 can be used with Photoshop CS3, Elements 5.0-6.0 for Windows and Elements 4.0 for Mac.
- Camera Raw 3.7 can be used with Photoshop CS2 and Elements 4.0-5.0.
- Camera Raw 3.6 can be used with Photoshop CS2 and Elements 3.0-5.0.
- Camera Raw 3.3-3.5 can be used with Photoshop CS2 and Elements 3.0-4.0.
- Camera Raw 3.0-3.2 can be used with Photoshop CS2 and Elements 3.0.
- Camera Raw 2.x can be used with Photoshop CS.
- Camera Raw 1.0* can be used with Photoshop 7.01.
* Sold separately - no download available.
C.2 Pixmantec RawShooter Essentials camera support
The last version of Pixmantec RawShooter Essentials 2006 which is available (version 1.2.1) supports RAW-files from the following Canon camera bodies:
- Canon EOS 300D
- Canon EOS 350D
- Canon EOS D30
- Canon EOS D60
- Canon EOS 10D
- Canon EOS 20D
- Canon EOS 20Da
- Canon EOS 30D
- Canon EOS 5D
- Canon EOS 1D
- Canon EOS 1D Mark II
- Canon EOS 1D Mark II N
- Canon EOS 1Ds
- Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II
The product RawShooter Essentials was discontinued in the autumn of 2006.
D.1 Canon web sites for digital SLR cameras and lenses
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