subscribe 0330 333 1113 I http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk I 9 November 2019 49
of advanced compacts, the sensor
works alongside Canon’s DIGIC 8
image processor that contributes
to faster data processing and a
healthy increase in continuous
shooting speed. Whereas the EOS
70D and 80D let you shoot at
up to 7fps, this has now risen to
10fps with autofocus tracking
when using the viewfinder and
11fps when using live view with
fixed AF. To put this into context, it
can now keep up with the EOS 7D
Mark II, albeit with a smaller buffer
that manages to sustain 58 JPEGs
or 25 raw files at 10fps.
Those who remember the EOS
70D will recall it being Canon’s
first DSLR to feature Dual Pixel
CMOS AF. This revolutionary
technology was lauded such a
success, no time was wasted
introducing it to other models
across the EOS line-up. In a
nutshell, Dual Pixel CMOS AF
supports sensor-based, phase-
detection autofocus in live view
and video. The system works by
splitting all the effective pixels
across the sensor into two
individual photodiodes: one for left
and one for right. By measuring
the difference in light that reaches
each of the two diodes, the EOS
90D can perform on-sensor
phase-detection focusing in live
view and during video recording,
overcoming the sluggish live view
focusing performance associated
with Canon DSLRs before 2013.
For shooting with the optical
viewfinder, the EOS 90D adopts
the same AF system from the EOS
80D. Out of the 45 all cross-type
AF points on offer, 27 are f/8
compatible, with the centre point
being sensitive down to f/2.8. The
working range of the autofocushasn’t changed either. It continues
to operate across -3EV–18EV.
Whereas the EOS 80D inherited
Canon’s 7,560-pixel RGB+IR
metering sensor from the EOS
750D and EOS 760D, the 90D
presents a 220,000-pixel
RGB+IR exposure sensor that
should dissect and analyse
scenes even more effectively for
consistent and accurate exposure
metering. Evaluative metering is
linked to all AF points, with partial
and spot metering covering
approximately 6.5% and 2% of the
viewfinder, respectively. Exposure
compensation is controlled across
a range of +/-5EV in 1/3 or 1/2
stop increments.
Canon doesn’t officially quote
shutter actuation figures for the
camera, but if the electronically
controlled focal-plane shutter is
similar to that on the EOS 80D,you can expect a shutter lifespan
of around 100,000 shots. If you’d
like to exceed the 1/8000sec
maximum shutter speed, such as
when you find yourself wanting to
shoot with a fast aperture in bright,
sunny conditions, you can shoot at
up to 1/16,000sec by entering
live view and activating the
electronic shutter. Coming out
of live view after shooting at
1/16000sec automatically sees
the mechanical shutter reset back
to 1/8000sec. Those who
regularly use long exposures can
set the camera to bulb mode and
trigger it with a hard-wired remote
controller like the Canon TC80N3
with RA-E3 adapter, or use a
wireless remote controller like the
BR-E1. Alternatively, users may
wish to take advantage of Canon’s
Camera Connect app for iOS
and Android for free and useFor this shot I exposed for the bright
sky to retain highlight information
and then pulled back detail in the
shadows using Adobe Camera Raw
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM,
1/100sec at f/7.1, ISO 200