In a bid to address the needs of a wide range of photographers, from wedding and portrait specialists to photojournalists and advanced amateurs, Canon has developed the EOS 30D Digital SLR.

The EOS 30D model builds upon the EOS 20D and includes an 8.2-megapixel APS-C size CMOS sensor, Digic II Imaging processor, 5-frame-per-second shooting capability and tough construction. Changes made in the new model incorporated input from users.

Among its other improvements, the 30D boasts a rugged shutter fully rated up to 100,000 cycles; a 2.5-inch, 230,000-pixel LCD monitor for a 92 percent increase in viewing area and spot-metering capability that covers approximately 3.5 percent of the viewfinder area at the center while maintaining the 20D model's 35-zone metering sensor. In addition, the ISO speed now can be set from 100 to 1,600 in 1/3-stop increments rather than full stops, and can be pushed to 3,200 with ISO expansion.

The 30D retains Canon's 9-point, wide-area autofocus system, originally introduced with the 20D model. The system features a diamond-shaped layout with a dual-precision central AF point that provides full cross-type performance with maximum apertures as small as f/5.6, yet achieves up to three times the standard focusing precision.

For improved file management, the 30D provides for manual folder creation and 9,999 images in each folder. Enhanced camera-controlled, direct-print features and both direct-print and direct-download capabilities streamline the printing process.

The EOS 30D carries a suggested, body-only selling price of $1,399.