On 28 August 2019, Canon announced a new DSLR camera, the EOS 90D, which succeeds the EOS 80D. It is equipped with an APS-C format CMOS sensor that boasts 32.5 effective megapixels, the latest DIGIC 8 image sensor, and numerous improved specifications including continuous shooting speed, ISO speed, and AF capabilities.
The DSLR that you’ll want for capturing action
To capture action, you need a camera that is not only fast but also allows you to react fast. It helps to have:
- A lag-free viewfinder to ensure that you don’t miss seeing critical moments
- A fast shutter speed to freeze split-second action
- A fast continuous shooting speed to increase your chances of getting a good shot of subjects in motion
- Fast, accurate autofocus (AF) to quickly acquire focus on your subjects
- Intuitive, easily-accessible controls that allow you to change your settings quickly when you need to take control over the moment.
While it is the successor to the EOS 80D, which provides the high functionality and performance catering to advanced amateurs, the EOS 90D also boasts specifications that are on par with the EOS 7D Mark II, much beloved by action photographers.This makes it an attractive choice for users who love to photograph fast-moving objects such as sports, trains and wild birds.
Maximum shutter speed 1/16,000 sec; continuous shooting speeds nearly on par with professional cameras
The EOS 90D comes with an electronic shutter in addition to the usual mechanical shutter, making it capable of shutter speeds as high as 1/16,000 of a second. The electronic shutter operates with no mechanical shutter sound, which is useful for photographing scenes where silence is important, such as concerts, tense sports scenes, or when you don't want to startle sensitive subjects.
EOS 90D/ EF70-200mm f/4L IS II USM/ FL: 94mm/ Manual exposure (f/5.6, 1/8000 sec)/ ISO 100/ WB: Daylight
Continuous shooting on par with the EOS 7D Mark II
Where continuous shooting is concerned, the EOS 90D shoots up to 10 frames per second (fps) with the OVF, and 11 fps in Live View with AF fixed (One Shot AF), the same as the EOS 7D Mark II.
Optical viewfinder: Best for seeing action in real time
When you shoot fast-moving action, you don’t want to miss critical moments. Nothing gets more lag-free than an OVF, which gives you a real-time, unadulterated view of the scene straight from your lens.
100% viewfinder coverage, a specification usually seen on professional cameras, ensures that you don’t accidentally include unwanted elements in the frame.
The OVF also provides another huge advantage: It does not consume power. This allows you to take up to 1,860 shots on a single battery charge, or up to 1,300 shots if the built-in flash is used 50% of the time. This will appeal to those who take many shots in a day.
The OVF on the EOS 90D is supported by:
- A 22-megapixel RGB+IR metering sensor capable of face detection: The sensor not only controls exposure by analysing the viewfinder image, but also supports EOS iTR AF, Canon’s intelligent tracking and recognition system which has excellent face detection and tracking capabilities.
- The high-speed 45-point all-cross-type viewfinder AF system: Up to 27 points are capable of focusing at maximum aperture f/8. This is more than sufficient to ensure that AF is possible even with a teleconverter attached to a telephoto lens.
Dual Pixel CMOS AF: Enhanced with DIGIC 8
EOS 90D/ EF-S24mm f/2.8 STM/ FL: 24mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/3.2, 1/50 sec)/ ISO 400/ WB: Daylight
For scenes where you choose to shoot in Live View, the EOS 90D provides a Dual Pixel CMOS AF system enhanced by the powerful DIGIC 8 image processor, also found on the EOS R and EOS RP full-frame mirrorless cameras. This includes:
- A larger AF area that comprises up to 88% × 100% (horizontally × vertically) of the image display area*, allowing fast, accurate focus acquisition even on subjects close to the corners of the frame;
- Up to 5,481 selectable AF positions during AF area manual selection, allowing greater flexibility of composition;
- A variety of AF methods to support different scenes, such as:
o Single-point Spot AF, which has a very small AF frame for precise, pinpoint focusing
o Support for Eye Detection AF in the Servo AF and Movie AF modes; and
- Low light focusing at up to EV -5 during still shooting, allowing easy AF even in dark lighting conditions.
* With compatible lenses. 80% × 80% on non-compatible AF lenses.
New 32.5-megapixel CMOS sensor, higher-than-ever image resolution
EOS 90D/ EF-S10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM/ FL: 10mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/11, 1/25 sec)/ ISO 1600/ WB: Daylight
With 32.5 effective megapixels, the EOS 90D boasts image resolutions that are over 30% higher than the 24.2 megapixels on Canon’s current highest resolution APS-C format EOS cameras. This is more than what you need for A3 prints, and ensures that your final files are of sufficiently high resolution even after cropping.
The high pixel count works together with the DIGIC 8 image processor to improve low light ISO performance, resulting in less visible noise and larger native ISO ranges of 100 to 25,600 (expandable to 51,200) during still shooting, and 100 to 12,800 (expandable to 25,600) during movie shooting.
Crop-free 4K 30p/25p video
Crop-free video shooting is available up to a resolution of 4K 30p/25p. This ensures that users can film scenes of grand landscapes or tight interior spaces using the same angle-of-view provided by the lens during still shooting.
Various image stabilisation features for smoother, steadier footage
The EOS 90D comes with Movie Digital IS, which uses in-body gyro sensors to provide 5-axis digital image stabilization (IS), making it possible to obtain steady footage even when shooting while walking. Using a lens with built-in IS allows Combination IS, which combines both in-lens optical stabilisation and in-body digital image stabilisation for even better results.
A variety of frame rates and video shooting modes for greater ease of expression
The EOS 90D supports High Frame Rate shooting in Full HD 120p/100p*, which makes it possible to create seamless slow motion movies in high resolution. Other featured modes include 4K Time Lapse Movies and HDR Movies.
For when you want a close-up effect, there is a 4K Crop Mode, which shoots with a crop that is 84% × 71% (horizontally × vertically) of the lens’ angle-of-view.
*On the EOS 90D, the image area during Full HD 120p/100p High Frame Rate movie shooting is 84% (horizontally and vertically) of the lens’ angle of view.
Other notable features
Panning Assist, Focus Bracketing: The EOS 90D is the first EOS DSLR with an OVF to include these features, which are effective for both OVF and Live View shooting.
Joystick multi-controller; compatibility with Battery Grip BG-E14
In addition to the multi-controller dial, the EOS 90D has a joystick multi-controller that can be easily operated with the right thumb during OVF shooting.
For additional battery power and a better vertical hold, attach the optional Battery Grip BG-E14, which is also compatible with the EOS 80D.
Improved wireless connectivity with smart devices
Sharing images on social media has become a norm, and the EOS 90D caters to that, providing the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity features that have become a staple on recent Canon cameras. These include:
- Easy smart device pairing and image/video file transfer via the Canon Camera Connect app
(Larger 4K movies can be simultaneously compressed into Full HD files for easier transfer and social media upload)
- Remote Live View still and video shooting via the Canon Camera Connect app
- Constant, low-powered pairing via Bluetooth low energy technology
- Automatic backup of images to a paired computer/ device/cloud storage
- Geotagging of images via a smart device
It is also newly-equipped with multi-device Bluetooth pairing support.
EOS 90D key specifications
| Image sensor | approx. 32.5 effective megapixels; APS-C format CMOS sensor |
| Image processor | DIGIC 8 |
| Native ISO speed (still shooting) | 100 - 25,600 (expandable to 51,200) |
| Native ISO speed (movie shooting) | 100 - 12,800 (expandable to 25,600) |
| AF (OVF) | 45 points all-cross-type (compatible with f/8: up to 27 points, 9-point cross) |
| AF (Live View) | Dual Pixel CMOS AF |
| OVF | 100% coverage, pentaprism, 22-megapixel RGB+IR metering sensor |
| LCD monitor | 3.0-inch, approx. 1.04-million dot Vari-angle touch panel |
| Continuous shooting (max.) | OVF: 10 fps (One-Shot AF, AI Servo AF) Live View shooting: 11 fps (One-Shot AF) |
| Max. shutter speed | 1/8,000 sec (mechanical shutter/1st curtain electronic shutter) 1/16,000 sec (electronic shutter) |
| Movie shooting | 4K: up to 30p/25p Full HD: up to 120p/100p |
| Size (approx.) | 140.7 × 104.8 × 76.8 mm |
| Weight (approx.) | 701g (with battery, memory card) |
EOS 90D
EOS 90D sample images
EOS 90D/ EF50mm f/1.8 STM/ FL: 50mm/ Aperture-priority AE (f/3.2, 8 sec, EV+0.3)/ ISO 100/ WB: White fluorescent light
EOS 90D/ EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM/ FL: 200mm/ Manual exposure (f/10, 1/1000 sec)/ ISO 400/ WB: Daylight
Find out more on: Focus x Speed with EOS 90D
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