Film Cameras

35mm Focal-Plane Shutter SLR Camera

EOS-3

EOS-3

EOS-3

  • Japan
  • Americas
  • Europe, Asia, Oceania
  • Outline
  • Specifications
Marketed November 1998
Original Price 185,000 yen (body)

A high-end SLR camera for professionals and advanced amateurs. This camera has many innovative features such as 45-point Area AF, high-speed and precision Eye Controlled Focus, and 7 fps high-speed predictive AF continuous shooting mode. The EOS3 is a camera which can fully respond to the photographer’s intention. It retains many of the features and operability of EOS-1N while also incorporating various recommendations and requests submitted by EOS-1N and EOS 5 users. It also reflects a variety of recent trends and developments in the SLR industry. This model has 45-point Area AF by Canon’s originally developed CMOS sensor and new focusing optical system. This AF system offers high subject-capturing and unrestricted framing capability. Eye Controlled Focus, refined to make it almost twice as fast and more precise than before together with 45-point Area AF system bring EOS3’s high-performance AF system another step closer to the human eye. The 21-zone evaluative metering linked to the focusing points, multi-spot metering with up to eight readings per exposure and eight metering system, including E-TTL autoflash with 550Ex are applied to this camera as well. The superb operability is achieved by dual electronic dials, 18 custom functions and firm grip holding, using the same material and design as EOS-1N. The same level of protection against moisture and dust as EOS-1N and silent film rewind are also provided. The high-performance 1/8000sec. shutter unit passed Canon’s standard endurance test of 100,000 times shutter cycle. System accessories launched at the same time as the camera include Power Drive Booster PB-E2, Ni-MH Pack NP-E2, Speedlite 550EX, Remote Switches with better clip-on operability and an anti-fog eyepiece. The nine Ec- series focusing screens for EOS-1N are compatible.

Type 35mm focal-plane shutter multi-mode AF/AE SLR camera with built-in motor drive
Picture Size 24mm x 36mm
Normal Lens EF28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Mount EF mount
Lens Canon EF lenses
AF System TTL-AREA-SIR with a CMOS sensor. Focusing Modes: One-Shot AF, Predictive AI Servo AF(no in-focus indicator), Manual focusing. 45 focusing points selectable by Eye Control Focus/automatic selection/manual selection. Custom function can limit focusing points to 11. AF operating range: EV 0-18 (ISO100). In-focus indicator :Lights in viewfinder and beeps. AF focusing point indicator: Superimposed focusing point in viewfinder. AF-assist beam: Emitted automatically by the attached EOS Speedlite when necessary.
Shutter Vertical-travel, focal-plane electronic shutter. 30sec.-1/8000sec. in 1/3-stops. B.X-sync at 1/200sec. Built-in electronic self-timer with 10 or 2sec. delay.
Viewfinder Fixed eye-level pentaprism. 0.72x magnification, 97% vertical and horizontal coverage. Standard diopter: -1 diopter with 19.5mm eye relief. Nine interchangeable focusing screens (compatible with EOS-1N). Standard focusing screen: Ec-N. Depth-of-field preview is possible.
Viewfinder
Information
Center: Area AF ellipse, Focusing points (lights at the active point), Center spot metering circle. Bottom: Eye-control AF icon, AF lock indicator, Flash ready indicator, High-speed sync(FP flash) indicator, Shutter speed/FE lock/bulb/Depth/Calibration End/Frame selection/AF/Eye Focus/Central focusing point only display, AF/Calibration Number/Aperture display, Exposure compensation/Flash exposure compensation icon, In-focus indicator. Right-hand side: Exposure level scale, Standard exposure index, Over-exposure indicator, Flash over-exposure indicator, Exposure level indicator, Flash exposure level indicator, Flash under-exposure indicator, Under-exposure indicator, Frame counts up or down (1-36).
External LCD Shooting mode(P,M,Tv,DEP,Av), Shutter speed/bulb/Depth-of-field AE point/Focusing point selection mode/ISO film speed/Custom function number/Calibration display/Battery check/FE lock display, ISO icon, AF mode, AEB icon, Film advance mode, Exposure compensation scale, Film advance and rewind /Film advance failure warning/Film advance completed/Battery check icon/Exposure compensation/Bulb elapsed time/AEB amount/Flash exposure compensation amount/Custom Function setting indicator, Multiple exposure icon, Frame counter/Bulb exposure time/Multiple exposure setting/Remaining multiple exposure/Self-timer indicator display, Remaining time counter icon, Flash exposure compensation icon, Film rewind completed/Film loaded indicator, Metering mode, Aperture/DEP/AEB amount/Focusing point selection/Custom function setting/Calibration channel number display
Metering &
Exposure Control
TTL full-aperture metering with a 21-zone SPC (silicon photocell). Metering modes: Evaluative metering (linkable to any focusing point) , Partial metering (approx. 8.5% of viewfinder at center), Center spot metering (approx. 2.4% of viewfinder at center), Spot metering (linked to the focusing point at approx. 2.4% of viewfinder), Multi-spot metering (Max. eight multi-spot metering entries), Center-weighted average metering. Exposure control modes: Program AE (shiftable), Shutter speed-priority AE (in 1/3, 1/2 or full stops, safety shift enabled with Custom Function), Aperture-priority AE (in 1/3,1/2 or full sops, safety shift enables with Custom Function), Depth-of-field AE, E-TTL program flash AE (high-speed sync., FE lock, and wireless control enabled with 550EX), A-TTL program flash AE, TTL program flash AE, Manual, Bulb. Metering range: EV 0-20 (ISO100). Film speed range: ISO 6-6400 (Automatic setting with DX-code for ISO 25-5000). Exposure compensation: Auto-exposure bracketing (AEB. +/- 3 stops in 1/3-stop. Standard, under and over-exposure sequence), Manual exposure compensation (+/- 3 stops in 1/3-stop with the Quick Control Dial or exposure compensation button and Main Dial), AEB and manual exposure compensation can be set together. AE lock: Auto AE lock (Operates in One-Shot AF mode with evaluative metering), Manual AE lock (by AE lock button). Maximum nine multiple exposures (Cancelable and resettable at any time).
Film Transport Automatic film loading mechanism with a sprocketless system advances film to frame 1 automatically. Automatic film advance and rewind with built-in motor. Single and continuous(4.3 fps) shooting modes. With Power Drive Booster PB-E2: H=7 fps, L=3 fps and single. Mid-roll, high-speed and silent rewind possible.
Autodate
Feature
Auto Date:Interchangeable camera back,Data Back DB-E2 (option) with a Quick Control Dial and LCD display. The date can be imprinted in the following formats (up to 2019): Year, month, day; Day, hour, minute; Blank; Month, day, year; and Day, month, year.
Power Source One 2CR5 lithium battery in the camera grip, Power Booster PB-E2 (eight size-AA alkaline, Ni-Cd , lithium batteries or Ni-MH Pack NP-E2), Battery Pack BP-E1 for EOS-1N also compatible (one 2CR5 lithium battery and/or four size-AA alkaline or NiCd batteries). Battery check: Display on LCD panel with battery check button.
Miscellaneous Custom Functions : 18 custom functions. Flash contacts: Hot shoe (X-sync direct contact), Lower part of camera side (PC terminal). Remote control: Quick-lock, three-pin remote controller. Camera back: Interchangeable with Data Back DB-E2.
Dimensions &
Weight
161×119.2×70.8mm, 780g (excluding lithium battery).