Digic III

[Big Mike]

I've seen a bit of marketing on the new Digic III technology...can anyone give us a rundown on what this will mean?...specifically for EOS cameras.

I, for one, am not drooling over the thought of face sensing technology on an EOS camera.

[davidfig]

We really don't have any idea what DIII is. It came out in P&S first which means that something was added for that product line. Technologies such as face sensing can be a combination of software and hardware (DIII). The question is going to be, what features of the new chip will they leverage for DSLR's? It might have a slight speedup in CF writing and reading.

It might be possible to use face technology to help AI Servo track sports action. We just don't know what they are going to do with it.

[Double Negative]

Here's what Fuji says about FD:

Face Detection

Fujifilm was the first manufacturer to develop hardware-based Face Detection technology for its compact digital cameras. The FinePix Z5fd joins the FinePix S6500fd and F31fd in Fujifilm’s current ‘fd’ line-up. Face Detection captures up to ten faces in a frame and optimises focus and exposure to take the best possible people-picture. Incorporating the technology on its Real Photo Processor II has enabled Fujifilm to develop a range that can detect faces and optimise settings in an industry-leading 0.05 seconds.

When Face Detection is turned on and the camera is pointed at people, target-like squares demonstrate that it has ‘locked-on’ to faces. The square will then follow those faces around in real-time until they move out of the frame or the picture is taken. In playback mode, pressing the Face Detection button will cause the camera to auto-zoom to each face in turn for easy close-up review.

Face Detection is perfect for those times, such as nights out with friends, when tweaking manual settings to get the same result may not be the user’s first priority. It can cope with back-lit scenes, settings where there’s a more obvious focus point between people’s faces or when the subject is off centre."

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing eye-controlled focus make a comeback.

[evandavies]

I don't think anyone knows how DigicIII will affect the next EOS generation... 40D ?

[Jon]

So far the only thing that we really know's part of the DiGiC III chip is the "Face Sensing", which won't work in an SLR (since it would have to, by definition, work before you take the picture, while you're composing it). Any other features that may be included in there we'll have to wait for either a new SLR with the chip or a new Canon white paper or press release on it.

[donboyfisher]

i thought it was just a chip architecture code that Canon's image processors would be based on. The capabilities of d3 chips would vary bewteen cameras ( such as the face-stuff ), but they would use the same methods / processes / circuit designs to carry out the functions.

it'll likely jsut mean that the Digic3 chip in the 40d will just do stuff faster and perhaps be able to apply more in-camera image processing on the fly.

[jiggling_john]

expect the usual next generation benefits

better power consumption/performance output

compatible with faster ram/bus/cache = scope for larger buffers at silly resolutions

faster/more accurate/more complex algorithms all round - eg for focus etc...

[AdamJL]

Originally Posted by Double Negative

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing eye-controlled focus make a comeback.

ditto

[thetolleyman]

I was an eye-controlled focus fan too, Ellan IIE was my favorite film body. But after much use I just got a headache form all that eye movement stuff. I especially liked just having to look at a corner of the viewfinder to activate DOF Preview though.

[aacmckay]

Originally Posted by davidfig

It might have a slight speedup in CF writing and reading.

This is usually the limitation of the CF card you're using. Typically processors can move data much faster than storage devices like Compact Flash. I do embedded software development for a living. Most of the processors we use will out preform devices like that for moving the data. You're spending a lot of time waiting for the CF to get you the data or write the data.

[gjl711]

[quote=davidfig;2239226] We really don't have any idea what DIII is. ... It might have a slight speedup in CF writing and reading.
quote]
So isn't CF speed governed by CompactFlash Specification Revision level? If so, Rev-1 and Rev-2 have been out for some time and I believe Rev-2 tops out at 16mbps. Rev-3 was just released this year and I think it bumps it to 66mbps and Rev-4 was just released for review and ups it to 133. If DIII has been out for a while I am assuming it is using rev-2 so 16mbps is it’s speed limit.

[farrukh]

Some discussion about DigicIII here http://www.photography-on-the.net/fo...d.php?t=215822