This Canon is an incrediable camera. The chip is the latest EMOS light sensing and processing chip from Canon. This same chip is also found in the Canon D2s Mark II, there newest 11 mgp SLR pro line and costing about $4500. There are no other Canon digital cameras that have this chip that I know of. I bought my 20D because of this chip. Overall, it's awsome. Whether you are a fast shooter, portrait, wildlife (the image stabalizer IR lens are pretty hot) wedding, it does not make a difference, this camera will deliver. I am a low-light shooter, I like movement in my shots. I shoot bands in clubs for fun and impressionistic images for my art stuff. My needs vary and I hate limitations. I have never seen clearner looking pictures, especially my lowlight shots. The quick changes that are possible, like WB for color changes, ISO for different motion effects has broadened my options because these changes can take place in 1 or 2 seconds. As far as the menu goes, I'm sure a few Canon brains sat down for awhile and actually THOUGHT about the logic and needs of the shooter, not what was cost effective. This is smart design. The results are obvious. Also, there are 5 different "parameter " settings, three of which can be custom set. These parameters allow you to set contrast, sharpness, color and saturation levels before shooting. At the click of a couple of buttons I can switch from contrasty to soft, or extra sharp/saturated shot effects in about 2 seconds. The combinations are many.

Whoever out there is "thinking" of upgrading to a 20D or similar semipro level camera, should not think any further. THIS IS THE ONLY CAMERA YOU WANT!

For the person who asked about raw and jpeg. I always shoot Raw w/a small jpeg image. I think this is the smartest thing since silver gelatin paper. But be careful here! The RAW image format on this new chip also delivers a new RAW image file. .CR2 This image file, so far as I can tell can only be opened up in Adobe PhotoShop after you download the plugin from Adobe. Free and not diffecult. The other image viewers like iView and Portfolio 7 do not as yet have plug-ins. This was the week of October 11, '04. The image software that comes with the 20D is also very very good. It displays RAW files very quickly and has excellant editing tools, as good as PS. Although PS's adjustments are a bit finer tuned with some added goodies. The Canon software allows you to batch rename and number. You can save the "recipies", these are changes you make to an image, and apply them to other images or a group of images at once. So, if you not stuck on your favorite, photo-editing software, the Canon software is "top-o-de-line mun."

RSJ