Digital for all 2005-2012

As sensor sizes and the number of megapixels grew, so did the audience for DSLRS – and video started to become ubiquitous

Such was the success and widespread appeal of the EOS 300D, in 2003 Canon became the top-selling manufacturer in the DSLR market. The success was no flash in the pan either, with subsequent cameras and lenses being so well received that Canon maintained its position at the top of the tree for the next 13 years.

Following in the steps of the 300D, subsequent mid-range models brought a host of incremental advances in specifications and performance, with the 350D, 450D, 400D, 500D and 550D being launched over the next few years. The 550D boasted an 18Mp image sensor and DIGIC 4 processing, leaps ahead of the 6.3Mp 300D.

There was even bigger news in the full-frame camp when, in 2008, the EOS 5D Mk II delivered a mighty leap in specifications from the original edition. Image resolution shot up from 12.8Mp to 21.1Mp, the image processor was two generations newer and, as another world first for EOS DSLRS, the Mk II enabled full HD movie recording.

Lens landmarks were soon to follow, with the EF 24mm f/1.4l II USM becoming the first lens to feature SWC (Subwavelength Structure Coating), which can virtually eliminate ghosting and flare. In 2009, the EF 100mm f/2.8l Macro IS USM launched as the world’s first lens to feature ‘hybrid’ image stabilization technology, effectively counteracting axial up/down and side-to-side movements as well as the more usual vibration or ‘wobble’.

2009 also saw the introduction of the legendary EOS 7D, an APS-C format camera that boasted top-end build quality and specifications. It became Canon’s most enduring DSLR, with a five-year lifespan, before being superseded by the 7D Mk II.

Another intriguing lens launch in 2011 was the EF 8-15mm f/4l Fisheye USM, an innovative optic for full-frame cameras that enabled you to select either circular or diagonal fisheye effects, with a simple twist of the zoom ring.

4K is here to stay

Back on the camera front, performance hit a new high with the advent of the EOS-1D X. Taking professional DSLRS to a new level, it delivered super-fast continuous drive rates of up to 12fps in regular shooting and 14fps in Live View mode, sported a 61-point autofocus system, and had a mammoth sensitivity range that stretched all the way up to ISO204,800 at its expanded setting.

The cinematic attractions of EOS cameras are sometimes understated but the EOS C300 was the start of a new genre in January 2012, as the first ‘Cinema EOS’ camera. It was followed a few months later by the EOS-1D C, which became the first DSLR capable of capturing 4K UHD (Ultra High Resolution) video, and this camera in turn was followed by the EOS C500 4K UHD Cinema EOS. The Cinema EOS range has since become the choice of many production companies.

The legendary EOS 7D became Canon’s most enduring DSLR, with a five-year life