Changing the Resolution and Compression

You can change the resolution and compression (excluding movies) settings to suit the purpose of the image you are about to shoot. To record the CCD output without compression, select the RAW file format.

Changing the Resolution and Compression

Shooting in RAW format

About RAW format

Resolution	Purpose
L or RAW (Large) 3072 x 2304 pixels	Print A4 size 210 x 297 mm (8.3 x 11.7 in.) or larger prints Print letter size 216 x 279 mm (8.5 x 11 in.) or larger prints
M1 (Medium 1) 2592 x 1944 pixels	Print A4 size 210 x 297 mm (8.3 x 11.7 in.) or larger prints Print letter size 216 x 279 mm (8.5 x 11 in.) or larger prints
M2 (Medium 2) 2048 x 1536 pixels	Print A4 size* 210 x 297 mm (8.3 x 11.7 in.) prints Print letter size* 216 x 279 mm (8.5 x 11 in.) prints
M3 (Medium 3) 1600 x 1200 pixels	Print postcard size 148 x 100 mm (6 x 4 in.) prints Print L size 119 x 89 mm (4.7 x 3.5 in.) prints
S (Small) 640 X 480 pixels	Send images as e-mail attachments Shoot more images

Compression	Purpose
Superfine	Shoot higher quality images
Fine	Shoot normal quality images
Normal	Shoot more images

Movies can be shot with the following resolution.

Resolution	Purpose
640 X 480 pixels	Shoot higher quality movies
320 X 240 pixels	Shoot normal quality movies
160 X 120 pixels	Shoot smaller file size movies

Changing the Resolution and Compression

1. Press the <DISPLAY> button to turn the LCD monitor on.

2. Turn the shooting mode dial to the desired Shooting mode.



3. Press the <FUNC.> button.

4. Select L* using the or button on the omni selector.

* The current setting is displayed.

5. Select the resolution you wish to set using the or button. (Excluding )

6. One line up, select the compression you wish to set using the or button.

Number of shots remaining (Only displayed when the resolution, compression or file format is selected.)

• You can shoot the image right after selecting settings by pressing the shutter button. This screen will appear again, once the image is shot.

7. Press the <FUNC.> button or click the main dial.

8. Shoot the image.

• Some settings are not available with certain Shooting modes.
• The resolution and compression settings are affected by the shooting mode selection as follows:

e.g. 1 : When the shooting mode is changed from to M, the resolution and compression will restore the values set in M mode.

e.g. 2 : When the shooting mode is changed from P to Tv, the resolution and compression retain the same values set in P mode.

Shooting in RAW format

RAW is only available in the P, Tv, Av, and M modes

The recording file format can be switched to the RAW format before shooting the image. With the standard JPEG file format, the camera processes images after capturing them to produce optimal results. The JPEG format compresses images so that more can be stored on a single CF card. However, the compression is irreversible, meaning that the original image data cannot be recovered after processing. In contrast, the RAW format records the image data as captured by the camera's CCD without further processing. RAW images are compressed, but the compression is reversible* so that a high quality image can be obtained from the decompressed file without any loss of image quality. In addition, although a RAW file is larger than an equivalent JPEG file, it is still only approximately one quarter the size* of an uncompressed RGB TIFF format file, making it relatively compact. With standard uncompressed file formats, such as RGB TIFF, images are processed in the camera and require further processing by retouching software to adjust the image parameters, which reduces image quality. With the RAW format, however, the original data can be used in special software** to adjust the image parameters (white balance, contrast, sharpness and saturation) making it possible to maintain the image quality while making changes. The resolution (3072 x 2304) and compression settings cannot be adjusted for RAW images. When a RAW image is recorded, a JPEG thumbnail will be created at the same time.

* As measured by Canon's testing standard.

** The bundled software can be used to open or adjust the parameters of images recorded in the RAW file format. Please consult the Software Starter Guide for details.

Images shot in the JPEG format can also be changed to the RAW format while they are displayed right after shooting.