Canon EOS Cameras & Lenses
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The Canon EOS (Electro-Optical System) autofocus 35 mm film and digital SLR camera system was introduced in 1987 with the Canon EOS 650 and is still in production as Canon's current SLR system. The acronym EOS was chosen for Eos, the Titan Goddess of dawn in Greek mythology, and is often pronounced as a word, although some spell out the letters.
It competes primarily with the Nikon F series and its successors, and holds a significant market share in many countries.
At the heart of the system is the EF lens mount, which replaced the previous FD lens mount.
Breaking compatibility with the earlier FD mount, it was designed with no mechanical linkages between moving parts in the lens and in the camera. The aperture and focus are controlled via electrical contacts, with motors in the lens itself. This was a first for Canon, although other manufacturers including Contax (with its G series of interchangeable-lens 35 mm compact cameras) and Olympus (with its Four Thirds digital SLR system) have followed Canon's lead.
As of 2005, Canon has released no fewer than 40 EOS SLR camera models, starting with the introduction of the EOS 650 in 1987. The Canon EOS series ushered in the digital age with the EOS DCS 3 in 1995, although it was a joint collaborative effort with Kodak. The first digital EOS SLR camera wholly designed and manufactured by Canon is the EOS D30, released in 2000.
Canon has also released two EOS cameras designed to use the APS film format, the EOS IX and the EOS IX Lite.