From: acs@csri.toronto.edu (Alvin Chia-Hua Shih)
Newsgroups: rec.photo
Subject: Technical Back E Trivia.
Summary: It did a lot of stuff, but boy was it expensive!
Keywords: Canon EOS Technical Back E
Date: 3 Jan 93 20:32:58 GMT
Article-I.D.: jarvis.1993Jan3.153257.13573

Here is some information on the capabilities of the Technical Back E
(TB-E) taken from "How to Select and Use Canon EOS SLR Cameras" by
Carl Shipman, (C)1989.  The information is not taken verbatim, but
I'm attributing anyway (just to be safe).

The Technical Back E is designed to be used with the EOS 620, 630, and
650.

It has a sizable LCD panel which is organized with one line of 14
character cells, a "dead zone", and 3 more lines of 14 character
cells.  Each character cell appears to be 7x12 pixels.

It has 9 buttons under an all-too-familiar 600-series type door, but
longer of course.  The buttons are labeled (left-to-right): Menu,
Submenu, On/Off, Set, Left/Select, Right, Up, Down, Start/Stop/Clear.


Technical Back E Capabilities:
-----------------------------

Notes:
  - memorize 4 notes of 30 characters

Imprint:
  - imprint up to 3 of the following: date, time, shutter and aperture, 
     exposure mode, film counter, or a note

Data Storage:
  - store exposure information and download to a computer
     or view on LCD panel
  - can store 361 frames worth of the following information:
     serial number or cartridge number, frame number, exposure mode,
     metering mode, flash used or not, shutter speed, aperture,
     focal length, exposure compensation, film speed, date, time, and note
  - alternatively, can store 824 frames worth of the following information:
     serial number or cartridge number, frame number, exposure mode,
     flash used or not, shutter speed, aperture, and focal length

Custom Program Curves:
  - draw a program curve on the LCD display
     [I don't know if it actually gives access to the 6 segments.]
  - two curves can be stored

Automatic Exposure Bracketing:
  - Allows up to 9 frames +/- 2 stops in 0.25 stops

Exposure Timer:
  - interval timer
  - long exposures

Imprint Data Correction:
  - data is not imprinted until rewind, so editing of memorized
     imprint data is possible


Accessories:
-----------

Keyboard Unit E:
  - Holds 4 extra notes that can be exchanged with the TB-E
  - Can swap memory dumps from the TB-E for storage
  - allows for more convenient user interface

Interface Unit TB:
  - Connects IBM PC or MSX PC via RS-232
  - Dump data from TB-E for printing
  - Design special characters for imprinting
  - Preset imprint data for 36 frames to be written onto frames
  - Control of timer functions


The TB-E predates the 430EZ, so there is no control over flash
exposure compensation.  (Indeed, it doesn't seem to have any flash
control at all.)

Sounds like lots of intriguing features in there.  Too bad it was so
expensive.  Musta been loads o' R&D for something that they couldn't
have sold too many of.  (Maybe it was a debugging platform for the
original EOS bodies?  Hmmm...)

ACS
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Newsgroups: rec.photo