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Canon 30D vs XS

The Canon EOS 30D and the Canon EOS Rebel XS (labelled Canon 1000D in some countries) are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2006 and June 2008. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The 30D has a resolution of 8.2 megapixels, whereas the XS provides 10.1 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Canon 30D
versus
Canon XS
Canon 30D   Canon XS
Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
8.2 MP – APS-C sensor 10.1 MP – APS-C sensor
no Video no Video
ISO 100-1,600 (100 - 3,200) ISO 100-800 (100 - 1,600)
Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
2.5" LCD – 230k dots 2.5" LCD – 230k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second 3 shutter flaps per second
750 shots per battery charge500 shots per battery charge
144 x 106 x 74 mm, 785 g 126 x 98 x 65 mm, 502 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 30D and the Canon EOS Rebel XS? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon 30D and the Canon XS are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Canon 30D vs Canon XS
Compare 30D versus XS top
Comparison 30D or XS rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon XS is notably smaller (19 percent) than the Canon 30D. Moreover, the XS is substantially lighter (36 percent) than the 30D. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the 30D nor the XS are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. In this particular case, both cameras feature the same lens mount, so that they can use the same lenses. You can compare the optics available in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the 30D gets 750 shots out of its Canon BP-511A battery, while the XS can take 500 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E5 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon 30D 144 mm 106 mm 74 mm 785 g 750 n Feb 2006 1,399ebay.com
2.
 
Canon XS 126 mm 98 mm 65 mm 502 g 500 n Jun 2008 449ebay.com
3.
 
Canon T6 129 mm 101 mm 78 mm 485 g 500 n Mar 2016 449ebay.com
4.
 
Canon T5 130 mm 100 mm 78 mm 480 g 500 n Feb 2014 449ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 70D 139 mm 104 mm 79 mm 755 g 920 Y Jul 2013 1,199ebay.com
6.
 
Canon T3 130 mm 100 mm 78 mm 495 g 700 n Feb 2011 449ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 60D 145 mm 106 mm 79 mm 755 g 1100 Y Aug 2010 1,399ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 7D 148 mm 111 mm 74 mm 860 g 800 Y Sep 2009 1,699ebay.com
9.
 
Canon T1i 129 mm 98 mm 62 mm 520 g 400 n Mar 2009 799ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 50D 146 mm 108 mm 74 mm 822 g 800 Y Aug 2008 1,299ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 40D 146 mm 108 mm 74 mm 822 g 750 n Aug 2007 1,299ebay.com
12.
 
Canon XTi 127 mm 84 mm 65 mm 556 g 370 n Aug 2006 799ebay.com
13.
 
Canon XT 127 mm 94 mm 64 mm 540 g 400 n Feb 2005 899ebay.com
14.
 
Canon 20D 144 mm 106 mm 72 mm 770 g 700 n Aug 2004 1,499ebay.com
15.
 
Canon 10D 150 mm 107 mm 75 mm 850 g 500 n Feb 2003 1,999ebay.com
16.
 
Canon Rebel 142 mm 99 mm 72 mm 649 g 400 n Aug 2003 899ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The XS was launched at a markedly lower price (by 68 percent) than the 30D, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the XS is 3 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the XS uses a more advanced image processing engine (DIGIC 3) than the 30D (DIGIC 2), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Canon 30D and Canon XS sensor measures

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the XS offers a higher resolution of 10.1 megapixels, compared with 8.2 MP of the 30D. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 5.71μm versus 6.42μm for the 30D). However, it should be noted that the XS is much more recent (by 2 years and 3 months) than the 30D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The resolution advantage of the Canon XS implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the XS for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 19.4 x 13 inches or 49.4 x 32.9 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 15.6 x 10.4 inches or 39.5 x 26.3 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 13 x 8.6 inches or 32.9 x 21.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon 30D are 17.5 x 11.7 inches or 44.5 x 29.7 cm for good quality, 14 x 9.3 inches or 35.6 x 23.7 cm for very good quality, and 11.7 x 7.8 inches or 29.7 x 19.8 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS 30D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600, which can be extended to ISO 100-3200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS Rebel XS are ISO 100 to ISO 800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-1600.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

30D versus XS MP

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Canon 30D APS-C 8.2 3504 2336none21.510.873659
2.
 
Canon XS APS-C 10.1 3888 2592none22.010.971962
3.
 
Canon T6 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.778166
4.
 
Canon T5 APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p21.911.372463
5.
 
Canon 70D APS-C 20.0 5472 36481080/30p22.511.692668
6.
 
Canon T3 APS-C 12.2 4272 2848720/30p21.911.075562
7.
 
Canon 60D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.211.581366
8.
 
Canon 7D APS-C 17.9 5184 34561080/30p22.011.785466
9.
 
Canon T1i APS-C 15.1 4752 31681080/20p21.711.566363
10.
 
Canon 50D APS-C 15.1 4752 3168none21.811.469663
11.
 
Canon 40D APS-C 10.1 3888 2592none22.111.370364
12.
 
Canon XTi APS-C 10.1 3888 2592none22.111.066462
13.
 
Canon XT APS-C 8.0 3456 2304none21.810.863760
14.
 
Canon 20D APS-C 8.2 3504 2336none21.911.072162
15.
 
Canon 10D APS-C 6.3 3072 2048none21.110.957157
16.
 
Canon Rebel APS-C 6.3 3072 2048none21.010.854455
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The XS offers Live View, so that it can project the live image that the sensor receives onto the rear screen for framing. The 30D lacks this capability. Both cameras are still-image focused and cannot record videos.
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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The 30D and the XS are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (95%), but the viewfinder of the 30D has a higher magnification than the one of the XS (0.56x vs 0.51x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon 30D and Canon XS in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
# image Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Canon 30Doptical Y2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y n
2.
 
Canon XSoptical n2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
3.
 
Canon T6optical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
4.
 
Canon T5optical n3.0 / 460 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
5.
 
Canon 70Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 7.0/s Y n
6.
 
Canon T3optical n2.7 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
7.
 
Canon 60Doptical Y3.0 / 1040 swivel n 1/8000s 5.3/s Y n
8.
 
Canon 7Doptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n
9.
 
Canon T1ioptical n3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/4000s 3.4/s Y n
10.
 
Canon 50Doptical Y3.0 / 920 fixed n 1/8000s 6.3/s Y n
11.
 
Canon 40Doptical Y3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/8000s 6.5/s Y n
12.
 
Canon XTioptical n2.5 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
13.
 
Canon XToptical n1.8 / 115 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
14.
 
Canon 20Doptical Y1.8 / 118 fixed n 1/8000s 5.0/s Y n
15.
 
Canon 10Doptical Y1.8 / 118 fixed n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
16.
 
Canon Rebeloptical n1.8 / 118 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
padding

One feature that is present on the 30D, but is missing on the XS is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The 30D writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the XS uses SDHC cards.

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Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS 30D and Canon EOS Rebel XS and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Canon 30DY- / ----2.0---
2.
 
Canon XSY- / ----2.0---
3.
 
Canon T6Ymono / mono--mini2.0YY-
4.
 
Canon T5Ymono / mono--mini2.0---
5.
 
Canon 70DYstereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
6.
 
Canon T3Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
7.
 
Canon 60DYmono / monoY-mini2.0---
8.
 
Canon 7DYmono / -Y-mini2.0---
9.
 
Canon T1iYmono / mono--mini2.0---
10.
 
Canon 50DY- / ---mini2.0---
11.
 
Canon 40DY- / ----2.0---
12.
 
Canon XTiY- / ----2.0---
13.
 
Canon XTY- / ----2.0---
14.
 
Canon 20DY- / ----1.1---
15.
 
Canon 10DY- / ----1.1---
16.
 
Canon RebelY- / ----1.1---
padding

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Canon 30D (unlike the XS) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the 30D and the XS have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The 30D was replaced by the Canon 40D, while the XS was followed by the Canon T3. Further information on the features and operation of the 30D and XS can be found, respectively, in the Canon 30D Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon XS Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon 30D or the Canon XS – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.


Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 30D:

  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.56x vs 0.51x).
  • Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (5 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 500) on a single battery charge.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2006).


Advantages of the Canon EOS Rebel XS:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (10.1 vs 8.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 11%.
  • Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (DIGIC 3 vs DIGIC 2).
  • More compact: Is smaller (126x98mm vs 144x106mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 283g or 36 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (68 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Reflects 2 years and 3 months of technical progress since the 30D launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 30D comes out slightly ahead of the XS (7 : 6 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

30D 07:06 XS

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon 30D and the Canon XS place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the 30D and the XS in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Canon 30D..+ +..+ +o.. Feb 2006 1,399ebay.com
2.
 
Canon XS..82/100..+ +3.5/54.5/5 Jun 2008 449ebay.com
3.
 
Canon T64/5o4/573/1004/54/5 Mar 2016 449ebay.com
4.
 
Canon T53/5+....4/54.5/5 Feb 2014 449ebay.com
5.
 
Canon 70D5/5+ +..83/1004.5/55/5 Jul 2013 1,199ebay.com
6.
 
Canon T3..80/100..69/1004/54.5/5 Feb 2011 449ebay.com
7.
 
Canon 60D5/5+..79/1004/54.5/5 Aug 2010 1,399ebay.com
8.
 
Canon 7D5/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2009 1,699ebay.com
9.
 
Canon T1i..+ +..74/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2009 799ebay.com
10.
 
Canon 50D..+ +..+ +4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2008 1,299ebay.com
11.
 
Canon 40D..+ +..+ +4.5/54.5/5 Aug 2007 1,299ebay.com
12.
 
Canon XTi..+ +..+ +o4/5 Aug 2006 799ebay.com
13.
 
Canon XT..80/100..+ +o.. Feb 2005 899ebay.com
14.
 
Canon 20D......+ +.... Aug 2004 1,499ebay.com
15.
 
Canon 10D......+ +.... Feb 2003 1,999ebay.com
16.
 
Canon Rebel......+ +.... Aug 2003 899ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
padding

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications: Canon 30D vs Canon XS

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Canon 30D Canon XS
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Canon EF mount lenses Canon EF mount lenses
    Launch Date February 2006 June 2008
    Launch Price USD 1,399 USD 449
    Sensor Specs Canon 30D Canon XS
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 22.5 x 15.0 mm 22.2 x 14.8 mm
    Sensor Area 337.5 mm2 328.56 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 27 mm 26.7 mm
    Crop Factor 1.6x 1.6x
    Sensor Resolution 8.2 Megapixels 10.1 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 3504 x 2336 pixels 3888 x 2592 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 6.42 μm 5.71 μm
    Pixel Density 2.43 MP/cm2 3.07 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability no Video no Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 1,600 ISO 100 - 800 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 3,200 ISO 100 - 1,600 ISO
    Image Processor DIGIC 2 DIGIC 3
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 59 62
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 21.5 22
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 10.8 10.9
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 736 719
    Screen Specs Canon 30D Canon XS
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 95% 95%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.56x 0.51x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View
    Rear LCD Size 2.5inch 2.5inch
    LCD Resolution 230k dots 230k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fixed screen
    Shooting Specs Canon 30D Canon XS
    Focus System Phase-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Continuous Shooting 5 shutter flaps/s 3 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy100 000 actuations100 000 actuations
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium CF cards SDHC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    Connectivity Specs Canon 30D Canon XS
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket no PC Sync
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port no HDMI no HDMI
    Wifi Support no Wifi no Wifi
    Body Specs Canon 30D Canon XS
    Battery Type Canon BP-511A Canon LP-E5
    Battery Life (CIPA)750 shots per charge500 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 144 x 106 x 74 mm
    (5.7 x 4.2 x 2.9 in)
    126 x 98 x 65 mm
    (5.0 x 3.9 x 2.6 in)
    Camera Weight 785 g (27.7 oz) 502 g (17.7 oz)
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