Digital Photography Blog: Digital Camera Reviews, Ratings, News, Tips and Tutorials.
July 2008
April 2008
March 2008
January 2008
December 2007
November 2007
October 2007
September 2007
August 2007
July 2007
June 2007
May 2007
April 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
April 2004
March 2004
February 2004
January 2004
December 2003
November 2003
October 2003
September 2003
Digital Camera Reviews and Ratings By manufacturer:
Canon | Casio | Fuji | HP | Kodak | Minolta | Nikon | Olympus | Panasonic | Pentax | Samsung | Sony | Misc. | Accessories | Lenses
The Canon EOS 30D is an upgrade of the Canon EOS 20D (same 8.19 megapixel CMOS sensor) with a larger 2.5 inch LCD (230,000 pixels) with ISO up to 1600 (in 1/3 stop increments) and Spot Metering (I know a few 20D users who will be wondering whether to upgrade just for this).
It also features burst depth of 11 in RAW and 30 in JPEG (9 for RAW and JPEG) with selectable continuous shooting speed.
The Canon EOS 30D will have a retail price of $1399 USD (body only price) and will be in stores in March. (NB: we're hearing varied reports on price, some are reporting that it is 1399 Euros rather than USD.)
Get a price on the Canon EOS 30D 8.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body only) or with EF-S 17-55mm F2.8 IS Lens at Amazon.
Compare other Canon EOS 30D Prices.
Receive Digital Camera News and Tips like this for Free via Email every Week.
The EOS 30D features
�A rapidly expanding population of serious and semi-commercial creative photographers is helping drive EOS growth,� said Mogens Jensen, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging Europe. �As well as putting many high-end pro features into their hands, the EOS 30D becomes a launching pad into the world�s most comprehensive interchangeable lens system and huge range of flash units and accessories.�
Improved performance
Many improvements over the EOS 20D are made in response to EOS 20D owner feedback. Along with the larger screen, improved durability and 3.5% area spot metering, these include Canon�s Picture Style pre-sets, Canon�s in-camera image processing standard. Picture Styles can be likened to selectable film types for different photographic expression (see appendix �Technologies Explained�). Frame rate is selectable between 5 and 3fps and photographers are given finer control over exposure, with ISO settings now adjustable by 1/3 stop increments rather than whole stops. A Print/Share button is included and the camera features new advanced PictBridge functionality . The maximum number of images in a folder is increased from 100 to 9,999, while the in-built flash has been upgraded to match the 100,000 shutter cycle durability, an increasingly important feature in the digital age.
Speed and image quality
The EOS 30D features Canon�s award winning CMOS sensor technology, with large 6.4�m2 pixels for wide dynamic range with low noise. Any remaining fixed pattern and random noise is dealt with by on-chip noise elimination circuitry. A low-pass filter in front of the sensor reduces false colour and moir� effects, while an infrared filter suppresses red fringing caused by sensor reflections and fog. The camera features Canon�s DIGIC II processor now found across the digital EOS range. DIGIC II maximises speed and image quality by processing uncompromisingly complex colour rendition algorithms, clearing the buffer at high speed. (For more on CMOS and DIGIC II, see appendix �Technologies Explained).
One of the EOS 30D�s greatest advantages is the EOS system: compatibility with all Canon EF and EF-S lenses, EX-series Speedlites and EOS accessories such as the Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E1. The EOS 30D�s EF-S lens mount allows connection to Canon�s range of lighter and wider angle lenses, including the new wide aperture EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM standard zoom lens. Indicative of Canon�s commitment to lens development is the release today of the exceptionally fast EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM, for low light and extremely narrow depth of field photography. For high-speed processing of lossless RAW images and complete capture-to-print workflow management, the EOS 30D also comes with Canon�s latest Digital Photo Professional software (see appendix �Technologies Explained).
To extend the EOS 30D�s 750 shot *2 battery life and increase handling options, the camera is compatible with the BG-E2 battery grip. The BG-E2 takes two Lithium-Ion battery packs for up to 2,200 *3 frames or six AA batteries *4 in the supplied BGM-E2 battery magazine. For easy vertical shooting, the BG-E2 provides additional shutter release, main dial, AE lock/FE lock and AF point selection controls.
Canon�s current EOS range now includes:
EOS-1Ds Mark II - 16.7 Megapixels, 4 fps
EOS-1D Mark II N - 8.2 Megapixels, 8.5 fps
EOS 5D - 12.8 Megapixels, 3 fps
EOS 30D - 8.2 Megapixels, 5fps
EOS 350D - 8.0 Megapixels, 3fps
Software
As well as the latest Digital Photo Professional RAW image processing software, the EOS 30D comes with Canon EOS Solution Disk, containing the new EOS Utility (integrating remote capture software), plus the latest versions of ZoomBrowser/ImageBrowser and PhotoStitch.
The EOS 30D includes membership of Canon�s online photo album, CANON iMAGE GATEWAY with 100MB of space for image uploads and photo sharing *5.
*1 GfK, EU11, 12 months until Nov 05, year on year
*2 According to tests carried out under CIPA industry standard test conditions
*3 When shooting at 20� without flash
*4 Shooting capacity with AA batteries is lower when compared with the Battery Pack BP-511A. See specifications for battery type compatibility
*5 CANON iMAGE GATEWAY is not available in all European countries, please see www.cig.canon-europe.com for available countries
Technologies Explained
Picture Style
Picture Style pre-sets simplify in-camera control over image quality. Picture Style pre-sets can be likened to different film types � each one offering a different colour response. Within each easily selectable pre-set, photographers have control over sharpness, contrast, colour tone and saturation. The camera�s factory default configuration is set to deliver immediately-usable JPEG images without need for additional menu settings. Picture Style presets applied to a RAW image do not degrade the image in any way and can be revised with Canon�s Digital Photo Professional software.
The six pre-sets include: Standard � for crisp, vivid images that don�t require post-processing; Portrait � optimises colour tone and saturation and weakens sharpening to achieve attractive skin tones; Landscape � for punchier greens and blues with stronger sharpening to give a crisp edge to mountain, tree and building outlines); Neutral � ideal for post-processing; Faithful � adjusts colour to match the subject colour when shot under a colour temperature of 5200K; Monochrome � for black and white shooting with a range of filter effects (yellow, orange, red and green) and toning effects (sepia, blue, purple and green). The User Defined pre-set can be used to store up to three customised pre-sets, or any of the pre-sets available for download from Canon�s web site.
Now found across the EOS range, DIGIC II is a purpose built, dedicated image processor responsible for the high speed calculations necessary in order to providing exceptionally accurate colour reproduction in real time. Canon�s second generation imaging engine, DIGIC II performs the duties of a number of separate processing units to speed processing, save space, and optimise battery life.
To avoid the trade off faced by other manufacturers between camera responsiveness and image quality, Canon has created a processor so fast it can read, process, compress and write image data back to the buffer between exposures. This allows for longer continuous bursts at maximum frame rates before the buffer fills. Moreover, each image can be subjected to the full complex processing algorithms required in order to deliver superb image quality.
Canon�s award winning CMOS technology is one of the company�s key competitive advantages. With noise reduction circuitry at each pixel site, Canon�s CMOS sensors have lower noise and lower power consumption characteristics than CCD sensors.
CCD sensors use a bucket relay system to transfer each pixel�s accumulated electrical charge to a corresponding gutter. The operation is time consuming and draws considerable power, which limits battery life and generates unwanted heat, further increasing noise and lowering image quality.
By contrast, signal conversion in Canon�s CMOS sensors is handled by the individual amplifiers at each pixel site. Unnecessary charge transfer operations are avoided, vastly speeding up the process of getting signal to the image processor. Noise generation is reduced and power consumption limited.
Digital Photo Professional Software
Digital Photo Professional software provides high-speed processing of lossless RAW images. Processing with Digital Photo Professional allows real-time display and immediate application of image adjustments, giving control over RAW image variables such as white balance, dynamic range, exposure compensation and colour tone. The camera JPEG images can be recorded in sRGB or Adobe RGB colour space, and the Digital Photo Professional application supports sRGB, Adobe RGB and Wide Gamut RGB colour spaces. An ICC (International Colour Consortium) profile attaches automatically to RAW images converted to TIFF or JPEG images. This allows faithful reproduction of colours in software applications that support ICC profiles, such as Adobe Photoshop. For improved efficiency, a set of image adjustments can be saved as a reciepe and applied to multiple images.
Get the latest price on the Canon EOS 30D 8.2MP Digital SLR Camera (Body only)
Get the latest price on the Canon EOS 30D 8.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with EF-S 17-55mm F2.8 IS Lens
CNET Reviews has posted a review of the Canon EOS 30D with 18mm-to-55mm lens where they give it a rating of 8.4 out of 10 (and an editors choice award) and write - 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it--that seems to be Canon's approach to its EOS 30D, the follow-up to its perennial favorite, the EOS 20D. Aside from a few performance tweaks, the Canon EOS 30D is the same camera as its predecessor. (For complete details of the 20D/30D, read the EOS 20D review; in this piece, I address mainly the enhancements that differentiate the 30D.) It has the same well-balanced, magnesium-alloy body with its intelligently laid-out controls; an almost identical set of pro-level, extremely customizable features; and roughly the same, excellent performance. Also, thanks to the identical 8-megapixel CMOS sensor and image-processing system, it yields the same superb photos, especially at high-ISO sensitivity settings.'
DCRP reviews the Canon EOS-30D and writes - 'Photo quality was excellent on this 8.2 Megapixel camera. Photos were well-exposed, with accurate colors, very low noise levels (even at high ISO sensitivities), and minimal purple fringing. As is the case with most D-SLRs, photos are on the soft side straight out of the camera, and you can compensate for this by increasing the in-camera sharpening a bit. One thing that really got nailed home during my time with the 30D is how important lens quality is. I bought the Canon 17 - 85 EF-S lens a few months back, and have been less than thrilled with its sharpness -- and you'll see the results in the photo gallery. Slap on some better glass and you'll get much sharper photos, as the photos taken with my 50 mm lens attest.'
DP Review has posted their comprehensive review of the latest DSLR from Canon, the Canon EOS 30D Review. In it they write - 'Nobody should then be too surprised that the EOS 30D, despite its relatively minor range of updates still deserves our Highly Recommended rating. It's a great camera to shoot with, image quality is excellent and the high sensitivity performance is still notably better than the competition, the EOS 30D inspires confidence and delivers shot after shot.'
Lets Go Digital has posted a review of the Canon EOS 30D DSLR and classify it as a 'fantastic camera', giving it a rating of 5 stars out of 5. They write - 'Even though the Canon 30D may not exactly be a revolutionary digital SLR camera, and the expectations were somewhat subdued, it is still a truly fantastic camera. The concept was already solid as could be, but with the introduction of the Canon EOS 30D, Canon have once again clearly asserted and strengthened its roots and their position. There are virtually no points that might cause any form of hindrance for the user, which, in our opinion, is an excellent performance indeed. A superb camera! '
Bob Atkins reviews the Canon EOS 30D DSLR and writes - 'I've been shooting with an EOS 20D since it was introduced in the fall of 2004 and I've been very happy with it. I expected the EOS 30D to be essentially the same and in many ways it is, though I have to admit that it is a nicer camera to use. I really like the larger and more visible LCD, which for me makes the camera quite a lot easier to use without putting my reading glasses on (which is a pain). The addition of the spot meter is a welcome improvement too. I don't use a spot meter very often, but it is nice to have it there for when I do need it. While I don't personally shoot long continuous bursts very often, I can see how the EOS 30D could make life a lot easier for those who do. That would include sports photographers and anyone who does a lot of action work.'
Imaging Resource have written one of their helpful reviews of the popular Canon EOS 30D DSLR (it seems to be the camera everyone is reviewing at the moment) and gives it a very positive rating writing - 'The exceptional nature of the Canon 30D should come as no surprise though, given that it's a refinement of an already superb digital SLR, brought up to date with a few features the market's been wanting. The camera performs well in every respect. Color is accurate, image noise very low, resolution excellent, and the camera is very responsive, both to the shutter button, and from shot to shot. The interface is well designed and straightforward; and for current EOS owners it couldn't be more familiar. Because the 30D uses the same sensor as the 20D, it manages to maintain low image noise at high-ISO, on par with its predecessor. Digital Rebel and Rebel XT owners wanting a little more control will also want to give the 30D a look. Anyone looking for the benchmark of quality in a relatively affordable D-SLR with a lens should consider the bundle, which for only $100 more than the body alone includes a versatile and decent quality 18-55mm EF-S lens. Those wanting a little more might want to look at buying the body by itself and purchasing the EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM, an image-stabilized lens that is versatile enough that most users will never need to change it. Just in case you didn't already guess, the Canon EOS 30D is *highly* recommended!'
PCWorld has a small review on the critically acclaimed Canon EOS 30D Digital SLR in which they write - 'The 30D's interface is a model of elegant simplicity: Almost all of the controls that you'd use in everyday shooting are accessible via a button. Yet because Canon doubles up the functions of the camera's buttons, the unit is not overladen with buttons and knobs. As a result, finding the control you're looking for is uncomplicated, and making adjustments with one hand is easy. Still, I wish that there were an external bracketing control, so I wouldn't have to navigate a menu, and that the power switch weren't inconveniently located at the bottom of the back panel.'
Steves Digicams reviews the Canon EOS 30D SLR where they write - 'Viewing the 30D as a mid-life refresh of the successful 20D, photographers upgrading from consumer digicams and Canon film SLR's will find it very attractive, especially considering its body-only street price of under $1400. Users of Canon's earlier dSLR's, the Digital Rebel, 10D, D60 and D30, may find the 30D's improvements sufficient to justify its purchase, especially sports shooters who will benefit from its improved AF performance and reduced noise at high ISO settings. Users of Canon's 20D will likely not find the 30D sufficiently advanced to justify an upgrade; those with the upgrade itch should instead consider improving their lens inventory with high quality glass that will not only improve the results from their current camera, but also any EOS dSLR they might purchase in the future.'
Imaging Resource has posted their comprehensive review of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W30 Digital Camera where after looking it over they write - 'Featuring a 6.0-megapixel CCD, 3x optical zoom lens, and well-designed user interface, the Cyber-shot DSC-W30 updates the popular Cyber-shot line with a thin, compact body style perfectly suited for travel. Exposure remains under automatic control, something novices will appreciate, and its seven preprogrammed scene modes help with more tricky subjects. It's a very responsive camera, with low shutter lag in daylight conditions, and excellent shot to shot speeds. It also sports very good battery life, a very capable movie mode, and excellent download speed. Finally, Sony makes a line of accessory lenses, filters, a slave flash, and even an underwater case for it as well, greatly expanding your options beyond what you'd normal expect from a compact digicam model. The bright 2.0-inch color LCD monitor is excellent for framing and reviewing shots, and the overall design and layout of the W30 is user-friendly and hassle-free. If you're looking for a good "take anywhere" camera with great versatility and good color and tonality, the Sony DSC-W30 deserves a close look. '
Digital Camera Info reviews the Canon EOS 30D Digital Camera and writes - 'The Canon EOS 30D has several important refinements over its predecessor, the Canon EOS 20D, and it maintains that camera's many strengths. Its solid build, excellent image quality, and respectable speed (5 fps at 8.2 megapixels) make it a very attractive camera for a range of users. Weddings, portraits, photojournalism, family pictures, and even landscapes are perfectly within the Canon EOS 30D's scope, as many thousands of 20D users have proven. Photographers who own other Canon SLRs have a very good option in the 30D: it can be either a step up from the Rebel or Rebel XT or a moderate-cost backup to the 5D or 1D series. The 30D feels very substantial and professional compared to the Rebels, and its interface and build quality look just fine in comparison to Canon's more expensive cameras.'
Trusted Reviews has posted a review of the Canon EOS 30D Digital SLR and writes - 'A bit of a disappointment for anyone hoping for a major upgrade, the EOS 30D is unlikely to attract anyone who already owns a 20D. However newcomers to the mid-level DSLR market will find a superbly specified camera with the usual Canon hallmarks of reliability, design and outstanding image quality. For the serious amateur or semi-pro it is the ideal camera.'
PopPhoto has a review of the Canon EOS 30D and writes, "where the added processing speed really shows up is in burst shooting. The 30D has two high-speed drive modes: low speed runs at about 3 frames per second, high speed at 5 fps. Canon states a maximum high-speed burst of 30 highest-quality JPEGs, which we found to be an understatement. With a SanDisk Extreme CompactFlash card in a 30D, we were able to fire off as many as 46 highest-quality JPEGs at 5 fps, and continued shooting at 1 fps or faster until the card yelled "Uncle!" That's impressive. (With the same card in a 20D, we got 32 JPEGs at 5 fps.) The 30D's burst rate for RAW capture isn't quite as dramatic - Canon states 11 frames at 5 fps, and we could sometimes shoot 12 with a fast card - but the speed is still way ahead of other cameras in this class."
DPExpert has a review up of the Canon EOS 30D DSLR and writes, "The Canon EOS 30D is an upgrade from the 20D digital single lens reflex. Little has changed -- the 8 megapixel sensor is the same and image processing uses the same Digic engine. The most significant improvement has been the addition of spot metering. There is no real reason for an owner of the 20D to rush out and buy the new model. ... The Canon is particularly good at handling saturated colours without bleeding and blurring the edges between adjacent blocks of colour. Skin tones are smooth. The overall image quality is what aficionados call “film like�?. Canon set their defaults in this camera for accuracy not for unnatural saturation and contrast."
Camera Labs reviews the Canon EOS 30D and writes - 'Canon’s EOS 30D may be little more than an evolutionary step forward, but it’s crucial to remember it improves upon a camera which most agreed was already excellent. While it may have been more honest to describe it as a 20D Mark II, the 30D remains a great camera which is enjoyable and rewarding to use, while delivering lower noise levels than its rivals. There may be few existing Canon owners who'll justify upgrading, but plenty of new digital SLR users who'll find it ideal.'
Posted by Darren in our Canon category on February 21, 2006