Pages

Subscribe:

Ads 468x60px

Canon EOS 30D Review


Macworld Rating
4.0 out of 5 Mice, May 19, 2006

Pros
  • Excellent interface
  • New spot meter
  • Large LCD screen
  • Lower price than its predecessor
  • Excellent image quality
Cons
  • No external bracketing control
  • Auto-bracketing limited to three stops
$1,399 (body only)


Shop for the Canon EOS 30D
MERCHANTPRICE
Amazon.com Marketplace$999.00Learn More »

Canon EOS 30D Digital SLR


It might be logical to assume that the new Canon EOS 30D , the successor to the company’s popular EOS 20D, would pack a higher resolution sensor. But such is not the case. The EOS 30D provides the same imaging circuitry as its predecessor, but the new model includes some much-needed new features at a price of $1,399 (body only), $100 less than the original price of the EOS 20D.

Same body, bigger screen

At first glance, the 30D looks exactly like its predecessor. The camera has the same control layout as the 20D, but a glance at the back of the camera reveals a 2.5-inch LCD screen--a marked improvement over the 20D’s 1.8-inch screen.
The 30D’s interface is a model of elegant simplicity: Almost all of the controls that you’d use in everyday shooting are available from an external button. However, because Canon doubles up the functions of the camera’s buttons, the unit is not over-laden with buttons and knobs. Thus, finding the control you’re looking for is simple, and it’s easy to make adjustments with one hand. Despite such conveniences, I’d like to see an external bracketing control, and a better placement of the power switch, which is still in a very inconvenient location.
Canon’s menu system is simple and intuitive and you can quickly navigate using the control wheel on the back of the camera. With the new larger screen, menu items are bigger and easier to read. Overall, Canon’s interface is still the best in the industry.

New features

The most important change to the 30D is the addition of a spot meter. While previous models offered a Partial Metering mode, which metered off of the middle 9 percent of the viewfinder, the spot meter meters off of the middle 3.5 percent. The spot meter works well and Canon's mid-range cameras have long needed one, so this is a welcome addition. The Evaluative and Center-Weight Averaging metering modes are still available.
Canon has also added the Picture Styles feature, originally from its EOS 5D model. For JPEG shooters, this allows you to save up to nine sets of image-processing parameters. Each set can contain custom Sharpness, Contrast, Saturation, and Color Tone settings. This feature is not significantly different from the 20D’s Parameters feature, but it gives you more sets. JPEG shooters will also welcome the new ability to completely deactivate in-camera sharpening. (For raw shooters, these additions are irrelevant, as the Raw file does not have any processing applied by the camera.)
Other important new features include the ability to adjust ISO in 1/3-stop increments; the inclusion of an in-viewfinder ISO readout which lets you change the ISO without taking your eye away from the viewfinder; the option for a slower burst speed, which allows for more shots in a single burst; and a more durable shutter. All of these features are welcome, but I’d still like to see the ability to auto-bracket more than three shots (and as few as two) and an easier-to-access mirror lockup feature.

performance

Image QualityExcellent
Battery LifeExcellent
Scale = Excellent, Very Good, Good, Flawed, Unacceptable
The image-quality rating of the camera is based upon a panel of judges’ opinions in five categories: exposure, color, sharpness, distortion, and overall. Battery life testers follow a precise script, including shots with and without flash, until the battery dies —Tested in conjunction with the PC World Test Center.

specifications

Resolution8.2 megapixels
Zoom/Focal Length28-88mm (35mm equivalent)
BatteriesRechargeable Li-ion
Media SlotsCompactFlash (1)
Size (wxhxd)5.7 inches x 4.2 inches x 2.9 inches
Weight2.2 lbs

Macworld’s buying advice

The Canon EOS 30D is a welcome upgrade to an already great camera. The larger LCD screen and new features will directly affect everyday shooting, while the lower price tag will give you an extra $100 to spend on lenses.
Ben Long is the author of Complete Digital Photography, 3rd Edition (Charles River Books, 2004). ]
Canon EOS 30D Digital SLR
Macworld Lab Results

Performance (New)

ExposureGood
ColorVery Good
SharpnessGood
DistortionVery Good

Performance

Battery Life (minutes)273.5
Image Quality ScoreVery Good
Image Quality, Color59.4
Image Quality, Color--Adjusted65.7
Image Quality, Color--Auto53
Image Quality, Distortion72.1
Image Quality, Distortion--Noise75.3
Image Quality, Distortion--Noise Reduction60.5
Image Quality, Distortion--Sharp Interpolation73.3
Image Quality, Exposure51.6
Image Quality, Exposure--Flash50.2
Image Quality, Exposure--Normal52.2
Image Quality, Overall55.8
Image Quality, Sharpness42.8
Number of Batteries1
Number of Shots500

Type

Typeslr

Image Processor

Effective Megapixels8.2 megapixels
Image sensorCCD
Image format
  • RAW
  • JPEG
White balance
  • 0
  • Manual
  • Auto
  • Bracketing
  • Preset Modes
Image stabilizationLens-dependent

Lens Features

Lens ModelEFS 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II USM
Maximum Optical Zoom3 X
Maximum Wide Angle28.8 mm
Maximum Telephoto88 mm
Lens mountInterchangeable
Focus features
  • Auto Focus
  • Multiple Point Focusing
  • Manual Focus
  • Yes
  • Focus Lock
  • Predictive Focusing

Viewfinder and LCD section

LCD screen size2.5 inches
ViewfinderThrough-the-lens optical

Exposure Controls

Maximum shutter speed8000 second
Minimum shutter speed30 second(s)
Exposure settings
  • Exposure Bracketing
  • 0
  • Shutter Priority
  • Manual Exposure
  • Multiple Program Modes
  • Auto Exposure
  • Aperture Priority
  • AE Lock

Storage

Memory typeCompactFlash

Flash

Flash characteristics
  • Flash Slow Sync
  • TTL Auto Flash
  • Yes
  • Accessory Shoe

Connectivity

Interface connection
  • No
  • Remote Terminal
  • USB

Power

Battery Type
  • DC Input
  • Lithium Ion Battery
  • Rechargeable Battery

Dimensions

Width5.7 inches
Height2.9 inches
Depth4.2 inches
Weight34.8 ounces

Warranty

Warranty information1 Year Limited Warranty

0 Comment:

Yorum Gönder