Canon EOS 30D
The EOS 30D is Canon's upgrade of the very popular EOS 20D. Though both cameras share the same sensor (1.6x APS-C format, 8.2 MP) the EOS 30D adds a number of new features making the EOS 30D an even more capable camera then it's predecessor. Notable are the addition of a 2.5" LCD screen, spot metering, RGB histograms and an increased buffer size.
Highlights
* APS-C format (1.6x multiplier, 22.5 x 15mm)
* 8.2MP (same as EOS 20D)
* 2.5", 230,000 pixel LCD display
* Selectable 3 or 5 frames/sec continuous shooting
* Buffer for 30 JPEGs or 11 RAW images
* Flash Sync at 1/250s
* Shutter lag time 65ms
* Camera "wake up" time 0.15s
* 3.5% spot meter
* Luminance and RGB Histograms
* ISO settings in 1/3 stops from 100-1600 and visible in viewfinder when changing
* ISO 3200 selectable via CF
* Picture Style modes like the EOS 5D
* Option to disable image sharpening in JPEG mode
* Tweaked AF algorithms, but does not have the extra 6 "invisible" AF zones of the EOS 5D
* WiFi connectivity when coupled with the Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E1A
* Direct Print button
* 9999 images per folder (vs 100 on the 20D)
* Compatible with BG-E2 vertical grip (also used on EOS 20D)
* Availability mid March 2006
* Estimated street price $1399
Interestingly it the 20D is still being sold in the US for a while, i.e. it has not been officially "discontinued". In their US press release Canon say "...we will continue to offer the EOS 20D digital SLR at a slightly more affordable price point of $1,299...", but they don't say how long for. This is only $100 less than the EOS 30D and for the extra $100 the EOS 30D is clearly a much better deal. However I suspect that the $1299 price on the 20D will be discounted to a significantly greater extent then the $1399 price of the EOS 30D, so in reality the price difference will probably be closer to $250-$300, with the 20D selling for around $1100 and the 30D selling close to $1400 for a while. That makes the EOS 20D a reasonable alternative to the EOS 30D if money is tight!
Features LCD The LCD has been increased to 2.5", which is the same size as the LCD on the EOS 5D. When testing the EOS 5D I found the larger LCD more useful than I'd really anticipated it would be. It was easier to read text on (my eyes aren't as good as they once were...), plus easier to review images since finer detail could be seen. The increased viewing angle was also quite useful.
Startup Time Canon have reduced the startup time by 50ms from 0.2 seconds on the EOS 20D to 0.15 seconds on the EOS 30D. They don't say if there's a prize for anyone who can tell the difference! The EOS 20D is virtually "instant on", so the EOS 30D shouldn't disappoint in this regard
Buffer Size The buffer size is the major factor in determining how many shots can be taken at the maximum frame rate (the speed of writing to the memory card is also a factor). The buffer has been increased from 23 JPEG/ 6 RAW images in the EOS 20D to 30 JPEG/ 11 RAW in the EOS 30D.
Frame Rate With a maximum frame rate of 5fps the EOS 30D keeps up with the EOS 20D and has the fastest frame rate in the EOS lineup except for the EOS 1D Mk II N (8.5 fps). Both the EOS 1Ds Mk II (4fps) and the EOS 5D (3 fps) are slower. 5 fps should be sufficient for pretty much anyone who isn't shooting action sports for a living. There's also a "slow speed" mode which shoots at 3fps if you want continuous shooting but don't want to fill up the memory card quite so fast!
ISO Settings The EOS 30D allows ISO setting to be changed in 1/3 ev, 1/2 ev or 1 ev steps, just like the EOS 5D. There is also an ISO 3200 setting which can be enabled via a custom function. Note that ISO settings of 2000 and 2500 are not available. There is no "low" ISO setting of 50 as there is in the EOS 5D.
Shutter and Flash Durability The EOS 30D shutter is rated for 100,000 cycles. If I'm not mistaken this is also the rating on the EOS 20D shutter. Canon comment that they have taken steps to match the durability of the built in flash to the life of the shutter since so many pictures are taken using flash these days (I guess "free" digital shooting means people take more shots!). Shutter lag time is specified at 65ms.
Sharpening| Notably sharpening can now be turned off, so that in camera shot JPEGs can be unsharpened. This allows a more controlled sharpening to be applied post-exposure. In the 20D there is always some sharpening applied to JPEGs, even at the minimum sharpness setting. RAW images are not sharpened in the camera by either the EOS 20D or the EOS 30D. Any sharpening is done during or after RAW conversion.
Viewfinder The EOS 30D has the same viewfinder size and coverage as the EOS 20D. However the display of ISO (while being changed) has been added (as it was to the EOS 5D), so you can now change ISO settings (in 1/3 EV steps if you wish), without taking your eye away from the viewfinder.
Power Reduction Through better power management there should be about a 10% increase in shooting capacity, despite the larger power draw of the 2.5" LCD.
Histogram Display The EOS 30D shares the luminance and RGB histogram displays found on the EOS 5D. The RGB histogram is very useful in detecting if you saturate just one of the color channels, which can be hard to see with only the luminance histogram.
Noise Reduction There's now an auto noise reduction function which looks at the noise in images with 1-30 second exposure and applies the long exposure noise reduction algorithm only if needed. Since noise reduction needs a second exposure of equal length, this speeds up shooting when the noise reduction is not needed.
WiFi The EOS 30D has WiFi capability when coupled with the Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E1A. This accessory allows photographers to transmit images from their cameras directly to a computer over a local area network (LAN). It is compatible with the EOS-1Ds Mark II, EOS-1D Mark II N, EOS 5D and EOS 30D (and the EOS 20D with the current firmware). Overall Conclusion The EOS 30D looks like an excellent camera, even though the pixel count has not increased over the EOS 20D. The improvements in hardware (e.g. LCD, spot metering) and software (Picture Styles, 1/3 ISO steps, RGB histograms) are very welcome and make the camera easier to use and more versatile. Canon have said that a higher pixel count in the 30D would probably have resulted in higher noise at high ISO settings, and from the results of my Canon user survey, that would not be something that most Canon DSLR users would have wanted. Users report that image quality of the EOS 30D and 20D is the same, as would be expected, but the 30D is a nicer camera to use. The additional buffer size allows about double the number of shots to be taken before the frame rate slows when shooting RAW. Combining the 3fps with the larger buffer means that you can shoot continuous for 4 seconds (12 images) with the 30D before the frame rate drops, while with the 20D's smaller buffer and fixed 5fps frame rate you can only get about 1 second of continuous high speed shooting (6 images) before the buffer fills and the frame rate slows. This is clearly an advantage for sports and action shooters.
19.11.2006. 08:33