Canon EOS 30D Announced

[Suhit Gupta]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.dpreview.com/news/0602/06022114canoneos30d.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.dpreview.com/news/0602/06022114canoneos30d.asp</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Canon has today announced the EOS 30D, a mild evolution of the EOS 20D. Headline changes are a subtly redesigned body, spot metering, selectable continuous shooting speed, 100,000 shutter cycle life, a larger LCD monitor and the expected switch from simple image parameters to Canon's preferred PictureStyles. From an imaging pipeline point of view this camera has the same sensor and image processor and the default PictureStyle matches the EOS 20D's default image parameters (hence expect exactly the same imaging performance). Good news also comes in the form of a slightly lower price than the EOS 20D. We're just waiting for the name confusion to begin, it's not the six year old Canon EOS D30."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/30d-07.jpg" /><br /><br />I am a little surprised that Canon didn't change the sensor and image processor at all. Although the price drop will be most welcome. Two other features - 100-3200 ISO range and the simultaneous RAW and JPEG recording - impressed me. With 4GB CF cards relatively affordable, the latter feature seems wonderful.

[Jason Dunn]

Hmm. I guess I was hoping for something a bit better. The bigger LCD screen is great, that's something I absolutely need to have in my next DSLR, but there's no "wow" factor. I guess it's just an evolution of the 20D, which people already seemed to love.

I don't know, I still find myself leaning more towards the Nikon D200. Maybe I'll try to get a 30D to review from Canon Canada and see what I think of it. ;-)

[bdegroodt]

Spot metering is a certainly a needed upgrade, so kudos to Canon on getting that into this line. I think they had been using that as one reason for the pros to spend 3x+ for their pro lines.

[marlof]

Canon has put new meaning to "it's an evolution, no revolution". Then again, in the time between the D100 and the D200 they've evolutioned a zillion cameras already. :) Some of the new stuff looks pretty nice, but unlike the 10D -> 20D, I don't see any immediate reason for a 20D user to upgrade.

[Philip Colmer]

The 20D can do simultaneous RAW+JPEG.

I'm sort of relieved/glad that the 30D isn't a big improvement over the 20D. There isn't really anything there that makes me think I should sell our 20D &amp; upgrade ... which is good, 'cos we haven't really had the 20D for that long :).

--Philip

[Suhit Gupta]

The 20D can do simultaneous RAW+JPEG.
Wow, didn't know that.
I'm sort of relieved/glad that the 30D isn't a big improvement over the 20D. There isn't really anything there that makes me think I should sell our 20D &amp; upgrade ... which is good, 'cos we haven't really had the 20D for that long :).
But it does make sense for folks with a 10D. ;-) Although, since I don't really plan on upgrading until much later this year or even next Spring, perhaps I should wait for the 40D.

Suhit

[Leon]

Two other features - 100-3200 ISO range and the simultaneous RAW and JPEG recording - impressed me.
The 20D can do 100-3200 ISO too.


For me the most interesting new features are:
Larger LCD
Set ISO via viewfinder (disaster to do when camera is on tripod on a 20D)
Extra Auto-rotate option
More photos in a folder
Histogram
Spot metering (maybe)

But I won't 'upgrade' in the near future, though.

[Jonathon Watkins]

The 30D is a so-so incremental upgrade, though the f2.8 17-55mm IS USM EM-F lens looks wonderfull.

There's a good write-up at Rob Galbraithg's site: (http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=7-7891-8214)

The ability to configure and fire multiple Speedlights is one of the niftiest capabilities of the Nikon D200. And in fact, given the likelihood that prospective purchasers of a midrange digital SLR, at least those not locked into a system already, will be directly comparing Nikon's latest digital SLR to the 30D, we wonder if Canon has done enough in refreshing the 20D to counter the siren call of the D200.

Don't take this as a recommendation of the D200 over the 30D. For one, we've only used a preproduction 30D, and then only briefly. More importantly, we've shot the D200 and 20D side-by-side for available light basketball over several weekends this winter, and the 20D is by far the better camera for this purpose. Not only were the ISO 800 through ISO 3200 frames massively cleaner and more usable, the percentage of in-focus frames was signficantly higher. In fact, we've ruled out using the D200 for this sort of assigment again. So, we don't think Nikon has in the D200 a camera that's a clear winner over the upcoming 30D by any means.

[Lee Yuan Sheng]

Goodness, everyone's quoting that same damn paragraph like the gospel...

[Jonathon Watkins]

Goodness, everyone's quoting that same damn paragraph like the gospel...

Well, it's such a *good* paragraph. ;-) (Plus no-one else has any hands-on time with the 30D yet).

[Philip Colmer]

For me the most interesting new features are:
Histogram
The 20D has a histogram feature as well ... I've just had a look at the Galbraith preview and it sounds as if the 30D has an improved version, but it isn't readily clear (to me, anyway) how improved.

--Philip

[Leon]

The difference between the 20D and 30D histogram is that you can now choose between Luminance and RGB.