Short 30D Hands on review - so far

[Caspere]

My experience/background:
Coming from a series of Eos 10s, 5, 1, 1n, 3, 33 film cameras, and going thru 300D, 10D, & 20D, I am commenting from user experience in making my "feel" of the 30D in real world amateur use.

Review:
The 30D feel is exactly the same as 20D, which is to say much better than 300D, slightly better 10D.The sound is a touch softer and slightly better damped. Implications? My 300D and 10D is very discreet in threatre, dramas, ballet dances, and other noise sensitive areas. The 20D draws a bit of head-turns when I shoot, so naturally I end up shoot single shots instead of my usual series of shots. I am not only annoyed becos it cramps my style, but also becos it annoys the other audience. Out in the open, the shutter feels fabulous. However, I will still get a high ("steam" is the word) from feeling the Eos 1n with the Booster grip at HS shutter chic-chic-chics... If I need quiet, Eos 5 and 33 fits the bill. One thing to note: some subjects/models will change their poses after seeing the flash pops or hearing the shutter clicks, so "louder" can be useful. Quiet bodies gave me some headaches cos somes models were actually waiting for me to click when I am already done a series soft da-da-da.

The LCD is bigger, the main reason why I bought it. I shoot very quickly and glances to the screen very often to check focus. All this happening concurrently as I shoot. The 20D/10D screen looks sharper (maybe becos its small?) but zooming in takes time away from my viewer, and needless to say, the bigger image here make me smile more often. I love especially the RGB scale, and I wondered how I did without it all these years! The wider LCD viewing is nice but did not do anything for me, I don't usually share the images for others to look there and then, just a glance and back to the viewer. Another nice feature is the "focus" point indicator on the image displayed. Now its nice to be reminded where I focused and sometimes can actually see why the focus is off!

The changing of the ISO without taking my eyes off the viewer also should have been in the 20D, but still not too late on the 30D.

What I would have missed might be the Velvia/Provia slides effect, but now the Picture Styles might be another thing I might fall in love with. I say "might" becos I can replicate them on CS, but it will be nicer hot off the camera. Have to shoot more and see.

Sorry. Shot a lot on one of the morning at Palawan, but no technical images that shows why 30D is better that any other camera. A lot of my images can be done using any of the bodies I owned before, and I suspect on any other camera bodies you people own.

I enjoyed each and every one of the bodies I use, you can too.

[Wai]

Originally Posted by Caspere The LCD is bigger, the main reason why I bought it. I shoot very quickly and glances to the screen very often to check focus. All this happening concurrently as I shoot. The 20D/10D screen looks sharper (maybe becos its small?) but zooming in takes time away from my viewer, and needless to say, the bigger image here make me smile more often.

To add on, 30D LCD is 2.5", 230,000 pixels

20D is 1.8", 118,000 pixels

That's 50% more pixels!!

Big different IMO

[jsbn]

Originally Posted by Wai To add on, 30D LCD is 2.5", 230,000 pixels 20D is 1.8", 118,000 pixels That's 50% more pixels!! Big different IMO

Well, 50% more pixels.... all the more one's skill level must go up by 50% to enjoy the 50% pixel difference in the LCD to the max.

[SimonKing]

Originally Posted by Caspere My experience/background: Coming from a series of Eos 10s, 5, 1, 1n, 3, 33 film cameras, and going thru 300D, 10D, & 20D, I am commenting from user experience in making my "feel" of the 30D in real world amateur use. Review: The 30D feel is exactly the same as 20D, which is to say much better than 300D, slightly better 10D.The sound is a touch softer and slightly better damped. Implications? My 300D and 10D is very discreet in threatre, dramas, ballet dances, and other noise sensitive areas. The 20D draws a bit of head-turns when I shoot, so naturally I end up shoot single shots instead of my usual series of shots. I am not only annoyed becos it cramps my style, but also becos it annoys the other audience. Out in the open, the shutter feels fabulous. However, I will still get a high ("steam" is the word) from feeling the Eos 1n with the Booster grip at HS shutter chic-chic-chics... If I need quiet, Eos 5 and 33 fits the bill. One thing to note: some subjects/models will change their poses after seeing the flash pops or hearing the shutter clicks, so "louder" can be useful. Quiet bodies gave me some headaches cos somes models were actually waiting for me to click when I am already done a series soft da-da-da. The LCD is bigger, the main reason why I bought it. I shoot very quickly and glances to the screen very often to check focus. All this happening concurrently as I shoot. The 20D/10D screen looks sharper (maybe becos its small?) but zooming in takes time away from my viewer, and needless to say, the bigger image here make me smile more often. I love especially the RGB scale, and I wondered how I did without it all these years! The wider LCD viewing is nice but did not do anything for me, I don't usually share the images for others to look there and then, just a glance and back to the viewer. Another nice feature is the "focus" point indicator on the image displayed. Now its nice to be reminded where I focused and sometimes can actually see why the focus is off! The changing of the ISO without taking my eyes off the viewer also should have been in the 20D, but still not too late on the 30D. What I would have missed might be the Velvia/Provia slides effect, but now the Picture Styles might be another thing I might fall in love with. I say "might" becos I can replicate them on CS, but it will be nicer hot off the camera. Have to shoot more and see. Sorry. Shot a lot on one of the morning at Palawan, but no technical images that shows why 30D is better that any other camera. A lot of my images can be done using any of the bodies I owned before, and I suspect on any other camera bodies you people own. I enjoyed each and every one of the bodies I use, you can too.

Good review

Originally Posted by jsbn Well, 50% more pixels.... all the more one's skill level must go up by 50% to enjoy the 50% pixel difference in the LCD to the max.

Haha! Not true lah,it's just a personal preference to have bigger LCD that's all.

[maxim]

"............Sorry. Shot a lot on one of the morning at Palawan, but no technical images that shows why 30D is better that any other camera. A lot of my images can be done using any of the bodies I owned before, and I suspect on any other camera bodies you people own."


the last statement is a wake up call for those who blindly upgrade.
thanks for a very good and subjective review.

but i dont get how you are all excited /"steam" about the camera
given your experience with the 1 series

[SimonKing]

Originally Posted by maxim the last statement is a wake up call for those who blindly upgrade. thanks for a very good and subjective review.

It would be a good wake up call for people who have to squeeze $$$ out just to buy a camera that doesn't have much improvement (subjective view) over the previous model.$$$ to some people are of no issue so it's really up to them to decide.

[mpenza]

there're subtle improvements not in the image quality department which are still important to others. e.g. I upgraded from 300D to 20D for the higher burst rate and faster response, rather than for the difference in image quality/sharpness/resolution (8MP and 6MP are not big difference for me).

[SniperD]

Battery time due to the larger LCD.. any implications.. hehehe....

[Caspere]

Originally Posted by maxim "............ but i dont get how you are all excited /"steam" about the camera given your experience with the 1 series

See my previous post..

Originally Posted by Caspere ...........However, I will still get a high ("steam" is the word) from feeling the Eos 1n with the Booster grip at HS shutter chic-chic-chics...

[Wai]

Originally Posted by SimonKing Haha! Not true lah,it's just a personal preference to have bigger LCD that's all.

it is the number of pixel, not the size of the LCD which counts.

eg. D70 -> D70s, bigger LCD, but same number of pixels

this is why i always advise pple against buying 19" LCD, cos the number of pixel is the same as 17" (1280 x 1024) while 20" LCD with 1600 x 1200 resolution has 46.4% more pixels. ie. 46.4% more working space than a 19"

[Caspere]

Part 2

Some web sites in their initial review did not say whether 30D has 2nd curtain flash, or adjustable brightness level unlike their comments for 10D/20D and 1Dm2 series. The answer is yes.

The 30D has 2nd curtain flash, and adjustable brightness level.

I don't know if there are lots of people using 2nd curtain flash, but I like it a lot and use it very often with Manual; exposing for ambient, -1 for flash, and 2nd curtain both during the day and night. Using AV also can, together with -1 flash at FP on eTTL & 2nd curtain.

The 30D, like the 1D series, also allows a "zoomed" reviewing function instaneously upon shooting. Have to "enable" this in the Custom Functions. I love it. Now I do not have to slow down and "play" & "zoom" in to view focus/sharpness...cos it will be on the LCD after my shots, saved me additional presses and time. Definitely my style of shooting.

Another tiny feature I noticed that made my life easier is the "Rotate" custom function; now I can disallow rotation on camera review but allow rotated viewing on the computer all determined at the 30D body!

More on the bigger LCD. I don't usually view my images on the body unless necessary, preferably doing on the 17/19 inch LCD on the computer. Last night, however, I actually find myself enjoying the "viewing" of some of the images available on the compact flash which I was formatting! The resolution is indeed better now I have time to stare at it (compared to the time during the shoots). Now I wonder, why would people place these LCD screen protectors on their bodies; be it pastic sheets or molded cases making the images look terrible. Maybe its the mentality of protection; just like using filters over expensive lenses, and gafter tapes (spelling?) all over the bodies! I only tape over the brand/body number to cover-up telling signs of expensive stuff when abroad.

More later..

[Caspere]

Originally Posted by Wai it is the number of pixel, not the size of the LCD which counts. eg. D70 -> D70s, bigger LCD, but same number of pixels this is why i always advise pple against buying 19" LCD, cos the number of pixel is the same as 17" (1280 x 1024) while 20" LCD with 1600 x 1200 resolution has 46.4% more pixels. ie. 46.4% more working space than a 19"

And all this while I thought it was the Graphic card (plus the ram) creating all those pixels.

So, even if the graphic card telling me its doing 1600x1200 on my 19" LCD, it is only 1280x1024 pixels that are doing the work! Is that why my previous 17" LCD is fuzzy at 1600x1200? Becos it is pretending to be 1600x1200 when it is not?

Just curious....

[Wai]

Originally Posted by Caspere So, even if the graphic card telling me its doing 1600x1200 on my 19" LCD, it is only 1280x1024 pixels that are doing the work! Is that why my previous 17" LCD is fuzzy at 1600x1200? Becos it is pretending to be 1600x1200 when it is not?

Each LCD has its own native resolution. ie. the resolution where the image will be sharpest.

For a 19" LCD that has native resolution of 1280 x 1024, u can set it to run at 800 x 600 or 1024 x 768 but with poorer quality. But no way u can set it to run 1600 x 1200, u will only get a blank screen. Dont try it cos u cant revert this until u force shut down, go to safe mode, remove VGA driver and do a reinstallation.

[G-man]

Originally Posted by maxim the last statement is a wake up call for those who blindly upgrade. thanks for a very good and subjective review.

You meant objective review ya?

In any case, the way I see it, since I still do now own a DSLR, only film SLRs and 1 prosumer, I think the 30D is a worthy contender.

[twiki]

Originally Posted by mpenza there're subtle improvements not in the image quality department which are still important to others. e.g. I upgraded from 300D to 20D for the higher burst rate and faster response, rather than for the difference in image quality/sharpness/resolution (8MP and 6MP are not big difference for me).

Not to mention the speed at which the 20D reads CF cards, especially during a preview or playback.

The 10D is slow, and the 300D positively crawls!

[Caspere]

Part 3

On AI Servo AF
The "AI Servo AF" mode on the high-end bodies uses release priority for the first frame of a motordrive burst, and focus priority after that. This is different from that of the lower-end EOS bodies. If you're working with a moving subject, you need to either track the subject with the shutter half-depressed for a half-second or so before starting to shoot, or make sure to take more than one frame per burst and accept that the first one WILL be blurred." I find this feature should have been on the 30D, if not on the 20D. I believe a firmware upgrade should do it.

On ISO Steps
Oh, the feature of allowing ISO adjustable in 1/3 stop steps instead of the 20D in 1 stop steps. In real world, I never have found a need to go in-between the standard ISO steps. {Banter:: I think its time Canon allow users to fix Aperture and shutter speed, and the body decide which ISO to use! Stepless ISO for exposure! And at the same time, allow a Custom Function Aperture/Shutter override in the event of hitting either the over/under on either scale for a perfect exposure.}

Why no Customizable Shooting Mode
I would have certainly prefered Canon include the NEW customizable function C with M, Av, Tv, & P just like the 5D (they can also take away the rest of the program modes, but unlikely cos users like us may have spouses/partners who may want to use them too).

to be continued...

[SniperD]

Originally Posted by SniperD Battery time due to the larger LCD.. any implications.. hehehe....

how about battery life in relation to the increased LCD size?

[Caspere]

Well. I counted the number of images...

2475 largest JPG images on a single BP511A with a single bar remaining.
Using 28-70L & 70-200L 50/50 of the time.

I was surprised myself when I read that Canon Standard tests says 1100 images on a single BP511A.

I think its becos of my style of shooting..

I press for the focus confirmation and then followup with click click, still holding the half press adjusts the composition and then another click click, maybe click again. That's what I mean be series of shots. My aim is to avoid having a single shot with eyes closed, or ugly smirk, etc or something like that. Sometime I move myself rather asking the model to move while I released a couple more series.

If I need to refocus, I repeat the above.

No IS helps.
No random focussing and refocusing.
No zooming and rezooming.
No additional viewing on the LCD besides that 2 second review setting.

On the side; with reference to my style of shooting....
My hit rates are pretty high; 1 well focused & composed images out of each series of clicks. Out of each shoot, I usually choose 30 well composed ones to PS on if necessary, and only about 10 good PSed ones to show.

In this instance, I should have about 350 well focused images, and about 30 good enough composition to work on.

My definition of good varies greatly with how I feel, so YMMV.

[lurgee]

very good and detailed review!

thanks!

[Caspere]

Originally Posted by SniperD how about battery life in relation to the increased LCD size?

No significant decrease in battery life observed. Actually, from my experience with the 10D/20D and comparing the 30D a one morning shoot, I think the battery life on the 30D is better. Maybe its becos of the better energy management or the power drawn by the newer more efficient electronics? Or maybe cos it just a new battery?

Anyone else??