Canon EOS 30D

Viewfinder (8.0)
Although the 30D’s optical system is otherwise identical to the 20D’s, Canon upgraded to the Precision Matte focusing screen it uses in the 5D. Precision Matte is supposed to make manual focus easier by making the image "snap" more positively in and out of focus. Although the screen is pretty bright, we found it easy to focus the 24-105, f/4 L series lens we were provided for testing. The viewfinder displays ISO information when the rating is being changed, information that was missing from the 20D's viewfinder.

The 30D's viewfinder is much less accurate than the 5D's. It does provide a good view of the screen - it’s not hard to see the corners of the frame, although they look a little dimmer than the center - and Canon says it covers 95 percent of the image. We don't have a means of measuring how accurate that number is, but we do know that the image isn't centered in the 30D we tested. Our camera cropped more off the left and top than off the right and bottom, as illustrated by our test shot. All the white around the image is the cropped area; we added the thick black border for clarity.

LCD Screen (8.0)
At 2.5 inches and 230,000 pixels, twice the area of the 1.8-inch unit on the 20D, the LCD screen is one of the 30D’s most obvious improvements. Like the LCD on the 5D, however, it's not bright enough for outdoor use. It's easy enough to say that no LCD looks great in sunlight, but this and other Canon displays are particularly dark. It's hard to make any use of them in bright light.

The 30D also has a monochrome LCD on its upper deck. That display shows shooting information, including exposure settings, white balance, metering pattern, ISO, battery status, frames shot and frames available, burst mode, autofocus mode, self-timer, exposure compensation, file format and quality, red-eye reduction, flash compensation, white balance correction, custom function, and whether the camera will beep. The display is large and well laid out, helping convey essential shooting information without feeling overly crowded.

Flash (8.0)
The 30D has a pop-up flash and a dedicated hot shoe. According to Canon, the pop-up flash is wide enough for 17mm lenses and has a guide number of 43 in feet at ISO 100. We could not test with a 17mm lens, but with the 24mm, the exposure is even, corner to corner. The flash delivered proper exposure at f/4 1/3 at 10 feet – the result the guide number calls for.

While the 30D offers a range of flash sync options, they are scattered through the camera's menus. Red-eye reduction is in the shooting menu. Rear-curtain sync is a custom function. Another custom function allows slow-shutter sync. We'd much prefer having all the flash sync options together and easier to access.

Lens Mount (9.0)
Canon's unsurpassed assortment of EF lenses, which are designed for Canon's film cameras as well as their digital EOS line, work on this camera. The 30D also works with the lower-priced EF-S series, which mount on the Rebel XT and 20D, but not the high-end cameras.

The 18 to 55 mm f/ 3.5-5.6 zoom is a standard kit lens with the 30D and adds $100 to the list price. In previous reviews, we found that the lens was sharp, though we noticed color fringing. The lens is not very tough, and a maximum aperture of f/ 5.6 is pretty dim. Better lenses will show the 30D's potential much more clearly, but for the more frugal consumer, the kit lens will suffice.