Canon EOS 30D Digital Camera Review

Canon EOS 30D

Digital Camera Review

3.9 At 8.2 megapixels, with a 5-frame-per-second burst, a 9-point autofocus system, and Canon's DIGIC II processing chip, the 30D matches its predecessor, the Canon EOS 20D, specification for specification. However, the 30D has a 2.5-inch LCD, which makes the 1.8-inch unit on the 20D look like a postage stamp. The 30D also boasts revised menus and image parameters, and a $1400 list price, $100 lower than the 20D's introductory price a year and a half ago. Given the remarkable advances Canon made between the 10D and the 20D, it's surprising that the 30D is so much like the 20D.
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Canon EOS 30D


Connectivity
Software
(8.25)
The 30D can download images to a computer directly and use its DPOF printing interface to selectively export them. 





 
Digital Photo Professional and CameraWindow ship with the 30D. Digital Photo Professional is an organizing and editing package with extensive controls for color adjustment and a clean, full-featured RAW conversion capability. CameraWindow allows tethered control of the 30D.

Jacks, Ports, Plugs (7.5)
The 30D has USB 2.0 connectivity for both printers and links to computers. It accepts a hardwired remote control, outputs an analog video signal for PAL or NTSC televisions, and provides flash sync via a PC terminal or its hot shoe. An optional external power supply connects through the battery compartment.

Direct Print Options (8.0)
Users can print the 30D’s images directly to a PictBridge printer, or download a print order via DPOF. The 30D implements a wide range of print options, including borderless printing, printing multiple copies of an image on a single sheet, overprinting the date, cropping, and setting the paper size. The 30D also offers index printing.

Battery (7.0)
The 30D ships with a BP-511A, a 7.4-volt, 1390 mAh lithium-ion cell. It is also compatible with several Canon batteries: owners of the 20D or 5D will be able to swap batteries between the cameras. Like the 20D, the 30D offers good battery life.



Memory (3.5)
The 30D accepts Compact Flash and Microdrive cards, the most common memory format for DSLRs. Compact Flash cards are available in a very large range of capacities, from 128 MB to several GB, and are typically less expensive than other formats.



Other Features (6.5)
RAW + JPEG Recording Mode -
The 30D can record an image in RAW and JPEG format simultaneously, offering the convenience of JPEGs with a RAW backup if post processing is necessary.

LCD Light - When shooting in dark conditions, users can illuminate the monochrome LCD panel.
Sensor Clean Mode - A sensor cleaning mode opens the 30D’s shutter to allow cleaning dust off the filter covering the CMOS.

Setting Battery - The 30D has a separate, replaceable battery to hold camera settings while the camera is powered off. It's accessible in the main battery compartment.

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