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Gear Reviews

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Canon EOS 30D

Canon EOS 30D

£657.00

Photo answers rating rating is 4
Owners' rating rating is 4.5

Another solid performer in the mid-range category, the Canon EOS 30D offers plenty for the enthusiast. Its biggest drawback is the limited resolution of 8MP in a market where 10MP is becoming the norm.

Photo answers review

Photo answers rating rating is 4

The EOS 30D replaced the highly acclaimed 20D quite some time ago now but was greeted with a somewhat mixed response. Rather than offering a lot of extra features, the 30D simply updated a couple, mostly notably introducing a larger screen at 2.5in.

Like the higher-priced Canon D-SLRs, the 30D uses the standard large thumbwheel on the back of the camera to change settings but also adds the excellent small nipple joystick too. This is simply used for changing the autofocus points or moving the magnified view around during image playback. It’s much easier than having to use combinations of buttons and dials to do the same jobs. Performance-wise it’s a drastic improvement over the EOS 10D or 20D, so users of these cameras may want to upgrade to have a faster camera at their disposal.

Not surprisingly, the 30D is capable of producing great results at ISO 100 with the very minimum of noise. The trouble is that the resolution means that you have to push the results a little in order to produce an A3 print.

At the time of its release, the EOS 30D produced results that could easily be classed as above average. Now, all these months later, the results are even outclassed by its budget stablemate, the 400D.

Despite being one of those cameras that doesn’t seem to stand out from the crowd, the EOS 30D somehow manages to squeeze through as a solid purchase. The handling is far better than the next model down and the price is significantly lower than the next model up, the EOS 5D.


 

Product Specifications

Weight/size (WxHxD) 700g/144x106x74mm
Effective resolution 8.2MP
Lens mount Canon EF/EF-S
Focal length conversion 1.6x
Aspect ratio 3:2
LCD monitor size 2.5in
File formats JPEG, RAW (CRW)
Card type CF
Exposure modes Program, aperture-priority, shutter-priority, manual and eight subject modes
Metering modes Evaluative, centre-weighted, partial and spot
Autofocus Nine-point
ISO range 100-3200
Battery type 1x Lithium-ion BP-511
Software supplied Canon Digital Photo Professional, ZoomBrowser EX, PhotoStitch and EOS Utility
Start-up time Less than 1 second
Write times 1.75 seconds (JPEG), 1.75 seconds (RAW)
Shutter speed range 30 seconds to 1/8000sec
Flash sync 1/250sec
Continuous shooting speed 5fps for 30 JPEGs

Users' Overall Rating rating is 4.5(5 reviews)

  • Six years with 30D

    Anonymous

    User's Overall Rating rating is 4.5

    Show Details

    Performancerating is 5
    Value for moneyrating is 5
    Build qualityrating is 5
    Featuresrating is 4

    I have been a 30D happy user for almost six years, now and I know the camera like the back of my hand. I am an amateur photographer and I have been making my amateur photos for about 25 years. I am very glad I have bought the 30D. It is a great, well-built performer, easy, intuitive and quick to use. I have even won a few competitions and sold some photos :). I have shot photos at weddings and my journeys through Scottish mountains, Turkey, Egypt and many others. It has never failed me and never broke down. What I miss is higher ISOs & body image stabilization (unfortunately not a single Canon DSL has built in IS), lower noise at ISO 800 and above. Possibly, but not necessarily, a higher MP. However even the 30D 8.2MP works well at sizes up to 50x50cm (never tried bigger ones). Hopefully my precious 30D will serve me in following years, unless I will manage to buy 70D ;).

    27 October 2011 14:49

  • Canon 30D

    amature

    bathgate, - Select -

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    User's Overall Rating rating is 4.5

    Show Details

    Performancerating is 5
    Value for moneyrating is 4
    Build qualityrating is 5
    Featuresrating is 5

    I think this is an excellent camera, with enough features to help you get started but with the flexibility to take full control when needed. I recently used this for a portraiture class at college and was so impressed with the results I bought myself a home studio kit

    (Written by: amature)

    26 June 2008 10:15

  • Canon 30D

    CeriDJones

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    User's Overall Rating rating is 4.5

    Show Details

    Performancerating is 4
    Value for moneyrating is 4
    Build qualityrating is 5
    Featuresrating is 5

    I upgrade from Canon 400D to this 30D model and I have been very pelase with the images and handling of the camera. Best features is it's solid build, good handling and excellent battery life.

    (Written by: CeriDJones)

    16 January 2008 17:48

  • EOS30D

    Paul simmonds

    User's Overall Rating rating is 5

    Show Details

    Performancerating is 5
    Value for moneyrating is 5
    Build qualityrating is 5
    Featuresrating is 5

    fantastic camera..Solid build easy to use and if you stand the 30D next to the 5D and view them from the back and the top, there are identical..8.2mp is no problem and produces sharp. well saturated images and the resolution is outstanding

    (Written by: Paul simmonds)

    14 January 2008 19:21

  • canon

    BigA

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    User's Overall Rating rating is 3.5

    Show Details

    Performancerating is 4
    Value for moneyrating is 3
    Build qualityrating is 4
    Featuresrating is 3

    I've got this camera and I love it

    (Written by: BigA)

    29 November 2007 14:23

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Paul simmonds

Paul simmonds says

EOS 30D

It's funny how a camera is the best thing since sliced bread when it is released and sadly lacking when the next model comes out...Well I know people with the 10D, 20D 30D and 40D...All capable of fantastic results.. At one time, you only needed to spend £7 or £8 on the newer, better resolution, better colour saturated release from Fuji, or Kodak and you stuck with the SLR that had served you well for decades...Now, every 18 months, we are made to feel that the latest £1000 release from Canon or Nikon is the only way to maintain picture standards..This is just hype from the manufacturers and the photo mag reviews are fuelling this 'must have' culture that has been forced upon us and we have all to eagerly adopted..!! I for one will keep my guaranteed 100 000 shutter-cycle EOS 30D until it gives up the ghost, knowing all too well that the results can be enlarged to 40x30 inches easily without loss of quality( done it..!!) Ok, so I have to work a little harder to get that quality at extreme enlargements, but nothing like as hard as I used to have to work in a chemical darkroom.!!

13 January 2008 09:52

Andyxbx

Andyxbx says

A SIolid Camera which inspires confidence!

I have had this camera from around the time it was released in the UK, which i believe is about a year and a half now. It feels excellent in the hand, is dead easy to use and looks at least Semi-Pro. Having used it for a wedding job and many other types of photography I have found it to be instinctive to use, as well as solid and reliable. The battery life is astounding and allows for loads of shots before getting low, and it has never run out on me. The picture quality is fantastic, despite what people say (compared to recent models), however you have to shoot in RAW and process it correctly to make the most of it (but this is the same for all cameras, including the most recent). I can recommend it highly, and in my opinion cameras have so many features these days it is just more that can go wrong! This is just a solid straight forward DSLR. (I once used it is pouring rain on a job (i had no choice as i needed to get the shots)and it performed beautifully while getting a soaking - once it had dried out it worked like nothing had happened). I will not be parting with it for many, many years!! you can see some shots taken with the camera here: http://www.digitalphotoops.co.uk/photography.html Andy

03 January 2008 20:37

amature

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amature says

30D

I have this camera and so far have found it easy to navigate and use. While a lot of the features are way above me it still allowed me to use it very quickly with not a lot of fussing about.

04 December 2007 20:34

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