Reviews for Canon EOS 30D 8.2 Megapixel Digital SLR Camera Body Only2.5" LCD - 3504 x 2336 Image - PictBridge - MPN: 1234B004
By member:
ddriley
- May 1, 2006
D30 ReviewStrengths: excellent build quality, good ergonomics, many professional quality features, takes great photos Weakness: a few pros might prefer complete weatherproofing Canon literature suggests that the 30D is designed for both professional photographers and serious amateurs. So I guess I’m a bit of both. Roughly three decades ago I paid for a chunk of my college education as a campus photographer. My instrument of choice was a Nikon F, using only high quality Nikkor glass. When film cameras had seemingly lost touch with an electronic world, I purchased my first digital - a Canon S50. This little marvel takes good photos and is small enough to stuff in a pant pocket. 83% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
Reply by member: narrowscope
Jul 21, 2006 Note that it's called the 30D -- the D30 is really really old
By member:
artirwinphoto
- Jun 7, 2006
Serious Upgrade!Strengths: Screen Size, Durability, AF System, FPS (Frames Per Second) Rate, Canon EOS System Weakness: 1.6x Lens Magnification Factor I was hesitant to ditch my Canon 35mm SLR and join the digital revolution, so a year ago I bought the Digital Rebel XT to see how my existing Canon EOS lenses, flashes and accessories in the digital realm. 79% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
monaceio
- Jun 4, 2006
Excellent DSLRStrengths: 100K shutter system, 5fps continous shooting, 2.5" LCD Weakness: Build-in flash is not too good Except the build-in flash, I am totally satisfied with this camera. If you use any L lenses with the lens hood, the lens hood might block part of the flash and there might be a circular shadow appear in the picture. I use 580EX at all time, so no problem for me. I guess when you spend that much for a camera, you got be somehow serious. Please don't waste money on the bundle with EF-S 18-55 lens, buy the body only version or the bundle with EF-S 17-85 IS lens. I have EF 24-70 f2.8 L and EF 70-200 f2.8 L. EOS 30D works extremely well on these lenses. 79% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
Zang1975
- May 9, 2006
Great DSLRStrengths: Canon Name and Reputation, Ease of use, 2.5 inch LCD Weakness: The viewfinder is not 100%. Since I upgraded from the Digital Rebel, I was used to not having a 100% viewfinder. However, some people may find this as a weakness. Cost. I upgraded to this camera from the Digital Rebel XT. I was very happy with my digital Rebel, so I wanted to stick with the Canon name. I didn't feel that I needed the more expensive Canon cameras (5D or 1D). In my opinion, the biggest selling point to this camera over the 20D is the 2.5 inch LCD. The large screen makes it much easier to review images in the field. Since I had been very familiar with the Digital Rebel, I didn't find the upgrade process to be difficult at all. If someone is new to the Canon line, I found it very easy to learn how to operate the camera. If you are upgrading from an existing Canon camera or looking for a new DSLR, I would highly recommended the 30D 78% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
overclockxp
- Jun 28, 2006
Nice upgrades to the 20DStrengths: Quiet Shutter, Huge LCD, ISO in Viewfinder Weakness: Came with dust on the sensor! The Canon 30D is not a huge improvement over the 20D but it has some nice amenities. 77% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
ong1p
- May 13, 2006
Canon 30dStrengths: Great image quality, canon brand and quality, many lenses, strong build quality Weakness: nothing This is my very first DSLR camera. After having taken approximately 200 shots immediately after getting it, I can see the great differences. There are so many functions and features that I'd have to learn with this camera, but from the initial perspective, it was worth the investment. 75% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
cshsia
- Jun 13, 2006
Amazing CameraStrengths: Spot Metering, 2.5 inch LCD Weakness: Price (relative to 20D) I have been a long time user of Canon point and shoot cameras, but now that all my colleagues are taking amazing pictures with their SLRs, I decided to get one of my own. After testing their EOS 20D extensively, I decided to go for the latest model. 75% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
rcheung07
- Jul 20, 2006
Canon 30D ReviewStrengths: Build Quality, Comfort when holding in hand, 2.5 inch display, Ability to reading ISO in the viewfinder. Weakness: Not a 100% viewfinder. Little bit on the pricey side. This was an upgrade from a Rebel XT. I'm still a beginner photographer but the move from XT to 30D was a good one. The feel and build quality is just to much better. I went hiking with the XT and I just couldn't hold the XT in my hand for a long period of time but that changed with the 30D due to the bigger grip and rubber feel. The weight is also much more balanced when using long range lens ex: 70-200 f4, etc vs. the lightweight XT. Great purchase over the XT. 75% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
jyim
- May 1, 2006
Great cameraStrengths: Professional quality; easy to use; large LCD is a huge bonus Weakness: None so far This is a great camera that captures quality photos (assuming you know how to take good shots). The functions/settings are easy to use and situated well on the camera. What stands out about the 30d is the 2.5 inch LCD. It's huge! You're able to get a better feel for the image that was captured without having to zoom in. 71% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
Reply by member: calvin300
Jun 1, 2006 Have you tried the monochrome feature? If so, How did it print?
By member:
Inua89
- Jun 29, 2006
Canon 30D - Great camera!Strengths: Great build quality, 2.5" LCD, picture quality, 5 fps burst speed, loads of features and settings. Weakness: None so far. This is my first digital SLR. I previously had a Canon A1 35mm camera that I loved. I really liked the ability to go from fully automatic to fully manual with that camera. The point and shoot digital cameras that I have also had are nice but I wanted something more - and the ability to change lenses. 67% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
tonytone30
- Jun 26, 2006
Canon 30D SLRStrengths: Quality construction, nice big LCD, fast burst, option packed, huge lens options, price, image/color quality, price, long battery life, good "raw" software, price. Weakness: No IR transmittal from the box, not weather sealed, fully automatic setting can mismeter in bright sunlight. Great camera at a great price. That being said, I think that a wiser purchase would be the Nikon D200 for a few hundred more you are getting a weather sealed camera and several other goodies. If you are commited to canon with lenses like myself, the 30D is a smart buy. I am upgrading from a rebel XT and this was a no brainer. You will feel the difference when you pick it up but very much so when you press the shutter. It is very different from the XT. I would equate it to the difference between when a Ford door closing and when a Lexus door shuts. Its a big difference and you can feel, hear, and see the difference. 60% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
Cliff P.
- Nov 3, 2006
A Better Camera Compare to 20DStrengths: 1. Images focus very consistence, keep rate is higher. 2. Large LCD screen 3. Good In-Camera processing, like sharpening. Weakness: Images is a bit dark My 20D has a big problem. Image keep rate is very low. For some reason, even on L lens no matter Prime or Zoom, most of the images taken were soft. But there’re always very few piece were outstanding sharp, not much though. 30D fixed this issue, all images were consistence and in-camera sharpening make it perfect to print, means less work on post-processing. Large LCD is also a plus for most of the user. But don't know why compare to 20D, photos seem a bit dark, maybe just happen to my copy, so I always keep + 1/3 on AE bracketing. After 3 days, I sold my 20D. A nice upgrade for me! 60% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
xiliu
- Aug 14, 2006
good product, but lens are more importantStrengths: spot metering is quite handy Weakness: the LCD is only large, but not very clear The overall performance is quite good so far. But if you are on a budget, get a 350D, and put more money on lens. A better lens is more important. 57% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
eskee207021
- Jun 8, 2006
Canon EOS 30D SLR Digital Camera + 50mm F1.8 Canon...Strengths: For a 8.2 MP DSLR, the price is reasonable. provide almost same amount of features from 5D. Very attractive 2.5" LCD. Good noise control than Nikon 70s. Weakness: Can't give pictures as sharp as taken from Nikon. Sharpness control does a little help to achieve the same sharpness that Nikon provides. The Noise control from Canon definitely leads my way to get 30D instead of taking D200. Of course, the trade off is not getting sharp pictures. Getting L serie lents that can provide excellent sharp images however they are way expensive. Good budget set on the market. If Canon can provide higher-amount on rebate that could increase the Canon's DSLR market.
44% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
drkshen
- Jun 6, 2006
I had 20d and upgrade to 30d for bigger LCDStrengths: bigger LCD, spot meter Weakness: LCD color is not right. when i shoot white card, the image come out more green yellow on LCD I am very disappointed on the new canon 30d that i got. 29% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
Reply by member: drkshen
Jun 6, 2006 if you want to check your LCD color is right.
By anonymous - Nov 26, 2007
EOS 30d Still Broken afterr three monthsStrengths: Great camera, for the first three weeks, when it worked. Battery life is unbelievable. Used for over 1000 shots in one day, with well over half of them with flash and did not have to recharge. Weakness: After a few uses, it died and is in for third repair. Worked for three weeks, has not for three months, and canon will not extend the warranty for the 25% of the year it has not worked. Bought August 13 2007, used for two weekends, died on September 3, 2007 received by canon for repair for the third time on November 8. Today is November 26, I had to call to get status, canon claim they need my lens and CF cart for the repair, but Never requested it. 0% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
hgannon
- Jan 8, 2008
Great overallStrengths: -Very fast autofocus system -Variable frames per second -Easy to navigate controls -Navigation wheel and Jump button make menu/photo navigation much quicker -Magnesium body Weakness: -Not 100% weather-proof -Slightly heavy I found the image quality of the 30D to be quite good, with accurate colours, clear pictures, and an excellent auto-exposure. The only downside to the picture quality is when using the Auto White Balance setting, it's not always accurate - namely with the flash and under tungsten lighting. This is easily corrected however, by changing the White Balance Setting using the handy controls on the top of the camera. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
By member:
touristguy87
- Dec 15, 2007
good, solid Canon DSLRStrengths: It just does what it is supposed to do and goes on, letting you shoot without worries. Weakness: slightly bigger than the 400D lack of programmable Auto-ISO and NR is a bit outdated I've been struggling with a 400D for about 6 months now. I don't know why, I just never took a look at this camera until I got thoroughly exasperated and frustrated with the unreliable focus on my 400D plus the price recently came down to $900 or so, for a new 30D body, plus, I realized that I just had to get something faster than ISO1600. It is a solid upgrade over the 400D, better in every way except that I liked the controls better on the 400D, I have to admit that I don't like the control panel. It works better, shoots better, makes less noise, is faster, the batteries work longer...not to mention that it focuses much better and more reliably. It's making me lust after a 5D, actually, but I'm not about to drop $2300 on one. But if you are interested in taking the DSLR plunge, skip the 400D and buy this camera. The 400D is nice (certainly it can take shots that you can't take with a P&S, handheld) but it is about half of what you want and it just misses focus too much. First and foremost, you want it to get a good focus. Second, you don't want it to miss focus. Third, you want the focus to be accurate. The 400D is just not capable of doing this on a reliable basis and it is in fact a little too slow for my tastes, without ISO3200. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful? Top
Reply by member: touristguy87
Dec 15, 2007 now what tipped me over the edge, let me tell you...I recently went to Istanbul twice. On my first trip I lost some shots due to bad focus, while I was out on the Bosphorus, which basically means landscape shooting, and it was dark, kinda hazy overcast day, actually it did begin to rain on us while we were out there, and this meant a lot of long-distance wide-angle shots while moving, of targets that are dark or gray but basically dingy to begin with. Buildings, mosques, houses so forth, but from long distance. This is not the kind of shot that is going to focus well on any camera, especially a DSLR and DSLRs are noted to not focus as reliably as point and shoots (they tend to put an emphasis on speed over focus accuracy, they are very picky by nature, in terms of what they will focus on). So ok I chalked that up to exactly that: dark, small low-contrast subjects being shot in dark conditions. I kept looking over my shots and I saw that I had some problems with shots taken indoors at the Dolmabache Palace, sort of the same thing but these were hardly "dark" areas, they were just low-contrast shots, rooms full of upholstered furniture, etc. So I went again a month later, taking many of the same shots (because of course I wanted to replace the bad ones). And I just kept noticing that it kept missing focus on shots that just weren't all that hard. Rooms full of books. Well-lit rooms with upholstered chairs. Wide-open rooms full of people, furniture, rugs, stuff...shots that just should not have been missed. Normal, everyday stuff, really. When it started to miss focus on city streets, taking shots of people who were right in front of me, buildings right in front of me, maybe 6 feet away, I had enough of it. I am not going to deny that it was still hitting about 80% of the shots. But it was the 20% that it was missing that was driving me nuts. Again, it's not "awful". But it's just not "good". And definitely not confidence-inspiring. If you tend to overshoot like I do, mostly it's a bonus, but occasionally it misses a shot that you really want. Which is partly why I tend to overshoot in the first place. Then I started to have to overshoot just in case it missed focus, I was already using AEB to get a good exposure because I couldn't trust the camera exposure to match the scene (hey: 0EV is going to give you a bright shot regardless of the lighting conditions), and things just got to be crazy. I'd have 90 shots of stuff that I wasn't really interested in and then the one or two shots that I really wanted, would be out of focus. When that happened enough I had to try something new. And I took a chance and got the 30d even with this thinking that it shared the same AF system with the 400D. But so far, I have been pretty happy with the AF accuracy on the 30D. It has really tamed this Sigma 18-200 lens.
Reply by member: touristguy87
Dec 15, 2007 now a few notes about the 30d other than the AF. One it is about 2 inches wider than my 400D so it will not sit in the same bag the same way. It's not tall enough to be a problem (so the bigger grip is free) but the body is too wide for my bag. Second, now, I've shot a 400D for 6 months, run probably 20k frames out of it, and I had the 30D for a night and I took it out shooting for hours and still never figured out how to change the exposure except to use manual mode, or to change the F# in manual mode. I tried everything that I could think of, every button-push and combination that came to mind in 6 hours or so, of shooting. No dice. Then I looked it up in the manual...first, to change the exposure in any of the creative modes, you have to use the control wheel AFTER pressing the shutter-release halfway. Now, does this make any sense? No. You can't just use the exposure button and set the exposure offset...that changes, but it doesn't affect the offset used during shooting. It will revert to what you set using the above method. Second I hate that dumb status LCD, the light only stays on for 6 seconds and of course at night it has to be turned on manually, there is no "eye-start" for it like with the 400D. Third to change the F# you again use the control wheel and the on switch has to be in the "unlock" position but I swear that I tried that a dozen times last night and it didn't work. Ever. I tried it the first time today while reading the manual and it worked fine. This tells me that there's some "functionality" that the camera loses while sitting in the box, that requires it to be running for a while to get back. Fourth the buttons on this thing are much smaller than on the 400D and those buttons were a little too small, definitely too small for use with gloves. I can barely hit these buttons at night with my fingers.
Reply by member: touristguy87
Dec 17, 2007 ...ok so I took the plunge and bought an a700...they only had the body, at the store I went to (seems that they are selling like hotcakes) so I had to get a tamron 75-300 lens to go with it. That was $1500 right there.
Reply by member: touristguy87
Dec 19, 2007 well, this is a trade that I have made with few regrets.
Reply by member: touristguy87
Dec 24, 2007 ...last but not least I got the SAL18-250 for the Sony A700 which just seals the deal. This is an awesome lens. The lens alone made the trade worth the money, it is what I always wanted for the 400D but could not find. What is so awesome about it? It's sharp across the frame at all focal lengths, even wide-open, so the focus is very good...a lot better than the 400D with the Sigma 18-200...there's no need to run DxO on it, to do lens correction. It has a little barrel-distortion at 18mm but otherwise it's practically flawless.
reviewgist.com - Dec 22, 2009
ReviewGist for Canon EOS 30D / EF-S 17-85mm IS Digital Camera
Image is Excellent according to 35 Digital Camera experts. -- "incredibly sharp and rich image quality"-shutterbug.com -- "the image quality is excellent."-techradar.com -- "Photo quality was excellent on this 8.2 Megapixel camera."-dcresource.com Read more to find expert opinions on more features like Video, Optics, Interface, Battery, etc. Top
TopTenREVIEWS.com - Feb 9, 2009
Canon EOS 30D
Canon EOS 30D receives an overall TopTenREVIEWS score of 2.95 out of 4.00. It is ranked the #8 Professional DSLR digital camera of all time. The overall rating represents an intelligent balance of features, value as a function of price to features, and a summary of reviews from a variety of sources. The TopTen REVIEWS' formula gives a picture of important consumer features, market value, and a... Top
testseek.com - May 7, 2008
Canon EOS 30D
Testseek.com has collected 50 expert reviews for Canon EOS 30D and the average expert rating is 84 of 100. The average score reflects the expert community’s view on this product. Click below and use Testseek.com to see all ratings, product awards and conclusions. Top
letsgodigital.org - Mar 20, 2007
Canon EOS 30D
The concept was already solid as could be, but with the introduction of the Canon EOS 30D, Canon have once again clearly asserted and strengthened its roots and their position. There are virtually no points that might cause any form of hindrance for the user, which, in our opinion, is an excellent performance indeed. A superb camera! Top
cameralabs.com - Jul 31, 2006
Camera Labs – Canon EOS 30D review
Canon’s EOS 30D may be little more than an evolutionary step forward, but it’s crucial to remember it improves upon a camera which most agreed was already excellent. While it may have been more honest to describe it as a 20D Mark II, the 30D remains a great camera which is enjoyable and rewarding to use, while delivering lower noise levels than its rivals. There may be few existing Canon... Top
Macworld.com - May 19, 2006
Canon EOS 30D Digital SLR
The Canon EOS 30D is a welcome upgrade to an already great camera. The larger LCD screen and new features will directly affect everyday shooting, while the lower price tag will give you an extra $100 to spend on lenses. Top
DCResource - Mar 22, 2006
DCRP Review: Canon EOS-30D
The Canon EOS-30D is an excellent midrange digital SLR. While its new features aren't exciting enough to get this 20D owner to run out and upgrade, those who are moving up from point-and-shoot or entry-level D-SLRs should definitely give the 30D a look. Top
Digitalcamerainfo.com - Nov 30, -0001
Canon EOS 30D Digital Camera Review
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... Top
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Buy or not?
Strengths: The consumer camera did not get good ISO like Canon 30D yet, I have 20D, 30D, 5D.
Weakness: Loud shutter sound, not accurate AWB in yellow light, not all the images has good focus In low light even with AF light from the external flash & good lens with F2.8.
I am happy with it and I recommend it for any photographer, keep in mind that what is important the one behind the camera not the camera, but the camera could make our work better.
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The new camera will have:
Higher ISO with No grain (or noise), ISO 10,000 Olympus FE, ISO 6400 EOS-1D Mark III
Chips with Optical Image stabilization in all direction
Weatherproof function
3.5-inch LCD screen with high resolution
Good AWB auto white balance
Quieter shutter sound (Two modes): electronic (no sound) & mechanical.
Six steps or more for Battery charge level & warning flashing light for the end of the battery.
Fulltime Live View function like (Olympus E-510 SLR).
Bigger Sensor 1000 MP (one day), Kodak 39 megapixels (the KAF-39000)
Image Sensor Dust Protector.
Two memory cards in the camera useful for wedding if one is full you move to the second card (or internal memory stores inside the camera temporally until you have time to change the card).
The Sony F717 has the best AF in low light (use leaser or night shot).
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Now if you need it buy it, but if you are going to get upset when the next model comes with this futures wait
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I am a full time photographer
My specialty sport, wedding and other portraits
I have:
20D, 30D, 5D
24-70 F2.8, 16-35 F2.8, 70-200IS F2.8, II extender, 50 F1.4
Wedding done on 20D & 24-70 (Backup 30D, 16-35 F2.8, 50 F1.4)
Sport done on 20D, 70-200IS F2.8 & II extender (Backup 30D, 24-70 F2.8)
For enlargement with good light (studio or outside) I use 5D with 24-70 F2.8
87% of readers found this review helpful. Did you find it helpful or unhelpful?
Apr 10, 2007
Are you reviewing the Canon 30D or Canon's 50th generation of DSLR? You're review contained no information as to what you like or dislike about the 30D.
May 22, 2007
what do you mean by "the new camera will have" ? when is it due out? will it be the 30d mark XX or will it have another number designater?
i am planning on buying a camera in the next few weeks, and would like to know how long i need to wait for the new version?
thanks