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| Canon EOS 30D 8.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens | 
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| Brand: Canon
Category: Photography
List Price: $2,200.00
Buy New: $709.99
You Save: $1490.01 (68%)
Buy New/Used/Refurbished
Avg. Customer Rating:  (118 reviews)
Sales Rank: 9201
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Monitor Size: 250
Optical Zoom: 3
Display Size: 1.8
Maximum Focal Length: 55
Minimum Focal Length: 18
Maximum Resolution: 8.2
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.5
Dimensions (in): 5.7 x 4.2 x 2.9
MPN: 30D
Model: 30D
UPC: 013803065107
EAN: 0013803065107
ASIN: B000DZFPKC
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Customer Reviews:
Two Words - "Ah" - "Mazing" April 25, 2006
40 out of 42 found this review helpful
Ok, I cheated...
But this camera really is AMAZING! I hummed-n-hawed for quite a while before I pulled the trigger. Well...I think I just retired my Nikon F4s...and I LOVE that camera!
It got to me just before my son's performance in "A Midsummer Nights Dream." This is not my first digicam but I have NEVER, NEVER, EVER taken one to use at such an event. They rarely (read: never) ever seem to handle low light and I've NEVER had a usable image from the stage. With all the good things I read about the 30D I took a BIG chance and took it to the play...and it only. I snapped 70-odd shots and was amazed at how well they all turned out. The cast has been thrilled. They hired a photographer but he only shot "set" photos/portraits...nothing while the play was going. Simply amazing.
The next weekend I took it out and ran it through its paces. I can't get over how many "keepers" I had. And the level of control is nothing short of stunning. I'm a control freak when it comes to photography...and the 30D has it in spades.
All in all, I don't think there is a better camera in its class. I'd even go so far as to say that I prefer it over the 5D! (Which is why I got it in the first place.) You really have to go out of your way to get more...1Ds Mark II anyone..?
For the record, the lenses I purchased have been pretty sweet as well. I got the EF-S 10-22...if it weren't for the "S" it would probably be an "L" lens for sure. I also picked up an EF 24-70 2.8L as my main lens. That's what I shot the play with. Great lens that one. Lastly I grabbed an EF 70-200 2.8L and what a beauty that is.
I agree will a previous post...even if you have to eat ramen for a month: Go for it! Best money I've spent in quite a while.
Amazing camera - upgraded from the 10D April 23, 2006
34 out of 37 found this review helpful
I upgraded from the 10D - skipping the 20D completely. Here are a few of the highlights, for people considering the switch:
The viewscreen is larger. Really, can't tell you how important this is. Great for checking focus, color, and so on.
The images are larger - now you can crop more, keeping enough pixels to print large.
Noise is greatly reduced at ISO's above 200 - 400 is almost no noise, and even 1600 ISO on the 30D has less noise than the 10D's 800 ISO.
Much larger image buffer, just hold down the shutter release and watch it go.
Shutter's louder than the 10D.
Even if you have to eat ramen for a month to pay for it, you should really get this camera as an upgrade to your 10D.
Much better than what I expected from a EOS 20D upgrade April 18, 2006
A lot of reviewers have advocated the pixels count to be not a worthy reasons to upgrade. They claimed that 30D is just a 20D with a larger LCD. After 250 shots in low light and tried out the auto focus at 1250 ISO, I proved to myself that it is a worthy upgrade in many aspects:
1) The LCD validated the picture's focus completely
2) I lost none of the focus on 250 shots on a stage rehearsal
3) The low light perfomance and high ISO performance are just excellent. Comparing to 30D, I would lost 20-30% shots due to out-of-focus.
4) The larger buffer in allowing you to take rapid 5 shots/per sec is just increditable.
Based on the above reasons, I felt that the upgrade from 20D to 30D is well justified.
IMO, STILL the best buy for the money! April 6, 2006
35 out of 39 found this review helpful
This camera offers a few well considered improvements over the 20D it replaces. The sensor and processor are the same so the image quality will not differ one iota, BUT an enlarged LCD monitor, spot metering, vastly improved shutter life and ISO displayed on the viewfinder are worthy improvements easily justifying the upgrade from the 20D. If one is considering an upgrade from the 10D my advice would be to definitely go for it. The 20D and 30D both have the "instant on" feature and this represents a vast improvement over the 10D. The 10D was felt by many to have focusing issues and though I did not have any significant problem with my 10D in that regard the 30D represents a substantial improvement in this area. Canon still is not offering (in this price range) a camera with eye control or 45 focusing points, BUT the nine focusing points that ARE offered are well placed and the camera focuses quickly and surely resulting in tack sharp photos.
The pictures this camera takes are simply beyond belief. Beautifully saturated, tack sharp, NO, and I mean NO noise at 400 or below and barely discernible noise all the way up to 1600 ISO. For all practical purposes 1600 ISO is an entirely usable speed resulting in fantastic pictures. What Canon has accomplished in reducing noise and increasing pixel density proves that they are, for now, the technology leader. Canon for now is doing a better job at controlling noise than Nikon though Nikon with the D200 comes pretty darn close except at 800 ISO and above.
The new flash system, ETTL II, available first on the 20D is a vast improvement over previous systems. The in camera processing results in exceptional and pleasing pictures. This camera has a fixed continuous shooting rate which was not present on the 20D. The megapixels stay constant at 8.2 million pixels. Many may be disappointed that the MP count was not increased and feel that perhaps a nominal increase to 10MP would have better justified an upgrade. Canon obviously feels that noise and other features are more important at this point than raw MP's and I would agree. The holy grail of digital photography is now dynamic range. And while this camera offers no improvement in dynamic range I think we can expect to see such improvements in future offerings from Canon and the other manufacturers.
One of the greatest things about digital photography is the ability to build a digital dark room for next to nothing. With the included Photoshop Elements you are well on your way to producing pictures that you could only have imagined in the pre-digital days. I am able to recoup pictures that I never would have considered salvageable before this camera. And while Elements is a great program and more than adequate for most needs I would recommend considering Photoshop CS2 for those who intend to plumb the depths of this hobby.
Another thing I like about Canon is the lens system which IMO is second to none. Also, Canon continues to innovate at a furious pace driving the price of these digital cameras relentlessly downward. This camera is being introduced at a lower price than either the 10D or the 20D. The 5D is plummeting in price and is approaching my "strike point" for purchase. I expect that we will see a sub $2000 10 MP camera with a full frame sensor in the next 18 months. Such are the economics of digital photography. It would seem that Moore's law is driving the prices down inexorably.
So, I LOVE the 30D! LOVE Canon. And LOVE digital. All in all I'd say I'm a pretty happy camper!
IMO, STILL the best buy for the money! April 6, 2006
150 out of 156 found this review helpful
This camera offers a few well considered improvements over the 20D it replaces. The sensor and processor are the same so the image quality will not differ one iota, BUT an enlarged LCD monitor, spot metering, vastly improved shutter life and ISO displayed on the viewfinder are worthy improvements easily justifying the upgrade from the 20D. If one is considering an upgrade from the 10D my advice would be to definitely go for it. The 20D and 30D both have the "instant on" feature and this represents a vast improvement over the 10D. The 10D was felt by many to have focusing issues and though I did not have any significant problem with my 10D in that regard the 30D represents a substantial improvement in this area. Canon still is not offering (in this price range) a camera with eye control or 45 focusing points, BUT the nine focusing points that ARE offered are well placed and the camera focuses quickly and surely resulting in tack sharp photos.
The pictures this camera takes are simply beyond belief. Beautifully saturated, tack sharp, NO, and I mean NO noise at 400 or below and barely discernible noise all the way up to 1600 ISO. For all practical purposes 1600 ISO is an entirely usable speed resulting in fantastic pictures. What Canon has accomplished in reducing noise and increasing pixel density proves that they are, for now, the technology leader. Canon for now is doing a better job at controlling noise than Nikon though Nikon with the D200 comes pretty darn close except at 800 ISO and above.
The new flash system, ETTL II, available first on the 20D is a vast improvement over previous systems. The in camera processing results in exceptional and pleasing pictures. This camera has a fixed continuous shooting rate which was not present on the 20D. The megapixels stay constant at 8.2 million pixels. Many may be disappointed that the MP count was not increased and feel that perhaps a nominal increase to 10MP would have better justified an upgrade. Canon obviously feels that noise and other features are more important at this point than raw MP's and I would agree. The holy grail of digital photography is now dynamic range. And while this camera offers no improvement in dynamic range I think we can expect to see such improvements in future offerings from Canon and the other manufacturers.
One of the greatest things about digital photography is the ability to build a digital dark room for next to nothing. With the included Photoshop Elements you are well on your way to producing pictures that you could only have imagined in the pre-digital days. I am able to recoup pictures that I never would have considered salvageable before this camera. And while Elements is a great program and more than adequate for most needs I would recommend considering Photoshop CS2 for those who intend to plumb the depths of this hobby.
Another thing I like about Canon is the lens system which IMO is second to none. Also, Canon continues to innovate at a furious pace driving the price of these digital cameras relentlessly downward. This camera is being introduced at a lower price than either the 10D or the 20D. The 5D is plummeting in price and is approaching my "strike point" for purchase. I expect that we will see a sub $2000 10 MP camera with a full frame sensor in the next 18 months. Such are the economics of digital photography. It would seem that Moore's law is driving the prices down inexorably.
So, I LOVE the 30D! LOVE Canon. And LOVE digital. All in all I'd say I'm a pretty happy camper!
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