Tue, February 21st, 2006 by Miles
Canon have today announced the 30d, an update of the 20d.
You can read a detailed preview at dpreview.
It's not as big a jump over the 20d as many people seemed to be expecting, the imaging technology, is unchanged for example. The price looks good, about $1300, and street prices should be lower. It looks like Canon have held off on major improvements over the 20d so the 30d can compete with the Nikon d70s, which make me wonder if there's not a new cropped DSLR coming in below the $2000 mark to compete with the d200. Canon have always been really smart with marketing.
New features of the 30d include:
There are also new lenses announced, an 85L mkII (perhaps with improved AF) and a non-L 17-55 EF-S f2.8 USM IS.
February 21st, 2006 at 12:54 pm
Finally, ISO setting in the viewfinder.
It's not enough of an improvement to make me upgrade though.
February 21st, 2006 at 1:21 pm
Yeah, it's probably the ideal upgrade for a 10d user though.
February 21st, 2006 at 4:49 pm
I really like the big LCD. In my opinion it's a great camera, what else would you expect? More megapixels, a smaller crop? That would be too expensive...
February 21st, 2006 at 5:19 pm
Improvements in the sensor and imaging technology were expected, this is the first upgrade that's not made improvements there, and there were a few other areas that could have been improved, especially when you compare it to the features of the nikon d200 (especially in regards to flash operation), which is the camera people thought Canon would be aiming at.
As it turns out Canon seems to have been aiming more at d70 buyers than d200, perhaps because they intend to bring out a new camera to compete with the d200. Who knows.
February 21st, 2006 at 8:34 pm
I think they got 5d's body and put inside a 20d with some improvements. Not worthy for 20d users, but I think 10d users will like it.
February 21st, 2006 at 10:50 pm
3.5% spot meter is a rock'n addition...along with 1/3 stops iso settings
February 22nd, 2006 at 6:15 am
I gotta admit, that 85mm looks the ticket.
Now im waiting for them to upgrade the 1d series as they are seriously looking dated now and dammit, hasselblad have a 22mb camera and so should canon with their 1ds range
February 22nd, 2006 at 6:20 am
I prefer if it had more than 8 megapixels.
February 22nd, 2006 at 7:24 am
I'm quite glad about the minimal improvements actually - I bought a 20d in october and I was worried that it would soon be obsolote in the New Year. Now I don't need to worry about upgrading for another year or so. What I'd really like is a 5D with a slightly quicker frame rate
February 22nd, 2006 at 7:54 am
"3.5% spot meter is a rock'n addition...along with 1/3 stops iso settings"
Well these additions are pure firmware stuff...
Canon is used to do that and now you can forget any useful firmware updates for the 20D...
Except a big LCD and a new body, most of the "great" features are done by firmware code updates...
It's about the same story as the 300D with a 10D firmware hack...
February 23rd, 2006 at 12:10 am
As a 10D user, I'm looking forward to more new toys such as this to drive the price of a 20D down with it. I waited until the 20D came out to upgrade from a D30. It's hard to top the lenses already available. huh.
February 23rd, 2006 at 10:58 pm
Cameras become obselete, however the awesome images taken with them never do
April 8th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
there is always a new model new amazing features so it doesnot become obsolete....