, and we LOVE it. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. The video quality is far superior to the Handicam we returned, and the photos are fantastic. If we have any problems though, I will post a follow-up. BY: Kelly Albrecht
Sunday, January 16, 2011
0 commentsLove, Love, LOVE It!,
We were worried about the handful of negative reviews here, but did much research and bought this camera anyway. We are VERY happy we did. I don't know why some reviewers had problems with poor quality photos... we have taken hundreds of gorgeous shots with this camera. Near and far, all lights, indoors and out, flash and not, super high zoom, etc. Beautiful, beautiful pictures. We originally got a Sony Handicam (the lower end model, $250) to shoot family videos. We were so disappointed in the quality of the video we decided to trade up to something that would take great video AND photos. After much research we decided on the Canon SX30IS, and we LOVE it. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. The video quality is far superior to the Handicam we returned, and the photos are fantastic. If we have any problems though, I will post a follow-up.
BY: Kelly Albrecht
, and we LOVE it. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. The video quality is far superior to the Handicam we returned, and the photos are fantastic. If we have any problems though, I will post a follow-up. BY: Kelly Albrecht
The Best Canon Point & Shoot on the market today,
I've owned many Canon cameras from my first film ones when I was younger to the SLR AE before going digital. The first of those was a huge mistake, on the advice of a friend I got a Point & Shoot Olympus which I managed to give to my brother in law and then went back to my favorite manufacturer. That was an SD400 and it served really well even though it's optical zoom really didn't zoom much and video was mono but it was great at concerts because it was so small, no security guard ever found it in my purse! Then, wanting better I moved on to the S5IS which took great photos & stereo video. This was in the days just before HD so it did produce 4:3 output but it was certainly good at it and the photos (with it's 12x optical zoom) were superb. For those times when only a DSLR will do I have the Rebel XSI and a couple of extra lenses and a SpeedLite flash unit (EX 300). Of course I got the last but one DSLR that doesn't do video but that's always the case. This year we ventured further and got the SD3500 for the small camera essential times and just before Black Friday I picked up the SX30IS at a real bargain. The real bugbear of the S5 as far as I was concerned was those 4 x AA batteries; even if you use rechargeables you always have to carry spares and carrying st least 8 in my purse created weight I didn't need. ALL the other Canons used small squarish gray units and a very compact recharged so my purse is now happy again. All the photos so far have been great & the HD video is even better. As with the S5, the strap could be thicker, like the one the Rebel uses, I find the thin one cuts into my neck. And FINALLY Canon seem to have solved the dreadful issue of the lens cap falling off usually as inappropriate moments! 35x optical zoom is awesome & I cannot wait to take it to concerts. Most venues now say cameras are OK but not professional. I've always gone by the rule that professional cameras are ones that have intercheable lenses (like the Rebel & Canon's wonderful but unaffordable for me) EOS range, so that gets it past security. I think most venues have decided that confiscating phones with cameras could be detrimental to their security guards' health (having several hundred iPhones/Smartphones to return to the right owners wouldn't be an easy task) so they are a little more forgiving to the venue patrons) so I can't wait for my next concert or day trip.
BY: CariM
from my first film ones when I was younger to the SLR AE before going digital. The first of those was a huge mistake, on the advice of a friend I got a Point & Shoot Olympus which I managed to give to my brother in law and then went back to my favorite manufacturer. That was an SD400 and it served really well even though it's optical zoom really didn't zoom much and video was mono but it was great at concerts because it was so small, no security guard ever found it in my purse! Then, wanting better I moved on to the S5IS which took great photos & stereo video. This was in the days just before HD so it did produce 4:3 output but it was certainly good at it and the photos (with it's 12x optical zoom) were superb. For those times when only a DSLR will do I have the Rebel XSI and a couple of extra lenses and a SpeedLite flash unit (EX 300). Of course I got the last but one DSLR that doesn't do video but that's always the case. This year we ventured further and got the SD3500 for the small camera essential times and just before Black Friday I picked up the SX30IS at a real bargain. The real bugbear of the S5 as far as I was concerned was those 4 x AA batteries; even if you use rechargeables you always have to carry spares and carrying st least 8 in my purse created weight I didn't need. ALL the other Canons used small squarish gray units and a very compact recharged so my purse is now happy again. All the photos so far have been great & the HD video is even better. As with the S5, the strap could be thicker, like the one the Rebel uses, I find the thin one cuts into my neck. And FINALLY Canon seem to have solved the dreadful issue of the lens cap falling off usually as inappropriate moments! 35x optical zoom is awesome & I cannot wait to take it to concerts. Most venues now say cameras are OK but not professional. I've always gone by the rule that professional cameras are ones that have intercheable lenses (like the Rebel & Canon's wonderful but unaffordable for me) EOS range, so that gets it past security. I think most venues have decided that confiscating phones with cameras could be detrimental to their security guards' health (having several hundred iPhones/Smartphones to return to the right owners wouldn't be an easy task) so they are a little more forgiving to the venue patrons) so I can't wait for my next concert or day trip. BY: CariM
Great Camera - Great Value
All the features of the higher priced SLR cameras at an affordable price. Easy Set-Up, Easy to Use, Powerful Zoom and Fantastic Pictures. Wished the camera came with a "Hard Copy" Users Mannual. Mannual comes on a downloadable CD, which is not convient. All in all, I'm very pleased with the purchase. Would definetly recommend the camera.
BY: Fredc
at an affordable price. Easy Set-Up, Easy to Use, Powerful Zoom and Fantastic Pictures. Wished the camera came with a "Hard Copy" Users Mannual. Mannual comes on a downloadable CD, which is not convient. All in all, I'm very pleased with the purchase. Would definetly recommend the camera. BY: Fredc
Extraordinary telescopic zoom with image stabilization
The strength of this camera which is unmatched by any other camera at almost any price is the amazing 140x zoom. The higher MP count further helps digital zoom. Other reviewers advocating low MP count seemed to totally ignore this. The extraordinary zoom is the reason you buy the sx30is for. The IQ is very acceptable & you can make shots that otherwise just can't be accomplished with lower optical zoom combined with lower MP sensor digital zoom, e.g. a person's face or a number plate from >300 yards away. I use this camera also as a very powerful image stabilized telescope that I can aim freehand without a tripod. Totally happy with the wonderful optical technology for the price paid. To protect the lens, I purchased the 67mm adapter and a sigma multi-coated UV filter. This makes the supplied lens cap too small to fit the filter, which is actually a blessing because you have the camera always ready without having to take off the lens cap.
BY: NaCl
for. The IQ is very acceptable & you can make shots that otherwise just can't be accomplished with lower optical zoom combined with lower MP sensor digital zoom, e.g. a person's face or a number plate from >300 yards away. I use this camera also as a very powerful image stabilized telescope that I can aim freehand without a tripod. Totally happy with the wonderful optical technology for the price paid. To protect the lens, I purchased the 67mm adapter and a sigma multi-coated UV filter. This makes the supplied lens cap too small to fit the filter, which is actually a blessing because you have the camera always ready without having to take off the lens cap. BY: NaCl
WOW, Canon SX30IS
I admit it. I am an amateur. I bought the Canon Powershot SX10 IS a couple years ago and that camera has a 20x zoom. I still get great pictures from it.
Now to the Canon Powershot SX30 IS with 35X zoom. You would think that zooming out to 840mm would be a little shaky and images blurred. This is not necessarily the case. Stabilization is awesome (I still have to tuck the elbows and cradle with the left). I have been able to take VERY good shots right out of the box. Great P&S (point and shoot) camera, just like it's grandpa. There is a little problem with Depth of Field, even in manual mode, f8 is all you can do to decrease DOF. No lenses to lug around, and all the modes needed for most situations.
I have tried the Fuji Finepix HS10. NOT a P&S camera. The zoom is all manual (in comparison to the power-zoom of the Canon SX30IS)and stabilization was almost non-existent, no matter what the zoom. In auto mode, I got 5 pics out of 60. I returned the camera, but would recommend to the professional photographer. My new Canon Powershot SX30 IS, my test results were exactly the opposite. 55 out of 60 under the same conditions (ie. Sequim Bay, winter, high tide...etc.)and the failures from not taking my time on the zoom.
BY: Wolfhere
Now to the Canon Powershot SX30 IS
with 35X zoom. You would think that zooming out to 840mm would be a little shaky and images blurred. This is not necessarily the case. Stabilization is awesome (I still have to tuck the elbows and cradle with the left). I have been able to take VERY good shots right out of the box. Great P&S (point and shoot) camera, just like it's grandpa. There is a little problem with Depth of Field, even in manual mode, f8 is all you can do to decrease DOF. No lenses to lug around, and all the modes needed for most situations. I have tried the Fuji Finepix HS10. NOT a P&S camera. The zoom is all manual (in comparison to the power-zoom of the Canon SX30IS
)and stabilization was almost non-existent, no matter what the zoom. In auto mode, I got 5 pics out of 60. I returned the camera, but would recommend to the professional photographer. My new Canon Powershot SX30 IS, my test results were exactly the opposite. 55 out of 60 under the same conditions (ie. Sequim Bay, winter, high tide...etc.)and the failures from not taking my time on the zoom. BY: Wolfhere
Canon SX30 IS
Absolutely fantastic!
Unless you are a camera
snob, or only feel happy spending more than necessary, this Canon truly does everything well enough and the telephoto is incredible for bird photography. Everything works perfectly and I cannot think of anything to complain about. Even the digital zoom can be used if absolutely necessary, but over 35X (optical) you lose a lot and focusing becomes very difficult.
The RCA connector allows you to play video or slideshow directly onto any TV with spectacular quality.
By: mr.lotus74
Unless you are a camera
snob, or only feel happy spending more than necessary, this Canon truly does everything well enough and the telephoto is incredible for bird photography. Everything works perfectly and I cannot think of anything to complain about. Even the digital zoom can be used if absolutely necessary, but over 35X (optical) you lose a lot and focusing becomes very difficult. The RCA connector allows you to play video or slideshow directly onto any TV with spectacular quality.
By: mr.lotus74
Excellent Camera!
The camera is excellent and has a large number of resources to take good pictures. But we strongly recommend reading the manual, because even in AUTO mode, the photographer must press the shutter button halfway to focus, and then tightening them to shoot (even in automatic modes, the user must have a minimum of knowledge of the camera).
I think that many complain about the image quality by not knowing how to use the various features of the camera (not knowing how to use the automatic features and the various resource manuals) or wait for the quality of a DSLR.
If all machine resources are used, the photographer can get close to this quality of DSLR, but SX30IS is not a DSLR! See the pictures I posted in the gallery that show the strength and quality of the maximum zoom (840 mm - 35X) and image stabilizer. All photos taken by hand, without tripod!
Pros:
- The 35X zoom is really impressive and the image stabilization is spectacular. In the requirement zoom and image stabilization, there are no competitors that come near the SX30IS. You can get excellent pictures by hand using the 35X zoom. But in low light conditions the user must know how to use the resources and / or tripod to get sharp photos. (When using a tripod, the image stabilization must be switched off)
- The menu is easy to use and intuitive. The LCD Flip-out screen is the best among the competitors, being very clear.
- There are several features to take great photos. I'm still reading the manual and I can not use all resources, but the pictures and movies are improving as I know the camera better.
- The movies are good quality
Cons:
- The greatest shortcoming of the camera is to have low FPS, because the camera does not take many pictures per second. In this variable the superzoom competitors are way better.
- Do not shoot in full HD, though HD movies are already very good. It could have 3-inch screen instead of 2.7.
- No High-speed frame rate (slow motion) in the movies. This feature is present in the competitors. But you can see the movies in slow motion in the camera (not the same thing already burn in slow motion).
Thus, I considered this an excellent camera, especially because I'm still learning to use the various features, and photos are improving. I bought a tripod, a Canon 270EX flash, Canon filter adapter and Tiffen filter polarizer, which are greatly improving my photos.
I'm still waiting for my Canon 270EX flash, which I believe will greatly improve my indoor photos, completion, macro and portraits (bounce flash)
O tripé já melhorou muito as fotos em condiçõe de pouca luz.
Highly recommended!
By: Alex
I think that many complain about the image quality by not knowing how to use the various features of the camera (not knowing how to use the automatic features and the various resource manuals) or wait for the quality of a DSLR.
If all machine resources are used, the photographer can get close to this quality of DSLR, but SX30IS
is not a DSLR! See the pictures I posted in the gallery that show the strength and quality of the maximum zoom (840 mm - 35X) and image stabilizer. All photos taken by hand, without tripod! Pros:
- The 35X zoom is really impressive and the image stabilization is spectacular. In the requirement zoom and image stabilization, there are no competitors that come near the SX30IS
. You can get excellent pictures by hand using the 35X zoom. But in low light conditions the user must know how to use the resources and / or tripod to get sharp photos. (When using a tripod, the image stabilization must be switched off) - The menu is easy to use and intuitive. The LCD Flip-out screen is the best among the competitors, being very clear.
- There are several features to take great photos. I'm still reading the manual and I can not use all resources, but the pictures and movies are improving as I know the camera better.
- The movies are good quality
Cons:
- The greatest shortcoming of the camera is to have low FPS, because the camera does not take many pictures per second. In this variable the superzoom competitors are way better.
- Do not shoot in full HD, though HD movies are already very good. It could have 3-inch screen instead of 2.7.
- No High-speed frame rate (slow motion) in the movies. This feature is present in the competitors. But you can see the movies in slow motion in the camera (not the same thing already burn in slow motion).
Thus, I considered this an excellent camera, especially because I'm still learning to use the various features, and photos are improving. I bought a tripod, a Canon 270EX flash, Canon filter adapter and Tiffen filter polarizer, which are greatly improving my photos.
I'm still waiting for my Canon 270EX flash, which I believe will greatly improve my indoor photos, completion, macro and portraits (bounce flash)
O tripé já melhorou muito as fotos em condiçõe de pouca luz.
Highly recommended!
By: Alex
The best camera
I bought this camera because i wanted to advance from my casio exilim but i wasn't ready to get a dslr so i looked options of compact cameras that i could use manually and this canon was the best of all. Some reviews are not positive but in my case i use it in all modes auto, manually, program, etc and i get really good photos; saying that, some times in auto mode doesn't looks good so i take the photo again manual and totally changes to a great quality. The zoom is amazing, i had taken moon pictures very cool and also birds very far from where i am.
It has a fish mode, miniature, flower, vivid colors... so many modes that you have to take your time to know the camera.
The video is great, in my HD tv looks very real and i love it, you can use the zoom to get close while you are in video mode and that's great.
This camera i think is semiprofesional so to use it you need to know basic stuff about digital photography so you don't expect to just point and shoot.
I love my sx30is
By: Andres C.R.
because i wanted to advance from my casio exilim but i wasn't ready to get a dslr so i looked options of compact cameras that i could use manually and this canon was the best of all. Some reviews are not positive but in my case i use it in all modes auto, manually, program, etc and i get really good photos; saying that, some times in auto mode doesn't looks good so i take the photo again manual and totally changes to a great quality. The zoom is amazing, i had taken moon pictures very cool and also birds very far from where i am. It has a fish mode, miniature, flower, vivid colors... so many modes that you have to take your time to know the camera.
The video is great, in my HD tv looks very real and i love it, you can use the zoom to get close while you are in video mode and that's great.
This camera i think is semiprofesional so to use it you need to know basic stuff about digital photography so you don't expect to just point and shoot.
I love my sx30is
By: Andres C.R.
Canon sx30is Review: The pros and cons - mostly pros
I purchased this camera as a replacement for my Panasonic FZ-35. After having taken a few hundred pictures - including some side-by-side comparisons with the FZ35, here is my impression.
The canon image processor is much better at color balance and overall image capture than the FZ35 - images are brighter and so capture more details otherwise lost in shadow or just a tendency the FZ35 has towards gray-scale processing in order to get the excellent sharpness the FZ35 is known for.
Having said that - I would not recommend using the Auto setting on the Canon. Its choice of focal point within an image tends towards creating images where the background is just as likely to be more in focus than the subject. Typically the camera tries to focus around the edge of the subject rather than the subject itself. Sometimes this can work to improve clarity by improving depth of focus a bit, sometimes it creates an image where nothing is in focus and sometimes it causes the camera to focus on "edgy" subjects that may not really be the subject at all - like a lamp post in the background, tree trunks in the background, etc. In the playback mode you can select a display which shows you the cameras focal point - which can help explain why some of your images look they way they do in Auto. Auto mode will also adjust the color of an entire image when it senses facial recognition to improve skin tones, but honestly the color balance of the Canon is so good anyway this is almost unnecessary and sometimes tends towards overcompensation so your entire image takes on a sickly green/brown hue.
However, if you switch from auto to P - or in fact any other of the SCN or mode selections on the dial, these annoying Auto features are disabled and you can get some really great photos. At this point the camera uses a single center focus frame (the size and position of which can easily be manually adjusted to fit your subject if you like) and you start getting pictures more like you expect. In addition, the customization options of the Canon such as magnifying the focal frame, color options, easy adjustment of just about any shooting function, combined with the superb zoom range still make this camera best in class. My only complaint for SCN settings is I wish they had a "sunset" but that is easily created in the color menu where you can select to emphasize reds.
The canon normally produces very clear images, however Canon generally processes to keep color balance as opposed to edge distinction at higher ISO speeds so sometimes the images become a bit more fuzzy than what those of us used the the FZ35 might like - on the other hand red stays red rather than turning black. You can manually limit the ISO to whatever maximum you prefer with the easy to use ISO button.
If you want to add a lens filter protector, polarizer, etc. you will need to purchase the 67MM adapter to do so (Canon FA-DC67A) - and good luck finding one!
This camera, like all of the others in this class, struggle with poor light conditions due to their small sensor. However unlike the competition, canon allows you to mount an external flash and that pretty much clears up this issue if you're willing to pay the expense. The way I look at it its a cheaper option than a $1,000-$3,000 DSLR which can go up to ISO 6,000 for low light conditions.
Overall the Canon is definitely a step up from anything else that was out there - but it does have its quirks you need to be aware of and work around. The opportunity for creativity on one camera/lens is really unrivaled by anything else out there. The ability to go from 1 cm away macro to 35x superzoom at the pull of a switch just can't be found on any other camera, combined with the scene options such as fisheye not normally found on other such cameras, and wide range of color options also not found on the Canon competitors in this class, you have a great tool for creative photography. So while the SX30 is certainly not perfect and image quality will sometimes be less than your $3,000 DSLR+lens (although for some pictures you'd need large magnification/blow-up to tell the difference) - on the whole it's worth putting up with the limitations for the other factors. One caution - if you're looking for a simple to use point-and-shoot this may not be your best choice due to the often poor intelligence in Auto setting. If not for this it would have gotten 5 stars.
By: Daniel Brewer "Victorinox knife guy"
. After having taken a few hundred pictures - including some side-by-side comparisons with the FZ35, here is my impression. The canon image processor is much better at color balance and overall image capture than the FZ35 - images are brighter and so capture more details otherwise lost in shadow or just a tendency the FZ35 has towards gray-scale processing in order to get the excellent sharpness the FZ35 is known for.
Having said that - I would not recommend using the Auto setting on the Canon. Its choice of focal point within an image tends towards creating images where the background is just as likely to be more in focus than the subject. Typically the camera tries to focus around the edge of the subject rather than the subject itself. Sometimes this can work to improve clarity by improving depth of focus a bit, sometimes it creates an image where nothing is in focus and sometimes it causes the camera to focus on "edgy" subjects that may not really be the subject at all - like a lamp post in the background, tree trunks in the background, etc. In the playback mode you can select a display which shows you the cameras focal point - which can help explain why some of your images look they way they do in Auto. Auto mode will also adjust the color of an entire image when it senses facial recognition to improve skin tones, but honestly the color balance of the Canon is so good anyway this is almost unnecessary and sometimes tends towards overcompensation so your entire image takes on a sickly green/brown hue.
However, if you switch from auto to P - or in fact any other of the SCN or mode selections on the dial, these annoying Auto features are disabled and you can get some really great photos. At this point the camera uses a single center focus frame (the size and position of which can easily be manually adjusted to fit your subject if you like) and you start getting pictures more like you expect. In addition, the customization options of the Canon
such as magnifying the focal frame, color options, easy adjustment of just about any shooting function, combined with the superb zoom range still make this camera best in class. My only complaint for SCN settings is I wish they had a "sunset" but that is easily created in the color menu where you can select to emphasize reds. The canon normally produces very clear images, however Canon generally processes to keep color balance as opposed to edge distinction at higher ISO speeds so sometimes the images become a bit more fuzzy than what those of us used the the FZ35 might like - on the other hand red stays red rather than turning black. You can manually limit the ISO to whatever maximum you prefer with the easy to use ISO button.
If you want to add a lens filter protector, polarizer, etc. you will need to purchase the 67MM adapter to do so (Canon FA-DC67A) - and good luck finding one!
This camera, like all of the others in this class, struggle with poor light conditions due to their small sensor. However unlike the competition, canon allows you to mount an external flash and that pretty much clears up this issue if you're willing to pay the expense. The way I look at it its a cheaper option than a $1,000-$3,000 DSLR which can go up to ISO 6,000 for low light conditions.
Overall the Canon is definitely a step up from anything else that was out there - but it does have its quirks you need to be aware of and work around. The opportunity for creativity on one camera/lens is really unrivaled by anything else out there. The ability to go from 1 cm away macro to 35x superzoom at the pull of a switch just can't be found on any other camera, combined with the scene options such as fisheye not normally found on other such cameras, and wide range of color options also not found on the Canon competitors in this class, you have a great tool for creative photography. So while the SX30
is certainly not perfect and image quality will sometimes be less than your $3,000 DSLR+lens (although for some pictures you'd need large magnification/blow-up to tell the difference) - on the whole it's worth putting up with the limitations for the other factors. One caution - if you're looking for a simple to use point-and-shoot this may not be your best choice due to the often poor intelligence in Auto setting. If not for this it would have gotten 5 stars. By: Daniel Brewer "Victorinox knife guy"
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