Canon Powershot Sx30 IS

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Canon Powershot Sx30 IS

Posted On : Aug-15-2011 | seen (564) times | Article Word Count : 685 |

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS camera offers 35X optical zoom, 14 Megapixels Sensor, 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD, High Dynamic Range

Canon SX30 IS - an ultra zoom for all seasons

Look and feel

If you've held a dSLR like the Nikon D300s, the SX30IS will feel like a toy. A very well built toy however, and it feels better put together than its predecessor the Canon SX20IS. Good quality plastics have been used and while the body isn't metal, it feels pretty solid in hand. Even the mode dial has a nice positive feel and works with a reassuring click.

A slight indentation has been given for your thumb, but for most people, this grip will feel small, especially if you're used to dSLRs. For a point and shoot, the grip is pretty good, although the Panasonic FZ35 has a better grip. The entire camera is a matte black, and looks rather attractive with lettering in white and red.

All the buttons are well laid out, and pretty large - making them easy to use. Button travel and feedback is inconsistent though. For example, the maximise image preview button has hard feedback but is usable, whereas the button immediately below it i.e. the play/preview button is set deep in the body and you really need to press to activate it.

The rear dial has a smooth action, but its movement is precise, and for the most it works well. This dial is also a four-way button and this part too works well. Canon has gotten menus down to a fine art, and everything on the SX30IS is intuitive and menu options are well organised.

The zoom ring also works well, and is sensitive to force - push harder and you'll zoom quicker. The lens zooms quietly, unlike the SX20IS which was quite noisy, with a sound akin to grating. The 1050 mAh battery and SD card bay share an entrance. The outer barrel that houses the lens is made of metal, but isn't heavy, and the SX30IS feels nicely balanced. A mini USB and mini HDMI port are on the right side, under a hard rubber cover.

Features

The 35x optical zoom would be this Digital Cameras standout feature. As expected, image stabilisation is also on the spec sheet, as is video recording, albeit up to a reduced resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels (720p). Consumer cameras tend to have a lot of preset shooting modes for newbies, and the SX30IS is no exception. Two custom modes and the usual gamut of auto, manual, scenery, sports and portrait are available, in addition to the widely used shutter and aperture priority modes.

In the menu, additional shooting options are available. The aperture goes down to f2.7, which is pretty decent for a compact camera. There are also a number of white balance modes to cover shooting under various conditions, and the ISO range extends from ISO 80 to ISO 1600. While cameras like the Canon S95 support higher ISO modes, up to ISO 3200, we feel this is of limited use given the size of the sensor and large amounts of noise at these higher sensitivities.

The Canon Powershot Sx30 IS allows you to change the focus zone and you have 15 options to select from. The flash can be toned down, but there are only three gradients, which we feel is a bit limited - five would be much nicer.

Like most dSLRs, the SX30IS allows you to zoom while recording videos and take still photos, unfortunately this doesn't work perfectly, and when an image is taken, the shutter blocks video capture, so you get a second of darkness, followed by a momentary display of the image captured, before the video recording is resumed - this is a major drawback that needs resolving before the SX30IS can seriously be considered for video.

While dSLRs record a single audio channel (mono), the SX30IS is capable of recording sound in stereo, which is nice. Unlike some cameras, where the flash insists on popping up in auto mode, the SX30IS' flash will not fire until it is raised - some much needed fine-grained control.

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<h1>Canon Powershot Sx30 IS</h1> Author: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/profile_Robert Blume.aspx'>Robert Blume</a> Canon SX30 IS - an ultra zoom for all seasons

Look and feel

If you've held a dSLR like the Nikon D300s, the SX30IS will feel like a toy. A very well built toy however, and it feels better put together than its predecessor the Canon SX20IS. Good quality plastics have been used and while the body isn't metal, it feels pretty solid in hand. Even the mode dial has a nice positive feel and works with a reassuring click.

A slight indentation has been given for your thumb, but for most people, this grip will feel small, especially if you're used to dSLRs. For a point and shoot, the grip is pretty good, although the Panasonic FZ35 has a better grip. The entire camera is a matte black, and looks rather attractive with lettering in white and red.

All the buttons are well laid out, and pretty large - making them easy to use. Button travel and feedback is inconsistent though. For example, the maximise image preview button has hard feedback but is usable, whereas the button immediately below it i.e. the play/preview button is set deep in the body and you really need to press to activate it.

The rear dial has a smooth action, but its movement is precise, and for the most it works well. This dial is also a four-way button and this part too works well. Canon has gotten menus down to a fine art, and everything on the SX30IS is intuitive and menu options are well organised.

The zoom ring also works well, and is sensitive to force - push harder and you'll zoom quicker. The lens zooms quietly, unlike the SX20IS which was quite noisy, with a sound akin to grating. The 1050 mAh battery and SD card bay share an entrance. The outer barrel that houses the lens is made of metal, but isn't heavy, and the SX30IS feels nicely balanced. A mini USB and mini HDMI port are on the right side, under a hard rubber cover.

Features

The 35x optical zoom would be this Digital Cameras standout feature. As expected, image stabilisation is also on the spec sheet, as is video recording, albeit up to a reduced resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels (720p). Consumer cameras tend to have a lot of preset shooting modes for newbies, and the SX30IS is no exception. Two custom modes and the usual gamut of auto, manual, scenery, sports and portrait are available, in addition to the widely used shutter and aperture priority modes.

In the menu, additional shooting options are available. The aperture goes down to f2.7, which is pretty decent for a compact camera. There are also a number of white balance modes to cover shooting under various conditions, and the ISO range extends from ISO 80 to ISO 1600. While cameras like the Canon S95 support higher ISO modes, up to ISO 3200, we feel this is of limited use given the size of the sensor and large amounts of noise at these higher sensitivities.

The Canon Powershot Sx30 IS allows you to change the focus zone and you have 15 options to select from. The flash can be toned down, but there are only three gradients, which we feel is a bit limited - five would be much nicer.

Like most dSLRs, the SX30IS allows you to zoom while recording videos and take still photos, unfortunately this doesn't work perfectly, and when an image is taken, the shutter blocks video capture, so you get a second of darkness, followed by a momentary display of the image captured, before the video recording is resumed - this is a major drawback that needs resolving before the SX30IS can seriously be considered for video.

While dSLRs record a single audio channel (mono), the SX30IS is capable of recording sound in stereo, which is nice. Unlike some cameras, where the flash insists on popping up in auto mode, the SX30IS' flash will not fire until it is raised - some much needed fine-grained control.

About the Author: Robert Blume is a well known author and has written articles on <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.thinkdigit.com/Digital-Cameras-ca-35.php">Digital Cameras</a>, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.thinkdigit.com/latest/micromax_mobile_phone.html">micromax mobile phone</a>, Sony Ericsson Mobile, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.thinkdigit.com/Top-Products/Top-10-Android-phones-in-India_6889.html">android phones in india</a> and many other subjects.
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Robert Blume is a well known author and has written articles on Digital Cameras, micromax mobile phone, Sony Ericsson Mobile, android phones in india and many other subjects.

Keywords : canon powershot sx30 is, canon powershot sx30 is price in india, canon digital camera,

Category : Product Reviews : Digital Products

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