Thursday, September 15, 2011

Canon SX30IS review

I am taking my new Canon SX 30 IS for a test ride. I used it like a beginner with the dial set to "auto" except a few of the last pictures. I ran the files through Lightroom to add copyright but no additional optimizing. All camera settings were still factory settings. I have not even downloaded the manual from the CD so no special functions were used. This is as basic as it gets.

Above, shot through car window. Just pointed and shot at stop light. Below while driving

All point and shoot cameras have a lag time. It is that seemingly endless time between the "push the button" and "click of the shutter" I noticed in these drive through shots, the lag was not too long. No it's not a Canon 5D but I can hold it up and out the window for prolonged periods of time without having my arm fall off.





All the following at Washington Park Carillon. Most on automatic.
Above shooting into the sun about 11:00 AM

The macro requires zooming out fully to get really close to object. This would often be difficult but the articulated screen makes it easy to view the shot on the screen at any angle. This is something I am waiting for in the Canon DSLR. For us old people shooting from the waist is much easier than getting down on our knees or lower. I loved this feature on another camera I had several years ago. Some of those ground level shots can be phenomenal.  This camera also has an electronic viewfinder; another feature I almost require. How can you hold a camera steady at arms length. For those long teli shots, its camera against the eye and elbows in. Hold your breath and squeeze the trigger. The above bee shot would be easier with my 7D and a 400mm lens. It is easier to stay out of harms way and still get the shot but again, by the end of a long hike that camera combination seems to weigh in at about 700 pounds! 










 About 50 feet from robin
 above at full telephoto hand held. This camera goes from 24mm to 840mm  (35mm equivalent)


 changed at aperture priority to get larger f-stop and better depth of field for bell shots.


Wished my lens was a little more wide angle  to get all this. orange snow fence stopped me from moving back. Probably will go back with my 5D and the 16 -35 mm lens later.

In summary, This is a great walk-around camera. It seems to do it all well. It has its limitations compared to a quality DSLR but there aren't many. It excels in the video capture mode. I think it does a better job getting focus than my 5D. I'm sold, Ted was right about the quality of this camera. Don't go lookin' for my other equipment on e-bay 'cause that won't be happnin'! When I go searching for soaring eagles, it will be with my Canon 7D and the big white telli'

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