Canon Powershot SD30 5MP Digital Elph Camera with 2.4x Optical Zoom
The Powershot SD30 includes a 2.4x optical zoom and embraces Canon's perpetual curve design. The sleek and compact Powershot SD30 comes with 5.0-megapixel resolution and DIGIC II processing for high image quality and a USB 2.0 Hi-Speed interface for fast transfer speeds. The supplied Camera Station allows for easy connectivity to the PC, printer, and television--perfect for viewing contemporary slide shows created by the camera. The Camera Station also charges the camera when docked.

Sleek, stylish, better
A first for Powershot cameras, the Powershot SD30 now features a 2.4x (f3.2-f5.4) optical zoom, with a high contrast Ultra High Refractive Index Aspherical lens for sharp results in a slim package. When combined with digital zoom, the Powershot SD30 delivers 10x magnification. The Powershot SD30's 5.0-megapixel sensor delivers the image quality required for printing up to 13 x 17-inch photo-quality prints. The new focusing system is both faster and more power efficient, making the auto focus more responsive and helping to extend the number of shots possible before charging the battery.
The Powershot SD30 maintains its small size whilst improving the user's shooting and reviewing experience with the larger 1.8-inch LCD monitor. Improvements in the user interface include larger animated icons and the addition of a world time zone display. The menu can also be displayed in 22 different languages.

A clever Camera Station
For fast and convenient charging, printing, downloading and connection to televisions and home cinema systems, the Powershot SD30 comes complete with a Camera Station (CS-DC1). The station acts as a dock, or cradle, for the camera, ensuring quick and easy connectivity without having to attach and reattach multiple cables. The supplied wireless controller allows the docked camera's playback to be operated remotely. This allows the new slideshow and playback features on the Powershot SD30 to be controlled from the comfort from the user's sofa when sharing photos and movies on television screens. When connected to both a direct printer and TV, users can view their images and use the print menu on screen to edit then print.

Test Report

VERY pleasing pictures, if given enough light / Report November 23, 2005
I have used a few other digital cameras, and so I will compare
performance when I can.

Specific Observations
---------------------

I programmed the camera to use its lowest ISO setting (50), spot
metering, spot auto-focus, largest image file size, and highest image
compression quality. The rest of this post assumes these settings.

1. The camera is quite fast, faster than my old Canon SD10. Both
shutter button response time, and shot-to-shot delay have been
improved significantly. Nice going Canon!
2. With "spot" autofocus selected, the camera seems to do very well.
With my old SD10, I would regularly obtain photos that were
grossly out of focus. It does not seem to happen with the new
SD30. Thank you Canon!
3. The "deluxe" kit features a very nice soft case. It fits perfectly
and looks good. I consider this to be a "must" for a tiny,
carry-it-everywhere gadget. All of the stores I checked stocked
the "deluxe" kit, perhaps there is no other kit for sale. But I
suggest that you confirm that you are getting the Canon SD30 soft
case with your purchase.
4. The flash intensity cannot be adjusted, as far as I can tell. It
is therefore difficult to photograph certain shiny objects, such as
circuit boards and small machinery. This is giving me fits. The
available flash power is not much either. This is no shame for Canon
really, since the size of the tube must be small in a midget camera
like this. By comparison, the Casio Exilim EX-S500 can produce
significantly more light.
5. After some practice, I am very pleased with the image quality that
I am getting from this camera, at least when there is adequate
lighting. The SD30 produces what I have come to regard as the "Canon
look." I'm not sure if the photos are especially true to life, but
they are extremely pleasing. I see highly saturated colors, sharp
focus, low noise, and pleasant "warm" skin tones. I also detect this
"Canon Look" in photos coming out of the Sony Cybershot DSCP200. I
suspect that Sony and Canon use the same image sensors. I compared
photos of the same objects taken with the Canon SD10 and a Casio
Exilim EX-S500. The pictures coming out of the Casio are fuzzy by
comparison. The side-by-side comparison also makes the Casio pictures
look a bit washed out. The Casio pictures have much more chroma
noise too.
6. The macro capability is excellent. The camera has a feature which
puzzled me at first. Now I understand that it is pure genius: the
best macro performance occurs when the lens is zoomed to its maximum
(2.4x). With the zoom at maximum tele, I can reliably fill the image
frame with an object that is 5 cm across (left to right) or smaller.
Where does the genius come in? Most other cameras are engineered so
that the most extreme macro performance is achieved when the lens
is at its full wide angle setting. If the SD30 was designed this
way, then the camera would have to be positioned very close to its
subject matter. When this occurs, shadows from the camera and the
photographer's hands would interfere with the photogaraph. The
performance of the flash unit would also suffer. Good job Canon! I
have taken some really amazing macro shots of ears, for example. It
sounds disgusting, but I was able to discern incredible detail in
the subject matter and learn how to use the camera's macro mode.
It was almost like working with a microscope. My macro photos
were all "hand held," no tripod used. Nevertheless, most of them
turned out well. Many looked "razor sharp."
7. The camera feels solidly durable. The various buttons and other
controls are especially firm. I also like the Casio Exilim EX-S500
in this regard, but the Canon controls are more solid, with no
side-to-side play.
8. The SD30 is not as amazingly small as the old SD10. I would not
want to carry it in the breast pocket of a man's dress shirt, for
example.
9. You must use the (included) cradle to charge the camera's battery.
Although the cradle is reasonably small, it still sucks for
travelling light. There is probably an accessory you can purchase
that travels better than the cradle and power cable that is
included in the "deluxe" kit. I haven't shopped for such
accessories yet.
10. The camera retains a feature of the SD10 that I absolutely HATE:
it resets its metering mode to "evaluative" after every power cycle.
Like all other digital cameras, the only metering mode that works
worth a damn is "spot." At power-up, it takes me 8 button pushes to
get the camera to "spot" meter. The main value of a tiny camera is
that you can carry it everywhere, and capture unplanned events.
Those 8 extra button pushes really detract from the value of this
type of machine. (Sorry for venting).
11. When connected to a computer, the camera will NOT emulate a disk
drive, the way many other cameras do. It is still an easy matter
to transfer pictures to the PC, but I prefer the increased
flexibility of disk drive emulation.
12. The quality of the motion video in the SD30 is pretty bad. There
is a 320x240/20fps mode and a 640x480x15fps mode. The 320x mode
has bad spatial resolution. I don't like looking at the "movies"
produced in this mode. The 640x mode looks jerky, because of its
15fps rate. By comparison, the Casio Exilim EX-S500 does a bit
better.

Conclusion
----------

The Canon SD30 is one of the smallest digital cameras available today.
This type of camera, by its nature, must have compromises. I find it
interesting to compare the different approaches to design evident in
the Canon SD30 and the Casio Exilim EX-S500. I believe that these two
are the best of the tiny cameras, though in different ways.

Both cameras are fast (shutter lag and shot-to-shot delay). Both are
handsome and appear to be constructed nicely. Both cameras use SD cards
for storage, which I prefer. This card format is physicallly small, and
it is not controlled by a single vendor, like Sony and its Memory Sticks.

Canon offers excellent image quality. Like the old Canon SD10, the
photographs have a certain "Canon look" that is very appealing. I suspect
that this "look" is the result of high color saturation, sharp contrast,
and low noise. White balance is nicely done too.

The user interface of the Canon is spare. There are not a lot of features
for the user to play with. The simplicity will be a godsend for some
users. Personally, I would have preferred to have more control.

I believe that it is useful to compare the Canon SD30 to the Casio Exilim
EX-S500. The Casio offers a TON of features! It has more "scene" modes.
It can function as a sound (only) recorder. It can photograph documents
and force them to look rectangular (remove keystone effect). Best of
all, the Casio can be programmed to remember some of its settings, and
reset others, when it is powered off. The customer gets to choose which
settings are remembered. Too bad about the chroma noise and soft focus
though.

Before I obtained the Canon, I already had an EX-S500. I had planned to
keep one of these cameras and give away the other. But frankly, I don't
like the thought of parting with either of them. Comparing these two
cameras has made me appreciate both of them. A few monthes ago, I wrote
a review of the EX-S500 that was fairly negative, due to image quality
issues. Oddly enough, I respect Casio more now. This, in spite of the
fact that the Canon SD30 does produce superior photographs, as I expected.
Both cameras are engineering marvels! The Canon produces beautiful
photographs and stunning macro images. The Casio is a "Swiss Army Knife"
of useful features that can be customized to match the tastes of the
owner. Also, the Casio has a superior shape for carrying everywhere.

Looking Forward
---------------

In the next few monthes, at least two new cameras will appear that are
in the same size class as the Canon SD30.

Sony will soon deliver its Cybershot T9. The reviews that I have seen
indicate that the previous "T" cameras had pretty bad image quality.
This includes the T7, which is probably the tiniest camera available.
The T9 will be somewhat larger. Perhaps Sony will do a better job with
it.

Casio will replace the 5 megapixel Exilim EX-S500 with a 6 megapixel
EX-S600. The feature set won't change much, but it is already superb,
as I have claimed above. Perhaps the new camera will offer better image
quality? Increasing the pixel count is not likely to solve any noise
problems. But until the camera is delivered, who knows?

In my opinion, it is reasonable to buy now, rather than wait for these
new cameras to arrive. Both the Canon SD30 and the Casio Exilim EX-S500
are great.


Jameson Thottam review of Canon PowerShot SD30 / Report November 21, 2005
Jameson Thottam review of Canon PowerShot SD30

I immediately got the new 5-Megapixel super-compact Canon PowerShot SD30 Digital Elph . The camera is smaller than the SD400 or SD450, yet has the same 5-Megapixel resolution. And unlike the earlier SD20, it has optical zoom lens.

Jameson Thottam: What Is Canon PowerShot SD30?

Available in several color (Rockstar Red, Tuxedo Black, Glamour Gold, Vivacious Violet), the Canon PowerShot SD30 is a super-compact 5-Megapixel stylish digital camera with metal case, a 2.4x optical zoom (38-90 mm equivalent), a 1.8-inch LCD screen, acclaimed fast Canon DiG!C II (DIGIC 2) Image Processor, 9-area smart AiAF auto focus, powered by a small rechargeable battery.

The camera stores pictures on SD (Secure Digital) or MultiMedia memory cards (16 MB SD supplied) and features fast USB 2.0 Hi-Speed connection to PC and Mac computers. It also supports direct printing (without computer) with PictBridge compatible printers. The camera comes with a camera dock that charges the battery and simplifies the USB image transfer and A/V connectivity.

Jameson Luke Thottam: In the Box

The camera comes with the rechargeable Li-Ion battery, camera dock, power adaptor, 16 MB memory card, wireless remote control with the battery, wrist strap, soft case of the same color as camera, USB cable, A/V cable, software and manuals.

Jameson Thottam and thoughts on the Camera itself

The SD30 looks cool and is very compact. It is very miniature, looks cool, feels sturdy and heavy in your hand with its metal case. It looks and feels durable as well, but be careful not to scratch its matte finish. The camera is smaller than the SD400 or SD450.

It has a retractable lens that extends and has a lens cover that opens when the camera is powered on. When the camera is powered off, the lens retracts and the lens cover closes.

The camera has an on/off button on the top deck as well as a large shutter release button. The bottom of the camera has a metal threaded tripod mount and a dock connector.

The side has a battery and SD card compartment lid. The rear houses a bright 1.8-inch LCD monitor, control buttons and a menu control disk, which also serves as a zoom control (just like on the Canon A410). The camera has no viewfinder. The rear also has a sliding switch between review, movie and still picture taking modes.

Jameson Luke Thottam and the Camera's Usage

The camera is very easy to use, aside from adjusting to use the menu control disk as a zoom control. I have not read the manual (I have not even opened it), but was able to use the camera and all its features in no time. The camera can be used by any member of the family and by photographers of all levels of expertise from novices to advanced ones (it will not give you much control over the shutter speed or aperture).

The camera comes pre-set to Auto mode. You do not have to do anything other than point and shoot - the camera takes care of the rest. The camera uses 9-area intelligent autofocus. You press the shutter release button halfway to make camera focus and the camera shows you (on the LCD screen) where it focused by displaying one or more green rectangles. Then you take the picture by pressing the shutter release button all the way.

If you want more control, you can select Manual mode, which is not a real manual mode where you would be able to select the shutter speed and aperture, but rather a mode in which you get access to selection of several parameters. In Manual mode, you can set the ISO (50-400), white balance (several presets and custom), use exposure compensation to make pictures darker or brighter, use picture effects, color replacement effects, and more.

The camera gives you instant access to the timer and flash mode selection (flash off, red-eye reduction, night portrait, auto flash) at a push of a button. The other controls are easy to use as well.

Jameson L Thottam with More on Features and Controls

The PowerShot SD30 is a replacement for the miniature 5-Megapixel Canon PowerShot SD20. The SD20 had no optical zoom and relied on its digital zoom instead. The SD30 has optical zoom, yet keeps the small dimensions.

The camera features selectable Evaluative, Center-Weighted and Spot metering modes. The aperture range is f/3.2-5.4 at wide angle/telephoto. The shutter speed range is 15-1/1,600 sec.

You can use the exposure compensation in the manual mode and it comes in handy in the sunset hours as the camera overexposes the picture trying to preserve the shadow detail. There are a bunch of scene modes as well, which help the camera tweak the focusing and exposure settings according to the type of scene.

James Thottam and the LCD

The camera has a 1.8-inch LCD screen that has good resolution and good visibility in sunlight. In dimly-lit environments, the LCD increases its brightness (gains-up) and still stays fluid enough. The camera has no viewfinder.

Jameson L Thottam with Points on the Battery

The camera uses a compact rechargeable Li-Ion battery. According to Canon, the camera can take about 160 pictures on one charge of its miniature battery (400 with LCD off). I have not validated this claim, but I took more than 60 pictures and the low battery warning has not appeared yet. The battery can be charged in-camera while the camera is in its supplied camera dock.

Jameson Thottam on Performance

The SD30 uses the latest version of Canon DiG!C processor - DIGIC II. It is the same processor used in larger Canon digital SLR cameras and it gives this Digital Elph amazing speed. The camera takes less than a second to power itself on in review mode and only about a second to power on and extend its lens in shooting mode.

The camera can capture images at about one per second in burst mode (I used Kingston Elite Pro SD memory card). In single-frame mode, the camera could snap pictures at about once every 1.5-2 seconds without flash. The flash recycle time is about 6-7 seconds.

The focusing takes less than a second and the shutter lag, when pre-focused, is almost non-existent.

Jameson Luke Thottam and the Flash of the Camera

The camera has a small flash that is quite weak. It is sufficient at up to 4-7 feet away. It has a recycle time of about 6-7 seconds.

Jameson Thottam and the Image Quality Settings

The camera lets you select between Super Fine, Fine and Normal compression levels (regardless of resolution). You can detect occasional JPEG artifacts in the mode of highest compression and some fine detail may be lost. But the two lower-compression modes (Fine and Superfine) are rather good. The available resolution modes are 5MP, 3MP, 2MP and VGA (640x480).

Jameson Thottam and the White Balance

The camera's automatic white balance is usually quite accurate with the exception of the incandescent lighting, where you are better off either selecting Incandescent white balance setting or using the available manual white balance.

Jameson Thottam and the Menu System

I have not read the manual, yet was able to use the camera in all modes. Usually, I am not a big fan of Canon menus but this Digital Elph is very easy to use. Not only I find the menus intuitive, they also appear very fast (instantaneously), unlike the menus on Canon A520 and A510, which take about a second to appear.

The zooming is a bit cumbersome as there is no dedicated zoom control, but you have to use the menu control disk (push the upper or lower portion of it). It works, but is not as convenient as having a dedicated zoom control.

Jameson Thottam and the Computer Connectivity

The camera uses USB 2.0 Hi-Speed connection to transfer pictures to a computer. You can also remove the SD memory card and use a memory card reader (if you have one), but I used the camera with the docking station supplied. The file transfer is very fast at about 2,000 KB/s.

Jameson Thottam and the Histogram

The camera can display a histogram in the review mode to show you if you have overexposed the highlights or underexposed the shadows. I useful feature when you don't trust the LCD. You can also rotate pictures in the review mode.

Jameson Luke Thottam and the Picture Quality

The SD30 produces well-exposed, sharp, contrasty and richly-colored images. The photos taken with the SD400 are sharp from corner to corner with only the very edges of the frame being slightly softer than the center at telephoto end. This will not be noticeable in printed pictures however since corners normally don't make it to the print due to the aspect ratio difference and other factors.

The lens exhibits slight chromatic aberration (purple fringing) in the areas of high contrast, but the amounts of it are acceptable.

The camera produces contrasty photos that have a pleasing "Canon" color with slight over-saturation and nice blue skies - the kind of color consumers like.

The image noise is absent at ISO 50 and cannot be found even in the shadows. It appears (slightly) at the ISO 100 and the detail level slightly decreases as the noise suppression in the camera tries to get rid of it. The noise gets more pronounced at ISO 200 and gets worse at ISO 400. Still, if you are printing 6x4 or 5x7 pictures, the noise should not be visible at all and will only be slightly visible at ISO 400 with larger prints. With 5-megapixel shots the SD30 produces, you can print your photos at up to 11x14 inches with good detail (ISO 50-100). The ISO 200 shots can be printed at up to 8x10.

Jameson L Thottam and final Concerns

The camera is compact, cool and capable, but I have some concerns. The camera has a rather weak flash. It also uses a proprietary dock connection and docking station, which some people like and some do not. It is also quite pricey: I paid $320 for my camera.

Jameson Luke Thottam

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