Title : Canon PowerShot S30 3MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom
Author : Canon Cameras US
Release Date : 20011025
Binding : Electronics
Regular Price : $599.99
Amazon.com Price : $499.99
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Editorial Reviews : Canon's S30 and S40 cameras fill a gap in the company's digital lineup. Nestled between the ultra-tiny Elph models and the feature-packed PowerShot G and Pro models, the S30 and S40 combine most of the portability of the former with nearly every advanced feature of the latter. With the exception of their CCD sensors (the S30 is a 3-megapixel model, while the S40 is 4-megapixel), the cameras are essentially identical. Each features a brushed aluminum body with a sliding clamshell lens cover, a 3x optical zoom Canon lens, and a 1.8-inch LCD on the back of the camera for previewing and reviewing shots.
For beginners, the cameras are point-and-shoot simple. Just twist the dial to Auto and start snapping pictures. For more experienced photographers, both models include aperture priority, shutter priority, and full manual modes, plus manual focus, exposure compensation, slow-sync flash, spot metering, and adjustable ISO (from 50 to 400 on the S40, and 50 to 800 on the S30).
Movie mode lets you capture video clips with sound. At 320 x 240 or 160 x 120 pixels, the movies aren't camcorder quality, but they're fun and convenient, and they're perfect as e-mail attachments. The cameras also include an unusual voice-memo feature, which lets you record up to 60 seconds of audio with each image.
To provide maximum battery life in the smallest possible space, the cameras use a proprietary lithium-ion battery (both the battery and a charger are included). The battery charges quickly and holds a reasonably long charge, but if you're planning to use the camera for extended outings, a spare NB-2L battery is a good idea. A larger-capacity memory card is also advisable if you want to shoot more than a dozen photos at a time or if you decide to really take advantage of the Movie mode. The cameras use Type I or Type II CompactFlash cards, including the Microdrive. To print your photos at home, the S30 and S40 connect directly to Canon's CP-10 and S820D printers for easy printing--you don't even need a computer.
If you're looking for a camera with the sleek, compact style of a point-and-shoot with the extensive manual controls of an advanced amateur camera, the S30 and S40 are both great choices.
Buyer Reviews : I just had my Olympus c3040 stolen, so now I need a new camera. I borrowed a Canon S30 from one friend and an S40 from the other. I have decided to go with Canon, and I am chosing the S30 over the S40 because it's faster in a couple of ways than the S40 due to smaller image sizes. I am not ready to deal with 4 megapixel images yet. Here's some more information on why I am not going back to Olympus.
1: The Olympus is slower in displaying pictures, focusing, getting ready for the next shot, accessing menus, etc. The canon is just much faster.
2: The LCD on the Canon shows you what you're going to see in the final shot. E.g., if the shot is over-exposed, you can tell before you take it, and you can see what will happen if you adjust the exposure as you adjust the exposure. The Olympus LCD always looked dark and off color to me and didn't seem to reflect reality, and consequently I never used it except for macro mode. The Canon's LCD seems very fast as you move the camera around for your next shot. I will use the LCD for most shots on the Canon.
3: The LCD is still quite visible in outdoor lighting conditions.
4: The menus on the Canon are easily invoked and accessed, and sit on top of the image you're composing instead of covering the image until you've made your choice. Olympus menus are a pain to navigate, and they are not very visible in the sun light, whereas Canon menus seem to be right there where you need them.
5: Canon uses compact flash, olympus uses smart media. I had more smart media cards go bad than you can believe, and smart media is more espensive than compact flash.
6: The Canon's image histogram is a useful and helpful feature for helping you take better shots. It's also very cool.
7: The Olympus is better in one crucial situation: low light pictures are only possible if you are within flash range. I have pictures of my daughter's indoor dance perforamnce that I took with my Olympus last year, and now have similar pictures I took with the S30. The S30 ones need to be deleted - they are blurred because there wasn't enough light. The Olympus took amazingly clear and crisp pictures in that low light situation, even when fully zoomed. That's because its lens is f/1.8 and the S30 is the more standard f/2.8. The Canon G2 has an F/2.0 which is closer, but some of the other functions on that camera are very slow, and that camera is too big and heavy.
In summary, once I used the Canon for a while I couldn't bear the thought of going back to the Olympus and smartmedia. The one thing that worried me was the low light photos, but I think I can live without that. I still have a good SLR camera that I can whip out on those rare occasions ...
(by Jonathan Payne)
Features/Technical Specs : * 3.3 megapixel sensor creates 2,048 x 1,536 images for prints at 8 x 10 and beyond * 3x optical (plus 3.2x digital) zoom lens with autofocus * Included 16 MB CompactFlash card holds 16 images at default resolution; camera is Microdrive compatible * Uses proprietary NB-2L lithium-ion rechargeable battery (included) * Connects with Macs and PCs via USB port
