Canon Powershot S30 The G2’s Red-Headed Step Brother is a Winner
Written: Mar 17 '02 (Updated Mar 18 '02)
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Pros: Compact size, low price, image quality, excellent metering.
Cons: Battery life, slow startup cycle times, under-powered flash
The Bottom Line: The Canon Powershot S 30 provides excellent image quality, good ergonomics, compact size, and an exceptional feature set at a price that withers its competition.
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| Howard_Creech's Full Review: Canon PowerShot S30 Digital Camera |
The digital camera wars have been heating up since before the holidays as the major players fight it out for a dwindling pool of scarce recession dollars. Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Olympus, and Sony have all introduced exciting new models that offer consumers enhanced features and improved performance, and all of them are cutting prices at the same time. Prices have also fallen on peripherals like removable storage media and re-chargeable batteries and chargers. This tooth and nail fight for supremacy in the digital camera marketplace is a wonderful boon for digital camera buyers. Canon has been leading the charge in this intensified battle with the introduction of several exciting new models that seek to put the Powershot family firmly in the driver’s seat of the digital photography revolution.
Beginning with the introduction of the Powershot G2 just a few months ago Canon has leaped to the front in this high technology race. Errors like the disappointing Pro 90 IS are clearly behind them as Canon uses a stunning mix of cutting edge technology, smart manufacturing techniques, interchangeable components, and savvy marketing to steal a march on their competitors. Canon’s recent introduction of four new models that share components and marketing allows the company to save millions on manufacturing and promotion costs. These savings are passed on to consumers in the form of lower prices.
The popularity of the groundbreaking G2, an exciting and feature rich four megapixel digital camera that offers advanced amateurs and pro photographers a compact digital imaging machine that provides more features and creative options than most photographers will ever need, laid the foundation for Canon’s campaign to become the most popular manufacturer of digital cameras. Following right on the heels of the G2 Canon introduced the new A10 and A20 a pair of inexpensive feature rich entry level digital cameras. The A10 and A 20 models are built on the same platform and offer almost identical features and performance. The only difference between these digital imaging siblings is the size of the sensor (1.3 megapixels in the A10 and 2.3 megapixels in the A 20) It quickly became obvious to Canon’s engineers and marketing folks that the company was on the right track. The G2, A 10, and A 20 have all sold well and received good reviews from industry professionals.
Canon’s follow-up was another dramatic competitive move that left competitors gasping. The introduction of two compact stainless steel beauties that are built on the G2 platform. The G2 is an updated version of Canon’s very popular G1 introduced about 18 months ago, so the technology is proven, the components are already in the pipeline, and the popularity of the G1 and G2 have built a huge base of consumer goodwill that makes marketing the new models easy.
My Friend (who sells and distributes photographic equipment) showed up the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day with both cameras and asked if I wanted come out and play. He knows that I love to check out new camera models, so my answer was a foregone conclusion. We sat down to plan out how we would test both cameras simultaneously and how we would judge the results of our tests. Since the cameras are identical except for resolution it was decided that I would use the S30 and my friend would use the S40 and that we would do our best to duplicate each test shot with both cameras. My friend thought the compact stainless steel S 30/S 40 body looked very cool and the sliding lens cover reminded him of the classic Minox spy camera. The only significant difference between the two cameras is the digital sensor. The S 30 offers 3.2 megapixels and the S 40 shares the same digital sensor that powers the 4.0 megapixel G2. Both cameras hit store shelves with a feature/cost balance that immediately made them leaders in the battle for digital imaging consumer’s disposable income.
Features
Exposure
The PowerShot S30 offers Automatic, Program AE, Shutter Speed Priority AE, Aperture Priority AE, and Manual exposure modes plus “scene” settings for specific shooting situations.
Color Effects
The Color Effects setting provides a choice of four color options: Vivid color, Neutral color, Sepia tone, or Black-and-White (effects are visible on the LCD monitor)
Quick Review Mode
You can check the most recently recorded image, delete or save, and return to shooting mode easily
Exposure compensation
User adjustable –2/+2 EV, in one-third-stop increments.
Independent Exposure Lock
Another great feature from the G2 IEL allows users to lock not only exposure but focus as well. Very handy for off center subjects and selective focus situations.
White Balance
Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H (daylight), Flash, and Custom. The Custom mode allows users to manually set the white balance (with a white card)
Sensitivity
Auto, 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 ISO (35mm equivalents)
In-Camera Image Processing Controls
Contrast, Sharpness, and Saturation
Flash
Auto, Red-Eye Reduction (Auto), Red-Eye Reduction (Flash On), Flash On, and Flash Off. Flash output power can be adjusted -2/+2 EV in one-third-step increments. Flash range: 2.7 to 14.1 feet (9-10 feet is more accurate)
Metering
Evaluative, Center-Weighted (Averaging), and Spot
Auto Exposure Bracketing
The S 30 will automatically shoot a series of three images each one at a different setting. Users can manually set exposure variation -2/+2 EV in one-third-step increments
Technical Specifications
Resolution: 3.1 Megapixel (2048x1536)
LCD: 1.8-inch
Viewfinder: Optical
Lens: 3x optical zoom f/2.8-4.9/35-105 (35mm equivalent) all glass 8 elements in 7 groups
Exposure Modes: Automatic, program AE, shutter priority, aperture priority, and manual, plus “Image Zone” modes: Pan Focus, Portrait, Landscape, Night Scene, Color Effect, Stitch Assist, and Movie
Shutter Speeds: 1/1,500th of a second to 15 seconds
Sensitivity: Auto, 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 (ISO equivalent)
Metering: Evaluative, center-weighted, and spot
White balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H (daylight), Flash, and Custom
Flash: Built-in
File Formats: JPEG, RAW, AVI / MPEG, and WAVE
Storage Media: CompactFlash Type I or II (16Mb CF card included)
User-Selected: exposure compensation, flash exposure compensation, auto exposure bracketing and white balance
Connectivity: USB
Noise Reduction: Yes
Power: Canon NB-2L lithium rechargeable battery pack
DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) compatibility and Direct print to Canon S820D Bubble Jet Printer or the CP-10 Card printer
Playback histogram with over-exposure warning
Included
16Mb CompactFlash card
NB-2L Li-ion rechargeable battery
Battery Charger
Wrist strap
USB cable
A/V cable
CD-ROM (Canon PowerShot Solutions, ArcSoft software, and drivers)
Printed camera and software users manuals
In the Field/Handling and Operation
The weather here in Kentucky has been variable with pretty warm days followed by cold gray rainy days.
We tested the cameras over the course of the St. Patrick’s Day weekend, which was cold, gray, and rainy…not optimal camera testing weather. We first set up a macro stage (Children, you can try this at home…for directions see my review of the Olympus E 20N digital camera…the URL is listed below) and spread out a collection of brightly colored plastic beach toys, on a white background, that we use to test digital camera color. After manually white balancing the cameras we used both the S 30 and the S 40 to shoot brightly colored red, green, blue, and yellow plastic shapes. Both cameras passed the color test with flying colors. Colors were well saturated and accurate. The camera's White Balance handled test lighting pretty well, though we both noticed a very slight warm cast with the Auto setting. The Manual white balance setting produced the best results overall. The S 30/S 40 had some difficulty with incandescent (yellow) lighting (without flash) but when used with the flash the incandescent setting achieved nearly neutral results in the close range. The S 30/S 40 white balance worked better than most of the current digital cameras available under artificial lighting. Performance from both cameras in this test was virtually identical to the tests we had done with the Canon G2.
After finishing up with the basic color test we took both cameras outdoors to shoot some “street” shots of the colorfully clad characters returning from the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Simon Kenton, one of Daniel Boone’s friends and a fellow “long hunter” who helped Boone explore Kentucky, was an Irishman. Kenton was the first of many new residents from the Shamrock Isle to settle in the Bluegrass State. The Derby City was a popular destination for Irish immigrants during most of the 19th Century, and Louisville still has large Irish presence. Our local celebration has a much more provincial flavor than those in New York, Boston, and Dublin, with the spectators making up for our lack of sophistication with an abundance of enthusiasm and creativity. We spent about an hour shooting groups of revelers traveling back and forth along Bardstown Road between the city’s Irish Pubs (most of which are located in the Highlands) We shot some very animated street images of local Hibernians (and Irish wannabe’s) showing off their home-made costumes.
The S30 produced consistently great color images of the passionate partyers, especially considering how dreary and gray the weather was. Caucasian skin tones in our Outdoor tests came out a bit pink, but that may have been more a result of the brisk breeze and mid thirties temperatures than anything relevant to the S 30’s performance. Optical distortion with the excellent 3X zoom was lower than average at the wide-angle end, and the telephoto setting produced virtually distortion free images. Chromatic aberration (purple fringing) was noticeable but well controlled. The zoom displayed some noticeable softness in the corners of the frame.
Low light performance was well above average. Noise in longer exposures is well controlled, even at the ISO 800 setting. Macro performance is very good with high resolution in close-up images. The S 30’s flash performance is about average for point’n’shoot digital cameras, a bit weak for general shooting and a little hot for macro work. The S30 is surprisingly fast (especially when compared to other three megapixel digital cameras). Shutter lag is relatively non-existent, and shot to shot times are excellent. The S 30 can shoot up to seven “hi res” images in sequence before users must wait for the buffer to empty. The S 30 is a great camera for photographers/parents interested in capturing children at play and fast-paced action.
A Few Concerns
The 3X zoom lens on the S 30/S 40 is not threaded for use with add on lens adapters or filters. The flash is weak and it’s unfortunate that Canon didn’t allow some sort of method for using external flash with the camera. Battery life is decent (Canon says 180-200 images with constant LCD use and over 400 using only the optical viewfinder) we got a bit more than two hours of heavy use from a fully charged battery (moderate LCD use). The included 16Mb standard CF card isn’t going to provide enough storage for anything more than a minor event. You’ll need to purchase at least one 64Mb card and an additional battery to fully utilize the S 30, so be sure to factor the additional cost into your price comparisons.
Conclusion
After we finished our tests we printed the two best image pairs at 5X7 and 8X10 on an Epson Stylus Photo EPX 785 that we’ve been testing (watch for the upcoming review of this exciting “digital darkroom” tool). We then compared the printed images side by side using a Mamiya 4X loupe designed for inspecting medium format prints. Our test prints were judged on the following criteria: color accuracy, white balance, resolution, contrast, and the subjective “look” of the prints. Prints from the S 30 compared favorably to the 4 megapixel prints from the S 40. Color, contrast, resolution, and “look” were comparable to any three megapixel camera currently available in terms of overall image quality. The S30 is an excellent general-use digital camera that produces exceptional three megapixel images. The S 30 offers users just about all the manual exposure controls they might want, but works beautifully for novice photographers who want to shoot creative high quality digital images without learning basic photography skills. Overall, the Canon Powershot S 30 is an excellent option for consumers who want a full featured digital camera at a good price. Recommended without reservation.
Coming Soon a review of the Canon Powershot S 30’s big brother, the four megapixel “baby G2” Canon Powershot S 40
Are you considering spreading your imaging wings and setting up a digital darkroom? Check out my review of a bargain priced and very capable photo quality ink-jet printer.
The Epson Stylus Photo 780 ink-jet Printer
http://www.epinions.com/content_54223670916
For information on How to Choose a Digital Camera please see my review:
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-2E46-17B174E2-39A418E3-prod1
For more information about specific Digital Camera models, please see my Digital Camera Reviews:
Nikon Digital Cameras
Nikon Coolpix 5000
http://www.epinions.com/content_52720406148
Nikon Coolpix 885
http://www.epinions.com/content_46290931332
Nikon Coolpix 995
http://www.epinions.com/content_40256769668
Nikon D1X
http://www.epinions.com/content_36023996036
Nikon D1
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-4868-E2433E5-38737CF8-prod2/tk_~CB003.1.78
Nikon Coolpix 880
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-2DA8-DF21E52-39E118CA-prod5
Nikon Coolpix 990
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-3B78-3C431D90-3A345313-prod3
Canon Digital Cameras
Canon Powershot A20
http://www.epinions.com/content_56389701252
Canon Powershot G2
http://www.epinions.com/content_47646084740
Canon Powershot S10
http://www.epinions.com/content_7563808388/tk_~CB003.1.74
Canon EOS D30
http://www.epinions.com/content_11625991812/tk_~CB003.1.58
Canon Powershot PRO 90IS
http://www.epinions.com/content_30440001156/tk_~CB005.1.9
Canon Powershot G1
http://www.epinions.com/content_8768294532/tk_~CB003.1.70
Canon Powershot PRO 70
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-6496-25768DA-38C3E01A-prod9/tk_~CB003.1.70
Sony Digital Cameras
Sony DSC S85
http://www.epinions.com/content_51957567108
Sony MVC-CD 300
http://www.epinions.com/content_45591793284
Sony DSC-S50
http:http://www.epinions.com/content_15885897348
Sony Mavica MVC-CD1000
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-5F01-365BA12-3980602C-prod3/tk_~CB003.1.14
Olympus Digital Cameras
Olymous Camedia E 20N
http://www.epinions.com/content_54953348740
Olympus Camedia C3040
http://www.epinions.com/content_42675179140
Olympus Camedia C3000
http://www.epinions.com/content_26106105476/tk_~CB003.1.30
Olympus Camedia E10
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-59FB-183DFC73-3A17388F-prod2/tk_~CB003.1.42
Fuji Digital Cameras
Fuji Finepix 2600 Zoom
http://www.epinions.com/content_58485149316
Fuji Finepix S1 “PRO”
http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-5591-16816C34-39047A87-prod5/tk_~CB003.1.18
Minolta Digital Cameras
Minolta Dimage 5
http://www.epinions.com/content_49104522884
Just “cut’n’paste” the URL into your browser’s address window.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 399.00
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Epinions.com ID:
Howard_Creech
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Member: Howard Creech
Location: Louisville, KY
Reviews written: 333
Trusted by: 1274 members
About Me:
Photographer/Writer fascinated by Movies, Music, Books, American Diner Food, History, "Popular Culture", and Travel.
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