A memory card is not included with the camera.
Get a high-capacity memory card so you don't get caught without memory.
Canon's PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera raises the bar for optical zoom lenses--way, way up. This, ladies and gentlemen, is a 35x, 24-840mm equivalent, zoom lens, taking you from a true wide-angle to an ultra telephoto suitable for wildlife and sports photography and, who knows, maybe even pictures of the stars (just kidding about the astronomy pix, kids). And it comes with Canon's Optical Image Stabilizer so you'll be able to capture great shots even at super telephoto focal lengths without unseemly camera shake. A Zoom Framing Assist makes it easy to follow a moving subject, even using the super telephoto.
The lens uses a double-sided aspherical glass-molded lens, an ultra-high refraction index lens, enhanced negative refractive power, and UD glass to correct wide-angle distortion and suppress chromatic aberration. With 14.1MP, you'll get high resolution pictures, whether you're shooting landscapes, pictures of the kids, or those 2 blue herons on the other side of the lake.
The high resolution 2.7" Vari-Angle display screen makes it easy to frame and playback your photos and video--that's right, you also get gorgeous 720p HD video, which can be shot using image stabilization and full zoom, with stereo sound. There's also Advanced Smart AUTO, which recognizes and sets optimal settings for 23 pre-defined shooting situations. Canon's proprietary DIGIC 4 Image Processor delivers faster, more accurate noise reduction for better image quality, even at high ISO ratings. This little beauty is ready to go out and play.
| Imaging | |
|---|---|
| Resolution | Effective: 14.1 Megapixel, Actual Pixels: 14.5 Megapixel |
| Sensor | 1/2.3" CCD |
| File Formats | Still Images: JPEG |
| Max Resolution | 14MP: 4320 x 3240 |
| Image Stabilization | Optical, 3-Way |
| Optics | |
|---|---|
| Lens |
EFL: 4.3-150.5 mm (35mm equivalent: 24-840 mm) Aperture: f/2.7 (W) - 5.8 (T) to f/8 |
| Zoom | Optical: 35x |
| Focus Range | Normal: 2" (5.08 cm) - Infinity |
| Exposure Control | |
|---|---|
| ISO Sensitivity | Auto, 80-1600 |
| Shutter | 15 - 1/3200 sec |
| Exposure Metering | Center-weighted, Evaluative, Spot |
| Exposure Modes |
Modes: AE Lock Compensation: -2 EV to +2 EV (in 0.33 EV steps) |
| White Balance Modes | Auto, Cloudy, Daylight, Flash, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H, Tungsten |
| Burst Rate | Up to 1.3 fps at 14.1 MP |
| Self Timer | 2 Sec, 10 Sec |
| Interval Recording | Not Specified By Manufacturer |
| Remote Control | None |
| Flash | |
|---|---|
| Built-in Flash | Yes: Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, FE Lock, Flash On, Off, Slow Sync |
| Effective Flash Range | 1.6 - 19' (0.49 - 5.79 m) |
| External Flash Connection | Hot Shoe |
| Memory | |
|---|---|
| Memory Card Type |
SD SDHC SDXC MMC MMCplus |
| Recording | |
|---|---|
| Video Recording | Yes, NTSC/PAL |
| Video | |
|---|---|
| Video Clip Length | Up to 20 Minutes |
| Viewfinder/Display | |
|---|---|
| Screen | 2.7" LCD Rear Screen (230000 pixels) |
| Connectivity/System Requirements | |
|---|---|
| Connectivity | HDMI C (Mini), USB 2.0 |
| Environmental | |
|---|---|
| Operating/Storage Temperature |
Operating 32 to 104 °F (0 to 40 °C) Humidity: 10 - 90% |
| Power | |
|---|---|
| Battery | NB-7L Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack |
| AC Power Adapter | ACK-DC50 (Optional) |
| Physical | |
|---|---|
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 4.84 x 3.64 x 4.24" / 12.29 x 9.25 x 10.77 cm |
| Weight | 21.2 oz / 601 g |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviewsPros
Cons
Best Uses
Most Liked Positive Review
It's more and better than I expected
I lost my little Canon point-and-shoot back-up travel camera and looked to replace it. My use is mostly nature, wildlife and landscape photography as a sophisticated amateur, plus some people pictures both close up...Read complete review
I lost my little Canon point-and-shoot back-up travel camera and looked to replace it. My use is mostly nature, wildlife and landscape photography as a sophisticated amateur, plus some people pictures both close up and long range. I print to 11X17 on some occasions and crop images for enlargement, so a high number of pixels is important. Same, since images are often projected on large screen. Accurate color is important, too, but I can tolerate a little image distortion. I don't try to cure bad images, but do Photoshop some for exposure, contrast, and minor color tweaking. I test new equipment with home-made setups before taking it into the field.
I discovered the SX30 on this website and was impressed with the X35 optical zoom without loss of other features and decided to move up a notch, mostly because of the telephoto close to what I have for an SLR. I'm glad I did. I discovered that the new XS30 has more features on the menus than I had imagined, almost as many and varied as my favorite SLR cameras. Some are not easily accessed since getting to them is not intuitive, but I'm still learning. This is an objection since the user manual is on disk. I've printed a hard copy of parts so I can use some of the customizing features when overseas without access to a computer.
The automatic white balance works well enough for most work, but having custom white balance available is great. I have a home-made color chart I made for testing new films (I sure miss Kodachrome!) with a wide range of colors and surface textures and have been able to easily get images with the SX30 that reproduce the colors when printed. An unexpected feature on the camera is the ability to selectively intensify some colors at the time of shooting, such as emphasizing green to enhance foliage, or red for sunsets. Having the option of bracketing exposure is also useful for getting good color and evaluating it in the field (as well as you can on the on-camera screen).
I like the eye level viewfinder (although I wish the image appeared larger) since the camera is light weight and is much easier to hold steady than when using the large LCD screen. It's much easier to use the eye level viewfinder for steady image when taking movies. (I tested this only by moving the camera for different light levels and focal distances.) A rotatable screen ala a video camera is a real plus, too. I do find that the extreme zoom (840 mm equivalent) is beyond the ability of the image stabilizer to compensate for my unsteadiness. Bracing against something fixed helps, but a tripod or beanbag is almost essential at the high end.
I've used macro with the lens almost touching the object and get good sharp images with surprising depth of field. You can sometimes brace the edge of the lens housing against the object and have enough depth of field to get a good image. There's good depth of field in the mid-zoom range when shooting with only dim incandescent lighting. I test image sharpness and distortion by photographing an engineer's scale with fine graduations at a known distance and then enlarging the image. The SX30 did quite well when compared with a very good quality 300 mm zoom lens on an SLR.
I have not tested the camera for portrait type work. I have not tested flash much more than to know it works.
The focusing speed is a little weak, partly because the camera is deciding what to focus on if the scene is complex. (Spot focusing helps that.) It can also be slow activating the shutter after the button is pushed. The interval between exposures when bracketing is longer than I like, All of these may be issues when I am trying to capture moving wildlife. They also make image stabilization somewhat iffy since the camera may move before shutter activation.
The SX30 is heavier and bulkier than a cigarette-package size point-and-shoot for a backup camera, but the added features more than offset that. The customizing features and excellent images make this a suitable front line camera for many uses. When space and weight are tight, this camera could easily replace a good SLR with a bag of lenses.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
A little underwhelmed
Sorry, but I can't agree fully with my fellow reviewers. I've been a dedicated Canon camera for years, having owned the 20D, 40D and 50D, along with many Canon lenses.
Read complete review
Sorry, but I can't agree fully with my fellow reviewers. I've been a dedicated Canon camera for years, having owned the 20D, 40D and 50D, along with many Canon lenses.
However, there are times that when doing outdoor activities, I don't want to lug around a lot of weight and for many years have carried the S5-IS and later the SX-10IS. I purchased the SX30IS primarily for the long lens capability and the 14mp sensor. So far, after about 300 images, I'm disappointed. Image noise is no better that the 8mp sensor in the S5-IS and image sharpness is no better either. In fact, withe the SX-30 IS, I have found it necessary to use the Topaz plug-in feature in PhotoShop to gain acceptable images.
Also, I want to echo one reviewer regarding the instruction manual. I don't want to have to refer to an e-manual every time I have a question. OK Canon, charge a few bucks more and include the manual! Having said the foregoing, I will say that if the user has owned previous PowerShot cameras, it doesn't take long to become proficient with the SX-30IS.
Here's a feature that I like: when zooming to the extreem, it's easy to loose the subject, and the quick zoom out and in is pretty neat.
I'll edititoralize just a little more if you please. I have have hoped for many years that Canon would relize that there's a niche market for a camera that's in between the Rebel and the PowerShot series, that is, one that is easily portable,with a decent size sensor, capabile of long focal lengths, manual focusing, and other quality features and in the $500.00 range. I don't think I'm alone with this proposal.
Bottom line: the SX-30IS is a pretty good camera but for me at least, Canon missed the mark.
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 275 customers
Sort by
Displaying reviews 1-20
Previous | Next »
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
Amazing ZOOM, purchased for daughter (18)to teach, Iam a pro and this is better than my $$$ pro camera.
No lenses to change for the perfect image. Easy to program and can take anywhere without the buldge of addtional lenses etc.. Great for teaching,easy use. Now I want one!!!!!
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
The best compact digital SLR for the money giving you what you need for any situation without having to carry a bag full of accessories.
Zoom - absolutely phenomenal. Fill your viewfinder with an object 1000 feet way.
Complete capability - from fully automatic to manual with preset options for almost any lighting condition.
Take action shots, 8 frames with one push of the shutter button and full 1020p video with stereo sound.
If your passion is photography and you want professional looking results, this is the camera for you.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
I hope to enjoy with this camera, I´m liking to learn its use
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
My previous camera was a point and shoot, and with this purchase, I was looking for something more, but still at a good price. I just took this camera on holiday, and I was able to take some wonderful photos. I am very happy with my choice.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
zooming is a pleasure, it catches low light very well;very long battery life, I bought an extra battery which I never use !
the only downside is that it does have very little preprogrammed buttons like 'fireworks' etc; you have to figure out by yourself what to use, also some fancy stuff like colored filters or see your shot in drawing are not included. It is a very serious camera for those who have already taken pictures with the pre-digital age cameras!
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
My last camera was a Cannon digital point and shoot which worked very well but was very limited. When I accidentally ran it through the washing machine, I thought it was time to get a good camera. After doing some online research, I knew this SX30 IS was the camera for me. I have had it less than a month and I am still learning about it. So far I have used it to take beautiful shots around our lake house and of the grand kids. I plan to use it to take a lot of shots of wildlife on the lake from a kayak and boat - eagles, osprey, kingfishers, cormorants, egrets, great blue herons, beaver, deer and whatever else I can find.I have found this camera very easy to use and I love the zoom lens - lets you get shots you simply could not get otherwise. I see I will need a tripod for the longer range shots. When I hold the camera still and allow it time to focus, the picture quality is great. It takes very little time to get the camera out of the case and get a good shot. Haven't shot any movies yet, but I like that it has that capability. For the price, this is a great camera.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
This is my first compact camera with a DSLR-like body and I´m loving it. It is very easy to use from the start. The image quality is amazing, the video recording is great and the features are simply incredible. I know that Canon has realeased the SX 40, which has 1080 HD video, but so far this camera has been great. All my friends who have professional cameras love this one when I show it to them. Great buy!
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
I have owned at least ten Canon cameras, eight of them digital, and bought them as gifts for friends and family. The S2, S3, an S5 were wonderful cameras. The SX30 - never have I gotten such a worthless piece of equipment. (1) When browsing through the menu settings the camera randomly experiences a software error and tells me it is shutting down. (2) The auto-focus rattles as it goes in and out of focus randomly. (3) After locking onto a subject and pressing the shutter button, the image jumps diagonally off-center, resulting in off-center images. (4) A third of the images have a dark arc across one corner, as if the image stabilizer has shifted the view so far over that the barrel of the lens is blocking part of the image. This one is going back. Shamefully poor quality control.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
The equipment became part of our travel luggage. Very useful and important, because my wife records every time, in addition to recording in high definition. We were very pleased with the purchase. It was worth it. We use both in moments of leisure, and business.
Sorry some mistakes in English but not speak and write very well.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
get both portraits of your family and detailed shots of local wildlife
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
Excellent camera, easy to use, amazing zoom.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
Am still in the throes of learning all about my new PoweShot SX30 IS, but am already seeing many features that I like that are a step up from regular point-and-shoot cameras. I'm looking forward to using it more, and trying out the different photo settings available.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
I'm typically a Nikon user, but needing a nice point and shoot at work with a hot shoe so I went with the Canon. I LOVE IT! Once I got on to the difference in controls, it works great! I'm using it in an industrial, low light setting so I wanted a hot shoe in case I needed more light. I've had more than enough light and the imagines are wonderful. Love being able to snap photos while shooting video as well and the 32X is great!
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
taking pictures of beautiful places, family and good moments.
The zoom is amazing and very easy to use.
lcd screen could be bigger
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
The camera is used almost exclusively for everyday personal photography, much of it given to travel photos. The lens is especially noteworthy. It is outstanding in resolution, and its range is impressive. I have found the shutter response to be quicker than I would like, sometimes shooting when I expected it to be focusing. Perhaps that's a matter of finger pressure, but it has resulted in some unnecessarily wasted shots. It is definitely superior to similar cameras with which I have worked.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
It´s not that easy too use
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
Really easy to use. Like the fact it has a separate view finder from the LCD. Like the telephoto. No focus problems.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
I bought this camera because it was the least expensive required for a photography class I'm taking. Though I have lots to learn about it, I love the clear pictures and videos. Much better than the point & shoot I've used for the past 5 years. I take lot of pictures of my family and especially grandchildren.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
Machine, excellent quality because the picture is perfect.
It has an amazing zoom.
Great for making a semi-professional.
Easy handling and manuals in several languages.
I recommend everyone to see.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Canon PowerShot SX30 IS Digital Camera:
This little camera should be called the Powerful Punch! I'm still learning about the camera, but am very pleased with my results so far.
Displaying reviews 1-20
Previous | Next »