Whatever
the future holds for the development of digital SLR cameras, Canon's
EOS D30 will remain a milestone in the history of photography as
the first SLR to employ a CMOS sensor.
Although
the Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor
(CMOS) has held great promise, until the arrival of Canon's EOS D30, it
has been relegated to less demanding applications because of technical
imperfections and a tendency to generate noisy images. As a result, manufacturers
have relied on the less noisy and more costly CCD (Charge Coupled
Device) as the sensor of choice for digital cameras; and in particular,
with high-end SLRs.
Canon's primary accomplishment
with the EOS D30 is to successfully use CMOS technology and eliminate
noise using three new techniques: on-chip noise reduction which minimizes
pixel variations along with noise; complete pixel charge transfer for
random noise control; and on-chip analogue processing for noise reduction
and high-speed signal readout.
The result of all this development work is the first application of a
CMOS in a digital SLR; resulting in a camera with a price that is quite
literally thousands of dollars less that any other digital SLR currently
on the market.
In terms of ergonomics, the D30 is genuine EOS. Equipped with a full panoply
of program modes and creative functions and a similar appearance to other
EOS cameras, only the 1.8" LCD screen on the back identifies it as
a digital camera.
The
top left of the D30 supports the Mode Dial, and immediately behind
and below on the back, the On-Off switch.
The Mode Dial is divided into 2 areas Canon calls the "Program
Modes" and the "Creative Modes". The Program
Modes start at the "Green Mode",
a fully automatic mode, and continue with Portrait; Landscape;
Close-up; Sports; and Night Scene. The Creative Modes
are on the other side of the Green mode and comprise Program; Shutter
Priority; Aperture Priority; Full Manual; and Depth
of Field Priority.
One
of the most important features of an SLR is its TTL
viewfinder, and Canon has provided a bright, near full-frame finder
with a 95% coverage, and an eyepoint of 20mm. On its side a dioptric adjustment
can be applied over a range of -3 to +1.
A green LCD readout, below the viewfinder, indicates shutter speed; aperture;
metering; exposure compensation; autofocus lock; focusing area; flash;
high speed synch; and an assortment of camera functions such as Busy (data
processing); CF Card Full and Card Error, should that ever happen.
A viewfinder
cap is provided with the camera. The cap attaches to the neck strap and
is for use during long exposures, when light might leak through to the
sensor from the viewfinder and ruin the exposure.
The
right side of the D30 is fitted with a large LCD display that clearly
indicates just about all of the camera's active settings.
The EOS D30 is also equipped with a built-in pop-up flash that is electronically
controlled and opens automatically in the Program modes, while it can
be manually raised in the Creative modes.
Above it, Canon has provided a flash shoe that is fully compatible with
Canon flash units: ST-E2, 220EX, 420EX, 550EX
and the special Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX.
The
back of the D30 provides an easy to use layout of controls, mostly clustered
around its 1.8" LCD screen.
A
vertical row of buttons is placed below the power switch. These are used
to call up the camera menu, obtain information on camera settings and
photos, followed by tools for use in playback. Below the screen, a separate
Delete button is provided for fast image deletion.
On the right of the screen, a large multifunction dial is used to make
changes to camera settings, move up and down in the menus, or change camera
settings when shooting.
A host
of accessories is available for the EOS D30. One of them is a combination
long lasting battery and vertical grip (BG-ED3) that attaches to the
bottom of the camera. The grip provides a vertical shutter release,
an additional Main Dial, and an AE Lock button plus a Focusing Point
Selector, to enhance the usability of the camera when taking vertical
shots.
,
a fully automatic mode, and continue with Portrait; Landscape;
Close-up; Sports; and Night Scene. The Creative Modes
are on the other side of the Green mode and comprise Program; Shutter
Priority; Aperture Priority; Full Manual; and Depth
of Field Priority. 
