First shots with the 30D

[Cliff_Spicer]

Hi Mike,

Have you used a 20D much and did you notice the 30Ds autofocus is faster and more accurate than it? Have you tested it in low light to see how well it does. For me the 20D is a fine camera but the autofocus is hit and miss at best so hearing the 30D stacks up with your tests with the 1DII is encouraging.

Thanks,

Cliff

[RickVoight]

Mike,

Have you used your 30D for sports action shots? If so, how does the AF do in that situation?

Rick

[E_J_Peiker]

The 20D seems to have its biggest problem with subjects coming right at it in AI Servo. The algorithm seems to not quite keep up even with something relatively slow like a duck swiming toward you. The time lag between pushing the shutter button and the actual exposure and the time distance problem that the camera needs to solve to get accurate AF in this situation seems to often put the focus slightly behind the subject. It would be very interesting to see if the 30D's new AF algorithms correct for this lag better.

ny noticable difference in the focus? Also wht didn't you go for the 5D?
I tested the 5D at a Canon Pro show and was very dissapointed as even on the L lenses I got vinetting on all four corners of the frame, this only cleared at 24mm, so when Canon realeased the 30D I exchanged my 20D for it. I have found no problems with the auto focus, yesterday using the 30D with the 24-105mm and the 1Dmk11 with 16-35mm, I did not notice which camera I was using, and the 30D did a fine job. Regarding the lag factor, I believe Canon have made the 30D faster,but I would have only noticed if it had been slow which it certainly was not, but need to try it for motorsport perhaps at the weekend.

regards

Mike

[Jim_Larson]

Supposedly shutter lag has been reduced on the 30D. . .but honestly, I think the difference in a few 10s of milliseconds may be beyond human perception.

As for AF performance. . . .AF tweaks get a bare two-three sentence mention in the Canon 30D white paper. The camera *did not* get the 6 invisible AF points the 5D got (which were specifically intended to improve AI servo performance). The AF hardware between the 20D and 30D is identical. I would be highly surprised if any real improvement is present.

As for comparing the 30D to 1D-II AF. . . .the comments in this thread are at odds with other sources on the web. Note that the 1D-II actually has two processors to handle AF calculations. This move was done *purely* to improve AF calcs. (actually. . .I think one processor is for AF calcs, and the other processor does everything else. In the 20D/30D clones. . .one processor does all this work. Note that this is a seperate processor from the Digic II imaging chip which handles image conversion)

Regarding the 30D vs 5D -> Aside from the AF improvement noted above. . .I really think the only difference between the cameras is the lack of flash in the 5D and the improved sensor. For over double the price.