The small-screen adequacy of 24 mm focal length of the SX 30 IS makes spontaneous fun. The S 3 with about 35 mm wide-angle adequacy was always a little weak. Finally you have to set the default situation without the possibility of assembly and elaborate image processing as normal basis.
If you get then offered the enormous power of a 35x zoom, then the eyes to shine. Since it gets! Posted close ran what is impalpable away. Quick one realizes that in the border area which pushes forward with a small-screen adequacy of 840 mm focal length, which is to keep out of his hand yet. A clean cut choice - and to be able to cope on multiple shots - is there already a lot of the actual challenge. These 840 mm are a wonderful portrait focal length: One is a little too far from his "victims" away, but finally has the blurred background, who is known by the small picture: the short focal lengths of bridge cameras also bring an ever greater depth of field with is that you do not always want to have! On the other hand you now struggling hard with the thin lance (the close of the field of view at this focal length after all is) to keep his victim well in the picture. That was in the KB range with the classic "portrait" -Brennweiten 135-200 mm, thus to 300 mm considerably lighter from his hand.
Depending on the background falls on the longest optical focal length (150.5 mm = 840 mm as KB-adequacy) very uncomfortable on what you want in the viewfinder or on the display have not yet true - but then at least can no longer be overlooked on the screen: corner shadow! The points are deducted!
Especially since my tests have shown that this corner shadows hint already at round 240 mm KB-adequacy (and that's not much focal length!). Something I did not know from Canon. Neither one day in the FD program, still in the PowerShot S3 IS. As quickly makes the specter of bad buy in brain widely: Of course, the camera is "not expensive", but (compared to a system camera with 14,9x22,3 mm chip, not even to speak of 24 x 36 mm!) then too expensive to fully engage next!
So now with ease, from capture to image processing ...
First of all, the processing technology of the two bridge cameras, because that is the basis of some of the following considerations. The one and the other camera offers no aspect ratio of 2: 3 to as small screen with 24 x 36 mm or digital SLR photography with the smaller chip of 14.9 x 22.3 mm. But the picture formats of the PowerShot-series offer an aspect ratio of 3:. 4 With 29.8 x 39.7 cm (at 180 pxl / inch), the S 3 is already doing well, the SX 30 holds 45,7 x 61,0 cm, however. The resolution of 180 pxl / inch is sufficient for the domestic as well as for professional inkjet plotters. Print Center or copy shops offer their plotters (which also inkjets are, so that the cracking sharpness is missing here as well and in detail "blurred" image results which result are) all the way, one or other "quality" photo in large format at to get the wall.
At this point, you can already be aptly enough, even bear in mind that the sensor (if you consider that to be here by now mastered 14 MPXL) is pitifully small: It should be measured mathematically 4.65 x 6.2 mm.
An EOS with a sensor of 14.9 x 22.3 mm would yield with comparable pixel yield 48.5 megapixels! In fact such. B. makes an EOS 60 D nominally 19, 18 effectively MPXL. The smaller the individual pixel is, the more susceptible it is also for interference. Even here is purely physical, a compromise to discover which one offers or expects of the user of a bridge camera.
The corner shadows really are a nuisance because they are right to recognize not only good in the perfectly blue sky, but falls very disturbing even on cloudy days on. Also, at least all the troubled but bright backgrounds can not hide this corner shadow.
In the longest optical focal length but an image section of 30 x 40 cm is fine. Since it is then at 6 MPXL which is also known by the S 3 - and then even with an effective Survey adequacy of 1,280 mm! It is also just directly depending on the subject or background, whether the corner shadows interfere at all. If the shadows do not matter: 150.5 mm optical, the mentioned 840 mm KB-adequacy, with an effective resolution of 14.0 MPXL.
If you need more telephoto, get an up to 4-times digital zoom at the SX 30. In the viewfinder, the advanced zoom is available in 6 steps (35 times = maximum optical zoom): 44x, 58x, 74x, 95x, 118x, 140x. The results are okay, but should not be overstated, of course: All are correspondingly enlarged excerpts from the 840 mm telephoto setting without additional image information. Nevertheless Kudos to the results, because even with the 4-fold magnification (which is a KB-adequacy of 3360 mm!) Is the result of slightly superior to a later 4-fold magnification on the computer later. In digital enlarged 4 times the problem with the corner shadows, so quite casually, then again quite fixed.
The sluggish autofocus is a problem in portraits, as with snapshots or in sports photography. This is a problem with the image resolution - not to bring it opposite a mirror reflex camera with the smaller chip (see above) still from 3.5 times shorter focal length almost the same image information out (SX 30 with 14 MPXL against eg. EOS 60 D with 18 MPXL). I had to get the opportunity with an EOS 20 and a 18-135 mm zoom in portrait and reportage work area (because you know then - because you have experienced it yourself - like autofocus can really go!).
It may be that the Sport setting helps, which is described in the manual. For long-focus shots should be able to set the focus area in excess of 10 m. I tested is not that. I tested the behavior of the SX 30 IS with the longest focal length, when the foreground is about 20 to 25 meters, the background motif but around 200 to 300 m. Since the camera does not just change the focus quickly resolved between foreground and background! And movement hinders focus capability of the camera significantly! This is a good deal but contrary to the claim of the manufacturer, with the camera to be able to cover sports photography.
The mentioned problem with the resolution is also visible in the image result. Also part of the compromise that offers a bridge camera or exacts. After all: What is on offer ranges for the screen all the time - and for inkjet prints (on home printer as well as the professional plotter) reaches the stored image quality.
A certain noise (as they call this digital phenomenon, its equivalent to conventional film graininess) is omnipresent. Will say: It is also found in 80 ASA. One finds it when the image on 100 - considered view on the screen -%. But since you are talking about the large lobe of 45.7 x 61.0 cm at 180 pxl / customs! So you can edit images. But with this resolution does not even considered it his pictures on the worst possible screen. And for printing: For the inkjet technology of fine soft-focus effect, so to speak "system-immanent", on the other hand smoothes this noise again is.
But now something positive to Noise: There is no longer the big leap that one should avoid if you want to have good image results.
In S 3, it was still not to exceed the threshold of 200 ASA if possible. From 400 ASA the noise was unbearable, and the color reproduction was quite real the drain (not just because of poor lighting conditions, but in fact even with the same lighting conditions, when z. B. wanted to use the higher sensitivity for faster shutter speeds!). This is better managed in the SX 30. Of course, the high light sensitivities are a reserve. But one must also not avoid them like the plague. Because 400-ASA-photos you can now dare quiet favor the shutter speed when, for example, the long focal length it demands (the color rendering is slightly thinner, but has not yet shifted relevant: you simply corrected a little about the Gradation *).. At 1600 ASA color reproduction is unfortunately postponed (slight color correction on yellow and magenta brings the "liveliness" back *); the stronger noise contributes practically only in the blur really felt more on.
It seems to have learned a lot here from the "real" cameras of the EOS series.
* This is even without horrendously expensive professional tools of photo editing!
A big step forward is the image stabilizer. The S 3 IS was according to the manufacturer. But camera shake in low light conditions or long focal lengths were still on the agenda. Only because of the longer focal lengths is one such image stabilizer in the SX 30 IS of course a useful affair ... he works for. And it works! In any case, significantly better than the S 3 IS. Somewhere also limits the digital image stabilization are then set course. So, if you violate the principles in dealing with focal length and shutter speed, then you should do it in spite of the image stabilizer aware and not curse at too gröblichen challenges equal to the camera.
The macro setting of S 3 was restrictive - and exciting. Restrictive because they only worked at the shortest focal length, just 6.0 mm or the small-screen adequacy of 33.5 mm. Not just what is generally well suited for macro photography. Rather a workaround. On the one hand this is an optical problem, because the proportional exaggeration of all that is the lens closest to is not necessarily suitable for macro photos. On the other hand I managed extensive photos of diverse fungi in truly dynamic and exciting photographs.
Macro photography with 24 mm focal length, so actually with 4.3 mm - that's no longer so. Because the lens focuses on the subject. And the strong wide-angle effect is there even more inappropriate. Exceeding the shortest focal length only slightly, the camera jumps immediately on to the shortest focusing distance of 30 cm.
But what finally comes, is macro photography with adequate longer focal lengths. Because to adequately 135 mm the minimum focus distance is 30 cm. Because some in it!
Insects on flowers, the flowers themselves, mosses, stones, spinning in the window corner ... Finally: For example, pictures of locomotives, photos Station scenes on the model railroad. Or whatever interested in the field of table-top. If it's not enough, then you go into the cutout: 30 x 40 cm, nearly DIN A3, with then still 6 MPXL should probably at resolution sufficient for exciting productions the world in miniature.
And just here, for photographing the tripod from the SX has 30 get a plus point for the journey, which was just not particularly well done: the manual focus. Manual focus enables not only to put the sometimes downright perplexed autofocus override, but also creates the basis for a creative use of focal planes just at close range! The disadvantage of manual focus: He is out electronically; the Einstellwege on the dial at the back of the camera are almost endless. Manual focus is therefore unfortunately really only suitable for pictures that you can take leisurely and a lot of time.
So if you realize when shooting out of hand, that the autofocus is not clear to the shooting situation, so you can not escape, unfortunately, often in manual focus in and take control.
Resolved also not really happy is the power of the camera. The S 3 had an effective Einschaltverhinderung so that the camera never turned on accidentally while they transported. Because that would arise unintentionally pressing the detent button and simultaneously a rotary movement on the power switch, was really sufficiently improbable. If the camera was, then it was reliable.
Whether the simple toggle switch that allows the SX 30 is awakened from sleep, which also makes is, sometimes an open question. Because the dependence of two shifts each other no longer exists.
Very positive in the handling but: One can in the switched-mode sometimes just very straightforward check the image results and once again move on to record 'without (such as in the S 3 is required.) Turn off the camera and switch the view mode must be.
Doubt on my part the battery apply. But perhaps entirely unjustified.
The special battery, Canon NB-7L, is a customized development. Gone are the days, because you 4 batteries AA and at its option, the capacity endowed by the camera with plenty of power (and if it was sometimes wrong, every gas station had once just extra batteries; or you look at replacement batteries took on the Emergency equal with). In the SX 30 IS only custom battery fit (to whom it is to taste, which can take dirt-cheap third-party batteries for mainly the type number is correct).
Simple arithmetic exercises: 4 AA batteries (1.5V nominally, actually probably about 1.2 V), which I had bought with 2.7 Ah, rendered theoretically 13 Wh capacity. The NB-7L with 7.4V and only 1.05 Ah is getting to a mere 7.8 Wh. Because I am ever glad that I did the same to me a replacement battery can come. Even if the camera should have learned to save energy: The camera but also works longer - more on Zoom (due to the larger focal range), and even more the focus (because of frequent problems, adjust the focus - what is still possible through the generous range of focal lengths yes worse is). Because I just feel better when it's cold or when I'm long on the road to have a spare battery in your pocket.
+++ My conclusion:
Buy recommendation! The Canon PowerShot SX 30 IS is a bridge camera that offers a price-performance compromise feasible. But you have to be aware that you can for little money buys so some compromise with a bridge camera - and must be accepted. Do we know that, and you can arrange it, then that's fine.
Otherwise just goes EOS. Here Canon facilitates entry by was derived with the 600 D of the 60 D an entry-level model for less money (both have the rotatable in the same manner and swiveling mirror as well as the SX 30 IS, which is very helpful for creative photography! ). In connection with at least one, but useful zoom (18-135 mm) one puts then but already twice as much money back for a much smaller focal lengths spectrum. Therefore, soon not with drags from among three lenses, who once entered the EOS-world.
This is then also back as an advantage that you shop with the compromises of a bridge camera: a camera in the bag - everything in it.
