Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Cameras, Lenses and Shooting gear => Topic started by: macgyver on August 04, 2006, 12:47:34 am

Title: 30D noise
Post by: macgyver on August 04, 2006, 12:47:34 am

I've heard that some of the early copies of the 30D had various issues with poorer than should be noise.  I know that most, if not all, early copies of cameras have one issue or another (D200 banding, etc) that is worked out worked out pretty quick.

I hate to even ask such a question here, but I'm thinking of buying a 30d fairly soon, and I really don't want to have to exchange copies looking for a good one (especially with something that is fairly subjective and which I have no standard to compare).  As far as any of you know, has this been worked out, is it safe, etc?

Thanks all.

-mac

Title: 30D noise
Post by: oldcsar on August 04, 2006, 01:24:32 am

I picked up my 30D a couple days ago as an upgrade to my 300D. It came with the latest firmware (1.0.4) preinstalled, so it's likely that it's not an 'early copy.' It's nothing but exceptional... the extra options, the bigger LCD screen, the larger and clearer viewfinder, etc...

the best thing is that the noise is very clean. I would say that even ISO3200 is fairly usable without noise reduction, even more usable with noise reduction software, and is roughly equivalent to ISO1600 on the Rebel, but with less chroma noise. VERY low amounts of chroma noise at high ISO, and manages to retain plenty of fine detail. ISO1600 on the 30D is close to ISO800 on the Rebel, and so on. I would say that my model's noise matches dpreview's photographic tests under the 30D review.

Title: 30D noise
Post by: John Sheehy on August 04, 2006, 08:33:33 am

Quote

I've heard that some of the early copies of the 30D had various issues with poorer than should be noise.
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I've inspected the RAW files of several 30D owners who complained about noise, and the noise was exactly the same in each, and the same as all normal 20Ds at any given ISO.  If there are any differences, it is due to default conversion parameters, picture styles, atc, and not "the camera", per se.  Some cameras seemed to exhibit under-exposure, especially in high-contrast scenes, compared to owners' previous Canon DSLRs.  If you learn your camera and how to expose it to the right, you shouldn't have any problems from the camera.

If the camera under-exposes routinely, though, you don't get a full +2 of real exposure compensation.

Title: 30D noise
Post by: macgyver on August 06, 2006, 10:15:34 pm

Thank you both, it's good to hear both things, especially since it's the 300D i have now.