CCD sensor with 14.10 effective megapixels

At the heart of the PowerShot SX30 IS is a CCD sensor with about 14.10 effective megapixels. The combination of this sensor and an RGB filter allows the camera to produce high quality photos as large as 4320 × 3240 pixels. This is enough detail to make crisp enlargements up to A2 size.

High-quality 35x zoom lens

We developed a new f/2.7 – f/5.8 35x zoom lens with a 35mm-film-equivalent focal length range of 24 – 840mm especially for the PowerShot SX30 IS. The lens construction is 13 elements in 10 groups, including one High UD lens element, one UD lens element, and one double-sided aspherical lens element arranged in five moving groups.

To prevent the lens from getting too large, we used a rear-focus design, which virtually eliminated all lens aberrations while allowing the finished lens to be quite compact, despite its 35x zoom range.

Lens-shift image stabilizer

The PowerShot SX30 IS is equipped with a lens-shift image stabilizer to minimize the effects of camera shake on image quality while shooting. The stabilizer’s optimized gyrosensor and control circuitry gives the photographer the equivalent of as much as a 4.5-stop gain in shutter speed and effectively counters camera shake even when shooting at super-telephoto focal lengths.

Image stabilization for movies (Dynamic IS)

The camera uses Dynamic IS to minimize the effect of camera shake on image quality while shooting movies. Dynamic IS is particularly effective at stabilizing vibrations at the wide-angle end.

By enlarging the shift mechanism’s range of movement at the wide-angle end to be as large as at the telephoto end and by widening correction angle (i.e., the amount of camera-shake correction) at the wide-angle end, we managed to reduce camera shake even more than before, especially when walking and shooting movies at shorter focal lengths.

Optical zoom functions while shooting movies with no loss in HDTV quality

The optical zoom can be used while shooting movies. As a result, users can enjoy recording movies at super-telephoto focal lengths of up to 840mm (35mm-equivalent focal length) with no loss in HDTV quality.

DIGIC 4 provides high-quality image processing

i-Contrast

Continuous AF

Servo AF / Servo AE

Precise AE and AWB using iSAPS technology

Advanced Smart Auto mode

In the Auto shooting mode, the camera automatically detects shooting conditions and subject type and selects the most appropriate settings. The PowerShot SX30 IS adds six more auto-detection scenes to the SX20 IS’s 22 for a total of 28 scenes. Table 1 lists the detection scenes and their icons.

Table 1: Smart Auto for still images

• *1. Appears when the scene is dark and the camera is attached to a tripod or otherwise fixed.
• *2. Icons selected from the detected scenes are shown as appropriate.
• Note that in some scenes, the displayed icon may differ from the actual scene.

More scene modes

The SX30 IS includes a number of new scene modes introduced on our 2010 models, including Smart Shutter, Super Vivid, Poster Effect, Fish-eye Effect, and Miniature Effect, in addition to the PowerShot SX20 IS’s shooting modes.

Low Light shooting mode with manual control over exposure compensation and white balance

The Low Light shooting mode can shoot vivid pictures while keeping blown highlights and lost shadow detail in control even when shooting at night or in dark rooms. The camera automatically adjusts the ISO speed after accounting for the ambient brightness, subject movement, and camera shake. This mode also gives users manual control over the exposure compensation and white balance so they can tailor the results to suit their creative intentions.

Note that in this shooting mode, the ISO speed is adjusted between ISO 400 and 6400 and that the image size is fixed at 1600 x 1200, or approximately 2.0 megapixels.

Zoom Framing Assist

Zoom Framing Assist is a new function that takes advantage of the quiet USM zoom drive and the quiet and fast VCM focus drive to ensure the subject is properly framed when shooting at long focal lengths.

When the Zoom Framing button is pressed, the lens quickly zooms out to a preset wide-angle position. After repositioning the subject in the frame, releasing the Zoom Framing button lets the lens zoom back in to the original zoom position (Figure 1).

This function is extremely useful when shooting at super-telephoto distances because it allows the user to quickly recapture subjects that tend to stray out of the frame.

Frame 1: Zoom Framing Assist (simulated images)

Smart Flash Exposure

A new function for our spring 2010 models, the SX30 IS’s Smart Flash Exposure* controls flash levels and camera settings according to the shooting conditions, providing the right amount of flash to ensure naturally exposed shots. This mode uses the scene detection function to accurately gauge the distance to the main subject, the subject’s reflectance, and other shooting conditions.

The maximum flash synchro speed has been increased from 1/500s to 1/2000s. This faster speed prevents underexposing the main subject, which tends to happen with daytime synchro, by limiting the aperture to maximum.

*This function does not work with external flash units.

Movie shooting with even more functionality

As with the PowerShot SX20 IS, users can start recording a movie by pressing the Movie button while shooting still images. Conversely, the Photo-in-Movie function captures a still image while recording a movie.

Furthermore, when the Mode dial is set to Auto, pressing the Movie button has the camera automatically detect the scene and select the most appropriate settings in the same way as Auto for still images. Table 2 lists the detection scenes and their icons.

The movie function also supports high-definition recordings (1280 x 720 pixels, 30fps, stereo audio) and the Miniature Effect.

Table 2: Smart Auto for movies

• *1. Appears when the scene is dark and the camera is attached to a tripod or otherwise fixed.
• Note that in some scenes, the displayed icon may differ from the actual scene.

Two custom shooting modes (C1 and C2)

Selectable first/second-curtain flash synchronization

Focus bracketing/AE bracketing

My Colors customization

Smart Shuffle

Favorite tag for easier picture searching and browsing

Expanded focusing range

Because we expanded the AF focusing range to 5cm to infinity in almost all shooting modes (0cm to infinity in Auto mode), users can shoot at point-blank range without switching to Macro mode.

2.7-inch Vari-Angle LCD monitor with 230,000 pixels

The PowerShot SX30 IS uses a 2.7-inch Vari-Angle LCD (Photo 2) with a 4:3 aspect ratio as its monitor. The Clear View LCD V monitor has a resolution of about 230,000 pixels, a wide viewing angle, and excellent color reproduction.

Note that the PowerShot SX30 IS also uses a small 202,000-pixel LCD for the viewfinder.

Scroll display that can be used with index playback

Auto pop-up flash

On-screen instructions for customizing and saving shooting parameters

Customizable My Menu screen for frequently used shooting options

Shutter sounds are linked to the actual shutter speed

Range-specified bulk printing, protecting, and deleting

Control dial

Playback button

Custom info display

Supports PictBridge

Able to add images to the DPOF print list

Able to enjoy the Canon iMAGE GATEWAY Web site

HDMI connector

Filter adapter

The FA-DC67A filter adapter* (Photo 3) is designed so that protection filters, , circular polarization filters, , and others can be used. The FA-DC67A makes it possible to attach genuine Canon 67mm filters intended for EOS SLR cameras. Attached filters can be used while zooming.

*The FA-DC67A filter adapter can also be used with the PowerShot SX1 IS, SX10 IS, and SX20 IS.

Accepts EX Speedlite flashes and accessories

Because it comes with a hot shoe,*1 the PowerShot SX30 IS can be used with EX Speedlite flashes (Photo 4), such as the 580EX II, 430EX II, and 270EX, and the ST-E2 Speedlite transmitter (Photo 5) just like EOS Digital cameras.*2

*1. A rubber hot shoe cap protects the hot shoe terminal.
*2. The SB-E2 Speedlite bracket and the OC-E3 off-camera shoe cord can also be attached.

Supports a rechargeable lithium-ion battery

The PowerShot SX20 IS used AA alkaline cells, but the PowerShot SX30 IS uses a NB-7L rechargeable lithium-ion battery. This battery increases the number of per-charge shots* and is lighter by about 40 grams.

*Per-charge shots (with the LCD monitor on)
PowerShot SX30 IS: ~370
PowerShot SX20 IS: ~340

Accepts Eye-Fi cards

The SX30 IS supports wireless communications using an Eye-Fi card — a memory card with wireless LAN connectivity — for wireless transfers to computers or online photo services.*

*The PowerShot SX30 IS is not guaranteed to support Eye-Fi card functions (including wireless transfer). Also note that an approval is required to use Eye-Fi cards in many countries or regions. Without approval, use of the card is not permitted.

Case for the hot shoe cap

To prevent losing the hot shoe cap while using the hot shoe, the SX30 IS comes with a special case for the cover that attaches to the camera strap.

Camera case

The specially designed PSC-2250 soft case (Photo 6) is available as an option to protect the camera body.

Exif 2.3 support

The PowerShot SX30 IS offers support for Exif 2.3, the latest Exif version released in April 2010. For details on the changes in the new version, see the Camera & Imaging Products Association website at
http://www.cipa.jp/english/hyoujunka/kikaku/pdf/DC-008-2010_E.pdf.

LH-DC60 lens hood

This concludes our look at the PowerShot SX30 IS this month. Table 3 lists the main specifications of the PowerShot SX30 IS. Photo 7 illustrates the kit components that come with the camera. There is no suggested retail price for the PowerShot SX30 IS.

Photo 7: PowerShot SX30 IS and its kit components