Should I upgrade from the Canon 10D to the EOS 30D?

This is a pretty common question from current owners of the Canon 10D. The general consensus seems to be a big, resounding YES! after some 30D vs 10D factors are taken into consideration.

1. Darin Genereux says that the 30D has a better LCD screen that renders a more consistent image regardless of the viewing angle; the 10D kinda suffered in this regard
2. Unlike the 10D, the 30D stores all images in one folder. Speed of operation is faster with the 30D. The 30D is lighter but just as solid as the 10D. Big LCD and noise-free ISO 400 and 800 are huge plusses.
3. Jack replaced two 20D bodies with two 30D units and finds that the 30D outperforms the 20D – it probably can be concluded that the 30D outperforms the 10D too
4. Better AF and metering capabilities on the 30D
5. 5 fps (frames-per-second), instant on (10D took 2-3 seconds), larger LCD and a larger memory buffer are compelling reasons
6. OK – this point is from me, and I want to say that first and foremost, I have never owned any Canon DSLRs but have seen many, many pictures on the Canon forums. Pictures taken with the 30D using flash are miles ahead of the 10D in terms of white balance and exposure. Most 10D images with flash have a sickening yellowish cast to them, and are overexposed more often than not. Not so with the 30D -the flash output is nicely balanced and the pictures have great colour and exposure. An important point if you do lots of event and wedding photography.

And then, there are 10D owners who decided not to upgrade because:

1. The 30D feels too small in comparison with the 10D
2. Improvement in image quality isn't significant enough for the type of photography that they do

So, have you decided to get a new 30D?

Archive of comments from the old Canon 30D blog

1. Steve M. Says:
   

   June 16th, 2006 at 1:46 am

   I just upgraded from a 10D to a 30D, and I'm happy with this admittedly expensive decision. Last week, I returned from a 10-day vacation to Hawaii where I took over 300 shots with my 10D. Picture quality was its usual excellent. However, the refusal of the computer to wake itself up at critical moments (like when the helicopter suddenly banked into a Maui canyon) was extremely frustrating, and the autofocus occasionally faked itself out and focused on the wrong subject in the frame. Hence the camera upgrade. The 30D re-awakens immediately, and the ability to quickly and easily select a focusing point is welcome to my old eyes.

2. Dale Says:
   

   August 11th, 2006 at 9:27 am

   I also upgraded to the 30, and still own my 10D's Sold my 20's and got the 30, it is as the others said better focus than the 20 or 10, better flash than the 10, 30 seems to feel not as solid as the 10 but none the less good in the hands. It also has for settings a more steeper approach to sharpening, images look better out of cam. Many features to consider on the upgrade, yet if you want to wait on the next model of the 30 it will be out soon.

3. Tom Says:
   

   August 13th, 2006 at 2:07 am

   I have the D30 and the 10D I have been thinking about the 30D. What info do you have about the next 30D? When do you think it will be announced? Thank you, Tom