Canon EOS D30 Digital SLRCanon's first digital SLR packs 3 megapixels of CMOS sensor into a speedy, compact body! (Smallest/lightest digital SLR as of August, 2000)<<Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests :(Previous) | (Next): Camera Modes & Menus>> Page 9:User InterfaceReview First Posted: 8/27/2000 |
User Interface
The D30's user interface is very similar to that of a traditional 35mm SLR film
camera, with the exception of the LCD monitor on the back panel. Current users
of Canon EOS SLRs should immediately feel at home. We generally comment on whether
or not a camera's controls permit single-handed operation, but in the case of
pro-level cameras like the D30, this is much less of a consideration, since
the cameras' bulk and typical shooting scenarios generally demand the use of
two hands anyway. We greatly appreciated the fact that the basic exposure controls
are adjustable through the external camera control buttons and dials, greatly
reducing your dependence on the rear-panel LCD menu system. The ability to program
the Set button for quick changes of menu items such as ISO speed, image quality,
and parameters even further reduces reliance on the LCD menu. When you do venture
into the menu system, all of the camera's playback and setup options are available
in all shooting modes, although the erase, index display, image information,
and playback zoom functions are only available in Playback mode. Overall, we
found the D30's user interface straightforward and efficient, although the number
of options controlled by a relatively small number of buttons does require some
study to become familiar with.
Power Switch: This small switch resides in the top left corner of the
camera's rear panel, to the left of the viewfinder eyepiece. As you'd expect,
it turns the camera on or off.
Mode Dial: Positioned on the left side of the camera's top panel, this
dial sets the exposure mode. Exposure modes are divided into three zones, the
Image, Easy Shooting, and Creative zones. The Image Zone encompasses the Night
Scene, Sports, Close-Up (Macro), Landscape, and Portrait exposure modes. The
Easy Shooting Zone includes all of the previously mentioned exposure modes,
plus the Full Automatic exposure mode. Finally, the Creative Zone refers to
the Program AE, Shutter Speed Priority AE, Aperture Priority AE, Manual Exposure,
and Auto Depth of Field Priority AE exposure modes. (We will discuss these modes
in more detail under the Camera Modes and Menus section of this review.)
Shutter Button: Located on top of the right hand grip, this button fires
the shutter when fully pressed, and sets focus and exposure when halfway pressed
in automatic exposure mode. Halfway pressing this button while turning the quick
control dial sets the exposure compensation when shooting in any of the Creative
Zone exposure modes.
Lens Release Button: Located on the front of the camera this rectangular
button just to the right of the lens mount unlocks the lens from the mount when
pressed. The lens can then be removed by rotating it about 45 degrees to disengage
the bayonet mounting flanges.
Flash Button: Located on the left side of the prism housing, above the
lens release button and just below the popup flash compartment, this button
releases the popup flash into its operating position when the camera is on.
(The popup flash cannot be raised when the camera is turned off.)
Depth of Field Preview Button: Positioned on the side of the lens mount
housing, just beneath the lens release button, this button lets you preview
the depth of field by stopping down the lens aperture to the current setting
in any of the "Creative Zone" exposure modes. (Like most modern SLRs,
the D30 normally focuses and meters with the lens wide open, stopping down to
the selected aperture just as the picture is being taken.) When an external
flash is connected, this button also fires a rapid series of flashes for one
second, so that you can check shadows, light balance, and other effects, allowing
the flash to be used as a modeling light. (This feature requires use of a Canon
dedicated speedlight that supports this capability, such as the model 550EX.)
Main Dial: Resting on top of the camera on the right side (as viewed
from the back), this ridged wheel controls some of the camera's basic operations
in any of the "Creative Zone" exposure modes. (That is, in non-programmed
exposure modes such as aperture- or shutter-priority and full manual mode.)
When used in conjunction with the appropriate control buttons on the camera's
top, the Main Dial also controls the autofocus mode, focusing area selection,
metering mode or drive mode. In Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority modes,
this dial sets the lens aperture or shutter speed. In Manual mode, the dial
sets the shutter speed.
Metering Mode / Flash Exposure Compensation Button: Just off the top
left corner of the small LCD display panel on top of the camera is the shiny,
black Metering Mode / Flash Exposure Compensation Button. Pressing this button
while rotating the Quick Control Dial between the three metering modes: Evaluative,
Partial, and Center-Weighted Averaging. Pressing the button while turning the
Main Dial sets the flash exposure compensation from -2 to +2 in 1/2 EV increments,
for both the built-in flash and any Speedlight EX external flash unit. (Flash
exposure compensation cannot be used in any of the "Easy Shooting"
modes.) Through the Custom Function menu, you can change the flash exposure
compensation adjustment step size to 1/3 EV increments.
Drive Button: Located beneath the metering mode button, this shiny, blue-green
button controls the camera's drive mode. Pressing it while turning either control
dial cycles through Single Shooting, Continuous Shooting, and Self-Timer drive
modes.
AF Mode / White balance button: Just behind the drive button, this small,
gray button controls the autofocus and white balance modes. Pressing the button
while turning the Main Dial sets the autofocus mode to One Shot or AI Servo.
(One Shot is for still subjects, while AI Servo is better for moving subjects,
since it causes the camera to focus continuously.) Pressing this button while
turning the Quick Control Dial sets the white balance to Auto, Daylight, Cloudy,
Tungsten, Fluorescent, Flash, or Custom ( manual ) mode, to match a variety
of light sources. Both functions are only available in the Creative Shooting
Zone.
Diopter Adjustment Dial: Located outside the top right corner of the
viewfinder eyepiece, this dial adjusts the optical viewfinder's focus to accommodate
eyeglass wearers, across an unusually wide range of -3 to +1 diopter.
Menu Button: Situated below the Power Switch, this button accesses the
D30's LCD-based operating menu in all modes. Pressing the menu button a second
time cancels the menu display.
Info Button: Just below the menu button, this button displays the current
exposure settings on the LCD screen when pressed. In Playback mode, pressing
this button brings up an information screen that reports the exposure settings
that the picture was taken with, and also displays a small histogram, which
graphs the exposure values throughout the image.
Jump Button: Directly below the Info button, this button allows you to
jump 10 frames forward or backward when viewing images in Playback mode. Once
pressed, a jump bar appears in the LCD screen, and jumping is controlled by
turning the Quick Control Dial forwards or backwards. The Jump button is active
only in playback mode.
Index / Enlarge button: Just below the Jump button, this button displays
a nine image, thumbnail index display when pressed once. A second press enlarges
the currently displayed image to 3x. (Turning the Quick Control Dial allows
you to move around within the enlarged image, to check the details.) The Index/Enlarge
button is active only in playback mode.
Play Button: The final button on the left side of the back panel, this
button puts the camera into Playback mode, regardless of the Mode Dial setting.
(Turning the Quick Control Dial in this mode scrolls through captured images.)
Playback mode can be canceled by hitting the Play button again, or by touching
the shutter button. (The D30 is a "shooting priority" camera: It's
always ready to shoot a picture, regardless of its current mode. Simply pressing
the shutter button returns it immediately to capture mode.)
Erase Button: Resting beneath the lower right corner of the LCD monitor,
this button accesses the erase menu, which allows you to erase the current image
or all images on the card (except for protected ones). There is also an option
to cancel. The Erase function works in Playback mode and the quick review mode
only.
Quick Control Dial Switch: Located on the back of the camera just above
the Quick Control Dial, this switch activates and deactivates the Quick Control
Dial, helping prevent any unintentional changes in camera settings.
Quick Control Dial: To the right of the LCD monitor on the camera's back
panel, this dial selects various camera settings and menu options when turned
while pressing a control button or while in an LCD menu screen. When shooting
in the Creative Zone (except for Manual Exposure mode), turning the dial while
halfway pressing the shutter button sets the exposure compensation (from -2
to +2 in 1/3 or 1/2 EV increments). In Playback mode, this dial scrolls through
captured images on the CompactFlash card. It also navigates the index display
and scrolls around within an enlarged image. Depending on a Custom Funciton
menu setting, it can also be used to control ISO speed or image quality.
Set Button: Located in the center of the Quick Control Dial, this button
confirms menu selections and camera settings when using the LCD menu system.
Through the Custom Function menu, this button can be programmed to control the
image quality or ISO speed in conjunction with the Quick Control Dial. (The
default is for it to have no function in record mode.)
AE / FE Button: At the top right corner of the camera's back panel, marked
with an asterisk, this button locks the exposure until the shutter button is
pressed. When pressed while the flash is activated, this button locks the flash
exposure, which signals the camera to fire a small pre-flash to measure the
exposure before locking it. (This decoupling of exposure lock from autofocusing
is a very useful "pro" feature seldom seen on lower-end cameras.)
Focus Area Selector Button: Just beside the AE / FE button, this button
allows you to choose the focus area manually or automatically in Program AE,
Shutter Speed Priority AE, Aperture Priority AE, or Manual Exposure modes. Pressing
the button and rotating either control dial cycles an automatic setting, or
your choice of three manually-selected focus areas. The automatic setting bases
the focus on the position of the subject within the frame, and its proximity
to one of three focusing points (shown as three small boxes arranged horizontally
in the viewfinder). Your choice of focusing area is reflected in the top-panel
LCD data readout by the position of a small "o" in the LCD data readout:
If all three "o"s are displayed, the camera is auto focus-area selection
mode.
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