I'm thinking 5D £200 rebate till June
Graham

With the 30D being a minor, incremental, update my next upgrade will be to a...

... 1Ds. Yep, not the mkII. Having a 1DmkII and a 20D, I realize that the differences in the cameras make me have to stop and think just a bit each time I swap. (The 20D isn't not just a backup for me, but used concurrently as a second body...)

m

Dont see the point right now... unless my 20D breaks, if I upgrade it will be for a 1 Series camera.

nads wrote:
cogitech wrote:
It seems that Canon has a dog here.

Most of the response from 20D owners (including me) is that it just isn't much of an upgrade. Be better off to spend the money on glass.

For anyone in the market for a new dSLR in this price range. Nikon's D200 is currently a much better value.

So who the hell is going to buy one of these things?

I for one am very happy about the fact that I'm not looking at my 20D and feeling disappointment. I don't think that Canon really has a dog here though. 300D, XT, and non-DSLR owners will buy the 30D and be really happy with it. Meanwhile folks like us that are already happy with what the 20D gives us will remain the happy kind of person that buys Canon glass.

Remember that in many cases people are either going to spend money on bodies, or they're going to spend money on lenses... either way they're spending and if it's on Canon equipment they're probably happy.

It'll be interesting what price the 20D settles in at after 6 months. For a while the D200 will appear to be a great deal... but if triple rebates come up again next year and include the 30D it poses a great value proposition. What's more it's a value proposition that includes the purchase of two very decent lenses. That's the kind of investment that makes it unlikely for a person to switch to the opposing brand at some point down the road.

This time last year I was a relatively new owner of a 300D. I did not know the upgrade cycle at that time. When the XT came out I was taken off guard and it was a "look honey, there's this nice new rebel that I like way better than the one I've already got". It was so much nicer when my wife came home today. She got the "look honey, the new body came out like I told you... And I don't even want it!!!".

If you haven't guessed by now... I'm not upgrading

Ya, I didn't think of all the 300D and 10D owners out there who still haven't upgraded. I can see the 30D being very attractive to them, but it'll depend on how cheap the 20D becomes.

So, I guess the 30D isn't necessarily a dog. That was too strong a word. But think of the 10D-to-20D upgrade and then the 20D-to-30D upgrade. Which is more of an upgrade? Not even close. Even the 300D-to-350D upgrade was *much* more significant than 20D-to-30D.

My conversation went sort of like this:

Me: "Hey honey, did I tell you that Canon released the 30D today?"

My wife: "Uh-oh..."

Me: "Ya, it's basically a 20Dn, or maybe a 25D. Not really much of an upgrade at all."

My wife: Look of relief.

Me: "It has ISO in 1/3 stops and ISO in the viewfinder and it can buffer a few more photos."

My wife: "Oh, that's kinda cool, but I don't need it."

Me: "I know. Don't worry. I'm not upgrading."

My wife: "That 1D sounds like *way* more camera for the money."

Me: "Yep."



Edited by cogitech on Feb 22, 2006 at 10:24 AM GMT

I'm staying with old reliable...

Not me. When they release a 20D/30D/40D type camera with a 45 point AF system, then I'll jump. Else, I'll stick with what I have. The 20D is a good all-round camera with a fast burst rate and the ability to take wide angle shots.

I'd love a 20D with 45 point focus - best of both worlds!

I don't have a 20D, but I am considering "downgrading" from the 1D. The 30D has spot metering, 1/3-stop ISO increments, and a large RAW buffer. If the AF turns out to be as good as the 5D, I'll be buying one.

I don't think I'll upgrade my 20D just yet. I may wait for a short time and see what else develops at Canon.My 20D is just fine for me. If prices come down I may get a 5D but if another 1.6 crop comes out thats weather sealed I'm there.

d~

rcomas wrote:

I don't have a 20D, but I am considering "downgrading" from the 1D. The 30D has spot metering, 1/3-stop ISO increments, and a large RAW buffer. If the AF turns out to be as good as the 5D, I'll be buying one.


The 30D AF system is the same as the 20D, but with revised AF algorithms. I can't imagine it can compete with the 5D.

Dr D wrote:
Not me. When they release a 20D/30D/40D type camera with a 45 point AF system, then I'll jump. Else, I'll stick with what I have. The 20D is a good all-round camera with a fast burst rate and the ability to take wide angle shots.

I'd love a 20D with 45 point focus - best of both worlds!

Ya.... and a RAW buffer depth of 20.

IMHO upgrading from 20D to 30D would be bad use of money for little improvement, like upgrading from a 1D Mark II to a 1D Mark IIn. Use whatever savings you had planned for this upgrade to buy a better lens instead, it will help your photos more.

FretNoMore wrote:
IMHO upgrading from 20D to 30D would be bad use of money for little improvement, like upgrading from a 1D Mark II to a 1D Mark IIn. Use whatever savings you had planned for this upgrade to buy a better lens instead, it will help your photos more.

Indeed.

How about a different outlook.

With such incremental changes from the 20D to 30D what are the chances some of the features might creep into the 20D (officially or through hacked firmware)?

ISO in the viewfinder probably not, but 1/3 ISO stops and 3.5% spot meter maybe.

I also have to wonder if the smaller 20D buffer could be "fixed" with some electronic surgery swapping out ram chips.

I mean it is the same sensor and Digic II processor, most of the "upgrades" appear to be software or minor hardware changes at best.

My 20D is here to stay for several years (I've not begun to master its abilities), but the prospect of "tweaking" it does pique my interest.