Before you set up the EOS 30D, be sure that the lithium-ion battery (BP-511A) is fully charged. A charging cycle for a new or fully depleted battery is approximately 90 minutes. Be sure to leave the battery in the charger for an hour after the red light stops blinking to complete the charging cycle — making total charging time approximately 2.5 hours. For long shooting sessions such as weddings and news events, you can consider buying the optional battery grip that holds two BP-511A (or BP-511/512/513) lithium-ion batteries or six AA batteries in the magazine. Because the charger holds only one battery, you may consider buying an extra charger as well.

The camera also offers an AC adapter that is best accessed by opening the battery compartment door and flipping up the rubber covering for the DC coupler plug. To use AC power, you need to buy the optional AC Adapter Kit ACK-E2.

When traveling out of the country, you don't need a separate power transformer for the Battery Charger 9CG-580/CB-5L because it works with a 100 VAC and 240 VAC 50/60 Hz power source. Just be sure to pack a plug adapter for the charger.

Before discussing specific setup tasks, it's helpful to know when to use the Main and the Quick Control dials on the EOS 30D. In loose terms, the Main dial is used to set shooting-related settings. The Quick Control dial, however, also can be used for this purpose, provided that you have the Power switch in the uppermost position. And it can be used to select menu options and to set things such as exposure compensation. Also, you can use it to select AF points via C.Fn-13, which is detailed in Chapter 1.

Although in many cases, you can use either dial, Table 2.1 shows a rundown of which dial controls what function or setting.

The EOS 30D accepts CompactFlash (CF) Type I and Type II media cards as well as microdrives. And, because the EOS 30D supports the FAT32 file system, you can use media cards with capacities of 2GB and larger. While microdrives are economical, they contain moving mechanisms much like the hard drive of a computer and these moving mechanisms can be easily damaged by bumping or dropping the microdrive. Conversely, CF cards are virtually indestructible surviving drops, being driven over by a car, and accidentially being washed in the pockets of clothing in washing machines with no loss of images.

Figure 2.1. Microdrives and CompactFlash Type I and Type II cards can be used in the EOS 30D.

Not all media cards are created equal. In particular, the type and speed of media you use affect the camera's response times for tasks such as writing images to the media card and the ability to continue shooting during that process, the speed at which images are displayed on the LCD, and how long it takes to zoom images on the LCD. The type of file format that you choose also affects the speed of certain tasks — when writing images to the media card, for example. JPEG image files write to the card faster than RAW files or the RAW+JPEG option.

CF cards include a controller and multiple flash-memory chips that determine the -performance of the card. The controller determines the speed of communication with the camera and how much data can be written to and read from the card. The flash memory determines how fast data can be transferred to the card. You usually pay a premium for cards that offer the fastest memory.

Currently, CF cards of 2GB and 4GB are common while 8GB cards are gaining popularity. When selecting a CF card or microdrive, you should know that the card speed isn't the only determinant of performance. How the card interacts with the camera to exchange data affects speed and means that cards that are speedy performers when used in one camera may not be as speedy when used in another camera.

CF cards have a limited life span that is measured in write/erase cycles. Even if memory cells go bad or reach their lifespan limit, CF cards are designed to automatically skip bad cells. The life of a card depends on the manufacturer, but it is measured in hundreds of thousands or millions of write/erase cycles.

When you get a new card, always format it in the camera as was explained in the Quick Tour. Never format a card on your computer. If you are using CF cards that you've used in other cameras, formatting them in the EOS 30D is also important. Of course, formatting the card erases images, so be sure to off-load all images to the computer before you format the card. In general, you should format media cards every few weeks, and if you've used a media card in another camera, be sure to reformat it in the EOS 30D to ensure proper data structure is set and to clean up the card.

To reformat the card in the camera, follow these steps.

As you take pictures, the LCD panel and viewfinder show the approximate number of images remaining on the media card. The number is approximate because each image varies slightly depending on the ISO setting, the file format and resolution, the parameters chosen on the camera, and the image (different images compress differently).

To avoid shooting without a memory card in the camera, you can set the camera so that you can't shoot unless a memory card is inserted. Just follow these steps.

Setting the date and time on the EOS 30D ensures that the data that travels with each image file has the correct date and time stamp. This data, commonly referred to as metadata, helps you identify when the image was taken and is very helpful when you want to organize your image collection.

Metadata is a collection of all the information about an image, including the filename, date created, size, resolution, color mode, camera make and model, exposure time, ISO, f-stop, shutter speed, lens data, and white balance setting, to name a few. EXIF, used interchangeably with metadata, is a particular form of metadata.

To set the date and time on the EOS 30D, follow these steps:

The file format and quality level used to take your pictures determines not only the number of images you can store on the media card, but also the sizes at which you can enlarge and print images taken with the EOS 30D. The setting you choose also determines whether images are stored as JPEGs, in RAW, or both RAW and JPEG format.

Table 2.2 shows the options from which you can choose.

In Basic Zone modes, the EOS 30D automatically sets the recording format to JPEG, although you can choose the level of quality. In Creative Zone modes, you can choose to capture images in JPEG, RAW, or RAW+JPEG format.

With the EOS 30D, you can have the camera number images continuously or have it restart numbering each time you change the media card, or you can choose to manually reset file numbering. File numbering is assigned from 0001 to 9999. Folders numbered from 100 to 999 hold up to 9,999 images each.

With Continuous numbering, images are numbered sequentially using a unique four-digit number from 0001 to 9999. With unique filenames, managing and organizing images on the computer is easy because you can easily ensure that images do not have duplicate filenames. This option is also useful to track the total number of images, or actuations, on the camera. The EOS 30D's default setting is Continuous file numbering.

If you use Auto Reset, both file and folder numbering restarts when you insert a newly formatted CF card. Folder numbers begin with 100, and file numbering begins with 0001, unless the CF card contains a previous image, in which case, numbering begins with the highest file number in the highest numbered folder on the CF card. If you like to organize images by media card, Auto Reset may be a useful option. However, multiple images will have the same filename. This means that you should create separate folders for each off-load and otherwise follow scrupulous folder organization to avoid filename conflicts and potential overwriting of images on the computer.

You also can choose to manually reset numbering. With this option, a new folder is created with the next higher number and the file number restarts with 0001. Subsequent images are saved in the new folder. Whichever file numbering method you previously used (Auto Reset or Continuous) takes effect when you take additional images.

To change the file numbering method on the EOS 30D, follow these steps:

A white balance setting tells the camera the type of light that is in the scene so that the camera can render white and other colors accurately. The temperature, or color, of light, measured in degrees Kelvin, varies by source and during daylight, by the time of day. The three primary colors, Red, Green, and Blue (RGB), exist in different proportions in different temperatures of light. Setting a white balance option allows the in-camera software to render colors more naturally. When shooting RAW images, you can also readjust the white balance in the image conversion program.

With the EOS 30D, you have various options for setting white balance, depending on whether you're capturing JPEG or RAW images. Table 2.4 provides an overview of the white balance options and when you can use them, depending on the image format and mode you've chosen.

The automatic white balance setting evaluates the colors in the scene and makes an educated guess on white balance. AWB works well except in scenes dominated by one or two colors and where no white is present. In general, the best white balance is achieved when you are shooting in the following manners:

To change to a preset white balance option or to set a specific color temperature on the EOS 30D, follow these steps:

White balance correction

For anyone familiar with using color—compensation filters, the EOS 30D offers a similar function with its white balance correction. Correction can be shifted toward a blue (B), amber (A), magenta (M), or green (G) bias in up to nine levels measured as mireds, or densities. Each level is equivalent to five mireds of a color-temperature conversion filter. You can set a white balance correction if you're shooting either JPEG or RAW format images.

Figure 2.4. This image taken under mixed daylight and tungsten light used standard Auto White Balance with no correction.

Figure 2.5. Here the white balance correction is shifted toward amber to warm up the image.

To set White Balance Correction, follow these steps.

1. Set the camera to a Creative Zone mode.

2. Press the Menu button.

3. Press the JUMP button until the Shooting (red) menu is displayed.

4. Rotate the Quick Control dial to highlight WB SHIFT/BKT, and then press the Set button. The camera displays the WB correction/WB bracketing screen.

5. Press the Multi-controller to move the cursor toward a blue, amber, magenta, or green correction. On the right of the screen, the SHIFT panel shows the bias and correction amount. For example, A2, G1 shows a two-level amber correction with a one-level green correction.

6. Press the Set key to confirm the changes. The shift you set remains in effect until you change it.

To cancel White Balance Correction, repeat Steps 1 through 5, but in Step 5 use the Multi-controller to set the cursor to 0,0, or the center of the graph, and then press the Set button. You also can combine White Balance Correction with White Balance bracketing.

Picture Styles are settings that determine the sharpness, contrast, color saturation, and color tone that can be applied to images in the camera or, with RAW images, after capture using Canon's Digital Photo Professional conversion program. For example, when the Monochrome picture style is chosen, filter effects and color toning options can also be applied. In addition, you can modify and register up to three custom Picture Styles by modifying an existing style.

Because Picture Styles are in use on most of Canon's EOS digital SLR cameras, using and/or modifying Picture Styles can help standardize image settings across different cameras, which can make workflow in studio environments more efficient. If you want to see how the new Picture Styles relate to the formerly used Parameters, visit www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/picturestyle/shooting/index.html.

Table 2.5 provides an overview of Picture Styles.

The following series of images shows the differences in Canon's Picture Styles using the same scene.

Figure 2.6. Standard Picture Style

Figure 2.7. Portrait Picture Style

Figure 2.8. Landscape Picture Style (with a sharper curve and saturated green and blue colors, it is best suited to this kind of image)

Figure 2.9. Neutral Picture Style

Figure 2.10. Faithful Picture Style (best in venues where you know the color temperature is 5,200 K)

Figure 2.11. Monochrome Picture Style (with no color filter effect applied)

The EOS 30D offers a choice of two color spaces: sRGB and Adobe RGB. A color space defines the range of colors that can be reproduced. The Adobe RGB color space contains more colors, which is better for inkjet and commercial printing. Adobe RGB images have much more subdued color and saturation than images taken with sRGB. The sRGB color space encompasses fewer colors, but colors appear to be brighter and more saturated than with Adobe RGB. sRGB is well suited for images displayed on the Web or to send in e-mail.

The choice of color space should be made to enhance your overall color workflow. It is always best to capture as much data, including color, in an image as possible, making Adobe RGB the better choice for high-quality images. It is always possible to convert images to sRGB in an image-editing program if you want to display a copy of the image on the Web or in e-mail.

Image filenames captured in Adobe RGB are appended with _MG_. The ICC profile is not appended to the file. ICC is an abbreviation for the International Color Consortium, which promotes the use and adoption of open, vendor-neutral, cross-platform color management systems.

To change the color space on the EOS 30D, follow these steps.

An ISO setting sets the sensor's apparent sensitivity to light by increasing the signal amplification. The higher the ISO number, the more "sensitive" the sensor is to light and the shorter the time and narrower the -aperture necessary to make an exposure. Conversely, the lower the ISO number, the less "sensitive" the sensor is to light and the longer the time required and the wider the aperture needed to make an exposure.

The EOS 30D offers an ISO range from 100 to 1600 in the default settings and up to the 3200 ISO via the ISO expansion in Custom Function 8 (C.Fn-08). ISO can be set in 1/3-stop increments, and the currently selected ISO setting is displayed (not in the viewfinder-right, thanks) as well as on the LCD. In Basic Zone modes, the ISO is automatically set between 100 and 400. You can set the ISO to any of the available settings in Creative Zone modes.

As with all digital cameras, the higher the ISO is, the greater the likelihood that digital noise, unwanted color, and luminance artifacts will be introduced into the image, particularly in the shadow areas. In practice, the digital noise depends on your tolerance level. Also note that the camera's overall dynamic range, the difference between the lightest and darkest values in an image, at ISO settings higher than 800 decreases from approximately 8 Exposure Values (EV) to approximately 6 EV.

The set of images here shows selected ISO settings. All images were shot in RAW format and processed in Canon's Digital Photo Professional. No noise reduction has been applied.

To set the ISO on the EOS 30D, follow these steps:

Figure 2.12. Taken at ISO 100, f/11, 1/5 sec.

Figure 2.13. Taken at ISO 400, f/11, 1/8 sec.

Figure 2.14. Taken at ISO 800, f/11, 1/800 sec.

Figure 2.15. Taken at ISO 1600, f/11, 1/30 sec.

Figure 2.16. Taken at H, expanded ISO setting, equivalent to ISO 3200, f/11, 1/60 sec.