Auto Bracketing

Bracketing is a feature where by the camera automatically adjusts the exposure by a predefined amount (+/-2 EV in 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps) for three shots, one correct exposure, one underexposed and one overexposed. Custom function 7 can be used to alter the order of these three shots between 0,-,+ or -,0,+ (my preference). During bracketing the camera flashes the bracket indicator on the top LCD along with the current exposure adjustment. The three shots below were taken using a bracket of 0.3EV (thus adjustments of -0.3EV, 0EV, +0.3EV).

1.0s, F14 (-0.3 EV)	1.3s, F14 (0.0 EV)	1.6s, F14 (+0.3 EV)

Auto Depth of field (A-DEP)

The D30 features Canon's automatic depth of field feature, in this mode the camera automatically calculates the correct aperture to ensure all parts of the scene covered by the three focus points remain in focus. This is demonstrated in the sample below, the first shot was taken using the right hand focus point in P mode with a narrow aperture of just F3.5, as you can see the back two glases remain out of focus. The second shot using A-DEP the camera focuses to a point somewhere between the green and red glases and extends the aperture to a tripod demanding F22 but does it's job, all three glasses are now in focus (inside the "depth of field").

P mode, 1/30s, F3.5	A-DEP mode, 1.3s, F22

Internal Flash

The pop-up flash on the D30 is rated at 3.4m (11.2ft) @ 24 mm / 2.6m (8.5ft) @ 85mm (ISO 100). Which is above the average power output for a digital camera (obviously the D30's flash has film SLR origins). Many purists will steer clear of the internal flash, opting for a decent external flash (probably Canon's excellent 550EX). However there will be the occasion to use the onboard flash and as it's E-TTL it should perform quite well... And it does, skin tones are natural and well exposued, there's a full range of exposure adjustments and colours are clean with good white balance.

External Flash

The D30 supports a wide range of external flash systems, both Canon and third party. The best 'match' for the D30 are the EX series of Canon Speedlights as they support E-TTL (a method of measuring exposure by taking a brief pre-flash just milliseconds before the main flash). Canon were good enough to loan the 550EX and it's smaller brother the 380EX. Both of which performed very well on the D30, obviously the 550EX has many more features, full swivel both horizontally and vertically and higher power output. Brief samples below are not designed to be a "test" of the flash.

Canon Speedlight 550EX

Direct Flash	Bounced Flash

Note: when using the 550EX on the D30 the camera uses the flashes red illumination lamp for auto focus illumination which leads to far faster focus times.

Canon Speedlight 380EX

Direct Flash	Bounced Flash
	n/a (flash cannot be swivelled on the horizontal axis)