Canon D30 vs Leica S3

The Canon EOS-D30 and the Leica S3 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in May 2000 and September 2018. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (D30) and a medium format (S3) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 3.1 megapixels, whereas the Leica provides 64 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon D30		Leica S3
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Leica S mount lenses
3.1 MP – APS-C sensor		64 MP – Medium Format sensor
no Video		4K/24p Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 100-50,000
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
1.8" LCD – 114k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
3 shutter flaps per second		3 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
150 x 107 x 75 mm, 750 g		160 x 120 x 80 mm, 1260 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS-D30 and the Leica S3? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon D30 and the Leica S3 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Leica S3 is notably larger (20 percent) than the Canon D30. Moreover, the S3 is substantially heavier (68 percent) than the D30. It is noteworthy in this context that the S3 is splash and dust-proof, while the D30 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the D30 gets 540 shots out of its Canon BP-511 battery, while the S3 can take .. images on a single charge of its Leica BP-PRO1 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon D30	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	750 g	540	n	May 2000	2,999	ebay.com
2.		Leica S3	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2018	18,995	ebay.com
3.		Canon 10D	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	850 g	500	n	Feb 2003	1,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 20D	144 mm	106 mm	72 mm	770 g	700	n	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
5.		Canon 30D	144 mm	106 mm	74 mm	785 g	750	n	Feb 2006	1,399	ebay.com
6.		Canon 40D	146 mm	108 mm	74 mm	822 g	750	n	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
7.		Canon 80D	139 mm	105 mm	79 mm	730 g	960	Y	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
8.		Canon D60	150 mm	107 mm	75 mm	855 g	620	n	Feb 2002	2,999	ebay.com
9.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon Rebel	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
11.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
12.		Canon T7i	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
13.		Leica M10	139 mm	80 mm	39 mm	660 g	210	Y	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
14.		Leica S2	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1410 g	..	Y	Sep 2008	22,995	ebay.com
15.		Leica S Typ 006	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2012	21,950	ebay.com
16.		Leica S-E Typ 006	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2014	16,900	ebay.com
17.		Leica S Typ 007	160 mm	120 mm	80 mm	1260 g	..	Y	Sep 2014	24,490	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The D30 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 84 percent) than the S3, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon D30 features an APS-C sensor and the Leica S3 a medium format sensor. The sensor area in the S3 is 312 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 0.8. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 64MP, the S3 offers a higher resolution than the D30 (3.1MP), but the S3 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.59μm versus 10.29μm for the D30). Yet, the S3 is a much more recent model (by 18 years and 4 months) than the D30, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the S3 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Leica S3 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the S3 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 49 x 32.7 inches or 124.5 x 83 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 39.2 x 26.1 inches or 99.6 x 66.4 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 32.7 x 21.8 inches or 83 x 55.3 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon D30 are 10.8 x 7.2 inches or 27.4 x 18.3 cm for good quality, 8.6 x 5.8 inches or 21.9 x 14.6 cm for very good quality, and 7.2 x 4.8 inches or 18.3 x 12.2 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Canon EOS-D30 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica S3 are ISO 100 to ISO 50000 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon D30	APS-C	3.1	2160	1440	none	..	..	..	..
2.		Leica S3	Medium Format	64.0	9800	6533	4K/24p	25.6	14.4	3143	98
3.		Canon 10D	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.1	10.9	571	57
4.		Canon 20D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.9	11.0	721	62
5.		Canon 30D	APS-C	8.2	3504	2336	none	21.5	10.8	736	59
6.		Canon 40D	APS-C	10.1	3888	2592	none	22.1	11.3	703	64
7.		Canon 80D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.2	1135	79
8.		Canon D60	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	20.3	9.8	301	47
9.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
10.		Canon Rebel	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.0	10.8	544	55
11.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
12.		Canon T7i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
13.		Leica M10	Full Frame	23.8	5952	3992	none	24.4	13.2	2133	86
14.		Leica S2	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.5	2224	82
15.		Leica S Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	23.9	12.2	824	76
16.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	none	25.1	13.7	2763	93
17.		Leica S Typ 007	Medium Format	37.5	7500	5000	4K/24p	25.1	13.7	2763	93
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The S3 indeed provides for movie recording, while the D30 does not. The highest resolution format that the S3 can use is 4K/24p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The D30 and the S3 are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the S3 offers a wider field of view (98%) than the one in the D30 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the S3 has a higher magnification (0.87x vs 0.54x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon D30 and Leica S3 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon D30	optical	Y	1.8 / 114	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Leica S3	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon 10D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 20D	optical	Y	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 30D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 40D	optical	Y	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.5/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 80D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon D60	optical	Y	1.8 / 114	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon Rebel	optical	n	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
11.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon T7i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Leica M10	optical	n	3.0 / 1037	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	n	n
14.		Leica S2	optical	Y	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
15.		Leica S Typ 006	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
16.		Leica S-E Typ 006	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	1.5/s	n	n
17.		Leica S Typ 007	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.5/s	n	n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The D30 has one, while the S3 does not. While the built-in flash of the D30 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The D30 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the S3 uses Compact Flash or SDXC cards. The S3 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the D30 only has one slot.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS-D30 and Leica S3 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon D30	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.0	-	-	-
2.		Leica S3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 10D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
4.		Canon 20D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
5.		Canon 30D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon 40D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 80D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
9.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
10.		Canon Rebel	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
11.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon T7i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Leica M10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	-	Y	-	-
14.		Leica S2	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Leica S Typ 006	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Leica S-E Typ 006	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Leica S Typ 007	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the S3 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the D30 does not provide wifi capability.

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the S3 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the D30 and the S3 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D30 was replaced by the Canon D60, while the S3 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the D30 and S3 can be found, respectively, in the Canon D30 Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica S3 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon D30 better than the Leica S3 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS-D30:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More compact: Is smaller (150x107mm vs 160x120mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 510g or 40 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (84 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in May 2000).

Advantages of the Leica S3:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (64 vs 3.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 354%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 4K/24p video.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (98% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.87x vs 0.54x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.0" vs 1.8") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (922k vs 114k dots).
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 1.0).
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More modern: Reflects 18 years and 4 months of technical progress since the D30 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the S3 is the clear winner of the contest (18 : 6 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon D30 and the Leica S3 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the D30 and the S3 in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon D30	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	May 2000	2,999	ebay.com
2.		Leica S3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2018	18,995	ebay.com
3.		Canon 10D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Feb 2003	1,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 20D	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2004	1,499	ebay.com
5.		Canon 30D	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2006	1,399	ebay.com
6.		Canon 40D	..	+ +	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,299	ebay.com
7.		Canon 80D	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	1,199	ebay.com
8.		Canon D60	..	..	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2002	2,999	ebay.com
9.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
10.		Canon Rebel	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
11.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
12.		Canon T7i	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	749	ebay.com
13.		Leica M10	4.5/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	6,595	ebay.com
14.		Leica S2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2008	22,995	ebay.com
15.		Leica S Typ 006	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2012	21,950	ebay.com
16.		Leica S-E Typ 006	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2014	16,900	ebay.com
17.		Leica S Typ 007	4/5	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2014	24,490	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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