Canon EOS D30 vs Sony Alpha 7S III

      Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Canon EOS D30 and the Sony Alpha 7S III, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Canon EOS D30 was introduced in October 2000 and Sony Alpha 7S III was introduced in July 2020. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Canon EOS D30 Highlights

      • 3 MP APS-C CMOS Sensor
      • 100 - 1,600 Native ISO
      • 3 Focus Points
      • 1.8" 120k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder
      • 3.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • Built-in Flash

      Sony Alpha 7S III Highlights

      • 12.1 MP Full Frame BSI-CMOS Sensor
      • 80 - 102,400 Native ISO
      • 759 Focus Points
      • 5-Axis Image Stabilization
      • 3.0" 1,229k dot Fully Articulated Screen
      • 0.64" 9,437k dot Electronic (OLED) Viewfinder
      • 10.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 3840 x 2160 Video Shooting
      • 13 h Video Recording Limit
      • Sony S-Log 2, Sony S-Log 3
      • Built-In Wi-Fi
      • Wheather Sealed Body

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Canon EOS D30 and Sony Alpha 7S III.

      PROS

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      •   Built-in Flash
      •   Internal Storage
      •   Video Capture
      •   Large Sensor
      •   80 Lowest Native ISO
      •   102,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   759 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Digital Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Large Viewfinder - 0.64"
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 9,437k dot
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   10-bit 4:2:2 Color
      •   No crop on 4K Videos
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   Unlimited Video Recording
      •   High Video Recording Limit
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   USB Charging
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      •   No Video Capture
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 3 Megapixel
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   3 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Small Screen - 1.8"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 120k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   Low USB Speed
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.1 Megapixel
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Short Battery Life - 600 shots


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      •   Weight - 855 g (1.88 lb / 30.16 oz)
      •   Price
      •   -6 EV Min AF Detection
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   DxO Overall Score - 85
      •   Weight - 699 g (1.54 lb / 24.66 oz)

      Advantage of Canon EOS D30

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Canon EOS D30 over Sony Alpha 7S III.

      Canon EOS D30 vs Sony Alpha 7S III
      Top LCD Screen vs
      Built-in Flash vs
      Internal Storage 16 MB CompactFlash vs

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Canon EOS D30.

      Advantage of Sony Alpha 7S III

      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Sony Alpha 7S III over Canon EOS D30.

      Canon EOS D30 vs Sony Alpha 7S III
      Video Capture vs
      Sensor Type CMOS vs BSI-CMOS
      Larger Sensor APS-C vs Full Frame
      Higher Sensor Resolution 3 Megapixel vs 12.1 Megapixel
      Lower Native ISO 100 vs 80
      Higher Native ISO 1,600 vs 102,400
      Max Image Resolution 2160 x 1440 vs 4240 x 2832
      Timelapse Recording vs With downloadable app
      More Focus Points 3 vs 759
      Touch-to-Focus vs
      Center Autofocus vs
      Tracking Autofocus vs
      Face Detection vs
      Live View Autofocus vs
      Animal Eye Detection vs
      Contrast Detection for Autofocus vs
      Image Stabilization vs 5-Axis Sensor Shift
      Digital Image Stabilization vs
      Screen Type Fixed vs Fully Articulated
      Touch Screen vs
      Larger Screen 1.8" vs 3.0"
      Higher Resolution Screen 120k dot vs 1,229k dot
      Live View vs
      Higher Viewfinder Coverage 95% vs 100%
      Higher Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent) 0.55x vs 0.91x
      Higher Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/4000 sec vs 1/8000 sec
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps vs 10.0 fps
      Higher Flash Sync Speed 1/200 sec vs 1/250 sec
      Multi-Segment Metering vs
      Center Weighted Metering vs
      Average Metering vs
      Spot Metering vs
      Lower Min Metering +1 EV vs -3 EV
      Higher USB Speed USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbit/sec) vs USB 3.2 Gen 1x1 (5 GBit/sec)
      HDMI Output vs Full Size
      Microphone Input vs
      Headphone Output vs
      Built-In Wi-Fi vs
      Built-In Bluetooth vs
      Environmental Sealing vs
      Lighter 855 g (1.88 lb / 30.16 oz) vs 699 g (1.54 lb / 24.66 oz)
      More Storage Slots 1 vs 2
      Orientation Sensor vs

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Sony Alpha 7S III.

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      WEAKNESSES Canon EOS D30 Sony Alpha 7S III
        Low Resolution Sensor3 Megapixel12.1 Megapixel
        No Built-in GPS

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Canon EOS D30 has a 1.8" Fixed screen with 120k dot resolution and Sony Alpha 7S III has a 3.0" Fully Articulated screen with 1,229k dot resolution. Fully articulated screen makes Sony Alpha 7S III selfie and vlogger friendly and generally very useful for video shooting. Sony Alpha 7S III also features touchscreen which has advantages such as easy menu navigation, intuitive controls, quick setting adjustment and most importantly a Touch-to-Focus functionality (available only on Sony Alpha 7S III) allowing users to select a specific point on the screen where they want the camera to focus. This feature can be helpful for achieving precise focus in both photo and video recording.

      Image cannot be displayed

      Sony Alpha 7S III with Fully Articulated screen


      Viewfinder

      Canon EOS D30 has a built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinderSony Alpha 7S III has a built-in 0.64" Electronic (OLED) viewfinder with 9,437k dot resolution. Canon EOS D30 has 95% coverage with 0.88x (0.55x 35mm equivalent) magnification and Sony Alpha 7S III has 100% coverage with 0.91x magnification.

      Sensor

      Canon EOS D30 features a 3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor with dimensions of 22.7 x 15.1 mm and a total area of 342.8 mm2. Its native ISO range is 100 - 1,600. Sony Alpha 7S III features a 12.1 megapixel Full Frame BSI-CMOS sensor with dimensions of 35.6 x 23.8 mm and a total area of 566.4 mm2. Its native ISO range is 80 - 102,400 and expands to 50 - 409,600 in boosted mode.

      Sony Alpha 7S III has BSI-CMOS sensor, short for Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor sensor. In traditional CMOS sensors, the wiring and circuitry are located on the front side of the sensor, which can block some of the incoming light. BSI technology flips this design by placing the photosensitive elements (pixels) on the backside of the sensor, allowing more light to reach the pixels. This significantly enhances light sensitivity and improves low-light performance. BSI-CMOS sensors are particularly effective in low-light conditions, as they can capture more light, resulting in brighter and less noisy images. This makes them well-suited for indoor and night photography. BSI-CMOS sensors deliver a higher SNR and reduced cross-talk.


      Here is a sensor size comparison chart where you can see how different sensors compare with each other:

      Sensor size chart
      Sensor Dimensions Area Aspect Ratio Crop Factor
      Image cannot be displayedMedium Format44 x 33 mm1452 mm24:30.79x
      Image cannot be displayedFull Frame36 x 24 mm864 mm23:21x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-H27 x 18 mm486 mm23:21.3x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C23.6 x 15.6 mm368.2 mm23:21.5x
      Image cannot be displayedAPS-C (Canon)22.3 x 14.9 mm332.3 mm23:21.6x
      Image cannot be displayedMicro Four Thirds17.4 x 13 mm226.2 mm24:32x
      Image cannot be displayed1-inch13.2 x 8.8 mm116.2 mm23:22.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/1.7-inch7.44 x 5.58 mm41.5 mm24:34.7x
      Image cannot be displayed1/2.3-inch6.17 x 4.55 mm28.1 mm24:35.6x

      Photography Features

      Canon EOS D30 can take pictures up to 2160 x 1440 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 1440 x 960 with 3:2 aspect ratios. Sony Alpha 7S III is equipped with BIONZ XR processor and can take pictures up to 4240 x 2832 resolution.


      Lens Mount

      Canon EOS D30 has Canon EF lens mount and Sony Alpha 7S III has Sony E lens mount. Due to APS-C sensor in Canon EOS D30 its crop factor is equal to 1.6x, this means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length times 1.6. Due to Full Frame sensor in Sony Alpha 7S III its crop factor is equal to 1x, this means that a 35mm equivalent focal length of the mounted lens will be equal to its actual focal length.


      In-Body Image Stabilization on Sony Alpha 7S III

      Sony Alpha 7S III has a built-in 5-Axis Sensor Shift in-body image stabilization (IBIS) with 5.5 stops of compensation. This means that you are still getting vibration reduction when camera is paired with non-image stabilizied lenses. It also works with lenses with optical image stabilization and in combination can achieve even better compensation.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      Built-in Wi-Fi on Sony Alpha 7S III

      Sony Alpha 7S III has a built-in Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 5, 802.11ac/b/g/n, 2.4/5 GHz) which allows to easily transfer photos and videos from the camera to other Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as smartphones, tablets, printers, or computers. This eliminates the need for cables and allows for quick and convenient media sharing and social media integration. It gives you the ability to control your camera remotely using a smartphone or tablet. This is particularly useful for taking self-portraits, group shots, or capturing images in challenging conditions without having to touch the camera. Firmware updates can also be downloaded and installed wirelessly.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in WiFi.


      Bluetooth on Sony Alpha 7S III

      Sony Alpha 7S III has a built-in Bluetooth (version 5) which lets you to connect the camera to a smartphone or a dedicated remote control device. This allows you to remotely trigger the camera, adjust settings and controls remotely through a paired mobile app. While Wi-Fi is generally faster for transferring larger files, Bluetooth can be used for small, selective transfers, it can provide real-time information about your camera's battery status, memory card capacity, and other key settings directly on your paired smartphone or smartwatch.
        Check out the cameras in our database that have built-in Bluetooth.


      NFC on Sony Alpha 7S III

      Sony Alpha 7S III has Near Field Communication (NFC) technology which simplifies the process of pairing it with other NFC-enabled devices like smartphones or tablets. It allows to quickly transfer photos and videos or remotely control the camera from compatible device. NFC can also be used for authentication and security purposes. It can verify your identity before accessing certain features or transferring sensitive data. It can be used with NFC-enabled accessories as well, such as lenses, flashes and GPS devices.


      USB Inputs and HDMI Outputs

      Both models have USB inputs for data transfer. connector for video signal output.


      Battery

      Sony Alpha 7S III comes with NP-FZ100 battery pack with battery life of 600 shots.


      External Storage Slots

      Canon EOS D30 has a single CompactFlash (Type I/II) card slot. Sony Alpha 7S III has Dual CFexpress Type A / SD (UHS-II) card slots.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Canon EOS D30 has Electronically Controlled Vertical-travel Mechanical Focal-plane shutter. Sony Alpha 7S III has Electronic shutter and Mechanical Focal Plane shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Canon EOS D30, and up to 1/8000 sec on Sony Alpha 7S III. Canon EOS D30 can shoot continuously up to 3.0 fps. Sony Alpha 7S III can shoot continuously up to 10.0 fps.


      Focusing

      Canon EOS D30 has 3 focusing points and Sony Alpha 7S III has Fast Hybrid AF (Phase-detection / Contrast-detection) system with 759 focusing points. Sony Alpha 7S III has detection range from -6 to +20 EV.


      Exposure

      Exposure meterings of Canon EOS D30 and Sony Alpha 7S III range from +1 to +20 EV and -3 to +20 EV respectively and you can set the exposure compensation within the ±2 EV range on Canon EOS D30 and ±5 EV range on Sony Alpha 7S III. You can also do and manual exposure adjustment on Canon EOS D30 and exposure lock, exposure bracketing and manual exposure adjustment on Sony Alpha 7S III.


      Flash

      Canon EOS D30 has a built-in flash with maximum range of 12.00 m at ISO 100 and also accepts external flash. Sony Alpha 7S III has no built-in flash but an external flash may be connected via Intelligent Hot Shoe. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/200 sec on Canon EOS D30 and 1/250 sec on Sony Alpha 7S III.

      Physical Parameters

      Canon EOS D30 body has dimensions of 150 x 107 x 75 mm (5.91 x 4.21 x 2.95") and Sony Alpha 7S III body has dimensions of 129 x 97 x 81 mm (5.08 x 3.82 x 3.19"). Canon EOS D30 weighs 855 g (1.88 lb / 30.16 oz) and Sony Alpha 7S III weighs 699 g (1.54 lb / 24.66 oz).

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      150 mm

      107 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      129 mm

      97 mm

      Image cannot be displayed


      107 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      97 mm

      Image cannot be displayed

      Size comparisons of Canon EOS D30 and Sony Alpha 7S III

      Canon EOS D30 and Sony Alpha 7S III for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      AVERAGE
      55
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 120k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      EXCELLENT
      87
      •   Large Sensor
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      POOR
      48
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   3 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 120k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      GOOD
      82
      •   102,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   759 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 9,437k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Short Battery Life - 600 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      POOR
      46
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   3 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 120k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      GOOD
      82
      •   102,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   759 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Animal Eye Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 9,437k dot
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Short Battery Life - 600 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      AVERAGE
      62
      •   3 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Small Screen - 1.8"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 120k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      EXCELLENT
      89
      •   Large Sensor
      •   759 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      GOOD
      70
      •   3 Focus Points
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 120k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 855 g (1.88 lb / 30.16 oz)
      EXCELLENT
      90
      •   Large Sensor
      •   759 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 699 g (1.54 lb / 24.66 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      GOOD
      71
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 120k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 855 g (1.88 lb / 30.16 oz)
      EXCELLENT
      86
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   No crop on 4K Videos
      •   High Video Recording Limit
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 699 g (1.54 lb / 24.66 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 600 shots

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Canon EOS D30 and Sony Alpha 7S III and give them scores of 51 and 86 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      OVERALL
      51
      OVERALL
      86

      Sensor

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      AVERAGE
      61
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 3 Megapixel
      •   100 Lowest Native ISO
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      GOOD
      80
      •   Large Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 12.1 Megapixel
      •   80 Lowest Native ISO
      •   102,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   DxO Overall Score - 85

      Photo

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      AVERAGE
      56
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/200 sec
      GOOD
      80
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   High Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/8000 sec
      •   Max Continuous Shooting - 10.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/250 sec

      Video

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      BAD
      0
      •   No Image Stabilization
      EXCELLENT
      89
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   High Video Resolution - 3840 x 2160
      •   10-bit 4:2:2 Color
      •   No crop on 4K Videos
      •   Webcam Functionality
      •   Unlimited Video Recording
      •   High Video Recording Limit

      Focusing

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      AVERAGE
      69
      •   3 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      EXCELLENT
      93
      •   -6 EV Min AF Detection
      •   759 Focus Points
      •   Touch-to-Focus
      •   Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Animal Eye Detection

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      AVERAGE
      64
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Small Screen - 1.8"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 120k dot
      EXCELLENT
      89
      •   Fully Articulated Screen
      •   Touch Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Screen Resolution - 1,229k dot
      •   Large Viewfinder - 0.64"
      •   High Resolution Viewfinder - 9,437k dot

      Connectivity

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      BAD
      34
      •   Low USB Speed
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      EXCELLENT
      97
      •   High USB Speed
      •   HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Canon EOS D30

      Sony Alpha 7S III

      BAD
      38
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 855 g (1.88 lb / 30.16 oz)
      •   Internal Storage
      GOOD
      73
      •   Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 699 g (1.54 lb / 24.66 oz)
      •   Short Battery Life - 600 shots
      •   2 Storage Slots


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

      Amazon Affiliate Disclosure
      ZKelectronics is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for website owners to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon (.com, .co.uk, .ca, etc) and any other websites that may be affiliated with Amazon Service LLC Associates Program.