30D vs XT Rebel test

[jcore]

I am being offered a newer Canon 30D for my older Digital Rebel XT. The 30D is a more solid body with extra functionality. Review of Canon's spec's reveal very similar components so I took a bunch of pictures (indoor and outdoor) with similar settings (same lens, same CF card, same ISO, same subject, similar aperature and shutter speed.

The images from the 30D are consistently darker and somewhat greener. I did notice that the 30D had a UV Haze filter vs. the XT's UV filter. Does this make much of a difference? I am posting a similar image taken with both cameras and the Exif details. I see different contrast//saturation/sharpness settings .. will these make a substantial impact? Thanks so much for any comments.

XT image



XT Exit

Camera Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT
Exposure 0.005 sec (1/200)
Aperture f/5.0
Focal Length 41 mm
ISO Speed 1600
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program Shutter speed priority AE
Metering Mode Average
Exposure Mode Auto
White Balance Auto
Canon Flash Mode Off
Focus Mode AI Focus AF
Contrast +1
Saturation +1
Sharpness +1
Metering Mode Center-weighted average
Canon Exposure Mode Shutter speed priority AE
Short Focal 17 mm
Auto ISO 100
Base ISO 1600

30D Image



30D Exif

Camera Canon EOS 30D
Exposure 0.01 sec (1/100)
Aperture f/8.0
Focal Length 41 mm
ISO Speed 1600
Exposure Bias 0 EV
Flash Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program Program AE
Metering Mode Partial
Exposure Mode Auto
White Balance Auto
Canon Flash Mode Off
Continuous Drive Single
Focus Mode AI Focus AF
Contrast Normal
Saturation Normal
Sharpness +3
Metering Mode Partial
Canon Exposure Mode Program AE
Short Focal 17 mm
Auto ISO 100
Base ISO 1600

[OsmosisStudios]

The filter, especially if it's a cheap one, may have a colour cast. But more importantly, the image control settings (Contrast, sharpness, saturation) are different, and your EXIF data is different (f/5 vs f/8). Your metering is also different mode.

THe biggest issue, i think, is the white balance: In Auto the camera can vary wildly even with the EXACT same scene, so that's likely a bigger issue.

[jcore]

Thanks Osmosis,

I took your advise and used a Custom WB (taken photo of plain white paper with both cameras), and reset all settings to be exactly the same. The images got closer but XT still resembles more reddish face tones. The only notifceable differences in Exif are now the Measured RGGB results (I did change the Picture Style in 30D to Neutral and Parameters in XT to Parameter 1 to ensure the same Sharpness, Contrast, Saturation and Color Tone results).

30D: Measured RGGB 859 1024 1024 489
XT: Measured RGGB 698 1024 1024 547

I'll try increasing the XT's color tone a couple notches and reduce the XT's saturation a notch or 2 and see if it tone's down the reddish tint. Other than that, I spoke with Canon and they said the camera's algorithm's are different and hard to get the same. I am happy with the 30D image and will live with the differences.

[OsmosisStudios]

Even in "Neutral" the camera's are likely processing differently.