Canon Digital EOS Rebel Pros and Cons

"Christina S Cericola" wrote in message
My question is: Does anyone have experience with the Canon Digital EOS Rebel
, What did you like about it and what didn't you like about it.? I read
about the differences between it and the 10D. I just wanted some feed back

Like:
- Cheapest DSLR in Canon EOS line.
- Smallest and lightest DSLR in Canon EOS line.
- Uses the simpler and cheaper RS-60E3 trigger remote.
- Can use the same battery grip as the D30/D60/10D
- has infrared remote capability with RC-1 or RC-5
- huge user base

Don't Like:
- Too much automation, not enough manual control
- Camera selects the focus mode based on expert system
- Metering mode based on expert system
- No flash compensation
- No secondary command dial.
- Shooting mode dial on the right side.
- user base at the lower end of photography spectrum

Chieh
--
Camera Hacker - http://www.CameraHacker.com/

Speaking as a working pro using 300D's in studio and on location here's my
10 cents worth in response to some comments posted earlier.

On 28 Jun 2004 08:17:20 -0700, (Giorgio
Preddio) wrote:

1) ****-quality plastic build

Build quality of mine is great. Who wants to lug extra useless pounds of
camera body around anyway?

2) Metering/exposure problems

Only of you're a ****wit.

3) Focus problems

See 2

4) Poor effective resolution

Says who?

5) Horrible software

Dunno, can't coment, don't use it, Use Photoshop for editing and
alternately fuji finepix viewer or ACDsee for on the fly sales.

6) Battery consumption is ridiculouly bad

Total ********. Unless you expect it to last years.

7) Must use tripod or IS lenses to prevent camera shake (unlike Sigma
SD* cameras which have camera-shake elimination built into the body)

Whoopee for Sigma, I use a monopod or tripod anyway depending on what I'm
shooting.

8) Will be obsolete in a few years

And the Sigma Dog won't be?

9) Too much noise

Define please?

10) Uses old sensor technolgy - records image pixels in monochrome
instead of color like the Sigma SD* cameras which use the Foveon
sensor

Whatever, the results look great and that's all that my customers and I care
about.

"Chris Down" wrote in message
news:YFYDc.64$7I6.6@newsfe1-win...
Giorgio appears to have something against Canons.. Can't think why.. All
four of my Canons have been superb, the 300D being the best of the bunch by
far.


Agreed.

OK.. so it isn't made of magnesium alloy, and it probably will break if I
use it as a hammer. But I have plenty of other hammers and treat my
cameras with care.

Damn and I use a screwdriver to nail things in with. This one says Sigma on
it.

If you read the 300D manual and follow the instructions the only bad shots
will be your own fault.

True though they could've gone into a bit more detail about using the
histogram, That was a bit of a steep learning curve.

Printed at 7x5 the prints can't be distinguished from 35mm film.

I've gone up to 40 x 30 inches without any problems whatsoever.

Colour matching is great, both in the files and when professionally
printed.. better than 35mm

Oh god yes...and then some.

Camera shake.. well try drining less or using a faster shutter speed.
Over
the past 20 years I have applied a simple rule with all cameras digital or
35mm.. Use 1/focal length(mm) as your max exposure time in seconds. If
you can't het faster than say 1/250 sec with your 250mm lens then usea
tripod.

Why do people expect a different medium to offer different basic rules? A
camera is a camera is a camera. Whatever it shoots onto. You can't defeat
basic laws of physics. Long lens? use a support of some sort.

The Canon 300D will of course go to 1600 ASA equivalient, and theexra
noise
from this can't be seen on a 7x5 print full frame.

I have to admit to never having shot at faster than 200iso so dunno....or
care.

As for battery use.. I tool 150 max resolution shots with the 300D and
went
through culling out the duds and showing my wife the pics.. The battery
was
not fully discharged doing this, and with 45 mins in the charger it was
ready to go again.

And you can get supplementry batteries so cheaply anyway. I always carry
three and the AC kit...though I've never got thru more than 2 batteries in a
single shoot.

Aside from a few extra features in the 10D the technology is the same 300D
or 10D. I guess the choice depends on depth of pocket..

On what I saved on the cost difference between 10D's versus 300D's I bought
a new set of studio lights.

BTW 300D is what we Brits know the Digital Rebel as.. I bought mine in the
USA to save $700 so it says Rebel on the front.

A good plan.

Giorgio Preddio wrote:

"Christina S Cericola" wrote in message sgroups.com...

To: Fellow Photographers and Photography enthusiasts,

I have searched rec,photo,digital and did not find what I was Looking for.
My question is: Does anyone have experience with the Canon Digital EOS Rebel
, What did you like about it and what didn't you like about it.? I read
about the differences between it and the 10D. I just wanted some feed back
from people that actually shot with it. Thanks in advance for everyone's
help. I always can count on this newsgroup for help. :-)


I can't think of any pros, but here are some of the cons:

1) ****-quality plastic build

Actually a placstic exterior on a Magnesium frame.

2) Metering/exposure problems

Not really

3) Focus problems

Nope.

4) Poor effective resolution

Better than the 3 mp Sigmas

5) Horrible software

True -- but who uses the stuff than comes with the camera anyway?

6) Battery consumption is ridiculouly bad

500-600 shots on a very small battery (vs. the 4 NiMH used by a Sigma):
Excellent!

7) Must use tripod or IS lenses to prevent camera shake (unlike Sigma
SD* cameras which have camera-shake elimination built into the body)

No one else knows of this secret built-in feature -- including Sigma.
I've not used a tripod with my 300D in 8 months of heavy use.

8) Will be obsolete in a few years

Canon has been making SLRs for years and now is the leader in dSLRs.
Sigma is the cul-de-sac. Likely they will license their Foveon
technology to someone who can use it to build a real camera.

9) Too much noise

I regularly shoot at ISO 400 and get good results at 800 and 1600, too.
Reviews say the Sigma cannot make it even to ISO 400 without being noisy.

10) Uses old sensor technolgy - records image pixels in monochrome
instead of color like the Sigma SD* cameras which use the Foveon
sensor

See 8) above.


Look into the Sigma SD10. This is the best digital SLR you can buy.

Well, the reviewers (all of them) say otherwise.

Phil

1) ****-quality plastic build
Actually a placstic exterior on a Magnesium frame.
2) Metering/exposure problems
Not really


3) Focus problems
Nope.

Well, yes, but only with my Sigma lens (100-300mm F4.5 - 6.7 DL) !
( really !.. any takers ? ).

4) Poor effective resolution
Better than the 3 mp Sigmas
5) Horrible software
True -- but who uses the stuff than comes with the camera anyway?

Actually, I do ( use that photostitching programme that came with it - only
to edit it afterwards in CS or PSP, and the file viewer to download the pics
form my CF card into my computer..).
Does the job fast and good enough for me

6) Battery consumption is ridiculouly bad
500-600 shots on a very small battery (vs. the 4 NiMH used by a Sigma):
Excellent!
7) Must use tripod or IS lenses to prevent camera shake (unlike Sigma
SD* cameras which have camera-shake elimination built into the body)
8) Will be obsolete in a few years

Obsolete how ? I agree that in a few years there will probably digital SLR
with different and better specs, but does that mean you suddenly can't take
good pictures with the "old" one ?

9) Too much noise
I regularly shoot at ISO 400 and get good results at 800 and 1600, too.
Reviews say the Sigma cannot make it even to ISO 400 without being
noisy.
10) Uses old sensor technolgy - records image pixels in monochrome
instead of color like the Sigma SD* cameras which use the Foveon
sensor

Chieh Cheng wrote:
"Christina S Cericola" wrote in message

My question is: Does anyone have experience with the Canon Digital EOS Rebel
, What did you like about it and what didn't you like about it.? I read
about the differences between it and the 10D. I just wanted some feed back


Like:
- Cheapest DSLR in Canon EOS line.
- Smallest and lightest DSLR in Canon EOS line.
- Uses the simpler and cheaper RS-60E3 trigger remote.
- Can use the same battery grip as the D30/D60/10D
- has infrared remote capability with RC-1 or RC-5
- huge user base

Don't Like:
- Too much automation, not enough manual control
- Camera selects the focus mode based on expert system
- Metering mode based on expert system
- No flash compensation

Re the above: There is a third-party hack to fix most of the above.

- No secondary command dial.
- Shooting mode dial on the right side.
- user base at the lower end of photography spectrum


Sshhh -- you just insulted a lot of "lower end" users, like myself :-)

Now I will have to upgrade!

Phil

On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 18:30:28 +0100, "Canongirly" wrote:

7) Must use tripod or IS lenses to prevent camera shake (unlike Sigma
SD* cameras which have camera-shake elimination built into the body)

Whoopee for Sigma, I use a monopod or tripod anyway depending on what I'm
shooting.

It's not a 'Whoopee for Sigma" because the SD* have no such function.

Bill Funk
Change "g" to "a"

I would like to see a comparison of the Digital Rebel and the Nikon D70

John

"Phil Wheeler" wrote in message
...


Giorgio Preddio wrote:

"Christina S Cericola" wrote in message
sgroups.com...

To: Fellow Photographers and Photography enthusiasts,

I have searched rec,photo,digital and did not find what I was Looking
for.
My question is: Does anyone have experience with the Canon Digital EOS
Rebel
, What did you like about it and what didn't you like about it.? I read
about the differences between it and the 10D. I just wanted some feed
back
from people that actually shot with it. Thanks in advance for everyone's
help. I always can count on this newsgroup for help. :-)


I can't think of any pros, but here are some of the cons:

1) ****-quality plastic build

Actually a placstic exterior on a Magnesium frame.

2) Metering/exposure problems

Not really

3) Focus problems

Nope.

4) Poor effective resolution

Better than the 3 mp Sigmas

5) Horrible software

True -- but who uses the stuff than comes with the camera anyway?

6) Battery consumption is ridiculouly bad

500-600 shots on a very small battery (vs. the 4 NiMH used by a Sigma):
Excellent!

7) Must use tripod or IS lenses to prevent camera shake (unlike Sigma
SD* cameras which have camera-shake elimination built into the body)

No one else knows of this secret built-in feature -- including Sigma. I've
not used a tripod with my 300D in 8 months of heavy use.

8) Will be obsolete in a few years

Canon has been making SLRs for years and now is the leader in dSLRs. Sigma
is the cul-de-sac. Likely they will license their Foveon technology to
someone who can use it to build a real camera.

9) Too much noise

I regularly shoot at ISO 400 and get good results at 800 and 1600, too.
Reviews say the Sigma cannot make it even to ISO 400 without being noisy.

10) Uses old sensor technolgy - records image pixels in monochrome
instead of color like the Sigma SD* cameras which use the Foveon
sensor

See 8) above.


Look into the Sigma SD10. This is the best digital SLR you can buy.

Well, the reviewers (all of them) say otherwise.

Phil

Giorgio Preddio wrote:

I can't think of any pros, but here are some of the cons:

1) ****-quality plastic build

True. Be however aware that the plastic outer shell is only part of
the story. The whole construction is of lesser quality. The film based
EOS 3 also has a plastic outer shell, but that plastic and all inner
and outer details are of a much higher quality. I recommend the 10D
over the 300D/D-Rebel without hesitation if money is an object and the
buyer is not willing to go up to the 1D II. The Nikon D70 is also a
better choice than the Digital Rebel when it comes to construction.

2) Metering/exposure problems

False.

3) Focus problems

False. The camera focuses well.

4) Poor effective resolution

False. The resolution is quite good.

5) Horrible software

False. The RAW converter is good.

6) Battery consumption is ridiculouly bad

False. This is one of the camera's strongest points.

7) Must use tripod or IS lenses to prevent camera shake (unlike Sigma
SD* cameras which have camera-shake elimination built into the body)

I agree that due to the light plastic body, this camera is more prone
to shake than it should be.

8) Will be obsolete in a few years

False. As long as it is working, no camera will be worse than it was
at the time of purchase. The build quality is a limitation, though.

9) Too much noise

Manifestly false. The Canon DSLR's are at the top in their respective
classes with respect to noise.

10) Uses old sensor technolgy - records image pixels in monochrome
instead of color like the Sigma SD* cameras which use the Foveon
sensor

False.

Per Inge Oestmoen, Norway

John wrote:
I would like to see a comparison of the Digital Rebel and the Nikon D70


Check the reviews at dpreview. They may even have some direct image
comparisons (BTW -- 10D and 300D images are pretty much the same with
appropriate camera settings).

I think you can also do a feature comparison at one of the pages there
-- not sure.

D70 has more features -- closer to the 10D. 300D firmware has been
hacked to give similar functionality, and that hacked firmware is in
wide use (though I have yet to need its added functionality).

But at the end of the day it seems to be all about lenses. dSLR bodies
will evolve over the next few years. But I will still be able to use
the lenses I have now as I go to a better body --- IF I stay with Canon.
In fact one EF USM lens I use with my 300D is 13 years old and works
fine! Overall, I prefer the Canon lens selection to that of Nikon --
but others may differ.

Phil

John wrote:
I would like to see a comparison of the Digital Rebel and the Nikon D70

This should do it"
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sidebyside.asp

You can stack in several more cameras to compare at the same time if you
wish.

John McWilliams