Canon 300D question

Dave wrote:

Isn't the Canon 300D an EOS camera? If so, all EOS lenses from
Canon will fit on it and work on it, electronics and all. If a
Sigma lens is TRULY EOS-compatible, why wouldn't it work on the
300D, too?

You answered your own question. The Sigma lens he's talking about is
not TRULY EOS-compatible. It works with his film-based EOS camera,
but it does not work with the 300D. Canon did not give Sigma the
full specifications for their camera/lens interface including future
compatibility specs. Thus, when Canon comes out with a new camera
body, it is quite possible that the lenses Sigma made need to have
their firmware tweaked a bit. This is called "re-chipping" the lens.

BJJB

Dave wrote:

Isn't the Canon 300D an EOS camera? If so, all EOS lenses from
Canon will fit on it and work on it, electronics and all. If a
Sigma lens is TRULY EOS-compatible, why wouldn't it work on the
300D, too?

You answered your own question. The Sigma lens he's talking about is
not TRULY EOS-compatible. It works with his film-based EOS camera,
but it does not work with the 300D. Canon did not give Sigma the
full specifications for their camera/lens interface including future
compatibility specs. Thus, when Canon comes out with a new camera
body, it is quite possible that the lenses Sigma made need to have
their firmware tweaked a bit. This is called "re-chipping" the lens.

BJJB

All EOS lenses will fit, and most will work. The APS-sized sensor in
the 300D (also in the 10D) uses only the center 2/3 of the lens' image
circle, so there is a "crop factor" of 1.6. The effect is similar to
using a 1.6x teleconverter (if such a converter existed) on a full
frame 35mm SLR.

Some older EOS-compatible lenses may need modification by the
manufacturer. I've been told that Sigma will re-chip their lenses at
no charge except shipping.

Advice to buy the full 300D kit is generally good. The included
18-55mm lens--at an effective cost of $100 (US) is a bargain. Only
Sigma offers a competitive lens in this focal length range. The
importance of the 18mm is that with the 1.6x crop factor, this lens
has a field of view comparable to a 28mm on a full-frame SLR. Since a
28mm is almost indespensible indoors, that is a good reason to get it.
Also, it would make the camera a lot easier to sell later, if you
wanted to.

That said, Sigma has recently released an 18-125mm "digital" lens.
With the 300D's 1.6 crop factor, this is comparable to 28-200mm on a
full frame 35. For around $270, you get a 7:1 wide angle-to-telephoto
zoom. Since this price is only $170 more than the kit lens, if you
don't expect to buy more lenses very soon, the Sigma could be a more
versatile alternative to the Canon 18-55. Also, since the Sigma uses
intenal focusing (the external lens barrel does not turn when
focusing), it would not impose difficulties when using a polarizer,
like the Canon lens does.

Worth noting. The 18-55mm lens works only on the 300D. Similarly,
Sigma's "digital" lenses are designed for the smaller sensors of the
300D, 10D, Nikon's digitals, and Sigma's own digital SLRs. Their
image circle is too small for a full frame digital SLR. While the
only such digital cameras today are Kodak's SLR/N and SLR/C for $4,500
and Canon's 1Ds for $7,000, that is likely to change in the reasonably
future.

All EOS lenses will fit, and most will work. The APS-sized sensor in
the 300D (also in the 10D) uses only the center 2/3 of the lens' image
circle, so there is a "crop factor" of 1.6. The effect is similar to
using a 1.6x teleconverter (if such a converter existed) on a full
frame 35mm SLR.

Some older EOS-compatible lenses may need modification by the
manufacturer. I've been told that Sigma will re-chip their lenses at
no charge except shipping.

Advice to buy the full 300D kit is generally good. The included
18-55mm lens--at an effective cost of $100 (US) is a bargain. Only
Sigma offers a competitive lens in this focal length range. The
importance of the 18mm is that with the 1.6x crop factor, this lens
has a field of view comparable to a 28mm on a full-frame SLR. Since a
28mm is almost indespensible indoors, that is a good reason to get it.
Also, it would make the camera a lot easier to sell later, if you
wanted to.

That said, Sigma has recently released an 18-125mm "digital" lens.
With the 300D's 1.6 crop factor, this is comparable to 28-200mm on a
full frame 35. For around $270, you get a 7:1 wide angle-to-telephoto
zoom. Since this price is only $170 more than the kit lens, if you
don't expect to buy more lenses very soon, the Sigma could be a more
versatile alternative to the Canon 18-55. Also, since the Sigma uses
intenal focusing (the external lens barrel does not turn when
focusing), it would not impose difficulties when using a polarizer,
like the Canon lens does.

Worth noting. The 18-55mm lens works only on the 300D. Similarly,
Sigma's "digital" lenses are designed for the smaller sensors of the
300D, 10D, Nikon's digitals, and Sigma's own digital SLRs. Their
image circle is too small for a full frame digital SLR. While the
only such digital cameras today are Kodak's SLR/N and SLR/C for $4,500
and Canon's 1Ds for $7,000, that is likely to change in the reasonably
future.

All EOS lenses will fit, and most will work. The APS-sized sensor in
the 300D (also in the 10D) uses only the center 2/3 of the lens' image
circle, so there is a "crop factor" of 1.6. The effect is similar to
using a 1.6x teleconverter (if such a converter existed) on a full
frame 35mm SLR.

Some older EOS-compatible lenses may need modification by the
manufacturer. I've been told that Sigma will re-chip their lenses at
no charge except shipping.

Advice to buy the full 300D kit is generally good. The included
18-55mm lens--at an effective cost of $100 (US) is a bargain. Only
Sigma offers a competitive lens in this focal length range. The
importance of the 18mm is that with the 1.6x crop factor, this lens
has a field of view comparable to a 28mm on a full-frame SLR. Since a
28mm is almost indespensible indoors, that is a good reason to get it.
Also, it would make the camera a lot easier to sell later, if you
wanted to.

That said, Sigma has recently released an 18-125mm "digital" lens.
With the 300D's 1.6 crop factor, this is comparable to 28-200mm on a
full frame 35. For around $270, you get a 7:1 wide angle-to-telephoto
zoom. Since this price is only $170 more than the kit lens, if you
don't expect to buy more lenses very soon, the Sigma could be a more
versatile alternative to the Canon 18-55. Also, since the Sigma uses
intenal focusing (the external lens barrel does not turn when
focusing), it would not impose difficulties when using a polarizer,
like the Canon lens does.

Worth noting. The 18-55mm lens works only on the 300D. Similarly,
Sigma's "digital" lenses are designed for the smaller sensors of the
300D, 10D, Nikon's digitals, and Sigma's own digital SLRs. Their
image circle is too small for a full frame digital SLR. While the
only such digital cameras today are Kodak's SLR/N and SLR/C for $4,500
and Canon's 1Ds for $7,000, that is likely to change in the reasonably
future.