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Canon EOS 6.3MP Digital Rebel Camera with Lens 18-55MM Lens

Canon EOS 6.3MP Digital Rebel Camera with Lens 18-55MM Lens

List Price: $1,199.99
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Awesome camera -- very few "cons"
Review: I've had the Rebel for about a month now, and it's been an amazing blast up the photography learning curve for me. It is my first SLR, though fortunately my third digicam, and ... well, wow, what a great camera to learn on.

I'd like to just run down the "cons" listed by a different reviewer below (or above? how do they order these things? ;-):

- "to minimize cannibalization of 10D sales, the 300D has been pre-programmed to have less flexibility (forced AI focus, forced evaluative metering, etc)"
* This general point is true, but it is rarely an issue for me, at least. You can override evaluative metering, you can fool it into Servo AF mode (and the "sports mode" pushes it into Servo AF mode as well), etc. The only thing I miss is mirror lock-up, for long-exposure dusk shots ... but hey, that just isn't worth the $600 and .75 pound tax I'd pay for the 10D.

- no spot metering.
* Not true. Locking exposure (holding the '*' button) yields spot metering in most modes, though the "spot" is about 9% of the FoV.

- low noise levels at ISO 1600.
* The Rebel has the same sensor and image processing goo as the 10D, and the 10D reputatedly has some of the lowest noise at any given ISO. ISO 1600 is pretty darn fast, some noise is inevitable.

- no flash exposure compensation.
* Yeah, this stinks a bit -- but at least you can get it with one of the EX flashes.

- cannot fine-tune white balance.
* Not sure what "fine tune" means here -- you can set it to "Custom white balance" and read off of a white source (e.g. white card, paper), and it retains that custom setting (even through on/off cycles of the camera).

- make sure you don't open the memory door while the camera is writing into the flash memory or else you will lose everything that's left in the internal memory buffer.
* Never have run into this being an issue -- opening the memory door is quite an unnatural action, I can't really see it ever happening accidentally, and the big red flashing light would be a reminder not to do it intentionally.

- plastic body with compartment doors that should be meatier.
* Metal (zinc) would be heavier, and the Rebel is plenty durable -- I crashed my mountain bike at 20mph with this sucker on my hip. I rolled onto it and cracked the filter, bent the lens, but the body was only scratched a little, and continues to work perfectly.

- LCD has no anti-reflective coating.
* My theory has always been that you can't see diddly on the LCD anyway. The real benefit on the 300D is that you can set the pic review mode to show the "info" screen, which includes the histogram -- this is VERY useful for checking to see if you have the exposure right without having to squint at a tiny LCD screen and guessing.

- reduced continuous shooting rate and buffer size (2.5 fps for max 4 images) vs the 10D.
* Again, another thing you get with the additional $600 ... but compared to the other digicams I've owned, this one feels like a rocket!

- ISO sensitivity not displayed on viewfinder status bar while being changed.
* It is displayed on the external LCD, however. I do wish that it was always visible on the LCD (not just when changing), as it's a little too easy to set it to, say, 400 in some low light situation, and then forget it's there and only remember when you note, several days later, that "wow, that shutter speed sure is short ..."

- no flash memory provided so add a few $$ to your budget to get at least 128MB.
* Included flash cards are virtually always too small and basically get tossed.

- proprietary battery - again, a few more bucks for a spare.
* Are there any "large" cameras that take, say, AA's? Not many ... the BP-512 that the Rebel uses is a SWEET battery, too, in terms of life.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: totally outstanding digital camera
Review: I went digital 5 years ago. My first was one of the very old Olypus digitals; no removable storage, just a cable to the computer, 120 low resolution or 30 medium resolution shots and then the memory was full. The colors were always off, there was no zoom, and it was amazing that it worked at all. No wonder I also bought a pocket 35mm camera to take "real" pictures since the Olympus' were so small, grainy, and colorless. At least the 35mm had a datestamp option. 3 years later I bought the Canon PowerShot S30, then when I lost it (or had it stolen?) I replaced it with the S40. The PowerShot S50 sold today is the same body style with more pixels and a couple of annoyances fixed.

This camera is NOTHING like those cameras. I had plenty of complaints about the S30 & S40. My biggest gripe was missing the shot. I take pictures of children, especially at school functions. I would line up a wonderful shot, push the button... and they would move! They'd get up and walk away, they'd turn around, they'd crowd into the subject, I was missing 80% of my shots. About a year later, the shutter would finally click. So my hard drive is filled with so-so shots that would have been winners if that annoying delay hadn't gotten me... again!

No problem with the Digital Rebel. Press the button, focus is lightning-fast, then click goes the shutter. You look through the viewfinder to frame your shot, not at the back on those hard-to-read LCD screens. Several modes allow multiple pictures, just in case, such as in Sports mode. I am seeing such an improvement in my pictures since I got this camera a few weeks ago. First of all, they are always framed properly, because I'm not dealing with sudden motion after shutter release, nor am I dealing with an LCD for a viewfinder, or a "viewfinder" that makes me correct for parallax. Next, the colors are amazing. Third, 6.3 megapixels... when would I ever want that much? When I want to crop 80% of the picture and still print what's left!

It is great to have a camera with some heft that still doesn't feel like a brick. As everyone else says, get the kit lens. It is 18 to 55mm, so a nice wide-angle lens for group shots, etc. I find 55mm not close enough for shooting children; the S30/S40 I mention above has an 11-55mm range which I already knew to be insufficient for shooting kids. Thus I bought the Canon 28-200mm zoom lens and keep that one on the camera, only switching to the kit lens when I do big groups or a lot of similar portraits (that big zoom lens weighs four times as much as the body!)

Yes, it is an amazing camera for "under" $1000. Truth be told, I spent more than that on accessories; the 28-200mm lens was almost $500, with 6.3 megapixels you might as well buy the biggest flashcard you can, and that's 2 GB these days; you'll need a case, you really ought to buy skylight filters to protect those lenses from getting scratched, an extra battery is a really good idea... well, you see what I mean.

Still an amazing camera, especially after dealing with those tiny toys for all these years.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best entry-level digital SLR
Review: This camera is my fourth digital. The single most annoying artifact of many digital cameras is shutter latency. Press the button, wait... Wait...snip! A second can be an eternity for many shots and sometimes the moment will never return, especially if you have children. You can't put a price tag on shots lost due to shutter latency.

The Canon Digital Rebel has no perceptible shutter latency. Plus, the shutter is an electromagnetic release so something tangible, physical happens when you press the shutter button. This would be true for any SLR. The camera makes a satisfying 'kerchunk' sound when you take a picture, and that sound is real, not a sample or beep coming out of a speaker. With some digital cameras, there is little or no feedback indicating you took a picture at all.

There are other aspects to this camera that make it ideal for capturing shots that may not last:

1) a real power switch - not a soft switch that you have to hold down for several seconds before the unit powers on. Some cameras you also have to wait for the lens to pop out. Gah!

2) EF lens zoom - quick, direct hand-held zoom adjustment - not a small lever that drives a motor that changes the zoom - almost worthless under many situations.

...and of course the shutter. All of this means you can reach for the camera, flick it on and snap a photo in seconds.

Obviously, this is not a pocket camera. There are many good models that provide this functionality, I own one myself, but the features inherent to the 300D are mutually exclusive to that of a pocket camera. It is pretty hefty, too - it weighs more than my 35mm Rebel SLR.

I've read some people bring the durability of the plastic body into question. Modern composites offer durability at a fraction of the weight of metal. And, there has to be something about this camera that feels less pro than Canon's high end offerings or else it would seriously cannibalize their sales.

PDF manuals of Canon products are available at their web site. Go check it out before you buy.

A 512MB CF card provides well over 120 pictures at large/fine mode (the top level before RAW) The battery pack provides hundreds of flash pictures before recharging.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Best Camera Out There!!!
Review: I really don't understand the negative reviews that this camera is getting. I think some people need to read the instruction manual before using it. This camera is the best investment I have ever made. It takes beautiful indoor/outdoor shots. The settings are easy to use so you can take any picture with accuracy and awsome results. The lenses that Canon has to offer are the best. Wether your an ametuer or pro, this camera has everything you need. I must point out that if your a beginner, play around with all the different settings to get use to the feel of it. I am confident that everyone will enjoy this camera, and the many things that it can do whatever the situation.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Absolutely the best digital camera for the price
Review: Had this camera now almost 2 months, took over 1200 pictures. I had some enlarged to 12"x18" and there is no graininess in the pictures. I showed them to people and they thought they were absolutely beautiful. In order to get a "crystal clear" picture (like regular 35mm SLRs), you should always use a tripod, even if the shutter speed seems fast as I can tell the difference between using the tripod and not using it. Only that way will the pics look very sharp. I'm sure lots of these reviews say you see a soft look but if you use the tripod you will see sharp lines, etc. My 3 second waterfall pics look as good as any I've ever seen. I'm sure that the graininess will start to show larger than 12"x18". By the way, use the timer to get pics so you don't wiggle the camera when you push the button or buy the corded remote which works great as a timed "bulb" timer.

As for the flash, well its not the best but for everyday snapshots it works fine. I suggest the 420EX by canon for a great flash.

Plastic body isn't as good as the more expensive cameras but it is very hard plastic and feels extremely solid.

The camera's lens that comes with it is good, not great but very capable for the extra cost of the camera.

One of the drawbacks is the mirror instead of a prism in the more expensive cameras and also the mirror 'slap' seems louder and may cause more vibration, which could lead to less sharp pics. But I would say that is it. The camera is very formidible and I seriously recommend it to anyone.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Digital Rebel Takes Wonderful Advantage of Canon "Primes"
Review: I won't sing the praises of this camera; I could never be as eloquent as the others who have weighed in and I don't use (or even fully understand) most of the fancy features of the camera, preferring to shoot mostly in program mode. However, I've noticed that the other reviewers seem to miss what for me is the most exciting feature of this camera -- the ability to use high quality Canon EF lenses. Put an inexpensive Canon EF 50 mm f/1.8 lens on the Digital Rebel and you will be astonished at the quality of your photos. (This lens can be had for about $70. new.) For example, you'll obtain near professional quality portraits with gorgeous backround blur using a wide aperture. If you are truly interested in photography as a hobby, there is no other way to go -- you must have a camera that can accept interchangable lenses. Primes (fixed focal length) lenses are the least expensive and of superb optical quality. Comparable quality telephoto lenses are far more expensive and they won't be as fast (have as wide an aperture) or as light weight and compact. Photography is completely different with a camera like the Rebel. Once you try it, there is no turning back. It will become apparent that the decision on which camera back to purchase is least important decision you make. Choosing the right lens is the really critical choice. Of course, along with the pleasure comes the pain: you'll soon find yourself lusting after Canon L (professional quality) glass that will set you back thousands at a pop. Enjoy!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great camera, but difficult to use pc interface
Review: I would have given the camera 5 stars but for the fact that I have found it difficult to extract the photos from the camera. I have a $150 digital Olympus that is So Easy to get the photos onto my pc from.
Both of my PCs (one Win2k, the other WinXP) gave me different problems with the Rebel. With the latter, I cannot thus far get the photos off. The PC recognises the camera (after all software installed, rebooted etc) but show nothing when I dbl-click into it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Thinking about a move from 35mm EOS? Buy This!!
Review: I've owned three digital cameras before this (a very small Sony, a Canon G1, and an older Kodak), and have been impressed with instant feedback received by viewing your photo 2 seconds after you took it, but was always left with the feeling that I needed to be able to change lenses and have more control over the process.

What I really wanted was my old Canon EOS 650 (35mm) camera to work with a digital camara back so that I could make use of my existing investment in lenses. Well guess what, that is exactly what the Digital Rebel provides!

Much to my surprise, all of my old EOS EF lenses work very well with this camera and I am getting much better results than I expected. This is a huge improvement over my other digicams - better resolution, color, overall quality, and I am in awe of what I get with my long telephoto lens.

A few notes. First, buy the kit lens (18-55mm EF-S); for $100 you'll use the lense and it is an incredible value (certinaly worth 2 to 3 times the cost). Second, if you take many indoor photos you'll want an external flash; I went with Canon's 420EX unti as it provides E-TTL exposure (essentially, the amount of flash is controlled by what the camera meters through the lens - a pretty amazing capability). Third, get a good amount of memory, like 2 512K card; its relatively inexpensive and by taking lots of photos you'll learn more about the camera's abilities sooner.

I am getting very long battery life (well into many hundreds of photos per charge), so unless you are headed off into the woods you may be able to hold off on purchasing a spare battery.

In summary, if you are an old 35mm EOS photographer, this is a complete no brainer since you get to use your lens investment. If you aren't, I'd highly recommend this camera anyway (and look into the Canon 70-200mm/f4 telephoto lense - its extremely high quality and a reasonable price). Now smile and say "Canon".

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent - but wait a bit if you can
Review: Yes, Canon was the first to make a digital SLR which is bordering on affordable, and yes, the product is very good (there are already plenty of good reviews as to what it can do; yes, it does a lot).

But good value for money? PLEASE. You gotta be joking. Take that thousand bucks and see what it will buy you in film SLR department. Exactly: for thousand dollars, you will be the King of the Hill, you will have something awesome - like Nikon N100.

The point I am trying to make that by buying this Canon today you are shelling out half of your money for its novelty value. Digital SLRs of the same class will be half the price in a year or 18 months, and you know it.

I am not campaigning against digital - yes, it is the technology to which we will all move one day, but now it is simply too expensive for the quality that it offers. Rememember how the first DVD players used to cost like a second-hand car? And how they're now - only a few years later - retailing for the price of, like, lunch for three at a pizza joint?

If you agree to pay a lot of money for novelty, this camera will not disappoint you. I will try to wait a little bit.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: awesome.
Review: Best camera ever. Battery life is superb. Macro shots are just beyond heaven. The lens are seem cheap, but they're actually quite worth the extra $100 because it's so wide (buying an additional lens with similar focal length would cost over 400 bucks).

The canon EF 28-135MM f/3.5-5.6 IS USM is a great overall lens for this camera.

Since I'm not allowed to post URL's go to google and search for "digital rebel tricks" hosted on www.bahneman.com for it has many tips.


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