Canon EOS 30D 8.2MP Digital SLR Camera Kit with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens

There are probably many people out there who are thinking about buying this camera to upgrade. If you own a 10D then the choice is pretty easy, as you get extra MP plus new features. However, what if you own the XT, is this a worthwhile upgrade? The answer is that it depends if you need the new features. Based on my personal experience, however, the answer is a resonating yes!

Also, if you are trying to decide between buying the XT or the 20D, take a look at the 30D. The 30D offers a great combination of features that you won't find in those two cameras.

SIZE MATTERS: yes my hands are big and I don't like holding the XT. In fact, that's what made the 20D appealing back when I was shopping for my first digital SLR, but it didn't offer much more than that. On the other hand, the 30D size is perfect with a much solid feel than my XT and I get more features with the 30D.

BIGGER LCD: The new 2.5 inch LCD screen (up from 1.8) is so much better than the one on the XT. Now I can look at the picture I have taken and actually see some details. That's very important because it cuts down on nasty surprises that I couldn't otherwise spot while shooting with the XT.

IMAGE PARAMETER: is awesome! I know how to set parameters on my XT to suit the shooting situation (portrait vs. nature for example). However, many of my friends who own the XT don't bother to make any changes. With the 30D, however, changing the parameters is as easy as dialing in what you are shooting. You set it on portrait and no more over saturated pictures of your friends! This new feature makes the professional level 30D extra friendly for amateurs.

1/3 ISO STOPS: That new feature makes taking test shots with the 30D much more enjoyable than with the XT. Hence, no more soft images with low shutter speed or too much depth of field with high aperture. Instead you can sacrifice an extra 1/3 stop of ISO and achieve correct exposure!

Aside from those four great improvements there are few nice features here and there. As for all other aspects of photography, like auto focus and light metering for example, this camera will not disappoint you. It beat my XT in every aspect, except price! Therefore, if you are comfortable making the investment get this camera, it rocks!

PS. ABOUT THE KIT LENS: I personally don't like the kit lens because it focuses slowly, renders colors poorly, and produces marginally sharp pictures. I say marginaly because it's a shame to couple the awesome 30D with such a low performance lens. Instead I would buy the body only and invest few hundred dollars in an excellent prime or a decent zoom. If you are new to photography, however, and not sure what to buy instead of the kit lens consider buying the 50 1.8 Canon lens along with the kit lens. That lens will serve as a good reference point for what you are missing by using the kit lens. Furthermore, the 50 mm lens goes for only $70 new. Use both lenses, learn the difference, and from there decide if it's worth it for you to buy different lenses. Good luck either way.

UPDATE APRIL 6: The 30D auto focus is superior to the Rebel XT. Generally speaking when I am out shooting in the forest preserve I make sure I take few exposures of the same scene without changing the composition. I do that because very often the camera would focus on the wrong object and render my pictures useless. The 30D on the other hand is better it focuses on the right object more often. It's just "smarter" in focusing, which mean that now I can take pictures of more scenes with my 512MB memory card. Prior to that, I had to fill up the card with multiple pictures of the same scenes.

UPDATE APRIL 30: Three new features have come in handy so far. Those are spot metering, controls layout, and ISO display in the viewfinder.

SPOT METERING: can be very useful in taking landscape images. From my experience, the evaluative metering found on the XT and 20D (more so in the XT) tends to create over exposed pictures in tricky situations. I usually take few exposures that are underexposed to combat this. Now with this new feature I can point at the object of interest, obtain an exposure reading, and then recompose and take my picture based on that reading. Thanks to spot metering this new approach provide accurate results and is much more convenient than filling up the memory card with several exposures of the same scene.

CONTROLS LAYOUT & ISO DISPLAY: Those two new features go hand in hand, as it's very easy to use the two wheels on the back and on the top of the camera to change settings that most important of which is (yup you guessed it) ISO speed. Once you change the ISO speed you will see the speed value being illuminated in the viewfinder, truly a piece of mind!

Canon EOS 30D More reviews

Canon EOS 6.3MP Digital Rebel Camera

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.

Canon EOS 6.3MP Digital Rebel Camera More reviews

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

First of all this camera's price point marks a first in the digital SLR field. I would recommend this camera for someone that is tired of missing shots waiting for your CCD based digital camera to recycle. The cycle time with flash is at the most 1.8 seconds unless you have 4 or more pictures waiting to be spooled to the flash card. This is slower than other more expensive digital SLR's, but is FASTER than every non-SLR digital camera I have seen.

The battery life is remarkable to say the least of any other digital camera I have seen. The proprietary battery caused me a little concern, but it has such a rich history with Canon's other digital SLR's and PowerShot models, I felt comfortable. The battery just keeps on going and going too. I hope this battery can continue to perform like thes for several years down the road. When the advertisement states that you can get 300-400 pictures out of one battery, BELIEVE IT.. I intentionally ran the battery down one day and I would swear that I took somewhere around 500 pictures (90% of them using the flash) before the battery finally gave up. I have a 512mb flash card and it filled it up more than twice on the SAME battery..

The fit and finish left a little to be desired at first with the plastic body. I have come accustomed to using it and even though it's made out of plastic, I would like to see someone do a drop test to see how the case holds up against another digital SLR with a metal body. My money's on the injection molded Digital Rebel (if there is such a thing as SOLID plastic, this is it)..

If purchasing this camera, be sure to get Canon's SLR accessory pack for 69.95 and BestBuy (and others maybe). This pack contains an extra battery and a 58mm Canon UV lens. I use it on my lens as a permanent protector. The battery alone costs around 60 bucks and you get a bag and a filter to boot..

Some folks have complained that indoor photography sucks with this camera. DON'T believe everything you read!! I thought this at first, but when I set the camera in the P mode it allowed me to adjust the ISO level and indoor photography improved instantly. I will agree that the full auto mode should be used sparingly indoors. Now I have to worry about having pictures that are overexposed inside. No need for a mini studio as someone mentioned.. Just play with the camera for a while and you will learn so much. Besides this is digital.. You can see your mistakes before paying for processing..
Also, plan to purchase some other lenses (that's why you purchased a digital SLR to begin with, right). I purchased a 75-300 from BestBuy off their clearance rack (for a ridiciulous price for a Canon EF lens) and the lens works great. If you're good with the ISO settings and the program mode, you can take indoor shots with the zoom at full tilt! And speaking of zoom capability.. The focal point of the 75-300 lens actually has to go through the 1.6 magnification factor.. So to the camera the effective focal length of the 75-300 lens is actually 120 - 480 zoom. Sweet..

I haven't taken the camera to any sporting events and it gets dark so early now, I only have time to do daytime photography on the weekends. The amount of correction in the automatic mode works good for daytime photography.

The software on the PC for the camera was a little different at first. My last camera just hooked up to the computer and presented a file folder of images for download/review. The Canon software provides far more information about the camera, and all of the elements that went into making the picture. This has been very helpful for me to determine exactly which light balances to use for the best shots. I have also tried the direct capture to the computer and it rocks!! It told me I had like 11,000 shots left to take using the hard drive of the computer to transfer images.. I will say the USB connection between the software and the camera is a little slow. I wish this camera had a USB2.0 connection for faster speed, but hey no other digital-SLR offers that for ANY price (as far as I know).. I would certainly leave some money in the budget for a CF reader that works on USB 2.0.. About $45..

In closing, I find this camera to be a very good value for the money and look forward to other times I can do some creative photography. Availability for this camera may be a little scarce, but if you have to wait, I feel it will be well worth it. I have a friend that has a full EOS 35mm outfit complete with a few lenses, flashes, etc.. It may be time to play Lets Make A Deal since all of his components are (1) authentic Canon accessories, and (2) the Digital Rebel can use some older accessories..

Happy hunting..

Canon EOS More reviews

Canon Digital Rebel XSI 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

The XSi is a significant step forward for Canon, and brings features to the upper end of the consumer market that were previously only seen in much more expensive professional equipment.

The most important reasons I like this camera are:

1. The kit lens (EF-S 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 IS) is very good for the price. It is as sharp as lenses costing $700 to $1,000 and has only minimally greater barrel distortion and no vignetting to speak of. There is a little bit more chromatic aberration than with more expensive lenses, but again it completely acceptable, especially for the price. The autofocus and image stabilization work reliably and quickly. For aficionados of professional grade lenses, the build will seem light, but a light and small lens is also easier to carry around. Overall, a big improvement over earlier Canon kit lenses.

2. The 12.2 megapixel sensor provides more than enough resolution. Even 8"x12" enlargements are highly satisfactory. We can look forward to the day when consumer-priced 35mm SLRs will have 30 megapixel full size sensors. At that point, the 35mm format will be maxed out in terms of resolution, as the lenses will not be able to keep up. In the meantime, this is as good as it gets. To give you an idea how good, on a shot of a 25 story building, every brick was clearly visible.

3. The camera is fast enough for essentially all non-professional use. With natural lighting (no flash) it shoots 3.5 frames per second, perfect for capturing kids or sports action.

4. Another great feature of the XSi is that it has all the manual controllability that advanced photographers want, but also has automatic modes that even a complete beginner can easily use. The performance of the preset automatic modes is surprisingly good under a wide range of conditions.

Having only had the XSi for a few weeks, I cannot yet say anything about the reliability of this new model. What I can report is that in more than 30 years of photography, I have found Canon products, both SLR and point and shoot, to be by far the most reliable. The Nikon, Olympus, and Pentax cameras I once owned have long since fallen by the wayside, but every Canon I have ever had, all the way back to a 1978 35 mm AT-1 SLR, is still going strong.

Canon Digital Rebel XSI More reviews

Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens

[This is the same review I posted for the kit. If you're getting the body because you don't like the 18-55 lens, keep in mind that some dealers offer this camera in a kit with the much nicer 17-85 USM IS (image stabalization) zoom.]

The new Digital Rebel XTi camera should appeal to a wide variety of users: those wishing to upgrade from a point & shoot digital, or those wishing to improve upon their first generation digital SLRs. Features and value make this a 5-star camera, but it won't be everyone's cup of tea.

Compared to the previous Digital Rebel XT, important improvements are:

1) 10.1 megapixels. In digital camera circles, this is like saying a car has more horsepower than an older car. While this alone doesn't mean "better" pictures, in reality, combined with other improvements in hardware & software, the results typically are better.;

2) 2.5" LCD panel. This alone has more than one advantage. The obvious first one is that our pictures look larger in review. The second, and for someone approaching 50 (like myself), is that the LCD is now used for all the camera's data (shutter speed, aperture, shots left, etc.). It's much easier to read than the small LCD typically located on the top of the cameras. It might use up the batteries quicker, but, heck, if you can see the info this much easier, then so be it. One complaint, it does not appear that the data rotates when you do verticals (like the Sony Alpha 100).;

3) 9-point AF. The number of points are improved from 7, but the real key here is that it's the system from the 30D, which had a much higher degree of accuracy than the previous Rebels.;

4) Picture Styles. I didn't really appreciate them at first, but simply put, this is like the days of film, when we could use a "portrait" film or "landscape" film. For those that don't like to do a lot of computer work, these can be VERY handy in getting the right look in the camera.;

5) Dust cleaning system. OK, I think the dust problem will probably be a little overblown, now that Canon offers a solution, but it is a real, if not great, threat. Additionally, the way Canon has implemented it is second to none. The first is through hardware. An ultrasonic filter can simply shake the dust off. Second is through software. If you spot a nasty piece that won't shake off, you can do a reference shot, and have the dust removed by software on your computer.;

6)The grip has been improved a little. The rubber on the grip is improved, and an anti-slip strip has been placed on the back where the right thumb goes.

Most all other things Canon is know for still exists. The camera focus fast and quietly. Camera operations are quick and easy to locate and use. Pictures look great.

Now for the other side. This is an unusual time in that all the big players are comming out with a 10 megapixel camera at the same time, so the Canon has some stiff competition. Here goes a simple comparison.

1) Compared to the other two cameras already available, the Sony A100 and Nikon D80 (both also 5-star cameras), the XTi is considerably smaller, and somewhat lighter. Some will like this, even some with medium to medium-large hands. But most people with larger, and some with somewhat smaller hands may prefer the other two choices.;

2) The battery is somewhat smaller than its rival's, and may drain a bit faster due to the LCD being used for info all the time.;

3) Functionally, the rear LCD is not as nice as the Sony's. The Sony's rotates, can be set to enlarged type (50+ user again), and the system that turns it off as your eye approaches also starts the AF on the Sony. [Although many like the top LCD, the Nikon way of needing to push a button on the back, then peak over the top to see what you're setting is not as nice].;

4) No in camera stabalization. The A100 can shift the sensor to help eliminate camera shake. Nikon and Canon require you to purchase rather expensive lenses to get the anti-shake.;

Also, soon to be added to the competion will be the Pentax K10D. Specs are sketchy right now, but it appears to be enter the competition as a 10 megapixel camera with built-in anti-shake (much like their K100D).

Of these 3 currently on the market, the Canon is the least expensive; therefore, it's up to the other 2 to show they are worth more, a very difficult task, indeed.

Canon Digital Rebel Xti More reviews

Canon EOS 20D 8.2MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens

If you want the full hard core review of this camera you need to be looking somewhere like [...] because there's far more to this camera than a normal user will ever meet.

Having said that we are left with just the little bits and pieces a normal user would use.

The camera is actually a little smaller than optimal for a person with average sized hands, the little finger of the right hand has nowhere to sit and the EOS10D actually feels better. But in normal use you won't notice this. The viewfinder is small, in many cases you just have to trust that it really has done a good job of focus because there isn't enough image for you to see for yourself. I find it quite difficult to be certain that I even have the camera level. It's also not the brightest viewfinder you ever saw.

Battery life is very good, even powering an image stabilized lens, I just filled a 1Gb card on a single battery, that's a few hundred images and the battery still isn't showing low.

Dust has been a small issue, there are cameras now that will clean their own sensor but this isn't one. I eventually found a good hand air blower. You can not use canned air or a brush to clean the sensor, either can damage the camera badly. Once I got the dust off, it was there from new, it has remained clean. So maybe it's not that much of an issue. I use Tokina 24-200, Canon 50mm and Sigma 80-400 OS EX lenses, so I do change the lens fairly often, so perhaps dust isn't that big an issue.

Switch on is unbelievably fast, slow switch on times have cost me numerous shots with other cameras, with the 20D the camera is on by the time you realize the switch has clicked into place. Speaking of which, on a camera with excellent ergonomics the on-off switch is about the only thing that doesn't come to hand well, but it's not a factor in normal use. Just not perfect.

Low light performance has been excellent, the camera will shoot at 800 or even 1600 ASA with no apparent noise. You can even configure it to use 3200ASA, but you get significant noise effects with some faint horizontal lines and grain like effects, though I was shooting under sodium light. Even at 3200ASA the pictures are better than with fast print film under similar conditions.

You do need to be mindful that the exposure controls on this camera really do do what they say, you need to keep your eye on the shutter speed and aperture to get the shot you think you want, this isn't an instant camera that will just make the most of it. Most of the time the idiot modes, sport or scenic or whatever, will actually do a good job of picking the right settings. If you are in a hurry then use the built in functions. For example, in sports mode it switches to predictive autofocus, shutter priority and continuous shooting, which are all good choices.

The autofocus is excellent, however in programmed modes you need to pay attention to which of the focus zones it has actually selected. If there is something closer to you than the subject you may need to select the correct focus point, fortunately this is very easy to do, you can hit the control and then select the focus point using the joystick, both with your right thumb.

Another minor irritation to me is that if you are using the fully auto mode, which does a very good job of most things, it will sometimes select the flash even though the autofocus should tell it that the subject is way out of range. Perhaps I expect too much?

Picture quality? Well, unless you have an absolutely perfect lens and need to make 36" wide posters you are unlikely to find that the camera is a limiting factor. I'm actually waiting to see an Epson R1800 because the current generation of printers can't reproduce the quality I have available with this camera and my lenses.

The built in flash is inadequate and the flash metering is soometimes poor, I was taking pictures near a road recently and whenever a reflective sign was in shot the picture was under exposed. Recharge times are pretty poor too, but I think the built in flash should be regarded as an emergency or backup method only, if you are serious then you need a serious flash. I'll be adding either the Speedlite 580EX or a Metz 54 flash in the near future.

I'll also be adding an L-series lens in place of the Tokina, the Tokina is OK, but not good enough for my brothers wedding.

Would I buy it again? Sure. Will I trade for the next great EOS digital to come on the scene? Unlikely. Maybe if it has a larger viewfinder and a 35mm sensor, but this camera already does way more than I need.

Canon EOS 20D More reviews

Canon EOS 50D 15.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Standard Zoom Lens

I moved to this camera body from a Canon EOS 10D model 2003. That camera served me very well throughout the years, but it had some limitations.
In all aspects this new EOS 50D camera seriously outperforms the other camera on a large margin.
As a sign of excellently built and sturdiness, this camera with a Tokina 12-24 ATX Pro zoom lens and a Speedlight EX-430 flash attached, recently fell on the wood floor of my house, from my tripod. Tripod was faulty and the head separated from the tripod body. I was horrified. To my amazement, nothing happened. I do not know how lucky I was, but I won't ever play with my luck again. I bought a new tripod since.
LCD display: 3" diagonal, bright, high res. LCD display, easily viewable indoors and out, a pleasure to use, compared to the small 1.8" diagonal LCD display of the EOS 10D.
Exposure meter: much more accurate, compared to the older camera. Canon cameras, over the years typically underexposed, when a wide angle lens was used. This one seems to have overcome that issue. Extremely accurate exposures on evaluative metering, with or without flash.
Color accuracy: an improvement over EOS 10D. in order to achieve vibrant, true to life colors, I used to crank the saturation control on the older camera to the max. This one seems to achieve true and vibrant colors on "standard" pic mode... however this "standard" pic mode, also cranks saturation to high :)
Pictures noise: very low noise on high ASA/ISO setting. I read several reviews stating that compared to EOS 40D this camera is more noisy. I do not know the 40D much, but compared to 10D, this camera shines at high ISO settings. I used ISO 3200 and pics are very smooth. At Hi sensitivity setting (presumed ISO 6400), the noise is visually comparable to ISO 1600 settings on the older camera (on a 23"LCD computer screen). I did not try yet the 12800 (Hi-2) setting, but I have heard it is noisy.
Resolution: 15 mpixels... WOW! Images are razor sharp and extremely detailed. I did quite well with 6 mpixels on EOS 10D but this is amazing.
Flash card read/write speed: I am using Sandisk Extreme III flash memory cards. It may be even better with Extreme-IV series. Transfer speed from the camera body to the PC and also using a Sandisk extreme USB 2.0 reader, extremely high. Files simply zap, even 20 MB RAW files... Amazing!
Well done Canon! I am extremely pleased with this camera. I may however be not the most demanding or critical person in reviewing this camera body.
And Amazon did a nice job with a very competitive price (for a US model camera) and by shipping and delivering in just 2 days (with special annual membership plan).

Canon EOS 50D More reviews

Canon EOS 1D Mark IV 16.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and 1080p HD Video

The 1D mk III was my first 1-series body. Before that I had, in reverse order, a 5D, a 20D, and 300D. Each step along the way was nicer and nicer. I couldn't imagine a better camera than my 1D mk III, but now I have it.

Over time (mostly through reading about the camera) I learned that my mk III had poor autofocus. I had an early version with the defect, but also because the mk III apparently did not live up to the autofocus of the 1D mk IIn. I had the defect fixed, and my auto focus was better, but still not as good, or so I had read, as the mk IIn autofocus. I can attest that I certainly felt frustrated with the mk III autofocus on a regular basis.

I haven't been to a sporting event yet, so I can't speak to that kind of focusing, but in good light with a stationary subject my gut feeling is that, yes, focusing is better in the mk IV than it was in the mk III. I can also attest that in near darkness conditions, such as when I can't even see my subject (and a 1.2 lens), the autofocus is astounding. Astounding there is relative; in this case I mean it often acquires focus, which is quite a feat in near total darkness.

This camera is 16MP instead of 10MP, but so far I haven't noticed much of a different in quality from the smaller photosites. Canon said the microlenses were an improvement, and I'm quite willing to believe them.

My ReallyRightStuff L-bracket from my mk III fits perfectly, which is a nice bonus. It uses the same batteries as my mk III was well. The mk IV doesn't come with a wall adapter like the mk III did, but I have a mk III so it wasn't a terrible loss for me.

The battery life is supposedly down with the larger sensor. Canon claims something like 1200 shots I think, while the mk III supposedly got 1900. I know I usually got 7000 per battery if I drained a battery over a few months, or about 12000 if I shot a major event in a single day. While the battery performance still seems good (I didn't start with a fresh battery, and I've been out in the cold a lot with it), it is definitely not as long-lived as in a mk III body. The battery smart-logic only understand shutters, and doesn't keep track of video, so shooting movies will play havok with matching up a shot count to the battery life.

The aesthetics of the menu system are much improved. It is basically the same menus as the mk III, but they feel more polished now.

The high iso is, well, high. I won't lie to you: at H3 you get something barely above garbage out of the camera; but you get something! It's absolutely astounding to be able to shoot in that much darkness. H2 is pretty bad, and H1 is kind of all-right. And I haven't found anything that needed any of the H modes; 12800 has been more than adequate for playing around in. I'm quite happy with the exended ISO, and noise at that level is something I expect. The camera can be pushed further with H3 than I even pushed B&W film, and the results are quite good for the circumstances.

When you stick to ISO 12800 or lower the results are quite spectacular. My gut feeling was that 12800 is about as good as 3200 on the 1D mk III, but I hadn't specifically compared them to see. I've uploaded a comparison picture to Amazon showing two shots that compare the ISO. The mk IV 12800 definitely seems to be better than the mk III H1 (6400).

I like the new rotation-selectable AF points. I like the new corner brightening options.

The video I've barely played with. Auto focus in video sucks, so you need to manual focus. The lack of a level control on audio-in is a serious deficiency. The video does look good though. I've barely played with it though, and I've never owned a video camera (I've only owned a film-based movie camera), so I'm not sure what I can say about it. I do know that it takes a long time to upload a minute of Full HD to YouTube.

I guess that is all I can think of at the moment.

Canon EOS 1D Mark IV More reviews

Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Lens

Got this camera after considering between this and the 20D. Was very impressed with the 20D, but the price difference could easily give me a very good lense, and the feature differences are minor, so Rebel XT it is. I am a photography enthuiast who wishes he had the budget for a canon 1D MarkII but instead have the budget of a mortal and have to pay for a personal camera out of his own pocket.

I have been reading some other reviews on this site and other sites regarding digital SLR cameras in general. I had to admit, most of the reviewers really are better served with a point and shoot. This is a SLR camera, it will take great pictures in automatic modes, but if you use your camera in those modes, get something like the Canon Pro1. This camera is to be used in Av, Tv or Manual modes, maybe in Program in a pinch. It requires you to understand WB, depth of fields, exposure metering as well as other wide array of nuances that come with a SLR camera. If you don't want to spend some time to learn some details about photography, you will be better served with a point and shoot. If you decide to use the attached flash for in door portrait shots, you're probably better served with a point and shoot. If you need to frame your shot on the LCD, you're better served with a point and shoot (becasue the whole SLR concept of through the lense view of the scene, DOF checking, focus accuracy is completely lost by that opinion). Yes the sensor on dSLR's will get dirty and require maintenance. Some one mentioned why don't engineer design the sensor to have the opposite charge to rebel dust. Well, dusts don't have one single polarity in their charges, so 50% of the dust will be attracted to the sensor doesn't matter what polarity the sensor is charged with.

Also, this is not a Canon 1Ds either, so it does have its limitations, but then again, people who will feel completely limited by this camera should have gotten a Canon 1D series camera anyway.

The best merit for this camera is foremost image quality. It's extremely low in image noise all the way up to ISO 800. ISO 1600 is completely usable if you stay below 8x10 enlargement and don't mind photoshopping your image a little. Again, if you don't ever want to bother with photoshop adjustment of you pictures, you probably will be better served with a point and shoot. The kit lense is of decent quality again for the price, but you're definitely short changing yourself if that's the only lense you decide for have for this camera. If you want to buy the kit and had no intention to buy another lense, you shoud seriously be considering Canon Pro1, it's got a L glass and a good match between the lense and the body. Buying this camera will be at most 50% of your investment if you truly want to make it worthwhile, the other 50% will be needed for buying good lenses (get the Canon 17-40mm USM L lense, the 70-200 4L zoom, and the 28-135mm as a walk-around, the Tamron 28-74 is an excellent medium range lense as well and is probably a superior substitue for the Canon 28-135 USM).

I would have to say lack of spot metering does give the Nikon D70 an advantage, but this camera does have a center metering mode with exposure lock, so it is not really a show-stopper. Compared to the D70, the Rebel XT has superior noise level performance. This is from my personal experience as well as photos from a wide variety of sites on the net. Low noise level is very important to me, so if this is on your priority list, you really can't go wrong with the Rebel XT at this price point.

What I want to emphasize here is seriously consider your needs before buying this camera, to make this camera truly worth the money you spent, you need to spend a bit more of your money and a lot of more of your time on learning how to properly handle a piece of equipment like this. Otherwise, you guessed it, Canon Pro1 is a very very good candidate.

Canon Digital Rebel XT More reviews

Canon EOS Rebel T1i 15.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

I am a first time DSLR owner. Took about three weeks to research before finally taking the plunge. If you are like me, you probably read about a hundred reviews from amazon, [...], cnet, consumer reports, and the like. Your head probably hurts by now. I'm going to try to make it as simple as possible. If you are in the market for a great entry level DSLR that you can grow into, and you don't have a budget that equals the gross domestic product of a small country, then you've probably been looking at the Canon XSi, some Nikons, and this guy.

Why you should choose the T1i over the Rebel Xsi or Nikon:
1. The screen is way better. There are 920,000 color dots on the 3" screen. Your pictures look awesome even before you load them onto your computer. This is better than either the XSi or the Nikon 5000- both have 230,000 dots. It may not seem like it makes a difference, but it's like comparing a shiny new HDTV plasma to a CRT television of the 90s. There is a difference and you won't want to go back.

2. Movies! You can record really high quality HD movies with the T1i, but you can't with the XSi. The Nikon has movie capabilities, but it stops at 1280 x 720 (24 fps). The T1i does 1920 x 1080 (1080P, 16:9) @ 20 fps (which is probably way bigger than you need). There have been some complaints about the microphone placement and overall ambient noise being caught in the video recording capabilities, but I've had the same problem making movies with my movie capable point and shoot. If you want to make a full length film, you probably need a camcorder. But this is more than capable of capturing things you happen across- like waterfalls, grandchildren playing, or puppies falling asleep. I found the movie capabilities convenient (it's not hidden in some menu screen- there are dedicated buttons) and you can even take pictures in the middle of recording a movie if you see an awesome shot in the middle of filming.

3. HDMI output. I didn't think this would be a big selling point, but it's pretty neat to plug the camera into your HDTV and see a big version of your pics and videos. The HDMI makes a huge difference in showing each hair on your dogs face; each leaf in a landscape scene. Could also be pretty impressive if you have to show a slide show at a party, etc. The HDMI cable is not included, but it's relatively inexpensive. There is an included cable that plugs into your television if you don't need the HD capabilities.

4. Finally, and this is more a personal preference, but if this is your first DSLR you are buying into a whole family of products when you choose a brand. I was dead set against the whole idea of lugging all those lenses, accessories, and bodies around. But ultimately I was hitting a wall with my "prosumer" point and shoot, and needed to get to that extra step. There is a satisfying "snappiness" to the rebel series, and the t1i is an incredibly well built camera that will last a long time. It feels great in your hands, is the lightest of the three cameras mentioned above, and has technology that should stretch pretty far, considering that it was announced only a few months ago.

It's worth the extra hundred or so dollars to get the t1i vs the xsi, since this is the newest model in the rebel series and makes enough improvements (movie mode, better screen, and the obvious 15.1mp vs 12.1 and 12.3) to warrant the step up if buying your first DSLR.

Canon EOS Rebel T1i More reviews

Canon EOS Rebel T3i 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera and DIGIC 4 Imaging with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

Wow. This camera is amazing. This is my first dSLR camera and I might as well have never been taking pictures when I had my point-and-shoot. I wanted a camera that was capable of actually taking useable pictures indoors and also have a touch of zoom on it. This does both great. I can't believe the quality and clarity indoors, even at night. With hardly any lights on it can take crisp photos with ease. I was able to zoom across a dimly lit 40-foot room, use the flash, and read the serial numbers off my camera's box! Amazing.

The standard flash seems to work pretty well. I'll probably get an external flash eventually, but the one it comes with works great. Seems to be pretty powerful. I haven't tested it outside at night yet, though.

I've only played with the video capabilities briefly. You set it up by finding your focus point and then roll from there. It keeps the focus well and only small adjustments are needed when depth in your focused subject changes. Might take a little work knowing when and how to change the focus during some action shots but eventually the non-autofocus throughout the video could end up being a positive rather than a negative due to customizing capabilities.

The camera seems solid, but very light. I couldn't believe the difference between this camera and my dad's 60D (which had a smaller lens on his as well). It seems significantly lighter. I thought this was a great feature since I'll probably use the camera a lot on the go.

The functions of the camera make sense. While I'm just a beginner, there seems to be a lot of room to learn with the camera. The ease of use is easy enough for my wife to follow without having to learn all the intricacies to shooting a manual shot. Yet all the manual capabilities are there when you want it.

The live view screen is large, bright, and crisp. Very easy to read in any light setting.

Overall, I LOVE the camera. While I would probably love any dSLR just coming from a point-and-shoot, the features of this camera are what attracted me to it. It is light, powerful, and easy to use with flexibility to grow. With such a powerful sensor for pictures and 1080p video capabilities, I feel this camera will be in my bag for many years to come.

Canon EOS Rebel T3i More reviews

Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens

I'll start off by saying that yes, this really *is* a great camera. I bought it as body only, then added a Canon EF 100 f2.8 Macro USM lens. If you're not familiar with that lens, it is fairly heavy, and so the camera has felt heavy to me since day one. But it is the lens creating that impression.

The 40D starts up, shoots, and shuts down quickly; With the right lenses, it creates clear and consistent photographs; it is hugely flexible, pretty much to any degree you want to flex. Some of the things that have made themselves known to me by how well they work are, in no particular order, the great battery life... I use the LCD a lot, shoot a lot, and generally fuss continuously with the camera, and it just "keeps on going" which is enormously pleasing (this is with the stock battery and a BP-511A spare pack to swap in.) The feel of the camera - just a nice handful of goodness, it really suits my hands, which are large. The clarity of the viewfinder. I wear glasses, and after a little playing with the adjustment, it was *perfect*, first time ever with any camera. This thing is *fast*; it really can do 6 or so frames a second (depends on the shutter speed, of course) and the AF is also fast which makes for more images, and more good images. I love all the preset modes, and I've already had some fun in manual and a *lot* of fun in aperture priority, which pretty much suits the way I think. I particularly like the AF display and the way you can control it; I prefer a single central AF point so I can control focus at the half-press point, and the camera was perfectly agreeable to that. More points did some interesting things with depth of field, and I look forward to experimenting with that, too.

I would buy this camera body again in a heartbeat if something horrible happened to mine, like I dropped it down a well or larval (and soon to be deceased) human beings got hold of it and used it as a kickball. It also offers some optional features like wifi that sound like great fun, though I confess I can't speak to them as I've not tried them.

There are some things I think could have been done better, though, and since you're probably looking at the camera wondering what the downsides are, rather than looking for what made everyone happy, that's what I'm going to focus on.

o The worst problem, by far: The images that the camera uses to let you review your shots are FAR softer than the actual photos, to the point where you can't really tell if you got the focus nailed, or not. This is not a nitpick - this causes me to take extra shots because I literally can't tell if I've hit the mark, or not. I am hoping this can be fixed with a firmware update to the camera.

o That fabulous LCD, huge and bright and crisp, looks awful every time I look at it after shooting through the TTL viewfinder. This is because it has a huge NOSEPRINT on it. Has anyone at Canon ever taken a look at a human face? Placement of the monitor should be offsides and inset so that it isn't a grease magnet. Or do they expect me to wash my nose every time I snap a picture out in the field?

o While I'm harping on the camera's ergonomics, the power switch isn't very easy to manage. I have very short nails (I'm a guitarist and a martial artist, neither of which encourage nail growth) and getting that switch to swing on and off sometimes takes more than one try; that may, someday, lose me a photo I really wanted, especially considering how fast the camera starts up otherwise. I really wish it had a deeper pit for my finger and a more positive tractive surface to drag it on. It's too short and too smooth.

o When in Live View mode, meaning, you're presumably shooting using the LCD instead of the viewfinder (after cleaning your latest noseprints off of it, of course), autofocus doesn't work. But wait, it does. *If* you press a different button. Apparently the power budget of the camera is pushed a little too close to the edge if you use live view *and* autofocus because the mirror is locked in the up position. So they... moved AF to another button? Look, either let me do it, or don't let me do it, but quit changing what the controls do underneath my fingers. That's just poor interface design. Maybe you should have turned it off by default, then let us blatant power-spenders turn it back on, kind of like how ISO 3200 works on this camera (it's a menu option, not initially enabled. Requires RTFM or at least someone telling you what to do.) Anyway, I don't like how this works. At all. But it's a nitpick.

o When you're not in live view mode, the camera will display your shot in the LCD for 2 seconds, then blank (this time is adjustable, somewhat, in the menus. But 2 seconds is the shortest time for it to work at all.) You have to wait for the preview to go away (2 seconds) to enter play mode so you can really take a look at it. I think it should directly enter play when it is in that 2-second "grace" period after the shot; the fact that it doesn't costs me time, at least in some situations. And time, in photography, can mean lost shots.

o Print button - come on. I can think of a hundred things that would be more important to put on a button than "print." That's just... silly.

o I would have liked to have infrared remote firing of the camera. This is MUCH more flexible than the 2s or 10s delayed firing option it has now. You can go out and sit with a group and putter around indefinitely with infrared; even 10 seconds isn't a lot of time to get out there, regulate your breathing, meld into the group photo, and stop staring down your 3rd cousin Hotisha's bodice. Uh, not that I would do such a thing. No. Not me. Cough.

o It isn't easy (meaning, you have to use a deep menu) to clean out all the images on the CF card. Should have been, really. it *is* easy to delete images one at a time.

o The weather flap on the USB connection (and external fire, strobe, and video connectors) are a little difficult to grasp (I have essentially no nails, remember), and they really are just rubber flaps - I fully expect them to wear out, as they don't have proper hinges or otherwise use reasonable bearing surfaces. I *really* don't like having to struggle with the flap every time I want to grab pictures from the camera, which is several times a day on days when I'm *not* seriously shooting. I might *have* to buy that wifi accessory...

These are, in the end, mostly problems I would characterize as "nitpicks", and with the exception of the soft review images, certainly nothing to get in a frenzy over (well, maybe the placement of the LCD screen too... but that certainly isn't a problem only found in Canon products.) This is a fabulous camera; I can't imagine anyone actually regretting buying one unless they've been working with far, far more expensive gear than this. I gave it five stars, and that's just how I feel about it.

About me: I've been into photography since about 1965, my last camera was an Olympus E20, a 5 MP camera with an *excellent* all-occasion lens, macro to telephoto, and an insatiable appetite for batteries. Moving up to a 40D was a great experience for me. I'm not a pro, maybe semi-pro is fair, my experience with cameras includes both BW and color developing, all manner of large format boxes, several 35 mm cameras, and ten or eleven digital cameras from the 320x240 dawn of digital cameras to today. I am also an engineer (EE) and the author of a very extensive image processing software suite and several RAW processing plugins; consequently I am intimately familiar with how digital cameras actually work. 

 

Canon EOS 40D More reviews

 

Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

I want to save you the time and uncertainty in choosing the best affordable DSLR. For those considering the Canon EOS Rebel XS, the Olympus E-510 or the Nikon D40 / D40x / D60, I believe the Canon XS is the best choice. Also, at the price difference between the XS and the SXi ($150-200 as of December '08), the XS is an excellent alternative--both take exactly the same high quality pictures, save the 2MP difference, which is negligible at the end. Please note that the XS's new lens kit comes with the better quality EFS 18-55 Image Stabilization lens (they are better engineered); and that Canon is offering nowadays generous rebates on telephoto lenses when coupled with the purchase of the XS (I bought mine with the entry-level Canon EF 75-300mm III lens with a generous instant Canon rebate. Don't buy from anybody different from B&H Photo, directly from Amazon, Adorama, Buydig/Beach Camera; stay away from Broadway Photo and TriState).

Canons are popular for the excellent image processing. Nikons for their Nikor lenses. Olympus, some say, for the color of some of the pictures they take.

The Olympus E-510 has important flaws, e.g., the average performance in high ISO speeds and highlight blowing. Also, its inconsistency with good results is worth noting.

The Nikon D40 lacks important features, e.g., image stabilization in their kit lens. The D60 is lacking the high picture quality ratings of the Canon XS. Both Nikons are nice looking, which is a selling factor I usually consider; but picture quality should be your top criterion for the long run.

Don't go through the extensive research I have already done (months, and intense debating). The Canon XS is a winner (specially with the new IS lens kit), even more with its current price (Dec. '08: $480). It is feature rich (you can even add 3 of your preferred defined Picture Style modes), good/professional looking (black body), even the sound of the shooter is nicer than the others. Bottom line: Excellent picture quality, high ISO/low light remarkable performance, and relevant features and space for customization make the Canon XS a winner for months and even years to come. 

Canon Rebel XS More reviews

Canon EOS Rebel T2i 18 MP CMOS APS-C Digital SLR Camera with 3.0-Inch LCD and EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS UD Standard Zoom Lens

I'm a frequent upgrader and loyal Canon fan. I traded up from an XSi last year to the T1i, and now this year to the T2i. I was within days of ordering the 7D until they announced the T2i, with all the features I wanted from the 7D at half the cost. I immediately pre-ordered the T2i and have been having some fun with it over the last 24 hours. The verdict so far? I am in love with this SLR.

I believe the last few iterations in the Rebel series have been comparable in quality. The T2i shares much of the same pros and cons with its predecessors, and ultimately, not too much has really changed. That said, the very minor things that did change were huge to me. I'm big into video, which is what got me looking into the 7D. Both the 7D and the T2i have the stereo audio input jack. My T1i just had the built-in mono mic which was unacceptable for someone who is doing more than home videos with this camera. So that feature, along with full manual control of video recording (not available in T1i), and 1080/24p (and 30p if that's your preference) makes this a common sense upgrade if you're serious about video. 720p/60 is also really cool for the silky smooth framerate, although I personally find the movie-like feel of 24p video best.

As for what the camera is really made for, still photography, it is still the king at (in the mid-entry-level DSLR class). 18 megapixels really, truly is more than any person really needs. My XSi from a couple years back met all my needs with 12mp, however, 18 creates for even better bragging rights to the general public. "How many megapixies is that thingy? Eighteen? OMG! You are such a pro!" Anyway, back on track now. The noise levels in most photos I've taken are pretty decent for 18 megapixels. It's comparable to the noise on the 15MP T1i from what I've experienced so far. 6400 ISO is now a default option instead of an expanded setting (12800 ISO still is), which is nice to have, though you'll hopefully never have to use it.

The kit lens is of course the same old 18-55 I've bought practically 5 times over now. A great budget lens and excellent value, but I absolutely can't go back to using it after buying some of the better lenses Canon has to offer. If the money's there, you will not regret investing another few hundred dollars some better glass. Otherwise, the 18-55 is a great lens to start out with.

Only major complaint I have is the white balance in incandescent lighting still isn't as accurate as I'd like. I also wish they kept the same LP-E5 battery so the two I already have would be compatible with both of my cameras. And a nitpick, the "Rebel" name is stupid, to be completely honest. It should be named "550D" as it is in the Europe market. SDXC support is cool, but I can't really comment on it as I'll be using SDHC cards for the foreseeable future. Oh, and the slightly redesigned buttons are a welcome change. A little more ergonomic than before.

In conclusion, if you're thinking about upgrading from a T1i, there isn't really a compelling reason to unless you are okay spending hundreds just for the sake of having the latest in gadgetry (what I do), UNLESS you are in it for the video support, which is AMAZING at this price point. You used to have to spend at least a couple thousand on a professional camcorder to get the kind of video support that you can now get in a consumer DSLR at a very reasonable price. Thanks, Canon! Oh, and amazon got it to me super fast too!

 

Canon EOS Rebel T2i More reviews

Canon EOS 7D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD and 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS UD Standard Zoom

Well after much deliberation between this and a 5d Mark II i decided to opt for the 7D and spend the extra I save on some nice wide angle lenses. First of all for anyone who is expecting a 1.6 crop camera's image quality to be better than the 5d mark ii you can forget it. The 5D mark ii is a full frame sensor camera and the 7D is a crop, different cameras for different purposes. I know three people who own a 5d mark II, wedding photographer, cinematographer and a landscape photographer. As you can tell, they all need wide angle and good low light performance. The 5D Mark II/other full frame cameras are targeted towards users with wide angle needs. So if you find yourself in a crowded room with little light during a wedding the EOS 7D may not be for you, less you put on a 10-22mm EFS lens which is the widest Canon Zoom Lens for a APS-C camera. (Or 8-15 F4L Fisheye).

Image Quality from this camera is amazing, I'll put up some pictures once it stops raining where I live. Detail is very good, and the 28-135 lens accommodates this cameras ability very nicely, however, starting off at 28mm will probably be too long for most people in everyday situations such as those for street photographers. Picking up a 17-55 2.8 lens will probably be highly recommended by many.

Build Quality is superb. This "tank" of a camera is no light weight and one of the first things you notice when you pick up the camera is the hefty feel you get. Very ergonomic grip and a robust feel all around. Don't expect to have it hanging around your next too long though. Weather seals are improved and you can notice that the area above the viewfinder is much larger thanks to a 100% coverage pentaprism.

Autofocusing, now I've read some issues about the 7D's new focusing system such as softness from auto zone focusing and I am also getting some mixed results with that as well, some images ranging from very soft to some being as sharp as single AF select. I will update later as I take it out for more situations. However, with that being said, the camera's autofocusing with the 28-135mm lens is very quiet, very fast and accurate for the most part especially with using the cameras single AF select mode.

Battery Life: still on the first charge off the box, taken about 500 test shots and a few seconds of 720p recording, battery life is about halfway.

ISO performance. Now here is where many have a bone to pick. I am not afraid to use high ISO as my prints rarely go beyond 11x14. More than often I found myself using nothing higher than ISO 1600 on my girlfriend's 500D/T1i. With the 7D I feel very comfortable using 3200 with about ISO 4000 being my cut off point, that's where the trade offs between detail and noise will become apparent and start to bother me.

Overall this camera is a very impressive and I'd give it a rating of about 90/100. It has alot to offer being a HD video DSLR. It'll provide many rebel users enough room to learn and grow. However, I cant stress enough that if you find yourself needing wide angle capabilities and low light performance, saving up for a full frame, it will definitely be worth the wait in the long run. In fact a few 5D Mark I cameras are available for cheaper than the 7D. Without a doubt this is one of the top crop cameras of the market right now. You won't regret buying this camera.

*Update* First of all, I've been using the wireless flash with a 430ex II for some portrait photography, it works fine and comes in very handy. Secondly, I've finally had a chance to customize all the settings of my camera, READ THE MANUAL! It's about 250 pages but you'll need to in order to make the most of your camera. Most of it is the usual, but because this camera offers so many different options, reading the latter pages is a must.

Firmware release 1.0.9 is out so don't forget to update if you still have 1.0.7.

For those of you still wondering if the 7D is worth the upgrade or worth buying over a full frame, keep in mind that Canon just release rebates for some EF and EF-S lenses including the 10-22 and 17-55 2.8; as well as some very popular L lenses. So for those of you debating between a 7D and Mark II, getting a kit and using the money saved for a wide angle will pretty much cover all the focal lengths you will really need.

Canon EOS 7D More reviews

Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera

This was my first full frame camera. Prior to it I had owned and operated a 40D, 30D and Rebel XTi. I am a wedding and sports photographer primarily, so I have been able to test the 5D Mark II out under both of these conditions.

For basketball I used it with AI Servo, Center Point focus, but went into custom settings and enabled the AF assist dots. It worked like a dream, focusing faster and more accurately than my 40D ever had. While no, the FPS aren't ideal for sports, if you can lock on focus like this from the start, you can still achieve amazing sports photographs. Plus the fact that I was able to shoot at ISO 4,000 and not have noticeable noise was just incredible. The shots auto-white balanced correctly too which normally in the arena I shoot at is not what happens on my 40D.

My first wedding all I could say all day was wow. I was getting available light photographs I never would have dreamed of before. The new screen also made it incredibly easy to determine if something was in focus or not. When I would switch between my 40D and 5D2 I found out just how spoiled that screen had made me, since the 40D screen looked terrible to me now when previously I thought that had a great screen. I sure was wrong! 920,000 pixels is definitely the way to go on this LCD. I primarily shot with center point (one shot) for my focus and it nailed focus every time. I did a mix up of manual, aperture priority and some program (Program mostly for the formals)

What else do I love about it? The 98% view finder is awesome. I like being able to use UDMA cards in it...

Video! Although I'm not a video / motion person by nature, I prefer stills, I've been testing out the video quite a bit. At Christmas I took a few short clips of my nephew and was really happy with how they look. It's very neat to be able to take high definition video of a little kid and have that awesome affect of a wide aperture blurring out the background. The only downside is that the files are huge. My 1 minute clip was over 300MB, but that's what I get for shooting in 1080!

The batteries this camera use really do hold a charge for a while. I used mine with the battery grip at the wedding, and the two batteries after going for over 500 shots (maybe close to 600 shots that day?) still had about 72% charge each left on them. I could easily have shot 3 times that much and still have had left over charge on the batteries. Also the new battery info screen is really nifty since you can see what serial number battery has what charge, making it a lot easier to keep track of.

So far I've used a 35 1.4/L, 135 2/L, 70-200 f2.8/L, 50 1.4, and 100 2.8 Macro on this camera body and all have performed wonderfully. I don't miss the pop up flash that my 40D has since I never used it anyway, I always throw my 580 EX II on top when I need flash.

This camera really is a gem and I highly recommend it if it fits in your budget! 

 Canon EOS 5D Mark II  More reviews

Canon PowerShot S100 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 5x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

At the time of this writing the S100 was just released. I recently bought the S95 on the recommendation of a friend who is an avid photographer, thinking the S100 would not be released until much later. The S100 just started showing up in stores so I bought it as well, intending to return one of the cameras. So I had the opportunity to compare them both!

To preface, I'm an intermediate level photographer, and it is just a hobby. I do own a DSLR, but it is one of the lower end models in the DSLR world. Still, I have become comfortable with manual adjustments and own a few lenses for it. However the majority of my pictures end up being taken with the camera most conveniently at hand (iPhone), and in this case I was looking for something that could offer a big step up in image quality without having to carry the larger DSLR.

Both the S95 and S100 are excellent cameras. However, there are key points about the S100 that give it the advantage. The rubber grips on the front and back are excellent. The flash pops up on both the S95/S100 where you would naturally place your left hand. Having the rubber grips for your right hand allows this to be a one-handed camera, or at least allows better support with the right hand since the left hand may not be able to rest where it feels most natural, which for me tends to involve a finger resting on top of the flash. This is an issue for both the S95 and S100, but the S100 mitigates it by having better support for the right hand - the rubber grips and better shutter button position. More on that next.

The shutter button is larger on the S100. This feels more natural and easier to access. Also the position of the shutter button has been moved more towards the right edge. It may seem small but this is a big improvement. If you have shorter fingers you may find it more difficult to naturally reach the shutter button on the S95 than the S100. The shutter button on the S95 is just a bit too far from the right edge for my taste, making it a bit difficult to reach when bending your shooting finger to press the button. Canon certainly recognized that as evidenced by the new location of the shutter button on the S100.

The buttons on the rear of the camera have been changed, including having a single-press button to start shooting a video. This is great since most videos for me involve catching fleeting moments of my kids in action. On the S95 you need to turn the mode selection dial to movie mode first. Regarding video, the S100 also allows zooming in/out while shooting a movie. As I understand it, the S95 did not allow that.

The processor has been upgraded and the S100 does feel slightly faster because of it when navigating through menus.

I took comparison shots in my home using both cameras and I found a slight advantage for the S100 in terms of image quality. There was a bit more detail using the S100, but honestly it wasn't significant. Still, in my head-to-head tests the S100 was the winner.

For me the main difference is in terms of the user interface. The button layout is better on the S100 and the addition of the grips is helpful. This camera feels easier to shoot because of this. This may seem small, but all of these button layout changes and grip additions add up to a camera that overall is more convenient for me to shoot. That's why I chose the S100. This is, after all, my camera of convenience.

The only downside I found for the S100 is that it is priced higher than the S95.

If you are on a budget and tried the S95 and like how it feels, then get it. You will be very happy with it! The pictures were very similar in quality between the two, and the S95 is a high quality camera. Everything about it mechanically boasts of durability and quality. But if the price difference is not an issue then I recommend the S100. 

Canon PowerShot S100 More reviews

Canon EOS 60D review 

 

After a longer wait than normal, Canon introduced the EOS 60D to a market keen for its arrival. It arrived into a world where digital SLRs can be seen gracing the neck of everyone who's ever thought of being a photographer, so it wasn't surprising that Canon seemed to have rethought its entry-level prosumer digital SLR. The design of the Canon 60D is slightly smaller, and more specifically aimed at the advanced amateur market, better fitting into the niche occupied by the Nikon D90 and now the D7000, while the Canon 7D remains a better match for the Nikon D300S, as both are cameras aimed more toward those making money with their photographs. The redesign still mostly adds and improves features, like the 18-megapixel sensor, Full HD Movie mode, and Vari-angle LCD, but there's at least one feature deletion that is a little frustrating, which we'll get to shortly.

We'd begun to wonder whether Canon would introduce another semi-Pro digital SLR in this price range, as it's been over two years since the 50D debuted. But the 50D was introduced six months early, only one year from the 40D's announcement, so the 60D marks a return to the original schedule, and we don't expect an upgrade for another 18 months.

In past reviews, we've noted that Nikon had Canon SLRs bracketed, introducing SLRs that didn't quite compete directly with Canon's models in price or features, and that was no more true than when the Canon 50D was left to duke it out with both the Nikon D80/D90 and the Nikon D300/D300S. With the 7D now in place to take on the D300S, the Canon 60D is now aimed more directly at the Nikon D90 and D7000, losing a few of its pro features in favor of a more consumer-driven focus and a smaller body.

Canon EOS 60D full review

Canon EOS 60D 18 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera

With the EOS 60D digital SLR, Canon offers photo enthusiasts a powerful tool to promote creativity, with better picture quality, many advanced features and technology and the camera automatically easy to use. It features an APS-C size 18.0 megapixel improved CMOS sensor for great images, new DIGIC 4 image processor for fine detail and excellent color reproduction and enhanced capabilities of 100 to ISO 6400 (expandable to 12,800) for photography superior even in the darkest situations. New multi-line allows users to easily use the menu and enter settings with a single touch.

 

EOS 60D and EOS 1: Vari-angle 3.0-inch Clear View LCD (1,040,000 pixels) screen for viewing in high or low angles easily. An improved viewfinder, a new creative options in the camera and filters, plus HDMI output for viewing images on an HDTV does all the EOS 60D photographer value emerges. With the surface of the continuous curve, use and exuding strength and sophistication, EOS 60D digital inspiration!

  

Canon EOS 60D  full review...