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slimjim800
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Registered: Sep 9, 2012
Location: United States
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Aug 21, 2013
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Light weight, compact size (in regards to travel), great sensor for price, menus and interface easy to navigate, perfect MP count, good AF, Live View
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Cons:
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Compact size (a little small to hold), no xxD control dial, ISO limited to 1600, low-res screen, short eyepoint
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Overall I enjoy using this camera after owning it for two years. It's compact and light, which is very handy as I travel almost exclusively by foot, bike, and bus. Paired with the 50mm f/1.8 it makes an incredibly capable and easy-to-carry photographic tool.
I think it takes some tweaking to get good SOOC JPG files, especially in bright light or other contrasty situations, but either by tweaking the image parameters, exposure compensatino, and white balance or by shooting RAW, you can get top-notch images from this 12MP sensor (I've printed 10x15s that look outstanding). It's not too many pixels to fill up your hard drive unnecessarily quickly, but not too few so that there's little cropping room.
My feelings about the ergonomics are mixed. The light weight and small size are great for traveling, but even my medium-to-small-sized hands find the grip too small. (I haven't tried adding the portrait grip) I also own a 20D and having ISO displayed in the viewfinder is nice, although the eyepoint is a little short for an eyeglass-wearer. It's tough to see the whole frame at once without removing my glasses, which rapidly-occurring events don't always leave time to do. Also, I do miss the xxD-style control dial for changing settings and scrolling menus more rapidly, though otherwise the buttons and menu system are nicely laid out.
Autofocus performance seems pretty comparable to my 20D- pretty good although not amazing (I've never been able to compare to a 7D or 1-series, which is probably good for the sake of my wallet).
One thing that impressed me about this camera is the battery life. While using a smaller battery than its prosumer cousins, I think that this gets a lot of shots per charge on the stock Canon battery (a third-party battery I bought doesn't hold up so well). I haven't ever counted how many shots I get out of a charge, but as long as it's not too cold out I never find myself needing a second battery even after a long day of shooting. This may be aided by the fact that I very rarely use the built-in flash... my 430EX spoils me that way. (btw
As a final comment, I find Live View very handy for macro and still shots where focus accuracy is critical. I haven't actually tried the contrast-detect AF; usually when I use LV it's for manual focus since it's difficult to do with the small viewfinder.
Overall, a great camera for the price, especially what they bring used these days. Lots of useful features but not too many so as to get in your way.
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 Aug 21, 2013
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Greene17
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Registered: Nov 10, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 50
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Review Date: Nov 27, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Price
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Cons:
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Tends to overexpose
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A great little camera. Very light. Fast autofocus. Cheap price. Perfect amatuer/pro back up camera if you dont need video.
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Nov 27, 2009
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Jon Hellier
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Registered: Nov 5, 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 10
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Review Date: Aug 3, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $900.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Great image quality, accurate focus, lightweight body, more ergonomic grip improved from previous generations
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Cons:
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Overexposure issues (read below)
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I recently bought a Canon 450D and had to return it because it always overexposes by 0.17 to 0.666 of a stop when compared to my factory calibrated 350D which has correct exposure. Most of the time it overexposes by 2/3 of a stop even in simple lighting conditions.
The 450D has the latest 1.1.0 firmware. Samples here (shot in RAW, center point AF only, converted in DPP with sharpness 4, contrast -1, saturation -1):
1) users.on.net/~wren26/450d%20overexposure%20(one%20half).zip
2) users.on.net/~wren26/450d%20overexposure%202%20(two%20thirds).zip
3) users.on.net/~wren26/350d%20vs%20450d%20exposure%20(18-55%20non%20IS%20lens).zip
Apparently there are many reports of the 450D overexposure issue in forums like dpreview.
Last weekend I bought a second 450D after testing three of these and comparing shots with my 350D (using the same lens and shooting positions) and found it too had the same issue. I also noticed when using Liveview the exposures will always be less overexposed and more accurate.
So far I have tried 4-5 different 450Ds in stores and have come to the conclusion that the problem exists in most if not all 450ds.
I also noticed something really strange... In some situations where there is a bright light source around you the camera will record a slightly faster exposure when you dont bring your eye to the eyepiece (stray light must be getting in and affecting the light meter). Perhaps that is a side effect of the larger, brighter viewfinder. I confirmed the 500D also does this but my 350D does not.
I hope it is possible to get the over exposure issue fixed at a Canon factory service center. I have read a story about a guy with a 400D (which are known to have underexposure issues) and he got his fixed this way.
My email is jhellier[at]gmail.com if you want to discuss this.
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Aug 3, 2009
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noms78
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Aug 2, 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Aug 2, 2009
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Recommend? no |
Price paid: $900.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Image quality, accurate focusing, liveview, ergonomics, lightweight & compact, design.
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Cons:
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Overexposure issues. May have to send to Canon factory service to get fixed up.
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I recently bought a Canon 450D and had to return it because it always overexposes by 0.17 to 0.666 of a stop when compared to my factory calibrated 350D which has correct exposure. Most of the time it overexposes by 2/3 of a stop even in simple lighting conditions.
The 450D has the latest 1.1.0 firmware. Samples here (shot in RAW, center point AF only, converted in DPP with sharpness 4, contrast -1, saturation -1):
1) users.on.net/~wren26/450d%20overexposure%20(one%20half).zip
2) users.on.net/~wren26/450d%20overexposure%202%20(two%20thirds).zip
Apparently there are many reports of the 450D overexposure issue in forums like dpreview.
Last weekend I bought a second 450D after testing three of these and comparing shots with my 350D (using the same lens and shooting positions) and found it too had the same issue. I also noticed when using Liveview the exposures will always be less overexposed and more accurate.
So far I have tried 4-5 different 450Ds in stores and have come to the conclusion that the problem exists in most if not all 450ds.
I also noticed something really strange... In some situations where there is a bright light source around you the camera will record a slightly faster exposure when you dont bring your eye to the eyepiece (stray light must be getting in and affecting the light meter). Perhaps that is a side effect of the larger, brighter viewfinder. I confirmed the 500D also does this but my 350D does not.
I hope it is possible to get the over exposure issue fixed at a Canon factory service center. I have read a story about a guy with a 400D (which are known to have underexposure issues) and he got his fixed this way.
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Aug 2, 2009
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Mr.Konstantin
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Registered: May 14, 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 219
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Review Date: Jun 4, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $800.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Low Noise vs Price, Photo Quality, Intuitive Menu, Spot Metering, 3" Bright LCD, Ergonomics, [email protected] Mode, Live View, SDHC,
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Cons:
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Non yet!
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This is my first DSLR camera and I got to say I am glad I picked Canon XSi as it blew my socks off after the difference I saw between the P&S I was using.
My learning curve with this camera was very fast as the kitted material was easy to understand and given examples which helped newbie like me visualize. I am now mostly shooting in Av or Manual modes but if I get lazy Program mode will definitely give you some great results.
Overall controls are nicely positioned on the camera's body so a person with medium or small hands can comfortably navigate all the menus and settings.
Supplied lens (18-55mm IS) which comes as a kit feels very plasticky and cheap but don't underestimate its power as it can produce some great photos comparing to a prime lens like 50mm 1.8 which I bought without a doubt, great lens and must have if I Cannon fan. I have not yet tried any of the "L" glass on my XSi but am waiting for a surprise I hope.
Battery life is great on this camera I was able to take close to 500 photos on one full change. Built in E-TTL flash works great wanders indoors.
I recommend this camera to any beginner like myself.
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Jun 4, 2009
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anorphirith
Offline
Registered: Apr 13, 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 1153
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Review Date: Mar 29, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $700.00
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Pros:
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VERY GOOD IMAGE QUALITY, Strong Built, it will never fall apart, LCD is big and clear, the 1.6 crop factor is great on 70-200 and bigger lenses, LIVE view IS very useful, it is very light and portable, great for taking pictures discretely, the body does not "impress" as much as the **D series 5D or 1D and half the weight ! ISO quality is ok. compatible with the best efs lenses I cite the awesome 17-55mm 2.8 IS
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Cons:
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AF Could be more precise, View Finder is too small and very uncomfortable. the grip is too small and does not fit a male hand, it can become uncomfortable over time, SD cards are really slow and not compatible with any Canon EOS, the crop factor is very annoying on prime lenses and wide angle zoom (except EFS), the dial and all control buttons at concentrated in the right side make it hard to use the camera,
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Sexy little Beast
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Mar 29, 2009
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winman3
Offline
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Registered: Jul 19, 2005
Location: Canada
Posts: 397
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Review Date: Feb 26, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $600.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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small, good focus, fairly cheap
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Cons:
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none yet
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I've had this camera for over 2 months now. I do much travelling and it is a great size for my one-carry-on bag style of travel.
Image quality is very good. Another feature I like is the self-cleaning sensor, this gives me peace of mind as I change lenses often in the field.
Even at home, I'll put a 50 mm or 85mm or the 60mm macro on this body, put it in a Thinktank Digital Holster 10 and it will fit into my briefcase or small backpack.
For me this is a carry anywhere camera.
Too bad my ACDSEE v10 does not read the RAW format of this camera so I need to do the preliminary sorting of keep-chuck in Adobe Bridge or in LightRoom.
As a backup camera or as a travel camera I cannot think of a better body - for me.
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Feb 26, 2009
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chino101
Offline
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Registered: Feb 25, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Feb 25, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $600.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Light weight, 12.2 MP sensor, SD memory, Sharp Images, Price, Ease of use
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Cons:
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Grip is too small (for my hands) Kit Lens, ISO limited to 1600
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Well I got this camera because i wanted to start up in astro-photography and found a pretty good deal at the price i paid. Since then i have taken up photography as a hobby and have fallen in love with this camera, it is easy to use and has a good lot of features in order to learn with. Obviously not a professional level camera but i plan on keeping and using this camera until it functions no more.
The positives are well emphasized by canons website so i will focus on negatives.
The lens included is terrible at best, the only benefit it offers is the capability to take pictures right away without having to purchase a lens. Granted it is good enough for quick snapshots and what not it has little to no creative capabilities. I highly recommend buying another lens within a month or so.
The size of the body frustrates me at times, one particular time i was shooting for close to 2 hours and my hand became uncomfortable after an hour or two. I believe this is a personal problem more than anything because i have relatively large hands. I plan on buying a battery grip to remedy this. However, it is bigger than the XT and XTI so it is more comfortable than those.
I highly recommend this camera for anyone new to DSLR, this camera has everything you need to start and will take you through to becoming a seasoned photographer. The $100-$200 more that it will cost you over the XT and XTi are paid off in the long run as this camera will last you a LONG time.
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Feb 25, 2009
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John Balliett
Offline
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Registered: Nov 15, 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 8
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Review Date: Feb 5, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $699.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Pound for pound sensor rocks.
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Cons:
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not your go to cam.
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If you put this camera on a good tripod,use live view with 5X 10X magnification and manually focus about one third of the way into your frame with F 8 or higher your shots with good glass attached will look better than any canon camera with less resolution built before it. There are subtle pull you in "wow aspects" created with this sensor. Could the 12 megapixel APS sized sensor be the sweet spot just like like the 6 to 7 megapixel fuji fd31, canon S70 or sony DSC-P200 turned out to be in the pocket cam arena. That said the XSI it is a good tool but not great fun to use. Five years from now it will probably be somewhat blase. If you want a fun to go to grab camera there is definitely still a certain pop and slap-blast to the 20D or 30D body . The 5Dll seams to set the bar again. Now if only we were not in a rescission.
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Feb 5, 2009
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cdryall
Offline
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Registered: Mar 19, 2005
Location: South Africa
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Feb 1, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $650.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Bright light images and resolution, ease of use, value
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Cons:
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Too small form - even worse with battery grip, AF seemed pretty average, noise, noise, noise
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Bought as travel backup for 1D111. Capable of producing very good images and saturated pictures, but small form was an irritant for someone with average size hands and was even worse with the battery grip. For me I never felt it was up to levels that so many have raved about, especially on AF and noise aspects. Sorry guys, noise may well be up to same levels as competitors but for me 30D was far superior and 40D much better especially coupled with ergonomics, build and FPS.
Offerred to my daughter who still preferred to keep her 400D given low light IQ which I thought was strange given live view etc. but on reviewing results of both bodies with 100-400 lens only one winner and that was the 400D....
Still, even though now gone, cannot deny better resolution and that results obtained with UWA (Sigma 10-20) were excellent, but at the end of the day wished that there were two options a small form and a base version for larger hands along the lines of a 300D replacement - just a thought........
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Feb 1, 2009
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Chococat
Offline
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Registered: Nov 26, 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 171
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Review Date: Jan 31, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $800.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Great image quality for a low price.
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Cons:
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Considering what it does vs. the price it costs, nothing.
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Ironically, looking over the ratings here, as of today when I am posting this review, the XSI actually has a higher rating (9.6) then any other Canon camera--and I concur, this is a fantastic camera, and considering the price I think it may be the best bargain in DSLRs.
I used this camera for awhile and was very fond of it. I wound up getting a 40D, but then took it back because I thought my XSI gave me better quality images. When the 50D came out I got that too--and returned it. Again, I liked the results from the XSI better. So I hung on to it all the way until I got my 5d II.
Of course, you have to take this camera for what it is--a mass market, popular camera, designed for for budget-minded consumers and hobbyists. Obviously if you want super high ISO settings, the ability to shoot very fast for sports, professional level handling, you won't such things from this camera, but I don't consider them faults of the camera as it was not intended for that kind of use. But what you will get is the most affordable camera that gives you top notch image quality.
As a tribute to this camera, the other day I got an email from the art director of a magazine I had written an article for. To go with it, I also gave them some photographs I had taken, but I had taken them way back last year when I was still using the XSI. The art director wrote to me, told me the photos were fantastic, among the best that anyone has given them in a long time, and praised the sharpness, clarity, richness, and color. Like I said--really, it's good camera.
Lenses, of course, will definitely make a difference, and so while I quite clearly recommend the camera, I also recommend upgrading the lens. In my case, the lenses I really liked with it were the Canon 50mm 1.4 and the 17-40L.
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Jan 31, 2009
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bugsymalone521
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: May 29, 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 281
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Review Date: Jan 22, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $799.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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12.1 MP, Live view, SD Memory, 3" LCD
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Cons:
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Limited to 1600 ISO
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I am new into DSLR photography and believe this camera is the perfect entry-level DSLR for me to learn on. I would recommend this to anyone who likes Canon and is looking to make the jump into DSLR.
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Jan 22, 2009
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stargazer78
Offline
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Registered: Jan 18, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 395
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Review Date: Jan 20, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $750.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Excellent image quality; Performs great at high ISO; Full featured prosumer digital SLR that's "entry level" in name only;
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Cons:
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Uncomfortable grip; A step backwards in low-ISO RAW dynamic range;
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Negatives:
-- Grip is too narrow for comfort
-- RAW dynamic range at low ISO is a major step back for Canon
Positives:
-- High ISO image quality is excellent
-- AF system is the best available at this price range
-- Very good per-pixel sharpness gets the most out of lenses
-- Full-featured prosumer digital SLR in an entry-level body
-- Excellent kit lens
-- ISO button and indicator in viewfinder
-- Included software suite is comprehensive
-- Small and lightweight: Perfect for travel
-- Controls and Menu interface are intuitive
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Jan 20, 2009
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JetwashImages
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Jan 24, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 40
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Review Date: Jan 1, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $600.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Lightweight, Low Noise, Features, Large Screen, IQ, Auto Focus surprisingly good.
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Cons:
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None that I can find other than proprietary issues (SDHC, Batteries)
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Well,
I am in the process of "updating" my gear. Have owned the original Digital Rebel, 20D & 30D (still in bag).
All I can say is that I am pretty impressed with this camera. It performs very well. It has just about all of the features the 40D has except for 1/8000th and obviously the FPS is quite a bit less, but I dont find this to be a problem since I never machine gun anyhow. The battery grip makes it well balanced and the battery life is exceptional.
Plan to buy the 5D Mark II but as its still hard to find, this will be my goto camera, even over the 30D.
Here is a sample taken with the Canon EF 500mm F/4 L IS w/ 1.4x converter. Proof that glass is more important than the body:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Emirates/Boeing-777-21H-LR/1459230/L/
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Jan 1, 2009
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aVOLanche
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Apr 7, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 174
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Review Date: Jan 1, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $500.00
| Rating: 6
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Pros:
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small size
price is dropping....now a reasonable buy
good image quality
12mp...good for cropping
18-55 IS is a nice kit lens
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Cons:
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noise at 800,1600
needs a real auto iso
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I bought this camera to supplement my 40D and let my wife have a small dslr.Overall,the camera is better than the 400D it replaces.But the noise was much worse than I expected.And the gain in resolution from 10mp is less than I anticipated.Canon continues to produce cams with excellent IQ....at the expense of some very important features.The lack of a decent auto iso is baffling.
My 40D is enough better than the 450D,that I was not using the smaller body cam.And that tells it all(the 40D was $700 used....the 450D was $500 used).The 40D has better PQ,lower noise,better ergonomics(esp. the 2 wheels).
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Jan 1, 2009
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boBQuincy
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Feb 6, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Nov 14, 2008
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Light weight, small. Good image quality.
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Cons:
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Quality control is iffy?
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The initial photos looked ok but soft. It was not the 18-55 lens, the camera front-focused. A trip to Canon's New Jersey repair center fixed it but the viewfinder is not sharp when the lens is in focus. Adjusting the focus so the viewfinder is sharp results in poor lens focus.
The camera is very good but the quality control is not. The price is excellent for what we get, a camera that is probably better than the 40D at about twice the price.
Noise at ISO 400 and above is noticeable but easily controlled with a 3rd party noise reduction program. Overall I really like this camera.
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Nov 14, 2008
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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30
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64859
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Aug 21, 2013
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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97% of reviewers
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$748.86
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Build Quality Rating
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Price Rating
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Overall Rating
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8.62
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9.31
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9.4
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