Digital SLRs

Comments

1. Gadgester says:

   September 14, 2010 at 3:41 AM

   Review by Gadgester for Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Ultra Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
   Rating:
   (Tamron also makes this lens available for Canon and Pentax digital SLRs, for the same price.)

   This new digital SLR-friendly zoom lens from Tamron is a great way to acquire a high-quality zoom lens for a fraction of the cost if you bought from the camera maker (e.g., Nikkor). Tamron claims this is world’s “smallest and lightest” zoom lens for the focal range. I have no idea if that’s true. It’s small and lightweight indeed, about the same size as the DX lens bundled with the Nikon D70 but feels lighter in the hand. To my eyes it’s a plastic lens, but this made-in-Japan lens looks and feels solid. It has all the bells and whistles of a modern lens: XR, LD, asperical, plus macro capability. In real world shooting I’m very happy with the result, and I really don’t think buying an official Nikkor lens would make much of a difference. Two things to keep in mind is, 1) as long as you buy a namebrand lens (Tamron, Sigma, and maybe Vivitar) you are getting a good deal, and 2) the marginal increase in lens quality (perceived or real) from the camera maker is extremely unlikely to improve pictures by any discernible amount. Give Ansel Adams a disposable camera and he would still take better pics than you and me, period. As long as you have a high quality, capable lens like this Tamron, you are armed with all the gear you need to NOT miss a great picture opportunity. The only ingredient nobody can sell, is your creativity. (Unfortunately the latter is what I lack and try to improve. For now, at least the Tamron is giving me the right tool.)

   For digital Nikon SLRs, the 1.5 “magnification” factor (or crop factor) means the effective focal length of this Tamron is about 43-460mm in 35mm equivalent.

   In short, this is a really top-quality lens that any Nikon D70 enthusiast should consider. It’s a lot bang for the buck, and it’s even made in Japan unlike many Nikon official lenses which are made in sweatshops in Southeast Asia.
2. Lydia Lee says:

   September 14, 2010 at 4:01 AM

   Review by Lydia Lee for Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Ultra Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
   Rating:
   When I got my dslr, I did not get the “kit” lens. I wanted immediately to be able to take both macro and zoom shots, and I didn’t have money for more than one good quality lens. So I researched and read reviews online and when I bought my new camera, I got the Tamron 28-300. I made a great choice. If you buy just one lens; this lens is it.

   This lens’ macro shots are clear and detailed. For example, in a picture I recently took of my Pomeranian each individual hair that sticks up is visible and clear, strand by strand.

   The versatility of the lens allows me to take landscape pictures, photos of birds in my yard, portraits, nearly whatever strikes me. Every time they are crisp and the colors are good.

   I love this lens; it is still my primary lens.
3. Digital Shutterbug says:

   September 14, 2010 at 4:24 AM

   Review by Digital Shutterbug for Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Ultra Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
   Rating:
   Got this lens for my wife along with a Nikon D-50 just prior to a 2 week trip to Africa. Initial impressions were that the lens was very lightweight and compact and gave an amazingly full range of wide-angle to zoom capability. On the plus side, this lense stayed on my wife’s camera all the time and she got some great shots that I missed while I was fumbling to change lenses. On the bad side, I swapped cameras with her one evening and found the lens to be less than great in low light (ie required long shutter times) at even modest zoom settings and even with ISO set up to 400 on the camera. I found that shutter speeds got so slow that I could not handhold the camera without blur from lens shake (1/30 or slower) while my other Nikon with the 70-300mm 1:4.5-5.6 was still taking good shots. Also, I found that on the digital camera with its 1.5x lens multiplier that the 28mm wide angle end of the lens was not wide enough for some of those vast African landscapes.
   
   Net, net — if I were on a camping trip or vacation where having a single lens was important for light weight and no fuss, I would use this lens, but if I were doing critical photography, I would probably bring a pair of faster lenses to cover the same range.
4. AutoMatters says:

   September 14, 2010 at 5:22 AM

   Review by AutoMatters for Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Ultra Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
   Rating:
   To put what you are about to read in context, I am an accredited photojournalist and have won several awards for my photography. I originally bought this non-VC Tamron 28-300 mm lens when I bought my Nikon D-100. I was on a tight budget and the camera store recommended it, so I took their advice. I have since upgraded my cameras several times, now shooting primarily with a Nikon D3, with a D300 as a second camera body. I also have several Nikon lenses, for limited-use applications. The problem is a lack of a broad range, Nikon brand zoom lens for their full frame FX sensor Nikon cameras (as opposed to DX lenses for the smaller chip). Even though I never use my D100 anymore, most of my shots taken with the D3 are taken in combination with my trusty Tamrom 28-300mm lens. It consistently takes good photos. I made a huge mistake a few months ago by buying Tamron’s new VC version of this lens. That lens is a disaster. After missing several easy shots at my daughter’s graduation due to the lens not focusing (instead, it hunted back and forth), I took the lens back to the store — only to learn that other shooters had returned their Tamron VC 28-300mm lenses too. Another of my fellow journalists returned his for the same reason. He is still peeved that he blew an opportunity to get a $300 Nikon rebate on a combination D300 camera and lens purchase, because he chose to buy just the camera body and the Tamron VC lens instead.

   This non-VC Tamron 28-300mm Nikon-mount lens is great if you want or need to travel light by bringing only your camera with a single, attached lens. It has a great zoom range and auto-focuses well. Note that there are some Nikon models that this lens will not auto-focus with, so be sure to verify your application before ordering one.

   Granted this lens is not great in low light with older cameras, but the newer Nikons (including the D3, D300, D700 and others) have terrific low light sensitivity so the lens’ low light capabilities do not matter that much. Simply set these camera bodies in their Auto-ISO mode, attach this Tamron lens and you’ll be good to go for most situations. Using a relatively high shutter speed, my Nikon D3 and my aging Tamron lens, I was able to shoot sharp shots of a motorcycle stunt-jumping exhibition outside of the Palms hotel (in Las Vegas) at night, during the recent SEMA Show. The motorcycles, as they jumped high in the air, were lit only by a couple of spotlights. The results were amazing.

   I have repeatedly asked Nikon reps for such a lens from Nikon for use with their new, full frame cameras (D3 and D700). They tell me they cannot make one that would sell for a low enough price that people would be willing to pay. Go figure. Perhaps someday Nikon will listen and make such a lens available. In the meantime, especially considering there is now a $50 rebate on this Tamron lens, I am tempted to buy another of these for when (or if) mine finally wears out.
5. Scott Peterson says:

   September 14, 2010 at 6:16 AM

   Review by Scott Peterson for Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF) Macro Ultra Zoom Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
   Rating:
   To clear up some of the confusion regarding how this lens will perform, there are two classes of Nikon DSLR’s. The first use a sensor smaller than 35mm, about the size of the old APS film cameras, hence the term “APS class.” These include the D50,70,80,90,200, etc.

   The smaller sensors mean every lens has a built in zoom (or crop factor) of about 1.5. This is why wide angles for these DSLR’s have been 18mm while for film it used to be 24-28mm. Lenses built for the smaller sensors also have a circle (inner lens opening) that is smaller than the older film lenses. On these type cameras this lens would perform like a 43-450mm or thereabouts.

   Newer Nikons like the D3,D3X, and D700 are “full frame” and have sensors the same size as 35mm. There is no crop factor, and they can work correctly with film lenses.

   This Tamron is essentially a film lens, and works best on a full frame camera. I’ve heard to be wary of superzooms such as this, as they tend to have distortion at the wide and tele ends and have a small maximum aperture at the tele end.

   At 300MM it is f6.3 max, and that’s not very good, but my D700 has such good high ISO performance I just crank it up and don’t worry about. The focus is an old screw drive so it’s a little slow and noisy, and it is plastic. (The focus also won’t work on the D40, it needs lenses with a built in motor.) I also would prefer it have been 24mm rather than 28mm, but you can’t have everything.

   However, I’ve been very happy with the pictures it takes. They have good color rendition, the distortion isn’t readily noticeable, and they’re nice and sharp across the screen.

   If I blew the photos up I’d probably see a lot of differences compared to a high end “pro” lens, but that misses the point. This is a “walk around” lens intended for situations where you can/want only to take one lens with you. In that role the Tamron works very well.
6. E. Martin says:

   September 14, 2010 at 6:28 AM

   Review by E. Martin for Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 SP Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
   Rating:
   I acquired this lens to provide me with an ultra-wide zoom for landscapes and indoors uses. I do not routinely shoot in this focal length range, so I was hesitant about spending so much on the Canon 10-22mm, although the Canon 10-22mm is by all accounts, fantastic. I have had very positive experiences with Tamron in the past, and decided to give this lens a try over the Sigma equivalent. Cosmetically, the lens is very lightweight but feels solid in the hands, and the zoom ring takes some getting used to as it rotates in the opposite direction as Canon brand lenses. The finish on the lens is very nice and the included lens hood fits nicely, but provides only minimal protection to the front element. This is understandable since this lens is an ultra-wide zoom, and larger lens hoods would cause vignetting and shadowing problems. The lens hood does a nice job of protecting from lens flare issues. The lens extends only a small amount when zooming. Performance wise, the lens is quite soft wide open, which is somewhat disappointing but not a major issue for my own uses. It is something to be acutely aware of nonetheless. However, stopped down to f/8 or narrower fixes this problem, and at f/8 and narrower, the lens is very sharp with very nice color contrast and saturation. Sharpness falls off again at f/16 due to diffraction, but between f/8 and f/16, the lens is excellent. CA is nicely controlled as is barrel distortion, both of which are common big problems for many lenses in this focal range. I was pleasantly surprised with this lens’s control of CA as I was expecting it to be much worse than it is. I borrowed a friend’s Tamron 11-18mm lens, and my 10-24 was VASTLY superior with regards to problems with CA and barrel distortion and adds a complete stop of speed. The upgrades that Tamron has made with this lens are very noticeable and worth the extra cost over the previous generation Tamron ultra-wide zoom lens. The autofocusing is very quiet, accurate, and fast. Overall, this is a very nice alternative to the vastly more expensive camera-branded lenses like the Canon 10-22mm or the extremely expensive Nikon super-wide angle lenses and provides very good quality in this zoom range.

   UPDATE: Recently, this lens took a serious tumble from about 3 feet off the ground onto a hard tile floor. The only damage was a ding on the lens cap! I’m impressed.
7. J. Koppell says:

   September 14, 2010 at 6:31 AM

   Review by J. Koppell for Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 SP Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
   Rating:
   Using this lens with a 40D, I was underwhelmed with the results and will return it and try with the Sigma. The build quality and feel of the lens was very good. I use the excellent Tamron 18-270 so the company has satisfied me in the past.

   As with any wide angle lens, the principal concern is going to be distortion and my expectations were realistic. Some barreling is normal. What surprised me is how often the aberrations crept out of the corners to the heart of the images. Not always, mind you. The problem is most severe when you’ve got the lens wide open — but then isn’t that part of the point of this lens? Also you do get different results depending on stop but i didn’t find a consistent solution. Moreover, I’d rather not have to factor that in for every shot.

   A couple of other points. Focusing was really good in the center of the image but pretty soft at the corners. Again, there was variation. Color representation was good and consistent.

   This lens may turn out to be better than the competitors and I may end up having to re-purchase it but first I’ll check out the Sigma and, if necessary, the Canon.
8. Michael J. Schnepf says:

   September 14, 2010 at 7:18 AM

   Review by Michael J. Schnepf for Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 SP Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
   Rating:
   As a professional photographer since 1969, I’ve worn out more equipment than I care to admit. Carrying Nikon, Canon and Maymiya cameras all over the world sometimes becomes a burden. I decided to give this lens a try after reading the specs on Tamron’s website. I use a Canon 50D for my daily point & shoot. It’s light and with a vertical grip fits my hand better than my D700. I’m just beginning to use the Tokina. On the surface it appears well made (6 year warranty.) It focuses quickly albeit a little noisy compared to Canon 10-22. The range of the lense (10-24mm) is an asset to a non-full frame sensor camera. Team this lens up with 28-135mm & 75-300 zooms and you have a bag that you can actually carry for most circumstances encountered. So far so good. Next thing to do is run it through my battery of tests. I’ll update this review as soon as tests are done. Initial perspective. Good focal length range, appears shape with low vignetting. Very low distortion with no fisheye effect. Small size. Great lense cap.
9. Pedro G. Grance says:

   September 14, 2010 at 7:37 AM

   Review by Pedro G. Grance for Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 SP Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
   Rating:
   I bought whis lens to give it a try to Tamron after reading several reviews and comparing against the Sigma and Tokina. I use it with a Rebel XTI (400D) and a complementation of a 24-105L. I like it, construction is good, distortion very well controlled, cromatic aberrations is just ok, sharpness is just ok on the center but regular to bad on the corners, even at f5.6, f8 or f16. I did some home test with some friends that own Canon 10-22 and Sigma 10-20. I believe that Canon is the best choice between these three options. Second place to Sigma (sharp a little better)I don’t mention tokina because a have not try it.

   Conclusion: It’s ok but it is not impressive to say “WOW!!!!”.
10. Susan Meyer says:

    September 14, 2010 at 7:52 AM

    Review by Susan Meyer for Tamron AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 SP Di II LD Aspherical (IF) Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras
    Rating:
    This lens tested well in most cases. You do need to be aware of the lens distortion on the 10mm side and using the proper techniques to help minimize them as mush as possible. Also because of the ultra wide angle, the lens shade gives little protection outdoors. Best to have a large flat object such as a card board or a portable reflector to hold above the lens to eliminate sun from getting into the lens that would create flair when shooting outdoors. IT is what it is, and should be expected when using this type of focal length lens.
11. D. Brodsky says:

    September 14, 2010 at 8:37 AM

    Review by D. Brodsky for Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens with Built In Motor for Nikon Digital SLR
    Rating:
    I own both Canon gear (Canon 40D) and Nikon gear (D40). Since Nikon is my cheaper lighter gear, I am not to invest a lot of $$$ into it. While D40 is light and cheap, it is an excellent camera which I use all the time for many reasons. I needed a tele lens to compliment my kit 18-55 lens (which is excellent in itself and gets great reviews). I was between Tamron 70-300 and Sigma 70-300 APO since Nikon’s 70-300 is 4 times more expensive than Tamron and Sigma. After reading tons of reviews and playing with both Tamron and Sigma, I chose Tamron and I am very happy I did. There are several versions of Tamron’s 70-300, however this one is the latest, 2008 version, which autofocuses on D40, 40X and 60. This lens is remarkable for the amount it is sold for. I’ve taken many great photos with it on vacation and around town. It is also very compact and light. While it is not an ideal lens to shoot Birds in Flight (neither is D40 with its 2.5 fps) due to its slow autofocusing mechanism, it is great for general photos and portraits. As you can see from samples I even took some bee shots with it. I took a star because of slow autofocusing, but hey, you are paying $130 for it, realize it. I recommend this lens over Sigma for budget shooters who want 300 tele, but don’t want to pay $450 Nikon wants for its version. I am happy with it
12. J-Mon says:

    September 14, 2010 at 8:59 AM

    Review by J-Mon for Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens with Built In Motor for Nikon Digital SLR
    Rating:
    I waited a whole week with anticipation for this lens. Now after trying for 2 days I’m very disappointed.
    
    I have a Sigma 70-300 for my D70 (which works great) but can’t work with my D40x so I ordered the Tamron because I heard it was pretty good. It shoots far and is about the same softness as the Sigma and would be a great lens but the CA (color fringing) is terrible. I live near the ocean and take lots of photos of ocean activities, surfing, canoe races etc. Purple color fringing was a big problem. Had to use photoshop to remove it, too much work.
    
    I have owned Tamron lenses in the past with film SLRs and they were wonderful, but not this one.
    
    Would I recommend this to anyone? Only if they can’t or don’t want to spend the money for the Nikon 70-300mm. I wish that I would have gotten the Nikon or Sigma with HSM. Which I am now looking into.
    
    So if you want just a basic 70-300mm lens then this will probably work for you.
13. The RainMaker says:

    September 14, 2010 at 9:28 AM

    Review by The RainMaker for Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens with Built In Motor for Nikon Digital SLR
    Rating:
    I bought this lens because of the price and though it is a fair lens, you get what you pay for. The lens is relatively show and sometimes takes a while to lock onto the subject. It has good range though, being a 70-300 lens. Also, because of a lack of image stability, I’d advise shooting on continuous or simply taking multiple snaps of the subject, especially at the higher focal lengths. How useful the macro feature is debatable seeing as how you must be three feet from the subject and the Nikkor 70-300 I tries out seems to focus from close to that same distance without having macro.

    All in all, I’d recommend it solely for someone who just need a basic 70-300 lens and doesn’t have much money to spend. Just know that because of the softness of the photos that you may have to tinker with your camera’s sharpness settings or just sharpen in Photoshop. That being said, I have some really nice shots I did with the lens still.
14. J. Lambert says:

    September 14, 2010 at 9:37 AM

    Review by J. Lambert for Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens with Built In Motor for Nikon Digital SLR
    Rating:
    This is great lens for the money. Actually, an incredible deal. It is worth the price just for the macro mode. The pictures I have been taking of flowers are excellent.

    Comparing this lens to it’s competition – the Nikon 70-300 & Sigma 70-300:

    The 3 lenses are comparable in length (4.6″), diameter (3″), & weight (1#). They each have 9 bladed apertures. They are all about the same price. None have VR – you have to spend 400 more bucks to get this for a Nikon.

    The Sigma and Tamron are superior to the Nikon, because

    - they have LD glass,
    
    - they are Digital Integrated,
    
    - they have focus motors,
    
    - they have Macro modes (1:2),

    The Tamron is superior to the Sigma, because

    - it is a newer design (introduced 1/08 as opposed to 10/03),
    
    - it has a 6 year Warranty, as opposed to only a 1yr for the Sigma.

    Notes: The Tamron and Nikon use 62mm filters, the Sigma uses 58mm.
    
    Buy a monopod [ASIN:B0002YE6EU Canon Monopod 100 for SLR Cameras & Lenses]]
15. Dr. Steve says:

    September 14, 2010 at 9:53 AM

    Review by Dr. Steve for Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro Zoom Lens with Built In Motor for Nikon Digital SLR
    Rating:
    From 70-200mm, my sample of the Tamron 70-300mm Di zoom lens is markedly sharper than a Nikon 55-200mm VR lens that I owned and then sold, based on comparisons done with a 10 MP Nikon D60 DSLR camera. Indeed, from 70-200mm, the Tamron lens is quite sharp, period. It’s clearly softer at 300mm, based on images viewed at 100% magnification on a 24″ computer monitor, but when viewed at 50% magnification (closer to relative default print size), 300mm images look fantastic. More importantly, at 300mm it produces images that print with excellent resolution at 11×16″.

    CAs are the one clear weak point for the Tamron lens but they are easily corrected via basic post-processing of RAW images (maybe JPEGs too?). AF speed is similar to the Nikon 55-200 VR AF-S lens and VERY accurate in good lighting.

    At around $140, this lens is a remarkable value and worthy of a 5-star Amazon rating, though I’d give it 4.5 stars if that option were available.
16. Jodi-Ann Richards says:

    September 14, 2010 at 10:47 AM

    Review by Jodi-Ann Richards for Canon EOS 50D 15.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
    Rating:
    SECTION 1: WHO IS THIS REVIEW FOR
    
    This review is close to 10 pages long because it was written for people who are not proficient with the terms and concepts used in the DSLR world. If you are a proficient DSLR user then I would recommend that you check one of the much shorter reviews here or dpreview. For example, you already know what vignetting is and therefore understand the importance of the new lens peripheral illumination correction feature. However, a new DSLR buyer does not know what this means and this is why I therefore explain what each feature really is so these people can then decide if the feature is really important to them.

    If you have not done so as yet, be sure to also check out my reviews of the Canon 7D and Canon 40D as well.

    SECTION 2: INTRODUCTION
    
    It has been just over a year now since I purchased my Canon 40D. At the time, I was just beginning to take my photography really serious. Since then, a lot has changed. I have now become a semi-pro. I still have my full-time job as an IT Manager here in Miami. However, I do a lot of photography work, especially events, on the weekends.

    I really love my 40D but as I started doing more and more professional work I realized three things:

    1. I needed a second camera body
    
    2. I needed a camera with a more professional focusing system.
    
    3. I needed a camera with even higher ISO performance

    It was rumored back then that the replacement for the Canon 5D would be out in the first quarter of 2008. I decided to wait for it. However, when the time came there was no news from Canon about the 5D replacement. This was back in March 2008. The Nikon D300 had now been out for a while by then. I thought about buying it but I decided to wait until it was fully reviewed by dpreview as I wanted to see if Nikon had really finally addressed the high ISO performance issues. I ordered it one day after it was reviewed by Phil Askey on dpreview.

    Since then, I have been using both the Canon 40D and the Nikon D300. I know it is a bit of a strange combo. People are always surprised when they see that I am using a Canon and a Nikon together.

    I took all three cameras – Canon 40D, Canon 50D and Nikon D300 – over the weekend to the Miami Seaquarium to see how the new Canon 50D compared with both of them.

    SECTION 3: NEW/CHANGED FEATURES
    
    A. High-resolution LCD Screen
    
    The LCD screen is still 3 inches. However, Canon has now increased the resolution from 230,000 dots to 920,000 dots which is the same as that found on the Nikon D300. Of course, this makes it a lot easier to check images on playback to see if they are sharp and in focus. More important, however, is the fact that Canon added a two layer anti-reflective coating which makes it way easier now to review images in bright sunlight. It is a lot easier to review images on the Nikon D300 than the Canon 40D. However, the Canon 50D definitely surpasses the Nikon D300 when reviewing images in bright sunlight.

    B. 15.1 Megapixel CMOS Sensor
    
    I think the MP increase is the biggest surprise to me since Canon has always been conservative when it comes to this. However, this increase now seems to be the trend as the new Canon EOS 5D Mark II has gone from 12 MP to a whopping 21 MP. I was always puzzled by the fact that the baby Canon Rebel had more MP than its big brother.

    I can clearly see the difference in the resolution of the images produced by the 15.1 MP Canon 50D and those from the 10 MP Canon 40D. For a casual shooter this is not a big deal. However, for professionals shooting events this is really useful. Whenever I shoot an event I try not to turn it into a photo shoot. People are there to have fun. That is the first priority. I need to be able to get my shots fast. Many times this means getting the shot and then doing some cropping to make it perfect. Having 15 MP to play with can be a life savior here. Of course, if I only did portraits where I have time to pose my subjects this would be less important to me.

    There is a small difference in the resolution of the images from the 15.1 MP Canon 50D and the 12.1MP Nikon D300.

    C. High ISO Performance
    
    The ISO setting control how sensitive the image sensor is to light. As the light gets lower you can increase the ISO to avoid using the flash. This is really important when you want to shoot in available natural light such as at dusk or at dawn when the light is really beautiful. Another example is when you want to photograph a bride and groom during the first dance without using the flash so you capture all the romance. The downside to increasing the ISO is that the resulting photos will tend to get grainier as the ISO increase.

    The Canon 40D allowed me to go to ISO 1600 and then expand it to ISO 3200. When I just started out doing casual shots this was okay. However, I find that I often needed to go higher than 1600 and of course I was forced to use ISO 3200. On the Nikon D300 I could go all the way up to ISO 3200 standard so if I needed to use anything higher than ISO 1600 I would use the Nikon D300. That way if I only needed ISO 2000 I could use that setting rather than use ISO 3200. I must let you know that Nikon did fix the high ISO performance issues that plagued its DSLRs prior to the Nikon D300.

    The Canon 50D now comes with a standard range of ISO 100 to 3200 just like the Nikon D300. However, the concern that I had was that with the big increase in MP count there would be much more noise (grain) at the higher ISOs. The more MP you have the more noise you tend to get at higher ISOs. I would have much preferred a smaller MP count and better high ISO performance. However, the engineers at Canon have really outdone themselves this time. The high ISO performance of the Canon 50D is just as good as the Nikon D300 even though it has 3MP more. Much of this is due to the fact that Canon is now using gapless micro lenses on the image sensor. This seemed to have really increased the light gathering capabilities of the pixels.

    The Canon 50D ISO can be expanded to 6400 (H1) and 12800 (H2). The Nikon D300 can only be expanded up to 6400. However, on the Nikon D300 you can go from 3200 to H0.3 and then to H0.7 before you get to H1.0 which is 6400. This is more flexible than having to go straight to 6400 since you should generally try to use lower ISO speeds.

    You might be thinking that it is absurd that anyone should want to use ISO 6400 and worse ISO 12800. However, there are times when getting the shot is more important than the quality of the shot itself. A good example here is when shooting sports. If the light becomes very bad for whatever reason you will need to increase your ISO as much as possible to get high enough shutter speeds to freeze the action.

    D. Auto ISO Range (100 to 1600)
    
    I have been to Butterfly World on several occasions to get photos of butterflies, birds and the tropical plants there. It is normally very sunny so to save time I shoot in Aperture priority mode. This allows me to simply set the aperture and then let the camera automatically set the shutter speed based on the current ISO and aperture settings. One thing about South Florida is that one minute it can be very sunny and then in just a few minutes it can become real cloudy. The problem this pose is that when it becomes real cloudy the shutter speed selected by the camera can be so low that it would result in camera shake which in turn results in blurry images. When I just started out my photography this actually happened to me as I would simply forget to check the shutter speed that was selected by the camera.

    The auto ISO feature lets the camera automatically change the ISO to suit the shooting mode. For example, when in aperture priority mode if the camera detects that the shutter speed selected would result in camera shake it automatically increases the ISO. This feature is available on the Canon 40D. However, the maximum ISO it would automatically set is 800. The Canon 50D will now set ISO up to 1600 which is a lot more flexible.

    The Nikon D300 actually takes the auto ISO concept further by allowing you to set the maximum ISO you want the camera to set and the minimum shutter speed you are willing to work with before the camera start to automatically set the ISO. This gives ultimate control to the photographer.

    E. Burst Buffer
    
    Another concern I had with the big increase in MP count was the impact it would have on the burst rate. With the MP count going from 10 to 15 this would normally result in a much slower burst rate. However, the new DIGIC IV image processor is a lot faster than the previous DIGIC III processor so the burst rate is pretty much the same at 6.3 frames per second from 6.5 frames per second. If you use a UDMA card with the Canon 50D you can buffer up to close to 90 large/fine JPEGs versus the 75 on the Canon 40D. The Nikon D300 can store up to 100 large/normal JPEGs at a burst rate of 6 frames per second. With the optional MB-D10 batter pack you can get 8 frames per second.

    F. Lens Peripheral Illumination Correction
    
    It is just a fact of life that the light entering a lens tends to fall off around the edges. This tends to be more pronounced when the lens is wide open. The resulting photo will appear dark around the edges. You will see it sometimes referred to as Vignetting. It is more common on cheaper lenses. However, even the most venerable and expensive lenses are not immune to this problem. I have sometimes seen it on my professional grade lenses such as the Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS lens and even the Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 G lens.

    If you have Photoshop CS3 you can quickly correct this problem. However, that is still one more thing that you have to worry about which increases your workflow. The Canon 50D has a database of 26 lenses that it will automatically correct Vignetting for. In addition you can enter another 14 models. This feature can be a really big time saver when you have many photos that were shot with the lens wide open. An example of this would be a photo shoot in natural low light where you have to shoot with the lens wide open most of the times. I remember one such shoot that I did with both the Canon 40D and Nikon D300. When I returned home I had to sit there and review each photo in Photoshop CS3 for Vignetting and fix the ones that I found. This is despite the fact that I had used two professional grade lenses for the photo shoot.

    This correction works with JPEG as well as RAW images.

    Note that this feature is turned off by default. The reason is that Canon has no idea whether the lens that you are using will work with this feature. Even when you activate it you have to check to make certain that you see “Correction Data Available” which confirms that it does work with your lens. If not you can add your lens to one of the available 14.

    The Nikon D300 does not offer Vignetting correction but it does offer chromatic aberration (CA) correction which is not on the Canon 50D. CA is the colored fringes that you sometimes see in photos. The colored fringe normally happens along some edge in the photo where there is strong contrast. A good example is a photo of a white house with green trees in the background. The edge where the green trees meet the white house in the image is a good candidate for some kind of color fringing. Once again, this is something that can be corrected in Photoshop CS3 but anything that can be done by the camera will save a lot of time in post processing.

    G. Live View Functionality
    
    If there was one feature that I really missed from back when I had my Canon S5 IS point-and-shoot camera it was face detection. It’s a feature that people always asked me about since the Canon 40D and Nikon D300 both had live view but no face detection. When I use live view on the Canon 40D and Nikon D300 I normally focus manually so I can zoom in on the face and then tweak the focus to make sure that it is as sharp as possible. With the 50D I can now save some time by using the new Face Detect live view mode. I also tried it with groups of people and it is pretty good at detecting the faces there as well.

    The refresh rate for live view on the Canon 40D/50D is 30 frames per second which is twice that on the Nikon D300 and even the Nikon D3. This makes the Canons better if you want to pan in live view.

    One of the biggest advantages of shooting digital is the ability to review a shot immediately to make certain it is good. Because the LCD monitor is just 3 inches, most photographers doing professional work also zoom in to check the focus and sharpness of the photo. You cannot simply look at the brightness of the image on the LCD monitor and assume that the exposure was good. For example, if you are in a dark room and take a photo, when you view it on the LCD monitor it will look very bright but that is because you are in a dark room. The exposure might not be really good and it is possible that the photo is actually underexposed.

    When you are doing critical work the best way to review a photo is to view the associated histogram. This is nothing more than a grayscale graph of the tonal values in the photo. An ideal histogram is shaped like a dumb-bell or like a wave that goes up and then down. It goes from black (shadows) on the left and gradually to white (highlights) on the right. A quick check is to see if any of these are clipped (cutoff). If the highlights are clipped it means that something in the photo was overexposed. If the shadows are clipped it means that something was underexposed. If most of the values are to the left (shadows) it generally means that the photo is underexposed. If most of the values are to the right (highlights) it generally means that the photo is overexposed. The Canon 50D has a live view histogram. This is something that is somehow missing from the Nikon D300.

    WARNING: If you are coming from a point-and-shoot (P & S) background it is important to understand that live view on a DSLR is different from what you are accustomed to.

    (1) The first thing you need to be aware of is that live view is really suitable for still subjects that do not move. A good example of this is if you want to a portrait of your kids where you can get them to stay still. On the other hand, it is not suitable for taking action shots such as your kids playing or of their dance performances. For these action shots you should start out using the sports automatic mode which is for action photography when you don’t know how to set your own shooting parameters.

    (2) Live View is only available in the creative modes. If you want to use it and you are a beginner you will have to put the camera in Program (P) mode. This is one of the creative modes but the camera set everything for you so you don’t have to worry about setting anything. The only thing you will have to remember is to lift up the flash when it is needed.

    (3) To use auto focus you will have to press the AF-ON button. You can focus manually the usual way.

    H. Quick Control Screen
    
    One feature that I really have enjoyed using on the Canon 40D is to use the LCD screen to set my shooting parameters such as ISO and drive mode. However, I had to push the info button twice for the screen to appear and I still had to use the buttons on the top of the camera. The Canon 50D has improved on this concept. Now all I have to do is push the multi-controller straight down to get into what is now called the Quick Control Screen where the shooting parameters are displayed on the LCD screen. Also, I can now use the multi-controller to simply select any shooting function and the use the quick-control dial to change its settings. Of course, this is a lot easier than having to make selections by pushing different buttons on the top of the camera.

    The Nikon D300 has the same kind of functionality here as the Canon 40D. However, the user interface is a lot friendlier on the Canon as the names of all the icons are also displayed as well. Remember that the Nikon D300 is targeted at more advanced shooters so it does not bother with showing the names of icons. It does not even come with any automatic modes like the Canons.

    I. Creative Auto Mode
    
    When you use the Full Auto mode the camera controls just about everything. You cannot even decide whether you want to use the flash or use continuous shooting. The Canon 50D no longer has a C3 mode dial. It has a new Creative Auto (CA) mode dial. When you use this mode dial the Creative Auto screen comes up on the LCD monitor. The settings start out just as if you were shooting in full auto mode. However, you can use the multi-controller to select and make changes to any of the following: flash firing, picture brightness, picture style, image-recording quality. You can also decide whether you want to use single, continuous or self-timer shooting.

    There is one special change that you can make here that needs special mention. You have probably seen some beautiful portraits where the background is beautifully blurred. This not only makes the subject stands out but also gives the portrait an overall artistic look. The only problem is that you have to be able to set your own aperture to achieve this effect. The Canon 50D has now changed all that. When you are in CA mode, you now have a graphic slider on the Creative Auto screen that you can drag one way to blur the background more and drag it the other way to make the background sharper. There is absolutely no need for you to have any idea about aperture and depth-of-field. You can now produce portraits with beautiful backgrounds (bokeh) simply by dragging a slider!

    Since the Nikon D300 is targeted at advanced shooters you won’t find something like this on it. It is assumed that if you are buying a camera like that, that you already know how to set your own aperture and shutter speed etc.

    J. High ISO Noise Reduction
    
    Earlier on I told you that as you start using really high ISOs you will start noticing more and more grains (noise) in the photos. Cameras like the Canon 40D, Canon 50D and Nikon D300 all offer a custom setting which allows you to specify whether you want the camera to reduce high ISO noise. You might be wondering why the camera does not simply always try to reduce high ISO noise. Well, there is a trade-off involved here. As you try to reduce the noise you will lose some of the details. If you are taking a photograph and you need to preserve details even at the expense of some noise you can simply chose to turn off high ISO noise reduction. If it is more important to get a clean photograph even though you might lose some of the details then you should turn high ISO noise reduction on. One major drawback of using high ISO noise reduction is that it greatly reduces the burst rate. This is another reason why it is turned off by default.

    The Canon 40D offers just 2 settings here – on and off. The Canon 50D allows 4 settings – standard, low, strong and disable. This gives you much more flexibility as you can chose to use a low setting rather than just an on setting which is the equivalent of strong.

    The Nikon D300 also has 4 settings which are pretty much the same as those on the Canon 50D even though they are named slightly different.

    K. Micro AF Adjustment of Lenses
    
    Starting with the Canon 40D, Canon started trickling down some of features from the professional 1D Mark III DSLR. One feature that did not make it down to the Canon 40D is the ability to fine-tune the AF on your lenses. This advance feature is now on the Canon 50D. You can chose to adjust all lenses by the same amount or you can actually adjust up to 20 lenses individually.

    This feature is also on the Nikon D300.

    L. HDMI Output
    
    One of the biggest advantages of shooting digital is that you can review your shots right away as well as show them to your clients or friends right there if you have a display unit that you can hook your camera up to. Of course the craze these days is HD. Everything just seems to look better in HD. There was no HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) output on the Canon 40D so you could not do a slideshow on a HDTV. With the 50D you can now do that. You can now take some really cool photos of your kids and view them right there on your HD television which makes a huge difference from viewing them on a non-HD display.

    The Nikon D300 has this feature.

    M. Auto Lighting Optimizer
    
    When you photograph a scene that is evenly lit your camera does a very good job of setting a proper exposure to ensure that your main subject comes out bright enough. However, if the scene contains high contrast areas of brightness and darkness it can trick the camera and cause your main subject to come looking really dark. For example, if you try to photograph your friend with the sun behind him you will most likely find that your friend comes out looking really dark. This is because the bright light from the sun in the background tricks the camera into believing that there is more light on your main subject than there really is.

    The auto lighting optimizer feature enables the camera to better handle these kinds of scenarios by lightening the dark areas in a scene such as your friend while still keeping the details in the bright areas such as the sun in the background. This feature was not on the Canon 40D but it was added to the Canon Rebel XSi which came after it. With the Canon 50D you now get this feature but with 4 settings rather than just the enable and disable settings found on the Canon Rebel XSi. You can choose from standard, low, strong or disable.

    This feature is on the Nikon D300 with similar 4 settings.

    N. New sRAW
    
    There is a new extra small raw file format. With the 50D you now have the option of shooting RAW files at 3.8MP, 7.1MP and of course the whopping 15.1MP.

    O. That Darn Print Button
    
    I don’t know what is it about that darn print button that Canon just refuses to get rid of it. Yes, it is still there on the Canon 50D. However, this time you can use it as a shortcut to live view. This is a welcome change over the Canon 40D. On that camera I had to store a short cut to live view in the My Menu tab. Now with the Canon 50D I can turn live view on and off by simply pressing the print button.

    P. New Function Button
    
    The jump button is still there but its functionality has changed. It is now a function button that you can decide which of the following menu items you want it to activate: LCD Brightness, Image Quality, Exposure Compensation/AEB Setting, Image Jump and Live View Settings. Based on your current shooting scenario you can decide which one of these you want to appear when you press the Function button. For example, at Miami Seaquarium I assigned the LCD Brightness menu to it. This is because the lighting varies greatly from one place to another so I had to keep adjusting the LCD Brightness constantly to review the photos. Instead of having to go through the menu each time it was really convenient to simply press the function button and have the LCD Brightness menu appear – great time saver.

    SECTION 4: Is this the right camera for you?
    
    Your buying decision should be based on your requirements, budget and personal preferences.

    It is very tempting when comparing the 50D to the 40D to get carried away with the 5MP difference. However, you really need to consider the type of work that you will be doing and the maximum print size that you expect to do. Here is a summary of the maximum print sizes for different megapixels (resolution):
    
    6 megapixels 8″ * 10″
    
    8 megapixels 11″ * 14″
    
    10 megapixels 13″ * 19″

    As you can see if your maximum print size is 8″ * 10″ then you are covered with even a 6 megapixels camera. You should really have a very good reason for needing more than the 10MP found on the Canon 40D.

    Here is what you should do. Check off the new/changed features that you think you will need based on where you would like your photography to start and be in a couple of years. If these new/changed features are not really important to you then go with the Canon 40D. You will save yourself some money that you can then use towards buying a good lens. For example, assume that you have $2,000 to spend on both the camera and lens and you are just interested in getting great shots of your children playing soccer and of their dance performances. In that case I would recommend that you get the Canon 40D body ($955) plus the Canon EF 24-105mm L IS lens ($1,040). It is really important to get a good lens. It is better to have a good L lens on a Canon 40D rather than a mediocre lens on the Canon 50D. On the other hand, if you know you want to do strong professional work and you definitely want a Canon then I can highly recommend the Canon 50D with its new/changed more advanced features. You will not be disappointed with this camera. So far I have found it to live up to everything that it promises. I am really blown away by the fact that Canon could really pack so many MP into that sensor and still give great high ISO performance on par with that of the Canon 40D and Nikon D300.

    The decision between the Canon 50D and the Nikon D300 is a little bit trickier. Last year when I purchased the Canon 40D, the body was going for $1,299. This means that Canon has only added $100 to make the price $1,399 for the Canon 50D. When the Nikon D300 launched last year, the body was going for $1,799. This difference in price plus the fact that there are still many features on the Nikon D300 that are not on the Canon 50D, tell me that Canon is still not trying to compete directly with the Nikon D300. This is reinforced by the fact that Canon has now even added a Creative Auto mode which is for beginners. In my opinion Canon is trying to provide a DSLR that can be used by both beginners and even professionals depending on the type of work that they do. This is all done at a very reasonable price. The problem that I see right now is that the price of the Nikon D300 is now at $1,550 which means that for just $150 more you can get a much more advanced camera. Two of those key features are the whopping 51-AF focus points versus the 9 on the Canon 50D as well as 100% coverage in the viewfinder versus 95%. You have to decide if the higher resolution, higher ISO performance and a better live view on the Canon 50D are more important to you. If so, then you should go with it. If not, you should go with the Nikon D300. However, be prepared to spend a lot of time learning because there are no automatic modes on that camera. Another important point to consider is the availability and prices of the lenses you will need. Canon lenses are readily available and are also cheaper than their Nikon equivalent. Shortly after I purchased my Canon 40D I simply went on Amazon and bought a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS lens. After I purchased my Nikon D300 I had to wait several months before I could get my hands on the Nikon equivalent of that lens. It is constantly back-ordered. When I finally got it I had to pay $300 more than the regular price. I own 5 Canon L lenses and I had no problem getting them – they were all ordered right here on Amazon.

    SECTION 4: Conclusion
    
    Your camera should make you feel invincible when out in the field. The Canon 50D is a robust and capable camera that produces stunning images even at very high ISOs. However, it is really up to you to decide whether this is the camera that is best for you based on your personal requirements, budget and preferences. Whether you decide to go with this camera or the Canon 40D or the Nikon D300 I can promise you that you will not be disappointed.

    You can check out photos from the Canon 40D and Nikon D300 on my website at tajdigistudios. As I do shoots with the Canon 50D you will see photos from it as well. Be sure to check under the Portfolio menu item. If you are new to DSLRs you might want to check out my free course at tajdslrcourse. If you are considering the Canon 40D you should also check out my review of it right here on Amazon.

    10/25/2008: I have uploaded three (3) photos of butterflies to the Customer Image Gallery here. The image quality is simply amazing. I really love this camera!!!!!

    11/2/2008: The dpreview of the Canon 50D came out a few days ago. I have added a comment to discuss my thoughts on this. If you have found this review helpful, I recommend that you take a look at my comment to consider some of the negatives from that review. I ran out of space here.

    11/23/2008: Softness Issue
    
    In my original review I mentioned that you need a good lens with this camera. I want to stress it again because I have seen reports of softness which is as a result of the high resolution showing up the flaws of the lens being used. Several reviews have made this clear but it seems that people have not paid much attention to it so I am adding the references to this important requirement for getting the best results from the Canon 50D.

    Dpreview actually pointed it out but not in a very clear way when the reviewer said: “At a pixel density of 4.5 MP/cm2 … the lens becomes the limiting factor”.

    Digital Camera Review makes it much clearer what the issue is: “If anything, the extreme resolution of the new image sensor makes the lenses a potential weak link in terms of overall image quality.” They continue: “Even stopped down, many budget lenses may produce soft images that lacks punch and crisp details, making it all the more important to pay attention to the glass you’re using.”. And finally: “Bottom line, there’s not much to criticize about the image sensor in terms of image quality, so the right glass will make the biggest difference.”

    Camera Labs puts it like this: “Perhaps the biggest issue facing the EOS 50D though is its high resolution. Canon’s use of gapless micro-lenses may have kept noise levels under control, but the high pixel density places greater demands on optics than ever before. We found the new EF-S 18-200mm IS lens, while highly flexible in terms of composition, just wasn’t able to exploit the maximum resolution from the EOS 50D. If you want to make the most of the 50D’s resolving power, you’ll really need to couple it with decent lenses – in terms of a general purpose option, the EF 24-105mm f4.0L would be more appropriate.”

    Finally, from imaging-resource here is one of the cons: “Soft images with the 28-135mm kit lens; demands very good optics”

    FOR BEST RESULTS, DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA UNLESS YOU CAN AFFORD A GOOD LENS WITH IT!

    I have seen some comments here by others that the Canon 50D is lacking IQ and could be Canon’s Vista. They claim that this view is supported by dpreview and imaging-resource. I am a bit surprised by this since both dpreview and imaging-resource both highly recommend this camera.

    Here is what imaging-resource had to say: “So while the 40D is great, and will remain in the market, the Canon 50D incorporates plenty of enhancements worth the couple-hundred extra bucks. The Canon 50D is an excellent digital SLR.” Here is the final verdict from imaging-resource: “Excellent low-light performance, impressive printed output, very fast shutter lag times, solid build, superb customization, and excellent image quality all add up to make the Canon EOS 50D a great choice for all types of photographers, and a sure Dave’s Pick.”

    At least both imaging-resource and cnet agrees that the Canon 50D delivers better results than the 40D at ISO 1600 and 3200. Their findings show that the higher resolution delivers extra sharpness without showing significantly more noise.

    [...]

    When people make these negative claims make sure you actually go and check the professional reviews that they are supposedly referencing.
17. Adam Chevalier says:

    September 14, 2010 at 11:04 AM

    Review by Adam Chevalier for Canon EOS 50D 15.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
    Rating:
    Upon reading my way through every review I could find about this camera I noticed that a lot of people were upset about noise levels compared to those seen in the 40D. As I was looking to buy one or the other at the time it was very important to me to see if these noise issues were in fact true or just caused by external factors. Lucky for me a good friend has a 40D and a local camera shop was nice enough to let us borrow their 50D to snap a few comparison shots. My friend and I took shot after shot using identical settings and identical lenses under a variety of situations, (low light, high speed, high light, inside, outside, dull colors and vibrant colors). We then took the pictures, compiled them on a single memory card and displayed them on my 46″ 1080P HDTV. Results were very much in favor of the 50D. Shot for shot the 50D either matched or exceeded the picture quality of the 40D in all but one situation: indoors with low light and dull colors. Under that situation the 50D seemed to noise out on the constant color areas, (beige walls for example), while the 40D tended to noise out at the interface between colors, (at the boundary of a beige wall and darm crown molding for example). Both developed noise but the 50D had more.

    Overall though I was very impressed with the performance of the 50D. It picked up a lot of details that the 40D didn’t even come close to getting, (thanks to the 15.1MP sensor no doubt), was much better able to capture high-speed action in daylight and only produced noisy images under very particular situations.

    I purchased the 50D.
18. C. Tan says:

    September 14, 2010 at 11:05 AM

    Review by C. Tan for Canon EOS 50D 15.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
    Rating:
    Before you read this review, please note that the Canon 50D and D90 are not in the same class and are targeted at different markets, but there are still many people, including myself, comparing them with each other due to the relatively small difference in price. The Canon 50D should be compared to the Nikon D300, but since the D300 is clearly a better camera, there is no point. The 50D is in fact, somewhere in between the D90 and D300. With that being said, I hope you find my review helpful.

    I spent a lot of time researching and comparing the Canon 50D with the Nikon D90. I picked the 50D. I hope my information here can help some of you out there making the same comparisons.

    First of all, I highly suggest that you go to a local store and actually hold both cameras, play with them and get a feel for them. You will notice right away that the D90 feels cheap and is just made of plastic. The 50D, on the other hand, is made of magnesium-alloy and feels sturdy. It actually feels like a high-end camera. The 50D is also weather-sealed, unlike the D90. Build quality is extremely important, so keep that in mind. I also found the menus and button locations to be more user-friendly than the Nikon’s.

    I read a countless reviews on the 50D and D90. Most D90 reviews were pretty consistent with each other. The D90 is a great camera that provides excellent image quality, can take 720p videos and is $300 less than the 50D. The 50D review were also pretty consistent with each other. The 50D is not much of an improvement over the 40D, the increase to 15.1MP resulted in a small increase in image quality and resulted in more noise at higher ISO settings, it cannot take videos and is $300 more than the D90.

    From a value standpoint, the D90 is a better camera. It’s a few hundred bucks cheaper than the 50D and can take videos. That’s pretty much where the comparisons end. Here’s why.

    1. The D90 isn’t even a direct competitor of the 50D. The D90 is aimed toward the consumer market while the 50D is aimed toward the prosumer market. However, I still couldn’t resist comparing the two, since the D300 was out of my budget.

    2. Video Mode – Nikon released the D90 with a sub par video recording feature. It maxes out at 720p and does not, I repeat, DOES NOT have auto-focus. From my experience with the D90′s video mode, the combination of holding the camera with one hand while focusing with the other and walking around resulted in, well, bad videos. If you want to take videos, get the Canon T1i.

    3. Performance – The 50D, as with other prosumer level cameras, uses CF cards while the the D90, as with other consumer level cameras, uses SD cards. CF cards offer higher capacities, but more importantly, faster speeds. The 50D is capable of taking 6.3 frames per second in continuous shot mode while the D90 is capable of taking 4.5 frames per second. That’s with JPEGs. Try continuous shooting with the D90 in RAW mode, and it will just beg you to stop. The D90 just isn’t made for high speed photography. It’s made for taking pictures when you are out on vacation with the family. The 50D, on the other hand, was designed for high speed photography, such as sports and and capturing moving objects.

    4. Image Quality – Both cameras offer excellent image quality. It has been said in several reviews that the 50D produces noise at higher ISO settings than the D90 and even the Canon 40D. The reason for this is the higher MP count combined with the small size of the APS-C sensor along with the low quality of the lenses that were used in the reviews. If you plan on buying the 50D, PLEASE invest in a good lens to take advantage of the camera’s increased pixel count. Had better lenses been used in reviews, the 50D would have received even better reviews. The 50D is not a consumer/enthusiast level camera, so why use cheap lenses to review it?

    5. Live View – Wow, Live View is a sweet feature in DSLR camera. If you have an important shot to take, Live View can help you immensely! The 50D and D90 both have Live View. The D90 only has one auto-focus mode in Live View, which is Contrast Detect. The 50D has Phase Detect and Contrast Detect. The D90 can only zoom in 6.7x, while the 50D can zoom in 10x. Why is this important? The more you can zoom in, the more precisely you can dial in the focus. In addition, the 50D also offers micro focus adjustment to really dial in the focus. The D90′s Live View is adequate for the average casual user, but it’s completely unacceptable to a higher end user. The 50D’s Live View feature caters to a more demanding photographer.

    6. Value – The D90 is a few hundred dollars cheaper than the 50D. It has features that attract the average consumer, such a video. It produces great images worthy of a prosumer level camera, but lacks the feature and flexibility that a prosumer level camera offers, such as better build quality, better ergonomics, faster continuous shooting, full featured Live View and better tweakability. If these features are not important to you, get the D90. However, as you improve your photography skills and start to photograph a wider variety of scenarios, you will find yourself wanting the additional features that the 50D offers.

    The question you should be asking yourself is – What do I want to do with the camera? Do you need a camera like the 50D, or do you see yourself needing its additional features down the road? The 50D might be too much camera for many people. For that reason, I highly recommend the casual user to get the D90. For you real photographers out there, get the Canon 50D. You will not miss the video feature, trust me. If you really want a Nikon, get the D300 (which does not have video either).
19. T. Semarge says:

    September 14, 2010 at 11:51 AM

    Review by T. Semarge for Canon EOS 50D 15.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
    Rating:
    I have had my hands on a 50D for exactly two days, and have taken only a few more than 100 photos; however, it is clear to me that this is no “40D Mark II.” It is a giant step-up from the 40D and, in my opinion, akin to a jump between the 20D and 40D (the 30D skipped intentionally). I can speak and write confidently of this because I own or have owned all four cameras. I have the 50D with EF 18-200mm IS Telephoto Lens, which came as an offered kit. Additionally, I own and have used the 50D with an EF 24-105mm f4L and EF 85mm f1.8. Here is my two day take:

    a. Controls are familiar yet more intuitive than the 40D;

    b. Photos are top shelf. “Incredible!,” “Beautiful!,” and “Wow!” are superlatives which came quickly to me and to my close friends. I tried a few photos at higher ISOs. Those photos showed a bit of `noise,’ however, was much less than expected. Noise at low and mid-range ISOs was not visible to me. I took many pictures in shaded areas to see if this camera handles colors, tones, and lighting better than the disappointing manner of the 40D. Seems to be truth to the claim of improvement in that area. Not a Nikon D2, but still quite excellent. I did not do any flash photography.

    c. The LCD is bright, sharp, and much more viewable in sunlight than its predecessor. I think it matches well with those on the Nikons, which seems to have been one major objective with this camera.

    d. The camera body is solid; feeling to me even more so than the 40D.

    e. The 18-200mm IS lens was quite nice, and provides a great “one-lens” option. I have not compared photos taken with it to those taken with the EF 24-105mm L-series; however, I believe in L-series lenses and would guess the 18-200mm will not hold a candle to the L’s. That said, it is a very excellent lens!! My only criticism is the significant differences in focusing `speed’ between it and the 24-105mm L lens. It is Slooooooow…

    The bottom-line is that 50D is a very excellent and, potentially, a very outstanding camera. Not perfect by any means, but a great step forward. I have not to date exercised enough of it’s’ features and options to be more specific now, but I will follow-up with more information once I have the opportunity to use the camera more. I rated it a conservative “4 stars,” which for me is a high rating.

    FYI, I am an advanced amateur photographer. I have much experience with Canon SLRs dating back to the A-1, and with some Nikons, including the D300. I have remained a Canon enthusiast because of the investment I have in EF lenses, and because Canon, sooner or later, always seems to come to the dance with superb equipment.
    
20. kyle says:

    September 14, 2010 at 12:49 PM

    Review by kyle for Canon EOS 50D 15.1MP Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)
    Rating:
    I used the 40D for a year, purchased the 50D based on positive user reviews here and at other online merchants, but as soon as I started taking photos with the 50D I noticed it had more noise and was softer than the 40D. Within a few days, people and review sites started posting comparisons and they all showed the same. Many people are raving about the 50D’s greatness, but the photos tell a different story.

    The 50D does have a much better LCD, does handle colors slightly better, but has more noise in photos than the 40D at ISO400 and up, as well as softer images. Taking softness and noise into consideration, you’re not getting the clarity you should with 15mp, when compared to the 40D’s 10mp. Even when downsizing photos to a smaller, web-sized image, more noise artifacts were visible in the 50D. Since I mostly shoot concert photography, I did not feel this was a worthwhile upgrade, so I returned the 50D and purchased another 40D.

    If you shoot outside or in bright light you’ll have better use of the 50D, but I don’t think you’re getting a great use of those 15mp. The 5D is 12mp and produces sharper images than the 50D – yes, it has a larger, better sensor – but my point is to show how you’re not quite getting the most out of the 15mp on the 50D. You’re paying for 15mp, but how useful are they? If the 50D were 12mp, then producing sharper images with less noise than the 40D, I would have found that to be a worthy upgrade. The battery also drains faster in the 50D because of the LCD upgrade, if you use LCD much.

    While the 50D may be great for some, I’ll wait to see what’s next. I highly recommend getting the 40D instead; save money, get better lenses, upgrade later (hopefully the next xxD) and shame on Canon. Their claims of the 50D having less noise must have been based on its blotchy in-camera noise reduction quality and the more aggressive default settings of DPP’s (Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software) noise reduction as well.
21. Hyun Yu says:

    September 14, 2010 at 1:35 PM

    Review by Hyun Yu for Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera (Black Body Only)
    Rating:
    My journey with DSLRs began back in 2003 with the original Digital Rebel. DSLRs changed my photography for the better like nothing else. Five years and some 25,000 shots later, it’s still going strong. Along the way I upgraded to the Canon 30D, which is a fantastic camera as well. When the 40D was announced, I decided to wait until the 50D sometime in 2009, but wanted a newer backup/second body for my photography needs. So when the XSi/450D was announced, it sounded like a perfect fit for my needs.

    I got it from Amazon.com three days ago, and have given it a pretty good workout since then, having shot about 650 shots under a variety of shooting conditions and with a number of different Canon and third-party lenses. The following are my impressions.

    The build feels very good. The camera feels wonderfully light yet well built. I’m 6ft tall with average size hands, and the camera feels good in my hand. The battery grip, to me, defeats the purpose of having a small, light DSLR, so I opted for a Hakuba/Opteka grip (it’s a plate that screws into the tripod socket that enables you to use the excellent Canon E1 hand strap with it) and I couldn’t be happier. I’m not a fan of neck straps, so this works well for me (see the uploaded photo for the configuration).

    Most of the menu buttons on the back feel different from the ones on the original Digital Rebel and the 30D; the XSi buttons feel more tactile and have a definite “click” to them when you press them. The exception are the Exposure Lock (*) and AF selector buttons, which have retained the deeper, softer feel of the older cameras. Just different, not better or worse, for me.

    The LCD is now 3″ with 230K pixels. The playback images look great, and probably because of the higher resolution of the sensor, there’s a very slight delay when you zoom in to 10x while the image loads and displays properly. People coming from other cameras or brands might not even notice it–I only did so because of the difference between it and my two other Canon DSLRs (which have lower resolution sensors). The viewing angle of the LCD screen (how clearly you can see the screen from side and up and down) is excellent; you can still see the screen holding the camera almost straight up for an overhead shot (more on this later). I’d estimate the viewing angle is about 160-170 degrees both horizontally and vertically.

    The Digital Rebel has a separate status screen above the main LCD screen, and the 30D had one on top of the camera, so I wasn’t sure if I was going to like the big LCD acting as the status screen and no top screen. I’m happy to say that this arrangement works well, at least for me. The back screen makes it really easy to take all the settings at a glance. The viewfinder is much larger and brighter than that in the Digital Rebel. A humongously welcome feature for me is the always displayed ISO value in the viewfinder.

    The camera is only 1/2 of the image quality equation, the other being the lenses being used. Coupled with my favorite lens, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L telephoto lens, the XSi turns out fantastic images. The supplied kit lens is very light and compact for being an image stabilized lens, and turns out good performance. The IS is certainly very useful.

    Two features that used to be missing from the Digital Rebels and found in the more expensive DSLRs are now featured in the XSi: spot-metering and flash exposure compensation (these may have been available in the previous Digital Rebel model, the XTi, as well). The inclusion of those two features make the camera a much more complete and compelling photographic tool. The timer function now has a custom mode, where it’ll count down from 10 seconds then take a number of shots (specified by you) in succession. No more running back and forth to reset the timer after each shot! There’s also the traditional 2-second timer.

    Let’s talk for a minute about sensor and the ISO values. XSi/450D has five ISO values you can choose: 100 (best image quality), 200, 400, 800, and 1600. Higher ISO increases the camera sensor’s sensitivity to light, thus you can achieve faster shutter speeeds for a given lighting condition. However, the trade-off is that the sensor “noise” (think grain for film photography) increases with higher ISO, so you get a degraded image quality in return for less blurred photos from hand shakes (thanks to faster shutter speed). This may come in handy in situations where flash photography is not permitted, such as a museum or a concert or theater. HOWEVER, compared to point-and-shoot digital cameras, the larger sensors of DSLRs, including the XSi, means that even at ISO 800 and 1600 you get very usable images right out of the camera. Running the images shot at those ISO settings through any number of third-party noise reduction software will improve them even further.

    This ties in to another very useful feature of the XSi/450D that makes life easier for the photographer: The Auto ISO function. By default, Auto ISO sets the ISO (the sensor sensitivity to light) between 100 and 800 (by using custom functions, this can be changed to 200-1600). If you are, for example, shooting your kid’s indoor basketball game and you know that you need a shutter speed of at least 1/200 sec to “freeze” the action, then you can set the camera to Tv (shutter priority mode) and set the value to 1/200, and set the camera to Auto ISO. Then the camera will match the aperture and the ISO to achieve proper exposure at that shutter speed. With my other DSLRs, setting the camera to shutter priority only allowed the camera to adjust the aperture value; ISO setting had to be adjusted manually. With the XSi/450D, the ability for the camera to adjust the ISO value automatically makes it one less thing for you the photographer to worry about.

    I’ve only tested the Live View function to see how it works, but I can already see how useful it’s going to be in studio and macro shootings. Just a note, you can’t half-press the shutter to autofocus while in Live View mode. You can either manual focus, or use one of the two autofocus methods, quick (the mirror flips up, the LCD goes dark for a short while, and flips down with focus locked) or live (the camera uses the LCD’s contrast detection to achieve the focus–this method is slower than the quick method), both by pressing the exposure lock button (*) while in the Live View mode. Using either the RS-60E3 wired remote or RC-1 wireless remote in Live View mode will ONLY trigger the shutter, and has no bearing on focusing.

    Some people seem to be under the impression that the inclusion of the Live View feature will enable them to use the XSi/450D as they do point-and-shoot digital cameras, to compose their shots. That is not the case. You can’t really make a functioning use of the Live View feature unless the camera’s securely mounted on a tripod or on a flat surface. Both Live View focusing modes, while precise, are too slow to be used for hand-held shooting.

    Having said that, there is one use of Live View in hand-held shooting that I’ve come to value. When shooting overhead or over an obstacle, I can, with the same hand holding the camera, trigger the Live View, compose the scene through the LCD monitor (even if it’s out of focus, it’s easy to get the general framing right), disable Live View, and take the photo normally. With a little practice, this can be accomplished very quickly. Very handy when you’re just holding the camera overhead and hoping for the best.

    The Direct Print button that’s been much ridiculed and maligned in most Canon cameras now double as the white balance menu button. The Set button in the middle of the four-direction arrow keys can be programmed for a number of different functions: Change image quality, flash exposure compensation, LCD monitor on/off (same as Display button, but can be triggered by the same hand holding the camera), and Menu display (again, can be triggered by the same hand holding the camera).

    There is a dedicated ISO button, which is also very welcome. It can easily be accessed during shooting with the right thumb, thereby minimizing the interruption to shooting.

    The battery life seems very good. I’ve shot about 500+ shots on a single charge and the status monitor is still showing charge at full.

    I’m using Transcend 8GB Class 6 SDHC card with it. At ISO 100, the camera reports it can fit 396 RAW+JPG (highest quality) on it, but in reality it can probably fit about 420-450 (the camera’s always conservative when estimating). With RAW only, it can fit 507. With highest quality JPG, it can fit 1,822. Note that as ISO increases, so do the file sizes and thus you can store less images per card. For example, on ISO 1600, the same card can only hold 323 images, compared to 396 at ISO 100.

    My only gripe, and this is more about me than the camera, is the RAW+JPG buffer. I always shoot RAW+JPG, and the buffer will only hold four images at that speed (this is a limitation that’s built into the camera’s memory buffer system, and thus using a fast memory card doesn’t help–see p.64 of the manual). When the buffer’s full, you can take two additional images at about a frame a second, then have to wait until the buffer empties (finishes writing to the memory card). When shooting RAW only, it’s 6 images. When shooting JPG only, then it’s no problem at more than 50 frames. I’ve found myself switching the mode dial to Sports mode when I’m shooting a fast-moving subject and the buffer simply can’t keep up with it. Well, that’s why Canon produces different grades and ranges of DSLRs.

    I’ve uploaded some photos that I shot of the local wildlife. Most if not all of those were taken with the EF 70-200mm f/4 L lens.

    All in all, it’s a fantastic camera. Pretty amazing to see how far the entry-level DSLRs have come in just a few years in terms of features, interface, ergonomics, and quality. I’m very pleased with my purchase and intend to have lots of fun shooting pictures with it.
22. J. Lane says:

    September 14, 2010 at 2:08 PM

    Review by J. Lane for Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera (Black Body Only)
    Rating:
    I have had the XSi for about 3 months now and I am thouroughly impressed with it. This is my first DSLR and I was a little wary about going with a brand-new and untested camera, but I have always like Canon (I used an ELAN II in High School and I bought a SD600 about 2 years ago to take snapshots of my son). Overall, I have not been disappointed with the quality of the photos that the XSi produces. The IS lens works great and I have taken some pretty amazing photos (for me at least). I do have just a couple of issues, both good and bad, that I think those who are looking at buying this may want to know.

    Battery life — Great battery life. I should say, AMAZING battery life. I have taken over 5000 photos and I have only had to charge the battery twice.

    Live View — LiveView is not for beginners. It is not a replacement for your Point-and-Shoot. You can’t use it in the AUTO mode (Green Square). This isn’t that big of a deal for me, I prefer full manual myself, but the whole point of this feature, I thought, was to make it more user friendly for the Point-and-Shoot photographer. My wife can’t use Live View in it’s current form (I specifically bought a DSLR with a live view function so she could still use the camera). So, if Live View is a big selling point for you, You may want to look at some others (If it isn’t that big of a deal to you, then this is still an amazing camera — added 4-23-2008). If you do studio work, though, you can hook the camera up to your PC and use it as a remote viewer. But it is not a point-and-shoot camera in Live View. In my earlier review, I said that it would be nice if Canon fixed some of the Live View issues with a firmware update, I was mistaken. Live View is a nice feature once you figure out it is not meant for beginners. Studio and landscape photographers will find Live View a great tool.

    Image Quality — I have had some great success shooting in a studio setting as well as some great outdoor shots. In the studio, I used tungsten “hot” lights with the subjuect against a white background. The photos turned out great. Skin tones are perfect and there is very little, if any, chromatic abberation at the edges. It shoots great outdoor shots as well. We just got into beekeeping and I was able to get some AMAZING shots of our bees up-close outdoors. The bees looked dirty and not very interesting from a distance, but the macro photos I got up close are beautiful and full of wonderfully crisp details. The lens is a little short, the image quality you get from it is pretty good considering it only costs $100. I do plan on buying a longer lens in the near future.

    Overall, the camera is solid and feels nice in the hand. It isn’t too heavy, yet still feels sturdy. If you can afford the higher price, I don’t think you will be disappointed. If you can’t, the XTi is still a great camera. And if you can afford to wait a few months for the price to drop a little (LIKE IT ALREADY HAS!!) I would. I was able to work a few extra weekends so I could afford to get this, and I can tell you, I don’t mind it a bit, because the quality of photos I am getting has been totally worth it.

    — Update —
    
    I was incorrect when I said you couldn’t use the 9-Point autofocus in Live View. You can use the 9-point autofocus while in Live View, but the mirror flips down and focuses so you can’t see what you are trying to focus on until after the camera has actually gone through the autofocus process.

    — Update #2 —
    
    I have now had this camera for almost two months and I am happy to report that the more I use it, the more I love it. Once you learn the layout of the camera and you load the MyMenu with the tools you use most often, the camera becomes an absolute delight to use. I have taken over 5000 photos with it so far and now I need an extra hard drive to put them all on.

    I was able to rent a Canon EF 24-105 IS L lens and a 580 EX II Speedlite for my sister’s wedding. WOW! What great photos. The camera interfaced with the flash flawlessly and I am more convinced than ever that much of the quality of your photos comes from the glass you use and not as much from the camera itself (I think it is about 65% lens to 35% camera body give or take a few points– I know there will be those who disagree, but that is my take on it, and I am sure if I had a 1Ds MkIII I would think that there wasn’t a peice of glass good enough for my camera).

    This is a great beginner dSLR and a great camera all around. I am very happy with my purchase and I have had no regrets whatsoever about spending the $900 to buy such a great tool. Amazon now sells it for $799, you can’t go wrong at that price!
23. John Korkow says:

    September 14, 2010 at 3:02 PM

    Review by John Korkow for Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera (Black Body Only)
    Rating:
    This camera is impossible to beat at this price. I won’t write a lengthy review, but, you can set this camera in fully automatic mode and hand it to a “point and shoot” person, and they will obtain fantastic results. For the amateur photographer, this has all of the bells and whistles, what I love is I can reset the camera rapidly for multiple shots of the same scene on very different settings. Married with a decent photo program on your computer, it is possible to achieve professional results.

    Many reviews say, get this with the stabilization lens…. I wholeheartedly agree… the extra $100 is a bargain price for this lens… It is almost (and I do say almost) like having a tripod. I set the camera for 1/10th second exposures with no support, and obtained steady pictures with it, slower than this, and the stabilization did not fully correct for any unsteadiness.

    We’d buy it again in a heartbeat, and I wish I could get one for everyone I know!! Best photos that I have ever taken and a joy to use! Connecting it to the computer and downloading photos takes a matter of seconds.

    Get the largest SD card you can afford with it… We have a 2GB card with it, and it fills fairly rapidly. 1GB is far too small for this camera (primarily because you will take numerous shots with it, not because the pics take up a great deal of memory), I’m guessing 4GB would be near perfect (or a couple of 2GB cards, but one 4GB is safer, the cards are too easy to misplace).
24. Just another reviewer says:

    September 14, 2010 at 3:39 PM

    Review by Just another reviewer for Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera (Black Body Only)
    Rating:
    I picked up this camera two weeks ago at a local store. Overall, it’s a solid camera. Color reproduction is wonderful, it’s quick, low noise with high iso, and terrific macros. The camera is blazing fast. Please refer to the other posters for the good points of this camera.

    Now i’ll discuss the shortcomings. The major one, which has been referenced to in various forums such as dpreview and a few online review sites is poor AutoFocus. Not all cameras are affected, but mine was. If you shoot at an object from w/in 10 ft, it has trouble over 50% of the time picking up the autofocus point and often selects the wrong point. If you use center focus, it gets pretty close but final image is still a bit blurry. It becomes a bit sharper w/ the live view autofocus system. When I took some outdoor pics of some animals, i couldn’t quite lock on what i was interested in. Even when taking shots of people outside w/ a prominent background, it seems to have trouble deciding if it wants to focus on the person or the background. I’d say that 20% of my shots were actually in focus and those look wonderful. The remaining ones had the focus off. So i’m gonna send my camera to canon for repair. I went to best buy and tried out a 40D and the focus was rock solid. If you get a good camera, kodus to u.
25. A Reader says:

    September 14, 2010 at 4:14 PM

    Review by A Reader for Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera (Black Body Only)
    Rating:
    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.
    
26. Anne says:

    September 14, 2010 at 5:06 PM

    Review by Anne for Olympus 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED Zuiko Digital Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras
    Rating:
    When my”therapist” at the local camera store told me he could sell me this lens for $100 I thought, “It’s Olympus, how bad could it be?” So I bought it and took some time to set up a few test shots against the superb Olympus 14-54. The 40-150 performed beautifully, it’s nice and sharp, and nothing I could do produced any fringing. The edges are plenty sharp enough, I just kept muttering WOW.

    Focus and zoom seem on a par with the 14-54: smooth and fast.

    Being 4.0-5.6 I guess there’s not a whole lot of glass in there so the lens is very light. That can be an advantage when you need an all-purpose, compact, walk-around/travel lens. This is fast becoming mine.

    One note: it has a plastic mounting flange, but the general build quality is solid. It doesn’t come with a fancy case.

    I believe it’s the best $100 I ever spent on camera equipment!
27. Don Ali says:

    September 14, 2010 at 5:31 PM

    Review by Don Ali for Olympus 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED Zuiko Digital Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras
    Rating:
    I got this lens with my E-510 (14-42mm and 40-150mm).

    It’s my main lens for now. I don’t use the 14-42mm much. it’s sharp sometimes. 3 to 5 of 10 photos are excellent, the rest just decent or below. slow auto focus in light and sometime not accurate. I use manual focus mostly to get the best results. I used it with the ex-25 and I got very nice macro shots. but for taking pictures of wild life or birds this is not good and for me it’s worthless for these kinds of photography. also not good for macro unless you combine it with the ex-25.

    In my opinion, it’s better to buy the old 40-150mm f/3.5 if you can find it or just jump to 70-300mm if you have money because you almost will stop using it if you have the 70-300mm. at lease the 70-300mm excellent for macro and reaches further.
28. Jose A. Tierno says:

    September 14, 2010 at 6:07 PM

    Review by Jose A. Tierno for Olympus 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED Zuiko Digital Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras
    Rating:
    I bought this lens to complement the stock 14-42 that came with my Olympus e420. I actually paid $101 for it at a local camera store, when Amazon was asking $300 for it (now it is down to $128).

    Main reason I bought it was to get some reasonable tele-power for my camera, and the price certainly was right.

    While it is a very decent lens for objects 2 meters and out, it lacks macro capabilities. I do mostly nature shots, and find myself constantly switching lenses in places where I would hate to see anything drop to the muddy floor.

    At 150, power is pretty good for perspective shots, but not nearly strong enough for shooting birds or wildlife. Looks like I’ll be purchasing more glass in the near future, something like a pancake 12-600 tele-macro with automatic IR to UV programmable filtering 8^)

    Olympus Evolt E420 10MP Digital SLR Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Lens
29. bdgilfry@wildchildpublishing.com says:

    September 14, 2010 at 6:51 PM

    Review by bdgilfry@wildchildpublishing.com for Olympus 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED Zuiko Digital Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras
    Rating:
    Okay, it’s inexpensive. The ring where it attaches to the camera is plastic. But, are you going to use this as a hammer? It is that very construction that makes this camera a heavyweight in the lightweight class, and at an affordable price.

    Years ago, a lens with this magnification ratio would be unheard of (equivalent of 80mm to 300mm). My old Canon lenses with half that range (and no better optical quality) weight four times as much.

    Oh, we are so spoiled in this digital world! Yet, I enjoy being spoiled.

    You will not find a better lens anywhere for this price. You may not find a better lens anywhere for twice the price of this little gem. Other manufacturers “kit” lenses (the lenses often sold accompanying the camera body as a kit) are virtually throw-aways, something to get you through until you can buy their more expensive lenses. Not this one. Auto focus is good, color and other aberrations minimal.

    Although I own and use some very expensive bodies and lenses, this lens is always in my car with my E-520 and the 14-42 lens. If a photo opportunity comes up, I won’t be missing those cameras and lenses at home, because this kit will handle the situation with great aplomb.
30. J. Merker says:

    September 14, 2010 at 7:33 PM

    Review by J. Merker for Olympus 40-150mm f/4.0-5.6 ED Zuiko Digital Lens for Olympus Digital SLR Cameras
    Rating:
    This is an excellent zoom lens for the price. If you have a 4/3 body, then this is a must. At this price, size, weight, value and quality, you should just buy this lens. It can produce sharp images.
31. L. Wimberley says:

    September 14, 2010 at 7:58 PM

    Review by L. Wimberley for Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Lens (Black)
    Rating:
    The XT is amazing. The battery comes partly charged so you can immedietly start using the camera (thank you Canon!) I’ve already shot about 200 pictures with it and the battery hasn’t died yet.

    I can’t give you a comparison between the XT and the 20D as I haven’t owned a 20D, I can tell you a few things you may wish to know before buying.

    This camera, is TINY. Extremely tiny. I’m a woman in my early twenties and I have small hands. The camera fits just right in my hands, but honestly, I don’t see how someone with bigger hands would be 100% comfortable holding this. If my hands were any larger, they would be slipping off the bottom.
    
    I had tried holding a 20D at a camera shop once and it felt too large in my hands to grip. The camera size is perfect for me, but just beware if you have larger hands. You may want to look into the battery grip, or test out holding the camera at a store before you order it. See the picture I uploaded above to get a size relation and how the camera fits in my hands.

    For anyone who is migrating to this camera from a standard point and shoot digital camera, you cannot frame the image you are about to take using the LCD screen on the back. You must look through the viewfinder. The LCD screen is soley for menu use and preview mode after the picture has been taken, nothing more.

    Something I’ve noticed is the camera makes a ratteling sound when moved around. I couldn’t figure out what the heck it was, and then I finally reazlized it’s the hinges from the pop-up flash. It sounds like they are loose when the flash is closed. I went to Best Buy and looked at their display model, and yep, it has the same problem. Well, it’s not really a *problem* but frankly something ratteling around like that sounds cheaply made to me. My Canon film SLR doesn’t make that sound.
    
    I use a 420EX Speedlite flash with my SLRs so the popup flash doesn’t concern me, but it was something I noticed and thought I would share.

    I love that Canon gave the option to have a black finish over a silver one.

    The startup time is instantaneous which is absolutely wonderful.

    The burst mode is excellent with 3 fps.

    It’s extremely quiet.

    The image quality is excellent. You can get photo quality prints at 20×30, and even then I bet you could push it further.

    I really can’t elaborate more then what other reviews have said. If you are looking for a step into the digital SLR world, this is the ticket. Or you can even check out the newly reduced original Digital Rebel, but for the extra hundred bucks or so, I would just get the XT. You will not be sorry.

    Two upgrades I would make right away: Get a Speedlite flash and the Canon 28-135mm lens.

    Also, I don’t know why people are submitting bad reviews grading Amazon on shipping for the Rebel XT. When I preordered the XT from Amazon (not from another 3rd party), it said it would be released March 20th. I got my Rebel XT in the mail yesterday (the 22nd) which if you ask me, is pretty darn good. Want something right away? Then walk into a store and buy it instead of ordering from the internet.
32. M. L. Allen says:

    September 14, 2010 at 8:17 PM

    Review by M. L. Allen for Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Lens (Black)
    Rating:
    Overview:

    Current equipment (recently purchased)

    Canon Digital Rebel XT (EOS 350D)w/Lens Kit
    
    Canon Digital Rebel XT “Starter Kit” w/Bag, extra battery, haze filter. Do NOT confuse this with the Digital Rebel (non-XT)starter kit, which is also for sale.
    
    Canon 420 EX Flash
    
    SanDisk CF Type II (1 GB)
    
    Canon Semi-hard Case (EH-18L)
    
    Canon Remote Controller (RC-1)

    Experience:

    Currently 34 years old, began taking pictures at age 10 with non-SLR type cameras. Previous cameras include Canon AE-1 Film SLR, Sony Mavica MVC-FD90, Sony Mavica MVC-CD250 and Sony Mavica MVC-CD400. I’d estimate that I’ve taken 10,000 pictures with film cameras over the years (non-SLR, AE-1, A-1 and F-1, the A-1 and F-1 being bodies owned by my father, who is a well regarded semi-professional photographer and former instructor at the local Community College on film photography)and an additional 10,000 pictures with various digital cameras.

    This is my first Digital SLR purchase.

    General Impressions;

    My FIRST recommendation to anyone thinking of purchasing this camera would be to download the owners manual from Canon, it’s available via the Canon Website in .pdf format.

    Several hours of your time spent reviewing the actual manual should provide confidence that this camera can be used effectively by any level of photographer.

    If you’re a novice, disregard the “Manual” sections of the manual and concentrate your attention on the “Automatic” sections. This camera is literally so easy to use a child can take an excellent photograph. I let my 9 year old daughter (with me giving her 2 minutes of advice and observing her carefully to protect the camera as she used it) take 25 photographs in the “Full Auto” mode, using only the pop-up flash unit. Out of 25 photos, I would rate 2 excellent on composition and the other 23 very poor (as expected), but the QUALITY of the images was outstanding. Every image was crisp and vibrant. My daughter is a TOTAL novice, other than using a few of the “disposable” pre-loaded cameras at a birthday party, these are the first 25 photos she’s ever attempted. The 2 of excellent composition (of her little sister who’s 2, and was in full “go” mode moving around) I sent to my father (who hardly passes out compliments on my photographic skills at a whim)with his response being “great photos”.

    I’ve personally shot 300 frames with the camera in “Full Auto” mode, using no flash (even when one was needed), the pop-up flash unit and the 420 EX (approximately 100 frames each way)and have even tried to “fool” the camera by taking portrait type shots in “Sports” mode and etc. The camera is very intuitive and will save most users from common mistakes associated with trying to take Photographs as opposed to Snap Shots. The only limitation on the quality of the images you can expect mostly relates to your skills in composing the photographs.

    This camera can be used as a point and shoot camera or can be fine tuned to allow more creative/experienced photographers to push their limits. This is NOT a professional quality Digital SLR (or if it is, I can’t imagine a pro using a digital camera, for high end photography this camera has SERIOUS limitations). Having said that, I would recommend this camera to anyone that is comfortable spending the money on it. This is not an inexpensive commitment. Initial outlay for a “basic” set-up will run you between 1200 and 1400 dollars, and additional lenses, filters, accessories will add 500 or more dollars (with your budget being the only limit on the “or more” amount).

    I’ve read reviews where users mention several “negative” issues with the camera. First, some reviewers mention that the battery cover “rattles”. I can’t speak to their experiences, but there is no “rattle” on my camera body at all, none. Very solid. Second, I’ve read complaints that the size is too small. I’m not a small man, and I have fairly large hands. I think the camera IS compact, but not uncomfortable to use. As a matter of fact, the smaller size keeps me mindfull of the fact that it’s a precision instrument and that it takes a delicate touch on the shutter and a light “approach” to taking a great photo. Finally, I’ve noticed that some people think the camera has a “cheap” feel to it. I can only assume that they’re used to camera bodies made of metal. This body is plastic and rubber, but again mine feels very solid in my hands, not “cheap” at all, unless I heft my AE-1 right after the fact. But that’s comparing apples to oranges.

    Photo Quality:

    In the Large Fine Format, this camera will give you everything you expect in terms of image quality.

    Ease of Use:

    If my 9 year old can take pictures with it, anyone can.

    Value:

    Relative to the cost of other Digital SLR’s (and having reviewed their owners manuals as well) I’d rate this as a very good value.

    5 Star Items:

    Autofocus – Very Fast, haven’t “stumped” it yet.
    
    Menu – Easy to understand/use
    
    Battery Life – Excellent
    
    Image Quality – Excellent
    
    Canon Engineering – Excellent, I’m biased probably, never had a problem with a Canon Film SLR, don’t expect any with a Canon Digital.
    
    Speed – Excellent, this camera is FAST. Ready to go.
    
    Ergonomics – Very Very Good, but not perfect.

    4 Star Items:

    Viewfinder – It’s very good, the placement of the screen leaves a LOT to be desired, but not enough to downgrade the camera overall.
    
    CF Slot – Not overly easy to get the card in, but not HARD.
    
    Pop-up Flash Unit – Good for what it is, but nothing you want to rely on if you’re planning on taking good photographs in every situation.
    
    Included Software – Very good, nothing earthshaking.
    
    Battery Charging – Very good, under 90 minutes to take a drained battery back to full charge.
    
    Changing Lenses – Very good, about what you’d expect.
    
    Owners Manual – Informative, but could have been better organized.

    3 Star Items:

    Neck Strap – Poor, not comfortable. Plan on buying a replacment.
    
    Included Lens – Average. Meets the “general” purpose shooting requirements for most situations, about what you would expect from a $100.00 lens. Plan on upgrading the lens, but I still recommend buying the full “kit” with Lens, instead of body only.

    Overall, I gave the camera a 4 star rating, because nothing is perfect, but personally I’m very pleased with my purchase and would recommend this camera to anyone that isn’t attempting TRUE professional quality photography.

    Recommended purchases;

    2nd Battery, 2nd CF Card (recommend Type II), Additional Lenses, Camera Bag, Remote Control, Filters, Flash Unit (420 EX, is cost effective and gives good results, EH-18L Body Case and Tripod.

    Potential worthy purchases;

    Battery Grip (BG-E3)
    
    AC Adapter Kit (ACK 700)

    Also, I bought my items directly from Amazon.com, got a good price and everything was delivered on time and in good condition. Just to echo some other reviews, if they price is “too good” be wary, as always you get what you pay for.

    Hope this was helpful information.
33. Gadgester says:

    September 14, 2010 at 8:58 PM

    Review by Gadgester for Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Lens (Black)
    Rating:
    I spent three hours yesterday playing with the brand-new Canon Digital Rebel XT digital SLR camera, and man, was I impressed.

    I hadn’t been too impressed with the original Digital Rebel, except for its revolutionarily low price (for a d-SLR), because it was slow and felt slimsy. The new DR XT is quite different. Even though it’s 3 ounces lighter than the original DR — mostly due to the use of a smaller battery; see below — its smaller form factor actually makes it feel more solid and “real”. In other word, unlike the original DR, this one feels professional, not toy-like at all.

    By now you probably already know Canon makes some of the best digital cameras in the world. Even though I’m a Nikon shooter when it comes to d-SLR (sorry, loyal Canon shooters!), I own a couple Canon compact digital cameras and love them, too. The DR XT’s image quality is once again excellent. I took a few indoor shots with the camera, both with and without flash, and then the store clerk let me download them to their PC. The JPEG pictures (I didn’t try RAW) looked excellent on the Sony LCD screen, on par with the more expensive EOS 20D d-SLR. Color tones were accurate and the resolution was really good. The improvement picture quality over the original DR (“DR Classic”? BTW it’s now $200 cheaper) comes from both the 2 extra megapixels and the better color accuracy. BTW, the DR XT reportedly uses a tecchnically different CMOS sensor than the original DR, although I haven’t been able to find out exactly how this one is better in technical terms than the old one (other than the two extra megapixels). No matter, my limited true-world testing showed the image quality is indeed better than the already-excellent image quality of the original DR. And, as in the past, Canon does a wonderful job at keeping noise low — I considered noise acceptable up until ISO 800.

    The kit, which I recommend, comes with the same flimsy 3x EF-S lens (which won’t work on regular film SLRs) as the original DR. You should most definitely get a better lens, although the kit lens works well as a “street zoom.” I didn’t get a chance to test the lens outdoors as the store wouldn’t let me take it outside, but I have no doubt that this new model can only be better than the original DR, which was already very good even before you considered its low price.

    The DR XT is fast: at last, you can turn it on and start shooting without waiting several seconds like you had to with the original DR. The only downside compared to the original DR is the smaller, lighter battery in the DR XT also means shorter battery life. I highly recommend you get an extra battery or two. You won’t be able to go through a full day of shooting on just one battery, even if you don’t use flash much. (But all pros and pro-wannabes use fill-in flash, don’t we?) I also recommend a good camera bag; I personally like Tamrac for that. In addition to the spare battery (batteries), bag and a better lens or two, also consider getting a tripod (Sunpak ones are cheap but ok quality), an external flash as well as filters — esp. a high-qual circular polarizing filter.

    In summary, the Canon Digital Rebel XT is another stunning winner from Canon. It features faster speeds (start-up and shot-to-shot), excellent image quality, and terrific look-and-feel. Despite my personal preference for Nikon pro-level gear, I can recommend this Canon d-SLR to my friends without reservation.

    Feel free to e-mail me at gadgester @t hotmail with your questions and commends.
34. C. Moore says:

    September 14, 2010 at 9:58 PM

    Review by C. Moore for Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Lens (Black)
    Rating:
    First, a couple of things.

    I wanted this camera to be great. I researched all the consumer dSLRs and decided on the XT Rebel 350 because of it’s size and 8MP CCD, plus, I’d had two Canon point and shoot digitals that were fantastic.

    I’ve been taking pictures on a semi-professtional level for thirty years and I attended Brooks Institute of Photography, so I sort of know what I’m doing.

    Bought the Rebel XT at a local store in San Francisco, along with the Canon 28-200 Zoom. Immediately went up to Chinatown to shoot pictures of the Festival of the Harvest Moon with my wife, who was using her Nikon D70 with the Nikon 28-200.

    Shot pictures all day, and absolutely loved the way the XT handled. It was very intuitive, fast, had a bright viewfinder — I couldn’t have been happier.

    Then, we got home and looked at the pictures. I’d shot mostly on automatic, or shutter priority all day, with shutter speeds above 250th of a second.

    Bottom line, my wife’s pictures were crystal clear, popped really, and mine of the same or similar subjects were just a tad fuzzy. You couldn’t tell at 5×7 or so, but when you brought it up to 8×10 or above the difference was obvious. I checked the historgram on the shots, and they were made at nearly the same settings. Couldn’t be, right? After all, the Nikon is only 6 MP, the Canon 8MP.

    So I put both cameras on a tripod, pointed them at a brick wall with a sign about 100 feet away, set everything the same on the cameras, and low and behold, same fuzziness.

    I took the Canon back the next day and traded it in on a D70. Now, maybe I got a bad lense, or a camera where the auto-focus was tweaked, but I couldn’t afford the time to test it out again and again. I knew the Nikon would work, and it did (and does).

    Since then, I’ve talked to friends, professionals, who say that the XT is known to have auto-focus “issues”. This seems to be inconsistent, with some reviewers being delighted by the camera, others having a little problem.

    As I said above, the camera handles really well, intuitively, and I actually like the compact size (some SLR users like a heavier camera). I may have gotten a lemon, but if you are going to need to depend on getting sharp pictures and can’t go back for reshoots, I’d step up to the Canon D20 or go with a Nikon dSLR.
35. P. Lehmann says:

    September 14, 2010 at 10:07 PM

    Review by P. Lehmann for Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Lens (Black)
    Rating:
    I can’t say enough about this camera. I won’t launch into superlatives you can read in all the other reviews other than to agree that it is the best thing this amateur has ever bought.

    If the XT is going to someone that will only use it 5-10 times a year, the kit lens is fine.

    My advice for those like me that are trying to step up into taking photographs rather than pictures? Buy the camera as a body only, spend 80ish dollars on the 50mm 1.8 prime lens, and another 20ish on the remote. You will still come out cheaper than if you buy the XT with a kit lens AND have an amazing, fast lens that gets raving reviews on Amazon and elsewhere. Check the lens reviews for yourself, especially if you’re not familiar with prime vs. zoom lenses. The tiny remote is handy too!

    I’m betting you will eventually buy at least one more lens than what you start with to explore the capabilities of the XT. This is true whether you start out with the kit or the 1.8. I use the 28-135 IS and the 1.8. The kit lens is in a box in my garage somewhere, so I could have saved myself $100 if someone had suggested to me what I am to you.
36. Judah B says:

    September 14, 2010 at 10:14 PM

    Review by Judah B for Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Silver)
    Rating:
    I spent several weeks reviewing the REBEL XS vs it’s many 10 MP adversaries, I even checked it against the ultra zooms as I wanted the convenience of video as well, but too many good things stood out with this camera and so I decided upon it. I bought the rebel XS and after days of dirt testing this camera I’ve found it a beautiful experience.
    
    Now I’m a professional videographer attached to a tv station in Trinidad & Tobago, my purpose for this camera was the need for a quick sharp still shot camera that would be impressive under low light and still capture impressive portrait shots to be used for my website and for large prints. I didn’t want to shell out over a $1000. US for a camera body.
    
    What is tagged by Canon is true: The full auto mode is truly accurate and gives excellent shots always, it makes photography so easy for a beginner or intermediate. The portrait mode isn’t blurry, images are clean, nicely toned, excellent in quality for large size prints. The P ( program mode) I like alot at first because this mode sets exposure so nicely I found it addictive. I shot alot of night pics of cars on a freeway, with bright, sharp, lively colours emerging. Night pics at 800 iso had very very very little noise, and I mean I was searching the pics on 15″ monitors for reason to complain, but was really impressed.
    
    The auto focus is really quick. Th XS comes with “only” a 7 point auto focus system compared to the XSi 9 point, forgive me when I say there may be no need for another 2 points when the camera focusses so quick and so accurately. I have not gotten a soft image when shot with the auto focus operating.
    
    Now for those point and shoot cams that boast about “face detection”….5 faces…6,7, some even 15. I also have a 10 mp ultra zoom, this simply matters little if not at all, if the focussing ability of the camera is poor or average, and given the “average lens” quality they’re made of.
    
    I have learnt clearly that a 10 MP ultra zoom simply cannot compare to a 10 MP D SLR…chalk and cheese.
    
    I also bought the Tamron 70mm – 300mm, F4-5.6 telephoto/ macro lens. No vignetting at either end of the lens.
    
    Auto iso is simply magnificent, have not taken a shot where the camera over estimated or underestimated the iso levels.
    
    The Manual mode of this camera is the most impressive for me. The rebel XS via various magazine testing has come up faster than it’s other 10 MP rivals when it comes to fps shooting, and burst images. It really does shoot 3 fps consistently, it shoots 2.3 fps in low light, worst case is over 1 fps all at 10 MP quality.
    
    I haven’t used a lower quality since, given I bought a Transcend 8GB SDHC card storage is not an issue.
    
    Most of my shooting has been at night, for the little done in daylight, it has been amazing. Colours are very bright, depth of field very very nice. Macros works well. Image optimizer simply shocked life out of me. I was in a shaded area and without flash it really improves the subject without over blowing the background, stuff that is almost impossible on point and shoot cams.

    Stuff I disagree with from the “reviews” : 1- “The camera feels cheaply built”….simply wrong, nothing is shabby, buttons are actually easy to press, doesn’t have cheap clicks to them, the lens mount has a secure feel to it, and a proper snap when it is set. Battery compartment is certainly secure. Your finger must intricately open the door for entry, won’t be an accident issue. Rubber door at a.v. ports snap in well. Rubber grip is firm enough, smooth enough to not irritate your hands.
    
    2- ” XS is “overpriced” compared to the XSi…..Xsi shoots slower than the XS, XSi picture quality is equal to the XS even though the XSi is 12 MP. The XSi may be the 3″ LCD and a few other upgrades, but these upgrades don’t add up when the picture is taken and the quality of both cameras match alike. I may have chosen the XSI if I wanted to spend the extra $150. u.s but for the lesser price, I’m yet to regret.
    
    3- “The XS “only has a 2.5″ LCD compared to a couple of it’s rivals having 3″ LCD’s”. I can see every thing clearly with this screen, even with Histograms, and grids onscreen. If LCD’s get much bigger then canon may need to install a tv tuner as well….the 2.5″ is more than sufficient.
    
    4- “The XS doesn’t have SPOT METERING compared to the XSi, so this is a big issue”- haven’t encountered a reason to complain yet, after 500 night shots and 200 day shots.

    THE DOWN SIDE: the EOS software for uploading the photos to computer, and remote controlling the cam via computer is AWFUL. It’s a task to upload, as it is beach balling when you hit “upload”. Digital professional software is non responsive. I have not been able to use the software past the install point. Mac version here.
    
    Better use i-photo and photoshop.

    I highly rate this camera, and as a videographer who’s accustomed to t.v. broadcast quality the REBEL XS is worth it, and since canon is so intent on pushing the rebel XSi they have significantly lowered the price on the XS…..I recommend people buy the XS and get a good lens with the discount earned. The trick is in the lens and the user, and lesser the camera.
37. J. Gallo says:

    September 14, 2010 at 10:17 PM

    Review by J. Gallo for Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Silver)
    Rating:
    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.
38. Brandon White says:

    September 14, 2010 at 10:19 PM

    Review by Brandon White for Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Silver)
    Rating:
    This review is geared toward complete newbies (such as myself) who are coming from the point-and-shoot world.

    I purchased this camera due to a budget constraint and after reading numerous reviews. For what you features you get, you simply cannot beat the price for an entry level DSLR camera. You may have looked at the XSI (as I have) and have been tempted to put forth the extra $100 or so to get that one. If you get down to the nitty gritty between the specs of the XS and XSI, you’ll find that they are very minimally different, and more importantly, those “extra” features will have no bearing on you as a DSLR newbie.

    This XS (1000D) model is oft overlooked because so many are praising its “bigger brother” the XSI. But take a look at a side-by-side comparison and you’ll notice not much has been scaled back for this XS. Save that extra money for better glass. I would even be willing to speculate that a future firmware release will address some of these scaled-back features.

    PROS

    -Currently the best bang for buck you’re going to find (at this time).
    
    -Canon didn’t scale back very much from the XSI
    
    -Some report that the lower MP (10 vs XSI’s 12) gives better image quality because of the sensor (DigicIII).
    
    -Excellent image quality even with the supplied kit lens.
    
    -Easy to use (with some research-effort on your part)
    
    -Canon compatibility — nuff said.

    CONS

    -Not crazy about the build materials (some sort of plastic). When I purchase things, I plan on owning them for a very long time, regardless of how “outdated” it may become a few years down the road.
    
    -Some button placements for me seem counter-intuitive, but remember, I’m only a newbie.
    
    -Has crop sensor like all of the rebels.
    
    -Live View usefulness is questionable.

    In short: If you’re coming from P&S, you will not be disappointed with this purchase. It will meet or exceed your expectations of photo quality and features.
    
39. G. Wachman says:

    September 14, 2010 at 11:06 PM

    Review by G. Wachman for Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Silver)
    Rating:
    **Note 12/8/09 – It appears that currently the XSi can be had for less than $100 more than the XS – in my opinion the extra features are worth this additional cost for those who want a wider range of capabilities (esp. higher frame rate for continuous shooting mode). The XS remains a great value for those on a budget who are seeking a basic DSLR.

    **Revised 18 Apr 2009**

    (4.5/5 stars)

    This year I decided to finally get a digital SLR. The market is filled with excellent choices and early January saw a plunge in prices that has since receded, so I feel like I picked a good time to buy. The downside of having so many options, though, was trying to decide which one was right for me. Not being too familiar with dSLRs, I read lots of reviews and learned the terminology, and after a couple weeks finally decided on the Canon Rebel XS.

    Based on what I was willing to pay (around $650 or less), I considered three other cameras before buying this one: The Canon Rebel XSi, the Nikon D60, and the Pentax K200D. I think Nikon has excellent offerings at the “enthusiast/semi pro” level (D80/D90 and D300, respectively) that are arguably superior to Canon’s lineup, but I was disappointed by the D60 in general, mostly due to the lack of autofocus compatibility with older lenses. The main attraction of the Pentax is the high build quality with weather sealing, but it also sports a decent quality kit lens, a large viewfinder, and internal image stabilization. What concerned me about the K200D was the image quality, especially with JPEGs, as reported in a number of pro reviews. As is the case with many entering the dSLR world, image quality was my #1 consideration. Finally, live view (the ability to compose with the rear LCD) is a tool I have found to be quite useful in certain situations and it is notably lacking on the Nikon and Pentax models that I considered.

    So, left with the Canons, I considered what I might get with the XSi for the nearly $200 extra. As a beginner I simply wasn’t convinced that the additional features on the XSi were worth the extra cash, the image quality the two cameras being basically equal. So I sprang for the XS, got the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens with the savings, and still had some cash left in my pocket. Generally I’ve been quite happy with my decision. There is a lot of talk about how camera makers “intentionally cripple” their entry-level models, but you’re unlikely to notice this if it’s your first dSLR. If you pay more for the next step up, you’re arguably paying a premium for new technology that you won’t even notice or appreciate that much, and will either be commonplace or obsolete in just a couple years. If I had spent more I think I would have skipped the XSi and gone for the 40D, which sports a better build and a nicer kit lens, the Pentax K20D, or perhaps the Nikon D80 or D90. My plan is to stick with the XS for a few years until Canon gives me a compelling reason to upgrade.

    So anyway, what is my impression of the Rebel XS after 4 months of solid use? Generally, quite good, but here are my thoughts:

    The good:

    - Image Quality. Period. This is the Canon trademark. The basic JPEG modes are great when you don’t want to bother with the creative stuff. The level of sharpness and the color rendition are quite good for my tastes, and can be easily adjusted. One thing I have noticed is that the default sharpening is fairly high and can easily lead to artefacts when rendering fine details. I would recommend turning down the sharpness on all the picture styles to 2 or 3 to avoid this.

    - Performance at High ISO. Many of my favorite photos have been taken in low light situations and I’ve decided there’s one thing everyone looking at dSLRs should consider carefully: image quality at high ISO speeds. Using higher ISO speeds is extremely useful when trying to get sharp pictures in low light situations (without using a flash). Simply put, in the entry level market Canon outperforms the competition. I’ve taken a number of pictures at ISO 1600 that look great, especially with the in-camera noise reduction turned on. I made an 8 x 10 in. print of one of these photos, and the noise was almost imperceptible. (Update: I only wish I could shoot ISO 3200, which is available with some of the newer models coming out.)

    - Ease of Use. The camera puts all the essential controls at your fingertips. Adjusting ISO, exposure compensation, metering mode, and white balance, not to mention picture styles and autofocus mode, are all quick and intuitive operations with this camera. The only thing that takes a little more time is setting custom white balance, which I seem to do a lot under incandescent light. Also, after activating live view in the menu system, it can be turned on or off at the press of a button.

    - The camera is small, light, and physically attractive. With my 50mm lens attached, the camera is remarkably compact and very lightweight. Also, having dealt with the lag of compact digitals for years, the responsiveness of this camera is especially noticeable.

    - Kit lens. While the 18-55mm IS lens that ships with the camera leaves something to be desired in terms of build quality (and manual operation), the optical quality actually surprised me. I wish it gave a little more reach on the telephoto end, but in general it does a good job. In fact, the main reason I’m not getting the $500 EF-S 17-85mm is that the 18-55 performs better on the wide end.

    - Software. The image editing and organizing programs that come with the camera are not the most refined, but they are fairly powerful, and likely adequate for those who don’t want to part with another $200 or more for an image editing program. Also, you can control the camera remotely from your computer with live view, which is cool, if not extremely useful. As far as I know, Canon is the most generous company in terms of what they offer in their packaged software.

    A few complaints:

    - Build/Grip: One of the big reasons I didn’t get the XSi was because it offered no improvement in the way of build quality or ergonomics (besides the marginally better grip material). The downside of this camera’s low weight is the plastic construction. Especially compared to a Pentax (which is also plastic but has a metal frame and usually weather sealing), there’s a noticeable difference in the way it feels in your hands. There are advantages to each approach, but some will prefer a more solid (and heavy) construction. Also, some reviewers complain about the grip. I have relatively long fingers, and while I agree that it is a little cramped and awkward compared to a Pentax, for example, it’s a secure grip and while taking pictures I’ve never found it to be uncomfortable. I should say that I spent some time comparing the D60 grip to this one, and ultimately preferred the XS. While the build and grip are adequate, they do detract somewhat from the overall photographic experience. I would give more weight to these factors if I were to buy again.

    -Lenses: This is somewhat of a mixed bag. Generally speaking, the deal with Canon is that if you have deep pockets you’ll be hard pressed to find a more comprehensive set of high quality professional lenses. As a hobbyist, however, I shy away from spending $1000+ on a lens, so my options are more limited. There are some very good options: the EF-S 10-22mm, EF-S 60mm, EF 50mm f/1.4, EF 85mm f/1.8, and EF 100mm f/2.8 all come to mind. But other bases aren’t as well covered: a made-for-digital “standard” prime lens for example, or a quality upgrade to the kit lens (the 17-85mm gets pretty lukewarm reviews). Ideally you should give some thought to the lenses you think you might purchase, and survey what each company offers. I tend to think that Canon, Nikon, Olympus and Pentax all have good options, but their strengths and weaknesses are different.

    - The viewfinder is fairly small. When dealing with a shallow depth of field in low light and I want to get the focus just right, I often switch to live view to zoom in and focus manually (This is actually very handy). The only basis I have for comparison is my ancient Minolta film SLR that sports a much bigger viewfinder. That said, when I compared the XS and XSi, I didn’t really notice the difference between the two. APS-C cameras have smaller viewfinders that 35mm/full frame cameras in general, but they vary enough that it is worth giving it due consideration as you compare cameras.

    - Metering: This is a fairly minor quibble, but I find that the metering overexposes fairly frequently, especially for high contrast scenes (outdoors). I have found that I get better results dialing in -1/3 to -2/3 stops of exposure compensation in these situations.

    - Slow continuous shooting rate. If you’re shooting action (sports, moving animals, etc.) in RAW you’ll want to look elsewhere. The JPEG rate (3 fps) is comparable to competitors and has the advantage of being able to shoot until the card is full. In RAW, however, you’ll find that the 1.5 fps (for 5 frames) is pretty slow. I don’t generally shoot action so this was not an important consideration for me. (Update: After 4 months of pretty heavy shooting, I still have not found a need for a higher frame rate.)

    Overall: Considering the price of the Rebel XS and the overall quality of the package (image quality and feature set), I’m convinced it gives you the most bang for your buck of cameras below $500. This camera is capable of taking very nice photographs, and I find the control layout to be very intuitive. The only things that leave me feeling somewhat unsatisfied are (1) the relatively “cheap” or plastic feel of the camera (2) the grip, which is satisfactory but does not fit the shape of my hand like other cameras, and (3) the lens lineup. I recommend spending some time holding the camera (and others) and researching lenses to make sure the XS will meet your needs. Having said that, the image quality of this camera is excellent, and I am most satisfied by its low-light performance. Furthermore, if you think you’ll upgrade in the next several years, I have a feeling Canon will be forced to compete aggressively with Nikon in the enthusiast range, so you can be confident you’ll have some good options down the road. (Update: I have to say that the XS is a camera that has grown on me. Despite my quibbles, in everyday use there is very little to dislike about this camera and it will take something very significant for me to switch brands.)

    Other options to consider:

    Olympus

    The Olympus Evolt E420 10MP Digital SLR Camera with 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Lens provides an interesting and very cost-effective choice, particularly for those who value small size. To take full advantage of the minute camera, you’ll want to consider getting the tiny 25mm pancake lens in addition to the standard zoom. The E-420 delivers on features too, with live view and a good dust control system. The downsides? First, there is no in-body image stabilization, unlike its bigger brother, the E-520 (also a good option). Also, lens selection is limited due to the unique sensor size. That said, the lenses are designed specifically for “four thirds” sensors as opposed to “full frame”, and thus have more appropriate focal lengths. More importantly, several of the Olympus Zuiko lenses get rave reviews for their optical quality. A final downside is that the “four thirds” image quality, in particular dynamic range and high ISO, isn’t quite on par with Canon or Nikon. However, I suspect that for many people it will be more than good enough.

    The recently announced Olympus Evolt E620 12.3MP Live MOS Digital SLR Camera with Image Stabilization and 2.7 inch Swivel LCD w/ 14-42mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Lens crams most of the features of the semi-pro E-30 into a body closer to the size of a E-420. If you have a bigger budget, check this one out, it looks like an excellent camera.

    Pentax

    For those who want a more upscale dSLR experience in the entry-level market segment, I would recommend the Pentax K200D 10.2MP Digital SLR Camera with Shake Reduction 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens. You get a quality build, weatherproofing, a nice viewfinder, and arguably the best built kit lens there is (complete with a nice lens hood!). Make sure you can live with the image quality if you plan on shooting JPEG and keep in mind there’s no live view, but if you read owner reviews you’ll find very few unhappy customers.

    For a bit more you can bag yourself the Pentax K20D 14.6MP Digital SLR Camera with Shake Reduction and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL II Lens. This camera could be categorized more as “semi-pro” or “enthusiast”, and is best for those eager to take greater manual control of their camera. The new sensor resolves the image quality issues of the K200D and has greater resolution. It has live view, but the implementation is apparently pretty crude. All in all, it sounds like this is a very good deal at current pricing and again, you’ll find very few unhappy users.

    Nikon

    The Nikon D90 DX 12.3MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-105mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR DX Nikkor Zoom Lens is an update to the D80 that by all accounts equals or exceeds its Canon rivals on image quality and delivers a very nice feature set including HD video. For this, though, you’ll need to pay a pretty penny (around $1100). And at that price, you’ll want to give full consideration to the well-built Canon EOS 40D 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens, or its more expensive sibling, the Canon EOS 50D 15.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens.

    The recently announced Nikon D5000 12.3 MP DX Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR Lens and 2.7-inch Vari-angle LCD falls into the same price range as the D80, and is something of a blend between the D60 and the D90 in terms of the design. Most of the features, however, have been passed down from the D90. It’s billed more as an upper entry-level camera (like the Canon T1i and the Olympus E-620), and as such lacks a few of the more serious features of the d90 like the top LCD, the nice large pentaprism viewfinder, and wireless flash control, but most of the bells and whistles are there. Like the d60 there is no autofocus with non AF-S lenses, though this is becoming less of an issue since the release of the AF-S 35mm f/1.8 and the AF-S 50mm f/1.4. At the price it’s being offered at the moment I would still very much prefer the D90, but this is a decent option nonetheless.

    The Nikon D3000 10MP Digital SLR Camera with 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Nikkor Zoom Lens was also announced recently and appears to be a refresh of the D60 built around the same sensor with an upgraded autofocus system and a few new bells and whistles. No video or live view, though, due to the older CCD-type sensor. Again, my personal feeling is that if you buy Nikon the D90 is currently the best deal for “enthusiasts” who plan to get into the nuts and bolts of photography. If you only plan to shoot very casually and can still find a D40, that camera also represents a great value.
40. Steven J. Turner says:

    September 14, 2010 at 11:47 PM

    Review by Steven J. Turner for Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Silver)
    Rating:
    “I should have spent the extra hundred and gotten the XSi” should have been the actual title to this review. My dissatisfaction revolves around the XS’ focusing challenges. The camera itself is great – image quality is good, the sensor works fine — the uptick in image quality between the smaller sensor on a point n shoot is (to me) very noticeable — but the XS, with its 7-point focusing system has problems, especially in low light.

    I understand the XSi’s 9-point system is more accurate, and face it, most of us shoot in less-than-ideal lighting conditions, and we don’t want to shell out $300 for good flash that won’t turn our subjects into wan, demon-eyed ghosts (I’d rather spend the money on a good prime lense) so a good-auto focus system is a must. My wife has a Panasonic FZ28 with a Leica lense, and its autofocus capabilities are far superior. XS – great camera, but the autofocus issues are very disappointing. If I could do it over, I’d get the XSi or the Nikon D60.
41. John Kwok says:

    September 15, 2010 at 12:44 AM

    Review by John Kwok for Nikon 60mm f/2.8D AF Micro-Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
    Rating:
    Among Nikon’s most celebrated lenses have been its Micro Nikkor macro lenses. This autofocus lens remains among the best, not only for its fine optics but also because it will allow the user to focus down to a 1:1 life size reproduction ratio, which is perfect for photographing inanimate objects such as coins or stamps or relatively still living objects such as leaves and flowers. I agree with another reviewer that if you intend to photograph small animals such as insects, then either a 105mm Micro Nikkor or the 200mm f4 Micro Nikkor, would be a more appropriate macro lens. Otherwise, the 60mm Micro Nikkor lens may be all the lens you need for superb closeup photography.
42. Bill says:

    September 15, 2010 at 1:06 AM

    Review by Bill for Nikon 60mm f/2.8D AF Micro-Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
    Rating:
    If you’ve never had a true macro lens that is capable of 1:1(life size on slide or negative), then you’re in for some fun and you’ll be amazed, trust me. It’s razor sharp. Image quality is outstanding. You’ll see detail on your slides or prints that you could never see with the naked eye.
    
    The only thing that could possibly disappoint is the working distance. At 1:1, the subject is about 2-3 inches from the front of the lens. When shooting insects or other moving creatures, this may be too close. The 105mm macro is the way to go for that.

    —Edited with the following: I’ve seen 1 and 2 star reviews for this lens because it will not autofocus with the Nikon D40, D40x, and D60(and possibly others). All the other functions still work, just have to manually focus it. **If you want autofocus with the above mentioned Nikon bodies, get the new G version of this lens. These days the 2 are almost the same price.And some knock it because it doesn’t have VR. Hey, this lens was introduced around 1989-long before VR or digital SLRs. And in macro photography, steadiness and focusing are so critical, VR won’t help much anyway. The only proper technique is to use a rock solid tripod and focus manually. If you think you can just hold the camera and shoot at 1:1 reproduction ratio, you’ll have alot of blurred shots. So do your homework and research and don’t buy something that is not fully compatible with your camera body-and then give it 1 or 2 stars. It’s a fine lens-trust me.
43. Ruchai Kanjanavanit says:

    September 15, 2010 at 1:19 AM

    Review by Ruchai Kanjanavanit for Nikon 60mm f/2.8D AF Micro-Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
    Rating:
    If I can only have one lens it will be this Nikon 60mm f/2.8 macro. Actually I hardly remove it from my D50.I had to buy a D200 for birds photography because the 60mm was ‘glued’ to the D50. I use it for every thing from portrait to small insects. This lens is equal to 90mm 35mm equivalent, in the film days ~90-100 mm macro lens were the most popular. With digital many people had read the old books and think experts are using 100 mm macro lenses and dare not buy this 60mm and posted to every webs that 60 mm is too short for small insects. I took thousands of insect shots with this lens and will never use any other lens. It is very sharp, maybe the sharpest lens Nikon ever made.
44. William A. Burnett says:

    September 15, 2010 at 1:20 AM

    Review by William A. Burnett for Nikon 60mm f/2.8D AF Micro-Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
    Rating:
    I use this lens to photograph flowers but I also use this lens as one of my main portraits lenses it is incredibly sharp and focuses extremely close, buy this lens and you will find you will be using it for more then a macro! Some images I have taken with this are at http://www.wburnett.com
45. kkrome25 says:

    September 15, 2010 at 2:16 AM

    Review by kkrome25 for Nikon 60mm f/2.8D AF Micro-Nikkor Lens for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
    Rating:
    I just thought I’d list the things I like about this lens, to make this review short and to the point:

    1. The bokeh is the stuff of legend; it is textbook perfect. It is in the same class as the best German lenses when it comes to bokeh.
    
    2. It is exquisitely sharp, all out to the edges, with no chromatic aberrations.
    
    3. Manual focusing is nicely dampened and feels just like a manual-focusing lens.
    
    4. Not only is it ideal for macro (micro) photography; it’s also a fine
    
    portrait lens. The narrower field of view (90mm equivalent in 35mm film) is perfect for abstracts.
    
    5. The level of performance and quality exceeds the price two times over, in my opinion.
    
    6. I think this is basically the same lens design as Nikon’s hugely popular and legendary 55mm manual-focus Micro-Nikkor.

    This lens is what Nikon optics is all about. You can’t go wrong buying one.
46. Hyun Yu says:

    September 15, 2010 at 2:27 AM

    Review by Hyun Yu for Canon Digital Rebel XSI 12MP Digital SLR Camera (Silver Body Only)
    Rating:
    My journey with DSLRs began back in 2003 with the original Digital Rebel. DSLRs changed my photography for the better like nothing else. Five years and some 25,000 shots later, it’s still going strong. Along the way I upgraded to the Canon 30D, which is a fantastic camera as well. When the 40D was announced, I decided to wait until the 50D sometime in 2009, but wanted a newer backup/second body for my photography needs. So when the XSi/450D was announced, it sounded like a perfect fit for my needs.

    I got it from Amazon.com three days ago, and have given it a pretty good workout since then, having shot about 650 shots under a variety of shooting conditions and with a number of different Canon and third-party lenses. The following are my impressions.

    The build feels very good. The camera feels wonderfully light yet well built. I’m 6ft tall with average size hands, and the camera feels good in my hand. The battery grip, to me, defeats the purpose of having a small, light DSLR, so I opted for a Hakuba/Opteka grip (it’s a plate that screws into the tripod socket that enables you to use the excellent Canon E1 hand strap with it) and I couldn’t be happier. I’m not a fan of neck straps, so this works well for me (see the uploaded photo for the configuration).

    Most of the menu buttons on the back feel different from the ones on the original Digital Rebel and the 30D; the XSi buttons feel more tactile and have a definite “click” to them when you press them. The exception are the Exposure Lock (*) and AF selector buttons, which have retained the deeper, softer feel of the older cameras. Just different, not better or worse, for me.

    The LCD is now 3″ with 230K pixels. The playback images look great, and probably because of the higher resolution of the sensor, there’s a very slight delay when you zoom in to 10x while the image loads and displays properly. People coming from other cameras or brands might not even notice it–I only did so because of the difference between it and my two other Canon DSLRs (which have lower resolution sensors). The viewing angle of the LCD screen (how clearly you can see the screen from side and up and down) is excellent; you can still see the screen holding the camera almost straight up for an overhead shot (more on this later). I’d estimate the viewing angle is about 160-170 degrees both horizontally and vertically.

    The Digital Rebel has a separate status screen above the main LCD screen, and the 30D had one on top of the camera, so I wasn’t sure if I was going to like the big LCD acting as the status screen and no top screen. I’m happy to say that this arrangement works well, at least for me. The back screen makes it really easy to take all the settings at a glance. The viewfinder is much larger and brighter than that in the Digital Rebel. A humongously welcome feature for me is the always displayed ISO value in the viewfinder.

    The camera is only 1/2 of the image quality equation, the other being the lenses being used. Coupled with my favorite lens, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L telephoto lens, the XSi turns out fantastic images. The supplied kit lens is very light and compact for being an image stabilized lens, and turns out good performance. The IS is certainly very useful.

    Two features that used to be missing from the Digital Rebels and found in the more expensive DSLRs are now featured in the XSi: spot-metering and flash exposure compensation (these may have been available in the previous Digital Rebel model, the XTi, as well). The inclusion of those two features make the camera a much more complete and compelling photographic tool. The timer function now has a custom mode, where it’ll count down from 10 seconds then take a number of shots (specified by you) in succession. No more running back and forth to reset the timer after each shot! There’s also the traditional 2-second timer.

    Let’s talk for a minute about sensor and the ISO values. XSi/450D has five ISO values you can choose: 100 (best image quality), 200, 400, 800, and 1600. Higher ISO increases the camera sensor’s sensitivity to light, thus you can achieve faster shutter speeeds for a given lighting condition. However, the trade-off is that the sensor “noise” (think grain for film photography) increases with higher ISO, so you get a degraded image quality in return for less blurred photos from hand shakes (thanks to faster shutter speed). This may come in handy in situations where flash photography is not permitted, such as a museum or a concert or theater. HOWEVER, compared to point-and-shoot digital cameras, the larger sensors of DSLRs, including the XSi, means that even at ISO 800 and 1600 you get very usable images right out of the camera. Running the images shot at those ISO settings through any number of third-party noise reduction software will improve them even further.

    This ties in to another very useful feature of the XSi/450D that makes life easier for the photographer: The Auto ISO function. By default, Auto ISO sets the ISO (the sensor sensitivity to light) between 100 and 800 (by using custom functions, this can be changed to 200-1600). If you are, for example, shooting your kid’s indoor basketball game and you know that you need a shutter speed of at least 1/200 sec to “freeze” the action, then you can set the camera to Tv (shutter priority mode) and set the value to 1/200, and set the camera to Auto ISO. Then the camera will match the aperture and the ISO to achieve proper exposure at that shutter speed. With my other DSLRs, setting the camera to shutter priority only allowed the camera to adjust the aperture value; ISO setting had to be adjusted manually. With the XSi/450D, the ability for the camera to adjust the ISO value automatically makes it one less thing for you the photographer to worry about.

    I’ve only tested the Live View function to see how it works, but I can already see how useful it’s going to be in studio and macro shootings. Just a note, you can’t half-press the shutter to autofocus while in Live View mode. You can either manual focus, or use one of the two autofocus methods, quick (the mirror flips up, the LCD goes dark for a short while, and flips down with focus locked) or live (the camera uses the LCD’s contrast detection to achieve the focus–this method is slower than the quick method), both by pressing the exposure lock button (*) while in the Live View mode. Using either the RS-60E3 wired remote or RC-1 wireless remote in Live View mode will ONLY trigger the shutter, and has no bearing on focusing.

    Some people seem to be under the impression that the inclusion of the Live View feature will enable them to use the XSi/450D as they do point-and-shoot digital cameras, to compose their shots. That is not the case. You can’t really make a functioning use of the Live View feature unless the camera’s securely mounted on a tripod or on a flat surface. Both Live View focusing modes, while precise, are too slow to be used for hand-held shooting.

    Having said that, there is one use of Live View in hand-held shooting that I’ve come to value. When shooting overhead or over an obstacle, I can, with the same hand holding the camera, trigger the Live View, compose the scene through the LCD monitor (even if it’s out of focus, it’s easy to get the general framing right), disable Live View, and take the photo normally. With a little practice, this can be accomplished very quickly. Very handy when you’re just holding the camera overhead and hoping for the best.

    The Direct Print button that’s been much ridiculed and maligned in most Canon cameras now double as the white balance menu button. The Set button in the middle of the four-direction arrow keys can be programmed for a number of different functions: Change image quality, flash exposure compensation, LCD monitor on/off (same as Display button, but can be triggered by the same hand holding the camera), and Menu display (again, can be triggered by the same hand holding the camera).

    There is a dedicated ISO button, which is also very welcome. It can easily be accessed during shooting with the right thumb, thereby minimizing the interruption to shooting.

    The battery life seems very good. I’ve shot about 500+ shots on a single charge and the status monitor is still showing charge at full.

    I’m using Transcend 8GB Class 6 SDHC card with it. At ISO 100, the camera reports it can fit 396 RAW+JPG (highest quality) on it, but in reality it can probably fit about 420-450 (the camera’s always conservative when estimating). With RAW only, it can fit 507. With highest quality JPG, it can fit 1,822. Note that as ISO increases, so do the file sizes and thus you can store less images per card. For example, on ISO 1600, the same card can only hold 323 images, compared to 396 at ISO 100.

    My only gripe, and this is more about me than the camera, is the RAW+JPG buffer. I always shoot RAW+JPG, and the buffer will only hold four images at that speed (this is a limitation that’s built into the camera’s memory buffer system, and thus using a fast memory card doesn’t help–see p.64 of the manual). When the buffer’s full, you can take two additional images at about a frame a second, then have to wait until the buffer empties (finishes writing to the memory card). When shooting RAW only, it’s 6 images. When shooting JPG only, then it’s no problem at more than 50 frames. I’ve found myself switching the mode dial to Sports mode when I’m shooting a fast-moving subject and the buffer simply can’t keep up with it. Well, that’s why Canon produces different grades and ranges of DSLRs.

    I’ve uploaded some photos that I shot of the local wildlife. Most if not all of those were taken with the EF 70-200mm f/4 L lens.

    All in all, it’s a fantastic camera. Pretty amazing to see how far the entry-level DSLRs have come in just a few years in terms of features, interface, ergonomics, and quality. I’m very pleased with my purchase and intend to have lots of fun shooting pictures with it.
47. J. Lane says:

    September 15, 2010 at 3:07 AM

    Review by J. Lane for Canon Digital Rebel XSI 12MP Digital SLR Camera (Silver Body Only)
    Rating:
    I have had the XSi for about 3 months now and I am thouroughly impressed with it. This is my first DSLR and I was a little wary about going with a brand-new and untested camera, but I have always like Canon (I used an ELAN II in High School and I bought a SD600 about 2 years ago to take snapshots of my son). Overall, I have not been disappointed with the quality of the photos that the XSi produces. The IS lens works great and I have taken some pretty amazing photos (for me at least). I do have just a couple of issues, both good and bad, that I think those who are looking at buying this may want to know.

    Battery life — Great battery life. I should say, AMAZING battery life. I have taken over 5000 photos and I have only had to charge the battery twice.

    Live View — LiveView is not for beginners. It is not a replacement for your Point-and-Shoot. You can’t use it in the AUTO mode (Green Square). This isn’t that big of a deal for me, I prefer full manual myself, but the whole point of this feature, I thought, was to make it more user friendly for the Point-and-Shoot photographer. My wife can’t use Live View in it’s current form (I specifically bought a DSLR with a live view function so she could still use the camera). So, if Live View is a big selling point for you, You may want to look at some others (If it isn’t that big of a deal to you, then this is still an amazing camera — added 4-23-2008). If you do studio work, though, you can hook the camera up to your PC and use it as a remote viewer. But it is not a point-and-shoot camera in Live View. In my earlier review, I said that it would be nice if Canon fixed some of the Live View issues with a firmware update, I was mistaken. Live View is a nice feature once you figure out it is not meant for beginners. Studio and landscape photographers will find Live View a great tool.

    Image Quality — I have had some great success shooting in a studio setting as well as some great outdoor shots. In the studio, I used tungsten “hot” lights with the subjuect against a white background. The photos turned out great. Skin tones are perfect and there is very little, if any, chromatic abberation at the edges. It shoots great outdoor shots as well. We just got into beekeeping and I was able to get some AMAZING shots of our bees up-close outdoors. The bees looked dirty and not very interesting from a distance, but the macro photos I got up close are beautiful and full of wonderfully crisp details. The lens is a little short, the image quality you get from it is pretty good considering it only costs $100. I do plan on buying a longer lens in the near future.

    Overall, the camera is solid and feels nice in the hand. It isn’t too heavy, yet still feels sturdy. If you can afford the higher price, I don’t think you will be disappointed. If you can’t, the XTi is still a great camera. And if you can afford to wait a few months for the price to drop a little (LIKE IT ALREADY HAS!!) I would. I was able to work a few extra weekends so I could afford to get this, and I can tell you, I don’t mind it a bit, because the quality of photos I am getting has been totally worth it.

    — Update —
    
    I was incorrect when I said you couldn’t use the 9-Point autofocus in Live View. You can use the 9-point autofocus while in Live View, but the mirror flips down and focuses so you can’t see what you are trying to focus on until after the camera has actually gone through the autofocus process.

    — Update #2 —
    
    I have now had this camera for almost two months and I am happy to report that the more I use it, the more I love it. Once you learn the layout of the camera and you load the MyMenu with the tools you use most often, the camera becomes an absolute delight to use. I have taken over 5000 photos with it so far and now I need an extra hard drive to put them all on.

    I was able to rent a Canon EF 24-105 IS L lens and a 580 EX II Speedlite for my sister’s wedding. WOW! What great photos. The camera interfaced with the flash flawlessly and I am more convinced than ever that much of the quality of your photos comes from the glass you use and not as much from the camera itself (I think it is about 65% lens to 35% camera body give or take a few points– I know there will be those who disagree, but that is my take on it, and I am sure if I had a 1Ds MkIII I would think that there wasn’t a peice of glass good enough for my camera).

    This is a great beginner dSLR and a great camera all around. I am very happy with my purchase and I have had no regrets whatsoever about spending the $900 to buy such a great tool. Amazon now sells it for $799, you can’t go wrong at that price!
48. John Korkow says:

    September 15, 2010 at 3:50 AM

    Review by John Korkow for Canon Digital Rebel XSI 12MP Digital SLR Camera (Silver Body Only)
    Rating:
    This camera is impossible to beat at this price. I won’t write a lengthy review, but, you can set this camera in fully automatic mode and hand it to a “point and shoot” person, and they will obtain fantastic results. For the amateur photographer, this has all of the bells and whistles, what I love is I can reset the camera rapidly for multiple shots of the same scene on very different settings. Married with a decent photo program on your computer, it is possible to achieve professional results.

    Many reviews say, get this with the stabilization lens…. I wholeheartedly agree… the extra $100 is a bargain price for this lens… It is almost (and I do say almost) like having a tripod. I set the camera for 1/10th second exposures with no support, and obtained steady pictures with it, slower than this, and the stabilization did not fully correct for any unsteadiness.

    We’d buy it again in a heartbeat, and I wish I could get one for everyone I know!! Best photos that I have ever taken and a joy to use! Connecting it to the computer and downloading photos takes a matter of seconds.

    Get the largest SD card you can afford with it… We have a 2GB card with it, and it fills fairly rapidly. 1GB is far too small for this camera (primarily because you will take numerous shots with it, not because the pics take up a great deal of memory), I’m guessing 4GB would be near perfect (or a couple of 2GB cards, but one 4GB is safer, the cards are too easy to misplace).
49. Just another reviewer says:

    September 15, 2010 at 4:08 AM

    Review by Just another reviewer for Canon Digital Rebel XSI 12MP Digital SLR Camera (Silver Body Only)
    Rating:
    I picked up this camera two weeks ago at a local store. Overall, it’s a solid camera. Color reproduction is wonderful, it’s quick, low noise with high iso, and terrific macros. The camera is blazing fast. Please refer to the other posters for the good points of this camera.

    Now i’ll discuss the shortcomings. The major one, which has been referenced to in various forums such as dpreview and a few online review sites is poor AutoFocus. Not all cameras are affected, but mine was. If you shoot at an object from w/in 10 ft, it has trouble over 50% of the time picking up the autofocus point and often selects the wrong point. If you use center focus, it gets pretty close but final image is still a bit blurry. It becomes a bit sharper w/ the live view autofocus system. When I took some outdoor pics of some animals, i couldn’t quite lock on what i was interested in. Even when taking shots of people outside w/ a prominent background, it seems to have trouble deciding if it wants to focus on the person or the background. I’d say that 20% of my shots were actually in focus and those look wonderful. The remaining ones had the focus off. So i’m gonna send my camera to canon for repair. I went to best buy and tried out a 40D and the focus was rock solid. If you get a good camera, kodus to u.
50. A Reader says:

    September 15, 2010 at 4:18 AM

    Review by A Reader for Canon Digital Rebel XSI 12MP Digital SLR Camera (Silver Body Only)
    Rating:
    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.