New Canon EOS 350D / Digital Rebel XT [Archive]

James Fee

02-17-2005, 07:00 PM

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.dpreview.com/news/0502/05021704canon_eos350d.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.dpreview.com/news/0502/05021704canon_eos350d.asp</a> </div>"The EOS 350D Digital features a newly developed, second generation, extremely low noise APS-C size 8.0 Megapixel CMOS sensor – the fourth new CMOS sensor from Canon in just twelve months. It is powered by the same DIGIC II image processor found in Canon’s professional series D-SLR cameras, and features 3 frame per second, 14 frame burst operation, USB 2.0 Hi-Speed interface, simultaneous RAW and Large JPEG writing and 0.2 second start up time. The camera is more than 10% lighter and 25% smaller by volume than the EOS 300D. It is available in both black and silver finishes." <img src="http://www.digitalmediathoughts.com/images/canon_eos.jpg" /> Quite impressive, but at least in this picture it has the cheap plastic look to it. "Lower end" Canon SLR cameras always have that look compared to similar Nikon cameras, but maybe that is just personal preference. *shrug* Either way, this is quite a salvo at Kodak, Nikon and Olympus.

Gary Sheynkman

02-17-2005, 10:13 PM

wow...d70 what??

I think it is game over for Nikon. They clearly missed the opportunity to announce the 200D and perhaps a lower model to compete with Nikon. Now People who want a great camera under 2 grand will go for the 20D and those who find the d70 a bit too much will go for the new rebel. Tsk tsk....and still...only 4 megapixels in the D2h. Yes, pixels are not everything in the world, but if i had a megapixel less to work with in my photo voodoo article then it would have been much harder.

8)

James Fee

02-17-2005, 11:53 PM

I think it is game over for Nikon.
Well that is just it. Nikon is barely a top 5 digital camera company. Could it be long before a company such as Kodak buys Nikon? This year more than ever is important for their survival. Canon and Kodak are just killing everyone else right now.
Now People who want a great camera under 2 grand will go for the 20D and those who find the d70 a bit too much will go for the new rebel. Tsk tsk....and still...only 4 megapixels in the D2h. Yes, pixels are not everything in the world, but if i had a megapixel less to work with in my photo voodoo article then it would have been much harder.Well to most of us here, megapixels don't really matter, but when the average consumer or the average reviewer compares the cameras, they'll make the choices you have talked about. The D70 is still a great camera, but not next to this Canon.

Lee Yuan Sheng

02-18-2005, 12:37 AM

:roll:

Gary Sheynkman

02-18-2005, 12:45 AM

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Yes, the megapixel hater returns!

Sure, just for photo purposes megapixels are not that important, but I think in our conversations we established that if one uses images for other purposes that involve manipulations, pixels help...

pixels=detail when zoomed in and ability to crop an image a lot and still remain with a good picture.

:wink:

Jonathon Watkins

02-18-2005, 01:22 AM

I think it is game over for Nikon.
Well that is just it. Nikon is barely a top 5 digital camera company. Could it be long before a company such as Kodak buys Nikon? This year more than ever is important for their survival. Canon and Kodak are just killing everyone else right now.

I used to really respect Nikon camera back in the film days, but went for the Canon system in the end. I went for a series of Canon digital cameras and I can't see myself switching to any other manufacturer. They just seem to understand photographers needs so much better than the others and execute the camera designs so well. :D

Jonathon Watkins

02-18-2005, 01:23 AM

pixels=detail when zoomed in and ability to crop an image a lot and still remain with a good picture.

:way to go:

Yup, with a 20Mp sensor, who needs a long zoom lens? :wink:

SassKwatch

02-18-2005, 02:20 AM

Hey, you guys are prejudiced in favor of Canon. The Olympus E-300 never got so much as a mention here after it was released, but as soon as a new Rebel is released, it's front page news. Whassup with that?!?!?

Relax. It's a joke. I've been spending some time over at dpreview again lately. And always leave there in a feisty, argumentative mood. :)

I will be interested to see a size/weight comparison between this and the E-300. I picked up the latter recently and at least part of the reason for doing so was that the Oly 4/3 dslr's are supposedly lighter/smaller than most others dslr's. And to me, *it's* a fairly large device.

butch

02-18-2005, 02:38 AM

Philip Colmer

02-18-2005, 12:51 PM

I'm quite pleased we went with the 20D and didn't wait for the 350D.

An upgrade to the 300 was inevitable, but I don't like the styling - having the readings such as film speed, focussing points, etc, on the back of the body seems a bit awkward if you've come from previous Canon SLRs where all that is on the top of the body, where the 20D kept it.

JMHO, though :-).

--Philip

marlof

02-18-2005, 06:16 PM

Relax. It's a joke. I've been spending some time over at dpreview again lately. And always leave there in a feisty, argumentative mood. :)

Man, you had me there. I can see though where you're coming from. DPReview seems to have all kinds of misty "show or don't show pictures for ciritique" "only post brand specific posts in a brand forum" "my camera has better features than yours" and "phils review sucks because..." vibes going on lately. Great site, but the public has changed in the forums.

In DSLR systems I kinda like the Canon lenses, the Olympus way of dealing with sensor dust and having a great pro camera for an ok price in the E-1 and the Nikon usability of the camera. And for consumer cams, I love my Sony 828 with its sharp lens and manual zoom and my Sony W1, although that takes getting used to. I'm an omnivore, I eat and read everything. :D

SassKwatch

02-18-2005, 08:24 PM

DPReview seems to have all kinds of misty "show or don't show pictures for ciritique" "only post brand specific posts in a brand forum" "my camera has better features than yours" and "phils review sucks because..." vibes going on lately. Great site, but the public has changed in the forums.
It's a great technical resource, and my first stop whenver in need of such info. But it just drives me crazy to spend much time there. How the regulars can just go on and on ad nauseum about the technical nuances of auto White Balance and such is beyond me. It's a characteristic of too many photography oriented discussion sites these days. DPReview just happens to be the 600 lb gorilla of the lot, IMO.

If most of the people there spent 1/3 as much time talking about the pro/cons of the pictures they took, the compositions, and what makes one pic stand out while another falls flat, there would be one helluva lot of good photographers out in the world.

Jonathon Watkins

02-18-2005, 09:19 PM

It's a great technical resource, and my first stop whenver in need of such info. But it just drives me crazy to spend much time there. How the regulars can just go on and on ad nauseum about the technical nuances of auto White Balance and such is beyond me. It's a characteristic of too many photography oriented discussion sites these days. DPReview just happens to be the 600 lb gorilla of the lot, IMO.

If most of the people there spent 1/3 as much time talking about the pro/cons of the pictures they took, the compositions, and what makes one pic stand out while another falls flat, there would be one helluva lot of good photographers out in the world.

:P Fair points. I can't stand the way that you have to track threads manually by using bookmarks as they don't have a notification system. Life's too short for that. :x

I dip in and out of the forums occasionally, but it can be propellerhead central sometimes. :wink:

davedeal

02-18-2005, 11:10 PM

I just don't like the battery, my 300D is small enough. I may change my mind if I can get my hand of a 350D...

BTW... DPReview have a Preview online (http://www.dpreview.com/news/0502/05021713canoneos350dpreview.asp)

Of all the new "improvements" the thing I think I welcome the most is the ability to use standard AA batteries, bravo Canon. Unless I am ill informed that isn't possible with the 300d.

davedeal

02-18-2005, 11:12 PM

SassKwatch

02-19-2005, 12:01 AM

www.stevesdigicams.com
Steve's is certainly less contentious than dpreview, but still more of a 'technical' site, IMO.

The one site I've found that's a semi-reasonable 'critique' site is Fred Miranda's (http://www.fredmiranda.com/) place. Lots of great pics posted there...particularly in the Landscape forum. Sometimes the 'critiques' tend to be more a mutual ego massage thing than true critiques, but at least they're talking about photos instead of gadgets.

But this thread has been hijacked long enough. Time to get back to the new Canon model. For my purposes, I would certainly have considered this 350d or the 20d if ony Canon would stick a spot meter in those. I dunno, maybe I'm being too persnickity, but I think I would miss that a lot. Obviously, experienced Canon shooters do fine without it, but I've grown to rely on it over the years, and would rather not have to adjust my entire in the field workflow to accomodate the device in hand. It's a feature that's available on *SO* many other devices (even low-mid priced digicams), that it surprises me Canon doesn't offer it on their entire dslr lineup rather than just the very highest end models.

Gary Sheynkman

02-19-2005, 03:55 AM

Could it be that dslr worthy spot metering is too expensive for canon to implement in lower model dslrs, so they dont for fear of making the series flawed.

And yes, Fred Miranda does have a nice photo forum.

SassKwatch

02-19-2005, 05:18 AM

Could it be that dslr worthy spot metering is too expensive for canon to implement in lower model dslrs, so they dont for fear of making the series flawed.

No. Most every other mfr puts a spot in a significant number of their devices. Olympus had one in the first digicam I bought several yr ago....the C3030z (a 3mp device). As did my 5mp Minolta D7Hi.

Could be wrong, but I think it's a marketing ploy on Canon's part. I think they're trying to steer people like me towards the highest end devices in their lineup.

marlof

02-19-2005, 10:12 AM

The one site I've found that's a semi-reasonable 'critique' site is Fred Miranda's (http://www.fredmiranda.com/) place.

I'm pretty pleased with the way Digital Grin (http://www.dgrin.com) handles things: it's more about the pictures than about the gear. But as you said: that's a bit off topic.

On topic: I kinda like the 350D when you figure what's the targeted audience, which is people that like photography enough to enjoy better pictures than a P&S can take, but don't want to spend a fortune. I know my DW would like a smaller DSLR that gives a good picture, and is speedy to boot. People like us, talking about gear in online forums, might think of this more as a backup or starter camera, but I don't see features my wife would want/need that this one doesn't have. If I ever go the DSLR route, I'd go straight passed the Rebel line-up and get something more in the terms of the 20D or even higher. And personally, I'd not know if I'd get this Rebel XT in stead of the Nikon D70...

Jonathon Watkins

02-19-2005, 12:03 PM

Could be wrong, but I think it's a marketing ploy on Canon's part. I think they're trying to steer people like me towards the highest end devices in their lineup.

Hmm, I had not spotted this before. (No pun intended ). :wink:

Not at all impressed with Canon over this. :x

butch

02-20-2005, 04:40 AM

Of all the new "improvements" the thing I think I welcome the most is the ability to use standard AA batteries, bravo Canon. Unless I am ill informed that isn't possible with the 300d.

That right, only the 20D can do it, but it seem that some AA batteries don't have enough power to make it work and it doesn't last very long if it work...
I would not consider using AA batteries more that for backup... but I don't have a 20D so that just what I'ee heard....