Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT

[lmok]

Ok, I need some help. I'm thinking of a new camera before DCL cruise in June. Is the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT a good one? I really want better quality.. Right now I have the Sony Cybershot 100 and don't get me wrong it is a good cameral but not always good. It is also slow and I think I miss out on some. Please help if you can.

 

[beckygeez]

I just got the rebel a couple weeks before christmas. I am not a professional photographer in any way and I'm just beginning to learn all of the things it can do. A few people on this board gave me advice on books to buy, etc. I have taken over 300 pictures on it already between christmas and a couple hockey and volleyball tournaments.

Cons

You have to look through the viewfinder when taking a picture - it doesn't show on the screen like most digitals until after you've taken the shot.

It's much bigger than my previous digital especially considering the two lenses that I have for it so I now have to carry a big camera bag with me when I use it.

When using the highest quality shots, it takes a long time to download the pictures because they're so big. Of course you don't have to use the best, I just prefer that.

Pros

The picture quality is incredible. It's 8mp and the pictures look awesome.

The options are endless - there are 6 basic modes and 5 creative modes.

I know I've listed more cons than pros but you have to remember I'm just learning - I've talked to both of the professional photographers that were selling pictures at my kids tournaments and one of them had the same camera and absolutely loves it and the other guy said that he wished he had it and had heard and seen wonderful things with it. I personally love it so far and I don't see that changing as I learn more about it. I just found a really good book on it called "Canon EOS DIgital Rebel Digital Field Guide" by Charlotte K. Lowrie. It really explains a lot and goes through different settings to put the camera at to take practice shots and learn it's abilities.

I hope this helps a little.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Rebel XT is a very good camera with extremely fast startup time (virtually instant) to the point that if you missed a shot, it's definitely your fault and not the camera.

Again, it's a very very very very good camera. Thumbs and toes up!

 

[lmok]

Thanks guys! Does anyone have pictures you can post.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Taken using ISO1600, handheld. Look at the (lack) of digital noise.

 

[fiffy]

Cons

You have to look through the viewfinder when taking a picture - it doesn't show on the screen like most digitals until after you've taken the shot.

It's much bigger than my previous digital especially considering the two lenses that I have for it so I now have to carry a big camera bag with me when I use it.

When using the highest quality shots, it takes a long time to download the pictures because they're so big. Of course you don't have to use the best, I just prefer that.

Pros

The picture quality is incredible. It's 8mp and the pictures look awesome.

The options are endless - there are 6 basic modes and 5 creative modes.

Looking threw the view finder which actually enables you to look directly threw the lense is a far more accurate way of takeing photographs. The images on the LCD screens on most digitol camera's are not as accurate as the actual image might be smaller or larger then what you are seeing in your live action feed. And the LCD is a huge drain on your battery. So that really should be a PRO not a CON.

It is much bigger because its an SLR not a point and shoot. It also takes a far superior quality image then a point and shoot wil. One reason is because of the size of the lense, it allows ALOT more light into it then the small point and shoot lenses can. Also due to the various elements in the SLR lense the ability to zoom does not degrade the quality of your photograph as does the lense in the point and shoot camera. So, the size actually lends twords it being a PRO, except for the fact that your can't stick it in your pocket. So there is both a PRO and a CON to the size.

The lenght of time it takes to process the image is going to be longer as it is a larger size file that you are saveing. If you get a high speed card such as the Ultra II series put out by SanDisk or an equivelent put out by Lexar. Do not however purchase the 1 gig high speed lexar card as that one specific card does not always function properly with canon cameras.

The picture quality is very good when comparing to a point and shoot camera. When comparing to a film SLR it is lacking, as all digitol cameras are at this point in time. That does not meen it takes a bad photo, its just not as good as you could get with film. I have seen some very nice photos taken by the Rebel XT and I doubt you would be disapointed with it. The 8 megapixles however does have absolutely no effect on the quality. And that goes for all digitol cameras. The megapixels ONLY effects how large of a photograph you can blow up to, or how much you can crop into a smaller sized photo without it breaking apart.

As for the options being endless, thats not entirely true. Pick up a Canon 20D and you will see alot more options of things to do. For a consumer, the Rebel XT probably has more options then they could use but it does not have all the available options to it either.

 

[jenny2]

Well... my first question would be this: Do you want a Point and Shoot or an SLR? You've gotten some great advice as far as distinguishing between the 2. I've recently gotten one of each - the Canon Powershot 620 and the Rebel XT. I looked at it like this - the 620 is my NEED camera. It's the one that's always with me. It's my "oh let me get a quick picture of that" camera. My Rebel was my WANT camera. I love to play with photography and I'm starting to get into playing with the modes of the camera. This is much easier to do with an SLR.

Is the XT a great camera? YES! But personally, I wouldn't want it to be my only camera.

 

[fiffy]

Well, its becomeing far more comen in this day and age for people to own both a point and shoot and an slr weather they are film, digitol, or one of each. The way to look at it is simple, when you want to capture truely beautiful photographs the best way possible for those once in a life time thigns then you need your slr. When you want snap shots that are very good but more fun and what not then use your point and shoot. Your SLR will out shoot your point and shoot hands down. The only difference is how well you know how to use it properly.

 

[jenny2]

Definitely! The only problem comes when you need to decide which camera to take with you, lol. On our last trip to WDW I ended up taking the P&S to the MK because with all the activity and the kids running around I needed to be able to take quick pictures. The AK and Epcot were definitely SLR parks - there's just so many cool things to be able to take pictures of.

 

[handicap18]

I would think that if you wanted to take the quick picture you'd want the dSLR. It has a much much faster startup time and there is virtually no lag time from pressing the button to the camera actually capturing the image.

With the right lens on a dSLR you will have much better range than a digital P&S. With the right bag it shouldn't be very cumbersome to take along anywhere. Granted a lot of digital P&S cameras will fit in your pocket, but thats really the only advantage. The biggest difference between the 2 types is the image sensor. In some cases the sensor on a dSLR is as much as 20 times larger than a P&S.

It really comes down to you. Myself, I prefer my SLR either digital or film (for quality) over my digital P&S though I did use the P&S (for the convenience of digital) the vast majority of time over the last 3 1/2 years over my film SLR. Now that I have a dSLR I don't use the digital P&S at all. The dSLR is now convenient and has the superior quality.

 

[Yellow_Stitch]

It seems to me that an SLR or DSLR increases the percentage of good shots you end up with. A point and shoot can deliver excellent photos; to give an example, look at Dznefreeks posts. The SLR makes it easier to get good shots in a much wider range of conditions, especially low light situations. On a nice sunny Disney day, either can deliver shots which are virtually indistinguishable. It's when you try to use the average point and shoot to get pix of the night parade or the inside of Pirates (no flash of course). The SLR/DSLR with a big lens can capture so much more light than a compact that it makes handheld shot practical.

 

[SharonS]

I highly recommend the Rebel XT. I have shot on the professional level, shooting rock bands in concert. I traded my my 2 Canon T90 film cameras along with a Nikon 6006 on the Rebel XT. I don't regret it at all! I am very particular with my images, and I can say that I am more than pleased. I can't honestly tell you that I feel film would do any better. The one thing I would recommend with the Rebel XT is to buy the upgraded lens. The upgrade has the image stabilization (IS) in it. I have handheld night shots down to 1/8 of a second without getting camera shake. The motor drive is quite fast, and would suite most people's needs.

The only problem I have found, is that I find myself shooting a lot more pictures. On my last trip, I filled 3 1 gig cards and had to buy a 512. A 1 gig holds about 250 images in the highest quality JPEG format.

I don't think you will regret the decision to buy the Rebel XT. You may also want to buy an external flash. I found that the flash on the XT did not cover my needs.

 

[We-Luv-Disney]

Taken using ISO1600, handheld. Look at the (lack) of digital noise.

Great nght shot! I love it! The Canon DSLR's have very low noise levels, great example.

 

[you_make_me_sleepy]

fiffy,

Before you continue to critique people's comments, please open the dictionary and learn how to spell.

For those of you keeping score at home....

digitol = digital
saveing = saving
comen = common

 

[Kelly Grannell]

Great nght shot! I love it! The Canon DSLR's have very low noise levels, great example.

Coming from you... it means a lot! Thank you