Canon Digital Rebel / EOS-300D Digital Camera with EF-S 18-55mm Lens

Firstly I should say that I am an ex 35mm slr amature photographer, so I understand the basics and some more. A few years ago I ditched my whole 35mm slr kit, and bought a compact digital. At the time DSLR's were just coming out, and were way too expensive for most mortals. But that is now not the case. There are many sub £500 DSLR's around now. So with this in mind I decided it was time to rekindle my old passion. At first I looked at new cameras and found that the slightly more expensive Canon's had better 3rd party support, so you could save the extra you paid on the camera if you plan to buy another lens or two. I had prety much decided on a Canon EOS 400D at under £400, but with an open mind I started to look at used earlier models. In particular the 300D Rebel which first came out in 2003 for around £900, but can now be picked up for around £200. So the question is, is it worth considering the used 300D for half the price of a new 400D. I studdied as many proffessional and independant reviews as I could, and was supprised to find that other than the amount of megapixels not much has changed. The 300D is 6.3 megapixel and the 400D is 10 megapixel. So the next question is do I need 10 megapixel? After studying a mirriad of photo's taken with both camera's at varying sizes, I came to the conclusion that unless you wanted to make pictures the size of bill boards, 10 megapixel isn't necassary. And as for the overall quality of of varying types of photo, there really is nothing to choose between them. Essentially the bits of the camera that make the picture are the same in both models. So I found myself a 300D for £195 that was in mint condition. It really is an unbelievable piece of kit for the price. I have already tested it over a range of conditions and am getting superb results. It has a fully automatic mode which is great for snapshots and general everyday photo's. But then there is an array of manual and automatic options for your more serious pictures. It is suprisingly light for the size of it, and is very comfortable in the hand. all of the main controls are in easy reach of your fingers. The lcd panel is easy to understand, and the menu is very easy to work through. As for those extra lenses you might decide you need, I have just ordered a Tamron 55mm-200mm zoom lens for under £70 new. WOW! Ok so are you going to want to put the pictures onto your computer using the USB cable and software that comes with it. This will be no problem if you are using windows xp, but vista is not so well supported for this earlier model, and even worse if like me you are using vista 64bit. Have no fear I have found a solution. In the menu if you find communication and select PTP, you can then use the USB lead provided or a compatible lead and plug into your vista computer. According to the instruction manual PTP is for use with any printer supporting Pictbridge, and allows you to send your pictures straight to the printer. Although this works well, there is no facility for editing your pictures. Here comes the good bit. provided your vista is up to date, when you plug the cable in vista will recognise it as a Canon camera, install the necassary drivers, and treat your camera as another drive. you can then open up your pictures with any software package you are using. You will not read this in the manaul, it is just a clever thing that vista does. So in conclusion: If you can pick at a 300D in good condition at the right price, you have a winner.

Light weight, superb performance, fool proof, wide range of accesories, good choice of automatic shooting facilities and a excellent range of manual choices

Canon EOS 300D is perfect when it comes to image quality, however, it is very slow and antique when compared to recent amateur DSLRs. If you are not in a hurry when you are photographing, this camera may be perfect for you. I found its size much better compared to newer EOS 3-digit series, it is larger and more comfortable for bigger hands.

PROs:
- Perfect image quality (shares sensor with EOS 10D)
- Small manageable file sizes - 6MP
- Very reliable
- Perfectly sized for people with large hands
- Viewfinder is pretty good compared to other newer compact DSLRs
- 18-55mm EF-S lens is great value for money

CONs:
- Painfully slow to start (3 seconds!)
- Painfully slow to buffer RAW
- Mirror mechanism has a design fault and fails after time (beware ebay buyers)
- 18-55mm EF-S MK-I is worse than MK-II

Hope this helps!

K.

I am not a professional photographer, but it is a hobby of mine. I use a Canon 400D I take hundreds of photos a week and submit various photos to a photographic forum.
My young son all ways accompanies me while i am out on a photo shoot.
So i decided it was time for him to have a decent camera himself
I could not afford a new one so bought a second hand EOS 300D

It is a super camera, takes perfectly clear shots,
It does not have the larger view screen that its bigger brother has ( 400D )
But that isnt a problem
Also it is only 6 mega pixel, where as its bigger brother has 10 mega pixels.
But don't let this put you off, i doubt that unless you are a professional or that you blow your prints up, that you would notice the difference.
The controls are easy to use, and being used, it was conciderably cheaper than purchasing a new camera
Being EOS it accepts all the EF and EF-S lenses
All in all a super camera, that i would be pleased to use if i didnt have my own.

I have been a fan of Canon camera's for many years and this one has not let me down. It is easy to use, produces great pictures and not too heavy when carrying around lots of other equipment.
It is great for beginners as well as the more experienced photographer.

I looked at various makers of SLR Digital cameras and decided that Canon were the best option for me as their SLR digital cameras can use the older non-digital EOS lenses. So, I could utilise all the lenses from my old EOS film-type camera. One of the things that I do like since buying the camera is the first class quality of the picture when using the flash - This maker is by far and away better than other mainstream manufacturers products when capturing an image using flash. I have yet to find something that I don't like about the camera.

not cheap plastic and tiny to hold like the 350D & 400D, in fact same dimensions as the 10d 20D, great starter DSLR i have used this for a ages and have some fantastic and professional looking prints to show for it, iso from 100-1600 with upgraded firmware in ALL modes, no difference in pic quality to the 10D, highly recommended

A first rate piece of equipment! I am definitely a new-comer to digital photography, but I can't seem to take a bad shot with this. So easy to use and beautifully designed.

only just won this on ebay after using nikon slr's over last 10 yrs. first impressions very good - dead easy to use (just like non dig slr), sharp focus and enough jazzy extras to satisfy pretend profs as well as budding artists and anyone who just likes a good sturdy camera with more creative capabilities than point and shoot. used but well looked after with extra telephoto lens, boxed and with all ancillaries bargain at anything less than £300. this was the bees knees < 5 years ago

great camera for a beginner like me, very easy to use just point and shoot, have the 18-55mm lens on it just now and have increased my photo quality by tenfold. as with all slr cameras its larger to hold than a normal digital but the picture quality makes it worth while, a recommended camera for learning the photography game.

Great camera. Easy to use and instruction booklet make it easy to understand for any newbie to DSLR's

This Camera is a real nice!, I am not an expert in cmaera's so went for a the Canon as everyone I spoke to sugested them.The 300D seemed a good price and choose for someone just starting out. I also have not seen any other camera to compare to so this is based purely on what I have seen on this camera.

Picture - 6.9MP and the quilty is Fantastic, it really does that so fablious pictures, and i haven't really tried to much yet.

usability - Coming from a point and shoot camera then this to start with was a little over whelming but I soon got to grips with it, as it has the same dial pictur type setting as most cameras plus alot of other stuff.

Size and layout - Out of the box my first thoughs were, WOW thats big, but as I said I have no bases for comparsion so all DSLR may be the same and the camera isn't that heavy. The layout seems well though out with a few bits I am still working out but on the whole very easy to figure out. Personally I think the view screen is a little same given the size of the camera and I will probably be shoot by all camera experts but that you cannot use the screen as a view finder was a big shock to me?

Battery Life - Doesn't seem that great but then I have no idea how old the battery is and so might not have a lot of life in it. But with out flash I would say you could easily get 150 - 200 shoots, with built-in flash 80 at a guess!

This is a great item - excellent entry level camera for those who want to break into the digital SLR camera arena. It takes a great picture and the functions are effectively quite easy to use.

Fast focussing, with quick consecutive shots.

I find it very comfortable to hold, but my wife finds it a little on the heavy side. Personally, I feel that the weight is not a problem.

Overall, a cheap alternative to the other professional SLR's on the market - definitely worth a try.

i have always used cannon cameras i already have a film slr so decided now to go one better and since i have a selection of cannon lenses what better camera to go to than another cannon i like the substantial feel of an slr you can take photos and if not right delete instantly print thro;a printer or computer as im new to digital cameras i will have fun playing with this particular camera a brilliant piece of kit

I like a camera that is easy to use,and I can put the results straight into my pc,the canon digital rebel/eos-300D is very easy to use it has programs for every thing you could want to take pics of and then when you are ready you can use the camera with your own settings,I got the camera for my holidays,it has been very good up to now and have had some very good photo's from it,have just purchased a telephoto lens so I can get some distance pics.

I purchased a D300 as a second string to my Canon 5D, I know it is older technology but I was quite surprised at how slow it is to write to the CF card in comparison with the 5D in all other respects though I find it a good second camera and at around £200 with a lens these represent great value for those starting out with a digital SLR. I also like the fact that it has two screens (one for the picture display and one for the camera settings) something that Canon dropped in the later models. It does mean that the battery life can be extended between charges if the LCD is turned off.

As a birthday present for my 15 year old grandson this was an ideal introduction to digital photography.
When first introduced it cost £850.00 and it was a bargain at £170.00 on ebay.
Complete with original box, software, leads etc., which were in their original packing it was obvious that the camera was hardly used.
I also picked up a Canon 80-200mm telephoto lens for £46.00 for my own 400D and it was also emmaculate.
Patience is the rule when looking for a bargain. Decide what you want to spend and go for it , you may get a pleasant surprise.

The reason for buying this camera ,was
a) The price
b) the model
c) the fact it came with all of it's original accessories
d) the facts of the item were well listed
e) I wanted one!.

The camere is all that I expected from the purchase,and I will have no doubts about buying on ebay in the future.

I looked at a few different manufacturers and models and decided that the Canon EOS-300D was best for my needs, user friendly, good specification, ideal for the beginner and excellent on price (£170.00). It does everything and more than I was looking for. If you can pick one up for a good price then go for it !!

This has been my first purchase of an SLR camera. I bought second hand to save money and test the water.I paid just over £200 and have beeen very happy with my buy.The camera has settings for point and shoot and advanced users.The shots it takes are excellent and I am learning how to use the advanced features whilst being able to use and enjoy the camera.It's easy to understand for a novice (like me)and the manual is straight forward but has all thats needed.All in all I think this camera is an affordable,good quality starter for anyone looking to buy an SLR.

Ive had the camera a couple of years ! Great for all sorts of photography ! Really enjoyed it and have moved up to the 400d now. The 300 is a great starting point though !

Dom

There is nothing to dislike in my opinion, pictures are crisp and clear, it is so easy to use and so versatile, it is in my eyes brilliant and exactly what i wanted, also what i would expect from canon, great camera

i go carp fishing and i thought 18 to 55 lens would be better for taking fish photos and i have a nikon 4300 coolpix and the photos were out of focusing was out sent it back and they fitted a new lens it was foging up in side just out of g cost £75 so now i have got three . the size of the canon is the onley down point i would like to get closer to subject have to get a closeer lenes what is the next closer lens and can i use other canon lenes from the 35mm camers i have not hat time to give it a field test yet but i will bert