Canon 350D??

cbay · Sep 26, 2005

Hey,

I am planning on purchasing a Canon 350D this week i would like to hear all about your opinions and thoughts to this camera and if anyone has one of these cameras i would like to hear your thoughts for sure.

Also if there are any certain lenses that you would reccomend...

All thoughts wanted, thanks.

Meysha · Sep 26, 2005

I love my 350D. It's just perfect. When I was trying to pick a camera, I was choosing between the Nikon D70s, and the 350D and even for a breif moment - the Canon 20D... but it was too expensive for me.

Can I ask what you're trying to choose between?

I was initially turned off the 350D because of the fact that you have to go into the menus to change settings like ISO, WB, Metering etc. On the Nikon, you could do it all without going into the menus and just by using the little LCD display ontop of the camera.
But the Canon was just so much lighter than the Nikon.

So the only question I had to ask myself was.... weight vs easier controls. I picked the weight... or lack of... as being the most important - and thank god I did, coz I carry it with me everywhere and boy does it get heavy. hahaha. Now I'm so used to the menus I don't even have to look at them any more to change settings.

The kit lens is probably worth getting if you don't have any other canon lenses, just so that you have something to play with until you figure out what you want. That's what I did. I did also have a 35-135mm from my old film canon, so I got the kit lens to let me have a little bit of wide angle. Now I'm just buying a 50mm prime and we'll see how it goes from there.
But if you've already got plenty of lenses you love then don't waste the extra money on the lens.

Battery life is amazing - I can easily get 500-600 photos without recharging. :shock:

I haven't got any negatives points to report to you yet... except that I don't like the strap that comes with the camera.

but that's not a big thing at all.

I'm not sure if you'll be planning on doing any long exposure stuff. But just half an hour ago, I was out doing star shots and there seems to be heaps of noise in my photo. ISO 100, f/11 for about 15 minutes. Maybe that's just coz it's digital and it can't deal with an exposure that long. :-( Then I tried to do another longer exposure but with the noise reduction in the camera turned on. But then the camera locked up - I think, when I closed the shutter (after 30 mins hehehe). Well it either locked up or I was too impatient to let it process it all.

oh and lastly, in my very incoherent ramble... raw is just the best stuff ever. :mrgreen:

Xmetal · Sep 26, 2005

I too own a 350D and I love it to bits!

Pro's:

It weighs nothing - I take it everywhere when I go out and never notice the weight, also the size of the camera is a good thing because you're not fumbling around with some big fat SLR.

8 Megapixels - More than ample for the hobby/pro-sumer shooter, excellent if you like mucking around with your photos in Photoshop.

Easy to use controls - If you get lost in the menus with this camera, you shouldn't be using it and I will personally come and laugh at you. (j/k)

Battery Life - any normal person would think it was plugged into a wall socket, I managed to run my first battery down today after 3 weeks of solid shooting.

Frame Rate - 3 frames per second is excellent for shooting moving objects or capturing motion.

Cons:

Silver Bodied Model - Looks cheap and nasty.

Neck Strap - Will leave divots in your neck after pro-lounged periods of use.

1.6x Crop - Pain in the arse if you're shooting with EF Lenses, you'll also find yourself standing further away from whatever you're photographing.

18-55mm Kit Lens is s - h - i - t and i'd advise you purchase a better zoom lens a.s.a.p.

All in all it's a sweet little camera for the cash if you don't want to stretch and buy a 20D, I managed to pick brand-new a black one up for AUS$1260 on Ebay but I strongly reccomend you buy the camera through a shop just incase something goes wrong and you won't be running around trying to organise warranty claims.

cbay · Sep 26, 2005

Okay GR8! Well I was planning on buying the silver one but i suppose its personal opinion really i think the silver looks really nice.

Anyone got anymore thoughts??

thebeginning · Sep 26, 2005

i'd agree with most of what xmetal said (i was about to post something, but he basically covered it

)

have you held one? You need to. Some like the small size, some dont. I'd say definitely go feel one of those and a d70s. very different sizes and weights, but it's all your personal opinion. As far as camera QUALITY, it's very nice, of course. So that shouldnt worry you. I'd check out the feel and the menu controls of the 350d and the d70s to see which one appeals to you more. it might just curve your choice.

oh, and about the kit lens. it's better than most think. just stop it down to f8 or f11 and you can get not just acceptable, but great sharpness. I'd invest in a better one though if you need a fast lens, maybe a prime would be a good idea.

Alison · Sep 26, 2005

Only thing I have to add is, have you actually held and shot with the 350D? I come from a Canon & Nikon family here and it's all about what feels best to you. You may love the look of the camera and the features, but like Vicky noted the menu features can be a little cumbersome, etc. I would highly suggest that if you haven't yet, go to a store and try the 350D along with the other cameras in that range to see what you find feels the best and has the easiest menu for you to navigate.

woodsac · Sep 26, 2005

I'm very happy with my 350!!!

First, I've only owned small digital point and shoots before this. So that's all I have to compare the 350 to.

The controls took a little getting used to. I had to look at the manual a couple of times to figure out how to change some of the settings. But even after only having it for a couple of weeks, I've already adapted to the controls.

The next thing is the size. Every single person I talked to said, "make sure you hold one before you buy it. They're really small and you might not like it". Well I didn't :er: But when I got it...it was a beast With a lens attached, it's 10X heavier than any other camera I've owned. But......it's not uncomfortable. It's heavier than what I'm used to, but I find that my hands fit very naturally around the body. I really like the size!

cbay · Sep 26, 2005

Yes, I had a demostration and a play with one in the Jessops shop, it was amazing!

doenoe · Sep 26, 2005

i got one too. Only had a fujifinepix S304 before this, so not something to compare it with. But the 350 is a great camera in my opinion. Love everything about it. You'll get used to the settings pretty fast. I bought a Tamron 70-300mm last week and i like that lense too. Can get some great close-ups with that.
So i guess i had nothing new to add

Nikon Fan · Sep 26, 2005

I'm another fan of the 350d...as said the battery on it is amazing...it's lightweight, and IMO feels better than the D70. I personally think the black one looks sharp but color choice is your preference. As for lenses instead of buying the kit I bought a 50mm f/1.8 it's a great lens and good and sharp. I also use a 28-105mm lens that came with another camera...works well too...and lastly I have a Tamron 70-300 telefoto lens...sometimes the shots aren't always as sharp, but PS can fix that in a jif.

As long as you've tried it out compared to other cameras I'd say go for it

It's a great camera and you will be happy with it I'm sure

cbay · Sep 26, 2005

Well I'm definately going to get one!! I can't wait for it to come! But next stage to my life is sorting out my course/career now. But newayz Thanks everyone 4 ya help...

cryoglobe · Oct 15, 2005

Hello

I'm new here ..

I already read quite a lot of reviews test , opinions about the 350D. For sure it's a really good camera.

But, I still wonder if the 20D worth the difference of price ?
( robust body, using the standard BP511 Batteries, some better features )

Could you please help me to finalize my choice by giving arguments for or against the 20D in comparison to the 350D.

Thanks

michelejo · Oct 16, 2005

cryoglobe said:
Hello

I'm new here ..

I already read quite a lot of reviews test , opinions about the 350D. For sure it's a really good camera.

But, I still wonder if the 20D worth the difference of price ?
( robust body, using the standard BP511 Batteries, some better features )

Could you please help me to finalize my choice by giving arguments for or against the 20D in comparison to the 350D.

Thanks