SLR-Camera Reviews

I have had my D-100 for six months, having used a Coolpix 5700 for two years, and I am satisfied but not ecstatic. My first 20 shots were underexposed, lacked color depth, and were short on flash. After adjusting the settings through the menu, it came to life. You can control this machine in any way you can imagine, but experienced buffs all know that the lens is the most important ingredient.
Your choice of lenses, being aware of the 1.5 correction factor--which Nikon Tech Serv says applies to all DX Lenses also--will determine how you use this precision instrument. My old Nikon lenses worked well for a few months, but my 35-70 Zoom (53-105 actual)was not adequate, because I had gotten used to the great range of my Coolpix. For me, this meant an 18-35 Zoom (27-53 actual) and a 24-120 Zoom (36-180 actual) The latter has proven to be fantastic, and all but the wild wide angle crowd will be happy with this choice. Indoors and close quarters will favor the 18-35 Zoom, but mine remains boxed.
This is no lightweight to haul around, but the photo perfection is worth the effort!

I'll be the first to tell you I'm no professional but so far this camera has been amazing. For the past four years my wife and I have been using the Nikon N60 and it has more than met our needs. My decision to switch to digital was based on 2 important points. First, we found 16 undeveloped roles of film around the house. After realizing it would cost well over a hundred dollars to develop them and I know we won't like at least half the shots, we decided we needed to move to digital. Now with the D100 I can pick-and-choose exactly which shots I keep, retouch, crop etc then download them to someone like Walmart.com. For exactly the same price I end up with the exact pictures I want. Up to now I refused to get a digital because the N60 takes such beautiful shots. Past digital cameras' shutter lag was so bad you'd have to predict where a moving subject is going to be when you hit the button. What sealed the deal for us is the D100 has no noticable lag, and it uses all the lenses we already had for the N60.

The D100 looks and feels just like my old N60 only lighter. It acts and sounds just like a 35mm SLR, the camera internals are the same except with a sensor in place of the film strip. In fact a co-worker, and long time digital user, was checking it out and couldn't figure out why it was "all blurry" when he looked through the view finder. He also had a hard time finding the "zoom button".

I highly recommend this camera. If you were reluctant to switch to digital because you loved your old SLR then this is definetly the replacement for you.

This is an awesome digital picture-taking machine, which heralds the imminent death of 35 mm film. The D-100 does pretty much everything that a high-end film SLR does, and it does it beautifully. A 512MB CF card will enable the D100 to take hundreds of high-quality pictures that are indistinguishable in quality from those taken with film. The Six-megapixel images in Large/Fine or RAW mode are quite competitive with their film counterparts for almost all purposes. The advantage of digital, of course, is that the consumer, equipped with pretty much any computer, can process and print the pictures him or her self with far more power and flexibility than one had in a darkroom processing film. The digital darkroom has arrived.

The D100 can use Nikon's entire line of autofocus lenses and many of the older manual focus lenses, allowing the photographer to easily migrate from film to digital. The camera has spot, matrix, and center-weighted exposure options, a programmed mode, apature priority or speed priority, as well as all of the manual options. Autofocus is crisp, fast, and works very well in low light. This camera is nearly as powerful in terms of its focusing and exposure options as the Nikon F5, which is the film camera I used for years before replacing my F5 with the D100.

Perhaps the greatest testimonial for the D100 is that it is notorious that the vast majority of photographers who I know who have bought a D100 never (or at least rarely) shoot film ever again.

The D100 takes OK shots right out of the camera, but to get best results most photographers will want to "process" the pictures through either Nikon's own program "Capture 3" or an aftermarket program like Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. I and probably most others have found that some of the post-processing settings on these programs really improve the images produced by the D100. This is a deliberate design "feature" of the D100 in that the D100 anticipates that serious photographers wish to retain a certain amount of control over their images. Accordingly, rather than making all of the decisions for you, the D100 produces images for which final exposure and contrast decisions can and should be made in a post-processing program such as Adobe Photoshop Elements or Capture 3. That having been said, the D100 can and does produce fine images without using a post-processing program. But almost all users have probably found that the best results are achieved by using such a program. In my opinion this is true of pretty much all of the high-end digital cameras out there, and is not confined to the D100. This is the power of digital photography--the photographer, at little cost (a low-end PC and $100-200 program are all that are required) can have a powerful "digital darkroom" which yields tremendous control over how the images turn out.

Physically, the D100 is ruggedly built. The rear LCD is bright and clear. The menu systems on the D100 are very well designed and quite intuitive--after familiarizing myself with the manual for several hours, I now find that I do not need to refer to the manual at all even for very complex "custom" situations. The menus are not overly "layered" as is the case with some digital cameras. The on-board flash is fine for snapshot portraits and the like, but most serious users will want to spring for either the SB-50DX or the SB-80DX flash, both of which are more or less designed for the D100.

Negatives on the camera are few. I mentioned above the post-processing issue, which in my mind is not a negative, but instead is just Nikon giving the photographer as much power and flexibility as possible. The matrix metering is not as powerful on the D100 as on the top-of-the-line F5, inasmuch as in tricky lighting situations the D100s center-weighted or spot metering will sometimes yield better results. Having said that, after several hours of experimenting I can now confidently take consistently good pictures with the D100 in fill-flash conditions. In common with the exposure issues, the D100 more or less requires photographers who want very "sharp" images to apply "sharpness" post-processing. Most of us have probably found that this produces better results than setting the sharpening in-camera, for reasons that exceed the scope of this review.

By the way, the battery life in the D100 is phenomenal. The on-board proprietary Nikon battery lets you take many hundreds of pictures, and serious shooters can buy at modest cost the MD-100 accessory which lets you shoot with either 2 Nikon batteries or a bunch of AAs. Either way this allows you to literally shoot all weekend likely without needing to recharge. The Nikon batteries recharge in a bit over an hour.

For good reason the D100, retailing now (October 2003) below $1,500, has put powerful digital photography in the hands of serious amateurs. It is a well-designed and sturdy camera that is a delight to own and use.

The EOS ELAN 7E is Canon's latest camera to feature their Eye Controlled Focus. Quite simply, Eye Control is the fastest, easiest method of selecting a focus point.

The autofocus tracking speed of the EOS ELAN 7 /7E rivals that of the leading top-of-the-line cameras available today. With a top shutter speed of 1/4000 of a second and fastest in its class 4 fps film advance, the ELAN 7/7E is a prime choice for demanding sports or wildlife photographers. The ELAN 7 and 7E is now smaller and more compact, with controls placed intuitively, in a user-friendly design, for a superior shooting experience. The construction of the camera body is newly reinforced, with strategically placed metal top and front cover plates, for rugged reliability in any environment. And WhisperDrive™ transport brings near silent shooting, when used with Canon's exclusive USM lenses.

I read the previous reviews and agree with most everything. This is a great camera that can be easily used by a beginner but has the features wanted by experienced pros.

The one thing I was disapointed in is that it did not say anywhere, until I already purchased the "E" model and read the manual, that the EYE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK IF YOU WEAR CONATCT LENSES. The "E" model was a waste of money for me due to this and that is the reason I gave this camera 4 out of the 5 stars.

For the record, I have been using this camera for over 2 years now and I shoot mainly nature and people.

The Canon Elan 7E/EOS30 is a fantastic all around camera for beginners/intermediate photographers.

At the time of buying this camera, there was a confusion whether to choose the rebel or the elan 7E. I would very strongly recommend anyone to consider buying the intermediate Elan 7 as compared to the basic rebel. The rebel has a very "plasticky" feel to it and if I remember correctly, there is a single knob to set both the aperture and the shutter speed. Once you move away from shooting it as point and shoot, you will realize that the single knob can get incredibely irritating.

As for the "E" i.e. eye focus, I never really used it too much but am planning to shortly. So you can save some money by getting the Elan 7, if you so wish since the Eye feature is essentially just a gimmick. Now I also wish I had got the date feature, since down the road it might be an useful tool. (say, 40 yrs, from now, you want to know when the picture was taken ;) )

The most wonderful thing about the ELan 7E is that it allows you to grow with it...It offers a whole bunch of features, that I think will take you from a beginning stage (point and shoot) to a more advanced stage (total manual) phase. After shooting over 20 rolls of film and slide, I still find myself reading the manual and noting down some new feature to try out on my next roll.

Small piece of advice for beginners.. I realize now that the money you spend on lenses might be worth almost more than the money you spend on the camera. Coz even the best camera cannot produce a decent picture with a bad lens. I would strongly recommend avoiding the standard lens(28-90mm, I think) that comes bundled with it (even if the total package is cheap). I bought the body separate and then a canon 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 lens and I have never regretted the decision. Its a relatively sharp lens at both ends and is always mounted on my camera for shooting almost anything. If you are on a tight budget get the Canon 50 mm 1.8 II which sells in most shops for under $100. I am now slowly saving up for a L series lens.

Besides the usual preset options like portrait,landscape,closeup,sports,night mode,the Elan 7E offers a whole bunch of features that I found really useful. Here are some of them,

1) Depth of field preview button.
2) DEP (depth of field AE) - this really helps if your lens does not have a distance scale (like the 28-105mm). Say for e.g., you need to preset the depth of scale from 0 to infinity, this feature helps you to achieve that effect without the distance scale on your lens.
3) AE lock
4) Exposure compensation - you can set the exposure compensation upto + or - 2 stops in half stop increments and you can do it without taking your eyes of the viewfinder.
5) Auto exposure bracketting - for those really important pictures that you dont want to miss :)
6) bulb exposures - allows you to have as long a exposure as you want. I found this really useful. I hear that some cameras have limitations on how long they can be exposed. (RS - 60E3 shutter release cable is really useful for this)
7) multiple exposures
8) mirror lockup etc etc etc.

The built in flash suffices for all my needs. Lots of people in this website recommend the battery pack, but I would suggest anyone buying this camera to first check it out themselves. I find the grip good enough for me.

All in all, I just love this camera. I have been having great fun for past 2 yrs with it and am confident of having lots more fun for few more years at least and I dont think you will get a better performance for this price...If you have the money, just get it & start shooting !!

Strengths:
1) Solid feel and good looks
2) Enough bells and whistles to keep you curious and interested for quite some time.
3) focussing point selection with seven focussing points (auto or manual)
4) whole bunch of lenses to choose from
5) built in flash
6) Rugged build - have used extensively in real hot weather(AZ) as well as sub zero temperatures (MI)
7)Relatively light and compact.
8)Best price/performance ratio

Weaknesses:
1) I feel an LCD would have been invaluable tool to have during low-lit situations
2)Lack of spot metering - this is one feature I would have loved to use.
3)Auto focus fails to activate when you try to shoot closeups(macros), cloudy landscapes or under low light situations

4) Depth of field preview button is hidden...I have never been able to activate it without taking my eyes off the viewfinder !

The EOS ELAN 7E is Canon's latest camera to feature their Eye Controlled Focus. Quite simply, Eye Control is the fastest, easiest method of selecting a focus point.

The autofocus tracking speed of the EOS ELAN 7 /7E rivals that of the leading top-of-the-line cameras available today. With a top shutter speed of 1/4000 of a second and fastest in its class 4 fps film advance, the ELAN 7/7E is a prime choice for demanding sports or wildlife photographers. The ELAN 7 and 7E is now smaller and more compact, with controls placed intuitively, in a user-friendly design, for a superior shooting experience. The construction of the camera body is newly reinforced, with strategically placed metal top and front cover plates, for rugged reliability in any environment. And WhisperDrive™ transport brings near silent shooting, when used with Canon's exclusive USM lenses.

I read the previous reviews and agree with most everything. This is a great camera that can be easily used by a beginner but has the features wanted by experienced pros.

The one thing I was disapointed in is that it did not say anywhere, until I already purchased the "E" model and read the manual, that the EYE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK IF YOU WEAR CONATCT LENSES. The "E" model was a waste of money for me due to this and that is the reason I gave this camera 4 out of the 5 stars.

For the record, I have been using this camera for over 2 years now and I shoot mainly nature and people.

The Canon Elan 7E/EOS30 is a fantastic all around camera for beginners/intermediate photographers.

At the time of buying this camera, there was a confusion whether to choose the rebel or the elan 7E. I would very strongly recommend anyone to consider buying the intermediate Elan 7 as compared to the basic rebel. The rebel has a very "plasticky" feel to it and if I remember correctly, there is a single knob to set both the aperture and the shutter speed. Once you move away from shooting it as point and shoot, you will realize that the single knob can get incredibely irritating.

As for the "E" i.e. eye focus, I never really used it too much but am planning to shortly. So you can save some money by getting the Elan 7, if you so wish since the Eye feature is essentially just a gimmick. Now I also wish I had got the date feature, since down the road it might be an useful tool. (say, 40 yrs, from now, you want to know when the picture was taken ;) )

The most wonderful thing about the ELan 7E is that it allows you to grow with it...It offers a whole bunch of features, that I think will take you from a beginning stage (point and shoot) to a more advanced stage (total manual) phase. After shooting over 20 rolls of film and slide, I still find myself reading the manual and noting down some new feature to try out on my next roll.

Small piece of advice for beginners.. I realize now that the money you spend on lenses might be worth almost more than the money you spend on the camera. Coz even the best camera cannot produce a decent picture with a bad lens. I would strongly recommend avoiding the standard lens(28-90mm, I think) that comes bundled with it (even if the total package is cheap). I bought the body separate and then a canon 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 lens and I have never regretted the decision. Its a relatively sharp lens at both ends and is always mounted on my camera for shooting almost anything. If you are on a tight budget get the Canon 50 mm 1.8 II which sells in most shops for under $100. I am now slowly saving up for a L series lens.

Besides the usual preset options like portrait,landscape,closeup,sports,night mode,the Elan 7E offers a whole bunch of features that I found really useful. Here are some of them,

1) Depth of field preview button.
2) DEP (depth of field AE) - this really helps if your lens does not have a distance scale (like the 28-105mm). Say for e.g., you need to preset the depth of scale from 0 to infinity, this feature helps you to achieve that effect without the distance scale on your lens.
3) AE lock
4) Exposure compensation - you can set the exposure compensation upto + or - 2 stops in half stop increments and you can do it without taking your eyes of the viewfinder.
5) Auto exposure bracketting - for those really important pictures that you dont want to miss :)
6) bulb exposures - allows you to have as long a exposure as you want. I found this really useful. I hear that some cameras have limitations on how long they can be exposed. (RS - 60E3 shutter release cable is really useful for this)
7) multiple exposures
8) mirror lockup etc etc etc.

The built in flash suffices for all my needs. Lots of people in this website recommend the battery pack, but I would suggest anyone buying this camera to first check it out themselves. I find the grip good enough for me.

All in all, I just love this camera. I have been having great fun for past 2 yrs with it and am confident of having lots more fun for few more years at least and I dont think you will get a better performance for this price...If you have the money, just get it & start shooting !!

Strengths:
1) Solid feel and good looks
2) Enough bells and whistles to keep you curious and interested for quite some time.
3) focussing point selection with seven focussing points (auto or manual)
4) whole bunch of lenses to choose from
5) built in flash
6) Rugged build - have used extensively in real hot weather(AZ) as well as sub zero temperatures (MI)
7)Relatively light and compact.
8)Best price/performance ratio

Weaknesses:
1) I feel an LCD would have been invaluable tool to have during low-lit situations
2)Lack of spot metering - this is one feature I would have loved to use.
3)Auto focus fails to activate when you try to shoot closeups(macros), cloudy landscapes or under low light situations

4) Depth of field preview button is hidden...I have never been able to activate it without taking my eyes off the viewfinder !

The EOS ELAN 7E is Canon's latest camera to feature their Eye Controlled Focus. Quite simply, Eye Control is the fastest, easiest method of selecting a focus point.

The autofocus tracking speed of the EOS ELAN 7 /7E rivals that of the leading top-of-the-line cameras available today. With a top shutter speed of 1/4000 of a second and fastest in its class 4 fps film advance, the ELAN 7/7E is a prime choice for demanding sports or wildlife photographers. The ELAN 7 and 7E is now smaller and more compact, with controls placed intuitively, in a user-friendly design, for a superior shooting experience. The construction of the camera body is newly reinforced, with strategically placed metal top and front cover plates, for rugged reliability in any environment. And WhisperDrive™ transport brings near silent shooting, when used with Canon's exclusive USM lenses.

I read the previous reviews and agree with most everything. This is a great camera that can be easily used by a beginner but has the features wanted by experienced pros.

The one thing I was disapointed in is that it did not say anywhere, until I already purchased the "E" model and read the manual, that the EYE CONTROL DOES NOT WORK IF YOU WEAR CONATCT LENSES. The "E" model was a waste of money for me due to this and that is the reason I gave this camera 4 out of the 5 stars.

For the record, I have been using this camera for over 2 years now and I shoot mainly nature and people.

The Canon Elan 7E/EOS30 is a fantastic all around camera for beginners/intermediate photographers.

At the time of buying this camera, there was a confusion whether to choose the rebel or the elan 7E. I would very strongly recommend anyone to consider buying the intermediate Elan 7 as compared to the basic rebel. The rebel has a very "plasticky" feel to it and if I remember correctly, there is a single knob to set both the aperture and the shutter speed. Once you move away from shooting it as point and shoot, you will realize that the single knob can get incredibely irritating.

As for the "E" i.e. eye focus, I never really used it too much but am planning to shortly. So you can save some money by getting the Elan 7, if you so wish since the Eye feature is essentially just a gimmick. Now I also wish I had got the date feature, since down the road it might be an useful tool. (say, 40 yrs, from now, you want to know when the picture was taken ;) )

The most wonderful thing about the ELan 7E is that it allows you to grow with it...It offers a whole bunch of features, that I think will take you from a beginning stage (point and shoot) to a more advanced stage (total manual) phase. After shooting over 20 rolls of film and slide, I still find myself reading the manual and noting down some new feature to try out on my next roll.

Small piece of advice for beginners.. I realize now that the money you spend on lenses might be worth almost more than the money you spend on the camera. Coz even the best camera cannot produce a decent picture with a bad lens. I would strongly recommend avoiding the standard lens(28-90mm, I think) that comes bundled with it (even if the total package is cheap). I bought the body separate and then a canon 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 lens and I have never regretted the decision. Its a relatively sharp lens at both ends and is always mounted on my camera for shooting almost anything. If you are on a tight budget get the Canon 50 mm 1.8 II which sells in most shops for under $100. I am now slowly saving up for a L series lens.

Besides the usual preset options like portrait,landscape,closeup,sports,night mode,the Elan 7E offers a whole bunch of features that I found really useful. Here are some of them,

1) Depth of field preview button.
2) DEP (depth of field AE) - this really helps if your lens does not have a distance scale (like the 28-105mm). Say for e.g., you need to preset the depth of scale from 0 to infinity, this feature helps you to achieve that effect without the distance scale on your lens.
3) AE lock
4) Exposure compensation - you can set the exposure compensation upto + or - 2 stops in half stop increments and you can do it without taking your eyes of the viewfinder.
5) Auto exposure bracketting - for those really important pictures that you dont want to miss :)
6) bulb exposures - allows you to have as long a exposure as you want. I found this really useful. I hear that some cameras have limitations on how long they can be exposed. (RS - 60E3 shutter release cable is really useful for this)
7) multiple exposures
8) mirror lockup etc etc etc.

The built in flash suffices for all my needs. Lots of people in this website recommend the battery pack, but I would suggest anyone buying this camera to first check it out themselves. I find the grip good enough for me.

All in all, I just love this camera. I have been having great fun for past 2 yrs with it and am confident of having lots more fun for few more years at least and I dont think you will get a better performance for this price...If you have the money, just get it & start shooting !!

Strengths:
1) Solid feel and good looks
2) Enough bells and whistles to keep you curious and interested for quite some time.
3) focussing point selection with seven focussing points (auto or manual)
4) whole bunch of lenses to choose from
5) built in flash
6) Rugged build - have used extensively in real hot weather(AZ) as well as sub zero temperatures (MI)
7)Relatively light and compact.
8)Best price/performance ratio

Weaknesses:
1) I feel an LCD would have been invaluable tool to have during low-lit situations
2)Lack of spot metering - this is one feature I would have loved to use.
3)Auto focus fails to activate when you try to shoot closeups(macros), cloudy landscapes or under low light situations

4) Depth of field preview button is hidden...I have never been able to activate it without taking my eyes off the viewfinder !

My wife wanted to get into photography - so when she broke her latest Olympus point-and-shoot I decided to get get her a "real camera". We've had the Minolta Maxxum 5 for about a month now, and it has proven to be a very nice choice. I got it with a couple of lenses: the Minolta 28-80 AF and the 70-210 AF.

It is small and light in your hand (not quite like a point-and-shoot, but definitely so for an SLR) and the automatic mode works very well. Out of the box it comes in the autofocus mode where as you bring it up to your eye it starts focusing; interesting in the first couple of days but I eventually took it out of that mode... I like it focusing when I press the button lightly.

That is one of the nice things about the camera... how configurable it is. You can select among tons of options and configure it to behave just as you'd like. Because of all the options I'd highly recommend some quality time with the manual :-)

My only dissatisfaction so far (and the only reason for the 4 and not 5 stars) has been not with the camera, but rather the Minolta lenses - actually something I did not think about ahead of time; don't get me wrong they are nice lenses but I have the following problem: focusing turns the front of the lens and this makes using certain filters (for example the Cokin system) problematic. It is fine for the typical circular filters like Tiffen and Hoya.

Overall I'm very happy with the Maxxum 5. I wanted to add that Amazon is an excellent place to buy it. Much cheaper than the stores, maybe not the cheapest on the internet (I found it for a little less), but they are trustworthy, fast shipping and reliable!

The Minolta Maxxum 5 is the best purchase I've made in a long time. Before I make a purchase I like to do a lot of research. For the Maxxum 5, I called a few of the better local camera shops and asked for the best "bang for your buck" SLR, and they all said the Maxxum 5. Look in American Photo magazine January 2002 and see for your self that the Maxxum 5 is the only film camera in the year's ten best new products. It is the lightest in its class; I've carried it with me on five-hour hikes without problems. It's features stack up with the equivalent Pentax, Nikon, and Canon SLRs. Another reviewer incorrectly stated a max shutter speed of 1/2000 second, it is actually 1/4000 second, which is faster than many of its competitors, and in fact none beat it. It can also shoot at 3 frames/second. None of the competition can beat that either. With a plethora of features, lightweight, and affordable price, the Minolta Maxxum 5 is a tough camera to beat.

I am a 15-year old interested in photography. I spent most of my picture-taking years with either a Kodak Advantix or a disposable camera.
Finally, when I took photography seriously enough, my parents purchased the Minolta Maxxum 5. We did not really know much about cameras at the time, but now about 6 months later, I know this was the right choice.
The biggest thing I hated about Advantix cameras was that it took nearly 2 or so seconds to take a picture. Those who take pictures a lot can probably understand how fustrating this can be. The Maxxum 5 can take up to 3 frames per second.
Another thing I was upset about was the zoom. The Advantix cameras have a set zoom and that's it. With SLR cameras you can buy new lenses, though a bit pricy, to get what you want. The lens this package comes with is the 28-80. This is VERY similar to what my Advantix was. (NOTE: For those who wish to have more zoom should as well purchase a 70-300mm lens) I was disappointed I didn't have more zoom but enjoyed the fact I had a new camera to play with...so many features!
From the different modes, including Sports, Potrait, Landscape, Closeup, and Night time, to multiple photos on one frame. This camera offers more than it's size tells!
This little bugger is very light as well. The weight will increase with the larger lens, so you don't want a heavy camera body.
Auto and manual focus were very easy to figure out, as well as changing lenses. Those used to Advantix cameras and not those which use 35mm film will spend a LITTLE bit of time figuring out how to insert a roll of film. Doesn't take long, and soon you'll be changing film so quickly, no one near you even notices!
To this day, I still haven't learned every feature this camera offers. It's a bit hard to memorize the way to prepare some of these features, but that's why you keep your little manual with you.
Perfect for beginners in photography, including teenagers.

I have purchased this camera and it stop of working after 3 months, (I wrote The first review on amazon for this camera) I have lost my money :(

i had a point-and-shoot canon for years and it FINALLY died. i am so happy because i convinced my husband that we should buy a SLR camera to photograph our new baby with so we could take close-up shots and not end up with blurry memories. i have only used the autofocus mode so far and the first roll of film i got back was worth the cost of the camera. it was the first roll of film i have ever had developed where all of the pictures were fantastic! crisp, clear and fully focused no matter how close i was. i am/was thrilled. i feel so much more confident now with my picture taking because instead of dreading picking up my developed roll, i can be almost SURE the roll will be great. don't waste your memories to anything else!

P.S. Yes, when i bought this camera it did say it was a date camera and i thought that was a great price for the date body. it's not the end of the world that it isn't the date body, but Amazon did falsely advertise this camera and that is not good business.

...

If you still like to take pictures using the 35mm format, then this camera is for you. Like many others, I was quick to purchase a digital camera (Canon Powershot) and enjoy the whole digital camera scene but when it comes to superior photographs, there is nothing that can compare with 35mm photography. I was looking for a new 35mm camera and went into a local camera shop. I was introduced to the new EOS Rebel Ti and it did not take me long to really enjoy the features and looks of this camera. It is significanly lighter then its predecessor and its looks are striking. I like having the menu screen on the back of the camera in a larger LCD screen. It's much easier on the eyes. The different settings allow even the most advanced photographer options that are often found on much more expensive cameras and like all of Canon's 35mm line, the lenses are interchangeable and give you greater flexibility in your picture taking experience. The built in flash pops up automatically in low light settings and you still have the option of adding on another flash on the cameras top. You get so many features for a really great price. ... This is the camera for both the beginner and advanced photographer.

This camera is a tremendous value for both the aspiring and expert photographer. It is packed with features such as fully automatic mode (can be switched back from manual mode at a touch of a button) to catch those unexpected picture moments and aperture and shutter priority modes. The multiple subject program modes (portrait, night, close up, landscape etc) make professional quality pictures possible at a touch of a button. Another great feature that this camera offers is the ability to take panoramic pictures at a touch of a button so you can get those long scenic shots with no problem. No need for the expensive Advantix systems. This camera is hard to put down because it is designed with an amatuer in mind and very easy to understand manual makes operating the camera a pleasure. It is lightweight but yet substantial enough to prevent shaking while holding the camera. I have gone through 5 rolls in 2 days and the quality of the prints are superb especially when using the potrait mode. Images are clear and precise in automatic mode. The lens is sufficient but if you can afford the telephoto lens, go for it. The balance between price and features makes the STsi a must have for anyone looking for a new camera SLR or point and shoot.

I began looking for a camera after problems with my last point and shoot and wanted to upgrade to something more powerful. Searching on the internet allowed me to find many reviews and potential replacements, and Amazon offerered prices about 30% less than my local vendors - with a Minolta lens instead of an off-brand. My wife an I took about 10 rolls within the first few weeks - everything from portraits of our son, to sunsets (panoramic), to action shots, to shots with different depths of focus. The camera performed extremely well, is light weight, and seems to help with any "shaking" when taking pictures. The lens is great for shots between 3 to 50 feet, but not much can be focused on beyond that. I am looking forward to getting a 210 or 300mm zoom lens. Overall we have been very happy with the features and the feel of the camera, and I highly recommend it.

I recently purchased the STsi as a "step-up" from my QTsi (also a great camera) and I truly enjoy learning about its various special features.

This is a great camera for intermediate and more advanced photographers, and even recommended to professional photographers as well. Still very user-friendly, like the more basic QTsi, the STsi is the ideal camera for those who want to take that "next step" in their photographic adventures.

This camera was the best investment in my photography that I could have imagined. Without the cost and concern of film and processing, I was free to make as many photos as I wanted, and to adjust the settings to learn about the effect of such control. With my EOS lenses, my existing investment was prolonged. I have printed and posted much of my work, and the quality has met or exceeded local labs.

All of the nice things you're hearing about this camera are true. If you already own a camera in the Canon EOS line and are ready to upgrade to digital, this is the path you want to take. It has all the features a sophisticated amateur wants, plus a healthy serving of "professional" features thrown in. And as others have said, all the lenses and most (not all) of the accessories you already have will work with the D30.

There are a few drawbacks, however... For one thing the autofocus relies on an incandescent lamp rather than the infrared found in nearly all other EOS models. This is a curious choice on Canon's part, it almost seems like they didn't throw in professional-quality autofocus for marketing reasons, since there's a true pro-level Canon digital SLR due out later this year.

Another drawback is that the included software, called ZoomBrowser EX, is not that great. It's designed to help you capture, download, and catalog your digital images, but it runs out of steam once your image library grows to a non-trivial size, and if you want to merge databases because you've done collection on another computer, the software more-or-less becomes unusable.

Also, you end up paying a lot more than $3000, even if you already have the lenses from your other Canon EOS camera. First comes the Compact Flash cards (you really need to get at least two of these so you always have a spare). Figure on getting at least two 128MB CF cards, if you really must have a microdrive that will cost you more. Plan on getting an extra battery too. Then there are the Canon accessories, like a better (infrared) autofocus lamp, an electronic timer for long exposures and intervalometer work (which the included remote-capture software does not do well), and you get the idea... you really have to budget $4000.

Having said all that, this camera really is a joy to use, and once you get used to the instant feedback, your shooting skills will improve, and you'll start getting compliments on how good you are. It really *is* that *good* of a camera. Just be warned that you are jumping into the deep end of digital photography if you get this camera. ... ;-).

If you want the ultimate in digital photography, the Canon D30 is the ticket as of December 2000 -- especially if you already own Canon EOS lenses, because they're completely compatible. Canon won't call this a "Pro" camera, because it's not as weather-tight as pro models, but the body is rugged and the output is first-rate.

The D30 has enough features for professional photographers, yet a novice can get great looking pictures from the start. As you learn more about the camera and its capabilities, your images really start to shine.

Want to experiment with long-exposure photography? Go right ahead! Feedback is instant. No more waiting for processing. No more developing costs. Want to blow up your photo to 8x12 inches? No problem. With a little massaging via Adobe Photoshop (tm) and/or Genuine Fractals (tm), even poster-sized prints look great, using photo paper and a photo-quality inkjet printer. Software to get you going, including Photoshop LE, is included.

The D30 accepts IBM Microdrives (1 gigabite of storage in the camera!) as well as compact flash. The included 16 meg flash card is enough to test the camera, but you'll really want to get something bigger, right away. The D30 offers a variety of image compression options -- including the Raw format, which allows the most flexibility and avoids jpeg artifacts. The wide variety of storage options means freedom to shoot at will and experiment. An included cable allows you to connect your camera to your computer's USB port and download images at will.

As I said, all Canon EOS lenses will work with the D30, but there is one difference to consider. Because the CMOS chip is smaller than a 35mm negative, the field of view is different. For example, a 100 mm lens on an EOS film camera works like a 160 mm lens on the D30. They call it a 1.6x multiplier effect, but what it means is that long-distance shooting is easier, and to get wide angle shots, you have to get a REALLY wide lens. For example, a 14mm aspherical wide angle results in a 22mm wide angle shot on the D30.

When the D30 was first released in the Fall of 2000, the demand was far beyond what Canon could produce... in the United States and around the World. As of this writing, the cameras are still in short supply, but well worth the effort and the investment. Kudos to Amazon for adding the D30 to their digital photography offerings.

I have been looking at this camera for the past few days and then today I look and the price went up $17, that's lame.

I've used Canon SLR cameras for the last 21 years and have never had any problems with any of them (a F-1, AE-1, EOS 5). I've been using this camera for the last 3 months and have been very pleased with it.

This camera's initial appeal is the compact, light weight design. However, this camera offers much, much more!

This camera has most of the features and manual setting possibilities found in professional level cameras along with idiot-proof automatic settings that make it as easy to use as a point-and-shoot...

Because you can mount any of the countless quality EOS lenses to this camera, the possibilities of crafting quality pictures is endless. The 28-90 lens that comes with this camera is a good place to start, but don't limit yourself to just this one choice. Canon has been making EOS cameras for the last 16 years and has been a market leader all that time. There's lots of great new and used lenses available.

Another definite plus to this camera is the awesome ergonomics. Unlike most SLR's, you can easily operate this one (including setting all manual and automatic settings) with just your right hand. I've never used a camera that I've been able to do this in a natural, comfortable and secure manner.

I've used Canon SLR cameras for the last 21 years and have never had any problems with any of them (a F-1, AE-1, EOS 5). I've been using this camera for the last 3 months and have been very pleased with it.

This camera's initial appeal is the compact, light weight design. However, this camera offers much, much more!

This camera has most of the features and manual setting possibilities found in professional level cameras along with idiot-proof automatic settings that make it as easy to use as a point-and-shoot...

Because you can mount any of the countless quality EOS lenses to this camera, the possibilities of crafting quality pictures is endless. The 28-90 lens that usually comes with this camera is an o.k. place to start, but I would recommend getting the Sigma 28-200 Compact Hyperzoom Lens instead---lightweight, good focal range, better construction than the comsumer grade lenses that are usually packaged with this camera. Canon has been making EOS cameras for the last 16 years and has been a market leader all that time. There's lots of great new and used lenses available.

Another definite plus to this camera is the awesome ergonomics. Unlike most SLR's, you can easily operate this one (including setting all manual and automatic settings) with just your right hand. I've never used a camera that I've been able to do this in a natural, comfortable and secure manner.

This camera has great features for the price, and I was extremely happy with the quality of the photos I took in the 3 days I had the camera. Then it started eating whole rolls of film. After contacting the manufacturer they would repair it and I would pay all shipping costs. I returned it to amazon instead.

This is a very good camera is you do not want to gett a cheap slr w/ every thing thing you need but if you ever think of going digatl go with canon becuse they have better bodys and lenses and both work with all the lens they have now so i would say if u r not going to go diatl get this but if you r look at a canon flim SLR

I researched the various SLR cameras available on the market and Minolta offered the most features for the price. The size and weight also felt right for my grip. I have never owned anything but an inexpensive point and shoot camera. When I started using the camera I was a little intimdated by all the bells and whistles but after taking near professional quality pictures at a baseball tournament in San Diego I was sold on this camera. I was able within 2-3 rolls to take pictures of the baseball players sliding into a base, the pitched baseball in the air on the way to the batter, etc. I couldn't believe how easy it was to use and the quality of my pictures with no training. I did read the owners manual several times and it helped me get better with each roll of film. Buy this camera - you cannot go wrong!!