SLR-Camera Reviews

Bought this flash about two weeks ago for use with my Canon Powershot G1 digital camera, and have been nothing but impressed with it. it mates beautifully to the Canon, although it does make it somewhat bulky. The bounce flash photography is beautiful, and the E-TTL system just makes you look like a total pro. I also look forward to using it for wireless flash photography.

There are SOME things missing, however. Compared to my Canon 430 EZ flash, there is no LCD display. No flash compensation (but this isn't a big deal, since that's controlled from my G1). No strobe. If these are important to you, step up to the 550 EX. Otherwise, the 420 is a beautiful workhorse.

I bought this flash to go with my Elan 7E and it has worked great. It has all the features that most EOS users would ever need (vertical and horizontal bounce, fast sync, and E-TTL control). It isn't as good as the 550EX, but if you aren't planning on using mutliple flashes slaved together this is the better deal at almost half the cost (though the 420EX can be used as a wireless slave flash with the 550EX as the master). If you are shopping for an external flash for your EOS camera, you can't go wrong with this one.

An external flash is one of those things many people think only a "pro" has a need for -- like a tripod. Once you get one, though, you realize how essential it is and couldn't imagine going into the field without one.

I recently purchased this as part of my Digital Rebel package and am quite impressed with its features. The E-TTL -- the ability to adjust to the scene according to the camera's metering results -- is really amazing.

On the back of the unit is an LED display showing your approximate focal length (24 - 105mm), which also determines how powerful the flash will be. Additionally, there is a pilot button/light (for a test flash), exposure confirmation light, high-speed sync switch, "slave" setting buttons and the power switch.

After its flash flexibility, the 420EX's most impressive feature is its physical flexibility. You can move the flashhead within 90° vertically and horizontally, and it will lock at several angles. This enables the bounce-flash -- assuming you have a reflective surface nearby. Bounce-flash softens and distributes the light so you don't have overexposed, stiff looking subjects.

Speaking of which, I'd like to say that I bought a Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce diffuser when I bought the 420EX because it seemed like a good accessory. I have found that I generally don't need it because the 420EX is able to fine-tune itself to each shot.

I can't comment on its functionality as a slave because I have not used it in that capacity.

Ultimately, the 420EX is a great tool, whether you're shooting your kid's birthday party or a macro of a flower. It will allow you to take much better photos than you can with the built-in flash. And at its current price it is absolutely unbeatable.

This is the finest consumer-grade SLR I have owned, and I have been in the SLR autofocus market since the Minolta Maxxums came out in the mid-80's. I have owned several Nikon SLRs and Canon EOS SLRs, and the Elan 7 is the closest to perfection that a 35mm autofocus slr will ever come (that is, one that is not a professional camera).
It has all the pro features you would want, has superb weight and balance, metal top and front plates, several custom functions, excellent compatibility with Canon EX speedlights, accepts all EOS lenses, etc, etc. I can't go into all the great features now, there are too many.
I got the amazing BP-300 battery pack for this camera, which adds a great deal to its fine balance when using long lenses. The battery pack also allows you to use cheaper AA batteries instead of the pricey lithiums. And, it adds some length to the grip (for those with large hands). This is a great "must buy" accessory, and can be had for around $60-70.
The controls are simply laid out, easy to access, learn and use. The exposure can go full-automatic or total manual control.
Do not go with the 7 "E" (eye control) version. This is only a gimmick, does not increase focus time, but does increase the cost of the camera.
The built in flash is nice when not using a shoe mounted flash, the quick control dial is a great improvement, and its speed is increased over the previous Elan versions.
A couple of downsides:
1. In low light, it uses the flash as a focus asist light, instead of an IR beam. This is a bit of a nuisance.
2. The LCD screen on top, while very legible and informative, has no backlight to read in low light.
3. The pop up flash should extend a bit higher to avoid vignetting over long zoom lenses.
-However, these are VERY minor complaints, and no camera is perfect. This is a great camera, well-made, with outstanding features and accessories. For the price there is none better.

I've been "into" photography for a very long time. I started out with a Mamiya-Sekor 35 mm SLR. That camera was built like a tank and could take a lot of abuse. Its best feature, however, was that it was an all-manual camera and so I had to learn about exposure from the ground up. I did not trust auto-exposure cameras but eventually I broke down and bought a Minolta XE-7. That camera shared its body, and many other features, with the Leica R3. Again, like the Mamiya, the XE-7 was a solidly built and rugged camera but its aperture-priority mode had its limitations. Then the Minolta X700 came along and it featured dual-mode exposure automation. The Minoltas were both great cameras, but I wanted a little bit more.

When AF hit the market I switched over to a Canon EOS 10s because I liked it better than anything else that Minolta had to offer 10 years ago. I am glad that I did.

That was my entry into the EOS world. I recently bought my son a Rebel GII and the same week I bought the EOS Elan 7. I love the camera.

The EOS Elan 7 is a smooth, quiet and easy to use camera. It takes great pictures, under almost all conditions. It has features to satisfy the "pro wanna-be" in me (I can run the camera in full manual mode and the camera is still very fast and responsive). Or, if I am feeling particularly lazy, I can let the camera's brain do all the thinking for me and I still get great pictures over 99% of the time. The controls are easy to use and the functions are all very intuitive, so that I don't have to carry the manual with me at all times. In fact, after having used the EOS 10s for so long, the Elan 7 feels right at home in my hands. The Elan 7 has definitely cured me of my "Nikon-envy."

I followed the salesperson recommendation and bought the standard 7 model, w/o the eye focusing feuture. I am glad that I did because I can now use the extra money to buy accessories such as the battery grip.

After living with a manual focus camera for 20 years, I'd splurged and bought myself the Canon Rebel and a couple lenses. I was happy with it, but it lacked some features I was seeking. Enter the Elan 7. Oh my! Once I learned how to use the multiple frame feature, there was no stopping me! I stopped getting so-so shots of my sons in their soccer games, and was getting at least one spot on perfect out of the two or three. This alone makes the camera worth its price for me, but there are other aspects I like as well.

The camera just feels solid to me. My Rebel was lightweight, but I always worried that came with a price. I use my camera often in an active way, hiking in our bluffs, riding my bike through the wetlands and cross country skiing in the rare years we get enough decent snow cover. The camera can handle these kinds of conditions, and I've always had nice photos come back to me. I also appreciate the very high shutter speeds it affords me. I've nearly stopped the action of hovering hummingbirds with this camera, it's that fast. It's also fairly quiet as SLRs go, another plus for those who need that feature. The rewind is almost silent, which helps when I am stalking birds and my film runs out, as it invariably does.

There were a few little glitches in going from the Rebel to the Elan for me. Although they are both EOS cameras, one can't assume that the Elan is just a more expensive Rebel and will operate as such. For one thing, the film counter system is completely reversed. The Rebel counts down, the Elan counts up.
The benefit to this is that I always get 25 exposures with my Elan, whereas 24 was the max with the Rebel. Yes, film is cheap, but it does add up!

Also, the creative controls work differently. I'd become very used to setting the Rebel to under or over expose, and needed to relearn the way to set that with the Elan. On the plus side, with the Elan, there is a setting that will allow for autobracketing, so that you can achieve the same thing with less thought, once you know that setting.

The kit lens was a nice plus as well. My Rebel had 35mm as its widest angle, and the 28mm allows a little more range for me. I've had my Elan now for three years, and I am still learning to take full advantage of all it has to offer. From a camera junkie, that is high praise indeed.

This is the finest consumer-grade SLR I have owned, and I have been in the SLR autofocus market since the Minolta Maxxums came out in the mid-80's. I have owned several Nikon SLRs and Canon EOS SLRs, and the Elan 7 is the closest to perfection that a 35mm autofocus slr will ever come (that is, one that is not a professional camera).
It has all the pro features you would want, has superb weight and balance, metal top and front plates, several custom functions, excellent compatibility with Canon EX speedlights, accepts all EOS lenses, etc, etc. I can't go into all the great features now, there are too many.
I got the amazing BP-300 battery pack for this camera, which adds a great deal to its fine balance when using long lenses. The battery pack also allows you to use cheaper AA batteries instead of the pricey lithiums. And, it adds some length to the grip (for those with large hands). This is a great "must buy" accessory, and can be had for around $60-70.
The controls are simply laid out, easy to access, learn and use. The exposure can go full-automatic or total manual control.
Do not go with the 7 "E" (eye control) version. This is only a gimmick, does not increase focus time, but does increase the cost of the camera.
The built in flash is nice when not using a shoe mounted flash, the quick control dial is a great improvement, and its speed is increased over the previous Elan versions.
A couple of downsides:
1. In low light, it uses the flash as a focus asist light, instead of an IR beam. This is a bit of a nuisance.
2. The LCD screen on top, while very legible and informative, has no backlight to read in low light.
3. The pop up flash should extend a bit higher to avoid vignetting over long zoom lenses.
-However, these are VERY minor complaints, and no camera is perfect. This is a great camera, well-made, with outstanding features and accessories. For the price there is none better.

I've been "into" photography for a very long time. I started out with a Mamiya-Sekor 35 mm SLR. That camera was built like a tank and could take a lot of abuse. Its best feature, however, was that it was an all-manual camera and so I had to learn about exposure from the ground up. I did not trust auto-exposure cameras but eventually I broke down and bought a Minolta XE-7. That camera shared its body, and many other features, with the Leica R3. Again, like the Mamiya, the XE-7 was a solidly built and rugged camera but its aperture-priority mode had its limitations. Then the Minolta X700 came along and it featured dual-mode exposure automation. The Minoltas were both great cameras, but I wanted a little bit more.

When AF hit the market I switched over to a Canon EOS 10s because I liked it better than anything else that Minolta had to offer 10 years ago. I am glad that I did.

That was my entry into the EOS world. I recently bought my son a Rebel GII and the same week I bought the EOS Elan 7. I love the camera.

The EOS Elan 7 is a smooth, quiet and easy to use camera. It takes great pictures, under almost all conditions. It has features to satisfy the "pro wanna-be" in me (I can run the camera in full manual mode and the camera is still very fast and responsive). Or, if I am feeling particularly lazy, I can let the camera's brain do all the thinking for me and I still get great pictures over 99% of the time. The controls are easy to use and the functions are all very intuitive, so that I don't have to carry the manual with me at all times. In fact, after having used the EOS 10s for so long, the Elan 7 feels right at home in my hands. The Elan 7 has definitely cured me of my "Nikon-envy."

I followed the salesperson recommendation and bought the standard 7 model, w/o the eye focusing feuture. I am glad that I did because I can now use the extra money to buy accessories such as the battery grip.

After living with a manual focus camera for 20 years, I'd splurged and bought myself the Canon Rebel and a couple lenses. I was happy with it, but it lacked some features I was seeking. Enter the Elan 7. Oh my! Once I learned how to use the multiple frame feature, there was no stopping me! I stopped getting so-so shots of my sons in their soccer games, and was getting at least one spot on perfect out of the two or three. This alone makes the camera worth its price for me, but there are other aspects I like as well.

The camera just feels solid to me. My Rebel was lightweight, but I always worried that came with a price. I use my camera often in an active way, hiking in our bluffs, riding my bike through the wetlands and cross country skiing in the rare years we get enough decent snow cover. The camera can handle these kinds of conditions, and I've always had nice photos come back to me. I also appreciate the very high shutter speeds it affords me. I've nearly stopped the action of hovering hummingbirds with this camera, it's that fast. It's also fairly quiet as SLRs go, another plus for those who need that feature. The rewind is almost silent, which helps when I am stalking birds and my film runs out, as it invariably does.

There were a few little glitches in going from the Rebel to the Elan for me. Although they are both EOS cameras, one can't assume that the Elan is just a more expensive Rebel and will operate as such. For one thing, the film counter system is completely reversed. The Rebel counts down, the Elan counts up.
The benefit to this is that I always get 25 exposures with my Elan, whereas 24 was the max with the Rebel. Yes, film is cheap, but it does add up!

Also, the creative controls work differently. I'd become very used to setting the Rebel to under or over expose, and needed to relearn the way to set that with the Elan. On the plus side, with the Elan, there is a setting that will allow for autobracketing, so that you can achieve the same thing with less thought, once you know that setting.

The kit lens was a nice plus as well. My Rebel had 35mm as its widest angle, and the 28mm allows a little more range for me. I've had my Elan now for three years, and I am still learning to take full advantage of all it has to offer. From a camera junkie, that is high praise indeed.

I had a Cannon Rebel stolen from my car last year, and set out to replace it a few months later. This time I did not want to feel like I had not bought enough of a camera, but I did not want to spend over $800 with a lens and accessories.

I landed on the Elan IIE, and I am very happy with it. It takes a great picture, is durable (I have been pretty rough with it), and as easy to use as you want it to be. It has features that will do anything you want it to automaticly (including following your eye to the focus point you chose) but allows you to experiment with manual functions. I chose a 28-200 Zoom lens to go with it and I am very happy with the package, and wandered across this page looking for my second lens... I am an amatuer photographer who trys to take professional quality photos, this camera is perfect, it costs a lot more for the next better level of camera... but this is definately worth spending the extra $250 (at least with the zoom lens, polarizer, case, etc...) instead of getting the Rebel 2000.

I had regreted the Rebel months after buying it, and I would still have it for years had it not been stolen... I like the Elan enough I am almost happy the Rebel went away.

The EOS Elan-IIE (EOS 50E in Europe and Africa) should be top of the list for the first-time SLR buyer, amateur or semi-pro photographer. It is at the same time a well-priced, feature rich SLR - with all the conveniences of fully automatic modes for the amateur - and an investment in Canon's world famous EOS family of lenses, bodies and accessories used by more pro photographers than any other brand (and for good reason, may I add).

I bought the Elan-IIE together with the standard EOS 75-300 and 28-80 USM (Ultrasonic) lenses in September 1998 and haven't looked back since. The camera has been flawless in every exrecise I've put it through (and living in Africa with a travel bug in my bonnett, you can bet there were many). I've only used two replacement batteries so far for well over 2000 shots - not a bad return considering I'm not shy with the flash. I've also bought the battery pack for the Elan-IIE (a must buy for the serious photographer), but haven't had much use for its extra capacity or AA-battery support as yet.

Although the Elan-IIE features Eye Control focusing, I've rarely used this feature, and find the camera's three-point autofocus system (set to manually select the centre focus point) more than efficient for most situations. I've also found the camera's exposure settings extremely accurate, even in difficult lighting conditions, although a spot meter or the EOS 3's advanced exposure settings would come in handy for the more serious enthusiast.

Regard the Elan-IIE as your ticket to Canon's photo family and you won't be dissapointed. Just make sure you invest in quality glass (Ultrasonic or a similar technology from 3rd party manufacturers is a must) and even when you upgrade one day to the latest and greatest EOS body, the Elan-IIE will stay with you as your backup of choice.

I've owned my Elan IIe for about 4 years, and love it. Although it's been upgraded to the Elan 7e, I see no need. The IIe has such distinct features and ease of use, I haven't used another camera that compares. Excellent construction, and very durable.

I bought this camera specially for learning professional photography, the Canon EOS Rebel G Date gave me more than I expected. Its light weight body and comfortable design makes it ideal for holding steady in those low shutter speed shots and overall carrying, my first roll was amazing! the colors were vivid and the subjects very sharp, I couldn't believe a beginner like me took those proffesional-looking pictures so easily. I definitively recommend the Canon EOS Rebel G

After years of fooling with ditagal camaras I desided to go back to the basics. I owned one of these a few years ago, but I gave it away to my Father when I bought a new ditagal. My pictures were never the same so I went back to SLR with this great camara. Right away, there was a huge diffrence. It is even better the second time around.
My only complant is the flimsy tripode, but luckly I had an old one. I recomend this for anyone wheater you are a newbie or a pro.
Great camara. Don't wait! Buy it now.

If you are buying a SLR for the first time and want to play around and with less money this is a sure bet! I have it for 4 years and it has taught me very valuable lessons. I now use it as an extra camera body since I got my EOS 3 2 years back.
Rebel is tough and light. Once I had the whole camera drenched with water in a storm that dumped an inch of water in an hour. I though my camera will be usless. Well all I did was kept it in sun for a week and its functioning well! No problems at all.

Rebel may not have all the bells and whistles that a professional camera might havet but it does a very good job.
Invest in a good lens also with the camera this will be useful to get some awesome photos.

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.

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.

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.

I have a mixed review of this camera since i bought it about 8 months ago. Over all the technology for the price you get in this camera is great, with the exception of the Auto Focus (AF). When used in manual, you can get great pictures with this camera, but then you can get good pictures with any camera that works in manual, if you know what your doing. So the real issue is how good the AF works, which is how you end up taking 80% of your shots anyways. The AF on the Minolta HTsi Plus has some problems. One, it is a little slow to focus. I tried the Canon Rebel in the camera shop after I bought this camera and found the AF to be much faster. Two, this camera seems to have some serious exposure problems in AF. It never quite gets the exposure right. For example outside shots look bleached out more often then not, even when you try to light meter off the brightest spot first. Also, the contrast in color seems to always come out weak with this camera. I am not sure how much of this is the camera's fault or lens's fault as film also plays a role here, but pictures defiantly come out color poor. I have used a number of different films with this and they all come out color poor.

Over all the technology in this Camera is good -AF so if you always use manual, this camera is good for that. But if you think you are going to do some percentage of point and shot with this camera, I would look elsewhere. If i had to do it over, I would have spent a little more and got the Canon Rebel.

I purchased a Minolta HTsi Plus camera in October 2000 and have shot an average of two rolls of film per week with this camera since then. I have nothing but praise for this camera. The HTsi Plus has never failed me in any way. I suggest you buy the body only. Don't spend money on a 28-80 lens that may come in some camera kits; rather put that money into a lens that gives you much more flexibility, like a 28-200 lens. I use Sigma 28-200 and 70-300 auto focus lenses, and I can report nothing but satisfaction, reliability, and ease of use. I had considered purchasing a more expensive SLR camera, but today I am pleased I did not, for this camera is perfect for me, an experienced but amateur photographer. I have had loads of fun with this camera and taken hundreds of wonderful photos. I recommend the Minolta HTsi Plus without hesitation or qualification.

I went from a point and shoot camera to this one and I love it! In plain English, I can set the f-stop, set how long the shutter stays open, take two pictures in the same frame, take continuous shots, and exposure bracketing lets me set the meter then it takes three shots: the one I set, 1/2 stop under and 1/2 stop over. Plus, in the five program modes I just press a button to select which mode (macro, night, landscape, etc.) and it automatically knows where to focus for the kind of picture I want. Just about all the features of a full manual camera, yet I just press the P button and it goes right back to full-auto point and shoot mode. With 400 speed film I've taken excellent pictures in almost no light in the night mode.

As far as I can tell it lacks only two features: it doesn't time-date stamp and there is no panoramic mode. Also, the infra-red sensor on the front of the camera is apparently for the auto-focus, not for a remote/remote shutter capability, as I was told when I bought it. A remote shutter release cord is available for this camera... (Minolta part # RC1000L for the 16ft and RC1000S for the 15in.)

I bought my HTsi Plus in a camera shop and paid... more for it, so you can't go wrong getting it here.

Two camera stores advised against this neat little EOS IX camera because of the APS format. Film size, fuzzy prints, etc. were according to them the drawbacks. They were ready to sell me a 35mm. I don't know what caused me to ignore them, and purchased the EOS IX anyway for our trip to Tahiti. We shot 14 rolls of film, and I came to totally love the APS format - the variety of options in print shapes. After I got used to the great variety of functions (I do not use the full-automatic function), it was an absolute joy to work with this camera. The light weight is a definite plus on a vacation. I purchased a 100-300 mm lens to go with it. The photos we made are our pride and joy. Be sure, however, to have them developed by Kodak! I had to have my entire set re-developed after a fiasco with an in-house developer. (I got my money back.) The only reason why I do not give this camera 5 stars is that I feel the built-in flash is inadequate. I purchased another flash attachment. Otherwise, I highly recommend this camera for the vacation photographer who wants to venture beyond the 'point-and-shoot' little 'box-cameras-for-dummies!'

I started "shooting" for fun and profit three years ago with a fully manual 35mm camera that I'd purchased at a used camera shop just prior to a business/pleasure trip to NYC. Though I enjoyed the creativity and quality of pictures I was able to produce with my minolta, over time it became cumbersome to lug the fully-loaded camera case with heavy lenses. Being fully manual, it was also difficult to get spontaneous or action shots. After a disasterous attempt to photograph elephant seals on a windy beach, I decided to look into a lighter, easier camera that still offered top-quality lenses and APS film benefits. My Canon EOS IX Lite definately fits the bill when I'm traveling or photgraphing my kids. It's lightweight, fully functional and easy to use. I'd like to add a lens, and it probably needs the optional flash attachment. The built in flash is fine for snapshots.
I gave the camera a four star rating because I'm accustomed to the quality of photographs I get with the old, manual 35mm. Even though the quality of photos from the EOS IX Lite hasn't been the same, I'm not unhappy with what I've seen so far.

...I have the choice of all the Canon EOS lenses to use and 2700 dpi images for use in digital photography in combination with a Canon film scanner. The only draw back is that the film must be developed first.

The film scanner can make digital images that can be written to an inexpensive CD. The images are magazine quality. You can scan an entire roll of film in less than five minutes and write them with a high speed CD/RW in another five minutes. The APS format dramatically saves scanning time.

Also, I would suggest using an upgraded flash that is specifically designed to work with this unit.

Have fun.