350D (Digital Rebel XT in the US) is Canon’s low-end SLR, competing first of all with Nikon D50. I won’t compare the two, since I haven’t had the chance to use the D50, but I would like to give my impressions of Canon 350D after having used the camera for a few months.
First of all, I want to share the most important lesson I learned when buying a new camera: Test the camera in person! I read tons of reviews online, looked at sample photos taken with different cameras, and did all the research I could before choosing a camera. The only thing I didn’t do was to go downtown to a photo store, and just hold the different cameras in my hand to see how they felt. Biggest mistake ever. No matter how good the technical specifications for a camera may look, the feel of the camera in your hand is very very important. I wish I had tested the 350D properly before buying it, because the biggest problem I have with it is the size, so let’s start the review there:
1. Size
The 350 is a small camera, at 12.7 cm x 6.4 cm x 9.4 cm, weighing 724 grams with battery, CF, and the lens that comes with the camera. When I bought the camera, I considered the small size a pro, but having used it for a while I’ve completely changed my mind.
Initially I thought that with a smaller camera it would be easier to just bring the camera with me.. good thinking.. An SLR is not a pocket camera, so even if the 350D is rather small, it’s still not a camera that you can put in your pocket and bring to a party.
The biggest problem with the small size is actually the hand grip. The camera just doesn’t seem to fit properly in my hand, making it a bit uncomfortable to use.
Conclusion: go to a store and test the camera before buying it online, make sure it fits properly in your hand.
2. Menus/design
Not much to be said here, I quite like the design of the 350D, it’s small and pretty and looks like a professional camera.
The menus are easy to use and understand, and most of the controls are placed in a logical and easy to reach place. However, using the camera in manual mode can be quite a challenge, mainly because of a weird design decision. There is a turning dial on top of the camera that you should operate with your index finger when setting aperture and shutter speed in full manual mode. The problem I encountered was that the modifier key I had to press to switch the behaviour of the turning dial was impossible to reach when holding the camera in “ready to shoot” position. For me, this meant that full manual mode was out of the question when shooting free hand. From a tripod, I guess it would work better.
3. Speed
When using a digital SLR, you need the camera to power on quickly so that you don’t miss a shot because you were waiting for the camera to turn on. You also want it to focus quickly when using autofocus, and to have little or no shutter delay after pressing the button. For all these things, the 350D is perfect as far as I’m concerned.
4. Lens
I bought a package deal of the 350D, which means I got an EF-S 18-55 lens with the camera. This must be one of the cheapest lenses on the market since they can ship it with their cameras for almost no addition to the price, and this really shows in the quality of the lens.
For an amateur photographer like myself, the quality of the photos with this lens is not so bad, my problem with this lens is that it feels like the lens of a toy camera. When going to full zoom, the lens feels smooth enough until you reach about 80% of max zoom. Suddenly it feels like there’s sandpaper inside the lens, making it really hard to twist any further.
5. Conclusion
If you’re buying a digital SLR, do yourself a favor and test different cameras properly before you buy one. With cameras, size really does matter, so you should make sure the camera is the right size for you (no pun intended).
Personally, I’m not convinced by the Canon 350D, and will return it to the store. I have decided to wait a bit, and save up to buy a new camera when I’ve saved up enough money to have a wider range of cameras to choose between. The Nikon D70 and the new Canon 30D are two options that come to mind.
If you’re a happy amateur photographer like myself, and just want a small camera to put in your backpack when going photohunting, I’m not saying the 350D is out of the question, but make sure you test it first, and whatever you do – don’t buy the camera with the default lens. Get the camera without a lens, and purchase a decent lens separately instead.
Just another tip you might want to think about when you buy a camera, think about how you want to use it. Me, I like to \”shoot on the move\”, and for that you need an image-stabilized model. \r\n\r\nMy preference so far is the Minolta 7D, along with some superb conventional anti-shake lenses, nice and easy comprehended menu\’s, this camera is for my use a close to perfect cameras.
Definitely a good tip. I\’ll add the Minolta to my list of cameras to test before buying a new one.
Canon 10D eller 20D… meeget bra… hatt 10D i 3 Ã¥r og oppgradert til 20D nu nettopp… sitt veldig godt i hÃ¥nda… gi gass:) anbefales pÃ¥ det sterkeste. \r\n\r\nPeace out form the rettsia av Istind
Feilsida av Istind ja?
\r\n\r\nRohny var visst veldig fornøyd med det gamle kameraet ditt også, så du skal ikke se bort fra at jeg kommer til å teste Canon igjen, men da enten 20D eller 30D 
There is a very simple solution for the size: Buy a battery grip. Better grip and better battery capacity all in one neat package!
Yes, I agree that the battery grip would solve parts of the problem