75 replies to this topic

[Melonious Thunk]

How does the Rebel compare with the Canon D20, in your opinion. The D20 is 8 MPXL and is available for about $800, down from $1600.

[rockdoggydog]

The Rebel actually compares pretty favorably with the D20, same generation of processors and a lot of similarity. The 20D is actually 8.2 MP versus the XT at 8.0 MP, the firmware is also a little bit more advanced in the 20D and offers a few more options for manual shooting. The lenses are all the same, the 20D has better burst performance and can hold more shots in its shooting buffer when shooting in burst mode. If I remember correctly the 20D bursts at 5 FPS and the XT at 3 FPS, the 20D will hold 23 shots and the XT will hold 14 shots, though they burst for the same amount of time since the extra 2 FPS will eat that buffer up faster. They can both shoot in JPEG or RAW+JPEG and they both have the same B&W mode, though you'll never catch me shooting B&W digitally. For $800 you only get a body with the 20D, but for the same $800 you get a whole kit with the XT. I have been shooting with Canon for 15 years now and I think they made the right choice to go with CMOS sensors versus trying to further refine CCDs, I also like Canon glass a lot more than Nikon glass, and I'm just used to the layout. My other cameras are a Canon AE-1 and a Canon A620. I tried a Coolpix 4500 for a while and just gave up on it. Overall, I faced the same choice when I got my XT and I decided to go with that over the 20D since I wouldn't need to re-lens if I decided to upgrade later and it's a very good camera to start out on DSLR with IMO. (I'm not very humble. )

Rocky

[Lippy]

Be sure to let us know your decision!

[pim]

If you are really interested in playing around and doing more with dslr then I suggest the EOS 20D over the rebel. The Rebel series use their own special series of lens, and your choices there are much more limited than the 20D which uses more standard lens.

[rockdoggydog]

If you are really interested in playing around and doing more with dslr then I suggest the EOS 20D over the rebel. The Rebel series use their own special series of lens, and your choices there are much more limited than the 20D which uses more standard lens.

Rebel uses EF and EF-S lenses, EF lenses are the lenses that all Canon SLRs use, and the EF-S line was recently developed to be a digital specific lens system for Canon DSLRs that do not use full frame sensors, which are the Rebel, the 20D, and the new 30D - which will be replacing the 20D.

From the Canon website:

The EOS Digital Rebel XT is compatible with all Canon lenses in the EF lineup, ranging from ultra-wide-angle to super-telephoto lenses and including Canon's new EF-S series Lenses, manufactured specifically for the Digital Rebel series and the EOS 20D.

Rocky

[Melonious Thunk]

I am now interested in the new Olympus evolt e330. It has features that previous DSLRs do not. A live action view screen is the main one. All bets are now off until I examine this one.

[pim]

If you are really interested in playing around and doing more with dslr then I suggest the EOS 20D over the rebel. The Rebel series use their own special series of lens, and your choices there are much more limited than the 20D which uses more standard lens.

Rebel uses EF and EF-S lenses, EF lenses are the lenses that all Canon SLRs use, and the EF-S line was recently developed to be a digital specific lens system for Canon DSLRs that do not use full frame sensors, which are the Rebel, the 20D, and the new 30D - which will be replacing the 20D.

From the Canon website:

The EOS Digital Rebel XT is compatible with all Canon lenses in the EF lineup, ranging from ultra-wide-angle to super-telephoto lenses and including Canon's new EF-S series Lenses, manufactured specifically for the Digital Rebel series and the EOS 20D.

Rocky

oh, oops.

that'll learn me to listen to the hairy guy at the camera shop.

[tanabutler]

I am now interested in the new Olympus evolt e330. It has features that previous DSLRs do not. A live action view screen is the main one. All bets are now off until I examine this one.

My camera has one of those. It took a little getting used to, because it looks like a video, if you know what I mean. It was disconcerting to have the lifelong experience of looking into a camera and "seeing" out the lens transformed into something one degree removed from that.

It didn't take long to adjust to it, though, and it ensures that the picture I see in the lens is exactly what appears when I download it to my computer.

[Orik]

So what do I buy for a small (but good) cam for travel with a delay that won't annoy me too much? Leica?

[Peter Creasey]

So what do I buy for a small (but good) cam for travel with a delay that won't annoy me too much? Leica?

O, I have seen knowledgeable people warn against the Leica products as they are now just offshoots from the parent company and, thus, just living off their name for a while longer.

[Orik]

So what do I buy for a small (but good) cam for travel with a delay that won't annoy me too much? Leica?

O, I have seen knowledgeable people warn against the Leica products as they are now just offshoots from the parent company and, thus, just living off their name for a while longer.

Thanks. I played around with a Lumix dmc-fz8 recently and it was reasonably good, but a bit bigger than what I would like.

[Lippy]

Orik, have you looked at dPreview? In addition to extensive, detailed rev iews, there are forums for various cameras that discuss the pros and cons, with images.

[rancho_gordo]

I thought Pim was feeling her Leica, no?

[rancho_gordo]

Orik, have you looked at dPreview? In addition to extensive, detailed rev iews, there are forums for various cameras that discuss the pros and cons, with images.

Lippy, I was just wondering what is going to replace our Canon's. I love so many features and the quality. I don't want to do without the swivel LCD ever. But then I read this and the new model is basically a 10mp and in black.

My lens protector flaps get lazy and sometimes I have to flick them open.

[Lippy]

I'm not ready to change, but if I were, I'd look at PanasonicTZ3. I don't think the A630 and A 640 offer much more than the A610 and A620 they replaced. My primary needs are a 28mm equivalent lens (rahter than the 35mm on my A610) and a longer telephoto equivalent. At the same time, I need acceptable macro for photographing documents, all in a light weight camera small enough for me to carry everywhere. In the meantime, I'm still satisfied with my A610. If it had the 28mm equivalent, I wouldn't even be thinking of replacing it.

I've found that the lens cover gets stuck in humid weather, but it's a very minor issue. What I need ahead of a new camera is a slide scanner and a new printer, even an all-in-one if I can find one of adequate scanning capabilities.