Now I feel more at home (Canon EOS 350D)

Member Name: mgoldman

Product:	Canon EOS 350D
Date:	10/09/05 (862 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: It feels like an SLR, it takes pictures like an SLR, and it takes all of my cannon bits and pieces

Disadvantages: Bigger than point and shoot, no preview on LCD screen, still expensive compared to compacts.

A trip to the local Friern Barnet fair, where I could not get to the front of the audience did it for me. My usual Canon S50, which has served me faithfully for two years could not cope with the distance or framing, and I gave in. I cashed in my loyalty points from a credit card, and went to John Lewis, which has a deal, whilst not the best, is not the worst (and we are still arguing over 'never knowingly undersold'.

I have had two Canon film SLR's in the past, and if you have too, then things will feel familiar. The camera kit came with a fairly plasticy 19-55mm lens (equivalent to about 28-75 in old speak), and a 1GB CF card.
I chose the Canon EOS 350 over the Nikon D50 because:
I already had loads of compact flash cards, and in fact, you got a free 256Mb card by sending your serial number in as part of a special offer. The Nikon uses the more modern SD cards.
My Canon compatible Cosina and Tokina lenses were also compatible. I was told that if I had had a Sigma lens, that would have needed re-chipping.
My Canon batteries and charger were also compatible.
Whilst I like Nikon cameras, staying with Canon gave me more kit. Even my unused remote control from my old APS Ixus was compatible! (I may get round to using it now).

The camera is dead easy to get going, but some of the menus are non intuitive such as focus lock, and picture processing (what are they I might hear you ask?). In the general automatic zone, the camera sets the 'film speed', and I have found it coming out at about 100-400 asa. I therefore set the creative zone to 800 asa, and was amazed at how non-grainy the pictures have been. This is particularly good news if you like using polarizing filtes, which can knock two stops off the exposure. (Again, I had missed the polarizing filter with my compact camera).

Picture quality is good, but to my eyes some pictures are not as sharp as my compact. This is not a question of focus. This may be a characteristic of the camera, and is easily sorted out by using unsharp mask on processing. You are able to set the camera to product files in RAW format. This is something for professionals, and I cannot see myself using it. My 1Gb card, an picture setting one step off 'best' gives about 530 pictures to a card. I have not had to recharge the battery yet, but have only shot about 180 pictures, mostly without flash.

One feature that annoys me is the propensity for the camera to decide, sometimes suprisingly that flash is needed. In automatic zone, you can't turn it off, and unlike a compact, the flash is spring loaded and pops up. This can be disconcerting, as you think you have taken a picture and have not, in reality.

Do I regret spending the money? Absolutely not. I have got what I wanted. A return to the control and versatility of an SLR, and a price which I could just about swallow. The pictures are what I want, and unlike my film SLR, which was handicapped by the length and cost of 35mm film, and the graininess of fast films, this allows me to shoot load of pictures, and save the ones I like best. It is a quantum leap from a compact, and if you like taking pictures, have liked Canon stuff in the past, then this will hit the spot for you.

I cannot comment at this stage about reliability, but have not had problems with Canon in the past, in general.

Summary: A realisitcally priced digital SLR that will satisfy people who want more than a compact

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