The Canon 350D - now over three years old, still worth buying? Oct '08 (Canon EOS 350D)

Member Name: foz101

Product:	Canon EOS 350D
Date:	15/10/08 (174 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent starter D-SLR, good quality, well priced now too.

Disadvantages: Very average kit lens, small LCD screen

The Canon EOS 350D was first released in 2005 and, as the advancement of technology dictates, is now getting rather dated in the new D-SLR camera market. Despite this, it is still a camera worth buying. It is difficult to find a brand new 350D for sale as newer models take priority in most shops, but there are many mint condition used or refurbished examples available online and you should be paying around £200 - £300 for it (including the kit 18-55mm lens).

As for the camera itself, it is an ideal purchase for the photographer who wants to take the leap from the 35mm SLR film camera, as well as someone who wants more than they can get from a simple 'point and shoot' camera. To some, the array of buttons and controls can be daunting, but the manual explains the controls and functions very well and allows you to find a setting you are comfortable with before exploring some of the more advanced settings.

The camera body is fairly light compared to other DSLRs with all buttons and dials easily to hand, although the LCD screen is on the small side compared to newer models. The 18-55mm kit lens is also fairly light and easy to use, although I would recommend considering using a couple of better quality lenses more suited to your style of photography. Perhaps a wide-angle 10-22mm combined with a 70-300mm zoom lens, or the new Canon 18-200mm to cover the whole range. Lenses hold their value very well, and are an excellent investment, especially if they are well looked after!

It has a rechargeable Lithium-Ion battery which has an excellent run time and it takes most high-capacity high-speed CompactFlash memory cards on the market. It has a 'hot shoe' fitting to add a seperate flash although the standard popup flash built into the camera will usually suffice for snapshots.

In times where cameras are advertised as 'the more megapixels the better', the 350D is probably wrongly overlooked as too old to upgrade to. As with any DSLR, the novice user should read up on how cameras 'work' and perhaps buy a camera magazine or two for additional information.

Overall. this camera is very capable of taking excellent pictures and at the right price, especially when combined with the right kit and the right user!

Summary: A good quality camera that still holds its own in a fast-advancing market.

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