Are Canon 300D's any good?

[KITT]

I hope I'm not opening a can of worms, but I notice that Dixon's are offering them with a 18-55mm lens for £500. I've been dieing to get hold of a digital SLR but don't have loads of spare £££.

I'm an SLR newby, so don't really know that much about all the various settings, but would love to learn :D Is the 300D suitable? Or will I soon find it's not up to the job and need to upgrade?

Also, I like taking pics at motorsport events and currently use a Fuji point'n'shoot with a 6X optical zoom. I guess this would mean I need an additional telephoto lens (200mm?). How good are the options with the Canon?

Sorry for all the questions, but any advice would be much appreciated :)

[anonymous-user]

Kitt

The camera is fine. It's more about the photographer and the use of appropriate lenses that will dictate how "good" the pics are.

You might want to check out the canon digital photography forum at http://photography-on-the.net/forum/

[simpo two]

Clud, where are you? 406 - scramble!!

[Phil S]

I found my 300D very good, there are several sets of pictures on my website taken with the 300D, have a look at the Nurburgring shots to see what a novice can do with it

[agent006]

I'd go longer than 200mm for motorsport. My 200 is regularly too short unless i can get really close.

[kikiturbo]

i find the quality good, especially considering the price it can be found for... some of the lenses included in some of the kits are crap though...

but I find the camera slow to use, and controls on the back are pretty slow.. I also have a D60 (old professional cannon model with an almost identical chip) and that one is really easy and quick to use..

getting a fast CF clard (like 60x or even 80x) gives noticable boost to shooting speed, although on 300 D you can get the buffer full....

also, generally speaking, I find the AF on both 300d and D60 too slow, it has cost me many shots.. people tell me it takes getting used to but I think it is no good..

also, I found that some fixed focus lenses work great with those cameras... like 17 mm Tamron or 28 mm sigma.. much sharper obviously than most zooms..

cheers

vlado

[anonymous-user]

I love my 300D. I do, of course, hanker after a 1 series body, but for now the 300D is fine. And that's my opinion having paid a more than double the pice you're considering.

For motorsport I started off with a 70-300mm Sigma lens that was dirt cheap (£99 or something) and while the pics I got with that aren't ever going to set the world alight, I got a couple of nice ones at the Goodwood Revival Festival last year that I have on my wall. Better lenses and more practice can only help.

[tinman0]

Bought a 300D a few weeks ago and it does what it says on the box. Its a very capable camera and well worth the money.

A good CF card is a must though.

[anonymous-user]

These were taken on a 300D

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=182882&f=109&h=0

I think it is best to spend more on a decent lens.

My father has just bought a Canon 75-300 lens (around £180 IIRC). He wasn't impressed so has taken it back.

The ones on the link were taken using a 100-400 L IS lens. Around a grand but a very good lens.

[chris.mapey]

simpo two said:

Clud, where are you? 406 - scramble!!

What was that crashing noise....

I have just joined the Clud.

My D70, with the 18-70 lens, has just cost me £594 (after the Nikon chequeback) from Jessops in Ipswich - the price matched a web deal.

I love it - it feels a bit more substantial to me than the 300d - the only thing to do is try 'em both back to back.

Have fun whichever you choose.

Best regards

Chris

[simpo two]

chris.mapey said:

the only thing to do is try 'em both back to back.

But then you'll get photos looking in opposite directions...

[KITT]

chris.mapey said:

My D70, with the 18-70 lens, has just cost me £594 (after the Nikon chequeback) from Jessops in Ipswich - the price matched a web deal.

I didn't realise there was a cashback offer on the D70. That would actually make it the same price as the 300D if I purchased one here:

www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/40214/art/nikon/d70-af-s-dx-18-70mm-f-3-5.html?srcid=36#fichetechnique

Offer's only on till 19th June though:

www.nikon.co.uk/d70cashback/

Decisions decisions.....

[-DeaDLocK-]

KITT said:

Decisions decisions.....

Between the 300D and D70? The Nikon, no question. If for nothing else than the FAR superior bundled lens. Bigger body (fills your hand more). Much faster booting and shooting. Spot metering. More technically advanced metering. Downsides are lack of ISO 100 and a very marginal lack of sharpness when compared to the Canon.

The 350D on the other hand would sway things a bit more to the other side, but they STILL give you a turd lens.

[KITT]

-DeaDLocK- said:

Much faster booting and shooting.

What's the startup time for both of them? This is one thing that annoys me about my Fuji; it takes a few seconds before you can take a pic, by which time the subject is sometimes gone.

Anyone ordered from Pixmania? I'm a little concerned by the spec sheet:

Manual provided in French- the manual can be exchanged for the English version with Nikon in Japan: Click here , offer subject to availability

I'm guessing the camera's not UK spec then? And thus may not be eligible for the cashback offer?

[bobs4c]

The only "problem" with the 300D (as far as I know) is that it has been replaced by the 350D. Consequently, it is becoming increasingly difficult to source a 300D - most places being out of stock. I bought a 350D rather than the Nikon simply because I had bought a couple of lenses for my Canon film SLR, which can be used on the digital model.
They are all very good, but some find the 350D a bit small.
Technology is moving so fast that I agree with the earlier comment that it is better to spend the money on decent lenses.
Bob

[agent006]

-DeaDLocK- said:

KITT said: Decisions decisions..... Between the 300D and D70? The Nikon, no question. If for nothing else than the FAR superior bundled lens. Bigger body (fills your hand more). Much faster booting and shooting. Spot metering. More technically advanced metering. Downsides are lack of ISO 100 and a very marginal lack of sharpness when compared to the Canon. The 350D on the other hand would sway things a bit more to the other side, but they STILL give you a turd lens.

I'd agree. The D70 is better than the 300d in just about every way.
If you're going to go with canon, look around for any 2nd hand 10d units. I'll probably be replacing my d30 with one fairly soon.

[chris.mapey]

KITT said:

-DeaDLocK- said: Much faster booting and shooting. What's the startup time for both of them? This is one thing that annoys me about my Fuji; it takes a few seconds before you can take a pic, by which time the subject is sometimes gone.

The Nikon is "like greased weasel sh1t!" compared to my old Pentax compact.

No problems, less than a second (ie by the time the camera is at your eye its ready) from flipping the switch to taking the picture.

Hope that helps

Chris

[406]

STAY AWAY FROM THE DARK SIDE.

Buy a NIKON D70, you know it makes sense and then you can have one of these but without the Red line



If you go to the Dark Side, you wont get one of these

[KITT]

So Canon=Chav and Nikon=dyslexic Well, I can't spell either so perhaps the Nikon's a better bet

Seriously though, I think I need to go and check them out for myself before deciding which to buy.

Going back to my earlier post, has anyone ordered from Pixmania? I'm a little concerned that the manual is French. Will it be a UK spec one and is it still eligible for the cashback offer?

[anonymous-user]

Most aviation photographers use Canons.

Saw loads of 300Ds at Southend the other day.