Wildlife Photography by Stefan Ekernas - Nature Galleries and Fine Art Prints from North America and Africa

	Canon Digital Rebel 300D Review I've been using Canon's Digital Rebel (300D) for over two years and have taken about 40,000 pictures with it. The camera was released back in August 2003, and the model is now two generations out of date. A lot of the issues that I have with this model have been addressed with the newer generation cameras (the Digital Rebel XT 350D and more recently the Digital Rebel XTi 400D), but the newer generations have their own issues. In summary, the 300D is a pretty good starter-level SLR camera, and at this point a tremendously good deal for a used one - they run for about $300 on eBay. Its main drawback is that it is not good for action shooting: it has neither continuous focus autofocusing (AI servo), it shoots at a mere 2.5 frames per second, and it has a pathetically small frame buffer of only 4 jpg's. Even when I'm shooting portraits or slow-moving wildlife, I've missed more shots than I care to think about waiting for the buffer to clear so I can take the next picture. Moving subjects are also almost completely out of the picture, even slow-moving ones such as leisurely-swimming alligators. In addition, I refuse to use it at ISO's higher than 400 except in the most dire situations because I find the noise levels unacceptably high at 800 and 1600. That said, there really are a lot of strengths with the camera. Pictures at lower ISO's look tremendous; they're sharp and super smooth at ISO 100 and 200. "Purple fringing" can be a problem at times, but if you avoid taking pictures with bright white overcast sky as your background (which you generally want to avoid in any case) it doesn't really come into play. I find the ergonomics quite pleasing, and it fits in my hand much better than the 350D or 400D, both of which are considerably smaller. The Digital Rebel's body is made of plastic, however, and doesn't feel nearly as sturdy as the Canon 20D or 30D, though those cameras also cost considerably more at around $1000. Canon did not include many vital features on the 300D, including flash exposure compensation and mirror lock up, which can be critical. Fortunately some computer nerds managed to unlock these and many other features if you install a certain hackware. The Canon Digital Rebel is best suited for people looking to focus on landscape or people (non-sports) photography, where speed is not a necessity and where you can afford lower shutter speeds and therefore low ISO. Even for beginning wildlife photographers the camera performs adequately, though the newer Digital Rebel models (350D and 400D) are a better fit. If you are looking to buy your first SLR, however, this is one of the best values you can find. Just don't expect to stay with it for too many years, as you will probably outgrow it. except through the Sports Mode, when it essentially becomes a point-and-shoot since you lose the ability to set ISO, aperture or shutter speed. Choose what you want to see:

Canon Digital Rebel 300D Review

I've been using Canon's Digital Rebel (300D) for over two years and have taken about 40,000 pictures with it. The camera was released back in August 2003, and the model is now two generations out of date. A lot of the issues that I have with this model have been addressed with the newer generation cameras (the Digital Rebel XT 350D and more recently the Digital Rebel XTi 400D), but the newer generations have their own issues.

In summary, the 300D is a pretty good starter-level SLR camera, and at this point a tremendously good deal for a used one - they run for about $300 on eBay. Its main drawback is that it is not good for action shooting: it has neither continuous focus autofocusing (AI servo)**, it shoots at a mere 2.5 frames per second, and it has a pathetically small frame buffer of only 4 jpg's. Even when I'm shooting portraits or slow-moving wildlife, I've missed more shots than I care to think about waiting for the buffer to clear so I can take the next picture. Moving subjects are also almost completely out of the picture, even slow-moving ones such as leisurely-swimming alligators. In addition, I refuse to use it at ISO's higher than 400 except in the most dire situations because I find the noise levels unacceptably high at 800 and 1600.

That said, there really are a lot of strengths with the camera. Pictures at lower ISO's look tremendous; they're sharp and super smooth at ISO 100 and 200. "Purple fringing" can be a problem at times, but if you avoid taking pictures with bright white overcast sky as your background (which you generally want to avoid in any case) it doesn't really come into play. I find the ergonomics quite pleasing, and it fits in my hand much better than the 350D or 400D, both of which are considerably smaller. The Digital Rebel's body is made of plastic, however, and doesn't feel nearly as sturdy as the Canon 20D or 30D, though those cameras also cost considerably more at around $1000.

Canon did not include many vital features on the 300D, including flash exposure compensation and mirror lock up, which can be critical. Fortunately some computer nerds managed to unlock these and many other features if you install a certain hackware.

The Canon Digital Rebel is best suited for people looking to focus on landscape or people (non-sports) photography, where speed is not a necessity and where you can afford lower shutter speeds and therefore low ISO. Even for beginning wildlife photographers the camera performs adequately, though the newer Digital Rebel models (350D and 400D) are a better fit. If you are looking to buy your first SLR, however, this is one of the best values you can find. Just don't expect to stay with it for too many years, as you will probably outgrow it.

**except through the Sports Mode, when it essentially becomes a point-and-shoot since you lose the ability to set ISO, aperture or shutter speed.

Choose what you want to see: