Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.50 of 5,
2 votes

Price Paid:  $800.00 from Dell

Summary:
I bought this camera when first starting out in photography. WIthin a few months it started back-focusing. It was repaired, but I've taken it in 3 more times after that. It works great in between these little issues I've had.

Strengths:
Great price. Light weight. Good for starting out.

Weaknesses:
BACK-FOCUSING.

jason76

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.00 of 5,
2 votes

Price Paid:  $999.00 from Best Buy

Summary:
My wife purchased this camera about a year ago. For the price that we paid at the time, I am not very happy with the overall product. It takes fairly decent pictures, but the stock lens is crap. We take very good care of the camera and lens, but now the lens sticks in certain areas. Looking through the sight glass is fuzzy most of the time. We had it cleaned and it is still like that. I would suggest that you purchase a new lense if you are going to get this camera.

THe picture quality is pretty good, but like I said, for the price I am expecting more. Now I know this camera has gone down in price considerably but I dont think I would pay the 600 or whatever it is going for now.

Strengths:
Pretty good quality pictures.

Weaknesses:
Cheap lens, price.

Similar Products Used:
None

jsmith75

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
1 votes

Price Paid:  $700.00 from B&H Photo Video

Summary:
This is my first DSLR purchase and I don't have anything to really compare it to. I use it mainly for nature photography and my wife uses it for taking pictures of church events.
The picture quality is very good in all conditions with the kit lens, I am also using a Tamrom 75-300mm LD Macro lens with it and have had some success in taking photos of eagles. I have also taken time exposures at night of lightning and landscapes with very little noise.
I find the 3fps burst mode works well when taking sport photos. We have some photos from a softball game that came out very sharp.

I have had one minor issue with the camera with the view screen. It looks like it is held in with a couple of spring clips and the screen gets tilted slightly. I use the AF point a lot to align the horizon and on one outing I had to adjust the angle of every photo in Photoshop.

The stock battery life is very good. I can usually fill up a 1gb card with a single charge using the flash about 25% of the time.

Strengths:
Good Picture Quality
Lightweight
Low noise on time exposures

Weaknesses:
Small grip for my big meaty hands.
View finder screen not secured.
Canon needs to put IS in the camera body like everyone else!

Similar Products Used:
Closest thing is a Konica Minolta Dimage A2 which is a DSLR type. The Rebel definitley outclasses this except for Image stabilization.

Customer Service:
none needed yet.

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
1.67 of 5,
6 votes

Price Paid:  $800.00

Summary:
I have waited three years to purchase this camera. When I finally saved enough I was sooooo excited to get this camera, almost like a kid at Christmas! Imagine my disappointment when after FIVE months and two trips back to the factory repair center I am STILL unable to get a clear photo!! I am sooooo disappointed not only in the camera, but also in the customer service I have recieved from the Canon company. Prior to purchasing this camera I read alot of reviews. I am totally disgusted and unimpressed with the whole experience. If I knew then what I know now I would NOT buy this product again. And if asked...I will encourage others to not purchase it either. Customer service is basically non-exisitent.

Strengths:
who knows...

Weaknesses:
POOR quality photos.

HORRIBLE customer service.

Similar Products Used:
Minolta Dimage
Olympus
Canon 35mm

Customer Service:
Ha ha ha...this has probably been the biggest disappointment. AFter the camera returned from the first return, and I realized it was not repaired I thought Canon, being the reputable company they profess to be, they would replace my defective camera with a new one. After all I had only owned the camera two months and had yet to shoot a clear picture. Needless to say, that did not occur. I sent not just he camera body for repair buy also the two lenses. AFter three weeks the camera and one lens returned and then a month later and three or four calls later, I got the second lens. I have taken over 140 pictures in the last week, mostly during the Christmas holidays...and not one was clear. What a disappointment. And the lack of concern by Canon leads me to think that they really are not the reputable company I had once believed they were. I will call first thing Tuesday morning and start the whole nightmare again....

Good Luck!

raddy1

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Price Paid:  $699.00 from B and H Photo

Summary:
Basically a great step up for me... I loved the convienience of my digital point and shoot (Canon A520), and I loved the control and build of my Manual film SLR (Pentax P3). I needed something with a Canon or Nikon mount, with 6 MP or more, 3fps, black color, with good high ISO capability, all for under $900. I found it in the form of the Canon Rebel XT... I don't understand why the Nikon D70s kit STILL costs $1K. Probably just for the build quality. But that was my second choice.
However I chose the Canon for better high ISO performance (and low ISOs too - the D70s STARTS at ISO 200), as well as the fact that my friend has a good deal of Canon lenses and experience with Canon.
SUCH an amazing step up... firstly in terms of speed... 0.2 sec startup time, and 3fps shooting, and when combined with my Sandisk Extreme III 1 GB card, despite having a smaller buffer than the D70s, still shoots fast and for a long time.
the camera's performance at ISO 1600 is stunning, especially for the low cost. I use ISO 1600 and 800 maybe half the time I shoot now. I can't wait to see the low-light performance one i have my 50mm f1.8.
I do have a few complaints. The size... is a bit small, although it does fit in my camera bag nicely that way. Pressing the ISO, WB, AF, Metering mode buttons makes you go into a menu, when you should just be able to hold down the button, twirl the command dial, and be done with it.
However, overall, this is an EXCELLENT value, as well as a very solidly built, very well performing camera.

Strengths:
3 frames per second.
Awesome ISO 1600.
Canon EF + EF-S lens compatability.
Solid feel despite size.

Weaknesses:
Pressing the ISO, WB, AF, Metering mode buttons makes you go into a menu?? Stupid.
A bit small.
Kit lens has bad manual focusing, and bad low light performance. Also, noticable barrel distortion at 18mm, and noticable pincushion distortion at 55mm.
Battery life is not too good.

Similar Products Used:
This is my first DSLR.

Customer Service:
I haven't found any serious problems yet... so I haven't need customer service.