Light and small. Has E-TTL flash.

A bit less robust than I would prefer.

This is a camera that I use at work. In my office we shoot slide film and our photography is for documentary purposes. We have the 35-80 zoom that came with the camera. For what we use it for, this is all the camera we need. It is rarely off Green square mode, and rarely used with a flash or indoors. The camera's operation and layout is similar to other EOS cameras, but it is clearly designed for the entry market in both its feature set and design. This is not a criticism of the camera, simply a statement of fact. It is a good value, and would be perfectly adequate for 90% of most amateur shooting situations. As with every camera system, it's the lens that makes the difference, and I would be a little leary of how well the camera would hold up with a plastic mount and a heavy 70-200 2.8L lens. Of course, if you were going to the trouble of buying such a lens, you probably wouldn't have a Rebel G anyway. If you own a Rebel G and want to buy or rent big glass, just be sure to support the weight by the lens, not the camera.

Customer Service

Not used

Similar Products Used:

Elan, Elan II

- Lightweight. I don't mind bringing it on backpacking excursions because it weighs so little
- Easy to learn for a beginner or casual user. Whell function and LCD screen easy to undersatand. Hardly needed to refer to user's manual

- Flash pops up sometimes when not needed or when wanting to take picture with camera tilted on its side. Only happens once camera is turned on. Does not repeat this afterwards
- Has trouble focusing once in a while with my larger zoom lens

This is my first SLR. Use to play around with my dad's old manual camera and manual cameras at work. Decided I wanted to step to an SLR, but didn't want to plunk down too muach cash. I am very pleased with this camera. It suits my needs for now because I still do basic photography. It has followed me all over the place: costa rican jungles, temperate forests in summer and winter, etc. Its standing up pretty well to the abuse its been getting. I have the original 28-80 lens that came with the camera and a Tamron 80-300. These lenses work great for me and my next buy will a 1.5x or a 2 x converter because I can't afford more powerful lenses.

User friendly
Great for close up shots
Light weight; even with battery pack

Built-in flash does not provide suffient light

I have used more than a thousand shot using this camera and so far it has not disappointed me. This is my first ever "expensive" camera I bought and I feel proud about it. I love taking close up shots with this camera. My friends envy me for my baby's photo album. I am even encouraged me to take this hobby seriously that's why I will be enrolling in a photography class to enhance my skills and technical know-how. Beginners like me should take serious look at this camera.

Customer Service

Not tried yet

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First ever camera owned

Nice camera, with enough features for a experienced photographer.

pop-up flash.

Don't complain about autofocus with this camera! You just have to buy a good USM lens in stead of the cheap lenses.

I have bought a seperate flash and the camera hardly uses any batteries. A have shot over 40 films with one set of batteries.

Customer Service

did not try it.

Similar Products Used:

Canon FT

simple, easy to use. Cheap but delivering pleasing photographs.

Consumes batteries quickly so you should get battery pack.

I have used this camera for over 4 years and I am quite pleased with it. I don't regret purchasing it at all. Obviously, built-in flash is not powerfull so you should get flash with swivel head (420EX - I purchased 380 EX). Once you get the flash, use bounce feature of white seling or of wall in vertical position. Bounce gives you more natural, 3-D effect and softer image. Battery pack is probably first thing you should get (25$). I had to buy next set of batteries probably after 10 rolls of film (24 exposures). Obviously, your rechargeable NI-MH batteries - cost around 11$ for 4 but you will not regret it. These batteries are powerful and can be recharged up to 1000 times. Best one have 1600 mAh capacity (Panasonic and Kodak). Rayovac has 1300 mAh capacity and Energizer has 1200 mAh capacity. I would go for Panasonic at BJ's for 13$ for 6 (best deal to my knowledge). Same batteries are used in my Canon 380 EX flash light. Don't use rechargeable alkalines because they don't give good results. I bought once rechargeable alkaline (Pure Energy at Walmart in Canada) batteries and it took 15s to charge the flash light. Then I got Rayovac alkaline rechargeable batteries and it took 6.8s to charge the flash-light. Once I got the NiMH (Rayovac), it takes only 4.8s to charge the flash light. Go and figure this out. Rechargeable alkaline batteries in battery pack did not work well either. I charged them then after shooting some pictures (not even one roll) it was showing that batteries are not full. These NiMH batteries have been tested in family radio, flash light and battery pack with great results. Get only this type of rechargeable batteries Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH). Also, I would suggest to get big universal battery recharger (Rayovac) at Walmart for 20$. It can charge all sizes of batteries (except 9V) and all types: NiCd, alkaline, NiMH. I got tired of having separate chargers for each type of batteries. I use Kodak Gold 100 film because I have powerful flash and I don't photograph sports. This film gives me good results and it costs 1.30$ per roll at Walmart (4pack for 5.20$). I used primarly 35-80mm lens (not USM). Then I purchased 22-55USM lens from Canon. I like wide angle lens even though is not the best. Tomorrow, I should get ultra-telephoto from Tamron AF 70-300mm LD (aparently same as Nikon 70-300m ED). It seems that Tamron makes this lens for Nikon. Tripod is good too. I shot some pictures of Montreal at night from Mount-Royal mountain and they look really good. Developing centers don't always make a good work developing pictures. This machine-only process quite often is screwed up. I had to go to K-Mart to get 66% of my pictures redone and it was much better (Kodak premium processing). Sometimes I wondered why I screwed up the picture and it turnes out that photo studio screwed up. I always wondered how in the world I could get underexposed (too dark) picture of subject 5-8 feet away with my powerful flash light. It is not camera, not film, not flash light but guys, who develop pictures. Redone pictures at K-Mart where much better then picture done first time. Studios can make pictures brighter/darker and even change color tones (sometimes skin looks yellow, purple). One time I made picture of Montreal at dusk from Mont-Royal mountain. The sky was grey but on the picture it was blue. It is not camera's fault. Camera is nice but there are more factors in getting good photographs. I suggest to get some introductory photography book when buying this camera. It is a waste of camera to use it just in automatic mode (this mode is quite important when photographing children becuse you don't have much time to prepare). Go for it. Canon makes very good cameras. I would rate Canon number one in cameras. I consider myself as a casual photographer. It is hard to rate just the camera because I would have to have best lenses to really see to what I can push this camera but I would not buy best lenses for this camera either (I would buy more expensive Canon camera). God bless you. I have to go sleep (work awaits tomorrow).

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None

-Even though it's plastic, it feels solid.
-Fast autofocus with 28-80 lens
-Can be used manually as well as with programmed modes, very easy!
-Lightweight

-Manual mode not easy to use as buttons are not easily reachable with my rather big hands.
-Mount ring is plastic, feels like when you change lenses often, it will wear out quickly. I don't know if this is true, just feels like it.

I have used it for a little over one year, mostly outdoor. Bought it because a friend of mine has the eos 300, which is about the same and I liked it. Only thing I don't really like is the feel of the lens but I'm planning to buy a 28-135 IS USM anyway. I don't understand all this people complaining about the plastic, as it feels sturdy enough to me. Dropped it already onto concrete from two meters, still works great. I would recommend a battery pack as batteries are quite expensive and in some countries not available at all. Would recommend the camera to any beginner or casual user and anyone wanting something better than a compact camera while not spending too much money.

Customer Service

Sent request for manual, got it the next week! Great service.

Similar Products Used:

Eos 300 w/sigma 28-200 lens, old praktica with 50mm lens,
some compact cameras(doesn't count).

light. Stable with battery pack (but then somewhat less on a tripod). Very accurate metering, slides rarely need bracketing.

Small and a bit dull viewfinder! Hard to manually focus with that.
Lacks features I would like to have now, such as depth of field control, mirror lockup, flash compensation. Bit noisy. Not weatherproof!

Good camera. Get the battery pack. I shot a f/16 exposure at 28mm but saw when clicking that it was 1/10 a second, but it turned out sharp.

I would like to do more macrophotography but then those features that lack on this camera will be very handy. I'm thinking of upgrading to a (semi) pro camera.

This camera got some rain on it and maybe condensation inside when I photographed a thunderstorm. The camera stopped working and came back to life after half a day.

I'm now used to the small and dull viewfinder, but I once looked through the viewfinder of a friend's camera, I believe it was a a Nikon F50, a similar model, and it was pleasantly bigger and brighter. Once again a reason to upgrade to a more pro camera. In that case this one is a good light second camera.

I need a camera that does not drain battery power when the shutter and mirror are open for a time exposure (lightning etc.). I know that at least the EOS 3 and 1v ($$$) have that, but for some reason I can't find official information about that anywhere.
Good beginners camera.

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Very lightweight; good AF and evaluative meter; program shift; great handling for the basic functions; astounding value ($210 including 28-80 USM lens)

Big ones: no depth of field preview so you have to use the A-DEP mode to find the aperture you need, and then manual or ae to compose and focus because the lens doesn't have a depth of field scale; no mirror lock up (no work around, just hope you don't get blur from the mirror bouncing on slow exposures; biggest weakness is the poor (about 90%) viewfinder coverage, especially annoying as I do almost exclusively slides and you can't crop stuff off the edges once you've composed the picture.
Smaller weaknesses: Canon should follow Nikon and put an ordinary cable release socket on the shutter button instead of making you buy a very expensive electronic remote; AEB is tricky to do; manual could be clearer on "advanced" functions.

Most of the weaknesses above are to do with the specification of the camera, and the fact it's a budget model. The best things this camera has going for it are that it won't get in the way of you taking good pictures, and that it is fabulously good value. It also handles well.
Overall, I can't give it a fantastic rating because at the end of the day it's a lowish spec camera, but what it does it does very very competently.

Customer Service

Never needed service
Leaflet hotline came back pretty quickly

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Canon A1 (swapped for this 500N);
Canon EOS620 (swapped for the A1) - AF technology is much lighter and faster now

Great camera for the price. The AF is slow in the dark. Flash isn't very good, but you cant expect much more. It is plastic but it does feel sturdy.

Nothing really for the price.

GREAT beginner camera! Amazing quality and value for the price.

Customer Service

N/A

Similar Products Used:

None

Excellent value, simple to use, generally takes good pictures.

Built-in flash is useless. Metering also seems problematic: indoor shots are consistently underexposed, even with ASA 400 or faster.

We bought our Rebel G four or five years ago. Generally we are very pleased with the outdoor photos we have taken with it. Despite the complains about the plastic body, it has proven very rugged. We have taken it for numerous hikes and camping trips and it has never failed us. Also, despite the complaints about the mount, we have been switching back and forth between the original 28-80 lens and a 100-300 that we bought later with no problem at all. About the only reservation I have about it is that so far it has done poorly indoors. This may partly be the fault of the built-in flash, it may also be the metering. Even with fast film (400 or 800) indoor shots come out underexposed too often, often in situations when friends with simple point-and-shoot cameras end up with fine pictures.

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None