Auto functions are easy enough to use; but there are almost too many bells and whistles on this camera to remember. Sometimes the LCD displays don't stay lit long enough for beginners like me to make adjustments in time before they disappear. I agree that the built in flash is vitually worthless - you absolutely need an additional flash unit.

Beware when taking photos with infrared film in this camera. The body is not light tight enough for this extremely sensitive film. You may get a light leak, and ruin a whole roll of film. This has not been just my own experience, but the experience of a friend with the Canon Rebel as well. Test it first; you may have to take infrared shots with an alternate camera.

Good overall; I probably would chose a diffent camera next time, though.

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Pentax K1000

light weight, easy to use

Metering unpredictable, useless built in flash, bad build

I paid $500 about a year ago for the body with 28-80 & 80-200 zooms with a bag & a cheap stand.
Though I am a beginner, i can definitely say these:
Works well in bright outdoors. Otherwise, the metering is useless. Even after a year of using it I am not able to tell how the camera evaluates the light. Using the flash for fill in results in overexposed subjects. The build is bad, the plastic has become loose & noisy with moderate handling(i havent dropped it or anything!)
Bottomline, i wouldnt recommend it, save your money for something better.

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+ Affordable price
+ Fair auto-focus
+ Strong
+ Handy
+ Intelligent film loading
+ Lightweight

- Auto-focus gets wild sometimes
- You really don't need all the auto programs

This is a camera a beginner should buy. There are only few things to complain. The major thing is the auto focus that gets wild sometimes, especially when the object is moving quickly. Sometimes it may get wild even if the object is standing still. The other weakness is the amount of auto programs you really don't need. I've used mainly only P and M. But it's a great camera. I've used it in sports photography, people photography and nature photography. I still would recommend you a more silent camera for nature photography. 500N also has an intelligent film loading: the entire roll is wound on the take-up spool. Each time a picture is taken, the film advances back into the cartridge. This is a great feature, beacuse it saves most of the film even if someone opened the back door when the film is inside.

Customer Service

Never tried.

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Nikon F-90, Canon AE-1 Program

-lightweight
-

-everything!
-shutter speed malfunctions, when set at 1/2000 or any speed for that matter, as soon as shutter is depressed, it jumps to 1/90 so every picture is a blurred disaster!
-mirror lock
-thread already stripped from putting filters on, after only 7 months of very minimal filter changes.
-flashes cost more than the camera.

I have only had this camera for 7 months. Yes, it is "cheap", but yet, $300 is more than I wanted to "throw" out the window with this darn thing. The shutter speed has malfunctioned for 3 months, experience mirror lock ALL the time, now It's shooting "blanks"! Which I found out the hard way, shooting pictures at a friends wedding.(thank god they were just "for me" shots"). I am sooo disappointed in this camera and for someone who can't just run out and pay a couple more hundred dollars for a better camera, I am furious! I thought it would be a good buy, but NEVER again will I purchase from Canon. My money is hard earned. And poorly spent on this piece of junk!

Customer Service

Haven't been able to get a response, and dealer says "sorry" that is about all i can say.

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None

it is light weight & easy to use.

i haven't noticed any

I bought the rebel g about a year ago. Mainly because, I couldn't get good pictures of my youngest child or any close up. it has worked very well for me. i haven't had any problems with it, except the flash blinds every one. since i have had the camera i have taken alot more pictures. i have alot of fun with it.

Customer Service

haven't needed them

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nikon

Inexpensive
Lightweight
Great camera to use if you are taking a photography class and this is your first experience with a SLR camera.

Eyepiece falls off
No depth-of-view preview

I agree with the other reviewers that you should buy the body and not the lens which comes with the kit. The USM lenses are much better. I hear that this camera body is being phased out and is being replaced with Rebel 2000. This camera has given me many good pictures up until now. After 5 years, the camera has started developing shutter problems. I'll probably replace the camera with Rebel 2000 or get the Elan 7E. I have not decided yet.

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None

Lightweight
Cheap
Feature-packed for its price class(at the time of launch)

Utterly lousy kit lens(expected anyway)
Plastic Lens Mount
Limited features compared to Rebel 2000

My first body. Very satisfied with the weight and features, but feels a little cheap (and quite scarily flimsy) compared with the higher end cameras.

Great camera for casual shooters that want more control over the process of taking a photograph

Customer Service

No need for ir

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EOS 30

It's light weight and a pretty good camera for casual photography. I haven't tried the manual mode as yet.

The indoor pictures are not as good as the outdoor ones.

A pretty good camera for begginers

Customer Service

Didn't get a chance to try it.

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None

I used it to replace my old Yashica and Nikon units past repair. I had gotten a nice little Ricoh electronic, steel auto drive unit for my wife to use at birth of child for great no fuss shots. It died and we decided on the REBEL G because it gave her GREAT automatic shots and me plenty of variables for my interests. The addition of a Tamron 70-300 lens served beautifully on our trip throughout the Southwest USA last summer for 8000 miles. I've put better than 200 rolls of film thru this in about 20 months and my wife, 14 year old daughter and I have found a great product. My daughter is swiping it for her photo essay on mills of the Brandywine Valley and her trip this
summer to Scandanavia. I see plenty of the Rebels around and NOBODY looks unhappy or fumbling around to get apicture.

ZIP !! Good product todate.

Great little product with a great range of functions and flexability. Only wish would be for a little better flash but my Vivitar bounce helps here.

Customer Service

Zip de doo dah here too. None

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Nikons, Yashica, Pentax

my first auto slr... it's a decent all in one beginner camera.

needs depth of field prevue!

good camera for the beginner, several functions that someone who knows what aperture and shutter speed are would never need though. light meter is decent. a decent (beginner) camera at a decent price. the best feature of this product i would say is that if/when you get a better (cannon) body all the lenses can be swapped.

Customer Service

haven't had any problems

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none yet