Canon 300d opinions

donkey oatey

Hi photography forum! I've a friend who wants to get into photography (she uses a fully auto compact) and I've just seen a Canon 300d for €50. I'm a Nikon girl so the Canon world is a mystery. I read that with firmware upgrade it would unlock features making it more like a 10d?

Anyway, would this be a good learning camera or a waste of money?

Thanks for any feedback

AnCatDubh

donkey oatey wrote: »

Hi photography forum! I've a friend who wants to get into photography (she uses a fully auto compact) and I've just seen a Canon 300d for €50. I'm a Nikon girl so the Canon world is a mystery. I read that with firmware upgrade it would unlock features making it more like a 10d?

Anyway, would this be a good learning camera or a waste of money?

Thanks for any feedback

For €50 assuming in working order, and with reviews like this and for someone that wants to dip toe in the water of more advanced photography, I most certainly wouldn't let it pass me by. I often revert to my 'old' dSLR which is 6MPixel as its nice and tidy Like you i'm not a canon head so don't know about mods or firmware upgrades but purely on price i'd snap it up. If it remains a 300d as described in the DP review linked above then its happy days.

pixbyjohn

donkey oatey wrote: »

Hi photography forum! I've a friend who wants to get into photography (she uses a fully auto compact) and I've just seen a Canon 300d for €50. I'm a Nikon girl so the Canon world is a mystery. I read that with firmware upgrade it would unlock features making it more like a 10d?

Anyway, would this be a good learning camera or a waste of money?

Thanks for any feedback

Is there a lens with it also. If not you can pick up a 50mm lens for between 60 and a 100 euro making the camera a bargain still.

donkey oatey

@ancatdubh Thanks for the reassurance! I read the dpreview review (always my first stop) but wasn't sure how 2003 tech would compare to now tech.

@pixbyjohn There's no lens but I'm sure I'll find something. Silly question - what's the difference between ef and efs lenses? I know what you mean about the older tech - my bf has a d100 with grip and it takes some lovely photos but not so great in low light.

pixbyjohn

Ef lens are usually of better build and quality than ef-s. Also more expensive and EF lens can be used on full frame (35mm) cameras. For the 300D you will pick up a kit lens 18 to 55mm cheap on www.adverts.ie if you want a cheap zoom lens but the 50mm f.18 prime lens is probably a better buy.
Buy the camera and look for a cheap lens and see how it goes. Your friend next camera and lens will be a lot more expensive but at least he/she will have learned a lot from using the 300 if he/she stays with the hobby.
http://kwc.org/blog/archives/2006/2006-03-06.ef_versus_efs.html

AnCatDubh

donkey oatey wrote: »

@ancatdubh Thanks for the reassurance! I read the dpreview review (always my first stop) but wasn't sure how 2003 tech would compare to now tech.

Ah, it doesn't - however it was a cracker of a camera then (as per the dp review) and it still is a cracker of a camera albeit that technology has moved on. That's kinda what I was getting at with my comment on using my 'old' dSLR. Its still as good as the day it was bought and it is a cracker of a camera too although my newer dSLR may be technically better (more recent vintage).... but again, 50 yoyos is seriously something which you could take, try for a month then sell for €150 if you don't like it My guess is that they'll fall in love with it.

donkey oatey

Thanks again for your replies and explaining the difference between ef and efs lenses. I put an offer in on the camera and am now hunting for a cheap nifty fifty. My friend's going to be very impressed with her xmas present (I hope so I can enter smug mode!).

dermiek

EF-S lenses are designed to be used on a digital camera with an aps-c sensor. EF lenses can also be used on aps-c cameras. DO NOT try and use EF-S lenses on a full frame Canon camera e.g. film cameras, 5d, etc. as they will damage the mirror. As for quality, you can get crap lenses in ef and ef-s format.
Some ef-s lenses have the same build quality, and glass as canons " l " series lenses, but to date Canon haven't given an EF-S lens the "l" branding.


A mate of mine recently traded his 300d in against a 550d. He loved the 300d, just wanted to upgrade as he improved. The camera (300d) is perfect. Hope you get it. 50 euro is a steal. The photos off it are fabulous. Lens dependent of course. The kit lens takes great photos. It's only when you upgrade the lens you see how much better they can be.


Welcome to the wonderful world of Canon.

Sorry if this rambled a bit.