How capable is EOS 300D / REBEL 6mp compared to more recent SLRs

[matt_mitchell]

<p>How capable is it in the hands of a competent photographer compared to newer amateur level SLRs?</p>

[arie_vandervelden1]

<p>In good light (100 iso) and simple focus situations, it's very capable. I still print enlargements of photos shot that I with my 300D. A competent photographer may get a little frustrated with lack of responsiveness. But the thing can produce great photos.</p>

[matt_mitchell]

<p>Not so good low light with higher iso? why is that or why are the newer models better in low light?</p>

[ejchem101]

<p>I believe the easy question would just be to say that as technology got better, so did noise at lower light. This is one area that DSLRs have been pretty consistent at improving as time has gone on.</p>

[geoffs1]

<blockquote>

<p>Not so good low light with higher iso? why is that or why are the newer models better in low light?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Sensor technology and readout-electronics have improved since the 300D.</p>

<p>OTOH, the higher pixel-density in some recent sensors (the 50D and 7D come to mind) have caused some people to complain about the increased noise...</p>

<p>I would second Arie's comments. Another "bargain" option these days is a used 20D. Better sensor, auto-focus, and controls than the Rebel line.</p>

[g dan mitchell]

<p>It is still "capable," but there have been a lot of significant improvements since that time. If you are asking because you are thinking of an upgrade, if the current camera makes you happy you can probably keep using it. If you are thinking of getting a used camera and wondering if this would be a good bet, I'd perhaps look for something just a bit more recent at a price that shouldn't be much higher.</p>

<p>Dan</p>

[nathangardner]

<p>very capable. Lenses will make a difference. 6MP will hold back quality if you like to make decent sized enlargements, but as far as viewing on the computer, it would be fine. I've seen some very nice photos from 6MP cameras. As suggested 2 posts prior, a 20D is 8MP and can be bought used for around $200. It takes great photos.</p>

[mcgarity]

<p>I used a 300D until I wore it out, and in my opinion the model is quite capable of delivering high quality imagery. I have some decent 20 by 30 inch prints made from photos taken with it. That said the 300D does have its limitations. As Arie pointed out, you have noise to contend with above 400 ISO. And the buffer can fill up pretty quickly, so I wouldn't recommend it for sports photography. If you are into shooting landscapes, you shouldn't have any problems. However, if you are into landscapes, I would recommend you install a Russian hack for the firmware. The hack in question came out in 2004 and was widely available over the internet. It switched on features that Canon had disabled - such as mirror lockup (which I personally could not live without). If you can't find the hack online today, I think I still have the files you need to install it.</p>

[mars c]

<p>The hi iso and low light capability is where the big difference lies in terms of image quality, For example, The 350d ( not the 300d , I know, but should be similar) that I had struggles at iso 1600, While the iso 1600 in my new 550d is just a walk in the park.</p>

[matt_mitchell]

<p>Thanks for the answers. How would the high iso performance in the eos 300d compare to a more modern olympus four thirds such as e510 with 10mps then given the smaller sensor in the olympus?</p>

[dogbert]

<p>It will make fantastic images up to 8x11 in a snap. A bit more care might be required to make great prints at a larger size. ISO 800 is quite usable. ISO 1600 is pretty noisey but ok for small prints.<br>

The Russian hack is worth installing. <br>

The 350D is a more capable camera, but is smaller and had a smaller viewfinder all which I found made for worse handling. The 20D is also a good option if you don't mind its size.</p>

[wayne_campbell]

<p>It had a much better grip and feel in one's hands than the later Rebels. It felt like a regular SLR, not a toy. The later models got smaller and smaller.</p>

[MathewDH]

<p>Hi Matt,</p>

<p>I am still shooting with my 300D that I bought new around 2004. I quickly discarded my kit lens and went to a 24-70 f2.8L lens to get more light to the sensor. Noise is an issue as the evening light falls. So I have rarely taken any true evening shots. All my shots are handheld when outside. For me there is no time to do real planning so I take a lot of images and angle of views since I am primarily stitching images together. Memory card writing is slow in RAW.</p>

<p>Picture printing size is limited due to the 6.3 mgpl size of the sensor. For the short length side I rarely exceed 11", so the size is about 11x17 for a single image. The reason I stitch images together is increase the mgpl size of the prepared image and that allows me do a larger print.</p>

<p>Am I ready to move on - YES! I want a full frame sensor for improved images for all of the reasons everyone has stated. I just cannot afford it yet.</p>

<p>Are you after a beginner camera? if yes, for the money, a better camera body can be had. Even a 10D is better in that it has a metal body and writes faster. Look up my name and postings and you will find my images from both a 300d and a 10d converted to infrared.</p>

<p>CHEERS...Mathew</p><div></div>

[beautox]

<p>I know these are not from the 300D but from the 350D and 20D (8 mpix vs 6 mpix). But it does show how good the results can be from the older cameras<br>

http://www.juzaphoto.com/eng/galleries/flora-italy_trebbia_valley.htm<br>

(Not my pics btw)</p>

[MathewDH]

<p>Hi Bob,</p>

<p> A great look at the flower photos. Gorgous flowers. Thanks for posting the link.</p>

<p>CHEERS...Mathew</p>

[adam_gifford]

<p>The main limitation of the 300d, is the buffer is only ~3 frames until you have to wait for all the images to be written to compact flash. Newer models have much larger buffers.<br>

I found this a big limitation when dealing with any action shooting (auto-racing, etc).</p>

<p>That and the review LCD is TINY! compared to a modern rebel (like the t1i).</p>