Canon's EOS 350D Digital (Digital Rebel XT in the US) combines ease of use, a robust design, and many of the same compelling technologies found in Canon's professional series EOS cameras, making it an excellent camera for the money. Image quality is up slightly on its predecessor thanks to a new CMOS sensor and improved DIGIC image processing, its high-ISO performance was impressive, and its low shutter lag and nearly instant power on time will prove popular for impulsive snappers. For travellers wanting a powerful digital camera with the option of different lenses, you'll not find a more portable or capable SLR in this price range.
Pros: Smaller and lighter; improved design; excellent image quality
Cons: Relatively small grip size; slightly over saturates colours
The EOS 350D Digital (Best Current Price:
£526) is the successor to the highly popular EOS 300D Digital. The new 8.0-Megapixel (3456x2304 pixels) camera is around 10 per cent lighter and 25 per cent smaller by volume (127x94x64mm, 490g) than the EOS 300D Digital and incorporates many new features introduced with the EOS 20D Digital. Canon has also improved upon the EOS 300D Digital's build quality, and the wholly-black (or silver) EOS 350D Digital is now more robust and looks more like a professional camera. Having said that, some may find the hand grip a little too thin, especially when using the camera vertically.
The EOS 350D Digital features a newly developed, second generation, low noise APS-C size 8.0-Megapixel CMOS sensor - the fourth new CMOS sensor from Canon in just twelve months. Powered by the same DIGIC II (Digital Image Core) image processor found in Canon's professional series Digital SLR cameras, the EOS 350D Digital features a speedy 3fps (frames-per-second), 14-frame burst operation, USB 2.0 Hi-Speed interface, simultaneous RAW and Large JPEG writing, and a fast 0.2 second start-up time.
The camera is not available in a kit, but can be purchased with the new Canon EOS EF18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II lens. Existing Canon customers will be pleased to know that the camera's EF-S lens mount works with all of the 60 Canon EF lenses. It is also compatible with the four EF-S lenses developed for Canon's APS-C format digital SLRs (the EOS 20D and EOS 300D), including the new EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro USM lens.
Canon cameras have always favoured well with BIOS: we really like their ergonomic and robust designs, intuitive menu system and controls that aren't littered with jargon, and the fact that their default settings generally give you great results at the click of a button. The EOS 350D Digital is no exception and is designed to appeal to the digital still compact user looking to expand their creativity, as well as film SLR users who have been waiting for 8.0-Megapixel performance at this attractive price point. Unless you're a high-end professional photographer, you should be really satisfied with the EOS 350D Digital.
In addition to the new CMOS sensor and DIGIC II image processor, other advances over the EOS 300D Digital include E-TTL II distance-linked flash metering for easy, consistent and precise flash exposures, and you can now select between three focus modes: One-Shot AF, AI SERVO (for predictive tracking of subjects) and AI Focus (automatically switches between One Shot AF and AI SERVO AF when subject movement is detected).
Full time manual override is available with all EF Auto Focus lenses, while a new Precision Matte screen gives a brighter viewfinder image for easier, more accurate manual focusing. Mirror lock-up and a second curtain flash have also been added, and the camera now features the same Monochrome mode found on the EOS 20D Digital, allowing you to shoot in black-and-white with a range of filter effects - great for those moody shots.
