106rallye

Just wondering if anyone knows much about them! I am (hopefully) getting one soon. I am thinking of getting the Cannon EOS 300, anyone got any thoughts on them or where to get one at a good price?

If anyone has any alternitives I would also be interested, I don't want to spend much more than £300, I have decided on an SLR after a recent trip to Africa, I really missed out on some great photos even though we took a good 35mm Camera, but I don't need all the realy advanced(read expensive!) features that alot of the more pricy cameras seem to have.

I have looked some reviews but was just interested to see if anyone had any other views?

Any good web sites would be appriciated

Cheers

Andy

IWatkins

Hi Andy,

I'm a Canon junkie, always have been.

The Canon kit is reliable and produces good results.

Only bit of advice would be to spend the extra on the lenses. I.e. don't buy the Canon body with a kit of cheaper lenses. Rather buy the body and spend a little extra on the Canon lenses. Does make a difference.

Er, that's it really

Cheers

Ian

Blow Dog

I went for the Nikon F65. Although the Canon has more features, the Nikon concentrates on sturdier components (not saying that the Canon's are cheapo!).

As a newbie shooter, I thought I would rather the camera do a lot of the work for me, hence my choice.

Cem

Bajie

The only mistakes I made with my EOS were buying a Sigma 100-300zoom lens which was painfully slow at autofocusing and then lending it to my sister. Haven't seen it since!

106rallye

I think I am going to go for the EOS 300 with the cannon 25-90 silver lens

Thanks again

Andy

Luke

Canon lenses have integral ultra sonic motors.I have a friend who is a pro in the states. he uses a top spec canon. But thinks the "EYE" control is a gimic.I think the most important thing about cameras is reliabilty.Go to a good dealer (JACOBS IN LONDON .BUT DEF NOT JESSOPS) take a look at the difference in build quality between a new camera and a 3-5 yaer old one. The new one will feel like a empty *** packet!!!
They stick on crap zoom lenses and tell you £340 is a bargain!!!

There is a camera repair company in Finchley called "AXCO" It is the best anywhere in the Uk. Morris is the owner, he sorts out problems other companies cant. before I bought my new camera I spoke to him about reliability and he showed me cameras in bits so I could really see how they are made. He then told me about how many new cameras suffer Computer probs and cost a fortune to fix. He reccomended a NIKON 801s. With spot metering, The build quality is fantastic. I love it. Ifound a mint condition, one at Jacobs in London for under £300 I bought a tameron 28-200 zoom all for £350.1 x year grnt I have just got some pics back from last week in Istanbul. Spot metering performed great.

Forget new. Find a good dealer and save a fortune. Doooooo try a 801s


Luke

Luke

Just read your last post

That lens is terrible. It is a buget lens

FORGET IT PLEASE. A good second hand canon or sigma will walk over it.Shops are trying to get rid of them.

If you want a good compact Try a RICOH GR1 it will walk over most cameras for Quality

Galaf

An old EOS 1 ( built from 1989 to 1994 ) would be a very good camera, reliable and performant. I am not exactly sure if it is possible to find one at about £300, but have a look

Laurent

AWD

Guys

What do you know about the Canon EOS 30? I have been considering this for a while - well I've been waiting for Canon to replace the EOS 50e for a while and at last they have.

Any thoughts would be gratefully recveived.

Cheers

AWD

IWatkins

AWD,

I've had a look at the 30 myself. Considering a new body as my 650 is getting a bit old (12 years old and a little battered). I thought it to be a very nice camera with all the gadgets I would need. I got to agree with Luke, I found the eye following focus a bit of a gimic, but I guess with practice could be useful.

What really struck me about the 30 was that it was *really* quiet, even when continous shooting. You would be surprised how quiet.

Of course, all the usual Canon bits fit this camera so if you already have Canon USM lenses etc. you will be sorted.

Now, if only I could stretch to that EOS-1V and that 600mm USM lense, I would be happy

Cheers

Ian

STONE THE BONE

The EOS300 is a good camera for a amateur / new SLR user. Dixons and Jessops are a good bet if you are after price.
Remember that the lens is the important part. If you buy a Sigma or Tamron 28-200 or 28-300 lens this will give you a very good result and cover all your needs 99%!!
I would suggest that you purchase the body only at the best price you can - surf the net, try

Blow Dog

Its a well known fact that Nikon lenses are far superior to their cannon counterparts.

Also, I have found Jessops to be remarkably helpful and knowledgable and would not hesitate in recommending them again.

Cem

Yex

Andy,

I have an old, or very old if you're in the trade , Minolta camera with autofocus, timimg device etc etc. I know nothing about using the thing to it's full potential but the wife has always insisted we go to a specific camera shop in Westcliff-on-Sea to buy lenses, Ffordes I think from memory. These guys listen to what you want to take pictures of and then show you the lense suitable for the job from their guaranteed second-hand section. These are usually less than half the cost of a new lense and the quality of the prints we have developed has always been excellent.

So from my limited experience of these things it would seem best to buy a decent, but not too expensive, camera and spend the serious money on the lenses for best results.

Happy shopping

Yex

[This message has been edited by Yex (edited 20 March 2001).]

Luke

Andy /Yex

This shop You mention "FFOrds" is very famous and has a reputation many companies would love to have . My mate at "AXCO" rates them number 1. You can trust these guys.

But lets remember that some big names get the smaller companies "TAMRON/SIGMA to make their lenses for them.

Last but not least film. Krap film ,Krap shots .
Stick with Fuji Superior etc .I hate KODAK as the colours are all over the place

Try jessops in London .New Oxford Street. Full of little girls trying to look as if they even know what a F.stop is ( I know where it is on a woman!!)They must have had a whole hours training. FFORDS OR JACOBS are the best. And the cheapest.Good after sales also

AWD

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by Blow Dog:
<B>Its a well known fact that Nikon lenses are far superior to their cannon counterparts.

Also, I have found Jessops to be remarkably helpful and knowledgable and would not hesitate in recommending them again.

Cem[/quote]

Not all Jessops are good. The Tottenham Court Roasd one is good. However this is what happened about 4 weeks ago when I visited the Ealing Jessops:

Me: Hello I'd link some information on the new Canon EOS 30 and when you'll be getting them in.

Salesman: Sorry sir, I don't know about that, but I'll ask the manager.

Me: ok

&lt;&lt;The salesman disappeared and I saw him talking to the manager through a door for about 5 minutes&gt;&gt;

Salesman: Sorry sir but we do not stock that camera and have never heard of it.

Me: Can I speak to the manager please?

Salesman: You'll have to wait for a while sir.

&lt;&lt;Manager eventually turns up&gt;&gt;

Me: So, about the Canon EOS 30.

Manager: I've never heard of that sir, maybe it hasn't been released.

Me: Oh, ok. Can I borrow that catalogue next to you?

&lt;&lt;Manager passes me the nearest copy of the Jessops catalogue which is available in numerous copies for anyone to grab. I turn to the appropriate page&gt;&gt;

Me: So, what is this then?

Manager: Errr.....

There in the catalogue (where I'd already seen it) was info on the new Canon EOS 30, prices etc.

A manager should not be misinforming customers IMO.

Don't trust all Jessops. Some are just shops that were Tecno and have now been taken over by Jessops.

IWatkins

AWD,

I've had that conversation (well similar).

In Worcester there are two Jessops. The one in the shopping street is worse than this. You go in and ask for anything that is related to cameras whatsoever and they haven't got a clue.

However, go the Jessops in The Cross and they will bend over backwards to help and they all have years of experience. For instance I wanted a particular hardmount tripod to fit to John F's Westfield for a camcorder. They didn't stock this one (German) and wasn't in any of their shops nationwide.

However, the guy there had heard of them and promised he would try to get one somehow. I thought, yeah, OK, he is fobbing me off. Next day he called to say he had sourced one and even made sure it got to before the Dono track day I needed it for. I asked for it on a Wednesday and he had sourced one and got it to my door for Friday morning. The packaging showed that it had come straight from the factory in Germany to my door, Jessops didn't charge me the postage

Other guys in that shop know about all the stuff I need. They will source stuff like extremly fast InfraRed film for you etc. even though it isn't in their lines.

So, not all Jessops are equal, especially in Worcester.

Cheers

Ian

AWD

Ian

You're absoultely right. In fact the Ealing Jessops was the first Jessops to ever give me bad advice/info.

I am seriously considering getting the EOS30 duty free. My follks live in Oz so the next time I visit them I might stop off (for the day) in Singapore and do a little shopping. I'd probably start with the EOS30 body and a couple of USM lenses (probably the normal double lense combination taking you from 28-300mm)

I don't suppose you've come across any reviews of the EOS30 have you?

Blow Dog

Damn. Bad experience huh. Go to Jessops at Cannon Street, City of London.

Awesome service.

Cem

Hoppy

106rallye, are you still hanging in here? Did you want to know what equipment to buy for safari pics, or the merits of Jessops vs The Rest?

Truth is there's very little to choose between £300 SLRs from the leading manufacturers. If it's got Nikon, Canon, Minolta or Pentax written on it, you'll not be disappointed. Choose the one you feel most comfortable with. Above this price you might want to get a bit more picky, but are you that bothered? SLRs around the price you're looking at are fantastic value.

But from the limited information you've given about intended use, it's not the camera you need to worry about, but the lenses.

And you'll need a long one! Good wildlife photography needs great patience and the longest lenses you can lay hands on. 300mm-plus, and a tripod or mono-pod (to reduce camera-shake). Canon make a rather nice 600mm f/4 with their incredible image-stabilisation technology built in. Just the job, but it weighs a ton and costs nine grand. I'm not suggesting this is the route for you, just trying to illustrate what you're asking budget amateur kit to achieve.

Last summer I used one of the new 'super-zooms' - a Sigma 28-300m f/3.5-6.3 quite a lot. A truly amazing lens for £300, but it has its limitations. Having said that, it would probably do you proud as an all-rounder on safari, provided the light is good (ie bright!).

If you're wanting colour prints (not slides) there's very little to choose between brands. Go for ISO 400 to be on the safe side (good quality vs high speed compromise). The real difference is in the processing, or rather printing. This can vary from lab to lab, and from day to day! If your negs are good, get them to reprint them until you're happy.

Richard.

IWatkins

Richard,

Congrats on getting this thread back on track

I would also agree with the comments with regards to long lenses. I know the lense Richard is talking about from Canon. I've tried one and I nearly sold the missus to have one

AWD, no, I haven't actually seen a review of of the EOS30, but there again I don't buy the cameras mags nowadays.

Cheers

Ian

Luke

£300-£330
This will buy you a NIKON 801s with a TAMERON 28mm-200mm 3.8-5.6 lens second hand excellent condition.
As for developing dont get this wrong!! I have used TESCO'S and get the large prints done 36. 9 x 6 inch £6.00. Very good quality. For my enlargements I go to JACOBS in.London
Film from different manufactures does make a difference.

106rallye

Cheers everyone, It looks like I have a quite a few options that I had not even concidered!

At the moment I am still favoring an EOS 300 as my best mate has a Canon AF so i have the possibility of borrowing(read stealing) lenses!! but I am a bit stuck as to lenses Should I get a zoom lens that ranges from say 28 - 200 or get a 28 - 85 and save up for when I need a zoom len more. If I did the second option should I look to replace the 28 - 85 with a single lens or get a lens that ranges from say 90 - 300?
Although second hand seems a bargain, I do not feel I have enough knowledge at the moment and would end up with a duffer! so at the moment I am not too keen. Having said that I have not been to look yet with second hand in mind.

I am a bit confused by the posts on lens manufactures as to who are good and who to avoid!

Thanks again for the replies
Andy

DIGGY

106,

For processing try

Puff The Magic Wagon!

iTrader: (2)

Got to agree.

Cheaper body & £££ on the lens. I run an EOS 50 as my main body, but spent lots on my L series lens (2nd hand!). You may have seen some of my pics in the gallery Would like to u/grade to an EOS 5 at some point, mainly for fps.

Jessops is "OK" tho' I have got to admit to having had a silly conversation when buying a lightweight set of binoculars
Sales rep obviously thought that "sir" was going to buy cheap & basically refused to show me the better quality stuff! Ended up getting someone else to deal with me & bought an excellent Nikon pair

DIGGY

Puff,

EOS 10 does 7FPS only bettered by the EOS1 you might wanna try one...
The body costs about £300 quid second hand only now, has been dropped trodden on allsorts still works great..well i think it does

Dead jealous of the "L" though.........mayby soon...

mark

Ian Cook

Hmmm,

I have EOS 50E with 28-80 and 75-300 Canon USM lenses, fantastic is all i can say i have found the lenses to be a perfect setup for rally pics, mainly leave the 75-300 on and use that ! Several peeps have seen the piccies and not said they were total poop LOL

Even the Eye control thing works ! but i rarely use it on action shots ! its fine for anything else though !

I have a Tamron 500 catadioptric (mirror, like a telescope) lens that is awesome and very short for its focal length, is fixed aperture though, but it doesnt fit the EOS, even though you can get adaptall mounts for it, there isnt an EOS mount ! so i have still got the AE1 to stick that on Thats a laugh going through customes cos they want to look in every single lens !

Luke

FFORD'S wont let you out of the door with a "DUFFER".Phone them have a chat &gt;Drive down have a cup of tea . They will ask the questions of what you want/wish. They will show you a selection . You will be amazed at their customer service. you will leave very happy and will continue to buy from them as you feel "SAFE". They will make about £80.00 max on the type of deal you are looking at . Their reputation is worth more than that.

Make sure lens has a U/V filter for general protection.

davefromevonet

Andy,
as a beginner you will love any Slr and quite frankly it is not worth spending more than £300 unless you get into the hobby big style.
All this talk about lenses being crap etc...its relevant to the entuiast who may try reversal film but for you matey the Canon will be all you need.Stick in Fuji 400 or even 800,learn to fill the frame with your subject matter and use entirely on auto mode-and you will have great pics compared to a compact!!!
A lot of the advice above is geared towards you getting the hobby which is fine but I would not reccommend you got a better camera until you experiment first.
You could indeed get a superb second hand buy for the money,but can you be arsed to learn how to use it?If not stick with the Canon and enjoy!!

evodave

Hoppy

Hey, there's more than a few photo buffs on here

Oh, dear. That means this thread could last forever... With subjects like this there is no 'correct' answer but dozens of options.

106Rallye, if you want a camera/lens for wildlife pics, forget the short zooms. But I suspect you'd also like to use the camera for the other 50 weeks of the year too, in which case you'll need a short zoom! If you're flush, Canon's 28-70mm f2.8 L is just goyjus. It's also £1,200. This is the typical premium you'll pay for 'professional' lenses. You can get something very similar for a quarter the price (or less).

The price of pro lenses reflects the high technology, multiplied by vastly increased costs of limited production runs. So, alternatively, Canon's 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 USM is sweet for £220. When you go all native in Africa, Canon's 75-300mm f/4-5.6 USM is a snip at £160, especially when compared to something like the Canon 300mm f/2.8 sooper-dooper lens at over four grand. But you don't even need to look at your pictures to tell the difference. Just look through the viewfinder - the f/2.8 lens is 400% brighter!

The Canon EOS 300 is a good choice. If you want a review, Practical Photography magazine offer a fax-back service. Dial 0906 1996001, follow the instructions and tap in your fax number followed by the EOS 300 code, which is 128. It'll cost about £2.50.

Richard

106rallye

Cheers to everyone that posted, I have decided to get the EOS 300 and a lens in a kit for now to get me started! When I can afford to I will then upgrade my lens I think to a mega zoom type thing!

Thanks again

Andy