Canon Digital Rebel XT / EOS 350D Digital Camera with EF-S 18-55mm Lens

Pros: Fast and smooth operation. Relatively simple to operate. Totally manual mode an option.
Cons: Image quality less than stellar with 28-105 USM II (a lense with good reviews)

After having used the Canon Rebel XT for a couple of days, I'm left with the question "what is all the fuss about?". Opting for the upgrade lense above the "kit" model, the 28-105 3.5-4.5 USM II produced disappointing results. Having researched the WEB thoroughly for detailed evaluations of SLR's in the price range, settling upon the lauded Rebel XT, I kept asking, what is the deal with these images that are less sharp than my Olympus 4000? Low light and macro pose a problem. After pondering the prospect of the IS lenses, and reading that optically are not that superior to the USM II (but offering an advantage of at least two stops), I decided to return the camera and lense for a refund (fortunately an option). The digital slr hasn't yet come of age in my opinion, when comparing to a trusty Nikon F3 or FM2 film or slide image. Not yet, except possibly for a dear price. The camera perfoms very well; the images didn't live up to the hype, unfortunately. I may simply have been expecting too much.

Pros: Good for large prints.
Cons: Dust can get on sensor when changing lenses.

Picture quality really only comes into it's own in when making enlargements. Compared to a cheaper compact camera with half the amount of pixels there was nothing outstanding about the Canon EOS 350D in 6x4 print size.
The view screen is quite small and hard to read. There is a problem with dust entering the camera when switching lenses. This is difficult to remove by home remedies. I had to send the camera away for professional cleaning and was without it for 3 weeks.
Complicated to use in anything other than programmed mode. Wish I had chosen a decent standard compact digital with optical zoom and saved a lot of money.

Pros: I cannot think of one...
Cons: Expensive, soft focus, no preview in LCD, short battery life, operator interface is terrible...

Image sharpness leaves a lot to be desired, with the default 18-55mm lens having "soft" focus no matter what the setting.

I've had Canon's Powershot G2 camera for years, so I was expecting similar quality with twice the resolution (switching from 4 megapixel to 8 megapixel).

Also, the LCD does NOT allow you to preview the shot (unlike the G2 which allows you to compose the shot) - you only see the shot AFTER the shot is taken. And, the operator interface is so poor that you cannot shut off features that you do not want to see in the LCD. I would just like to see the image - not a huge blank square that blocks 25% of the image...

Look at other brands before you buy!

I am extremely disappointed with this camera, and will never buy a Canon product again. I was always a huge Canon fan, but this is the LAST Canon I will ever purchase!

Pros: VERY FAST, VERY FLEXIBLE, VERY FRIENDLY, VERY GOOD, VERY STRONG.
Cons: no sd card options

8MP or 6MP ! Who really cares. Photoshop CS imports my D70 RAW NEF files as 11,15 and 25 megapixel 8-bit/16-bit NEF image files, if I choose ? Then I can crop it, if I want.

The 300D and XT are still cheaply made, whatever you say. bad ergonomics and menu system ? It's entry-level. It's still a great SLR...20D is much better, but expensive magnesium alloy body and usb2.0 port. Use a card reader.

D70 has very sturdy/ scratch resistant body...D70 has 1/500s flash iTTL sync for daylight power fill-flash, 30-1/8000s shutter or bulb = 30 minutes. Better quality Nikkor optics with kit overall...I mean the ED 18-70 AF-S lens. Very simple well placed controls and options + selection of 'waiter-mode' auto programs to learn from. With SB-600/800 hot-shoe flash - excellent pro-sumer SLR.

This is my first SLR period. Since Jan 05. Never giving it back ! Firmware upgrades exactly as D70s, yet big deal 2" LCD, instead of 1.8 ! Easier to use than most high-end SLRs or P/S Olympus or Kodaks or HP or Sony's etc...

quality optical glass in Lens and proper filter use help one focus on composing rather than frustrating for control.