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Complete D-SLR System Guide

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  • With 10 companies offering D-SLRs today, there’s something for everyone

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    By Mike Stensvold   

    Complete D-SLR System Guide

    It’s a great time to be a digital photographer. The digital SLR business is booming, with 10 manufacturers offering more than 25 camera models as of this writing, and more than half of those carrying street prices under $1,000. Even the lowest-end models can turn out quality images, and they provide lots of versatility, including full control of everything when you want it and the ability to accept a wide range of interchangeable lenses to meet every shooting need. Here’s a look at what each camera company currently has to offer.

    Canon
    Canon’s original 6.3-megapixel EOS Digital Rebel was the first D-SLR to sell for less than $1,000. Today, you can buy its successor, the 8-megapixel Digital Rebel XT, for a little more than half that or the 10.1-megapixel Digital Rebel XTi still for well under $1,000. Both models feature quick operation, perform very well, are quite compact, include a full array of shooting features and accept all EOS-mount lenses, with a 1.6x focal-length conversion factor. Besides the extra couple of megapixels, the XTi adds a much larger LCD monitor, a two-tiered sensor dust-reduction system and more AF points.

    In the middle of Canon’s D-SLR line are the EOS 30D and EOS 5D. The former is an 8.2-megapixel model with a 2.5-inch LCD monitor, a shutter tested to 100,000 shots, a superquick 0.15- second start-up time, and both 5- and 3-fps burst shooting. Autofocusing and metering performance are about the same as its predecessor, the excellent EOS 20D. Like the Digital Rebel XTi, the 30D includes Canon’s Picture Styles, introduced in the EOS 5D.



     
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