when it has so many GREAT features? Also does a non metal body make it a lesser qualified unit to consider it more the "Entry Level"?

-- Donny nj (onemanband52@yahoo.com), May 16, 2001

Answers

Doesn't have the right features. No rear control dial, no flash exposure compenstation, slow shutter, the body is too small, no control over focus & frame rate modes, no option for eye control. There are more, but that gives you an idea.

-- Steven Fisher (srf@srf.com), May 16, 2001.

The Elan 7, A2 and EOS 3 have plastic bodies too. So that's not it. But it is built cheap/light. Not that it has reliability problems though.

I'll also add that it's frame rate of 1.5 fps is too slow, and there is no real spot meter. (The Elan 7 doesn't have one either though.) There are also no custom functions for doing things like leaving the film leader out, moving the AF start, second curtain flash sync. And it's flash sync is a miserable 1/90 sec.

Canon's marketing philosophy has long been to put lots of features in its low and mid range cameras & lenses. Different than most other manufacturers. It seems to be working as more beginning photographers have been buying Canons.

-- Jim Strutz (j.strutz@gci.net), May 16, 2001.

Thanx for the replies. I see that that are many features i didn't think of not being a "PRO" and will probably never need to use those things. But I can see that people that do would need them for the purposes they are made for.

-- Donny nj (onemanband52@yahoo.com), May 16, 2001.

The Rebel is a great body. For me, I can't use it as I would liek for the lack of a spot, and slow frame rate. Otherwise it is a real peice of work.

-- Chris Gillis (chris@photogenica.net), May 16, 2001.

Well- I'm a long time photographer with a kit still based on two T90 manual focus bodies and lots of lenses etc. I've picked up an EOS300 (Rebel 2000 in US) to dip my toe in the autofocus pond, though manual focus still does most things for me. The small body and light weight are a profound relief to me, as my other equipment can get pretty heavy! Although I miss spot metering, the way that this camera meters is extremely impressive, both with and without flash!

I'm also a very left-handed photographer- both left eyed and more nimble with my left hand... so I appreciate there not being too many controls on the rear right of the camera (where my nose goes...). Incidentally, one of the delights of the generation of cameras that auto-wind and auto rewind has been a great liberation from awkward drudgery for us left-handers!

Yes, a faster auto-wind would have been useful, but all cameras have wish-lists (I can even think of ways of improving the T-90, and that's practically heresy for me!)

Cheers JIM

-- Jim Cross (iamacamera@hotmail.com), May 30, 2001.

I am an EOS 3 user, and my wife uses the Rebel 2000. After using them both, my simple answer is this: You can shoot 'pro' photographs on almost any camera. The Rebel 2000 has lots of neat features for it's price, allows a fair ammount of creative control, and is compatible with all of Canon's EOS lenses (the most important element in your hand when you fire the shutter). If it works for you, keep shooting. When you begin to feel limited by your gear, trade up.

Derrick

-- Derrick L Morin (morin@fttr.navy.mil), May 30, 2001.