Digital Camera Fiend - A Camera Review

Canon unveiled this successor to its popular 300D Digital in February 2005 just in time for the year’s large photography trade show PMA.

The 8 megapixel EOS 350D has a smaller body, refined design, DIGIC II image processor, and a new CMOS sensor. Its functions and features put it in direct competition with the Olympus E-300 and the Nikon D70.

Reviewers say the EOS 350D has excellent resolution, good color, low noise levels, excellent autofocus system, fast start-up and good continuous shooting speed.

Criticisms include a dim LCD monitor, disappointing kit lens (get the body only and buy a lens you like), and merely an average automatic white balance.

The 350D is priced at $569 for the body only.

The 8.2-megapixel Canon EOS 20D is a digital SLR camera released in 2004.

The 20D was so good that when Canon decided to upgrade it (the Canon EOS 30D) last year they made very few changes and kept the sensor and image processor the same on the new model!

The EOS 20D originally retailed for $1,499 (body only) but you can get one for a lot cheaper here.

Consumers saw it as an immediate improvement on the Canon EOS 10D. The EOS 20D offered a faster shutter (1/8000, compared to 1/4000), slightly better autofocus, higher megapixel count, and an instantaneous “wake up” from standby mode.

The Canon EOS 20D was popular with serious hobbyists and travelers who need a dependable, durable camera. A review from dcresource states that the camera’s magnesium alloy frame is well-built and rugged, while also allowing for a comfortable hand grip.

In fact, the reviewer found it hard to fault this camera, calling it the best digital SLR camera under $2,000.

Originally uploaded by Po Lo at flickr.com

Taken with a Canon EOS D20 digital camera.

Part of the beauty of being a photographer is finding yourself in highly unusual situations and being able to record the experience to share with others. You have to do more than spot and frame your subject….if you can smell, touch, feel, or even taste your subject, you will convey that knowledge to your viewers.

The photographer who snapped this brilliant shot of a popular Afghani sport called Buzkashi nearly got trampled he was so close to the action. But his efforts paid off and he lived to share his bizarre experience.

For those who are wondering, Buzkashi (Buz=goat, kashi=taking out) is similar to polo except riders pick up and hurl a headless goat or calf carcass over goal posts. Traditional inhabitants of Central Asia spent a great deal of time on horseback, so the game developed to showcase their riding skills.

The Canon Powershot A80, released in 2003, was an upgrade from one of the Canon’s most popular models ever–the Powershot A70. The major improvements in the A80 are a higher megapixel count (4.0) and the swiveling LCD screen–perfect for concert shots where you must hold the camera above your head to get a picture.

This digital camera received high marks from reviewers for its relative low cost, ease of use and photo quality. It also offers full manual controls and the ability to switch camera lenses.

Some have critized the Powershot A80 for being a bit too bulky–it definitely won’t fit in your pocket. However, it’s a great introductory digital camera for the budding photographer with enough options to keep an advanced novice interested.

Canon has continued to evolve its Powershot series and no longer manufacturs the Powershot A80.

Originally uploaded by wwwigz at flickr.com.

We love this playful photo, taken with a Canon Powershot A80 digital camera. The photographer took a series of six photos from his vantage point and later used Adobe Photoshop to cut out sillouettes and meld them together in one picture.The darkened sky and distant sun suggest a winter scene. Perhaps the leaping character is making a symbolic journey across time–from one solstice to the next.

In any case, it’s a fun shot that can be constructed with any camera and Adobe Photoshop software.