Canon XTi Thoughts

synnyster · 03-09-2008, 10:07 AM

I own a K100D Super. My cousin came by yesterday with his new Canon XTi for some tips and pointers because he has never owned a DSLR and didn't now a whole lot about how to use it. This was my first time holding the XTi. Let me tell you, the minute I picked it up, I thought it felt like a toy. It was just so and light the plastic felt real cheap. I did not realize Canon's entry level DSLR felt so flimsy. My Pentax felt like a tank compared to it. At what price point do Canons feel like something more than a toy?

roscot · 03-09-2008, 10:37 AM

Well I had the same experience handling my company's 5D last week. The ergonomics were very uncomfortable, and the plastic seemed very cheap feeling, and this is a$2000 camera. Nice HUGE viewfinder though.

Stratman · 03-09-2008, 12:40 PM

My friends wife has an EOS Rebel film SLR, and she asked me to take a look at it and let her know what she could sell it for. I couldn't believe how cheap it felt. It was so light, felt like it was just the shell of the camera, with no guts inside. My Ricoh KR-5 feels like a lead ingot compared to it, lol

mattdm · 03-09-2008, 12:48 PM

Originally posted by synnyster

At what price point do Canons feel like something more than a toy?

The next step up — the 40D and older relatives — is nice and solid. So, the price point is about $730 for a refurb 30D.

axl · 03-09-2008, 12:54 PM

I haven't held XTi = 400D, only it's older brother XT = 350D. And that on it's own was enough to make me decide not to buy Cannon. Yes, 30D and 40D would feel solid, but as enthusiast I simply can't justify so much money for hobby... I like Pentax's aproach to this. Even with their low end Ks you are getting solid camera. Maybe tad slower than Cannons but who cares...

ftpaddict · 03-09-2008, 02:35 PM

I have also had the opportunity to hold the 300D, 350D and 400D in my hands and play with them for quite a bit. Complete waste of money, that's what they are.

And I know, because I was in a room full of tossers, and they all owned either 350 or 400Ds.

egordon99 · 03-09-2008, 04:16 PM

I definetly prefered Pentax's ergonomics, although I'm getting used to the 40D fairly quickly. The Rebel's definetly feel like a toy (as does the Nikon D40), but my 40D is very solid feeling.

Arpe · 03-09-2008, 04:18 PM

Just because it feels "light" and "cheap" , doesn't mean it is.

Some here seem to go for the big and heavy camera, I way prefer the small and light. My istDs is a great size, but a bit too heavy, and I don't believe that I have small hands.

pete_pf · 03-09-2008, 05:16 PM

Originally posted by Arpe

Just because it feels "light" and "cheap" , doesn't mean it is.

ya totally agree ... i mean, unless you've actually used it for some time and really dug into it, sorry, but it's not really a good review of the product :P but, comparing cars now to the way they used to be, lets be real, the cars these days are lighter and newer composites and they suck. so who knows really which is the best :P

Gooshin · 03-09-2008, 05:44 PM

if you have medium to large hands its definetly feels like a toy

however it takes nice pictures.

everythign else is cake.

bigben91682 · 03-09-2008, 05:54 PM

Originally posted by impete82

ya totally agree ... i mean, unless you've actually used it for some time and really dug into it, sorry, but it's not really a good review of the product :P but, comparing cars now to the way they used to be, lets be real, the cars these days are lighter and newer composites and they suck. so who knows really which is the best :P

I agree that they are very light, and do feel like a toy, but I had a 350D for 2 years before switching over to the K10D about a year ago, and it took fabulous pictures. That being said all the pentax products that I have used certainly feel much more substantial and give me that warm fuzzy feeling of quality. On a side note, I wished I switched to Pentax much sooner.

k100d · 03-09-2008, 05:55 PM

let's all jump on the canon bashwagaon :P (j/k) ... i don't have large hands but i found the xti kinda weird to hold, didn't seem to fit well, maybe that's why they've changed up the grip on the new XSi... prefer my pentax for sure, but canon have probably sold many more digital rebels than entry level pentaxes so they must be doing something right

bigben91682 · 03-09-2008, 07:47 PM

On the topic of build quality and ergonomics, another thing I think pentax has done better than the rest of the competition is their battery grip. It fit's so snugly to the camera, it really almost becomes part of the camera. The Canon and Nikon solutions look like afterthoughts, boxy bricks bolted onto curvy cameras, they look stupid and the ergonomics are poor (at least I thought so with the 350D). Kudos to pentax for investing some time into the design of a good battery grip, it even stores some extra memory and the remote (which is a very easy thing to loose, but not when it's tucked niecly into the camera...)

OniFactor · 03-09-2008, 08:48 PM

the canons just feel like they're not up to the abuse i like to put cameras through.. light and small are nice, don't get me wrong, but when you sacrifice durability for it, i'm gonna back out.

also, bigben, have you seen the grips for the Sony cameras, yet?

little laker · 03-09-2008, 09:06 PM

I'd take one of those light weight canon's in the field with me.
As long as they offered a free replacement if I broke it. That sounds fair doesn't it?

Although I'd want to bring along either my Sigma or my Pentax as a backup. Just in case it breaks while on assignment.

03-09-2008, 10:07 AM	#1
synnyster Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 203	Canon XTi Thoughts I own a K100D Super. My cousin came by yesterday with his new Canon XTi for some tips and pointers because he has never owned a DSLR and didn't now a whole lot about how to use it. This was my first time holding the XTi. Let me tell you, the minute I picked it up, I thought it felt like a toy. It was just so and light the plastic felt real cheap. I did not realize Canon's entry level DSLR felt so flimsy. My Pentax felt like a tank compared to it. At what price point do Canons feel like something more than a toy?

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03-09-2008, 10:37 AM	#2
roscot Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Virginia Beach VA USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,363	Well I had the same experience handling my company's 5D last week. The ergonomics were very uncomfortable, and the plastic seemed very cheap feeling, and this is a$2000 camera. Nice HUGE viewfinder though.

03-09-2008, 12:40 PM	#3
Stratman Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: St Louis, Missouri U S A Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,464	My friends wife has an EOS Rebel film SLR, and she asked me to take a look at it and let her know what she could sell it for. I couldn't believe how cheap it felt. It was so light, felt like it was just the shell of the camera, with no guts inside. My Ricoh KR-5 feels like a lead ingot compared to it, lol

03-09-2008, 12:48 PM	#4
mattdm Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Boston, MA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,948	Originally posted by synnyster At what price point do Canons feel like something more than a toy? The next step up — the 40D and older relatives — is nice and solid. So, the price point is about $730 for a refurb 30D.

03-09-2008, 12:54 PM	#5
axl Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nove Zamky, Slovakia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,183	I haven't held XTi = 400D, only it's older brother XT = 350D. And that on it's own was enough to make me decide not to buy Cannon. Yes, 30D and 40D would feel solid, but as enthusiast I simply can't justify so much money for hobby... I like Pentax's aproach to this. Even with their low end Ks you are getting solid camera. Maybe tad slower than Cannons but who cares...

03-09-2008, 02:35 PM	#6
ftpaddict Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Yurp Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,666	I have also had the opportunity to hold the 300D, 350D and 400D in my hands and play with them for quite a bit. Complete waste of money, that's what they are. And I know, because I was in a room full of tossers, and they all owned either 350 or 400Ds.

03-09-2008, 04:16 PM	#7
egordon99 Inactive Account Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Outside of Philly Posts: 1,561	I definetly prefered Pentax's ergonomics, although I'm getting used to the 40D fairly quickly. The Rebel's definetly feel like a toy (as does the Nikon D40), but my 40D is very solid feeling.

03-09-2008, 04:18 PM	#8
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	Just because it feels "light" and "cheap" , doesn't mean it is. Some here seem to go for the big and heavy camera, I way prefer the small and light. My istDs is a great size, but a bit too heavy, and I don't believe that I have small hands.

03-09-2008, 05:16 PM	#9
pete_pf Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 599	Originally posted by Arpe Just because it feels "light" and "cheap" , doesn't mean it is. ya totally agree ... i mean, unless you've actually used it for some time and really dug into it, sorry, but it's not really a good review of the product :P but, comparing cars now to the way they used to be, lets be real, the cars these days are lighter and newer composites and they suck. so who knows really which is the best :P

03-09-2008, 05:44 PM	#10
Gooshin Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Toronto, the one in Canada. Posts: 5,610	if you have medium to large hands its definetly feels like a toy however it takes nice pictures. everythign else is cake.

03-09-2008, 05:54 PM	#11
bigben91682 Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 728	Originally posted by impete82 ya totally agree ... i mean, unless you've actually used it for some time and really dug into it, sorry, but it's not really a good review of the product :P but, comparing cars now to the way they used to be, lets be real, the cars these days are lighter and newer composites and they suck. so who knows really which is the best :P I agree that they are very light, and do feel like a toy, but I had a 350D for 2 years before switching over to the K10D about a year ago, and it took fabulous pictures. That being said all the pentax products that I have used certainly feel much more substantial and give me that warm fuzzy feeling of quality. On a side note, I wished I switched to Pentax much sooner.

03-09-2008, 05:55 PM	#12
k100d Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Toronto Posts: 3,911	let's all jump on the canon bashwagaon :P (j/k) ... i don't have large hands but i found the xti kinda weird to hold, didn't seem to fit well, maybe that's why they've changed up the grip on the new XSi... prefer my pentax for sure, but canon have probably sold many more digital rebels than entry level pentaxes so they must be doing something right

03-09-2008, 07:47 PM	#13
bigben91682 Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 728	On the topic of build quality and ergonomics, another thing I think pentax has done better than the rest of the competition is their battery grip. It fit's so snugly to the camera, it really almost becomes part of the camera. The Canon and Nikon solutions look like afterthoughts, boxy bricks bolted onto curvy cameras, they look stupid and the ergonomics are poor (at least I thought so with the 350D). Kudos to pentax for investing some time into the design of a good battery grip, it even stores some extra memory and the remote (which is a very easy thing to loose, but not when it's tucked niecly into the camera...)

03-09-2008, 08:48 PM	#14
OniFactor Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Binghamton, NY, USA Posts: 643	the canons just feel like they're not up to the abuse i like to put cameras through.. light and small are nice, don't get me wrong, but when you sacrifice durability for it, i'm gonna back out. also, bigben, have you seen the grips for the Sony cameras, yet?

03-09-2008, 09:06 PM	#15
little laker Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,697	I'd take one of those light weight canon's in the field with me. As long as they offered a free replacement if I broke it. That sounds fair doesn't it? Although I'd want to bring along either my Sigma or my Pentax as a backup. Just in case it breaks while on assignment.