Canon's 300D (Digital Rebel) vs 10D: Battle of the DSLRs
by Stephen Caston on July 5, 2004 12:23 PM EST- Posted in
- Digital Camera
Conclusion
What is the difference between the Rebel and the 10D? If you had to buy one, which would it be? It's a tough decision. The 10D has a much more solid construction. It offers a lot of user flexibility such as the ability to set custom functions. The 10D allows you to specify what metering and AF modes you would like to use. You can select a specific color temperature in Kelvin as a white balance option and you can take nine consecutive frames at three frames per second. Are these enough reasons to warrant the extra $500 for the 10D?We felt that the differences in performance during our time tests were not really significant enough to notice when using the camera casually. We really liked the layout of the buttons on the 10D better than the Rebel. One problem with the 10D that really dragged us down was its weight. It doesn't feel very heavy at first, but after carrying it around all day, you begin to grow fond of the lighter Rebel. But then again, the rugged construction made us feel more confident when we were out in the field.
It really comes down to a personal preference. If you are an amateur photographer who is looking for a camera that will give you great image quality at a reasonable price, you might feel that the Rebel is the way to go. If you are looking for a more professional-level DSLR and you want something that will give you more control over your shots, you might feel that the 10D is right for you. Basically, the key differences that the 10D offers are: a solid metal body, 3fps for 9 shots, custom functions (including mirror lock-up), and auto-focus and metering mode control. If you are a sports or nature photographer, the 10D is a better choice. If you are looking for a camera with great image quality, but you don't need all the extras that the 10D offers, the Rebel would be a perfect solution.
Recently, 10D and Rebel users have been in a state of turmoil due to a new "hack" (a firmware update) that promises to unlock some 10D-equivalent functions for the Rebel. More information can be found here. We will certainly keep an eye on this as it develops.
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19 Comments
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hixen - Thursday, September 23, 2004 - link
everyone looking for the "hack"http://satinfo.narod.ru/en/index.html
rapope - Thursday, September 9, 2004 - link
Hi,I don't agree. Why wouldn't someone start with a 10D? For example, let's say that someone has a sizable investment in Canon EF L lenses and wants to make the jump to digital? The 10D/20D would be a good choice for those who own a bunch of lenses and who don't want to break the bank on a digital SLR.
I'm currently considering making such a move. The EOS 20D would be a fine addition to my EOS-1 and EOS-3. I could decide to get a digital made around the EOS-1 at a later time.
Whaddaya think??
RP
rapope - Thursday, September 9, 2004 - link
Nice review, very detailed, with lots of useful information. Will you be posting an update based on the newly-released 20D?Thanks!!
511PF - Friday, July 9, 2004 - link
I think you did an excellent job in your review. I especially enjoyed the side by side noise and color comparisons. I thought the topic was very relevant and direct comparisons between the 300D and 10D are not that common. I thought the hands-on battery review was excellent as well. Every review adds something new and different. Yours was no exception.I find it unfortunate that some of the people here have a need to tear other people's work down. I appreciate your work and I think you did a good job. Thanks!
Mday - Friday, July 9, 2004 - link
yeah, i totally agree. First, there's no way anyone would START with the 10D. the 300D, maybe, but the person needs to be seriously wanting to get into photography. Otherwise, if all you want is a simple camera, there's no need to go with the "DSLRs". For MOST PPL, a fixed lens solution works just fine. Personally, i have outgrown a fixed lens solution, but i dont have the $$$ to get a real camera simply because the cost of lenses are $$$$$ compared to the cost of the camera.Besides, no one cares about any battles between the 10D and 300D. The battles are between the other $1000 DSLRs. So far, Nikon is winning imo.
WooDaddy - Thursday, July 8, 2004 - link
I'd have to agree with the majority of comments here. I'm sure stephen meant well by the review but I don't feel that Anandtech is an appropiate forum to discuss digital cameras. Dpreview is hands-down the best place for camera reviews.. Mind you, it is so because of the more photographic related points made during the review. Additionally, they focus on photogs not gadget lovers. A gadget lover wouldn't even consider a 10D, though a Rebel would be in their alley. (Personally, I have a Nikon FE2 with a Acer ScanWit 2420 and Minolta G400).I have a feeling the MAIN reason why this whole review was posted and even considered was what was noted in the last paragraph... a hack. Hacks/overclocking/deals/best bang for you buck all are issues that Anandtech readers love, hence the weekly buyers guides, overclocking tests, etc. This would have been best located as a post in the forums somewhere. Once I read that single paragraph, the jig was up and I was even more disappointed.
Additional 2c:
Anyone getting started in photography shouldn't use a 10D quality camera. Grasshopper, you must first realize it is the photographer, not the camera that takes great pictures. AF, AE, etc. should be regarded as luxuries not as requirements. Once you learn how to use a manual camera (Zone method, etc), one can appreciate automatic features. Same idea with digital cameras. Start small (S410 or S50) then move up to the big boys.
... phew... </rant>
stephencaston - Wednesday, July 7, 2004 - link
kaltree,The resolution test was done in RAW mode for both cameras and then converted to JPG in PS CS with +1.0 EV applied.
The rest of the image quality tests (including white balance) were done with both cameras reset to factory default settings and using the lowest compression JPG mode (Large/Fine 3072x2048). This allowed us to compare how both cameras process images using their default settings.
kaltree - Wednesday, July 7, 2004 - link
Does anyone know if the image quality and white balance tests were shot in RAW or JPEG mode?Reason is the tests will be uneven. The 300D will sharpen the image slightly more causing a degradation in resolution. Also, the 300D does boost the saturation slightly. The shots need to be done in RAW only and those images need to be compared. If I missed the fine print, I apologize.
(Canon 300D owner since August 2003)
broken33 - Wednesday, July 7, 2004 - link
Dpreview does indeed offer a far more comprehensive and frankly, believable review of each of these cameras.
I agree that you should instead focus on the computer-related issues that are involved with these kinds of cameras. It would be *GREAT* if you would post a comprehensive review of the firmware hacks for the 300D that are out there or do an overview of the various storage options that are out now. Hell, you could do a comprehensive look at performance issues with new CF cards - which ones are really worth the money and with what cameras are they best suited.
JetJock - Wednesday, July 7, 2004 - link
The D-Rebel cannot compare to Nikon's D70. Check it out. It is just slightly more expensive than the D-Rebel ($100 or so) and has many more features and better design / build.