Canon EOS Rebel For Beginners

Canon Rebel for Beginners..

It was 2003 when the first sub-thousand dollar SLR digital camera hit the market. It was the Canon EOS Rebel 300D, and it made quite a stir in photography circles.

You can still get one of these original Rebel cameras, and they still take good pictures. They sported a 6-megapixel sensor, but the main calling card was the SLR capabilities. Prior to that first Rebel, the only possibilities for the avid amateur photographer were some high end point and shoot models.

Canon made it possible for those who were not necessarily pros to step into the pro camera market. Then as time passed, the technology improved and the price fell. Now, you can buy a Canon EOS Rebel for as little as $499. And that is right out of the box, brand new, top of the line. Not only that, but it will have twice the megapixel count of the first EOS Rebel, and it will take better photos with less digital noise.

It wasn't too long after that the EOS Rebel 350D came out, improving the sensor size and performance of the initial Rebel. The 350D was the first to have a new name, the Rebel XT.

The naming convention stuck with all of the models since the Canon Rebel XT.

At the beginning of 2006, Canon released a new EOS Rebel, the 400D (aka XTi). This new Rebel had a 10.1 megapixel sensor along with a brand new self-cleaning system.

One of the great things about the Rebel line of DSLR cameras is that they all can use the entire line of EF lenses. Essentially, you can buy a Rebel camera for beginners and attach one of the premium "L" lenses and, all of a sudden, you have a pro setup. Granted, the lens will cost more than the camera, but that can be true with the best digital SLR Canon sells, too.

In fact, many photographers spend far more on the lenses than the camera body. The "quality is in the glass."

Now, since the Rebel XTi, Canon has introduced a new Rebel almost every year.

• 2008 - the Canon EOS Rebel 450D/XSi
• 2009 - the Canon EOS Rebel 500D/T1i
• 2010 - the Canon EOS Rebel 550D/T2i
• 2011 - the Canon EOS Rebel 600D/T3i

Each of these Rebel cameras has had slight improvements over previous models. It would seem that the last three are more similar than the former cameras, because there has not been a sensor or processor update since the T1i. However, other improvements have been implemented, and with each camera, there is more reason for a brand new user to take the plunge into the DSLR pool of photographers.

With the Canon EOS Rebel T3i, there is a strong move to make it easier for new DSLR users to get better lots faster, simply because the camera is much more user friendly. And, of course, there is the new Feature Guide which makes it much easier to change settings and know what will happen.

Canon is now advertising that you can learn as you go, and it is definitely true. When necessary, you can just set your Rebel on Auto and it will take amazingly intuitive photos. It's like the camera knows exactly what settings to choose. This is a huge improvement over the first couple of Rebels.

As Canon has moved to improve features and make Rebel cameras that emulate the high end models, they have also provided users with two very basic camera models. First there was the Canon EOS Rebel XS (1000D), and more recently, the Canon EOS Rebel T3 (1100D).

The beauty of these two models is that they are plain and simple. They do not sport the huge megapixel sensors nor all the bells and whistles of the more advanced Rebel DSLR models.

Instead, the Rebel XS and the Rebel T3 are cameras for those who are either tentative beginners in the DSLR realm or they are for those who just want a DSLR that takes great pictures without the desire to get the next best piece of equipment that comes out.

These photographers know that a Canon EOS Rebel camera provides great photos with no expert knowledge needed. They just want to take photos of the kids or the garden or the family pet, and they want to do it with the reliability of a digital SLR camera without depriving their first-born of a college education.

The Canon EOS Rebel T3 and the older XS are basic cameras that provide great pictures.

By the way, the Canon Rebel XS is still available new, and it is still a viable option for those who want the convenience of digital SLR photography at a bargain price.