Canon EOS 50E

Advantages: excellent range of functions, easy to use for the beginner, ideal also for more advanced users
Disadvantages: don't be put off by the fact it's a 'proper' camera

...way off topic... ...The Canon EOS 50 is one of a range of Cameras that top manufacturer Canon produced for the mass market. Look at any top sports meeting, celebrity bash or news event and all the Press snappers will be using either Canon or Nikon equipment – and I mean that’s not an ‘if or a maybe’ it will be one or the other. No other company is close – Professionals TRUST Canon and Nikon. “But aren’t they really awkward things to use? It’s much ...
...So why pick a Canon EOS 50? Firstly, the price. When I read an opinion yesterday on this site about a Kodak Digital camera costing around £400 and it being ‘good for holiday photos’, I was quite dismayed. If you want ‘happy snappy holiday pics’ – don’t bother going digital. Just buy a Polaroid camera have some fun, laugh at the pictures and then put them in a drawer until you look again. For Pete’s sake don’t...I repeat DO NOT, Shell out £300 or ... Read review

Advantages: Canon quality; range of lenses available; good features
Disadvantages: Film - going the way of the dinosaur

...bought this with a 35-80mm Canon USM lens and later bought a 35-300mm Tamron lens to enable all shots from one lens. Reliability ------------- Had this for years now with not a thing wrong. Excellent build despite plastic parts in some places. Pictures ------------ Leave it on auto and 99% of all shots will be infocus and correctly exposed. It struggles with bright backgrounds on darker subjects so you have to learn to spot this and correct ...
...action photos are easy. Canon lenses can be interchanged onto the next Canon SLR you buy (film or digital). The minuses ------------------ Old tech now but should be reflected in the price. Best buy second hand. Film - it suits me nicely with a portable digital camera along side it. The quality is better but still a hassle getting the films developed and printed. Overall ---------- I cannot recommend Canon highly enough. This camera was and ... Read review

Advantages: Eye control, ease of use
Disadvantages: Fixed focal length built in flash

...several years ago with a Canon 28-80 zoom lens as a replacement for a fully manual Practica SLR. One of the main selling points at the time was the eye controlled auto focus. This enables the camera to sense which of three focus points your eye is looking at and focus accordingly. The eye-control works extremely well and operates with the camera in the horizontal or vertical position. Once calibrated to your eye it is usually quicker than manually ...
...little. As with most Canon SLRs the camera's main functions are controlled by two dials on its top plate. Here the camera is switched on, metering mode, AF mode and exposure program are selected. Two further dials fall under your right index finger and thumb when holding the camera. Everything falls readily to hand without any need to remove your eye from the viewfinder. The viewfinder display of exposure & aperture is clear and bright. Auto focus ... Read review

Advantages: Tons of features, easy operation, top quality build.
Disadvantages: Older model.

...often sold with the standard Canon 28-80mm lense and the usual accessories, and that's what I ended up with. Features include all the expected Canon goodies, with 3-point focusing being the only feature that falls short of today's standards. The controls are perfect - the dual wheels for controlling aperature and speed are placed perfectly and make manual operation a joy. All the automatic settings work so well that I often find myself guilty of ...
...The camera has worked well for me using both a Canon 75-300mm and fixed 50mm lense. Experienced photopgraphers will already know how good this body is, but those new to the field should ignore the 'flash' of the new models and look for this fantastic, but often overlooked camera. ... Read review

Advantages: Lens Backup. Build Quality. Eye Controlled Focus...
Disadvantages: C**p Evaluative metering

I have used this camera for 2 years as a semi-pro photographer. I went to a residential course last year and had perfect exposures in all 36 transparencies of 10 films (unlike some of the students with > £1000 cameras). I cannot recommend this camera enough for anyone who is considered taking up photography seriously. The eye-control focus is very easy to use and very helpful (if for speed of focusing only.) It has all the features I think you need ...
...The bad side of the camera has to be the evaluative metering. It really is s**t. Don't use it. Learn to use the partial metering (i.e point the camera at something that is equivalent to a mid-light grey like grass for example) and lock the exposure. I guarantee that if you do that right you will get a perfect exposure every time. I would also advise getting the battery pack (BP50). It makes the camera feel better and it makes it more ecnomical over ... Read review