Canon Rebel T3 / EOS 1100D

Review based on a production Canon EOS 1100D with Firmware V1.0.4

The bottom-end of the interchangeable lens camera has become fiercely competitive with manufacturers culling features and cutting-corners to offer a tempting upgrade path from compact cameras, at the most attractive price. As a result we've seen control dials, orientation sensors and even focus motors disappear to reduce the manufacturing costs of these entry-level, gateway cameras. From the consumer's perspective, of course, we've also seen technologies once only in the reach of the professionals filter down to almost compact camera prices.

For several years, Canon and then Nikon were able to carve up the sub-$1000 DSLR market between themselves, without any particular concern about other players in the market. But this hegemony was never likely to last, especially once the electronics giants such as Panasonic, Sony and Samsung had time to prepare their own competitors. Eventually even Canon had to respond to the arrival of these companies' increasingly impressive low-end offerings, most notably with the splitting of its Rebel series into a multiple model range.

In June 2008, rather than just letting the outgoing model's price drop when the next camera was introduced, Canon launched a completely new model that sat below its then very recent Rebel XSi/450D. The Rebel XS (EOS 1000D in Europe) was unashamedly a cut-down version of the XSi but its mixture of a well trusted sensor and compelling price tag have seen it continue to sell strongly, particularly at the price-conscious end of the market.

Two-and-a-half years is nearly two lifetimes in contemporary camera terms, so it was beginning to look like the XS might turn out to be a one-off, until the launch of its replacement in February 2011. The Rebel T3 (EOS 1100D) builds on a successful formula and takes it further, offering a strong (if not exactly cutting-edge) set of features in a body that suggests it should be very capable of competing on price.

The 1100D takes a series of familiar-sounding components and folds them together in a distinctly conventional but still capable-sounding package. So there's a 12MP CMOS chip that is likely to date back to the 450D/XSi, coupled with Canon's now-standard 9-point AF system and the 63-area iFCL (Focus, color and luminance sensitive) metering system first seen in the EOS 7D. These combine with the equally well-known Digic 4 processor to offer a camera that's unlikely to offer much in the way of surprises (which should also mean the avoidance of any nasty ones).

Canon EOS 1100D specification highlights:

• 12MP CMOS sensor
• 9-point AF system (up from 7 on the 1000D)
• 63-area iFCL color-sensitive metering (from EOS 7D)
• 720p movie recording at 30 or 25fps (H.264 compression)
• 2.7" LCD, 230,000 dots
• ISO 100-6400 (no expansion)
• Basic+ creative point-and-shoot mode
• Eye-Fi wireless SD card compatible menu options

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/CanonEOS1100D/

Canon EOS 60D

Canon's X0D series has throughout its life appealed to a wide range of photographers, from enthusiasts and semi-pros through to some pros who appreciated having a lightweight option. Each model offered a high enough specification (usually in terms of build quality and AF sophistication) to ensure it was both aspirational and attainable for users who had out-grown their Rebel/XX0D series. However, the feature set always left a sizeable gap below the company's full-blown 'pro' models.

The arrival of the EOS 7D, with its highly configurable 19-point AF system and 8 frames per second continuous shooting capability changed much of this - here was a 'mini 1D' that drew the attention of many people who previously would have been X0D customers. However, the price tag (a 30% premium over the 50D at launch) pushed it beyond the reach of most people who weren't making at least a bit of money from their photography.

The 50D (and by extension the X0D range) was starting to look somewhat redundant: expensive (and in some ways outdated) compared to the rebel T2i (EOS 550D), underpowered compared to the EOS 7D. It seemed obvious that Canon needed something to balance out the EOS range to fill the big gap between the Rebel and the 7D. And so we have this, the EOS 60D.

With the 60D Canon has unashamedly moved the X0D range out of the 'semi pro' bracket and instead focused on the enthusiast photographer looking to upgrade from their Rebel. As a result, it's not the obvious continuation of the 30D - 40D - 50D pattern that its naming might suggest. Instead it sits pretty well precisely in the same market position as was once-upon-a-time occupied by the 'Elan' series of 35mm film SLRs (which in Europe were not-so-coincidentally given double-digit model numbers).

So gone is the magnesium alloy construction that featured in previous models, replaced by a lighter weight plastic shell. Naturally the 60D gains some key 'step up' features from the Rebel line (top panel LCD, rear control dial, higher burst rate), including a few that have trickled down from the EOS 7D. There's also a video- (and tripod-) friendly 3:2 ratio articulated LCD. In imaging terms it brings the EOS mid-range in line with those above and below by upping the sensor resolution to around 18MP and adding full HD movie capture.

The EOS 60D also gains a couple of brand-new features of its own. There's now a wide range of color variations (or 'Ambiences') which can be applied to the image when using the scene modes, and whose effect can be previewed on screen in Live View. The 60D also finally gains the ability to convert raw files to jpeg in-camera, including the option to correct for lens aberrations including distortion and chromatic aberration. As an added bonus, you can retrospectively apply new 'Creative Filters' to files you've shot, including 'Grainy Black and White' and 'Toy Camera' looks.

And so, from a spec and feature point of view, the EOS 60D sits almost exactly half-way between the EOS 550D and the EOS 7D, with a few new tricks of its own. Which, we think, is exactly where it should be (regardless of the inevitable howls of protest at the apparent 'dumbing down' of the venerable X0D line).

Key features

• 18MP APS-C CMOS sensor
• ISO 100-3200 (expandable to 12,800)
• 5.3 fps continuous shooting
• 1080p HD video recording with manual controls
• SD / SDHC / SDXC storage
• In-camera raw development
• Subject modes with 'Ambience Selection' (Standard, Vivid, Soft, Warm, Intense, Cool, Brighter, Darker and Monochrome)
• In-camera Creative Filters (special effects)
• Fully articulated 3.0" screen (3:2)

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos60D/

Nikon D80 10.2MP Digital SLR

Product Description
From the Manufacturer
The D80 packs high performance and high resolution into a body that is more compact and slimmer than previous Nikon digital SLR cameras. True to Nikon's commitment to intuitive operation, the size, layout and operation of all buttons and controls are designed for maximum ease of use.

10.2 effective megapixel Nikon DX format CCD
Optimized to capture sharp details, the 10.2 effective megapixel CCD image sensor yields extraordinarily high-resolution images, providing plenty of freedom to crop creatively or print impressive enlargements.

Advanced Auto Exposure system
Consistently dependable exposure is the hallmark of Nikon's exclusive 3D-Color Matrix Metering II. Refinements for the D80 include its inheriting the advanced exposure evaluation system from the Nikon D2Xs and D200 digital SLR cameras. Brightness, color, contrast, selected focus area and camera-to-subject distance information is evaluated, with the results referenced against the expansive onboard database of exposure data from over 30,000 actual photographic scenes, and the final exposure value calculated--instantly. Variable-size center-weighted metering is also available, as are a choice of 11 spot meters linked to each of the 11-area AF system's area sensors.

Technical Details
* 10.2-megapixel CCD captures enough detail for large, photo-quality prints
* 2.5-inch LCD display; power-up time of approximately 0.2 seconds
* RAW and JPEG capture; burst mode allows for capture of three frames per second for up to 100 pictures
* Image optimization functions and in-camera image retouching
* Includes 18-135mm AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor lens
› See more technical details