EOS500D
June 11th, 2009 by D-Photo
I ended my last blog entry singing a sad song about not being able to use Adobe Camera Raw to process images because the version of Photoshop I’ve got won’t support the RAW files from the 500D. After using Canon’s Digital Photo Professional, I’m somewhat happier. It works, maybe it doesn’t look quite as flash as Camera Raw but it definitely does the job. Given a choice, I prefer the Adobe Bridge into Camera Raw into Photoshop workflow process but I can get that if I upgrade to the latest version of Photoshop, so enough said.
Getting back to the EOS 500D, Phil Hanson collected the review unit today but I’ve wangled another one from Canon on loan, so I’m stoked. Hopefully the Nikon D5000 will be back soon so I can borrow it because that will be an interesting comparison (hint – check out D-Photo 31). Phil will comment in detail about the image quality when he does his D-Photo review but I’m entirely happy with the quality of the files coming from the 500D and its 18-55mm kit lens.
I reckon Canon will do very well with the 500D and I’m confident that its enhanced digital functionality will become the standard on DSLRs going forward. After all, they’re DIGITAL SLRs, so why not have the benefits of digital photography onboard? I’d be surprised if features like HD Video with external mikes, useful live view and articulated screens, even touch screens for that matter along with GPS and WiFi don’t eventually filter up and down the DSLR ranges from most manufacturers.
June 7th, 2009 by D-Photo
Saturday 08h35
It’s time for breakfast at Jafa in Grey Lynn, which should be café of the year in my opinion – the Tone and D-Photo teams spend a lot of time here and I even come back for more on the weekends. I’ve got the Saturday papers, some just right scrambled eggs and a strong latte to keep me happy. At my feel is a heavy backpack with both the 500D and my Fuji S3Pro (got to be prepared for any eventuality).
I took a few shots on the way over and the small form factor of the 500D is no handicap but getting used to the Canon’s single dial to adjust both shutter speed and aperture is proving a bugbear. After a month of daily use with the Fuji and its Nikon style dual dials, I’m already hardwired to the front and back controls.
On the other hand, the 500D’s 3” LCD screen is great, the Fuji’s screen is an old school 2” number, which looks like a postage stamp in comparison.
Saturday 10h40
Walking around the CBD on a tour of galleries hosting exhibits from the Auckland Festival of Photography and thus far, editor Grey has only poked me in the back twice with the monster 70-400mm Sony lens he’s dragging around the city. It’s a review unit attached to an Alpha 900 and it’s an impressive package. I’m not entirely sure if I should be feeling a little emasculated considering the 18-55mm kit lens on the 500D but eventually decide that photography doesn’t work that way, which is a good thing – 600mm lenses aren’t cheap.
The light weight of the 500D is a blessing, if only I’d left the backpack behind, I’d be no more encumbered than if I was carrying a large point and shoot camera. Where’s a 30mm pancake lens when you need one? The handling of the Canon is starting to make sense the more I use it and running it in manual is no hassle at all now that my fingers aren’t automatically reaching for different controls. I’m noticing a tendency to rush my shots though; the minimal mass in my hands is making me treat the 500D like a point and shoot and of course, with all its auto modes, it can function as one but that’s not my agenda. Must slow down.
Saturday 17h25
Shooting the sunset at Herne Bay and finding it hard to concentrate on what I’m doing as the other photographer leaning on the railing has a lovely Leica rig. How much do you get for a kidney these days? He’s had a go with the 500D and his first comment was “so light”, which I’ve heard three times today from different people.
I’d still like a bigger camera body but I could live with something the size of a 500D. I’ll have to try it with a bigger and heavier lens when Dan our photographer shoots it for D-Photo, just to see if the balance and handling go to pot because of the light body. I will also have to grab a Nikon D5000 to compare it to the 500D, these two cameras are going to be hero products for these major brands and it’s going to be interesting to see how they’ve implemented very similar feature sets.
Saturday 18h19
Running images through my laptop and getting grumpy because my usually smooth workflow has been disrupted – Photoshop CS3 supports up to v4.6 of Adobe Camera Raw and that doesn’t support the RAW files from the 500D. I’m using Canon’s Digital Photo Professional to process the RAW images. Mutter moan, I’m a creature of habit and I like using Camera Raw so I’m packing a sad and will look at this situation in the fresh light of day.
June 5th, 2009 by D-Photo
Friday 16h32
Sometimes the fates are kind, it’s late on the last day of a long week, “beer o’clock” as it’s called in NZ and a courier has just dropped off a box from Canon NZ addressed to photo titles editor Tim Grey. It’s an EOS500D DSLR, come in to be reviewed in the next issue of D-Photo.
Now Tim’s occupied with moving into his first Auckland house and the Parkside photographers are nowhere to be seen, so it won’t go into our studio today. It would be a shame to consign this camera to a lonely weekend in the ultra secure product room in the depths of the compound, so I guess I’ll just have to look after it until uncle Phil Hanson pops in to grab it on Monday.
Friday 18h13
Carefully opened the box (yeah right) and found the 500D has a charged battery and an SD card. Hallelujah! We’re all systems go. I must remember to “borrow’ one of our studio tripods more often because I suddenly feel like charging off into the night to photograph Auckland by night but without a tripod, I’m not sure. Oh well, will have to content myself with arty shots of the inside of my cupboard.
My first impression is a double take of the size difference between the 500D and the old Fujifilm S3Pro DSLR that I’m currently using; fitted with the 18-55mm kit lens, it’s actually tiny compared to the Fuji and so much lighter. It vanishes into my camera bag where the Fuji just sort of sits on top of everything.
The case is plastic like most entry level DSLRs but it’s solidly put together, there’s no flexing or creaking. Initially it felt a little too small for my meaty paws but all the controls fall to hand easily enough, the control layout is logically laid out and the menus are straight forward, especially if you’ve used a Canon before. Gave it to my flat mate to try and in full auto mode, she was shooting happily in a moment, in addition to the manual and priority modes, there are enough other modes (macro, portrait, action, night etc) to keep DSLR novices content as they transition from a point and shoot AND there’s full HD video.
So…the EOS500D is solidly built, seems easy to use and shoots HD vids? I’ve got a busy day in Auckland tomorrow checking out more of the festival, so we’ll soon see this DSLR can live up to its promise.
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