Customer Reviews

Canon EOS 1100D Digital SLR Camera (inc. 18-55 mm f/3.5-5.6 DC III Lens Kit)

5 star:		(121)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I've had this camera for nearly six months now, and I have to say I love it. I got it as an early birthday present, but the choice was my own. I went around every store I could find with cameras, trying out various models within the budget I was told to stick to. There are a lot of fantastic cameras out there, but trying them out, I found that this was definitely the one for me. It took a while to get used to all the features, but I was determined to get good manual shots. Now, I hardly use the auto settings as I can get "my" pictures through the manual settings.

Auto is fantastic - especially when you don't know what you're doing. Every shot looked great and I used the information the camera provided to try and replicate them, getting used to what affected what. The images I've gotten from it are crisp, sharp and full of colour. I'm now shooting RAW and with various filters for different shots. I love the bulb mode for night shots and light art, though have only used it a couple of times.

It is a very light camera in my opinion. It feels lighter than it looks really, and can seem cheap compared to others out there. It has, however, taken a few knocks and scuffs and got caught out in the rain once, all with no effect on the camera or the photos it provided - though I would recommend getting a cover if you plan to be out in the rain. I'm getting a battery grip for portrait shooting and also to add a bit of weight to the camera. Since getting the Sigma 70-300mm lens, it needs the extra weight to help balance as light camera and heavy lens makes it difficult to keep level.

Also, the kit lens leaves something to be desired. But lenses are definitely something to look into as you can afford them. The lens is fine for beginners, but I have tried out other lenses and the difference is noticeable. For keeping up a hobby, it is more than satisfactory, and most professionals can probably afford better.

A tripod is a must. I don't have any IS lenses, and having both my table-top and full-size tripod, I feel no need. I have taken hand-held shots that are perfectly fine, and when I know I'm going to want longer exposure, I always use a tripod. Other accessories are also needed to get the best out of the camera, but these are needed with most cameras to get the best you can out of them. The filters, tripods, battery grips, remote shutters etc are easy to find and don't have to break the bank. I'm still on the lookout for a flash gun, though the one built is satisfactory. It's just better to be able to hold the gun in different positions, which you can't do with what it has. It's also not very powerful.

Battery life is great. I can get hundreds of photos, mixture of with and without flash, on a single charge... In fact, it took me 3 months after it's first charge before the battery icon started to flash. I was surprised as I am prone to accidentally leaving the camera on between trips out with it.

All in all, I am very happy with this camera and would recommend it as a first camera for everyone. I haven't really reached any limitations with it yet and won't upgrade to mid-level for some time as I feel the photos I'm getting are great as they are. I know this will eventually change, but not for a long time yet.

Edit to just say I've found something that kills the battery. Wanted to do a time lapse, tethered it to my laptop to take a photo every half hour.... Well... it's dead this morning after 12 hours.. ooops.

EDIT 2: I did some research - use an interval timer and the battery won't drain. The camera normally turns off between each shot, but when tethered, the camera has to remain on constantly to keep the connection, so rather than the nice power saving it has that makes it last forever, it's like using bulb mode

I am a professional photographer with over 15 years using Hassleblads, Large format and other big camera's. I now also teach photography via my company Studio Time Ltd in London, so every week I get to see students camera's which are from a variety of manufactures. A lot of people buy the new range of 4 thirds interchangeable lens cameras, which are so tricky to use, and don't deliver the best picture quality. Plus the cost of these cameras and the lens is way over priced. Also the smaller frame size of the 4 thirds system means shallow depth of field is hard to create.

We needed something light, inexpensive and compatible with our existing Canon lenses and flash guns. So the 1100D with a lens for around the �400 mark was ideal. We have been shooting with the camera now for a month and the quality and operation of the camera is spot on. Delivering great picture quality, easy of use, and reliability. We have even started using it on low budget event photography jobs.

We did just have one problem with it, but this was caused by a member of staff playing with all the options. We lost the ability to have Auto focus in the P, Tv, Av and Manual modes. This was simple rectified by a quick to Canon who told us to clear all the custom functions in each of those modes, problem solved.

If you got below �500 to spend on a entry level digital camera that you can progress with then buy the Canon EOS 1100D, ef-s lenses are plentiful and easy to get hold of new and old, plus Canon's menu system is one the easiest to use. That's why Studio Time only use Canon.

I dont usually do this review thing, but since I havent got much to do I just like to say thanks! :) bought this Canon EOS 1100D Digital SLR Camera (inc. 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 DC III Lens Kit last June, before the estimated arrival date,it was for me but now my mom cant stop using it! lol thanks very much!! takes really great pictures too :)Canon make really great products keep up with the good work!..I wish I had more money to buy another one, very handy when your off on your travels :)

Many years ago I dabbled with 35mm SLRs but eventually decided it took years of learning and expeimentation to get good results and frankly got very frustrated. Since then I pretty much stayed in the "point and shoot" world. A few years ago I bought a "bridge" digital camera and the fact that the images were instantly accessible changed things completely. I've since grown out of the bridge camera and on the recommendation of a mate who is a professsional photographer, I now own a Canon EOS 1100D. I did look at the previous model (EOS 1000D)which can now be had for a heavilly discounted price however the range of possibilities and the quality of images produced by Canon's latest offering, even just using it in "auto" mode are an astonishing improvement. I have no hesitation in recommending this camera as a really useful beginning for anyone thinking about upping their game from the point and shoot brigade. There is an impressive range of lenses and other accessories available but the standard EFS 18-55 covers most situations well. I have ordered the new EOS 1100D for Dummies handbook which will be out on 6th June. A whole summer to photograph ahead!

If you have the choice, get the one with the IS II lens. The Image stabilizer comes in handy when you don't have a tripod and taking night shots in low light. This limits blurring. Battery life is awesome. Charges quickly and comes with everything you need to start shooting right away. A little tip: get the 50-250mm IS lens as a secondary lens.

For years now I have been shooting with a ditigal camera and wanting to upgrade to dslr. I have finally got around to making the transition and the 1100D is really a great camera for doing so. Despite being used to the automatic settings of a compact camera I very quickly began to pick up the techniques to shooting more creatively with the 1100D, but always had the auto to fall back on if necessary. The camera can even give a basic explanation of some of the more complex stuff to you if you are really stuck. For a beginner like me, it is absolutely brilliant!

I bought this for my husband as a direct replacement for its analogue counterpart, we have all the lenses so wanted body only. Does exactly what he wants! no frills , Good value.You need to know what you want and need when looking at this.

Context of my review: a 'bridge camera' user during last four years (Fuji s100FS, Fuji s2000HD, Fuji HS10 and Panasonic FZ48), wanting faster performance and better image quality in low light. Not necessarily wanting 'SLR functionality' or interchangeable lenses.

Bought this with a Sigma AF18-200mm lens (Sigma AF18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC Optical Stabilizer Lens for Selected Canon Digital SLR Only) and do not intend to take them apart (to avoid getting dust on the sensor. I also cannot be bothered to cart more than one lens around). The price I paid for both is more than a top-end bridge camera, but not significantly so.

Good points (compared to top-end bridge camera):
> Overall image quality. I can make heavily cropped images and still get an acceptable result.
> High ISO image quality is staggering. Together with my Panasonic FZ48 (Panasonic DMCFZ48EBK Hybrid Super Zoom Digital Camera with 24x Optical Zoom Lens & Full HD Video) I have taken comparison shots (minimum focal length) at various ISOs and all 'out of the box' settings for noise reduction, etc.: see the URL I included in the first comment to this review for some comparisons at ISO800 and ISO1600. Frankly speaking, the Panasonic's images look awful compared to the Canon's. Apart from the automatically-derived white balance being way off (easy to correct) with the Panasonic, the noise levels are dramatically different: ISO1600 on the Canon is actually superior to the Panasonic at ISO400!
> Speed of operation is no longer restricting, especially compared to the pedestrian HS10. Not having to wait for RAW images to be saved to the SDHC card is liberating.
> Focussing is fast and accurate.
> Build quality and feel are very satisfying.
> Main controls are very well laid out.
> LCD is crisp.
> Menu navigation is fast and intuitive.
> Battery life is not a consideration any more. It keeps going and going.
> The 720p videos look very good and are encoded with a sensible profile (8Mb/s H.264 codec).
> Simple to use. Have not yet had to read the manual yet. If you're used to a top-end Bridge camera, the Canon will be straightforward to use.

Points that could be improved:
> Bulkier than most bridge cameras, of course, but actually I still use the same snug Lowepro camera bag that I used for my s100FS and HS10, even with the Sigma lens still attached.
> Can't think of anything else. Will add to this review after more usage.

Summary:
I recently enjoyed using this for a classical quartet's photoshoot (550 pictures in total), and the results were excellent. The combination of Canon and Sigma lens is far superior to the bridge cameras I have used to date, and not much more expensive. Perhaps the forthcoming Fuji X-S1 will offer comparable performance BUT it will cost more and have a smaller sensor (so unlikely to have the same low-light performance).

I started photography as a hobby last year, beginning with a Fujifilm S2500HD. I learnt quickly and after a year I wanted to make more sophisticated photos, so I decided on the Canon EOS 1100D.

Physically, the camera feels great in the hand - it's not too heavy and made of a nice rubbery material. It includes a variety of items in the box, such as a charger, neckstrap, camera lens (if you buy the camera "lens kit" version), which I apprechiate. I had to buy most accessories seperately when I bought the Fujifilm camera.

The camera makes GREAT photos, if you know what you're doing. This camera is not really suitable for beginners, but if you've had a point & shoot camera before, you can use the camera in "Auto" mode without knowing much about the technical details of photography as the principles are the same. However, that would kindof defeat the point of buying this camera as it offers a large variety of options that you can set, depending on the scenery.

However, after two weeks, the camera developed a defect (Error 30), which according to various online forums, seems to be a common fault with this particular model. I had to send it back to Amazon.

My father bought this camera in the USA named the Rebel T3. After only a few months and a disability he gave it to me. Am already the owner of the 550d and so was familiar with the Canon 1100d layout. Have taken a few pictures with it already and can only say wow. A great little camera taking the range of Canon lenses. Pictures are crisp with very little noise in low light situations. When fitted with my 300mm lens it is still fairly light perhaps lighter than my Nikon d3100 and 300mm lens.
Great little camera with 12mp however dont let the reduced mega pixel put you off as pictures between my 550d and this are very hard to tell apart.

Go on buy it and have fun!!

Am contemplating giving this to my 12 year old daughter who has developed an interest. She has already worked it out and taken some great pictures.

Very impressed although I have one big gripe. THE MEMORY card holder is beneath the camera in the battery compartment. WHY CANON WHY. No battery grip available and if it was it would be on and off like a traffic light to change memory cards.

Still a very good capable camera and very light!