I Know its Not the Best, But I Like It

This camera is the first Digital SLR I ever owned, but since then I have bought two more, hopefully my opinion isn't skewed.

This camera is really targeted at the first-time SLR buyer. It is feature packed, and at a low price, but I can easily assume by the pricing that internal components have taken the price-chopping blow.

Lens: A decent lens, with an average focus range, but its wide angle shots came out a bit wider than I expected (must be the new "digital focus distances"). The lens is light and contains only glass elements, but buyer beware, the case is made of plastic. On the up side, the lens internals (save the case) are metal :D. Just go easy on the thing. The focus ring has the nice feature of customizing the direction of operation - I'm a lefty in that respect, so it helps. This leads to a few problems however; the ring is loosely connected (more loose than I would like it to be), and the ring reacts in a digital fashion so there are focusing stops - the ring does not focus smoothly, but in notches. Notably, the mounting area on this lens is metal. Nevertheless, the thing took a beating, and is of a standard size so filters are easy to buy, it did its job without failure for two weeks of beating, so I think it lives up to my standards.

Body: This frustrates me, but what is the allure of plastic anyhow...grrr. Again, the mounting ring is metal, along with the shutter release button, the mode dial, and the control dial (and we can all assume the neck-strap loops are as well). It has a nice textured surface though, that resists scratches VERY WELL, and the entire body is sealed nicely, so don't be afraid to take it out for a spin in the rain, in dusty sands, or in the middle of the winter (which I had to try). Still, rugged items have their limits, so be aware of the state of your camera. Even the battery compartment is rugged. The battery is inserted into the compartment, and is held in place by an internal lock - no force on the compartment door. The door then is kept in place by two locking mechanisms, its foolproof. I realize I'm jumping all over the camera here, but the viewfinder is OK, with average 95% coverage, but the matte screen could be made brighter. The flash is standard, and all of the buttons are in their proper places, and not inconvenient. The camera as whole is durable and rugged, with the mirror causing little to no vibration on retraction, and a shutter that can withstand a finger being inserted into it.

User Interface and Usability: The camera is very usable, even easier than some point and shots I have used. Everything is logical and at quick access and example pictures, diagrams and silkscreen markings on all buttons makes this camera one of the simplest I have ever encountered. Within the short time of 5 minutes I had figured out how to operate the entire camera from point A to point Z, without touching the manual. And if you feel curious enough, the manual contains a plethora of information, including every key press to reach every feature, and detailed explanations of what many common terms mean, and how to control them. This is the IDEAL Digital SLR for any beginner to the experts.

Picture Quality: The picture quality is what one might expect. There is a normal amount of grain at ISO1600, and very little noise at other options. White Balance is accurate and has a custom feature allowing the user to scroll through degrees Kelvin in increments of 100K. Exposure generally comes out balanced, but if you encounter backlighting, let the camera do its thing - don't prevent flash. On macro, it is hard to know the lens' focusing limits, and they come out a little blurry than a dedicated macro camera. The best aspect of picture quality would be the colour reproduction, and is it ever vivid! The sinker that brings it down is the noise, so use high ISO sparingly.

Verdict: One of the best cameras I have ever used, but a few features are slightly lacking (what can you expect though if it cost $599 CAD with a lens?). In the same price area, there exist better cameras, that come with names like Sony, or Cannon. It is however the best bang for you buck out there, but I am willing to pay the extra $200 and get the Sony a300.