[rimibar]

Hi All,

I've just sumped into the world of SLR digital photography and have a bought a mint EOS 300D for about 200€ including a Sigma 18-50mm lens. I also have an old Canon 28-80mm lens from a film SLR that I have - it seems to work just fine with the 300D - anyone experienced problems in using old lenses with a digital SLR?

Also I note that the firmware is currently at 1.1.1 - is there anything more modern than this? Is it worth the firmware upgrade if so?

I have also seen that you can hack 10d firmware on it - is this worth the risk?

Finally - I have a choice between using Mac Photoshop CS3 or Aperture. Anyone have any recommendations as this is the first time I've ventured into Pro software.

Thanks!

[RobDickinson]

PS3 & aperture are not directly competing? Aperture is more like lightroom?

10D hack gives you things like AI-Servo AF on all modes(instead of just sport) , MLU etc, removes a lot of silly restrictions canon artificialy put onto the camera. Dont know anyone who's used it though.

All EF and EF-S lenses should work but some older sigmas wont.

[rimibar]

Thanks Rob. Anyone got any experience with the firmware upgrade?

[senu]

I have used one with the Hack in the distant past (but I must say not having had access to the menu functions,) I didnt notice the difference.
Suffice to say that I would rather have it than not, having used the "non crippled" 350D very soon after that
As stated above , some older Sigma lenses and one or Canons) afflicted The 10D , 300D with error 99, but not anything recent . I don't think your 28-80 will be a problem.
It covers a funny range on a 1.6 crop camera though: The 28 is not wide 9 for that you have the Sigma) and the 80 is very shallow Zoom but if it is fast it could be a Good portrait FL.
It was the 300D with its highly detailed low light ( low noise) images that cured my of my love for the Fuji 602Z!
However apart from the 300Ds more man friendly size I found that 350D is a better camera in most ways ( all the functions are readily available, high ISO low noise is good and 8MP is perhaps not huge but a slightly larger, better ;Low noise image is not to be sniffed at) it even had less shutter lag!

[RobDickinson]

I use an old (1st gen I think) 28-80 USM (before canon made it crap) and its nice, odd focal range tho as said.

[mpritch]

Hi,

I had the 300D and succesfully installed the hack on it quite a few years ago. I don't think that many people had problems with the installation back then, and if it were me, I'd do it again. I think the site I downloaded the hack from had fairly comprehensive instructions, and from what I remember it was pretty easy.

It gave you quite a few things, but most important to me, were mirror lockup, flash compensation, allowing selection of raw+small jpeg, and ISO 3200.

The 300D is a great camera and I still use mine from time to time and it's perfect for your first digi SLR. It was far superior to any of the film SLR cameras I've had in the past. The images it produces can still hold their own, in fact I have two A3 prints in an exhibition right now that were taken on the 300D. The only thing that bugged me was the amount of noise that can creep in, and the small buffer size if you are doing anything like motorsport - not huge problems though.

Have fun with it.

Mark.