The Canon EOS 400Dis a good camera - for the price it's a great camera. It's relatively compact; lightweight; comes with an adequate lens; has programmed settings for novices - like portrait and landscape modes; but also offers manual control of apertures, shutter speeds, white balance, ISO… so that the more experienced photographers can have fun and be a little more creative. One item to note if you are upgrading from a digital compact is that you have to use the viewfinder. The screen on the back of the camera only shows exposure information, and allows you to view photographs you have already taken. It does not let you view the scene you are about to photograph. In my opinion this is a good thing because it forces you to hold the camera properly - up against your face where it can be held steadily, instead of at arms' length wobbling about all over the place on the end of your arms.

Now the whole point of an SLR is its facility to swap lenses, so there is little point buying one unless you intend to purchase more lenses. More lenses allow you to tackle a wider variety of subject matter. So if you have no intention of messing about changing lenses you would be better off with something like a Canon PowerShot S5 or a Fuji FinePix S9600

One of the first things I noticed after switching to digital from film is that digital cameras are a bit rubbish at dealing with highlights. The dynamic range is not that great. Now with film cameras if you don't like the dynamic range you just choose a different sort of film. Unfortunately you can't change the sensor or the software that processes its image in a digital camera. The Canon EOS 400D, I was pleased to note, handled highlights a little better than my previous three digital cameras. It also has a wonderful facility to show you areas of white (or black) that have failed to record any detail. The pixels in highlights with no detail are shown as flashing black on the camera's preview screen. So a quick glance at the screen and you can see if you need to decrease the exposure (hold the EV shift button with the thumb and twirl the wheel with your finger). I find this more useful than the brightness histogram - which is also available if you want it.

Resolution is another issue I have with digital cameras. The vast majority of digital images are a little on the soft side. It doesn't seem possible to get the crispness of focus that I'm used to with film. The lens that comes as standard with the Canon EOS 400Dis not the greatest lens in the world and the way the end wobbles when you actually use it for manual focusing makes me think that all thoughts of quality have long since departed from Canon's philosophy. But since this kit lens costs less than £40 when you buy it with the body and it goes from a reasonable wide angle (29mm equivalent in 35mm terms) to a moderate portrait focal length (88mm equiv.) - there is nothing to complain about. It is absolutely fine for snaps and pictures printed at around postcard size. It is also more than good enough for web use. But if you want a quality lens then you need to consider spending at least another £300+. And that pushes the total price up to £650+

I bought a Canon EF 100mm f2.8 macro and when I use that with the Canon EOS 400D I feel that I'm using quality equipment.

This camera has a very fast start up. You switch on the On Switch and the camera is ready for use and you can get almost 100 RAW images on a 1GB CF card.

If you like using program modes and auto exposure everything then all of that works brilliantly on the Canon EOS 400D. If you are an experienced photographer, or just like to experiment with taking control of exposure yourself, you will probably be as irritated as I am by the awkward combination of button, wheel, and hand position that you have to use to set the aperture in MANUAL mode.

The Canon EOS 400D has a lovely clear viewfinder with sufficient exposure information visible. There are none of the old (fresnel or split screen) aids to manual focusing so I didn't find that particularly easy - but the autofocus is great and very, very fast. Though (as with all autofocus cameras) you have to make sure the camera is focusing on what you want sharp in the image. To this end you can choose any one of the nine autofocus points visible in the viewfinder to be the one the camera uses or you can let the camera choose. After letting the camera have it's own way for about two days I switched them all off except the central one. I find it much easier to hold that over the subject, half-depress the shutter, and then re-frame before taking the picture. The ability to shift the focus point is quite useful though if the camera is on a tripod locked in position.

The motor drive is great and I've never yet had to wait to take a picture because the write speed from the buffer to the card was too slow. With the Minolta Dimage A1 I had previously I could only take three pictures and then had to wait several minutes.

The battery is long lasting. I think the most pictures I've taken in a session is around 500 and the battery was still working at the end of that. Though I would recommend carrying a spare or getting the battery grip BG-E3 that lets you use AA size batteries as well as the NB-2LH that the camera takes. A word of caution. I bought a spare battery from Hong Kong (£10 compared to Canon's £40 ish) via ebay and the clip inside the camera's battery case won't hold it in place (even though it looks identical to Canon's battery), so the battery door won't close. The fake battery works fine in Canon's battery grip BG-E3. The grip is also useful because it accepts AA batteries as well as one or two NB-2LHbatteries.

Oh! Yes let's not forget the cleaning system. The reason I bought the Canon EOS 400D rather than a Nikon was Canon's wonderful, innovative sensor cleaning system. I'd had the camera 14 months. Took a lot of great pictures on a crisp clear day with that rarity in this country - a wonderful blue sky. And on the very best pictures there were three very obvious smudges that could only be dirt on the sensor!!! Canon only recommends getting the sensor cleaned by a Canon Service Agent.

Despite my criticisms this is a great camera for an introduction to SLR photography. It allows you to start to build up a collection of quality lenses that you will be able to use on newer, or more sophisticated Canon bodies, as your skill increases.

My minor irritations are borne I think more from the limitations of digital imaging than anything else. If you have around £400 to spend on a digital SLR this is certainly one to consider. With this camera and a quality lens you should be able to produce images up to A3 size.

For the price and for a first SLR I highly recommend it.

400D Accessories

Although everything that comes in the 400D box is all you need to get great pictures, there are a few accessories that will help you get the most from your new camera.

If you don't have a gadget bag yet, then get yourself a case to protect your camera against accidental knocks and rain. If you are new to SLR photography a manual will make life loads easier. A spare battery is absolutely essential. I know from personal experience that there is nothing worse than finding yourself in a wonderfully picturesque place and havng your only battery die. Always carry a fully charged spare. A wireless remote release is handy for those shots where you want to be a part of the picture as well as getting shake-free super-sharp macro pcitures. A wired remote control is the modern version of a cable release. It ensures that no part of you is touching the camera when you fire the shutter - essential for tripod work. And finally - the Battery Grip. This useful extra takes one or two NB-2LH batteries, but also comes with a carrier so that you can use ordinary AA batteries. Great for holidays so you don't have to worry about recharging batteries. You might be interested in a shade to protect the very exposed screen on the back of the camera, as well as letting you view your images in bright sunlight. And if you want the ultimate protection then get some camera armour.

Introduction to the Canon XTi DVD Blue Crane Digital's dvd will teach you all you need to know about taking great pictures with your Canon XTI in less than two hours. The topics are arranged in chapters, so you can move at your own pace, and return later to individual subjects. This DVD not only gets you up and running with confidence, it explains what the engineers had in mind when they designed the outside dials and controls. Youll come back to this video again and again. Topics include: Be Prepared (To Get the Shot), Time Value, Aperture Value / Depth of Field, Depth of Field Preview, Picture Styles, AF Modes, Metering and Bracketing, White Balance/Color Temperature, ISO, Using Playback to get Great Images, Understanding Histograms, Exposure Compensation, Flash Overview, Lens Selection, Custom Functions, Programmable Buttons, RAW Files, Composition, Data Photo Professional Software, and much more.

Guide to the Canon Rebel XTi In Brief The inBrief guide gives you quick and accurate answers to achieve the best shot while in the field without lugging around a hefty instruction manual. The card is divided into eight color-coded panels. The panels cover metering / bracketing, custom functions, layout and description of the camera's control panel, and color coded index to easily find your answers. The guide is laminated for long life and protection from the elements wherever you may go.

Pop-Up Shade - Snap On Pro for Canon XTi The Pop-Up Shade Pro is designed to attach to your XTi using the existing eye piece and slots around the display. It easily snaps on and off, and features an optically clear plastic to protect your camera's screen. The simple pop-up design allows for easy opening to block the glare. Also, the buttons on the Professional shades are aligned with your camera to reduce the wear and tear on delicate parts and components.

Camera Armor for Canon Rebel XTi Provide tough protection for your camera that is always on, even when you are shooting. Each Camera Armor case is designed to fit the camera like a glove. All controls and access points are still accessible and you can use your camera at a moments notice. No more missed photographs trying to get your camera out of its case. These black, rubberized cases provide comfort for ergonomic shooting. Corners and lenses are protected by an impact-resistant material and a clear polycarbonate lens protects your camera's LCD. A bonus lensguard will fit most lenses up to 85mm. Camera Armor is compatible with most tripods. Features: Ruggedized custom fit protection Clear Polycarbonate Lens protects the LCD Rubberized Comfort for ergonomic shooting Bonus Lens guard will fit most lenses up to 85mm Corners and Lenses protected by impact resistant material

Just for your information: When I had a 1GB Extreme III chip full and I connected the camera to the computer (via supplied USB cable) it took around 30-40minutes for the download to complete. For convenience I bought a Sandisk Extreme USB card reader costing around £12 and was amazed to find that downloading a full card takes 2-3 minutes. Since a Sandisk Extreme III 2GB CF Card from Amazon now costs less than a 1GB, save yourself a lot of time and get hold of a card reader.