[Dabhand16]

Just read the latest which? report on dSLR's and thought I'd share the salient points.

Two best buys. Both with the 18-55 kit lenses.

1 Canon 350D scored 78%. Easy to use, light and fast. Shutter delay 0.2 seconds, and a start-up time of 0.3 and a shot-to-shot time in single shot mode of 0.5 seconds.

2 Nikon D50 77%. The flash was a strength - one of the best in any dSLR.

But what of the 400D, I hear you ask?

Well, they were not impressed. It was found to be slower than the 350D - Shutter delay is 0.3 seconds and start up time of 1.1 seconds. Shot to shot time in single shot mode is 0.8 seconds.

Quote: 'Whereas the EOS 350D offered excellent images, those produced by the 400D are no better than average and are much darker than those taken with its predecessor'.

I was surprised at these results. It seems that 'progress' in the photography world is much the same as in HiFi and other electronics where the later models often cannot perform as well as their earlier siblings.

However, much as I like the way that which? usually go about their tests, usually involving inexperienced users, advanced users and lab tests, I do wonder if the conclusions need to be taken with a pinch of salt. They critisised the Canon 30D, the Olympus E-330 and E-500 and the Nikon D70s for having no video mode, the Nikon D80 has a shutter delay of 0.5 seconds, 'inferior to that of some compacts'. The Pentax K100D was not rated very well at all with reference to a better lens improving it. Image quality was the issue with the Samsung GX 1L + D-XENON 18-55mm and the Sony alpha 100 + 18-70mm SAL-1870 and the sony had a long start up time too.

Food for thought, though.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Dabhand16

But what of the 400D, I hear you ask?

Well, they were not impressed. It was found to be slower than the 350D - Shutter delay is 0.3 seconds and start up time of 1.1 seconds. Shot to shot time in single shot mode is 0.8 seconds.

Food for thought, though.

I wonder if they took into account the fact that the 400D cleans the sensor on start up and that will obviously delay the time it takes from off to be ready. Also by depressing the shutter release button it cancels the cleaning operation to allow you to be ready quicker.

I suppose it has no effect on the quality though...so maybe there are issues there, or as you suspect, the findings are not well researched?

[Dabhand16]

Originally Posted by Steve

I wonder if they took into account the fact that the 400D cleans the sensor on start up and that will obviously delay the time it takes from off to be ready. Also by depressing the shutter release button it cancels the cleaning operation to allow you to be ready quicker?

I suspect you may well be correct there, Steve. I might just e-mail them and challenge their findings.

Interesting they commented on the images being dark, though. A couple of members have also got issues here.

[Soupdragon]

I'd like to know where you got the 0.5 second shutter lag on the D80 from!

And it's true that the 350D produces images as good as the 400D and from what I've seen, sharper.

There is a softness with the 400D which is difficult to remove!

[Dabhand16]

Originally Posted by Soupdragon

I'd like to know where you got the 0.5 second shutter lag on the D80 from!

Don't shoot me - I'm only the messenger!

All figures are from Which?

[Soupdragon]

Errr! that wasn't meant as a personal slight!
I own a D80 and I can quite safely say there is not a 1/2 second delay from pressing the button and the shutter actually operating, more like .05 seconds.

[Dabhand16]

No offence taken Could be a mis-print.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Dabhand16

Just read the latest which? report on dSLR's and thought I'd share the salient points.

Two best buys. Both with the 18-55 kit lenses.

1 Canon 350D scored 78%. Easy to use, light and fast. Shutter delay 0.2 seconds, and a start-up time of 0.3 and a shot-to-shot time in single shot mode of 0.5 seconds.

2 Nikon D50 77%. The flash was a strength - one of the best in any dSLR.

Makes this even more of a bargain then :- http://www.pixalo.com/community/supp...tml#post115662

[Soupdragon]

I was going to get one this afternoon but, the wife said "it would be a small loss to the world if you were to die so young!", so I changed my mind.

Damn, that woman is powerfull!

[Dave]