Canon Powershot Lineup More Confusing Than Ever

Canon has done a great job of making more difficult for consumers to figure out which Powershot camera from their Digital Elph (SD) line is the appropriate one for them. In fact, with their recent release of the SD890 IS, SD790 IS, and SD770 IS -- they are all 10.3 megapixel cameras, with nothing other than the price and model numbers to distinguish them. Oddly enough, higher numbered models such as SD1100 IS have less megapixels (8), but also cost significantly less than the lower models.

I remember when Canon's model numbers used to mean something. Like for example when Canon named a camera in the Powershot line it was something like SD410 Digital Elph which meant that 1) It was a Elph or compact camera and 2) The camera took pictures that had 4.10 megapixels on them. Boy, were those great times when in less than a minute you could determine the Canon model that was right for you.

With the theft our Canon Powershot SD800 IS last weekend, I am now in the market for a new compact point & shoot camera. In reality, I was not very happy with the image quality on the SD800 IS and was already intending on finding a better point and shoot from Canon. Whether it was that the SD800 IS was one of the first Digital Elph cameras to have image stabilization -- I am not sure. What I can tell is that I was happier with the consistency of the images from my previous model -- the SD410 despite missing IS and half the megapixels.

My main requirement? A small camera that fits in a shirt pocket and takes quality pictures -- very fitting for the Digital Elph line. After spending 5 minutes on the Canon Powershot website (http://www.powershot.com) I am completely confused about any significant differentiation in the Canon Powershot and specifically the SD / Digital Elph lines. What does that say for the average consumer if I am confused given I have owned no less than 5 Digital Elph models?

Still, it was necessary for me to persevere and determine the right Canon Powershot point & shoot model -- not ready to switch to another brand with the success I have had in the past with Canon. I spent some time going through various review sites and was able to narrow it to the SD850 IS (8.3MP) SD790 IS (10.3MP) and SD770 IS (10.3MP). And while the differences between the SD850 IS and the other was clear -- the differences between the SD790 IS and SD770 IS was not. Even with the good reviews, I eliminated the SD850 IS due to the fact that it was entering the end of life status for the camera and focused on the two new 700 series cameras.

With the basic technologies in each camera almost identical, the real differences were in $50 in pricing, the body styling, LCD screen (SD790 has a 3" and the SD770 has a 2.5), weight (the SD770 IS is 1 full ounce lighter at 4.59oz), and battery technology -- NB-5L vs. NB-6L Canon battery models.

Even though the SD770 IS retails $50 less, the lighter weight makes it at least that much more valuable to me. At that point, the choice was easy -- I have little need for a 3.0" LCD when comparing to a 2.5" LCD and the savings of 1 ounce of weight for carrying the camera in your pocket makes a lot of sense. I would advise you as well, unless you really need that larger LCD screen that the SD770 IS is a much better value.



I went ahead and purchased the SD770 IS after the evaluation and am confident it will be the right choice. While the MSRP for the camera is $299, you can get it from Amazon.com for less than $250. Click here to purchase from Amazon.com I ended up choosing the silver color.

And some quick advice for any product managers from Canon that may read this article, clean up your model number lines so that consumers can recognized choices that are being made in design whether it is for features, style, or compact. Then more consumers will have better experiences and not have to spend so much time before making a decision to purchase a Canon camera that they will be happy with.

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Some Body Armor for My Canon EOS Rebel XTi 400D

I like to keep my eye out for interesting accessories that I can pair with my Canon EOS Rebel XTi. Recently, while searching, I came across an interesting product called the Body Armor for the camera. At first I did not know what it was, other than it gave a pretty aggressive and customized look to your camera body and had what looked to be an oversized lens hood.


My initial reaction was that the device was basically a “skin” for your camera. Similar to what you might put on an Apple iPod, Apple iPhone, or even a Blackberry. The purpose was that it would keep it from getting nicked and scratched and provide a little better grip when you are handling the camera.

But, after reading the product description, it appeared that the body armor does a lot more than just provide a protective covering for the Rebel XTi body. Its purpose is quite a bit more ambitious than simple nicks and scratches. Rather the goal of the body armor is to protect your camera and the lens from drops and major bumps with impact absorbing silicone. (They are also offered for most Canon EOS cameras)

This product, made by Made Products in Seattle, Washington retails for $49.95, but is available from Amazon.com (Click here for the Amazon Camera Armor Product) for roughly $35. Camera Armor is effectively a skin as you would call it if it was for your Apple iPod or Apple iPhone. The skin covers the entire body of the camera, the LCD, and has a lens protector with it. In addition to providing scratch protection, it has additional shock absorption at strategic places that are most commonly bumped, including the lens.

I have yet to ding my Rebel XTi yet, but I know that it is just a matter of time till it either takes a nice bang or drop. Best to give it all the protection I can before it happens. The great part is that this particular model will also work with the Rebel XSi, so when I upgrade – I can take the Camera Armor to it.

So, I went ahead and ordered the Camera Armor to give it a try.

The Camera Armor arrived after a week’s time and upon opening the box, there were three distinct pieces in it.

First there was a LCD shield, or a clear piece of polycarbonate plastic that goes over the LCD screen, around several of the functional buttons and the viewfinder.

Then there was the main Camera Armor piece made of elastomeric silicone that covers the main body. It has cutouts for the dial, switches, strap, and openings for the CF Card, the USB ports, and the bottom was pretty much open – leaving space should you also potentially use a battery grip with your Canon EOS Rebel XTi.

The last piece is know as the Lens Armor, which is a protection that could possibly used as a lens hood in addition to impact protection – that should fit over most lens. There is also an optional lens cap lanyard which I will not be installing with my Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) lens.

Installation does require you to remove the shoulder / neck strap from your camera as well as the camera lens. I removed both of those and put the Canon lens protective cover on the body for the installation.

Then I installed the LCD Shield before the by simply overlaying the clear plastic over the LCD and the viewfinder. Now it was time for the Camera Armor. The fit was as precise as I would have expected and although most of the buttons are hidden, they still work very well after turning the camera on.

It did take me a few minutes to get the strap re-installed – but with a little patience, it was not too much of a problem. Lastly, I installed my Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) back on the camera. It did require a little more pressure to attach due to the silicone Camera Armor – but did not require me to force it.

Lastly, I placed the Lens Armor on the Tamon SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR Di II LD Aspherical (IF) lens to complete the installation.


After toying around with the Camera Armor product for a few minutes, I am pretty happy with it. While it did not add much weight, it seems that it will provide a little additional protection from the camera. If it helps the camera survive even one drop or decent bang, then it was well worth the money. Plus, I like the new look.


What do you think?

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Gray Market Lenses for Canon EOS Cameras

What would you do if you received a “gray market” or “Japanese” version lens when you were left with the impression that it was a genuine USA lens? Would it matter if you spent more on the lens because you were led to believe the lens was a genuine USA model?

This is an issue that I recently encountered and it was both an educational and learning experience for me. This is not only a gray market story, but also an eBay story – of which the outcome is still pending.

Before we get started, let us define what a gray market lens is. According to Tamron (the manufacturer of lenses for Canon cameras) here is the deal with gray market lenses:

In looking for our products, you may find that products not supplied through our regular channel are sold in your market. Such products are generally called “gray-market products” and may involve quality problems.

Interchangeable lenses are precision optical and mechanical products. Therefore, if handling during transportation or storage is not adequate, defects or malfunctions may occur. As for our products supplied through our regular distribution channel, meticulous care is taken in transportation and storage in order to ensure quality protection. However, in the case of gray-market products, it is more likely that they are handled inadequately during transportation or storage; are exposed to undesirable conditions such as high temperatures, vibration, shock, high humidity, dust, dirt and so on; or that they have been mixed up with used products since they are not under our strict control. Therefore, we are unable to warrant the quality of gray-market products.

The reality of the statement is that in most cases the gray market lenses are of the same quality and reliability as their genuine USA counterparts. However, since there is no way to guarantee this – they are not covered by warranties since their authenticity cannot be determined. In addition, these lenses have a significantly lower resale value (~25%) than their genuine counterparts for the same reason, even though most warranties are not transferable in the first place.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I bid on and won a Tamron SP AF17-50mm f/2.8 XR Aspherical lens on eBay. The lens was used, but was in mint condition and a genuine USA product. I placed my bid for what I thought was a reasonable savings over whether I had purchased the lens new from B&H or Amazon.com. Fortunately, I won the lens well within the price I was looking to pay and the items was delivered very quickly to me.

When I opened the box, I was immediately concerned that the lens was not a genuine USA lens. Why? Because all of the pamphlets, manuals, and other documentation were written only in the Japanese language. There was one small foldout that had a couple of sentences of English in it – and that was it. Two other telling signs, there was a multi-layer “receipt” in the box with Japanese writing on it and the US UPC code and information on the bottom of the box was covered with another sticker that had additional information on it.

However, since I was not positive, I hooked the lens up to my Canon EOS Rebel XTi 400D and snapped some quick photos. The lens worked great, and the clarity of the photos taken with the new lens were far superior to the kit lens, the EF-S 18-55mm lens that the Rebel XTi ships with.

Still, I had to contact the seller to see if they knew that the item they sold was a gray market lens rather than the genuine USA one. After a quick reply, the seller suggested I check with Tamron to verify the authenticity. Even though the lens came from “Preferred Photo” a well-known grey marketer and seller of imported products – the seller was not willing to discuss options until I received word from Tamron.

The next morning, I placed a call to Tamron. I spent about 5 minutes on the phone with the agent providing information and asking a number of questions. At the end of the call, the agent responded with – the serial number is not in our system, and based on the rest of the information – you have a “gray market” lens. Now it was time to go back to the seller.

While I was willing to put several different options on the table, the seller was not. The seller felt it was fine to mislead buyers since the lens worked well – regardless of the authenticity or the lowered resale value. For me personally, I could not advertise a lens as genuine USA that was not for a couple of reasons – one, it is dishonest and two, I would expect a reasonable buyer to return the lens.

At that point, I requested that I return the lens under the 7 day money back guarantee that the item was posted under. The seller has resisted, but should not be able to step around the clarity of the return policy. I will update on how that goes as it is currently in the PayPal “dispute” statue.

Now I will need to scour the market to find the best price on a genuine USA lens from B&H Photo or Amazon.com.

To summarize and answer my own questions:
What would you do if you received a “gray market” or “Japanese” version lens when you were left with the impression that it was a genuine USA lens?
I would return it.

Would it matter if you spent more on the lens because you were led to believe the lens was a genuine USA model?
Yes, especially since at some point I plan to resell the lens.

More importantly, what would you do? Let me know with a comment below.

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Great Case for the Rebel XTi - the Canon 200EG Photo Backpack

As I continue to purchase a few accessories for my Canon EOS Rebel XTi 400D digital camera I will share what I buy and how it works for me. My latest purchase before our recent trip to Europe was a great digital camera carrying case. Actually, I ended up with the Canon Deluxe Photo Back Pack 200EG and I could not be any happier with it!


Canon Deluxe Photo Backpack 200EG for Canon EOS SLR Cameras

It is first important to note why I choose a backpack setup with the Canon 200EG for my Rebel XTi. I have never been a fan of over the shoulder bags, smaller cases, or hip type packs for cameras. I really like backpacks because the enable you to have your hands free, distribute the weight and they can carry a lot of stuff. For that reason I searched for a good backpack.

In the beginning, I had no idea that Canon made any backpack carrying cases for their cameras until I came across this one. At first, the $69.99 price scared me away before I checked Amazon.com. Amazon's $36.97 with free shipping and no sales tax made the decision a no-brainer, a serious no brainer.

The backpack is great -- it fits everything I could possibly need. The Rebel XTi, a couple of extra lenses, the Canon Powershot G7, and the Canon Powershot SD800IS. All with plenty of room for mini-tripods, extra memory, batteries, and chargers. And withing a fairly small package. There are even straps on the outside so you can attach a camera tripod to the case.

Here is how I had the Canon 200EG backpack for our recent trip to Europe:


As you can see, I could fit everything in there, plus there was still a ton of room to carry additional items around while we traveled. Since I returned, I just store all my equipment in the backpack so that anytime I need any cameras, I just grab the Canon 200EG backpack and I am ready to go.

As far as downsides on the backpack? Only a couple:

1. The Canon logo on the back does not remove very easily. While I appreciate that Canon makes the product, I really do not like advertising that there is potentially "expensive" equipment on my back -- possibly making me a target.

2. Canon should have included a few more velcro straps. I will be buying some additional strips at Staples, but it would have been nice to have one for each compartment, to make it easier to secure the equipment without needing to carry the boxes as protective material.

If you need a carrying case for your Canon EOS camera -- you should just buy the Canon 200EG Photo Backpack, especially if you can get it at the Amazon price. It is a great value.

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My Canon EOS Rebel XTi 400D Experience

Want to know all about my experience with my Canon EOS Rebel XTi 400D digital camera?

Well, then this is the post you need to bookmark and follow up on. The purpose of this post is very clear and concise – to organize all of my posts on my Rebel XTi in a single post categorized by subject. The other option was to make you rely solely on my tag cloud on the right and sort through all of the posts there. Not a good experience, especially if this is your first visit to my blog.

Rather than put you through that ordeal, below is the most current list of postings on my Rebel XTi. Anytime I add a new post, this page will be updated, giving you one place to come to get all the information and sample photos. How convenient!

In case you are wondering, I am an improving amateur (very) photographer that up until now has only taken photos with point and shoot cameras. While the list of digital cameras I have owned is long and extensive, they have practically all been Canon cameras, first the Powershot Digital Elph and SD line, then finally culminating in a purchase of the Powershot G7 – the closest thing you can get to a Digital SLR without buying one.

In fact, I own a total of three digital cameras currently, the Canon Powershot SD 800IS, the Canon Powershot G7, and finally the Canon Rebel XTi. The Canon Rebel XTi is the first SLR camera I have owned. With my initial experience with it, my eye is already wandering towards the Rebel XSi 450D.

Curious about items I have not covered? You can always ask, maybe I am already working on a post that covers it!

Purchasing the Canon EOS Rebel XTi 400D:
Replacing my Powershot G7 with a Rebel XTi 400D
Bought my Canon EOS Rebel XTi 400D...Finally

General experience and issues:
Canon EOS Rebel XTi 400D has arrived - first shots!
Dead Pixel Found on my Rebel XTi 400D's CCD - Argh!
Dead or Hot Pixel on my Rebel XTi? How to fix.
Gray Market Leness for Canon EOS Cameras

Accessories:
Canon 200EG Photo Backpack for Canon EOS cameras
Canon RC-1 Remote Controller for Canon EOS cameras
Body Armor Impact Protection for the Canon EOS Rebel XTi

Lenses for the Canon EOS Rebel XTi 400D

Tamron SP AF17-50mm F/2.8 XR LD Aspherical (IF) Lens:
Sample First Photos

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II Lens:
Lens Test Photos & Review
ISO Speed Comparison
Canon EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM Telephoto Lens:
Test Photos - Fully Automatic
Test Photos - Landscape Mode

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Dead Pixel Found on my Rebel XTi 400D's CCD - Argh!

Crud. I was just starting to like my new Canon Rebel EOS XTi 400D. Really like in. In fact, I had just received my new lens -- the EF 50mm f/1.8 II, widely considered one of the better pieces of glass out there. Especially considering the $70 price. Hard to beat.

I was tinkering around with the camera and taking a few shots for my Chocolate Lab Luey. It was the first time I was shooting in RAW mode -- RAW+L to be exact. I had just snapped about 20 photos and then I saw it.

Buried somewhere in Luey's dark leg was a bright green pixel. I was not sure at first what it was, but it ruined a pretty good picture.

After staring at it for another minute our two, I zoomed in and found the devil located at 2504x1696. Here is what it looks like, at 500% magnification.

Very quickly I had an idea on what this was. I rushed through the images that I had taken over the weekend and while it was not apparent in the backgrounds I was shooting. I had to look very closely and there it was at X position 2504 and Y position 1696 -- there was either a green pixel or a white (blank) pixel. In every single picture I had taken, regardless of lighting or exposure length -- always in the same place.

Unfortunately, I had seen this devil before on my Sony PSP -- and I knew what this was. It was a dead or burnt out pixel in the Rebel XTi's CCD. Bummer. Basically, I knew at that point the Canon camera needed to be replaced, repaired, returned, or something. Just to verify with Canon, I called their support number and they verified what I was seeing was indeed a burnt out pixel in the CCD. They confirmed and gave me two options -- send it to a service center or exchange it.

Given I made the purchase at Staples, exchanging it was the best option. Fortunately, the representative when I called Staples was easy to deal with. Looks like I will get my new Canon EOS Rebel XTi 400D on Wednesday. I am looking forward to it even more, especially with that new EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens. Even the poor lighting photos came out well -- say that one green pixel in Luey's leg.

This is actually the first quality problem that I have encountered on the 10 or so Canon camera I have owned. While disappointing, I wanted to see if this was a more common issue -- Google did not turn up much. That's why I'm posting. :-)

At least I was fortunate that I caught this issue right away. A few more days and the camera may have been off to the service center for weeks.

Other terms for pixels: bad pixel, blank pixel, dead pixel, stuck pixel, missing pixel, sensor pixel, CMOS pixel, CCD pixel, green pixel, red pixel, blue pixel.

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