Anybody know anything about the Canon Rebel T-2 or K-2?

[nlochner]

I'm about to buy a new 35mm, because my old camera just broke, and i was wondering if the canon Rebel t-2 or k-2 was a good value for the price. Keep in mind, that i am on a student budget!

If anybody could answer this question, or give any overall comments about those cameras, it would be nice.

Thanks,

nlochner

 

[Paul Sorensen]

Nothing against either of those cameras, but for the money, I would probably consider a used camera. Prices have dropped so far that you can get a very nice camera for about the same price. Check out keh.com for some ideas. Or, have a look at the Nikon FM2 in the classifieds right now.

Another thing I find is that most of my students prefer to have a manual focus, simple camera for starters. They find that they really can learn the basics with a camera like that versus the electronic do everything for you cameras like the Canon Rebels.

If you want to buy new, I think that these two cameras do represent a good value. They are very light weight and not made for heavy use. If you are planning on really doing a lot of shooting, you will find that they are not nearly as rugged as cameras made for that kind of use.

Any camera will do the trick, and is certainly a long sight better than no camera!

 

[df cardwell]

A rebel t2 is the family snapshot camera. it's splendid.

It IS a bit more involved than a plain old camera, I mean a it has a zillion ways to take a picture, it takes a little getting straight. but it's fine, reliable, and handy.

We bought a real EF zoom instead of the junker that is packaged with it, and the results are splendid.

But for LEARNING photogrpahy ? go manual. it's easier, really.

 

[nlochner]

Hey, thanks for your replys, but there is somthing you should know.

I have been using a fully manual Minolta XE-5 wich is about thirty years old, so there is not electronic do it for you feature, so i have learned how to shoot. I dont know everything about shooting, but im ready for a more modernish camera.

Thanks

nlochner

 

[Paul Sorensen]

Perhaps a used EOS 3 or Nikon N90S. There are a lot of modernish cameras that are very nice and perfect for a step up. There are also lots of Minoltas you can look at if you have lenses. Hopefully Dave Parker will step up with some advice.

I have gone the other direction. Bigger negative and less automation than even your XE-5. Automation is great for some things, but I suspect you would get more from an investment in a good lens and some film.

The Canons are certainly more automated, but in no way are they better cameras than what you have. I would suspect that you have better optics than the cheap kit lens the Canons come with.

 

[nlochner]

I agree, that i have better optics, than the lens that comes with the cannon, but the whole reason im getting a new camera, is because my minolta is broken, and it would cost much more to repair it then to get a new decent camera.

Thanks for all of your advice!

nlochner

 

[markbb]

I agree, that i have better optics, than the lens that comes with the cannon, but the whole reason im getting a new camera, is because my minolta is broken, and it would cost much more to repair it then to get a new decent camera.

Thanks for all of your advice!

nlochner

You can pick up cannon EOS 300s, 1000s etc for pennies on Ebay, usually without the lens (as mentioned, the bundled zooms are usually crap anyway). Is it possible to get an adaptor to use your minolta lens on an EOS?

 

[raucousimages]

My daughter has a T2 and my sons have K2s they are good entry cameras. They both can be used in manual mode and with manual focus. I keep my kids in manual most of the time, learning to meter but they do a good job in several auto modes as well. As a basic camera I have no complaints.

 

[nlochner]

Mark bb, i dont know if could get an adaptor for my vivitar lenses to work on the Eos. That would be great, as i have a very good telephoto, a 2xmultiplier add on and a regular entry level lens with no zoom, and i love both of those lenses.


If anyone could give info on adapters, if there are any to interchange lenses?

nlochner

 

[TheFlyingCamera]

There is NO way to interchange your minolta manual focus lenses with an EOS body. Period. The EOS lens mount has no mechanical interface with the lens, just electronic. IF an adapter existed, it would weigh almost as much as the camera and cost even more, since it would have to have batteries of its own to drive a separate motor to operate the aperture, plus a computer to interpret the EOS body's signals to the motor. Oh, and it would end up being large enough that every lens you'd put on it would become a macro lens.

That said, while I can't speak for the current Rebel crop, I remember when I sold cameras for a living, the Rebel G was the current model, and they were really well made. I had a customer get one, wear it out to his car on the neck strap. The strap wasn't tight, and the camera slipped out of the strap and bounced off the parking lot asphalt. He came back in, upset. I took a look at it, snapped the top deck back in place, and everything worked AOK. He never came back in with a repair on it either, and I worked there two more years after that incident. I think it was the camera we sold the most of, but saw the least repairs for. EOS 1's and 1N's, however....

If you want something in the EOS line, I would recommend looking for a used EOS 3 or an Elan 7, as they are more fully functional and the user interface is more geared to a serious photographer. They should be more robust than the Rebels - one plus is the metal lens mount, which is less likely to break on impact and less likely to wear out.

 

[Chan Tran]

I agree, that i have better optics, than the lens that comes with the cannon, but the whole reason im getting a new camera, is because my minolta is broken, and it would cost much more to repair it then to get a new decent camera.

Thanks for all of your advice!

nlochner

I wonder what if you just get another XE-5 or even an XE-7 used on ebay?

 

[Anupam Basu]

I'm about to buy a new 35mm, because my old camera just broke, and i was wondering if the canon Rebel t-2 or k-2 was a good value for the price. Keep in mind, that i am on a student budget!

I began with the Rebel 2000 and am still on a student budget, but I'd say neither of these cameras are a very good deal, especially if you're buying new. They are modern in the sense that they are AF but otherwise add very little to what your current camera can do.

Especially since you are on a budget, I would recommend looking at the Nikon and Pentax lines, because their mounts allow you to use older very high quality manual lenses as well as all the new AF lenses. I dumped my crappy AF zooms for high quality primes after switching to Nikon.

Be aware though that some entry level Nikons are crippled so that they don't meter with manual lenses. If you buy an N8008s, N90s, F100 etc you won't have any problems. I suggest the N90 as a minimum in the Nikon line and at current prices you can easily get one used for less than $150 and it is a full professional camera head and shoulders above the K2 and such. Better still, get a F100 for about $350 and never look back - it will even let you use G lenses and VR which the N90 won't.

In the EOS line you should go for a used Elan or better - at the very least.

The features I appreciate in 35mm AF slr bodies include:

spot meter, dof preview, good viewfinder and ability to take a wide variety of MF and AF lenses. If I did certain kinds of shooting, I'd also look at AF speed as a major factor along with max flash sych speed. Check these specs before you decide.

HTH, -A

 

[mawz]

Actually, EOS bodies work pretty well with adapted MF lenses. I shot with F mount and M42 lenses when I had my EOS 3 and currently have occasionally used M42 on my Rebel XS/EOS 500S (Usually just has an AF 50mm f1.8 on it and no longer have F mount adaptor). You only get stop-down metering and no focus aids, but it does work.

 

[Lee Shively]

I only have experience with the Rebel 2000, none of the newer models. I used it as an everyday carry around camera since it was smaller and lighter than the other EOS models. Coming from other EOS cameras, it does have limitations--mainly the lack of the quick control dial on the back of the camera. It takes a bit of adjustment to go to the Rebel after using an EOS 1n or A2E. That shouldn't be a problem to someone new to the EOS line. The only other limitation I ever found in the camera was the mirror prism finder. It's not very bright on its on and it really doesn't work with long lenses with extenders attached.

My opinion is the Rebels are solid entry level cameras. I eventually gave mine to my wife to use on vacations. She banged it around more than actually using it to take pictures and stopped using it in favor of an Olympus Stylus Epic. It has survived a good deal of abuse and I now use it as a spare body that takes all my Canon EF lenses. I don't know what the going price is for the current Rebels but if you must buy new, they are good choices for an entry level or back up camera. If you are willing to buy used, you probably can find a better built EOS for the same as a new EOS Rebel. My only other suggestion would be to forgo the zoom lens that comes in the Rebel packages. Get the body only and get the 50/1.8 separately as a starter lens. It's cheap and extremely sharp. If you want a zoom as a normal lens, the 28-105 is a good choice.

 

[Karl K]

The plastic Rebels don't last under heavy use.

They are great for the occasional snapshooter, but made to be replaced, not repaired. If anything goes wrong, it's trash. I would keep your Minolta lenses and look for the beautiful Minolta XD-11 used. A magnificent camera, which even operates on one shutter speed without any batteries.

 

[reub2000]

They should be more robust than the Rebels - one plus is the metal lens mount, which is less likely to break on impact and less likely to wear out.

The T2 has a metal lens mount.

The T2 has a depth of field preview so that you can use to play around with the aperture and see what it does. The K2 does not have a dof preview.