Canon EOS 500D camera reviews

Canon EOS 500D camera reviews

A camera that reveals a creative personality in you. How I came to buy a SLR camera. During our school years we had a digital camera.

I've always loved taking pictures. Later I went to study in Moscow. And since I didn't have a phone with a camera, there was simply nothing to take pictures of. In the third year, having started earning, I decided that I urgently needed to buy a camera. But I didn't know which one. I didn't understand technology at all. But a friend had a Canon EOS 450D SLR camera. He photographed me with it several times and I was just in love with these shots. Any girl dreams of beautiful photos.

The DSLR effect can never be achieved with an ordinary digital camera. So without thinking twice, I also decided to buy a DSLR. For the first time I took a camera with a whale lens - Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II. Then I thought it would be enough for me.

How did you buy it? I bought a camera in 2011 in some online store in Moscow. I immediately took another protective light filter for the lens and a camera bag (read the review about it here - Dicom UniPro UP1804 black/grey camera bag. All together, I came out with about 30 thousand dollars, it was in 2011. Yes, it is quite expensive, but I have never regretted it. Now the price for Canon EOS 500D Body is 20900 rubles on Yandex Market. A whale lens Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II - 6990 money in the same place. And the same as my camera bag costs money on Mediamarkt 1629. Protective light filter - about a thousand rubles. In total, all together 30519 money. In price, everything remains the same, after 5.5 years.

Who is this camera for? Many people say that a good photographer will make beautiful shots on any camera! And what if you don't deal with the settings, but only take pictures in Auto mode, then there is no point in taking a DSLR. Like a waste of money! But I don't agree with that! I, as a person who does not understand technology at all, bought a DSLR and immediately noticed what cool shots are obtained even in auto mode! So don't listen to anyone!))) It's for you!)

But I also know people who have taken a mirror for themselves, but do not use it at all. This, of course, is an expensive enough thing to just gather dust on the shelf. But perhaps they really need this camera for the sake of one photo shoot a year and no other can replace it. Personally, I advise people to take such a camera, who, regardless of their level of photographing, just like to do it. And they take pictures often.

My history of using this camera. Immediately on the second day after buying the camera, we went for a walk in the center of Moscow. And I took my first, probably a thousand photos. Yes, I can take pictures almost without ceasing. Here are a couple of photos from that day. To say that I was happy is to say nothing.

I honestly tried to read the instruction book right after buying the camera. But already on the first pages I stalled. Since some terms were constantly coming out, which I hadn't even heard of. The more I read, the more I realized that it was useless for me. Darkness. So I abandoned this book. But I didn't drop the camera. A friend who recommended a DSLR to me immediately warned me that if I didn't use the camera, then I had to get the battery. But I haven't had to do that in 5.5 years. I use it almost every day.

A brief overview of the photos of 2011-2012 that I shot in Auto mode. Agree, it will not be possible to remove it on a digital camera.

In 2013, I accidentally stumbled across "5 free lessons from Galiya Berdnikova" on the Internet. This is a Kazan photographer, so she sold her basic courses. First, you go through 5 small lessons, and then those who want to buy the photography course itself. And that's when I learned what exposure, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, frame composition, how to shoot in other modes, etc. I didn't buy the courses themselves. But I started looking further for photo resources on the Internet. There are a lot of photography lessons, articles, videos on retouching, forums and much, much more. And that's where I disappeared for a while. I diligently studied all this information. And I have already started taking pictures more consciously. Switched from Auto mode to Av mode - a mode in which you change the aperture and ISO settings, and the shutter speed is set automatically. Already at this stage I have read the instruction book. Everything was clear now. And I learned a lot more about my camera. I wanted to create. Then my husband and I purchased a Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM lens, read the review about it here. Since mostly I have always photographed portraits.

Also, developing in photography, I, of course, developed in Photoshop, without it anywhere. Oh, how many avatars I made for the girls. Later, my husband and I started moving to different cities for work. And I had no one to photograph. But a son appeared and photo shoots began every day. I think every mother wants to leave in her memory pleasant memories of how her baby grew up. So for moms, a good camera is literally a necessity. My son is now a year and 9 months old. We live far away from all our relatives and friends, so we transmit photos via the Internet. They help grandparents to see their grandson grow up. I also became interested in shooting architecture and nature. There are no familiar people in the city, so she has retrained for nature and buildings. I have an Instagram page - larionovailmira with beautiful places of the cities in which we live. And for architecture shots, we purchased a Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens (read a review about it here.

Since the Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens is not very bright, we also purchased a flash - Canon 430EX II.

There was more technology and my camera bag could no longer hold everything) Therefore, quite recently we ordered a backpack for photographic equipment on Aliexpress. Read the review on it here.

Of course, it's hard to shoot videos. With the Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 lens, the STM is much better. But it's hard with a portrait painter in general. It is necessary to focus manually. And it's not easy. So it was possible to shoot only non-moving objects.

As you already understand, I have a lot of photos!) Therefore, the important point is where to store them safely. For myself, I found the perfect photo and video hosting - flickr! I wrote a very detailed review about how easy it is to understand.

Not so long ago I bought a Canon 6D Mark II, so now there is something to compare it with. Definitely, the 500D is very weak in poor light! There is simply a gap between the quality of photos. Even during the day in cloudy weather, you can't get decent quality. Here are examples of such photos.

And if the shooting was delayed and the time turned into "dusk", then everything is gone. I do not know, maybe someone gets something useful in such conditions, but I do not. At high ISO there will be such noises that no Photoshop will help.

The camera is very decent, I recommend it to everyone!

Canon EOS 500d – my first DSLR, a "workhorse", was given to me by my beloved man in 2010, complete with two whale lenses EF-S 18-55 mm and 75-300 mm. For 7 years, she has been everywhere: in fields, forests, mountains, and caves, working at temperatures from +40 to -35 degrees. With her, I won several amateur contests, and one picture was even included in the photo albums "Mountains of Russia". I will describe only my impressions of working with her, and only with regard to photos. I did not shoot the video and I do not plan to use the DSLR for these purposes.



Advantages of the camera:

- noises are noticeable already at ISO 400, at ISO 800 and above the quality is just darkness, and at ISO 1600 you can strangle Sad,
- whale lenses without stabilizer, so any, even the slightest tremor of the hands leads to blurring of the picture,
- autofocus constantly misses (for example, when shooting portraits, the sharpness goes from the object's eyes to the forehead or nose),
- the image is soaped at the corners (for example, when shooting groups of people (5-10 people), only the central characters come out sharp),
- when shooting each subsequent frame, it is necessary to adjust the settings even under similar conditions,
- there is no rotary screen, the display becomes dark in bright light, making it difficult to work, - the surface of the display is quickly covered with scratches if the protective film is not glued in time.



Therefore, in the end, despite our strong friendship, the kit was replaced with a used Canon 60d with a Sigma EF-S 8-16 mm landscape, a Canon EF 75-300 mm TV camera and an inexpensive Canon EF-S 50 mm portrait camera.

In general, the Canon 500d budget DSLR is quite capable of meeting the needs of a novice photographer. But over time, everything will have to grow over itself.

In 2010, I decided to enter the "photographer", the initial professional. There were no exams, it was important to enter the quota of budget places. After learning that I was accepted, I went to choose a camera. In the digital equipment store, the consultant drew attention to the Canon EOS 500D as an excellent camera for beginners, where the price/quality ratio is ideal for those who are not ready to spend a lot of money on photographic equipment, but its quality is important. So I became the proud owner of this camera. At the same time, I purchased a protective lens and a carrying case.
I must say right away that I never held a DSLR camera in my hands before admission, I took pictures only on the simplest soap dishes. I had to study actively to catch up with those who already had some experience with SLR cameras.

Now about the camera. Its weight is around half a kilo. At first it seems quite heavy, but over time you get used to it. The lens is a standard 18-55 mm with a variable aperture of 3.5-5.6. So that everyone understands the so-called ideal lens aperture is approximately around one, for example, 1.2. Such lenses cost decent money, but that's not about it now.

Now a few words about ISO. This is an indicator of sensitivity. It is used in cases when shooting takes place in low-light conditions, but it is important to maintain the clarity of the image. In standard shooting conditions, when there is enough light, I used an ISO equal to 100 or 200. In other cases, I used ISO 400, 800 and even 1600. There are also 3200. I want to note that starting from ISO 800 and higher, such troubles as "noises" began. In other words, the quality of the picture suffered. Therefore, I do not recommend greatly overestimating this indicator.

The camera has 14 shooting modes. At first I was shooting on the machine - in the photo this mode is marked as a green square. In this mode, the camera does everything for you. Basically, all amateurs who purchase a SLR camera shoot in this mode. At school, we were taught to shoot in mechanical mode - in the photo, this mode is indicated by the letter "M". Here the photographer himself sets the shutter speed, aperture value, ISO and the method of focusing the latter on the photo - a round button with an asterisk. Thus, in the process of gaining shooting experience in this mode, the eye adjusts, and you learn to visually determine which settings to set under certain shooting conditions.

A few words about the stabilizer. We were told that using the stabilizer in "on" mode when shooting consumes a lot of battery power. But, as experience shows, there is no way without it. In principle, it quite satisfies me.

The camera also has a useful function as an adjustment to the photographer's vision - next to the viewfinder there is a wheel with "+" and "-" icons. I've never used it, so I can't judge the quality of this bells and whistles, but as a fact it's a very useful thing for the camera.

Like probably all SLR cameras, the Canon EOS 500D has a built-in flash. Pros do not recommend using it. My experience has only confirmed this. It gives hard dark shadows behind all the subjects. Therefore, if you don't want to spend a lot of time on Photoshop, try to avoid using it. If there is no way without a flash, then it is better to use an external flash. I used it for a while, it seems to be successful, but, alas, not for long. I had to sell it for certain reasons unrelated to the quality of the flash itself and shooting with it.

The camera in the first couple of years of use gave stunningly accurate images of clear details. Over time, the quality became a little worse, and perhaps, as a photographer, I began to notice this, as the eye became more experienced. BUT: I can't say that the camera is shooting badly now. It's just that after about 2-3 years of shooting, I began to miss her capabilities. I have had many experiences shooting in dark rooms. I will say that this kind of shooting, at least without a good flash, this camera is not suitable. But it works perfectly on the street in conditions of sufficient lighting.

Why haven't I broken up with him yet? I think that if you change an old friend, then for a more powerful and, accordingly, expensive one, for which there are no funds yet.

I want to recommend this camera to everyone who takes their first steps in photography, because the camera has a VERY user-friendly interface. The review could be turned into a complete instruction manual for the camera, but I won't. Better than any theory is your practice and the help of those of your friends (and teachers) who have experience shooting with Canon cameras.

In conclusion, a few of my photos taken by the Canon EOS 500D camera.

I have experienced a lot with this camera, and at one time I was very pleased with the purchase. He traveled a lot with me and coped with his task in general. However, lately more and more lies idle. I look at it a little differently now than before, and I would like to warn those who are thinking about buying a similar camera. Think carefully about whether you need it before you part with the money.

Below I will briefly give the main advantages and disadvantages of this camera. And you will decide for yourself whether it is worth buying.

Advantages of Canon 500D

The main advantage is the price. I bought it for a little more than 20 thousand dollars along with the lens and charging. For a SLR camera, the bag is just ridiculous.
DSLR. It is better than a mirrorless camera with the same parameters, of course, it will not shoot. But you can see the picture in the viewfinder in real time, without slowing down the processor. Plus, the batteries will last for a longer period, since the screen is practically not activated unless, of course, you are shooting a video. The camera charge, by the way, holds very well. Convenient autofocus video. You can focus at any time when changing plans. I was very pleased with this. On some Canon camera models, there is no such possibility for video. Here, the focus of the video is carried out by this button.

Disadvantages of Canon 500D

There is no scroll wheel for viewing photos. You can view it only with the help of the "cross" buttons. If you have a lot of photos, it is extremely inconvenient. The shooting mode switch is located on the right, where the shutter release button is. Personally, I find the location of the switch on the left more convenient. This option, by the way, is used on more serious models. Since the camera is cheap, there are very few user settings.
And most importantly. The picture, no matter how sophisticated you are, this camera gives a very mediocre one. From a matrix of 15 megapixels and a regular whale lens, you should not expect photo studies. You can, of course, screw another lens, then the quality will be better. But to buy a good lens for about 100 thousand for a camera that costs five times cheaper. Agree, this is somehow irrational. If there is such a financial opportunity, then wouldn't it be better to buy a better camera?

In general, what are we coming to? Although the camera looks solid on the outside, in fact it is an ordinary cheap soap dish. It is inconvenient to carry it with you. And it gives a picture at the level of modern phones. Other phones, by the way, even shoot noticeably better. Question: well, then why carry this bandura with you?

By the way, now on the secondary market Canon EOS 500D can generally be bought for a penny: offers in the range of 5-10 thousand rubles in good condition and good equipment. But isn't it better to take a high-quality phone and not worry? And if you really need artistic photos, then such a camera will definitely not work. It is necessary to look closely at the products of a completely different price segment.

From the threshold I will say that I used this camera for almost 8 years and shot about 150,000 frames on it, and then its sad end came, but about everything in order.

I bought this camera shortly after it hit the shelves in 2009, it cost about 30 thousand at that time, along with the infamous 18-55 lens. It was my first DSLR and I was very worried that I could have made a mistake in choosing, especially since almost $ 1,000 at that time was a lot of money for yesterday's schoolgirl, but as it turned out, it was not worth worrying about. The venerable age of the camera and the fact that it has been discontinued for a long time made me doubt the relevance of this review, but a cursory check showed that there are still a lot of them on the secondary market, and due to the current financial situation, there is a demand for used mirrors for 10-15 thousand.

The camera is small and neat, very light relative to many other DSLRs (less than 500 grams without a lens), which is good for small female hands and long walks and trips when you just don't want to take 3kg of equipment with you. Canon 500D + any wide-angle zoom is a great set for a trip, the total weight of which will be about 1kg.

I have met complaints about the design and plastic, but I have no complaints in this regard - the plastic is strong, for such a long period of not very careful use, only small scuffs and scratches appeared on the monitor. On my much younger canon 6D, which I use now, the paint behaves much worse in this regard, and has already peeled off in some places. In addition, an overlay with the names of the modes on the wheel was peeled off on the 6D, whereas with the 500D it was not possible to tear it off even on purpose.

Another nice feature is that there is a sensor under the viewfinder, thanks to which the display turns off when the camera approaches the face. It saves both battery and time, very convenient, it's even a pity that not all cameras have such.

I was also pleased with the stable battery - it keeps calm all day, it's enough for a wedding with a banquet, but if a flash was used, you have to recharge.

The 500D became the first model in this line and the second among canon SLR cameras in general, allowing you to shoot full hd video. I almost didn't use this opportunity, so I don't have much to say, but it's still nice that you have an HD "video camera" always at hand.

Other amenities: an HDMI connector, a built-in flash (if used correctly, it can replace the reflector, but it is not worth using as a light source), a resolution of 15mp, serial shooting is quite fast for an amateur camera.

Speaking of the built-in flash, there was an unpleasant case when the external flash broke down between two reportage shots on the same day, there was nothing to do, there was no one to ask for another (the second shooting starts at one o'clock in the morning), I had to shoot with the built-in, and somewhere without a flash at all in club lighting conditions. It was not easy, but the result was not so bad, even if it was far from what was intended. The biggest problem with the 500D, for which I'm shooting a star, is its inability to work with high ISO. Already at 800, the picture is decently noisy, and at 1600 and 3200 it is possible to shoot only if the photo is planned to be used in a small resolution or processed in a retro style, where noise may be appropriate. Photo editors, of course, can improve the situation, but in general, you can forget about night photo sessions.

Not everyone knows, but if you reconfigure the camera a little, you can set the ISO higher than it is offered by default, but you should do this with 500D only if you want to laugh at the indigestible ripples that it gives out on ISO 6400 Smile

This is probably the only serious disadvantage of the camera, but it's worth remembering that for 2009 in this price segment, such a phenomenon was the norm. Just keep in mind that the camera is not designed for shooting in low light. For studio or daytime photo shoots, it is perfect and I can safely recommend it to all beginners who are looking for a cheaper option.

The 500D has honestly outlived its years and clearly outlived its resource, so I can't help but mention its reliability separately. But one day the shutter stopped working. This is the fate of all mirrors that die a "natural death" - the shutter has a resource, after it is produced, you have to change either the shutter or the camera. However, after buying a new camera and digging into the 500D (it's not a pity anymore), I found that the shutter is still in excellent condition and ready for new exploits, and the whole problem is the mechanism that raises the mirror. Without a deeper analysis of the camera, it was not possible to fully repair it, but I was able to bring the camera into working condition with some restrictions. Such longevity of an inexpensive amateur-class camera shocked me in a pleasant way. However, despite the "work", I still decided to consider the old 500D more dead than alive, and sent it to the shelf, from which I sometimes take it, for example, for responsible filming, where a spare camera would not hurt, or for shooting videos.