Canon Hands On Blog

Canon XT vs. Olympus Evolt, Review: Why I Did Not Buy

First, let's start with the Olympus Evolt E-300, a camera I really wanted to like for the following reasons:

• SIZE: Reviews consistently cited the small size as making the camera ideal for travel and walking around. And unlike with reviews of the XT, I don't recall complaints that the small size made the Evolt difficult to use.
• DUST FREE SYSTEM: As a newbie, the idea of dust getting onto the mirror or sensor and ruining every picture is a nightmare while having to open up my camera and stick someting in it - a blower or brush - is intimidating.Still can't believe non of the other digital makers have added such technology to their cameras.
• PRICE: The Evolt can often be found at prices $100 to $200 less than . . . .

Canon XT vs. Competing Cameras, A List and Prelude

The following are all the other DSLRs I considered buying in comparison to the Canon XT before finally buying the XT:

1. Nikon D70
2. Pentax *ist DS
3. Minolta 7D
4. Olympus Evolt and Olympus E-1
5. Sigma SD9 or SD10
6. Canon G6, Sony 717, Sony CD500
7. Canon EOS 20D, EOS 10, and EOS 300 Digital Rebel.

I will discuss . . . .

Buying Criteria - What I Looked for in a Camera

I heavily considered at one time or another all the other competing DLSRs - Nikon D70; Olympus Evolt and E-10; Minolta 7D; Pentax; etc. as well as alternative Canon models - the 20D, 10D and EOS 300.

Future posts will be devoted to discussing each of the competing brands I seriously researched / reviewed but passed on for the Canon XT. To lay the groundwork for such discussion, the following are the criteria and uses that I sought to match with the best camera / best camera value . . . .