Purchased in 2007, as a backup camera (main being an Olympus OM-1n at the time), for a trip I took in Greece, this Canon EOS 300v (also called Rebel Ti in USA) was one of the best autofocus cameras I used in those years, apart from Nikon F4 that is. Although plasticky of sorts, with a lack of heft which translated to me as “this is not a serious camera”, the EOS 300v has served me well and true.
Come 2009, this good looking thing was transferred to even better looking wife, making her an addict to colour film photography. All is well when wifey is happy, right? She had some really nice photographs with it, this camera really delivers. She loves it, because it’s a rather simple, not very complicated machine, which the EOS 300v is indeed.
Introduced to the market in 2002, with a Canon EF lens mount, and the good thing is that it has a steel lens mount, as opposed to the old plastic one, prone to cracking. Exposure is determined by 5 program modes: Program AE (P), aperture priority (Av), shutter speed priority (Tv), and manual (M). It has 3 metering methods: Evaluative, partial, centre-weighted averaging, which is really plenty for this type of camera.
Manual ISO range sets from 6 to a whopping 6400, in 1/3 increments; it also can read the DX coded film cassettes, setting the ISO automatically from 25 to 5000.
The main dial is on the top plate, easy to get to it, and in close access of your thumb. The mode vertical wheel is near it, and on the left side you’ll find the sequence shoot setting (yes, it has one of those, with 2.5 frames per second), and the self timer setting.
Autofocus in 7 points, but alas, no manual autofocusing selection. However, the autofocus modes are more than plenty for the average user, with: 1ne-shot AF, AI servo AF, AI focus AF and manual focus. The flash operates at 1/90 X speed, with E-TTL flash metering.
Shutter sets and starts at 3″goig up to 1/2000, with a B(ulb) setting. A self timer of 10 secs is available, if when needed. It takes 2 batteroes, CR2 type, and they do keep long time, if you switch the camera off. There is remote control, but I never had one of those fancy gear for this camera.
All in all, a good camera. Nothing too fancy, and to be honest, for the short time I used it, this camera was brilliant at delivering black and white images really good. True, it is very light, in comparison with a Nikon FM3A or Olympus OM-1, but it is what it is. My wife loves the weight of it, it does not bother her when it hangs around her neck all day. Me, on the other hand, I may have muscular spasms from trundling away with Nikon F4 with the big motor on it, and also some other gear. But we do what we like with the stuff that we love. This is really important.
A few results with this camera, film Superia 100, shot in Denmark, Legoland Park.
