Canon EOS 1000D Rebel XS Review Round-Up
If you own or have used this camera, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.
Get information and user reviews for this camera from Amazon: Canon Rebel XS 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black)
Digital Photography Review
The 1000D does just about everything it needs to do, and everything it does, it does well. It can produce great images at any of its ISO settings and, viewed as a whole, makes a great first DSLR. Canon seems to have gently toned-down the specification so that it rates slightly less well in all the metrics that appear on shop shelf tags – pixel count, continuous shooting speed, number of AF points and screen size. The only one of these to have any real impact on the user experience is the continuous shooting speed, which has been pruned back a little far. The 1000D doesn’t stand out from the competition as much as previous models. It’s certainly a safe bet and one of the most consistent offerings in the sector . . . its all-round competence, excellent high ISO performance and class-leading image quality will win it a lot of friends. READ FULL REVIEW (more…)
If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below. Get information and user reviews for this lens at Amazon: 
If you own or have used this lens, let us know what you think! Leave your comments and thoughts below.
The main storage area of the Lowepro Nature Trekker AW II Backpack is very configurable as the hook & loop-attached padded dividers are movable/ removable. Many are removed in my sample configuration above including a thick set designed to hug the mount base of a large lens. The other/outer side of the lid has a large zippered pocket that snuggly/just holds my 14″ laptop in a padded neoprene slip case.. This storage area is padded on the inside only – thus I use a neoprene slip case for my notebook. This large zippered pocket can alternatively hold the included Lowepro Trekker DayPack. The daypack may be used alone or attached to the back of the Nature Trekker II. The main storage area of the Lowepro Nature Trekker AW II Backpack is very configurable as the hook & loop-attached padded dividers are movable/removable. As shown above, a tripod can be attached to the Nature Trekker II – on either side or in the middle of the back. Large tripods are not the best match for this backpack’s standard attachment pouch – they ride too high. SlipLock cases (such as a Lens Case) can be added to the many side, back and belt SlipLock loops. The Lowepro Nature Trekker AW II Backpack does not included the two long/tubular SlipLock cases that come with the larger, more expensive Lowepro Pro Trekker II AW. D-rings, loops and elastic cords with quick-release clips are abundant. Storage is not the only configurable on this camera backpack (and perhaps not the most important). Adjustments are found all over the pack to maximize the support and comfort the Lowepro Nature Trekker AW II Backpack provides to each of our unique bodies. Perhaps the biggest and most unique adjustment involves an ingenious device called the Pack Jack. Shaped like a large, flat arrow, the thin, stiff plastic Pack Jack slides down behind the shoulder strap harness to release the hook & loop that holds it in place. Adjust the shoulder harness to your preferred ride height and slide the Pack Jack out. The hook & loop again takes solid hold and the Pack Jack stows out of the way behind the shoulder harness (or can be removed completely). You are left with a pack customized for your back. Adjustments on the shoulder strap, sternum strap and the belt complete a customized-to-you fit. Thick padding surrounds your body, a breathable mesh allows moisture evaporation from your back. Lowepro was generous with the length of belt they provided. ? ?The exterior of the Lowepro Nature Trekker AW II Backpack features water-resistant 600D ripstop nylon and 600D Enduraâ„¢ nylon. It is attractive and rugged with a quality feel. Zippers are quiet and water-resistant. A rain coat-like cover is included (stowed in a pouch under the pack) to help keep the backpack dry. ? ?The Lowepro Nature Trekker AW II Backpack features a nice rubberized handle on top – Nice for carrying the pack or for assistance when putting it on or taking it off your back. I miss the side handle included on the Pro Trekker II as it makes it easier to remove the pack from your back. An included shoulder strap attaches to one side of the pack. I’ve accumulated a lot of Lowepro bags, cases and accessories over time. Well thought out design, good quality construction, great support and a lifetime warranty keep me coming back. It also helps that many of these items work together as a system. The Lowepro Nature Trekker AW II Backpack a great base for this system (though you may never need more). I’m using this pack for carrying small and mid-sized lenses on excursions including air flights (as carry-on of course). 
The Lowepro Vertex 200 AW Backpack, like all the other Lowepro I’ve used to date, is a very good quality case. I ordered this backpack prior to a trip where I required two carry-on sized backpacks. A new Lowepro feature found on the Vertex packs are Glide-Locks. Glide-Locks slide up and down over a nylon-covered piping on both sides and hook-and-loop attach into place. An adjustable strap and buckle grip the tripod. I like the new strap more than the Trekker II straps, but “glide” does not accurately define the hard-to-adjust Glide-Locks. Most likely, you will position them one time and not worry about them again – and in this case, there is no problem. Like many of Lowepro’s camera backpacks, the Lowepro Vertex 200 AW Backpack includes an attached rain cover that elastic-grips around the pack (shown above right). The rain cover stores in a hook-and-loop closed, thin pouch under the pack. ? ?One feature that distinguishes the Lowepro Vertex series from the Lowepro Trekker II series is the padded notebook computer compartment. I sometimes use the zippered compartment on the main Trekker II lids (where the daypack can be stored) for notebook transport (inside a padded sleeve), but the Vertex notebook compartment is a nicer solution if you plan to have the notebook with you most of the time. The size of the 2″ thick notebook storage area varies (mostly in height) across the Vertex line. The Lowepro Vertex 200 AW Backpack very comfortably carries my current Dell Latitude D630 notebook. The main storage compartment lid obviously becomes heavier with a notebook computer stored in it – care should be exercised when opening it. The computer is in a padded section, but you still do not want to subject it to the unnecessary impact of dropping the lid open. If you have used any of Lowepro’s SLR cases, you will not find any surprises in the quality of the Vertex 200 construction. The pads, zippers and zipper pulls are very nice. Provided padding is very protective and the pack is very functional. A handful of Lowepro Slip Lock attachments are provided for additional modular storage. So, there is little to not like about the Lowepro Vertex 200 AW Backpack. 
Most of us won’t ever get an assignment from National Geographic, but this huge, rugged, well-built khaki bag will hold enough gear for self-styled photo treks to slot canyons or the Serengeti. It has a dedicate laptop slot, and its top and bottom compartments can be joined by unzipping the divider panel to haul seriously long glass. In a category in which ballistic nylon is the standard, these safari-style bags stand out from the pack. 