Digital Rebel XT SLR

[hammerhead man]

I am considering getting a Canon digitial Rebel XT SLR camer and a housing for my underwater camera setup. However, I was wondering about viewing pics before you take them. My current digital underwater camera allows me to view the pic through the screen on the back of the camera before i take the picture. However, I was just told that SLR cameras do not allow you to view the pic on the screen at the rear of the camera before you take the picture. I would appreciate knowing if there is anyway to view the pic on the screen before taking the picture.

Thanks for your input.

 

[alcina]

Not with DSLRs. You compose in the viewfinder. Your shot can be seen AFTER it's taken only.

As I understand it, this is one reason there is no lag between wanting the shot and taking the shot!

 

[Far_X]

It totally defeats the purpose of having a DSLR if you can preview the picture electronically on the screen. One of life's most annoying things is watching land people taking photographs with the camera two feet in front of their face!! What you see in the viewfinder is exactly the photo you are going to take. As Alcina said, the difference is in the speed. I have the Canon Digital Rebel but have yet to decide whether to put it in a housing...

 

[hammerhead man]

Just curious, how difficult is it to compose a picture using the viewfinder underwater? It would seem to be a very small viewing area when you have all that scuba equipment on and the housing on the camera.

 

[alcina]

Go for a housing that supports a magnifier.

Those who have switched say it does take some getting used to - but everything does on a new system.

 

[ssra30]

The viewfinder on Digital Rebel XT is quite small, about the same as Nikon D70/D70s. Depending on the mask and your eye sight, it is not too bad. With D70, I can see the whole viewfinder quite well but some of my divebuddies do have problem trying to see the whole picture.
One problem with Rebel XT, I think only Ikelite is the only housing manufacturer so far that announce that it will support this camera. The viewfinder on Ikelite is ok but it does not magnify the camera viewfinder as much as the viewfinder from
Subal or Seacam.
I would seriously consider Canon 20D instead as it has many more housing options and bigger viewfinder. By the time you are done with housing/ports/lens and strobe, the difference in price between Rebel XT and 20D is not that huge.