My first and only SLR ever was and is an IX-Lite/IX7. I only use a 28-105
and a 380EX with it, although I got it with the 22-55. A few comments:
1. 22-55 makes it close to P&S, but nowhere near as small. Sharpness is
lacking slightly.
2. 28-105 a good compromise for range. Sharpness IS superior to the 22-55.
But its size does make the camera more unwieldy, although most people still
think it's a digital because the body is smaller than most other cameras.
3. Mid-roll change is great. You can harp on all you want about 200 and 400
being the main films available, but if you're going to get a P&S you
wouldn't normally stick 100 or 800 in it, would you?
4. Sharpness can be lacking especially indoors with flash and if the
metering gets confused.
5. Changing films from Kodak to Fuji will also give you a "night and day"
difference IMO. More specifically, Fuji APS film is so much sharper (and
cheaper to boot) that I can't believe people still buy Kodak APS film.
6. There is a Fuji E100 APS film out that is supposed to have sharper grain
than normal APS film. I haven't tried it yet, though my friend with the IX7
and a 22-55 said that it made even his lens look sharper. And 800 speed film
IS available. Of course, the films are more pricey, but that's life.
7. AF with the 380EX in low-light is not instant, but otherwise it is pretty
decent. Built-in flash good but blinding for subjects and not too subtle as
it is used for metering if there's not enough light available.
8. In conclusion, _I_ think that if you are going to use it as a P&S, and if
you stick in Fuji film, you will get better pics than you would from an
equivalent small P&S, even if the only reason is that you will have the
extra flexibility available from the camera's SLR functions. And besides,
you can always put other lenses on it and use it as a backup in case your
main camera malfunctions.
Bear in mind that I would only classify myself as a near-intermediate
amateur photographer. If I were going to start my adventures into
photography again, I admit that I'd buy an EOS3000 or EOS300 second-time
around instead, and I may be one of the "teeming masses" who bought into
APS. However, I'm happy with the camera for what it is: An acceptable
compromise in most cases. I can experiment with different settings, it's
smaller than almost every other SLR on the market (apart from the Pronea S
which doesn't even have a flash hotshoe!), I have MRC, and it's reasonably
sharp.
Y-W
P.S. I have no experience with the EOS IX (normal) and I have never seen one
so I can't comment on that. It was out of my budget anyway.
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