New Canon 450D

The Digic III is the processor used in Canons high end DSLRs such as the 1D mk III and the new 40D etc. The 400D and the 350D used the Digic II, and the 300D used the entry level Digic.
The main difference here seems to be Megapixels, and lets face it thats what sells to a public who doesn't know any better. Maybe with the competition they are getting from the Nikon D40X and the fact that the new Canon 40D is also "just" 10 Mp, they decided to jump the Gun on Nikon et al with an entry level SLR at 12 Mp. How long before the 400D is no longer manufactured? - it may be the shortest lived DSLR ever.

Al,

The Digic III is faster than the Digic II processor and it also has a 14bit DAC compared to 12bit in the Digic II processor.
This should mean better dynamic range in images, so lots more colour info to play around with.

350D body only brand new are going for $395 in B&H, so the market should be flooded with 300D and 350D with the 300D being a very cheap option for modification

Darragh

This should mean better dynamic range in images, so lots more colour info to play around with.

That's a nice benefit alright. btw I came across this article recently www.llvj.com/tutorials/expose-right.shtml Basically it says that to get better dynamic range you should expose for the histogram to be to the right rather than the center (as you are usually told to do for correct exposure). More processing of the raw is needed to extract the image correctly but you have more dynamic range. Seems to work ok on the few landscape images I've tried.

Albert,

Another way to get higher dynamic range pictures is to bracket the exposures -1, 0, +1 and then combine the images. You'd be amazed at the detail this can bring out in architecture and landscape photography - You want to avoid anything moving between shots though.

Another way to get higher dynamic range pictures is to bracket the exposures -1, 0, +1 and then combine the images. You'd be amazed at the detail this can bring out in architecture and landscape photography - You want to avoid anything moving between shots though.

Do you combine them manually or with HDR in photoshop? Just curious as my efforts at doing it manually have not come out the best and any of my HDR images look, well, a bit fake to be honest.

I found that an 8x neutral density filter can work wonders for eliminating moving objects. eg www.flickr.com/photos/albertw/2154680222/ was taken with plenty of people about, but they are (mostly) invisible with the long (15s) exposure. ND filters are not just for waterfalls :-)

One very nifty feature is the live display, this should make focusing alot easier! This alone would make me consider upgrading to it,, maybe .....