Why are modern Rebels so complicated?

haven't encountered a Rebel that was too complicated. the controls seemed to logically make sense - at least to me.

I dont know about other Rebels but mine is pretty simple to use. As others said just take the picture and move on, if it comes out crappy its they're fault not yours.

When I hand a camera to someone asking them to "shoot" me, I have the camera all set up so that all they need to do is trip the ****ter.

However, I have to agree with you somewhat.

I am an xxD and 7D user and find the interface a lot easier on these cameras than on the Rebels...

Thurman wrote in post #13018926
I dont know about other Rebels but mine is pretty simple to use. As others said just take the picture and move on, if it comes out crappy its they're fault not yours.

yes but the OP wanted the best pic for the other photographer and he was frustrated that some cameras (the Rebels) didn't have his familiar 5D button /control layout

The OP should have just green boxed it.

jwp721 wrote in post #13013106
When someone hands me their camera and asks me to take a picture of them.... I do that without adjusting their cameras in the least bit. Sounds like you try to reconfigure everything they have their camera set at..... Just take the picture.

This.

Stone 13 wrote in post #13017458
Are the ergonomics better on the more expensive models? Absolutely, but some of you guys are taking things a little too far. Other than the advanced af functions on the 1D & 7D bodies, if it takes you more than a few minutes to find your way around any modern Canon DSLR, then perhaps you're just a slow learner and should realize your own shortcomings as opposed to putting down "lesser" equipment just because you couldn't figure it out. Some of these posts are laughable....

This too.
This post makes me laugh. I think if you read between the lines its really saying "I have a 5D2 and not a Rebel". LOL! Young people! Congrats on your 5D2 purchase and the next time someone asks you to shoot just tell them that you can only shoot with a superior 5D2 not with lesser cameras. Lesser camera would probably mean that you're not a pro and would ruin your rep! Hilarious post to say the least!!!

frankwite wrote in post #13019330
This.

This too.
This post makes me laugh. I think if you read between the lines its really saying "I have a 5D2 and not a Rebel". LOL! Young people! Congrats on your 5D2 purchase and the next time someone asks you to shoot just tell them that you can only shoot with a superior 5D2 not with lesser cameras. Lesser camera would probably mean that you're not a pro and would ruin your rep! Hilarious post to say the least!!!

I have never ever claimed to be a professional. You are trying to put words into my mouth.
And to be honest, is it too much to ask that cameras of the same general model (DSLR) from the same manufacturer have similar controls?

DetlevCM wrote in post #13019443
And to be honest, is it too much to ask that cameras of the same general model (DSLR) from the same manufacturer have similar controls?

if the rebels had a prostyle layout, they wouldn't be rebels.

mike_311 wrote in post #13019466
if the rebels had a prostyle layout, they wouldn't be rebels.

You know, they aren't called "Rebel" in Europe - 400D, 500D etc.
If they were called the same in the US and Europe the price would be rather similar...
On this note: The whole EU is the bigger market.

Like this they are technically 2 different products.

And in Japan they are called Kiss something...

Switching from a 450D to a 1D2 took me like 3 minutes, I just had to look up online that it was required to hold one or two buttons down for the menus and I was good, trying out a friends 500D felt the same as a 450D, dunno what you used, but I was used to the lack of scroll wheel, I knew exactly what button to hold down and it just didn't seem different...

DetlevCM wrote in post #13019443
And to be honest, is it too much to ask that cameras of the same general model (DSLR) from the same manufacturer have similar controls?

You can ask, but it would be like spitting in the wind. Canon calls this good marketing. If they put everything on a rebel then why would you buy a 1D series. It would be awesome if rebels came in full frame but then there wouldn't be any need to buy the 5D's. Unless you just wanted a bigger camera body. Make sense!

frankwite wrote in post #13019514
You can ask, but it would be like spitting in the wind. Canon calls this good marketing. If they put everything on a rebel then why would you buy a 1D series. It would be awesome if rebels came in full frame but then there wouldn't be any need to buy the 5D's. Unless you just wanted a bigger camera body. Make sense!

Not really. Minor points like a scroll wheel, standardized positions for key buttons.
I don't mind that a Rebel shoots only 3,7fps and a 7D does 7 or 8fps - why not?
But make the controls similar.

Or to put in a car/bicycle analogy:
Would you like it if someone gave you all your gears as a series of buttons with the argument you need to buy a better model for a gear stick/lever? I'd guess not.
It doesn't change the rest of the technology involved.

Personally, I think they should add micro focus adjust. That'd simplify things!

I think that Canon sees no reason for consistency between the models. Rebels are not designed to be "backups" to the pro level cameras so there is no reason to expect that one person would be consistently using both cameras.

I will repeat that the problem is not that there is anything "wrong" with the way a Rebel is set-up. It is just different. Like others, I too can change Shutter, Aperture, and ISO without taking my eye from the viewfinder.

BTW the A/V button on my 550D is in almost the same relative place as the one on my 300D.

I never had meters in my Nikon F bodies just for the reasons posted here...to keep it simple, as they say in Japan "simple is best"...ironic since the Japanese name for the Rebel is "Kiss"....

When I got an A95 I HATED the menu and crazy access to the functions...the only one I touched was flash on/off...

When I got the D30 I put it in "P-mode" and using both wheels got access to all functions I needed and felt comfortable with it the first day out...

A year later I got an XT (Kiss) and again in "P-mode" I felt good about accessing functions...the dedicated ISO button is nice...the only negative was the proximity of the AE adjust to the button below (above?) it (whatever it is, I don't have the camera any longer) that I would accidentally hit too often...so I would have liked a bit more separation between them....

Bottom line...Canon's ergonomics are easier to learn than the PnS (I smiled when I read the comments about the G12), and not so hard to figure out...(and coming from NIkon, easier to use than the Nikon dSLRs I picked up.... )