The Digital Rebel is a SLR (single lens reflex) which allows you to view the subject TTL (through the lens). The Minolta S414 (and most other ps camera?s) uses a separate viewing window from the lens that actually takes the picture. The Rebel though consumer grade is built on "professional" idealology so it does not perform "live" display of images to an LCD like most PS's do.
Having a separate viewing position from the actual capture lens position creates a parallax to your subject. Digital point and shoot (PS) cameras are designed for that parallax to be within acceptable variance for approx. 94+% of all shooting conditions (distance from camera to subject) most people would shoot at.
Where parallax in a PS becomes most noticeable is when taking macro or close-up pictures. Most PS cameras? minimal registered focal distance won?t allow you to take a picture which will not represent well considering line of site (LOS) parallax. But even with PS?s which are configured for macro shooting it is often quite noticeable that the picture you take is not exactly what is framed in the viewfinder. Knowing where your viewfinder frames in relation to what your lens captures virtually eliminates any hassle of parallax issue in a PS (because you learn to compensate for the variance and get your shot anyway). At further distances, parallax is almost a non-issue because the angle of incident of View LOS to Capture LOS is for intended purposes negligible.
Zooming with a PS is somewhat misleading as well. Most PS cameras perform an excellent job of relating viewfinder image frame to lens capture frame. So good in fact that you usually don?t realize that you?re not seeing exactly what the lens sees. When ?zooming? with a PS you?re still not seeing through the lens however. The perceived zoom you see through the viewfinder is actually a separate zoom created by a diopter or second lens within the viewfinder which moves in relation to the amount of zoom dialed in. It does a pretty good job of representing how much zoom your capture lens is seeing but it is still not the exact image which you?re capturing.
What you see through ?SLR? cameras is what you get (with the exception of crop factor ? which DuallyX addresses in his post). You actually look TTL (through the lens) so whether you are zoomed, close to or far away from your subject you are seeing through the viewfinder exactly what your lens sees. You are truly looking through the lens.
I'm describing the difference of viewing between SLR and non-SLR, not disparaging non-SLR's. I'd love to have a G3 for a backup camera and a number of top PS's capture absolutely exceptional images - often with built in processing which provides more pleasing exposure and saturation levels which the pro gear requires additional software to perform.
Now, regarding the differences between the Digital Rebel and the Minolta S414; the differences are plethora. The BIGGEST functional difference being the Rebel can mount interchangeable lenses while the Minolta cannot. The Rebel can mount nearly all of Canon?s EF lenses as well as the new EF-S designed specifically for the Rebel (That?s a friggin? huge amount of lenses). The benefit of buying a true SLR be it film or digital is that as camera bodies come and go, your lenses will still be of value for use with other camera bodies from the same manufacturer. Most digital camera photogs from the Canon and Nikkon camps are able to use lenses they?ve bought over the past 15+ years (with a few exceptions). The Rebel can make use of Canon accessories such as cable release, battery packs, off-shoe flash and a host of other accessories (check Canon?s website for all the goodies).
The Rebel is more than twice the cost of the S414 but it is also nearly twice the Megapixel with functions and features which very closely resemble its professional sibling the Canon EOS-10D (in fact, the Rebel uses the same Digic processor which the 10D uses. Images out of the Rebel are equal to the 10D except for those which require the advanced features which are unique to the professional gear).
Hmm, I?m writing a book here. Head over to dpreview.com and bring up both of those camera?s side by side to view the technical differences. Depending on what you intend to do with your camera, those differences side by side should make your decision for you.
There?s nothing wrong with a PS for what it?s designed for but if you want to invest in equipment which can grow a hobby you?re better off looking into D-SLR?s. Most good camera shops will let you try the cameras and lenses in the shop, some even rent the gear. Bring our own CF card and take the images home to see what you got with your sample shooting. The Rebel takes CF I & II, the S414 takes CF I only.
Oh, output image size. What size images (photographs) are you wanting to get out of the camera? The difference in megapixel results in difference in size & quality printed images as well.
Someone else here can likely explain what I've described better than I've done it or clarify some of my less clear points but these are points worth noting as I understand them.
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dpreview.com check out the buying comparison guide as well as user forums. The user forums per camera are an excellent source for hearing the issues or praise associated w/each camera. There are also relevant user experiences comparing similar and disimilar cameras.
Good luck!!
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