[watcher]

im planning on getting the canon rebel xti (400d) along with the ef-s 17~85mm f/4~5.6 IS USM lens to start my new life outside of point and shoot cameras. (not that i wont have one...i'll always have a compact digicam on hand to take around or use as backup..but i want better quality from now on!)

anyways...i was wondering if anyone knowledgeable can confirm that this is a good decision, or whether i should be purchasing something else. (perhaps the nikon d80?) or maybe a different lens? i have niether skill or the extra cash to dump over $1,000 on a lens, but i dont want a starter lens that i'll end up never using again after my next lens upgrade.

[felinewong]

either the 400D or D80 would be fine, but just not that 17-85. I've used that lens and I didn't like it at all, it was actually WORST than my 18-55 kit lens, it vignetted at 17mm wide open on my 300D...WTFFF. Go for something like a 17-40L if you have the cash.

[watcher]

either the 400D or D80 would be fine, but just not that 17-85. I've used that lens and I didn't like it at all, it was actually WORST than my 18-55 kit lens, it vignetted at 17mm wide open on my 300D...WTFFF. Go for something like a 17-40L if you have the cash.

i didnt know the 17~40L was a general all-purpose lens???

[joonage]

I say get the Canon Rebel XT.

It just has 3 megapixels less, but it's pretty much the same camera.

I mean it's really the lens that makes a camera although megapixels do have a part.

And the reason I'm suggesting an XT over XTi is because there might be a price slash in the XT after the XTi comes out which means more money for good lenses

[Pandem1k]

get the d50 from nikon, honestly, i never use more than 4 megapixels, 6+ megapixels means your gonna be printing huge prints, which i HIGHLY doubt you will ever do.
get the d50 with a 18-200mm VR lens, the most perfect ever!
the rebel is a ass to hold and honestly kinda fragile.

d50 + 18-200mm
best bet

i have a 10d canon with 24-105mmL but i kinda wish i went nikon just because of the 18-200mm T___T

[watcher]

I say get the Canon Rebel XT.

It just has 3 megapixels less, but it's pretty much the same camera.

I mean it's really the lens that makes a camera although megapixels do have a part.

And the reason I'm suggesting an XT over XTi is because there might be a price slash in the XT after the XTi comes out which means more money for good lenses

i was thinkin xti due to to the dust cleaning system and the 9 point focus sensor (which the 30D also uses). i dont really care much for the 10MP, and if there was a lesser expensive version of the xti with less MP rating, i'd get the lesser one.

i dont know when the price cut will happen, but as long as the market price diff between the xt and xti are only $100, i dont see much advantage in getting the xt over the xti. if the price diff is like $200+, then i'd reconsider, and use the extra money for a new point and shoot. (my sister's been begging to take my current one...)

get the d50 from nikon, honestly, i never use more than 4 megapixels, 6+ megapixels means your gonna be printing huge prints, which i HIGHLY doubt you will ever do.
get the d50 with a 18-200mm VR lens, the most perfect ever!
the rebel is a ass to hold and honestly kinda fragile.

d50 + 18-200mm
best bet

i have a 10d canon with 24-105mmL but i kinda wish i went nikon just because of the 18-200mm T___T

i tried holding the d50/d70s/rebel xt and i thought the rebel xt was easier to hold.
i dont have any experience with the 18~200mm. could you offer comparisons with a canon or third party equivalent?

after reading reviews and personal experience from friends who do own dslr's, my obsevrations based off of my research so far are that the d70s > rebel xt > d50, but rebel xti > d80.

and ultimately, im sure i'll get good image quality from all of them. but as i keep using them, im sure i'll notice the differences a lot more, and start regretting and telling myself "if i spent maybe just a $100 or $200 more, i could've had two or three times better performance/experience."

and thus...thx for all the comments, and feel free to keep the responses coming! i appreciate them. ^^

[felinewong]

i didnt know the 17~40L was a general all-purpose lens???

EDIT..so it makes sense

the 17-40 on the 400D is equivalent to around 27-64mm on a 35mm camera, almost like a 24-70 (most useful focal range)

plus, great image quality from that lens

[Tepper]

i was thinkin xti due to to the dust cleaning system and the 9 point focus sensor (which the 30D also uses). i dont really care much for the 10MP, and if there was a lesser expensive version of the xti with less MP rating, i'd get the lesser one.

i dont know when the price cut will happen, but as long as the market price diff between the xt and xti are only $100, i dont see much advantage in getting the xt over the xti. if the price diff is like $200+, then i'd reconsider, and use the extra money for a new point and shoot. (my sister's been begging to take my current one...)



i tried holding the d50/d70s/rebel xt and i thought the rebel xt was easier to hold.
i dont have any experience with the 18~200mm. could you offer comparisons with a canon or third party equivalent?

after reading reviews and personal experience from friends who do own dslr's, my obsevrations based off of my research so far are that the d70s > rebel xt > d50, but rebel xti > d80.

and ultimately, im sure i'll get good image quality from all of them. but as i keep using them, im sure i'll notice the differences a lot more, and start regretting and telling myself "if i spent maybe just a $100 or $200 more, i could've had two or three times better performance/experience."

and thus...thx for all the comments, and feel free to keep the responses coming! i appreciate them. ^^

I see, on the contrary, I found that the Rebel XT felt like a cheap platic toy in my hands and my knuckles were hitting the lens attached to the body as i would hit the shutter release but thats just me.

Ummm I don't think Rebel XTi > D80 .. I could be wrong though, but ithe D80 basically a down-featured D200 vs an up-megapixeled Rebel XT in the XTi. And the 18-200mm VRII is pretty much the best lens ever put in a kit (D200) ever, it retails for around $800-$1000.. camparisson wise is a canon with the same range and Image Stabilization and whatnot I guess, though I'm not sure what kinda of quality Canon offers for that... hopefully some nice lenses though.

D70s, and I've never looked back... though that damn D200, 20D, 30D and D80 are tempting now.

P.S.

the 17-40 is equivalent to around 27-64mm on a 35mm camera, almost like a 24-70..it'll be great for image quality

True dat

[Pandem1k]

you mean a 1.6x not 35mm
haha

anywho, yea but the 18-200 VR is sexy as hell~
i just thought the nikon d50 is better, firstly becuase its his first, second because he needed a lnes he wouldnt need, but might as well get that cuz that covers EVERYthing.
unless your shooting sports
rebel is for like.. photojournalists and stuff, d50 does everything great

[watcher]

hmmm...good points.
it feels like im back to the nikon vs canon battle.
if i get a rebel xt, i might as well go for the xti for the additional functionality it provides.
but if i go nikon...it blows open a whole new plethora of options...
i saw a refurbished d70s on sale with the 18~55 kit at best buy for like $700 today.
think it's worth it? heh...

[Pandem1k]

to tell you the honest truth.
a slr shoots like a slr, i realized that when i compared my outdated 10d with my friends d200
i mean.. i dont do prints so i cant tell i only printed one time a 4x6 just to compare the quality
at that size there were no differences between the d200 and 10d
the slr quality is no matter what slr quality, and youll be satisfied with whatever you choose.
Even rebel XT was a great excellent camera, up to par with the 30d on quality.
my friend on another forum has the d50 and i regretted not gettin it cuz the pictures come out just as great.


ITS ALL ABOUT THE LENS

[shiwi]

im looking to purchase the Canon Rebel XTi too, but could someone explain what to look for with lenses? i cant seem to interpret what all these numbers mean and what's good for certain kinds of pictures.

help?

im looking to purchase the Canon Rebel XTi too, but could someone explain what to look for with lenses? i cant seem to interpret what all these numbers mean and what's good for certain kinds of pictures.

help?

[Pandem1k]

ok so you dont know what mm's and aperatures and all that means and you want a slr? T________T

10-24mm is considered wide angle, so that you can see a lot of a landscape or cityscape or whatever, its a wide perspective
26-55mm is about just basic photography, say of like you and your friends and stuff posing in front of a statue or somthing
then about 50-130mm is like portraits or telephoto, where you shoot far away things and have nice out of focus backrounds

dont buy one and regret buying it because you dont know how to use it T____T its not a pick up and shoot camera

[BabyBoy]

lol ^, SLR's aren't that hard to use. After a while, you'll get the point of it, and treat it as if it was a DSC.

[Pandem1k]

well i mean of course if you dont shoot manuel and go on aperature or auto mode its not hard, but your pictures wont be needing an slr... T___T

[watcher]

to tell you the honest truth.
a slr shoots like a slr, i realized that when i compared my outdated 10d with my friends d200
i mean.. i dont do prints so i cant tell i only printed one time a 4x6 just to compare the quality
at that size there were no differences between the d200 and 10d
the slr quality is no matter what slr quality, and youll be satisfied with whatever you choose.
Even rebel XT was a great excellent camera, up to par with the 30d on quality.
my friend on another forum has the d50 and i regretted not gettin it cuz the pictures come out just as great.
ITS ALL ABOUT THE LENS

speakin of lenses, i was reading up on the 18~200, and noticed the 11x zoom. doesnt the really wide zoom range mess with the consistency if the picture taken? also, not that im a pro or anything, but i noticed a great number of the professional lenses dont go out farther than 3x zoom.

i chose canon because canon seems to have better lenses. of course, part of it is how you use it, but that's a matter of me building up my skill. i cant build up a better camera...i can only buy and replace...hehe

[felinewong]

ok so you dont know what mm's and aperatures and all that means and you want a slr? T________T

10-24mm is considered wide angle, so that you can see a lot of a landscape or cityscape or whatever, its a wide perspective
26-55mm is about just basic photography, say of like you and your friends and stuff posing in front of a statue or somthing
then about 50-130mm is like portraits or telephoto, where you shoot far away things and have nice out of focus backrounds

dont buy one and regret buying it because you dont know how to use it T____T its not a pick up and shoot camera

heres a list taken even further

when talking in terms on a 35mm camera

under 20mm is an ultra wide angle
under 35mm is wide angle
50mm is normal
85mm and above is a semi telephoto
100mm and above is a telephoto
300mm and above is a super telephoto

[wangta]

I see, on the contrary, I found that the Rebel XT felt like a cheap platic toy in my hands and my knuckles were hitting the lens attached to the body as i would hit the shutter release but thats just me.

i felt the same way when i first started looking for a dslr. i was seriously thinking about buying the rebel xt but when i went and held it for the first time it was just too uncomfortable for me. and although i am a canon guy, i currently own a 30D, i must admit the d50 felt a lot more comfortable in my hands than the rebel xt ever did.

[BabyBoy]

well i have to admit ^, the 'ceah plastic toy' only applies to the silver shell one. I currently own a black one, and it doesn't even seem plastic to me.

[shiwi]

ive done a few years of photography back in high school so im not a TOTAL n00b if thats what youre implying. i wanted to pursue photography more in college as well but ever had the money to do so, but since i'm out of school now, i figured its a good time to start again. i've got to start somewhere, dont i?

thanks for the info anyway.