Canon Rebel Xti

What do you think?


I'm getting the hankering.

 

replacement model will probably be out in a few months. prices will probably drop even more then.

 

get the 20, 30 or 40D.

 

Are you aware of any of those models coming with some good lenses? I can't sink thousands in one fail swoop, so I gotta do a little at a time. With that said, and without looking over everyone's opinion/posts here. Isn't it best to get a decent body and spend the real money on the lenses?

I'm open to all ideas/opinions as I really am a novice.

 

As a general rule it's a better idea to sink money into glass instead of bodies.

The kit lens that comes with the XTi is decent at best. Canon's just come out with a version with image stabalization (the 18-55mm IS) that I've heard is excellent for about $200.

The 28-135mm IS that comes with the 40D is a nice mide range lens (I own it).

I've also got a 28-105mm lens that I bought off a guy who was needing some money that I don't really use. If you got just a body, I'd let you have the 28-105 for (really) cheap.

Glass really depends on what you want to shoot. Give us an idea of that, and we can give better advice.

As far as the Rebel series vs. the x0D series; the Rebel series are MUCH cheaper and a little more user friendly. If this is your first SLR, I'd recommend staying with the Rebel and spending extra money on glass.

That being said, I have the XTi and I'm looking forward to upgrading to the 40D or even 50D.

 

Thanks.

I won't be doing anything professionally, but would like to learn as I go in the event I ever want to.
Mostly it will be keepsake type of stuff. I MAY do some real estate type photography, but I have access to better cameras if I do.
I see so much potential with taking photos of family for keeps but just need a really good camera that is easy to use with someone beginning with dig slr.

 

Dear Plu,

The idea of getting the Rebel I think is a good one. It comes (if you get the kit) with a doo doo lens IMHO. BUT, what's doo doo to me, you might think is spectacular... it's all an opinion. I think it's awesome you want to get into photography!!! I think your best bet is to get the Reb with the doo doo kit lens and work up from there.

IF you want to talk about it, I have a few lenses I could let you have for a low low price. Not the best lenses but they will certainly start you of nicely and they seem ideal for what your wanting.

One last thing and I'll shut up... Sometimes, photosnobs (myself included) get all uppity about lenses/glass... I think it's because the longer you snob it up, the more you realize the subtle differences in good/better glass. Hence the differing perspective in quality from above. Bad glass isn't really all that bad, just not as good

And furthermore and so forth and everywhere and such as...

 

What JG says is 100% correct. The "crappy" kit lens is still 10x better than anything you'd get on a point and shoot digital camera and is capible of some terrific results. The fact that it's called "crappy" is really a testiment more to how great the other lenses are.

That being said, if you can get a "body only" for say $100 cheaper than the kit, I'd go with just the body and buy different glass. If it's less than $100 difference, go with the kit and add glass later. I havent priced the xti recently, but like was stated above, the replacement should be coming out in the next couple of months, so the price should be dropping.

 

Just a small counterpoint to all the Canon folks, I can use most ALL of the old Nikon lenses with my D200, even the older manual focus lenses. That won't be true with the D40, but I think the D80 and above it will be. I know you can use most all of them with the old D70. There is some loss of functionality with some of the old lenses, but they will mount up and they will work. I've always preferred Nikons because of that.

As for the crappy kit lenses, I've had a couple with plastic lens mounts that were actually sharper than my "better" lenses. Go figure THAT one out.

 

The same is true of the Rebel. Canon makes a lens line specifically for crop sensor cameras (EF-S), but all Rebels can also use the traditional (EF) lenses. I've heard (but not tried) that they'll even use the old FD lenses, but the FD's won't autofocus on the Rebels.

FWIW (not much), I currently have 2 EF-S lenses and 5 EF lenses.