350D Rebel XT or EOS 20D (i think many are asking)

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

03/31/2005 10:48:58 AM · #1

Okay...

Rebel XT = $899.00

EOS 20D = $1,349.00

Is it worth it? Points to consider (not in any weighted order):

a) price/value
b) performance difference
c) quality of manufacture/lifespan
d) comfort
e) re-sell value

Remember, if I had the money I'd buy a "1Ds Mark II", the 20D is usually a bit over what most of us have budgeted. But is it worth the stretch in the long run?

doctornick

Apple iPhone 13 Pro

03/31/2005 10:55:01 AM · #2

If this is to be your first DSLR then save the money for Good lenses. The Rebel XT is a very good camera with a lot of features, the 20D is more ruggedly built and will probably have a higher resale value in the future. Camera bodies come and go, good lenses stay...

hopper

Canon EOS-80D

Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM

03/31/2005 10:55:24 AM · #3

i think the 20D is worth the extra money, but I'm sure that will be a person to person decision.

as for me, i'm going to try to squeeze one more year out of the 300D and then buy the replacement for the 20D when it comes out.

fretting over lenses is more of an issue for me :(

p3wiz

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

03/31/2005 11:01:58 AM · #4

Here is a comparison between 300D, 350D, and 20D: LINK

I voted for the 350D.

Message edited by author 2005-03-31 11:02:42.

nova

Canon EOS-6D

Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM

03/31/2005 11:04:07 AM · #5

I bought a 20D in November and have been very happy with it. If the 350D had been available, though, I would have thought long and hard. I'm wondering if the Rebel isn't going to drive the resale value of the 20D down?

I don't know so much about photography, but I've figured one thing out: good lenses are an investment, digital cameras are a purchase.

RedOak

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II

03/31/2005 11:04:48 AM · #6

I asked myself the same question. But coming from the Nikon D70, going for the XT would be going backward.

I ordered my Canon 20D from B&H this past weekend and am expecting it next weekend.

I highly recommend the 20D.

Prof_Fate

03/31/2005 11:05:05 AM · #7

If you are just getting in to a SLR, then the lower priced camera will let you spend the difference on lenses or filters or a flash - all things you will want.

Canon release new cameras every 12-18 months...so either will be 'obsolete' in a year. You will want to upgrade either - so what will you do with thte old one - sell it or keep it as a backup? there is less in absolute dollars to lose with the 350.

The 350, while lower on the product line, is newer than the 20D...
I would suspect the 20D has more life built in, as in shutter uses, etc. it may not matter much - I am averageing 5-6000 shots a year (probably more this year...) and the rebel 300 has a shutter life expectancy of maybe 50-60,000. The 1D line is in the 150,000 range. Still for me, that is 9-10 years of life - since i am on my 4th digital camera in 6 years i don't really think i'll have my rebel long enough to wear it out.

they all break if you drop them.

Is there a specific feature the 20D has you know you will use?

The $400 difference can buy lots of toys now vs waiting...
for $400 i'd get...
*no kit lens, but the tamron 28-80 3.5-5.6 $75 and gets good ratings. You can pick up the kit lens on Ebay for $75 instead of $100 with the camera.
*sigma 75-300 APO lens (make sure of the apo part) $180 on ebay, new
*canon 50mm 1.8 $75
*sigma EF500DG Super flash $175 ebay, new
-total for toys is about $500, but that give you a wide range of capabilities...perhaps some extension tubes or a macro lens instaed of the flash...

Nikon AF Nikkor 85mm f/1.4D IF

03/31/2005 11:09:21 AM · #8

Past history...

My first camera in 15 yrs was my Olympus E-20N. It was the first digital I saw that had a "real" camera feel. It is a fixed lens DSLR. I was very drawn to it's solid body feel. It's a great camera but showing it's age.

The reasons I need to upgrade:
1) speed, (just not fast enough for weddings, etc.)
2) ISO options for low speed
3) I'd like to experiment with some telescope photography, etc. Or large lense photography.

Those are really the ONLY reasons I'm considering upgrading.

I've gotten by on a fixed lens (plus a wide angle and tele extension lens). So my thought is I could manage for a while on a single lense. Then add a new lens each year.

I guess that I am thinking that both models are probably good enough for my performance needs for years to come.

If so, I imagine that in 5 yrs from now the plastic Rebel XT will look worn. And a 20D will still be in good rugged condition. So I am not sure if there will be any reason in the near future for me to upgrade the body (i am an amateur/hobbyist photographer - do i really need more power than either of these? want is a different story...sure I'd love to have and to hold and cherish a 1Ds Mark II. And if the opportunity arose that in 5 yrs I had a chance to get a 1Ds Mark II at a good price. And I was to turn around and sell off my old body. I am thinking I won't get more than $300 for the Rebel XT. But that I probably would still get a solid $600+ for a 20D.

So I guess I am looking at the Rebel XT as a 5 yr camera. And the 20D as a 10 yr camera. But it may be that I am just scared of the look and feel and quality of plastic bodies.

And yes, i do prefer flesh to both magnesium alloy and plastic bodies....but not for photography (unless of course they're in front of the lense instead of behind it).

- The Saj

pawdrix

Nikon D700

03/31/2005 11:09:42 AM · #9

I took a friend over to J&R Camera last week to look at the 350D that he'd already made up his mind to buy and he wound up getting the 20D.

It was unanimous at the store that the 350D was pretty small and felt a bit like a toy(NOT THAT IT IS) but I'm 100% certain that it takes very nice pictures. It has great specs but the feel of the 20D is much, much nicer IMHO. In fact, another person in the market shuddered right after he picked up the 350D and went for the 20D, also.

Try to get your hands on whatever you choose first. See how they feel.

I'd also agree with the saving money for lenses and the other toys thing too. I would also go for the 350 if the the feel was what I'd liked because you most likely will want to upgrade in a few years so spending crazy money each time out might not be worth it. 5 years is long in digital terms and most of what we all have could be near obsolete.

Message edited by author 2005-03-31 11:19:25.

Prof_Fate

03/31/2005 11:18:19 AM · #10

Originally posted by theSaj:

I am thinking I won't get more than $300 for the Rebel XT. But that I probably would still get a solid $600+ for a 20D.

So I guess I am looking at the Rebel XT as a 5 yr camera. And the 20D as a 10 yr camera. But it may be that I am just scared of the look and feel and quality of plastic bodies.

And yes, i do prefer flesh to both magnesium alloy and plastic bodies....but not for photography (unless of course they're in front of the lense instead of behind it).

- The Saj

$899-300 = 599 cost of ownership
$1349-600 = 749 cost of ownership.
the 350 is cheaper in total dollars.

I doubt you will have a digital camera for 10 years - the advances are so great and the price drops so much i will guarantee that something like the 1DsMk2 will be avaialble for under $1500 in 5 years. If it is, i guarntee you will upgrade.

I am not familair with your current camera, but in my case my lst one was a Fuji S602. it had macro capability, and a 28-210 lens. To get this in a DSLR will take at least one lens for the 28-210 range and a macro lens/tubes. Since you have converter lenses NOW, you are used to more than what you are looking at with a dlsr and one lens. You will be a bit disapponted, and want more lenses sooner.

Many people will puch L glass. Sure it is nice, and it will hold it's value and last a lifetime. But it costs THOUSANDS of dollars. I am starting with adequate inexpensive lenses and will (hopefull) one day move up.
This Site has lots of good info on lenses, especially rating/ranking them to eachother so you can compare one to another fairly.

Once you experience the capability of a dlsr you will be amazed! THe ISO, the NOW of the shutter speed...

Beetle

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/31/2005 11:26:14 AM · #11

I bought my 20D only a few months ago. When I heard about the 350D, I worried that perhaps I might find myself regretting my purchase (i.e. spending all that extra money).
I don't really like lugging around a huge camera, and the fact that the 350D is supposedly much smaller only added to my worries.

Well.....last week I had a chance to play with a 350D.
I am now even more in love with my 20D!!! Yes it is bigger, but it feels sooooooooo much better in my hands.
My hands are not particularly large, but I found the grip on the XT very awkward. Plus I realized that most of the weight I carry around is in lenses, not the actual camera body. The whole body also looks and feels cheaper.

So all up, I am happy with my choice and my camera.
Saving the dollars is nice, but not when your camera means a lot to you.

I am not trying to knock the 350D (other than for its uncomfortable feel), but would advise anyone to first touch and HOLD both cameras.

SDW

Canon EOS-60D

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

03/31/2005 12:10:18 PM · #12

I had to make this choice this week [20D or 350D]. After a long debate, advice from others, talking with B&H, and reading multipule reviews I went with the 350D electing to spend more on glass. As one person put it what good is the difference in the two cameras if you are using poor lens?
Now I just have to answer what good is a 350D in the hands of an average photographer. lol

03/31/2005 12:19:30 PM · #13

"i will guarantee that something like the 1DsMk2 will be avaialble for under $1500 in 5 years."
[[[In which case, I will likely sell my old unit. I imagine I'll get a much better price on the 20D if I did. I also, have a feeling I might be doing a lot more wedding photography in the future. (Heck, I already DJ, am a Justice of the Peace,...maybe I should offer "The Wedding in a Box" (j/k) ]]]

"last week I had a chance to play with a 350D. I am now even more in love with my 20D!!! Yes it is bigger, but it feels sooooooooo much better in my hands."
[[[I think this statement really helps. It seems that 20D users are extremely satisfied. 350 XT would probably do well but not be as satisfying.]]]

Canon EF 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

03/31/2005 12:23:12 PM · #14

Now here is the question, I likely won't need the unit until early June for a wedding. However, I'll definitely want it a month or so before hand to get familiar. So let's say I need to make my purchase by the start of May.

I know that there are cycles, when new cameras come out the old prices drop. I am wondering if anything is in Canon's queue that might in the next two months drop the price. (I understand price drops....and I expect to see a substantial price drop 4-6 months out. But I'd rather not see a $200 drop 30 days after I make my purchase.

I am think these are the current steady prices. The Rebel XT just came out at $999. I doubt Canon will lower the 20D's price level any as then it'd be much too competitive with the XT. My guess, is they'll release like a 22mega-pixel and lower the 1DS Mark II to like $6,000 (from it's average $8,000)

Any thoughts?

Any reason why I should wait till May to purchase as opposed to making my purchase now?

Sammie

Olympus OM-D E-M5

03/31/2005 12:40:47 PM · #15

Another option to consider: the Canon 10D. You can buy a brand new one now for the same price or lower than the Rebel XT. Stores are selling them out.

thatcloudthere

Canon EOS-1D

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

03/31/2005 12:48:42 PM · #16

Originally posted by p3wiz:

Here is a comparison between 300D, 350D, and 20D: LINK

Great link, I appreciate it...I'm going to go with the 20d myself as the advantages are worth it to me for my application (will be going to school for photojournalism):

- The better focus capabilities (1 stop lower for autofocus, as well as designed for use with fast lenses such as 1.8, 2.8)
- almost double the shots (1000 vs. 600) on a single battery
- pc terminal for external flash
- maximum sync voltage for hotshoe of 250v vs. 6v
- high performance shutter rated at 100k cycles vs. 50k
- multi-controller/joystick
- magnesium alloy vs. plastic

Prof_Fate

03/31/2005 12:53:41 PM · #17

I doubt Canon has anything if the offing until fall at this point. If weddings are what you want to shoot, then your accessory choices need to focus on that...
a good flash (sigma EF500, canon 550EX, Metz 54, or a quantum if you have the budget...)
extra memory cards (3 gig total)
spare battery or 2
flash bracket (w/flip of course)
lenses...depends, you can make do or go for the best...
-a wide angle (12-24, 10-22, etc)
-a 28-80 or 28-105 range -the faster the better

notonline

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

03/31/2005 01:07:21 PM · #18

When I was looking at the 20D it was put to me this way. Dollar for dollar the 20D does NOT have the money's worth of extra features on it. In my opinion the 20D does have a better feel but not worth the extra money.

zeuszen

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/31/2005 01:14:09 PM · #19

I you shoot action, the 20D delivers 5 fps, the 350 only 3 fps. The 20D buffer also is significantly faster (14 vs 23 high res JPEGs per burst).

The 20D auto-focus can be more precise and capable than the XT's.

The 20D has a pentaprism, the XT a pentamirror. The magnification is slightly greater with the pentaprism.

Shutter speed and ISO setting covers twice the range with the 20D.

If you rely on an external flash for much of your work, the 20D offers no limits or impairments.

The 20D is built stronger with a more durable shutter.

There are twice as many custom functions with the 20D than with the XT.

The XT is lighter the 20D. (I, personally, prefer a heavier camera. Some people do not).

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

03/31/2005 01:55:36 PM · #20

- The better focus capabilities (1 stop lower for autofocus, as well as designed for use with fast lenses such as 1.8, 2.8)
- almost double the shots (1000 vs. 600) on a single battery
- pc terminal for external flash
- maximum sync voltage for hotshoe of 250v vs. 6v
- magnesium alloy vs. plastic
- 20D delivers 5 fps, the 350 only 3 fps.

These are very compelling reasons IMHO....

Gauti

Canon EOS-7D

03/31/2005 02:56:10 PM · #21

I have been thinking hard about this, esp since I sold my 10D. Should I get a 350D now and upgrade to the successor of 10D/20D in the future (15D/25D, I'd guess they will be called) or just cough up enough dosh for the lovely 20D.
I chose 20D. It is a lovely camera, almost all the bugs/annoyances of 10D have been fixed and it's a lot faster. Per item/feature the difference is not so big, but every little counts and the cumulative effect is quite big.
I tried the 350D and found it too small and flimsy. I do outdoors photography and I need a strong and sturdy camera that can take a lot of abuse.
I'm fairly sure I'd be disappointed with the 350D had I chosen that one.

But if your new to DSLR go for the 350D and spend money on good lenses. Bodies will change, but lenses are a photogs best friend.

Cheers.

ovenbird

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

03/31/2005 03:10:56 PM · #22

I had a 20D and ended up selling it after I got my Rebel XT. The XT is more than enough camera for me so that is what I went with.

I have found the speed of the two cameras to be very similar with the obvious differences of FPS and buffer depth. I however never have found myself filling the buffer on the XT so those two things arenâ��t an issue to me. I mostly shoot wildlife and do a lot of flying bird type pictures as well as other action shots.

The two cameras are very similar but there are some significant differences.

One thing that I would have liked on the XT was the little joystick control, I found it useful on the 20D when reviewing pictures. I also liked having CF17 on the 20D tough it isnâ��t something I would take much advantage of. When I got the chance to borrow a 500mm f/4 CF17 really came in handy. Also from testing the two cameras side by side I got the impression that the 20D was ever so slightly better at ISO 1600. The grip of the 20D is very different from that of the XT and I can easily see how people wouldnâ��t like the XT grip. Some people like the controls of the 20D better which might be an important issue.

As far as the quality of manufacture, they seem very very close to me. In my mind they are so close that this isnâ��t even an issue with possibly one exception. It seems that the mirror mechanism of the digital rebel wasnâ��t all the durable. I donâ��t know if the XT uses the same mirror or not but this could be a weak point in the XT that the 20D does not have.

As far as resale value is concerned, I am not sure what to say. Digital cameras donâ��t really seem very good at holding their value be it an EOS 1Ds or a digital rebel. Personally I donâ��t see this as an issue at all. I am not about to baby my camera worrying about every little scratch and ding that it might pick up so that I can get top dollar when I sell it in order to purchase the next model. I think the amount of wear on the body affects the resale value more than the model but I donâ��t have any hard numbers on that.

I believe that the Rebel XT is more than enough camera for the majority of photographers. Certainly the higher end models offer very nice additional features but I think it is best to buy what you need and save the extra money for other things.

Tom

MikeO

Fujifilm x100

03/31/2005 03:15:02 PM · #23

Heck, save even more money and get a 300D. There going for under Â£400 here in the UK -
Then you can get some decent glass, in a couple of years upgrade to the Eos 700d or whatever and keep the 300d as a backup..

Message edited by author 2005-03-31 15:19:01.

ovenbird

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

03/31/2005 03:30:37 PM · #24

Originally posted by Sammie:

Another option to consider: the Canon 10D. You can buy a brand new one now for the same price or lower than the Rebel XT. Stores are selling them out.

Having owned a 10D I will say that the XT is a better camera is pretty much every way than the 10D. I personally feel that buying a 10D over an XT for the same money would be a foolish move unless the XT really felt bad in your hands.

Tom

ovenbird