Need Advice - DPChallenge Forums

12/20/2007 11:10:01 AM · #1

I'm looking to get a Canon Rebel XT 8MP - with the crappy kit lens and a 2 GB card for $499 at Costco. Does that seem like a good deal? I'm planning on getting a lens with whatever Christmas/Birthday money I get after I get the camera.

Or - should I wait until after Christmas for sales? What's the likelihood that this camera will be cheaper, especially including the memory card?

Any and all input appreciated.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

12/20/2007 11:52:53 AM · #2

bumpity

Nullix

Canon EOS-5D Mark III

12/20/2007 12:01:02 PM · #3

Rebel XT body only $394.95
2GB Memory $39.95
Canon 50mm $74.95

Total: $509.85

Sounds pretty good. I would save money and buy a better lens. If you have $75 to spare, the Canon 50mm is a great lens.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24, S24+, S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm f/4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

12/20/2007 12:03:21 PM · #4

B & H sells it with Kit lens and without memory card for $469.95

Amazon has a deep discount on 2Gb Sandisk UltraII memory cards for $34.69: click here

So depending on the quality of the card, it's certainly a reasonable package price.

R.

OdysseyF22

Panasonic DC-G9

Olympus 12-45mm f/4.0 Pro

12/20/2007 12:54:59 PM · #5

Rebel XT - $379, at BeachCamera (body only) - they're a good place, I bought my camera from them, and their prices are usually just a bit lower than B&H.

I doubt the price will be any better on it after Christmas. You can find CF cards on sale at Staples and CircuitCity almost every weekend, if you watch the sale fliers.

As for lenses, the 50mm mentioned is a solid one, sharp, and will work in low light. But you're alos locked into a focal length. If you do portraits and detail shots, street shots, etc, it'll be okay. If you want to shoot landscapes, however, 50mm is far too narrow, while the 18mm end of the kit is pretty good for it. Depending on what kind of shooting you want to do, you might be happier with the variable range of the kit lens. And although it's crappy, it's not beyond redemption, and you can get some good images - but only in strong light (no low-light shooting).

PHOTOKID

12/20/2007 12:59:13 PM · #6

Originally posted by OdysseyF22:

Rebel XT - $379, at BeachCamera (body only) - they're a good place, I bought my camera from them, and their prices are usually just a bit lower than B&H.

I will also vouch that Beach Camera is a repretable business, I bought my 70-200mm 2.8IS L series lens from them, had an issue with it and had no problem returning it and getting a new one asap.

Great company, I check there first for their prices now.

HTH.

12/20/2007 01:20:28 PM · #7

Thank you for the responses so far - I'm feverishly researching. I'll take more if you have it. :o)

I'm also looking at the Tamron 70-300mm 1:2 F/4-5.6 DI LD Macro FS=62 For Canon EOS... will that work for a starter lens? I'm a wee bit overwhelmed with the possibilities here.

Message edited by author 2007-12-20 13:28:17.

OM System 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO M.Zuiko Digital ED

12/20/2007 06:26:02 PM · #8

hey alicia ..
i'm putting this in here to get other ppl's feedback as well ..
my tamron 18-200 is a great lens .. i love it .. BUT .. if i zoom to 200mm the quality is very bad .. very grainy .. noise ninja and similar programs really dont compensate ..
looking at the tamron 70-300 and i'm thinking it would be an excellent lens for you for getting wonderful candid's of people and just being able to get so much closer to your subjects without having to physically move to do it .. also in public places its just less invasive .. but wot is the quality like zoomed to 300mm ..

ok .. i just checked out the Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2 for Canon in dpc's equipment place .. there are some absolutely amazing photographs in there and i'm thinking a few of those would'v been zoomed quite a bit .. maybe the eagle shot? .. of course i could be wrong .. fantastic if zoomed and also the close up of the bug .. macro .. which of course i'd love !! ..
this looks like a wonderful lens and doesnt cost the earth ..

why dont you pm the ppl who've got pics here and ask them ?
tamron 70-300 info

i'm the most ordinary photographer and i have very limited knowledge .. so this is just my 2 cents worth .. i'm hoping you get more info from other ppl .. it'll probably thoroughly confuse you, it would me .. !! .. lol ..

just keep in mind wot you want to photograph .. and try and get the lens that will do that .. some ppl have just a whole swag of lenses .. fine .. but if you have limited finances, which most of us do, then often one or even two lenses, if you're lucky, can get you the most brilliant results .. :)x

Message edited by author 2007-12-20 18:32:02.

OdysseyF22

Panasonic DC-G9

Olympus 12-45mm f/4.0 Pro

12/20/2007 06:33:04 PM · #9

The Tamron 70-300 is a good lens, especially the macro feature. It's awful long for a standard walkaround (and by long, I mean a lot of zoom), but I suppose you could use it that way. I've enjoyed the few months I've owned mine, although I have it on eBay right now, as I'm upgrading to a faster f/2.8 telephoto. But as a first telephoto, it's perfect.

OM System 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO M.Zuiko Digital ED

12/21/2007 05:58:59 AM · #10

i was looking at the tamron site just to see how much my Tamron AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di II for Canon sells for now and noticed that they now have a Tamron AF18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) ... probably updating the 18-200 ..
it looks like a nice lens .. but of course without actually trying one to see wot quality you'd get zoomed i wouldnt really know ..
someone else with more knowledge about this sort'v stuff might ..
just something else to put in your pipe and smoke !!

the lenses you mentioned in your email ..
Tamron 70-300mm 1:2 F/4-5.6 DI LD Macro FS=62 For Canon EOS
different lenses have different advantages and disadvantages .. it all depends wot sort'v photographs you want to take .. i personally wouldnt go for this lens because i like a bit'v wide angle .. with the wide angle 18mm you can be reasonably close to your subject but it appears further away .. with the 70mm-300mm you have to physically move away .. which is ok, but in some situations you might want to take a photograph of something and you're too close .. the macro would be an advantage with this one i spose .. i'm really winging it here and if anyone who has more knowledge has other stuff to contribute that would be great ..

Canon EF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 USM III - this is a zoom lens with macro capabilities... probably very similar to the previous one . being a canon you might find the glass is much better quality than the tamron and you'd get a better image .. i'm not totally sure about that bit tho .. you'd have to check ..

the other thing i'm thinking is the f4.5 of the Tamron 70-300mm 1:2 F/4-5.6 DI LD Macro FS=62 For Canon EOS and the Canon EF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 USM III .. thats as open as you can go .. with mine and the one i mentioned that's supersceded mine the AF18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) you can get a bit more light in ..

Canon Normal EF 50mm f/1.8 II Autofocus Lens i personally wouldnt go for this because it seems limiting .. the f1.8 looks great .. also its a fixed lens .. 50mm and that's it . no macro ?? .. no wide angle .. but this lens could suit you .. ??
later .. after tez's comment . i checked out the photographs that ppl have taken with this lens and they are brilliant .. so like i said .. i can only give you my opinion and with limited knowledge i might be wrong ..

it depends on the price and how much you want to spend .. out'v all the one's i've just mentioned i'd be going for the Tamron AF18-250mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II LD Aspherical (IF) if i was you .. but i'm not you and your requirements might be totally different to mine ..

all this is just my opinion alicia ..
and hopefully if i've given you wrong information then someone will correct me ...:)x

Message edited by author 2007-12-21 06:22:22.

12/21/2007 06:03:43 AM · #11

The 50mm 1.8 is a great lens. I actually bought Odyssey's from this very site and it's served me very well. The focal length is great for headshots because it becomes an 80mm on a cropped sensor body. And it has manual focus too, not just AF... that would be rather silly on a prime.

But to the OP: That sounds like a good deal for a good camera. The kit lens will suffice until you get some more cash and it will serve to teach you about the camera until you learn what's what. The lens isn't half bad at around F8 when most of the problems clear up.

OM System 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO M.Zuiko Digital ED

12/21/2007 06:13:42 AM · #12

Originally posted by Tez:

i dont know ..
buying a kit lens and then realising it just doesnt do the job and then needing to spend more money to get a better quality lens .. i'm glad i didnt do that ..
and yes just because its a kit lens doesnt mean you cant take some brilliant photographs with it .. but if you're going to want something better, why not start with it and save the aggravation of having to spend more money later .. i dont know wot the resale would be like with a kit lens either .. i doubt you'd get much back on it . ???
& i'm not being rude or contradicting you ..

12/21/2007 06:21:04 AM · #13

but the price diff between the kit lens included, or the kit lens not included is rather negligible for a decent range of zoom. You save around $70 without the lens, which isn't going to get you much except the 50mm 1.8. I would not recommend the 50mm as the only lens because it is too restrictive in terms of focal length, so i'd go for the kit and use it until some mroe money comes along to replace it... ot just save up so a body can be purchased with a decent zoom like the Tamron you suggested, or the 17-50 2.8 Tamron that costs around $300 now.

OM System 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO M.Zuiko Digital ED

12/21/2007 06:25:27 AM · #14

yes .. good points ..
when i got my first dslr and tamron lens the guy in the shop gave me a 'special' deal .. like instead of getting the kit with the two lenses .. he gave me the tamron at an equivalent price .. :) ..
edit to say ... it was a 'bit' more .. i cant remember exactly how much ..

Message edited by author 2007-12-21 06:41:48.

Tajhad

Canon EOS R

Canon RF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS USM

12/21/2007 06:35:48 AM · #15

Alicia might miss the zoom range (becuse of the Kodak lens she is using at the moment) but I think the idea of the 50mm is a good one. A good quality lens - but cheap. Maybe while she gets use to the camera (and learns heaps because of the limited range), saves some money - but still has a reasonable quality lens for portraits or what ever -when she has gone on to better and more expensive lenses.
I have the Tamron 28-75 f2.8 for a walk-a-round lens but that was $500 or so.
My thoughts for what they are worth.

OM System 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO M.Zuiko Digital ED

12/21/2007 06:39:04 AM · #16

Originally posted by Tajhad:

yes ... it sounds like a great compromise .. not getting something that she'll just want to get rid of, but something that will go the distance & that she can learn heaps with because of the limited range !!! .. great suggestion ..
where's alicia ..!!

OM System 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO M.Zuiko Digital ED

12/21/2007 06:48:08 AM · #17

in fact the Canon Normal EF 50mm f/1.8 II is sounding better and better by the second .. !!.. nice and small too ..
wots the difference between the EF 50mm f/1.8 I and the EF 50mm f/1.8 II ....?? ... i had a look in dpc lenses and the most obvious difference is that the II gets a better score in challenges !!! .. not sure if that's because of the operator or the equipment tho .. ...:)

Tajhad

Canon EOS R

Canon RF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS USM

12/21/2007 06:53:49 AM · #18

Yes - but at the moment she has limited money but hopes to have some more after Christmas to purchase another lens. This would enable her to get a lens she may keep and use in the future.
I have the kit lens - don't like it much and rarely use it. If you are limited with money - you don't have many options. I imagine the Tamron 70-300 would cost a few hundred dollars. Matbe one to purchase after her initial camera purchase.

Tajhad

Canon EOS R

Canon RF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS USM

12/21/2007 06:54:35 AM · #19

Sorry- came in late.

12/21/2007 06:56:09 AM · #20

Originally posted by roz:

The mk1 is discontinued. It had a metal body but identical optics. The mk2 has a plastic body so the build quality is pretty bad. saying that, mine held up just fine when it was shipped from USA to UK and i've had no problems with it and I've dropped it once onto a concrete floor and it's still kicking ass.

And the mk2 would get better scores probably because more people have it. I've only ever seen the mk1 on ebay where it goes for about $120.

OM System 90mm f/3.5 Macro IS PRO M.Zuiko Digital ED

12/21/2007 07:01:43 AM · #21

ahha .. !!

12/21/2007 07:40:12 AM · #22

You guys are awesome - thanks for the input. I'm a sponge at the moment, but soon it will solidify. With all this input, a clearer picture is starting to form in my head. Lens-wise, that is. The rest of my life is still a blur. haha

12/21/2007 07:54:54 AM · #23

Ok - I just read all the posts - and I agree with the thought of getting the kit lens along with the good deal.

Pros:

- not a huge price difference
- immediate gratification because I'll have everything I need for a decent price
- sufficient to get to know the camera for starters, which will be a learning curve anyway

Cons:

- limitations of my creative genius (heh) until I can afford another lens

The info on the Canon Normal EF 50mm f/1.8 II is very valuable, since it's a reasonable lens, but apparently better than the kit.

The Tamron I was thinking of is indeed a bit long (as mentioned), so I was worried about that. Also it's physically large, which would be cumbersome to have on the camera all the time as the only lens.

Ok - back to lens info on websites. Again - thank you so much for your input, all!!

12/21/2007 07:58:27 AM · #24

what exactly is your budget for your purchase? we could give more informed opinions if we have a ballpark, but for what it's worth, the kit lens and the 50mm will do great :)

Now i want more lenses...