350D or 20D - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

06/21/2005 07:02:31 AM · #1

I'm in the market for a new DSLR, and have settled on Canon because, well, It's all my friends shoot with :)

My problem is this: Do I go for the 350D (ZAR 8000.00 including kit lens) and a 75/300 (ZAR 2500)or do I get the 20D (ZAR 11000 including kit lens) ? I'm keeping the F828, but useless RAW buffer, High ISO noise (iso200), EVF etc. are motivations for this purchase.

I've looked at 20D as well as 350D in store, The plastic body doesn't seem to be an issue, and I like the 350D size. (Both file the nails on my right hand).
I'm leaning towards the 350 plus glass, but will I be losing in the end?

Any Thoughts?

Natator

Canon EOS-5D

06/21/2005 07:11:03 AM · #2

Well, the 20D is the better body, but obviously with that comes the higher price tag.

I'd maybe consider your longer term budget. If you spent the money now on the better body, would you then be stuck with the kit lens for a long while? If not then I would personally go for the better body now, get used to it, learn it's ways and the ways of the Canon EOS system .... and by the time you have that mastered you may be in a position to buy more glass.

My call overall is:

Buy the 350D now and you are up and running with lenses faster. In time the 350D will be more likely to be limiting than the 20D

or

Buy the 20D now and survive with the kit lens. In time when you have more lenses you end up with a better overall kit.

I guess it depends how far you want to go.

Both are great cameras, you can't go wrong either way.

PaulMdx

Canon EOS-1D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

06/21/2005 07:23:02 AM · #3

I bought myself a 300D about a year and a half ago. At the time I could have opted for the more expensive 10D, but I decided on the 300D and spent the extra money on a lens (the Sigma 28-70/2.8EX).

Since I've had it, it's taken around 19,000 shots. I've been published numerous times with it, been out in the rain with it, and generally it's been an excellent camera. The lens I bought with the extra money has also been very useful.

Recently I came to the conclusion I need a faster camera (as I generally shoot sports) with more options. For this reason I'm demoting my 300D to a second camera and buying an old-ish used 1D mkI.

At the time when I bought my 300D two friends both bought 10D's, which they are not considering replacing (although one has taken a lot of shots, so may be retired soon).

I guess the point is, at some point you will replace the body. The better the body, the longer it will last. The less you spend on bodies the more you'll be able to spend on lenses sooner..

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

06/21/2005 12:05:28 PM · #4

Thanks a lot.

I'm not sure yet how far this photography thing is going to take me, I could also get the 350D & lens now, and sell both 350D and F828 if the 20D replacement is a proposition, and still have the extra lens. hmmm...

Any idea what the shutter life is on a 350D ?

PaulMdx

Canon EOS-1D

06/21/2005 12:09:39 PM · #5

According to this site the 350D can go for 50,000 shots, the 20D can go for 100,000.

06/21/2005 12:16:11 PM · #6

Thanks for the link,Paul.

RichT8496

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

Canon EF 50mm f/1.8

06/22/2005 04:26:12 AM · #7

Don't be tempted to go for the 20D if you think you can 'make do' with the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens. It's a truly awful lens and a complete waste of money. It really doesn't do the 20D amazing performance justice.

If you don't have enough budget to buy some good glass with the 20D (my first choice) then get the 350D (body only!) and buy some good Canon lenses for it. The 350D is a great little number.

faidoi

Pentax K10D

06/22/2005 04:29:12 AM · #8

Really depends on what types of subjects you take, want to take, etc. If the 350 feels better in your hands it may be the better choice. Save more money to buy more or better lenses.

brianlh

Canon EOS-450D Rebel XSi

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

06/22/2005 04:30:17 AM · #9

350D plus decent glass will beat out the 20D with that kit lens any day, quality wise. so will nearly any camera with good optics, as far as i understand/know.

yido

Canon EOS-5D

Sigma 20mm f/1.8 EX Aspherical DG DF RF for Canon

06/22/2005 09:55:11 PM · #10

Unless, there is a feature on the 20D that you really want/need, I'd get the XT and spend the money on lens. Image quality wise the XT and the 20D are same. What you are paying for are features.

Fujifilm XF 18-55mm f/2.8-4 OIS

06/24/2005 07:49:24 AM · #11

Thanks for the commnets. Still deciding. This is not an easy, clear decision...

docpjv

Fujifilm X-E1

06/24/2005 08:28:31 AM · #12

Made a promise to myself... if I am making it to my next birthday I will reward myself with the 20D or it's replacement....;-)

lentil

Canon EOS-5D

Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L USM

06/24/2005 09:01:22 AM · #13

Originally posted by gibun:

Made a promise to myself... if I am making it to my next birthday I will reward myself with the 20D or it's replacement....;-)

good goal gibun :)

theSaj

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

06/24/2005 09:46:13 AM · #14

The ease of use of the jog wheel on the 20D alone it a strong feature.

I recently finally held and played with a 350D....I walked away so so so happy that I had purchased the 20D instead.

SandyP

Canon EOS-5D Mark IV

Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 USM

06/24/2005 09:49:15 AM · #15

Blackdot, I recently upgraded to a 20D from a Rebel D300. I went thru the same dilema about whether to get that one or the 350D. In the end, the reason I chose the 20D was because I preferred the heavier body. I went to the store and held both of them, and just felt like the 350D would be too easy to get banged around and beat up with all my lugging it around everywhere. But I will say that my new 20D is already back at Canon for repairs to the shutter release. I ordered it online from B&H, and I think they sent me a camera that had been sitting on the shelf for a while -- one made before that firmware software had been updated -- so if you get the 20D, make SURE that the one you buy is brand new and hasn't been sitting on the shelf for a while and might be one that has that problem that so many Canon 20D's had before they got that problem fixed!!!

Other than that, I LOVED the pictures from my 20D, and I did notice a difference in clarity and less noise.

Good luck!!!
SandyP

Matthew

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Peleng 8mm f/3.5 Fisheye MC In M42 Mount

06/24/2005 10:03:36 AM · #16

Trying them both out is a good suggestion. The greater longevity of the 20D is quite qttractive, given the ease with which one can fire off 1 or 10,000 shots pretty quickly! No idea what the refurb costs are on a D-SLR, but I bet that it is a fair bit.

I am not sure that you would notice a tremendous image quality difference between the bodies, except perhaps in lower light (20d is supposedly better at high ISO). For ease of operation, the 20D must win by virtue of having the jog wheel on the back, allowing simultaneous Av and Tv setting, and secondary display on top of the body (sounds stupid, but I find this well placed when setting up a shot, esp. tripod shots).

Faster shutter speed also makes it slightly easier to catch a moment in some types of photography, and allows for faster auto-bracketed shots.

So: image quality issues largely overcome, but ease of use functionality is there in the 20D. You will not necessarily get significantly better quality results, but you might catch the moment slightly more often.

Depends on what you are used to and are looking for in the camera.

Geocide

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

06/24/2005 12:06:52 PM · #17

I don't know much about the 350D but I had the 300d and found the quality and rugged build of the 20D enought to justify the upgrade. I'll put it this way, I've had the 20D for about a year and and continusly amazed by it's features and flexibility.

aKiwi

Canon EOS-7D

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

06/24/2005 12:30:43 PM · #18

I have the 350 D and am absolutley happy with it. I invested the money I saved on a better lens.
I have never needed ISO 3600, or a shutterspeed at the top end of the range, so there has never been a case where the 20D would have got an image or a better image than the 350D. I like the lightness as I take my camera everywhere.
The only reason I might recomend the 20D is the Life of the shutter mechanism. I have had my 350D for only 3 months now and have already shot over 6000 photos!

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

06/24/2005 02:18:14 PM · #19

I'm sure the 20D as well as 350D take brilliant photo's to judge by all your portfolio's. After the F828 even the 20D feels a little plasic. A friend of mine also did the 300D to 20D upgrade without looking back. Problem is, the 350D seems closer to the 20D than the 300D at the moment.

Permit me one more question: If I go for the 20D, I'll be stuck with the kit lens for quite a while. Is it really as terrible as brianlhbrianlh says?

liv4him330

Canon EOS-7D

06/24/2005 02:29:30 PM · #20

I have been using the kit lens alot and i notice alot of distortion.

So if your planning alot of travel or building shooting for example i would recomend getting a beter lens

I am quite happy with the 350 i just reach 1000 photos on it and really love the camera it take great photos.