the dropping of the monies

[blustocking]

I need advice from the camera-inclined....

I have the opportunity to purchase this for $425. Body only. I'm thinking of doing it, maybe asking for $400 since it's without even the kit lens.

My justification is:

I was going to drop about $900 on a camera anyway and this way I can get a nice lens (or two suitable ones) plus a case and maybe an iPod. And it's what....8 mp. The camera I would buy (possibly the Nikon D80) is 10mp and that's with the kit lens (nothing fancy) and no extras.
It's not all about mp these days, even though that's what the kids will tell you. I think 8mp is sufficient.

Advice? Anyone? Anyone used a Rebel XT?

Comments

[stillvisions.livejournal.com]

I have one, and I really like it - also, as soon as I bought dedicated lenses the kit lens has been collecting dust anyway,

(I shoot with a 24mm, the cheapo 50mm and the macro 100mm and they're all worth their price, although admittedly the 100mm macro is kinda steep)

The extra MP probably won't be too big of an issue anyway, and honestly, Canon has near-dominance of the SLR market. Besides SLRs being a money pit in general, I have no qualms about recommending the Rebel XT

http://stillvisions.com/events/events2.htm were all events where I shot with it - the early ones shot with the kit lens, and then with the dedicated lenses. Not exactly art photography mind you, but a sense of what sort of images one can take. I'm still learning though...

[blustocking.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking of keeping my Sony for macro shots. It has a great lens on it and fabulous zoom, even if it's a Cyber-shot.

That's what I'm thinking, an extra $400 for 2mp when the camera I have now is only 5 and works pretty damn well for prints up to 11x14. I think 8 will be fine....at least until I become big time and can afford $5000 for a friggin' camera.

How much was the macro?
Nice pics btw.

[stillvisions.livejournal.com]

The Cyber-shots have held up pretty well - Sony's my lone exception to the "if they don't make cameras, don't buy their digicams" rule.

The macro at the time, if I recall correctly, was 700 Canadian (~600 US), or that was list - might have been lower on sale. It serves really well as a portrait lens; I've done a bit of macro work, but it hasn't been posted up yet. It's a bit unweildy on the Rebel since it works like a 160mm, so it's something that needs real space to work, but when I can use it, I love it.

IIRC the Rebel will give you something like 300dpi on an 8.5"X11" anyway so it gives a fair bit of pic space to work with.

Thanks on the pics; I've been trying to work on portraits and I've come a ways I think, but you can see in the pics I've got things to work on still. The costume shots make for a fun take on portraiture, which is nice.

[iamwells.livejournal.com]

wicked_swank uses a Rebel XT. You can ask her how she likes it, and whether or not she perceives any strengths/weaknesses. I suspect she does like it, as she has been using it for a year or more.

[blustocking.livejournal.com]

I'm going to ask these doucheholes that ambled in at closing time what they think.

Yes, they think I should ask this wicked_swank person tomorrow when I have more time, but they said I should thank you for the advice.

This camera-buying crap is stressful. I just forcasted my finances (I'm awesome like that) for next semester and I may have overestimated. WE SHALL SEE.

[nic.livejournal.com]

The Rebel is a really nice camera and at 425 bucks, a steal. I used to have one until it was nicked last summer. I replaced it with the next model up, a 30D which frankly doesn't offer that much more for the money. There is a newer version of the Rebel called the 400D which gives you a few extra things that you find on the 30D - 7 point autofocus and sundry other things but probably costs a bit more than $425.

The great thing about the Rebel is that you have access to the entire range of Canon EF and EF-S lenses, which is really useful. Borrowing lenses is easy, renting them too and there's a good second-hand market. You could probably say the same about the equivalent Nikon, though.

FWIW, the kit lens with the 350D is quite good value for money if you get it in the bundle. You'd pay quite a lot for the nearest Canon equivalent, I seem to recall.

[blustocking.livejournal.com]

He's also offering the 28-135mm lens for $250.

[i-muad-dib.livejournal.com]

That's a good deal for the body and it fares really well compared with others in it's class. I say go for it.

[i-muad-dib.livejournal.com]

"its"
Possessive
*bang*

[blustocking.livejournal.com]

Check it, I got him down to $375.
Werd.

[i-muad-dib.livejournal.com]

It pays to be a girl!

[blustocking.livejournal.com]

It pays to check eBay.