I have the XSi and it is a great camera. I am planning on getting the 50D which will be out in October, and keeping both. You can't go wong with either. If you are doing action shots a lot, I would go for the 40d since it is faster. If you can wait and save a few extra dollars, you might want to get the 50D.
I mostly am shooting weddings with my friend, and after using his 40d and 5d i just cant stand my little XT any more. Worked great for starting out but im ready for an upgrade. Hoping to find a well priced 40d now that the 50d's are out, can only afford so much ya know :cry
Handling: The controls on the 40D fall perfectly to hand. Intuitive operation without taking your eye off the finder.
Price: With large discounts on the 40D and small discounts on the XSi, not much of a premium for the 40D.
I like your list, so I used it for positives of the XSi.
* Image quality: both great.
* Construction quality: If you drop your camera a lot, get the 40D. I've owned the 300D, XT, XTi and now the XSi, I haven't been able to break one yet.
* Handling: I bought the 30D after I had owned the 300D, XT, and the XTi. I hated the handling of the 30D.
I hope the the viewfinder on the 40D is better than the one of the 30D. I had a hard time seeing any of the settings through it, and I really didn't like the lcd on the top of the camera. When I put the camera on a tripod, to view the settings on top was a pain.
The info of the back of the XSi is more to my liking.
*Price: hands down the XSi.
For weddings, I would think that lower light performance would be important, but I don't know which camera performs better in low light.
Rebel XT
Tamron 28-70 2.8
Sigma DC 18-50 2.8 macro
J: Really, at this stage I wouldn't worry much about upgrading your body, unless it would provide you with some very tangible benefits given your intended subject. Such as an extra stop worth of ISO noise performance (like the 5D that you mentioned). Or perhaps if your Autofocus seems sluggish or at times inaccurate (then a 40D might help a bit along those lines).
H: But C.W. would suggest that money right now might be better spent on your lens lineup. I would think that the addition of a 70-200/f2.8 (IS pref) or a fast prime like the 35L or 50/f1.4 would expand your shooting possibilities by a much larger measure. Also do you have a great flash and bracket?
J: I know that it can be hard shooting elbow to elbow with someone who has a "nicer" rig than you, especially in the Pro realm, but it's really the results that matter (especially to your clients). You gotta think long and hard about exactly where you need to put your hard-earned paychecks. Otherwise you could spend a LOT and still not produce any better shots.
J&H: thanks for the input, im actually wanting to upgrade for the better auto focus and also for a camera that will operate better in the low light (receptions are a killer) Glass isnt as big of a deal for me right now cause im able to use my friends glass plus for most instances.
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Now, the XSi is great too, but the 40D is on a totally different plane.
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Canon 60D
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Canon 60D
Tamron 28-75 2.8
Canon 70-200 F4 L IS
I like your list, so I used it for positives of the XSi.
* Image quality: both great.
* Construction quality: If you drop your camera a lot, get the 40D. I've owned the 300D, XT, XTi and now the XSi, I haven't been able to break one yet.
* Handling: I bought the 30D after I had owned the 300D, XT, and the XTi. I hated the handling of the 30D.
I hope the the viewfinder on the 40D is better than the one of the 30D. I had a hard time seeing any of the settings through it, and I really didn't like the lcd on the top of the camera. When I put the camera on a tripod, to view the settings on top was a pain.
The info of the back of the XSi is more to my liking.
*Price: hands down the XSi.
For weddings, I would think that lower light performance would be important, but I don't know which camera performs better in low light.
Basking in the shadows of yesterday's triumphs'.
H: But C.W. would suggest that money right now might be better spent on your lens lineup. I would think that the addition of a 70-200/f2.8 (IS pref) or a fast prime like the 35L or 50/f1.4 would expand your shooting possibilities by a much larger measure. Also do you have a great flash and bracket?
J: I know that it can be hard shooting elbow to elbow with someone who has a "nicer" rig than you, especially in the Pro realm, but it's really the results that matter (especially to your clients). You gotta think long and hard about exactly where you need to put your hard-earned paychecks. Otherwise you could spend a LOT and still not produce any better shots.
H: Good luck and happy shooting.
J&H
jtrankler@gmail.com
Canon 60D
Tamron 28-75 2.8
Canon 70-200 F4 L IS