Help me spend my economic stimulus check.

serinat

I told my husband and kids not to buy me anything for Mother's Day (and I meant it) - I'm spending part of our economic stimulus package check on a DSLR! I could use some advice, as I don't know what to get.

I own a film SLR (Canon Rebel 2000), kit lens (it's in storage, so I don't know what kind), a camera bag, and a decent tripod. I took a basic photography class four years ago and really enjoyed it. I also own a basic point & shoot (Canon PowerShot A80) that has served me well, though it is also four years old.

I plan to buy a Canon body and use my kit lens on it until I figure out what sort of lens to buy. I want to spend roughly $1000 on the camera + lens and then, in addition, buy PhotoShop.

I love taking pictures of my kids and family; people are my interest. I like natural light portraiture, and might consider making it into a hobby or small business someday. But I've got a lot to learn, and with three kids, it takes me a while to find the time to learn it. So I don't know that I want to buy more camera than I can reasonably use before it is obsolete. I also want to invest in decent lenses that I can use with future cameras.

One thing I hate is that I'm always trying to take pictures of my kids indoors, but my P&S is useless for that function without a flash. And then, it looks all...flash-y. I want to be able to take pictures in lower light situations without a flash.

So, with all of that background (are you still there?), here are my questions:

1.) What camera do you recommend? (I'm thinking of the XTi, but is the XSi worth considering?)
2.) What lens? (I the kit lens to practice with.)

Thanks!

Tango

all my stock is with canon so do not stray from canon.:D

the new P&S of late are very very good for indoor shots of your kids...

i would start with a new P&S and software like Adobe...(dont stray from them either):D

learn the software, then buy a dslr in a year or two.....just my .02


your going to be amazed how fast that cash will go....hows your computer? it better be good or photoshop will not be a treat...

Tango

what im tring to say is get a P&S that is going to get shots of your kids now.
dont practice on them...get the shot now!....learn the dslr on the side.

Tango

and what i mean by that is....missing shots of your kids because your learning a dslr will be a regret later....

seriously i was blown away by a new sony cybershot dsc-w300...

ziggy53

Serinat,

Welcome to the Digital Grin.

A lot of what I told Mike would also apply to you:

http://dgrin.com/showpost.php?p=831313&postcount=9

In your case, I would suggest that you need to stay in the entry level cameras to meet your budget and you might consider used.

If you were to buy the Canon XTi/400D ($520), not the latest but still a very nice camera, you could also get the newer:

Canon EF-S 18-55mm, f/3.5-5.6 IS
$170
http://www.adorama.com/CA1855AFU.html?searchinfo=18-55%20is

... as well as the:

Canon EF-S 55-250mm, f/4-5.6 IS
$280
http://www.adorama.com/CA55250AFS.html?searchinfo=55-250&item_no=1

That would take you from 18mm to 250mm in two lenses and these are both upgrades in quality from the non-IS versions (according to reviews.)

The XTi itself:
http://www.adorama.com/ICADRXTIB.html?searchinfo=xti

That will spend your budget but I do suggest you strongly also consider an external flash even if only the Sunpak 383 Super flash. An external flash, used properly, can make a tremendous difference in image quality. (Yes a 383 is a permanent part of my kit as well.)

(BTW, I normally recommend B&H before Adorama, but B&H is out of the XTi just now.)

Tee Why

I'd consider a Canon XSi with a 18-55mm IS kit lens. It should be under $1000.

As mentioned if budget is a concern, I'd get a Rebel XTi, and buy a 18-55mm IS lens seperately for under $200 and then buy a 55-250mm IS lens for under $300. The whole XTi, 18-55IS, and 55-250mm IS kit should also be about $1000. The new kit lenses with IS are very good optically and worth getting over the older 18-55 and 55-200 without IS.

Good luck.

Manfr3d

AaronNelson wrote:

what im tring to say is get a P&S that is going to get shots of your kids now.
dont practice on them...get the shot now!....learn the dslr on the side.

Hehe .. it doesn't take a degree to operate a dslr. Don't be afraid,
there is a learning curve but you will always be able to shoot in
automatic mode where the camera takes care of everything just like
with a point and shoot. Except that you have to look through the
viewfinder and not on the LCD Display when shooting.

You already have alens that even if it is a kit lens should be a great
start. Most DSLRs also come with a current version of Photoshop
Elements which is much more than what you will need in the begining.

I would recommend a Canon 400D or 450D both cameras will be
very good. The 400D takes CompactFlash cards whereas the 450D
takes only SD and SDHC Cards.

In your place I would wait a bit with buying lenses and see how the
kit lens you own limits your creativity. Shoot as much as you are
able to and then decide. If you buy a lens you might want to checkout
these relatively inexpensive yet very good performing lenses:

Canon 28mm/1.8
Canon 35mm/2.0
Canon 50mm/1.8 II
Tamron 17-50mm/2.8
Canon 70-200/4.0 L

serinat

Thank you for your thoughts. I've narrowed the camera down to these choices:

-New XTi
-Used 30D

What are your thoughts on buying new v. used?

As far as lenses, I'd love to know the reasons behind recommendations, simply because I have no experience with any of these lenses.

Manfr3d

serinat wrote:

Thank you for your thoughts. I've narrowed the camera down to these choices:

-New XTi
-Used 30D

What are your thoughts on buying new v. used?

As far as lenses, I'd love to know the reasons behind recommendations, simply because I have no experience with any of these lenses.

Since you are going to shoot portraits and action i recommended
those lense because they are all fast (=have large aperature).
Fast lenses will allow you to stop action better (more light can go
through it thus a shorter shutter time can be used). Fast lenses are
also able to blur the background much more pleasingly than a kit
zoom could.

Those lenses are all fast and relatively inexpensive:

Canon 28mm/1.8 - Least expensive fast wide angle lens.
Sigma 30mm/1.4 - Very much like the 28mm/1.8, only faster
Canon 35mm/2.0 - A little cheaper than the two previous but also slower
Canon 50mm/1.8 II - The cheapest among them, but opticaly one of the
best. Everyone should have the nifty fifty in his/her bag.

Tamron 17-50mm/2.8 - Probably the best bang for the buck. Fast,
lightweight, superb optics, inexpensive and it zooms.

Canon 70-200/4.0 L - A leightweight telephoto lens, very well build
(professional grade) very fast focussing, sharp optics. It's the most
expensive here, maybe something for a later purchease?

In my opinion the 17-50mm/2.8 lens and the 50mm/1.8 II lens make
a very nice combination. I own the Tamron 28-75mm/2.8 lens only
because Tamron didn't make the 17-50 when I bought it. They are
pricewise and opticaly very similar (except of course the different
zoom range). They are both highly recommended.

I think you will hear many more recommendations from people. The
best thing you can do is go to a camerashop and try a couple of those
lenses on your dslr.

Tango

right, no degree needed. thanks for the contempt towards me...

all this advice is great, i agree with all of it...my only point of importance was in missing great shots of your child because of one thing or the other is just too bad...
i just got two P&S this past month, and i get so much more because of it...
i dont like to haul the dslr around...get the flash on, select a lens, carry a bag...etc etc...i pull out the little camera and bam....no missed shot...

but anyway...there it is....whatever....