D90 is actually on my list at the moment. I might have a bit more in my budget than I thought; I'll find out tomorrow.

I'm considering something like http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-18-125mm-3-5-5...199&sr=1-15 + a fixed 50 to learn on. Thoughts?

I have the Canon Rebel and do a lot of camping and beach walking. This camera is quite bulky and has some weight to it. You can't beat the pictures, but it will bog you down a bit. I bought a smaller pocket camera for the everyday shots of hiking etc.

The Xsi kit can be found for about $550 on Amazon with free shipping. I know a lot of people really consider it a great starter body. We use it in the studio where I work and while it's not my favorite body ever, it's decent and easy to use. Especially at that price point.

I'm not a huge fan of kit lenses either (my only kit lens is just a paper weight now) but they do help get you started.

OC

personally, I'd won't buy another lens that isn't a 2.8 or other fixed wide ap, but if you're wondering about sigma's quality, it is top notch

I'd rather save a few hundred extra and get this http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-24-70mm-Aspher...4740&sr=1-2

(only if you were getting a d90)

I dunno, I really enjoy the better ISO performance of my 40D compared to our XSi. The T1i does have video capabilities that the XSi doesn't have.

From what I've read, the ISO performance difference between the two was negligible. That said, I don't have any personal experience with the 40D or 50D. Yes, the T1i does have video, but I find shooting video with a DSLR very limiting.

Looking at the 50D, it is priced very well for the specs. But I still think the XSi really has the best price/performance ratio.

As i said.. Pentax k-x, you can't go wrong.

I agree, the XSi is very good for a beginner. It has a beginner friendly layout, takes fantastic pics and is cheap. Plus OC probably has small hands so it would fit nicely for her, though she ought to go handle some cameras to see for sure.

T1i has sweet video though - I'd almost "upgrade" from my 30D to the T2i just for the video.

+1 More important than anything else at this point...

Well I went and visited a couple camera shops today (by which I mean both the camera shops in the area). One only stocks Canon and tried to sell me the XSi even though I seemed to know more about them camera from my two days of research than she did...she told me it had the same chip as the T1i and a few other things... The other stocks Nikon and Sony and Olympus and the guy I talked to was a professional photographer who's shot nothing but Nikon for the last 35 years and would have Nikon's babies if he had a womb.

So unfortunately I couldn't play with them both side by side (wtf people?) unless I went to best buy and felt them up while attached to a bulky anti-theft device. The Canon store also only had the XSi in stock so I couldn't play with the T1i.

IDK...I'll probably end up with the D90 if for no other reason than the Nikon guy was a better salesperson than the Canon chick was.

Unless someone wants to try to sell me back on the Canon.

I'm not even touching Sony and Olympus. I have too much crap to choose from right now as it is.

come to the city and go to adorama or b&h, OC. you could test more cameras than you would have time for.

What is the benefit of spending that extra few hundred on that rather than a larger zoom w/ a variable aperture?What's my trade-off? Talk down to me, please. (no, srsly)

you will definitely appreciate a better quality zoom. maybe not right away but once you start figuring out your camera and start shooting in some variable conditions. 18-200mm zooms have a huge focal length range but the aperture range is variable too. often times f4 or f3.5@18mm- f5.6 even f8@200mm. Shooting at 200mm you need pretty fast shutter speeds to shoot without a tripod (1/250 and up). If the light is soft it can be really hard to get those shutter speeds with f5.6-f8 without sacrificing your iso. couple other things, having those high minimum fstops means a really dim viewfinder and less control of your depth of field. Those huge zooms tend to be on the cheap side as far as build quality goes as well. most likely you'd just end up shelling out the money for a better lens down the road anyways. hope that kinda makes sense.

^^ in addition to what the pro said, the pics are night and day

more crisp, faster shutter speeds available, awesome background blur really makes your subject pop

Nikon or Canon, it's pretty much a wash. Just go with your gut.

If I had chosen Nikon to begin with I'd be pushing you toward the Nikon side, but since I only know the Canon line, that's what I naturally recommend.

A couple weeks ago I picked up the Nikon D5000 from Costco. It came with the 18-55mm and the 55-200mm AF-S VR lenses, a bag, and a 4GB SD card. I already had a few SD cards so I am set with that. I also ordered a extra battery and I am still well under $900.

It fits well in my hands, user friendly, live view LCD screen, shoots decent 720p video, and my biggest selling point which goes for most DSLR's I would assume is that it is better than a P&S(most notably my PoS).

EDIT: I guess all I was trying to say is; go with what feels good to you and is within your budget. And who gives a damn if it is Nikon or Canon! Besides what is it really going to matter in a year or two when it is out dated and something new and better has come out?

Thanks to both Kyle & Lat...that info helps.

I'm thinking of getting the D90 w/ a 18-200mm zoom...both the Nikkor & the Sigma lens look more or less adequate for me. Then probably a 50mm just because it's all of $125 and seems like a good thing to do. I do see what you're saying about the 2.8's, but I think that's more something to step up to in the future when I have a better idea of what I enjoy shooting and what focal range I end up working with. I think that'll give me a good walk-around lens for pretty much anything I'd want to do at first, and then I can save up and add to the collection.

Have you thought about getting a mac?




Sorry, I just feel left out.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00...ion=refurbished

check out the price on the first refurded unit (that would give you plenty of room to get a new lens and batteries and the other necessaries to get you started!

I am sure if you check the reseller ratings on that one for 288 it will come back is BAD..if its to good to be true it is.

i dont know i agree with that. it might have cosmetic issues but a factory refurb has to function properly to be resold!

also amazon guarantees any purchase on their marketplace so if it isnt as described you have options not like the OP is buy it and get cheated.

It was a pricing error, they just fixed the price.

But not before I had it in my cart and almost completed the purchase.

I'm sure it'll be cancelled, but we shall see.

OC falls for the old bait and switch

Except they can't charge me the increased price, so I'm not sure how that applies. Seems to be I fell for the ol' pricing error.

Apparently, I'm a Canon girl.

Today digideals shipped item(s) in your order, placed on March 04, 2010.

==================================================
SHIPPING DETAILS
==================================================

The following items were sold by and shipped from digideals in package 1
of this shipment:

1 of Canon EOS Rebel T1i 15.1 MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera with 3-Inch LCD
and EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

Shipping Carrier: FedEx

Ship Date: March 04, 2010

Woo congrats!

Just don't let lat hear about your lens ahahah

Post often!

enjoy

I am saving for a 7d

heh I think with a $300 body I can afford to drop some money on a lens

btw thanks nylaspop for posting this!

You got it for $300?! I would have bet money that they would have contacted you and forced you to pay the full amount. They usually won't honor typos in price.

That's freaking awesome though!

Yah mean thats not mandatory on nano-reef.com ?





Sweet deal on the camera, hope it arrives safely !

before it ships, expect a phone call in which they try to sell you batteries, etc

did it actually ship yet?
If it hasnt I doubt you will get it for the 288 price. Most likely you will get a call or email saying that it was a price error and do you still want it for 688..I am sure they got a disclaimer saying they do not have to honor online pricing errors. If they did ship it for the 288 you get lucky then and they didnt catch it.

i am glad you were able to get it! i hope you enjoy it !!!

It should be delivered soon, yes?

It shipped. It's out for delivery (it shipped from like 3 hours away). It's sitting on a fedex truck, and I have no doubt that they're going to attempt to deliver it while I'm sitting here taking a spanish test.

They didn't try to sell me anything extra. They're an Amazon marketplace dealer, and from their inventory they sell 90% refurbs.

I'm still hedging my bets, because there's no guarantee that I won't get a busted up box, but I'm hopeful.

So now, lens me. Reasonably affordable + versatile, go! I can't even begin to tell you how much time I've spent looking at those damnable things.


You're such a negative nancy.

No thats just how it works...You got lucky thats all.

well, looks like you've already got an 18-55

you could get the old nifty fifty which is only about $100 and is awesome

I am a big fan of the sig 70-200 2.8, I dont' know what you consider reasonably affordable, but I think it is a great lens and a great price

also, this

I was gone for an hour and a half, tops.

When does he come by?

When i'm gone.

Bastard.

The very nice people at Fedex are going to attempt to get in touch with him and see if he can stop by again. Since it's fedex ground I wouldn't be able to pick it up until monday

no you're a negative nancy.

OC, 28-135mm IS USM is my mid-range lens. it's good for a variety of situations.

Sorry the truth hurts

yeah, the truth that you're a negative nancy.

So many cry babies on this forum....if someone says something truthful that isnt what they want to hear they cry.

like you crying about being a negative nancy.

He's just trolling you, Jon.

lol...dangit lani!

I has a camera

cool..Glad you got a killer deal on a camera..

Thanks Nancy!

i'm pretty amazed that you pulled it off. Congrats!