Slightly OT: Digital EOS Rebel advice

[Hulk]

After doing a lot of research, I've decided to purchase a Canon digital Rebel camera.

I'm trying to decide if I should get the camera body only and purchase a nice lens or buy the camera/lens kit.

The lens that comes with the kit is a EF-S 18-55mm/f3.5-5.6 zoom lens that is 28-88mm equivalent in 35mm terms. The lens is closer to the sensor with these new "EF-S" lenses so you multiply the numbers by 1.6 to account for this.

This is the basic type of "walking around" lens that I would have on the camera most of the time but am not sure if I want a plastic lens, even though reviews are quite positive of this lens. I was thinking about a better Canon, Tamron, or Sigma lens.

Anybody have any experience with these lenses? I'd spend about $400 on a lens.

Thanks for any help.

-Mark

[Fred H]

I am a devoted Nikon user and I don’t know much about the Canon and its lenses.
I suggest putting out your question at the Digital Imaging, here on the MURC forums:

http://forums.murc.ws/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=27

If it’s not a question of price, I should make the choice after my personal wish (focus, zoom area etc)
18-55mm/f3.5-5.6 zoom is not a bad choice, regarding the parameters, but I don’t know anything about this brand.
Personally I should prefer a standard lens for “daily work” AND an extra tele, up to the equivalent 300-500 mm.

Fred H

[Hulk]

Will do, thanks Fred.

-Mark

[VJ]

It could be interesting to check out the features of the 300D. In order for it not to compete with Canons own 10D, they "crippled" some features (I'm not sure which, I think there is something about the focussing segments and the exposure-modes). Check the review over on http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos300d/ (the forums there also offer a great deal of advice).
edit: this is from the conclusion of that review:
"'Dumbed down' feature set (forced AI Focus, forced Evaluative metering, etc.)"

But apart from that, it appears to be a decent camera. Bear in mind that the lens that is shipped with it only fits the 300D (it protudes deeper in the body, preventing that lens to be used on other cameras); other lenses do fit the 300D (but you already know about the 1.6x crop factor).
Nikon also has made an announcement for a camera in this price range (the D70), but no specs have been released as of yet.


Jörg
(D100 user )

[arciervo]

Re: Slightly OT: Digital EOS Rebel advice

Originally posted by Hulk
After doing a lot of research, I've decided to purchase a Canon digital Rebel camera.

I'm trying to decide if I should get the camera body only and purchase a nice lens or buy the camera/lens kit.

I have no personal experience with this camera but, based on what I've read in the DPReview forums, the small incremental cost of the camera/lens kit makes it almost a "no-brainer". (If for no other reason, it may be easier to sell the complete kit in the future.)

BTW, is the lens itself plastic or just the housing? I couldn't find any definitive answer to this.

Tony

[wkulecz]

IF you need 28mm equiv field of view (absolutely essential for me) get the kit with the 18-55 lens!

IF you don't, then skip the lens, save $100 and use what you already have, but remember because of the 1.6X crop factor your existing 28mm lens has the field of view a 56mm lens would have.

You won't get near a Canon zoom that'll be near 28mm FOV equiv after the 1.6 crop factor for even twice your $400. The Sigma or Tamron 17-35 lenses are unlikely to be better than the specailly designed 18-55 for the EOS Digital Rebel and you'll be lugging around a lot more glass along with being $300 lighter in the wallet.

My wife is getting me one of these for Xmas. Unless I hear of something worth waiting for real soon now.

My complaint is lack of TTL flash automation when using "pro" handle mount flashes like Metz CT60 or Sunpak 622 with the current crop of digital SLR cameras, otherwise I'd be springing for the 14 Mpixel full frame Kodak 14N.

--wally.

[Hulk]

I'm drooling for a few of those "L" lenses!

Mark

[X-Caliber]

why don't you ask this question on the www.photo.net message forum; I gaurantee you will got a lot of help. For what it's worth, I am a heavy Nikon user, and won't go digital till I get a full sensor SLR.

http://www.photo.net/bboard/forum?topic_id=1545

[fberger]

I am getting the DReb for Christmas as well. I have a few Canon lenses already but will be getting the kit lens based on all the advice I got from the forums at http://www.dpreview.com. I have a nice Tamron 28-200 on my optical Rebel right now, but with the DReb's 1.6 factor I need a wider lens.
Since the kit lens is only max $100, I would advise you to get it.

Fred

[Hulk]

X,

Photo.net forum is great, thanks for the link. Up to 3am and my eyes wouldn't work anymore last night.


Fred,

Ordered yesterday with the lens kit.
Would love to do head to head comparison of lens kit and Canon 24-85mm

Mark

[fberger]

Mark,,Got mine this morning from Sears, they had 10% off the whole store, so it was $900 for the kit.
I went through a battery load already, it's recharing now... So much fun and picture quality, this camera is amazing.

Fred

[Hulk]

I ordered mine online from "TheBestThings" for $949 shipped. Arrived the next day and since no tax I saved $5 on the Sears price. I've ordered from "TheBestThings" before and I can't say enough good things about them. I had a problem with my Optura Pi camcorder I bought from them and they sent me a new unit, it arrived the next day and I still had not shipped out the old unit! It's still working perfectly three years later.

Mark