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March, 2024

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Help me choose a camera (YES I HAVE SEARCHBARED)

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Obsessedwski
Posts: 2261 - Karma: 71
So I've been researching for about a year now, and I've narrowed it down in this order:

1) Canon Rebel XTi
2) Nikon D60
3) Canon Rebel XSi
4) Nikon D80

The last two though, are only possible if I can scrounge up a little more money, as my budget as of now is around $600.

I've found a couple of deals on the XTi, including this one:

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/ele/768543657.html

which Includes the body, the stock lens, and an extra 75mm-300mm for $475, which leaves me a little dough to buy a couple accessories.


Alternatively, I could buy this,

http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/pho/775683590.html

which includes a shit load of accessories, the stock lens, for $540, then I could save up a little and pick up a bigger lens used from somewhere.

I haven't really been able to find a good deal on a D60 or D80 in my budget so far yet, and honestly the XSi is a little out of my price range but any help would be highly appreciated.
Aug 13 2008 7:41PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
i am obviously bias being a loving Canon user, so i will say this: if you can get an xti, or xsi, dont get the gimicky assesories, or kit lens...as nice as it might sound getting that 75-300mm youll wear of it in a month or so. To be perfectly honest, if you are serious about getting into photography you should, just got a body maybe 1 kit lens to start you off, but start with a solid foudation. Other might say hey its just starting off...spend a bit of time with  a kit lens, but once you get seriously into photography, youll see just what better glass can do, expercially when you are takling low light situations.

So to conclude, im going to say you best of Xti, just because its a bit cheaper than the XSi, and with the each doh rey me, you can grab higher quality glass....but all totally IMHO

If you have further questions just hit me up by PM, good luck in your hunt.
Aug 13 2008 9:02PM
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Malcolm
Posts: 15949 - Karma: 9,431
these threads make me feel so ignorant about cameras
Aug 13 2008 9:33PM
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dergblerp
Posts: 1303 - Karma: 77
i know this wasn't on you're list but a used canon 20D is better than a new xti IMO
Aug 14 2008 3:59AM
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Obsessedwski
Posts: 2261 - Karma: 71
Actually I had that as a possible option, but couldn't find much on it in terms of a good price from a trusty source
I'll look into it more though, thanks

any more opinions?
Aug 14 2008 4:21AM
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t_walker
Posts: 934 - Karma: 37
look around for a 20D man, you can find them real cheap now because the 40D is out. Don't decide what to buy based on the extra lenses and this and thats that come with it, once you really start shooting youll realize that those kit lenses and the bonus 75-300 you picked up are junk. Never cheap out on lenses, if your going to buy a lense and youre really into it I would say stick with the big names, my favorite being canon. If youre not completely serious about it you can look at brands like sigma but again I wouldnt suggest it. I think I picked up my 20D body with the stock 15-55 for like 700 bucks.
Aug 14 2008 11:10AM
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josh.
Posts: 3469 - Karma: 42
if you were to go with those 2 i would go with the secound one, the kit lens and the 75-300 are rather terrible.

but the best way to go would be to get a 20d and a 50mm f1.8
Aug 14 2008 6:00PM
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Obsessedwski
Posts: 2261 - Karma: 71
How about a XSi with stock 18-55 for 600 bones?
Aug 15 2008 12:00AM
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pianoman
Posts: 2503 - Karma: 779
searchbar n00b
Aug 15 2008 12:12AM
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photowill
Posts: 158 - Karma: 10
id say save up and get the XSI or the D80
i know if you go on ebay or just do some searching on google theres d80 packages with an 18-200mm VR lens (i use on on my d300 and its an incredible single lens to have)
its definitely an expensive pursuit, but if you save your money and buy good equipment its totally worth it
Aug 15 2008 12:44AM
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photowill
Posts: 158 - Karma: 10
http://www.tvsdepot.com/product.php?id=105930&ref=froogle

http://www.fotoconnection.com/p52973-nikon-d80-package-11-18-200mm-f.html

http://www.1stopcamera.com/i86123-.html&RefTag=froogle

http://www.tvsdepot.com/product.php?id=172268&ref=froogle

hope those help
Aug 15 2008 12:53AM
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Bulky
Posts: 1054 - Karma: 11
all of those deals seem WAY to good to be true i would not trust those unless someone has used them and know they are legit sites
Aug 15 2008 1:03AM
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Mr.LemonPie
Posts: 4100 - Karma: 1,625
from what I have read and what I have shot with, The d40 is better than the d60 and has some stuff on the d80, even though it is way cheaper. Use the extra money to get some good glass.
Aug 15 2008 1:08AM
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photowill
Posts: 158 - Karma: 10
^
i dont know casue when i got my d300 with the 18-200mm lens it was like $200 less than buying the body and lens separate and i bought that from a local store
Aug 15 2008 1:10AM
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TroubleShooter89
Posts: 2 - Karma: 11
Go with a Nikon. There's nothing better!

I have a Nikon D40 and I love it! Inexpensive (as far as cameras go) and does the job. No overkill. Lightweight. And not to mention great pictures come from good photographers with good lenses. Get a camera that's not ridiculously pricey and save up for sick lenses. I just got a new 55mm-200mm Telephoto lens with VR and it's fantastic.

Yup. My opinion, go with the Nikon D60. Or a D40. I dont know as much about the D60 but i'm assuming it's a step above the D40. Good luck with you're search!
Aug 15 2008 1:24AM
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photowill
Posts: 158 - Karma: 10
^ yeah now that i really think about it those are a little sketchy (i explored one of the sites and its ridiculous how cheap they put stuff up for: d300 for 1300 bullshit)
go with the d80. its got adaptations from the d200 which is an extremely popular camera
save up and get the d80
Aug 15 2008 1:35AM
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bigbromskier
Posts: 1175 - Karma: 330
alright I was in the same boat as you a year and a half ago and I definitely would've made some different decisions on what I went with after my experiences, but thats over with and I'm still happy anyway so just know that with experience you will know exactly what you are looking for.  anyway, whenever I'm lookin or new stuff (lenses usually) I go to www.kenrockwell.com          this guy has basically reviewed any lense, camera, etc you can think of.  Basically he knows his shit and he mostly into nikon but he isn't totally biased as he also says a lot of good stuff about canon.   What I would say is go with a d40 from nikon--ken rockwell prefers it over the d60 and it also comes with a pretty good lense for it being stock.  I would say if you can find any good deals go with a d40 and the new 18-200mm lense: basically it is one of the only lenses with a pretty good wide angle and a good amount of zoom so you can get all of the spectrum.  It also has vibration reduction so you don't get blurry shots when youre zoomed in real tight.  If I hadn't just spent the same amount of money on a fisheye I'd be buying this lense right now.
also when you're buying stuff online only buy from trustworthy sights--amazon, b&h, ritz, adorama, ebay, keh(new and used), and for good deals I like to check out the forums at skateperception.com (i just got a 50mm f/1.8 for 60 bucks (id also recommend that as a lense to have because its super sharp and awesome for an incredible price))
that's my two cents
Aug 15 2008 3:24AM
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freeskibum82
Posts: 6355 - Karma: 5,055
i just snatched up a XSI on http://www.newegg.com for $699 and free shipping. + an 8GB SDHC card. it comes with a stock 18mm 55mm lense with ES. not a bad deal if you ask me.. for the extra $100 the xsi is better than the xti.. also they discontinued the xti and are replaceing it with a live view version called the xs.
Aug 19 2008 4:43PM
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josh.
Posts: 3469 - Karma: 42
which is worse then the xti, (has a fair bit of xt parts) the only thing it has that is better is live view
Aug 19 2008 8:08PM
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Pippin
Posts: 4846 - Karma: 661
im not sure what cannon was getting at with bringing out the Xs... you can just get a super cheap Xt if you dont want to go the road of the Xti...but most people these days are just picking up Xti's or greater
Aug 20 2008 12:24AM
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freeskibum82
Posts: 6355 - Karma: 5,055
XTI was replaced by XSI

XT replaced by XS

where are you guys seeing that the XS is less quality than the XT? its the same price everywhere i look...

Aug 20 2008 8:26AM
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ParkE
Posts: 1388 - Karma: 190
very good advice you'll get very tired of stock lenses so spend less on the body (go with the xti) and then invest in lenses that is what i did and its the best way to go
Aug 20 2008 12:51PM
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