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Canon DLSR help

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Keyjibbs
Posts: 1542 - Karma: 96
Alright guys I'm looking to get back into photography as a hobby for my downtime. For background info, I used to shoot on a Rebel 35mm camera for awhile and did the whole film thing for awhile. Then I used a Rebel XT DLSR after film for a few months. I've taken some classes on photography which is where I used both film and digital cameras. So now my problem is I don't know what camera to get now. My budget is around $1000. The first two choices I've had are

Used Canon 30D for $390
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens-$280
Canon 50mm F/1.8-$100
maybe another lens or a flash
plus cards and external hard drive so about another $100
or

Used Canon 40D-$625
Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens-$280
and maybe the 50mm f/1.8
plus cards and hard drive.

Are either of these good choices? I'm just not sure if I should spend the extra cash on a better body or go with a cheaper body and get more lenses and accessories.
Thanks for any response.

Jul 14 2009 5:40PM
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1080ski
Posts: 4424 - Karma: 191
get the 50 for sure, and try to find a fixed aperture lens (not fixed, but you can use the same aperatures at all focal lengths) if you can. its worth the extra money in my opinion.

not too sure about canon bodies, but i have a friend with the 40D and he loves it. Since you have a background in photography, i would say to spring for the nicer body if you plan on using it alot. that way you wont find yourself regretting not getting it. also, think about this: if you keep the camera for 3 years, another 100 or so bucks is an insignificant amount of money
Jul 14 2009 8:55PM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,270
40D is a huge upgrade from the 30D but that's not to say they're both great cameras. think about how intensive you wanna be and how far you plan on taking photography. for occasional hobby shots go for the 30d but if you really wanna get into it go for the 40d. i love my 40d, i went with it over the 30 just because it has more bang for the buck imo
Jul 14 2009 10:08PM
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*Fujative*
Posts: 8554 - Karma: 183
Instead of the 28-135, look at the 17-85, that way you will still have wide angle.
Jul 15 2009 3:13PM
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niels043
Posts: 814 - Karma: 184
watch the bh used store online, they will often get a 40d 17-85 kit on there for around 800-900 in great shape then since you just took a step backwards buying an ef-s lens, take the money you have left and start saving for an L series

or a great option would be get that cheap used 30d you found, then watch the bh used store for a 70-200 f4L USM, they come on there for ~500 sometimes less in great shape, and with the 150 or so left get yourself a 50 1.8, then just learn to shoot telephoto, and save for a wide angle lens
Jul 15 2009 6:23PM
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Keyjibbs
Posts: 1542 - Karma: 96
Thanks for all the responses so far. I'm still kind of torn between the two bodies right now. I just don't know if saving the $200 on the 30D is worth it or not. I would love an L series lens so I might take that road but I would love to hear some more pros and cons of each.
Jul 15 2009 8:18PM
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niels043
Posts: 814 - Karma: 184
ef-s lenses- no worky on full frame or 1.3 crop which might deturr you from the 17 shot but it is one of the best ef-s lenses made.
L glass is incredibly sharp, dependable and very rugged not to mention it screams i know something more about this camera than what it cost my parents when they bought it for me for christmas
30D- great body, decent screen and frame/sec. rate not many megapixels but still a good body and a bargain for 3whatever you found it for
40D- terrific body for the money, extremely fast, big screen, enough megapixels to blow things up pretty huge if that's your thing but glass is more important than bodys or megapixels.
Jul 15 2009 10:03PM
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no_steeze
Posts: 23992 - Karma: 4,270
to put it this way, at some point in your photography experience you will most likely own an L lens. what most people do is think they don't need one, then get bad lenses and just keep upgrading until they have an L lens, it's sort of inevitable hehe. that being said, you don't need to rush into L fever if you don't have the money. lenses such as the 17-55 or tamron 17-50 are super sharp and great all around lenses. if you're focused on a purely economized quiver then i would recommend 40D (i will always recommend that body over the 30D, worth the extra cash) and then a 17-50 and a 50mm 1.8. if you buy used from the right places that can run about 1000 bucks

either way, glass is always more important than body but if you get a rebel xs it will limit you to a certain extent. the 40D is capable of shooting anywhere from beginning amateur to full time pro photography so it comes with the range of a massive learning curve. the same can be said for the 30D but as you get more advanced you'll notice the extra features of the 30D. so if you get a good body it will work as far as you want it to go into your photo career until you decide to go full frame (which i'm convinced everyone will end up doing)

here're some lenses i highly recommend with price in mind:
70-200 f/4 L-i got mine for 425
canon 50mm f/1.8-runs about 65 used
tamron 17-50 f/2.8- super sharp and fast, runs about 300-350
sigma 10-20- 400 ish, or canon 10-22 - 600 ish (wide angles are some of the most fun)

then if you wanna drop more money look into some other L lenses
Jul 16 2009 9:59AM
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KapitolPhoto
Posts: 1392 - Karma: 3,025
When I was shopping for my camera, I waited for a new model to be released so it would drop the price point on the now "lower end" model. I waited for the release of the 1d mkIII to come out before scooping up my mkIIn $1000 cheaper than what it had been a week previously.

That said, I'm probably not going to be patient enough for the 5d mkIII, I'm placing my order for the new 5d soon.
Jul 16 2009 11:05PM
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