I searched for the thread someone posted about this but didn't find anything. Maybe I am bad at searching.

Anyway, I want to pick up a DSLR camera pretty soon, and was looking for recommendations on places to pick one up and lenses, etc. I would like to pick up a good quality general purpose lense and image stability is not needed.

I think I am getting a Canon EOS 20D because I can afford it, and I think it would be one I could keep for a long time. I don't have much experience with these, but am pretty excited to learn. If anyone has any tips, please let me know. If this overkill for just messing around with pics and personal stuff, let me know that too. Previous to this I have been using a Minolta DiMage Xt.

 

Heck yeah it is overkill but I would get one anyway
The 10D 20D and Mark 1 are basiclly profesional grade cameras. When tou start spending 10K like the Mark series you get better image processing which uses the whole photo colector. This means it takes full advantage of your lenses.

Overall though you can't go wrong witht he 10 or 20 D. Canon makes some the of best optics out there and you can use most of their lenses with the 20D.

Bottom line is the weight balance is right and you have all the bells and whistles you could ever want.
If you are really feeling like you have to much cash feel free to pick me up one too.. LOL

On the serious side though the only complaints I have heard on the Canon camp is for the new digital rebel XT. The SLR body is super small so the weighting is off, but if you get the battery grip with it that will balance it out just fine.

Try going to http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/forum.asp?forum=1019

It is a good forum for the Canon cameras.

 

Overkill if you haven't used a film SLR before.

I have the original Rebel and I've been using it for over a year. It was my first SLR; I have learned alot with this camera and I still don't think it's necessary to upgrade to the 20D yet.

The XT is perfect for you; it's cheaper, comes with a lens package, and believe me, the compactness will be convenient. The only complaints I've had about the Rebel are the slow startup time and small frame buffer but they've been addressed on the XT.

When you're done with it, move onto a real SLR. but with Digital, I never really expect to keep anything for more than two or three years. Buy the rebel now and buy a professional grade DSLR when you have mastered the Rebel.

As chuck yeager said, it's the man not the machine. Take a photography class, btw. That has taught me an incredible amount.

The only functional differences between the 20D and the XT are reallly not having 3200 ISO and some advanced flash metering, IIRC.

 

I think if anything, get the 350d or the 300d and spend the rest on lenses and accessories...

I'm still learning how to use my 300d, and much much more to learn...

if you really need the high ISO or MLU and other functions that the 10d have , you can always get the hack..

 

Is there a hack already out for the 350d?

 

At the moment I [having 20d right now] would consider 20d/rebel xt depending on your requirements, read reviews of cameras, go to photoshop and take both in hands and do some sample shots(no review will replace personal experience). I guess XT might be better choice if you have never had slr but on the other hand if money is not an issue and you can afford 20d go for it.

As for lens, it is difficult to recommend any lens without knowing what and how you are going to shoot, that's the other side of slr flexibility. I'd go with standard fixed prime(i.e. 50/1.8) and some zoom(tamron 28-85, canon28-105, canon 28-135is, ...) depending on your price range. Search/ask question about lens on dpreview canon slr lens forum.

EDIT: I'd not get rebel but would go for XT, feature-wise(even with hack) it's not worth $200-300 difference between rebel and rebel XT.

 

Thanks for the tips. The point is to learn, and my father is a great photographer and has a few different SLR cameras from amateur to pro grade. I want something that I can do whatever I want with, and learn about SLR cameras with (why I want digital, so I am not ending up with piles of film, etc). I have heard great things about the 20D, and since I can afford it now and might not later - I wanted to get it so I won't wish I did later. Either way, sounds like a lower grade camera would probably be fine. Any good camera shops in the southbay, or online sources? Lens recommendations?

 

It's really up to you. You can't go wrong w/ the 20D, but if you've never used a SLR of any kind you might get caught up in all the features. If you can afford it, go for it. It's a great cam and since it's digital, there's no wasted money in processing the film. As far as trying stuff out, just mess w/ the exposure levels, lighting, metering, etc and see how those affect the pix you take.

Anyways, as far as lenses go, it depends on what your purpose is, how much money you have to spend, etc. It's a VERY expensive hobby if you get hooked and once you know how to use it, trust me it will be haha. Depending on how crazy you want to get w/ this hobby, some lenses can be 2-4x the price of the camera. The kit lens for the Canons IMO aren't that great, but I guess good to get you started. But like some have said, you can have the best gear, but not knowing how to use it, will result in crappy pix regardless of the whole more megapixels is better marketing scheme. Good luck.

 

I don't really know photoshops in bay area, guess you can find cameras in WolfCamera/RitzCamera (same company). Don't buy camera/lens there
For purchasing camera there're respectable(bhphotovideo/onecall/adorama/...) and somewhat adventurous but less expensive (buydig/dell/...) resellers, as usual check resellerratings.com before buying.

 

If you get the best now, what will you have to look forward to?

I would get the XT and get some accessories for it; the camera body is only as good as the lens.

Buy this one, use it to learn, and then get something better later. It used to be that SLR's don't improve dramatically, but digital has changed everything. The sensors are getting a lot better with every revision... but lenses aren't. So be glad the lenses will be compatible with the next one you get and learn on something basic that you can afford to scuff up. Use it as a tool. And save whatever the difference is between the two to put into the next 20D when you're ready for even more features.

 

Another camera that gets overlooked is the D70. That camera rocks too. It might be a tad more expensive than the drebel, but I think the D70 takes better pix. The 18-70mm kit lens is awesome compared to the Canon kit lens. Any of those cams should be good enough to last you a while. What kind of cams does your father have? Maybe you can get a camera that can use some of his lenses to save you some money. Also, are you going to be doing any print or is this just for digital presentation?

 

I would go with Ritz(Wolfe) Camera, free shipping, no sales tax and great extended warranty.

 

agreed, I wish I held out for the XT before I got my 300d last xmas... I do hate not having enough burst buffer...



I personally got the 50mm 1.8, it's an awesome lense, great for low light.

 

Wow, awesome, lots of info.. I have been talking to a friend who has had a 350d, 10d, 20d and now has the EOS 1DS MkII and is trying to talk me into getting the EOS 1D.. Haha.. That's like getting an F1 car for my first autox.. Not gonna happen.

Anyway, I don't really care about the megapixels and such, and I won't be using it for anything professional. Just hikes and snapping neat pics that have become more and more challenging and frustrating with my point/shoot cam. My sister has a Nikon N80 (I think) and I was messing with it yesterday. I ended up buying her 3 rolls of film taking pics of chairs and flowers, trees, my niece and nephew. It was so fun. Told me I am ready for a good camera.

I will most likely end up with the RebelXT but my friend has a lense and a flash and a few other bits from his 20D he wants to sell me. We'll see. I will go to a camera shop today and mess with them both.

My pops has a couple old Nikon pro camera bodies, a few Pentax ME Supers and another I can't remember as well as tons of lenses and stuff. He won a few photo contests when I was younger. Should be fun working with him and learning (moving near him at the end of the month, back home to Hawaii - bye bye BAIC).

 

1D? Hahaha damn I wish I could get one of those. The 1Ds-MK II and Nikon D2X are like my dream cameras lol. Yeah, your best bet is to go to a local store and hold them in your hands. Whats good for some, isn't good for everyone. Once you get used 2 all the settings (be it aperature priority, shutter priority, full manual, etc.), composition and lighting, you'll want to take pix of everything. Good luck and post some pix once you get the cam.