| biglee73 |
| Its a great camera for beginners and it really depends on how serious you want to get into photography. |
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| kflint |
Great entry-level slr camera. Can take any Canon EOS lens. Very small and light. You should take a look at the various web sites that review digital cameras. You should also try to find a camera store that will let you hold one and check it out. Nothing beats a hands-on test. An alternative is the Nikon D80 or D40. Depends, in part, on which line of lenses you like.
Phil Askey's review of the Rebel XTi
Steve's digicams' review of Rebel XTi
Kelly |
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| dipersp |
I'm actually looking at it right now. I've always liked the Canon's, but have always been a point and shoot guy (No jokes!)
We had the IS S1, and now the S2 (Like the S1 better, actually.) We're ready to dump the S2 already and looking at the XTi. My sister-in-law just got the XT and I liked, but didn't get much of a chance to check it out.
Thanks for the heads up on some of the other reviews. Had already read Steve's (Industry standard) but will look into the others as well. All-in-all, I really think it'll be a great camera and for the beginner, you really can't go wrong. |
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| KES |
I bought the XTi just before Christmas and love it. I have already taken 200+ pictures. It is easy to use, long battery life and excellent quality. Years ago I was "into" photography and plan to start using all of the features including manual settings. I probably will never need to step up to the higher end Canons and I am not really sure what advantages they offer especially for a weekend photographer. Anyone???
Another big advantage was the price - $720 (800 less 10%). While I take good care of my toys I am not going to be paranoid to take this camera everywhere.
I enjoy taking a picture then changing the setting and seeing the difference in picture quality / color / depht of field.
If you are moving up from a point and shoot camera you will enjoy this camera. Especially since there is no lag in taking the picture. This is a huge advantage if you have kids.
Good luck. |
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| dipersp |
quote:
Originally posted by KES
Another big advantage was the price - $720 (800 less 10%). While I take good care of my toys I am not going to be paranoid to take this camera everywhere.
Mind sharing where you purchased? I typically only deal with "known" reputible firms for anything high-dollar. I'm looking at B&H right now - they have the body only for about $700. Did you purchase a kit I assume that came with a lens? |
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| kflint |
I think you will be very happy with this camera.
Look carefully at lenses. You can buy the XTi as a body and buy lenses separately, or it comes in a couple of "kits" that include a bundled lens. The kit lenses are reportedly less than optimal.
Lens envy is a serious disease. I started with the original Canon D30 in 2001, along with Canon's then-new 28-135 IS lens. Six years (and more money than I care to count) later, I have a 20D, a full range of Canon "L" lenses, a couple of flashes and flash brackets, numerous filters, several different bags, a couple of tripods and heads (lightweight carbon fiber for hiking and heavier versions for studio work), about a dozen memory cards, a new computer, a new monitor, monitor profiling equipment, Photoshop, a couple of photo printers, etc., etc. I now have my eye on a studio lighting setup. This "hobby" is a very slippery slope! :D
Buy a book or two on photography, or take a class at your local community college. Look for a local photography club. Take lots and lots of photos.
If you have a local independent camera store, it can be a wonderful resource. On the Internet, I highly recommend Pictureline.
Most of all, have fun!
Kelly |
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| kflint |
quote:
Originally posted by KES
I bought the XTi just before Christmas and love it. . . . I probably will never need to step up to the higher end Canons and I am not really sure what advantages they offer especially for a weekend photographer. Anyone???
The more expensive Canon bodies offer a number of advantages, including faster frame rates, faster focusing with more (and more accurate) focus points, better focus tracking of moving objects, mirror lockup, etc. Some also have larger (full frame 33mm equivalent) sensors.Whether you will need (or want) any of this these depends entirely on what you want to do and the type of photos you want to take. Obviously, the prices can be much higher than the Rebel XTi, which is cabable of taking very nice photos. It goes without saying, there is much more to photograpy than the camera (and more megapixels won't make you a better photographer)!
Have fun with your new camera.
Kelly |
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| KES |
I bought a kit that included the body and a Canon EF-S 18-55 lens. Ritz Camera had them for $799. I had a 10% off any one single item at Circuit City - it was a gift card versus an actual 10% reduction.
C-City had the same kit for $849 but honored the $799 price. So I actually paid $799 but have an $80 giftcard.
I did a lot of looking before I pulled the trigger. This was the best deal I could find.
Ritz had them for $799 with free shipping and no sales tax. This deal may still be available.
Of course, if you wait long enought the price will drop but that will be offset by missed picture opportunities. |
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| jswift2000 |
Someone above mentioned looking at the Nikon D80 or D40. I shoot with a D200 (landscapes, product shots, portraits - hobby only) and I love it. My suggestion would be to try all the cameras in your $$$ range and see how they feel, shoot and work. You should also take a look at what you're going to shoot.
Good luck!!! |
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| Dog |
Just bought my XTI body-only at B&H a week ago. Offered as a kit with a Lexan 2GB highspeed CF card for around $750. Best price and B&H has very solid reputation among professional photographers.
I would describe myself as an amateur photographer with a little experience who simply prefers the way SLRs operate versus point-and-shoot (especially for getting pictures of the kids). Compared the XTI with the Nikon D80 and went with Canon for two reasons:
1) Canon felt better in my hand. Agree with reviews that grip is a little small, but Nikon felt a little big and heavy to me. This, however, is entirely a matter of personal preference, so you should try both out yourself.
2) Canon worked out to be much cheaper. Basic price is a couple hundred less than the D80, plus I already have a very nice Tamron 28-200 zoom for Canon and it would have cost me a bundle to buy a new Nikon-mount equivalent. p.s. the 28-200 format is great if you only have one lens b/c of the flexibility in focal lengths. Lots of folks recommend avoiding the kit lens Canon sells with the camera.
Things it would be nice for the Canon to have:
1) Spot metering like the D80
2) Built in image stabilization like the Sony SLR
Have taken a couple hundred pictures already and downloaded them to the PC with no apparent drain on the battery. Overall, very nice camera. |
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| Will4271 |
Thanks for ideas.
I'll check it out.
Definately a pricey purchase compared to the cheaper point and shoot ones. ;) |
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| wmquan |
Alternatives include a Nikon D40. It doesn't autofocus with some older Nikon lenses, but for those who don't plan to build huge lens collections, it's not a big deal. Its image performance according to reviews is really good. And despite the low price tag, it has some features that are missing on cameras like the XTi, such as spot metering and an auto-assist lamp that doesn't rely on the flash.
If you take a lot of indoor photos (e.g. of a baby) you'd be better off buying a cheaper dSLR and using your budget to buy the manufacturer's (or compatible) bounce flash. Using through-the-lens (TTL) metering and bouncing your flash off the ceiling or walls, you'll get terrific indoor shots. Alternatively you can buy a very fast prime lens for the camera and try shooting without a flash.
An interesting competitor if you're not locked into Canon or Nikon is the Pentax K10D. It blends almost all the best features of the Canon XTi and Nikon D80, such as dust removal, spot metering, auto-assist lamp, etc. Then it adds some nice features of its own, most notably a body with environmental seals and built-in image stabilization. Pentax lenses are much cheaper in price than their Canon/Nikon counterparts.
The main issue with the K10D is that its JPG shots are being hotly debated. Phil Askey say they lack edge detail, and the Pentax forums on dpreview.com have been buzzing. However, if you shoot RAW, the edge detail is there and the camera's images compare very favorably with the D80 and XTi. Nowadays shooting RAW is more practical because of better camera performance and larger memory cards.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentaxk10d/ |
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| artc |
| XTi (400D) is a great choice. I recently bought a 30D from B & H. I matched it with a 17-85 IS USM lens. |
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| Will4271 |
quote:
Originally posted by artc
XTi (400D) is a great choice. I recently bought a 30D from B & H. I matched it with a 17-85 IS USM lens.
It seems that the 17-85 IS USM Lens is all I need with the camera I guess.
The base lens is not useful as I heard.:4: |
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| vip9 |
I bought the XTi Rebel kit from Amazon before the holidays. I had a great AMEX/Amazon coupon, so the total price came to be less than $600.
For price, I would suggest also looking at Dell - they often have coupons that bring the price to as low as $600 for body only and below $700 for the kit.
Check deal/coupon websites for coupon codes and details.
I also bought Canon 580 EX flash - pictures come out great. And, in continuous shooting mode the flash can keep up with the cam for about 10 - 12 shots - amazing.
I honestly expected the cam to be more feature-reach, comparable to my similarly priced Olympus non-SLR digital camera.
Where Canon may lack in some features (not that I ever used all of the Olympus's anyway) it certainly gains in pic quality.
Very happy so far. |
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| admin |
I've got the Pentax K10D, and love it! No complaints so far.
quote:
Originally posted by wmquan
Alternatives include a Nikon D40. It doesn't autofocus with some older Nikon lenses, but for those who don't plan to build huge lens collections, it's not a big deal. Its image performance according to reviews is really good. And despite the low price tag, it has some features that are missing on cameras like the XTi, such as spot metering and an auto-assist lamp that doesn't rely on the flash.
If you take a lot of indoor photos (e.g. of a baby) you'd be better off buying a cheaper dSLR and using your budget to buy the manufacturer's (or compatible) bounce flash. Using through-the-lens (TTL) metering and bouncing your flash off the ceiling or walls, you'll get terrific indoor shots. Alternatively you can buy a very fast prime lens for the camera and try shooting without a flash.
An interesting competitor if you're not locked into Canon or Nikon is the Pentax K10D. It blends almost all the best features of the Canon XTi and Nikon D80, such as dust removal, spot metering, auto-assist lamp, etc. Then it adds some nice features of its own, most notably a body with environmental seals and built-in image stabilization. Pentax lenses are much cheaper in price than their Canon/Nikon counterparts.
The main issue with the K10D is that its JPG shots are being hotly debated. Phil Askey say they lack edge detail, and the Pentax forums on dpreview.com have been buzzing. However, if you shoot RAW, the edge detail is there and the camera's images compare very favorably with the D80 and XTi. Nowadays shooting RAW is more practical because of better camera performance and larger memory cards.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/pentaxk10d/
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| crmsnidol |
I got a Fuji V-10 and my daughter got a Nikon Coolpix L3 for Christmas. Both are 5MP point-and-shoot. Very easy to use and take nice images. My wife wanted "Santa" to bring my daughter a Barbie or Disney camera but for an additional $40 over those cameras I got her one that actually takes useable photos. The V-10 replaces my aging but still fantastic Fuji F-601z.
Shopping for a mini-DV camcorder now and leaning to the Canon Elura 100 based on reviews and prince. Besides the $3,000+ HD-based cams, the Mini DV still gets better image quality reviews than the HD drive-based Sony, JVC and Canon offerings. Anyone have experience in this area and could offer an opinion? I liek the idea of a HD and no media to buy but the reviews I've read all point out lesser image quality when compared to mini-DV and image quality is important to me. |
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| Will4271 |
quote:
Originally posted by vip9
I bought the XTi Rebel kit from Amazon before the holidays. I had a great AMEX/Amazon coupon, so the total price came to be less than $600.
For price, I would suggest also looking at Dell - they often have coupons that bring the price to as low as $600 for body only and below $700 for the kit.
Check deal/coupon websites for coupon codes and details.
I also bought Canon 580 EX flash - pictures come out great. And, in continuous shooting mode the flash can keep up with the cam for about 10 - 12 shots - amazing.
I honestly expected the cam to be more feature-reach, comparable to my similarly priced Olympus non-SLR digital camera.
Where Canon may lack in some features (not that I ever used all of the Olympus's anyway) it certainly gains in pic quality.
Very happy so far.
eBay was it a great prices also but you have to bid for them to get the good deals. |
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| Mocking-DX |
instant on, no shutter lag, shots per second, cleaner low low light shots and lots of lens choices are the main reasons i moved up to an SLR especially taking my baby's pictures
anyway the XTi is very capable camera. Canons are known to have a better handling of high ISO noise. So if you shoot a lot of indoor shots it would be an advantage
another thing is if you plan to go full frame SLR later on like the 5D you might want to stay away from EF-S lens because they won't fit them.
starting with the XTi is also better so you can build your lens arsenal.
Camera bodies upgrade all the time, but lenses almost always are the same and keep their resale value better than the bodies
good luck. Take lots of pictures
oh one lens i recommend is the canon EF 50 f1.8. Cheap and feels like plastic but ver fast and sharp.
the kit lens is not bad either, but had to stop down to f8 to get sharper picture. Just bump up the ISO to get a workable shutter speed |
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| luvdodo |
I used to own 2 SLRs andand later moved to a P&S after having a baby. It's a bit difficult to roam around with the kit and attach/detach accessories with the family around...
I picked up a $200 Fuji F30, and i just love it.
Want to see some pics? Visit http://www.the-raos.net.
Especially look at "take 5" and "Take 6" albums....
And do let me know if you liked them.
The F30 runs to ISO3200 and is a super low light handler.
Thanks,
Dodz. |
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| wmquan |
quote:
Originally posted by luvdodo
http://www.the-raos.net.
The F30 runs to ISO3200 and is a super low light handler.
Thanks for sharing! I really like your shots, and have forwarded the URL to friends who are very interested in the F30.
The Fuji F30, like you said, is an amazing point-and-shoot camera because it can take low-noise photos that are "digital SLR-like." It also supports a wide range of manual control, unlike the Digital Elphs.
One negative with them is that they tend to overexpose outdoor shots. Most owners set -EV whenever it's sunny.
Fuji just announced an F40, which replaces the non-manual F20 (which has the same sensor as the F30). I'd imagine the F50 (replacement for the F30) is on the way. It supports face detection, goes to eight megapixels, and now also supports SD cards as well as the crappy xD format of the F20/F30.
I was nervous when they said the F40 is eight megapixels -- too many megapixels on these compacts usually equals more noise. However, the F40's sensor is a bit bigger than the F20/F30's so it should be fine.
I wouldn't rule out the digital SLR in favor of an F30. Rather, a lot of dSLR owners with heavy-duty gear also own an F30. You can lug the SLR around when you can, and when you can't, you use the F30 and there's not a huge drop-off. The F30 is an almost ideal "running mate" for a digital SLR.
Here's some good comments and examples from someone who has both serious dSLR gear and an F30:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/r...essage=21559443 |
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| dipersp |
So what bags do you guys use/recommend?
I'm not a fan of the lens down approach, nor do I want the lens up (Don't want anyone grabbing it by the lens!)
I'm currently looking at this - RAVE reviews from everyone that has them so far -
http://www.m-rock.com/glacier-29-49.htm |
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| Mocking-DX |
i have a lowepro computrekker now for an out of town trips with my gears. But wish i got one with wheels because my gears gets heavy in the airport during long walks
i'm looking at the crumpler camera bags because it doesn't look like a camera bag that would attract attentions. They do come in different sizes and colors for one's needs. I am particulary looking at the 7million for my walkaround bag but i think a 5 millionn would be good for the XT
good luck
http://www.bagyou.com/crumpler-usa-...8a7f06e5d165435 |
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| Will4271 |
quote:
Originally posted by Mocking-DX
i have a lowepro computrekker now for an out of town trips with my gears. But wish i got one with wheels because my gears gets heavy in the airport during long walks
i'm looking at the crumpler camera bags because it doesn't look like a camera bag that would attract attentions. They do come in different sizes and colors for one's needs. I am particulary looking at the 7million for my walkaround bag but i think a 5 millionn would be good for the XT
good luck
http://www.bagyou.com/crumpler-usa-...8a7f06e5d165435
I'm looking for one that is leather but can insult the camera if dropped.
Any ideas? |
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| Anmopohatard |
Crap
BAN USER |
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| dipersp |
Alright, so anyone who already has the XTi - help me out.
I've been playing - I took a bunch of photos at a time. I wasn't holding down the shutter, but was pretty rapid fire. After a few shots, the "busy" indicator showed up in the viewfinder. Figured I hit the buffer limit, but the LED showing activity to my memory card wasn't lit. Tried another shot, still busy. Waited a bit, got one shot off, busy.
What gives? |
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| vip9 |
| it may be a flash. With the built-in flash I can take 3-4 pictures most and then the last frame takes like 1 second and the shot is garbled and then it is busy for 3-5 seconds. With external flash I can go as high as 10 shots. |
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| dipersp |
quote:
Originally posted by vip9
it may be a flash. With the built-in flash I can take 3-4 pictures most and then the last frame takes like 1 second and the shot is garbled and then it is busy for 3-5 seconds. With external flash I can go as high as 10 shots.
Hmm, was thinking that, but it didn't look like (From the icons in the viewfinder) it was having an issue with the flash. I'll have to try it in daylight though as I was in a low-light situation. Thanks for the tip. |
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| Mocking-DX |
i agree with vip with the flash because the XTi has buffer of 27 JPEG and 10 RAW images
but even so, the camera should still take a shot with a compulsory flash on, it's just that the flash won't fire
i have this issue with my old rebel 300d because of the slow buffer
i'm thinking it's the memory card that's not keeping up
i'm so glad i went up to 20D and 1DMkII for one of this reason
good luck |
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| Mocking-DX |
dipersp
congrats on the new XTi by tha way
so what lens did you get with the XTi
i would recommend the 50mm f1.8. It's very cheap (around $80-90) in the web. very fast for your indoor shots so you don't have to use the buily in flash that ruins/flattens the picture
if you're feeling generous the 50mm f1.4 usm is even better. They blur the background really nice too |
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| dipersp |
Yeh, definitely need to play more. I was semi-abusing it to find it's limits, and was not impressed with seeing the busy icon for several (10?) seconds or more at a time.
I picked up the 17-85mm lens to start. I always had lots of use for zoom and liked the crappy 12x optical my S2 IS had - realizing now with the little one, I need faster shots and less zoom though! The 17-85 set me back a little, but I really like it so far - great lens, little pricey. |
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| Dog |
| Mine does the same thing, even with the flash off, unless you have it in "sports" mode. Don't know why. Just put it in Sports mode if you want to do rapidfire bursts. |
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| G. COLTON |
I am finding this a most interesting thread. In fact I may print the whole thread.
I have been thinking of getting a digital SLR but the thing that is holding me back is the bulkiness. That takes me back to the days of my film Nikon and the long bulky lenses.
If I keep reading this thread maybe I will get the inclination to get the SLR and let it supplement my Olympus 770.
Keep the good ideas coming.
George |
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| vip9 |
quote:
Originally posted by Dog
Mine does the same thing, even with the flash off, unless you have it in "sports" mode. Don't know why. Just put it in Sports mode if you want to do rapidfire bursts.
But isn't the flash off in Sports mode? |
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| kunB |
| which is a best point and shoot camera....that can handle low lights and outdoors very well... I looking for anything greater than 6MP. I had a canon A640 - 10MP , the outdoors during day light looked good, but the indoors and nightime didnt come out very good. I ended up returning it. |
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| dipersp |
quote:
Originally posted by kunB
which is a best point and shoot camera....that can handle low lights and outdoors very well... I looking for anything greater than 6MP. I had a canon A640 - 10MP , the outdoors during day light looked good, but the indoors and nightime didnt come out very good. I ended up returning it.
Canon Powershot S3 IS is the BEST (Well, I had the S2 and S1 and loved them . .)
George - the XTi is bulky, but yeh, all of the SLRs will be. Still worth it. A point and shoot is good to have for quick shots, but the SLR is worth having for serious photo taking. |
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| Mocking-DX |
G COLTON
you would fall in love with the D-SLR once you try one
if you live close to my area i would let you check one of my DSLR
yes they're bulky but you will be so amazed by how much potential you can get out of them
the XTi is the smallest DSLR but if you fall in love with it you will outgrow soon
here's one of my favorite. You can blur the background buttery soft
my son
dipersp
how many shots can yoou actually take before it freezes
check the canon website maybe they have a firmware update
oftentimes they have updates to fix hte bugs |
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| Mocking-DX |
check this website also and post a question about your XTi problem
It's a very nice forum for canon
check it out. i go here most of the time
CANON FORUM |
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| Dog |
quote:
Originally posted by vip9
But isn't the flash off in Sports mode?
Yes. My point being that I get the delay in other modes even with the flash off. Only in sports mode does it not have the delay. Perhaps it has to do with the autofocus function (i.e., in other modes it tries to refocus between each shot, in sports it just keeps clicking).
To GCOLTON: Yes, they are bulkier, but once you go SLR you can't go back to point-and-shoot. The SLRs are so much better in terms of shutter response time, lens options, and picture control. Like many things, ignornance is bliss. But once you are used to the benefits of a SLR, nothing else will suffice.
(in the interest of full disclosure, we also have a Canon Powershot SD 800is for when we need the small form-factor...:p ) |
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| dipersp |
Definitely a flash problem here. I took a rapid-fire series of shots, and then the envitable busy - for a while!
I set it to flash off, and then it had no problem. |
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