Best Digital camera for less than 1k

(sangerlover) · (sangerlover) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 12-03-2006, 3:38 PM

What is your opinion of the best digital camera for under 1k? I have been looking at the Cannon Rebel XT 8 Megapixal.Any advise? I am a novice so lots of bells and whistles not needed.

(Walt) · (Walt) **Join Date: Jan 2003** 12-03-2006, 4:09 PM

The XT is a nice camera.

(clubmyke) · (clubmyke) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 12-03-2006, 4:32 PM

the canon 30d (body only) is $1054 (very, very nice).. or the nikon d80 for $949 body only (best buy right now for the money).. btw, i tried the new xti and it was a pos compared to the 30d.depending on what lens you buy, you can get the 30d for as cheap as $950 with rebates applied (roughly $100 within xti price)

you might want to consider lens offered from each manufacture... there are pro's and cons to each... depending on what you are looking for, they 'can' cost more than the camera and impact the body used... canon lenses are thought to be better than the nikon/nikor's...

it is a really tough call since nikon'a d80 is a awesome body (thought to be a smige better the the canon 30d) but canon offers the better lens system...

good luck !!

(richd) · (richd) **Join Date: Oct 2003** 12-03-2006, 7:06 PM

I think the XTi is an excellent body. If it focuses any slower or any less accurately then the 20D or 5D I sure can't tell either in handling or in OoF shots (which BTW I haven't had yet from the XTi)

Mine does tend to underexpose about a 1/3rd to 2/3rd of a stop compared to the 5D but that's not really an issue to me since I shoot RAW.

Here's a shot of my new ride taken with the XTi and a $300 Tamron 24-135 @ full wide (24mm) - looks OK to me! Upload

(clubmyke) · (clubmyke) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 12-03-2006, 10:30 PM

i found the xti okay on stills but it could not focus on action shots with the canon 70-200.. the 30d has no problems..

(caskimmer) · (caskimmer) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 12-04-2006, 12:38 AM

POS? The XTI has the same exact AF as the 30D and I've seen it used for action shots flawlessly. You must have tested a bad body.

(Walt) · (Walt) **Join Date: Jan 2003** 12-04-2006, 5:43 AM

quote:
You must have tested a bad body.

Thats what I was thinking too.

(sangerlover) · (sangerlover) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 12-04-2006, 6:32 AM

I noticed with the Cannon that you cannot take a pic looking thru the 2" LCD screen but have to look thru the view finder. Is this the norm with this type of camera ? I have gotten use to taking pics thru the screen with my cheaper camera.

(swami) · (swami) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 12-04-2006, 1:48 PM

That's the beauty of the SLR! you have to look through the eye hole. (not to mention this saves battery life)

Nice ride Rich, I'm planning on getting one of those myself. The selling point is the secure trunk in the bed of the truck.. perfect for securing expensive camera gear... rather than leave it in the back for the next smash and grabber.

If you can get a 30D for $1000, might be worth the $.

The body is the cheap part.. it's the lenses that'll kill your wallet!

Keep in mind, that in addition to the body and kit lens, you will need:

Compact Flash Cards ($60 for 2GB cards on ZipZoomFly.com)
Zoom lens ($100-350 for a good starter, $$$$$ for the primo lenses)
Extra battery $60 (not needed off the bat, but always good to have a spare)

Hope this helps!

(wakeboardertj) · (wakeboardertj) **Join Date: May 2005** 12-04-2006, 1:57 PM

i would put in the extra $$ for the 30d, i've never tried the xti but i currently have the xt and wish i had spent more $$ for the 30d.

(richd) · (richd) **Join Date: Oct 2003** 12-04-2006, 6:21 PM

I've never personally tried an XT either but the big complaint I always heard was that the AF with the XT was just not that good. Evidently that's been taken care of with the XTi.

I almost got a 30D instead but after getting use to 13mp with the 5D 8mp just seemed like too much of a step backward, plus I wanted to see how effective the new sensor cleaning system is.

I really think Canon will finally introduce the mythical "3D" next year and finally there may be the perfect all around body.

(caskimmer) · (caskimmer) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 12-04-2006, 7:15 PM

I've been waiting to upgrade both my bodies until Feb. I sure hope it's coming.

(swami) · (swami) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 12-06-2006, 8:39 AM

The EOS-1Ds? Mark III is also coming!

(clubmyke) · (clubmyke) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 12-06-2006, 8:51 AM

i could have got a bad body (xti)... but alot of people on the review forums (fred miranda) thought the xt was better than the xti (picture quality).

but there is no comparison between the xti & 30d in terms of ergonomics, speed, construction.the af on the 30d is waaaaayyyyy better to.. imo, the 30d 'smokes' the xti...

the only argument for a xti is the price, it has fallen to the $600 range (but add $125 for the grip)..i had a xti for 3 weeks and tried to make it work (with L lens) but no luck... switched to a 30d and have the pics are incredible..

now if i could get a good deal on a 70-200 f2.8..

(Message edited by clubmyke on December 06, 2006)

(richd) · (richd) **Join Date: Oct 2003** 12-06-2006, 2:06 PM

I guess I must have gotten the best XTi ever made because the AF on mine is every bit as good as my 5D, not quite up to the 1D but that's to be expected. The best thing about my XTi is I'm getting great images even from non L lenses.

There is a possible answer here though, the lower end Canon bodies (anything under the 1 series and 5D) do not get calibrated at the factory. You get a 30D, 20D, Xti, whatever that's not in spec and you would have that kind of experience, nothing will be in focus whether it's an L or not. I own / have owned a 1D, 1Ds, 10d, 20d, 5D and the XTi and I can say I'm very impressed with the XTi. It's way better then I thought it would be not only in IQ but in handling (in spite of my experiences with those other bodies). I wouldn't talk anyone out of getting one.

As far as FM goes the XTi has the same overall rating as the Xt (9.1) so I'm not sure what you're trying to say there. There's always going to be people who dog any given body, lens etc, usually because of the variation between samples (especially at the lower end cost). Usually anything over "9", where you've got multiple reviews (over 20) is a pretty good indication it's a quality piece of equipment.

(caskimmer) · (caskimmer) **Join Date: Apr 2006** 12-06-2006, 3:44 PM

I still say you got a bad copy since it's impossible for the 30D's AF to be "way better" then the XTI since they uses the same nine point AF sensor.

(clubmyke) · (clubmyke) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 12-06-2006, 9:21 PM

sean,

i'll bring my mac laptop and you can compare the pic's taken with the xti and the 30d....there is a night and day differnce (same 2 L lenses were used-17/40 & 70/200 )

(richd) · (richd) **Join Date: Oct 2003** 12-06-2006, 10:36 PM

Are you sure both bodies were set up the same?

If you were shooting/comparing jpegs the picture styles can make a huge difference on how the image looks because all the processing is done in camera.

Why don't you post a couple of them up?

(sangerlover) · (sangerlover) **Join Date: Sep 2005** 12-19-2006, 6:11 AM

Well I spent the extra money and purchased the xti and not the xt. Cosco.com had great prices on them and I couldn't be happier with the picture quality of the camera.Thanks for the feedback guys!

(mim3) · (mim3) **Join Date: Sep 2006** 12-19-2006, 6:27 AM

Here's a good read:

http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=306