What did Santa (or for my fellow Jewish brothers, Hanukah Harry) bring you?

[johnny_d]

get the 28-135

[SHIFT_2.5S]

Now I'm really confused, because I've been reading about the new Canon 40D, and that seems to be a superb all-around dSLR. It also comes in a kit with the 28-135mm lens.

[generic808]

As a tote-around lens, I'd say the 28-135 IS. I have the 70-200 f/4L and the 70-200 f/4L IS to boot. As far as the speed of the lens, you can't compare the two. The constant f/4 of the 70-200 is much better than the 3.5-5.6 so you really can't compare the two lenses; they're in a different class.

Another lens I would highly recommend you consider is the 28-105 f/3.5-4.5 II ($250). This was my primary tote lens prior to the 28-135 and in my opinion, may be a little better if you factor in the price; it's half the price! I regret purchasing the 135 to replace my 105 because it was not worth the difference in price for such minimal improvement. At longer focal lengths, I feel the 28-105 is superior to the 28-135; sharper images around the edges. At around 50mm, I feel the two are evenly matched, and at the wide, the 135 seems to be a little better, but not by much.

Really consider buying the 28-105 instead of the 28-135 if it's just a travel lens. The only downfall is the lack of IS on the 105, but if you don't shoot much lowlight, that shouldn't matter. Use that until you outgrow it--which you will the more you shoot-- then you can turnaround and sell the 105 on ebay for $180-$200 and use that money plus the $200 saved, toward the purchase of the 70-200 f/4L. <--- That lens, along with the 17-40 f/4L, and a prime 50mm lens is a perfect 1-2-3 combo for your camera bag; you'll have focal lengths from 28mm to 200mm all covered with nice heavy glass.

What it really boils down to though, is your finances and whether or not you intend to upgrade in the future. If upgrading and you can spend a few hundred dollars more down the line, go with the 28-105 and save $200 to apply toward your upgrade. But, if you plan on having this travel lens as your "be it all" lens, then definitely go with the 28-105; you'll appreciate the IS for lowlight situations.

And don't forget about a BG-E3 because the XTi body is a bit small. You'll notice that your right pinky gets tired after a while because of the lack of grip. And it also helps stabilize and balance out the weight of a large telephoto lens on the small body.

28-105 f/3.5-4.5 II USM: http://photo.net/equipment/canon/28-105

[generic808]

If you decide on the 105, email me before you buy one. I believe there are two versions of this lens going around; a 5-blade and a 7-blade. You want the newer one, which is the 7. I can send you pics of my lens and what to look for to determine the difference. Good luck with your purchase and don't hesitate to ask if you have anymore questions.

[SHIFT_2.5S]

So from what I understand, you're recommending the 28-105 USM over the 28-135 IS. Seems like a reasonable explanation, especially since it's $170 less. I will definitely be upgrading in the future, but my goal is to make a very nice kit right now so I won't have to upgrade anytime soon. I also want quality lenses, and am willing to pay $100 more (or reasonable amount) to get the better lens.

How much of a factor is the Image Stabilization (IS) besides in lowlight? I've had a Canon S3 with IS and I liked that because my hands aren't completely steady when shooting and it helped sharpen the image.

Also, you wouldn't recommend the 70-200mm f/4 L lens as a regular everyday lens? I can see why now, especially since that lens is pretty huge.

With that being said, I can have the EF 50mm f/1.8 and 28-105mm as my primary lenses and I should be fine, right?

Lastly, would you advise me to get the 40D instead of the XTi? I understand that it's twice the cost, but I've been reading great reviews about the new 40D. Part of my purchase funding will be from gift money, so if the 40D is so much better (noticeably) than the XTi, I can find the additional money. The 40D body is $1,149 and the kit with the 40D body + EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM is $1,429. <--- Do you think that this kit (along with the EF 50mm f/1.8) is a better choice than the XTi body + 50mm f/1.8 + 28-105mm?

Thanks.

[generic808]

Well, the 50mm is a great prime, but I wouldn't use it as your primary. Especially not a travel lens because of the set focal length. When traveling, you need to be moving around and getting wide shots, zooms, etc, so a zoom lens would suit you better. I just suggested the 50mm because it is Canon's best-bang-for-the-buck lens. That in addition to the 105 or 135 should do good. When you need the longer focal lengths, then you can start looking at the 70-200. Remember that your XTi will have a 1.6x crop factor (multiply focal length x 1.6) so your lenses will actually be longer than listed.

The 28-105 is a great travel lens for the price. I'd say it's Canon's best bargain lens. The $200 difference between it and the 135 IS is hard to justify unless you shoot indoors a lot. Like I said, I'd save the $200, use the 105 til I outgrow it, then sell it and use that money plus the saved money toward L glass.

The 40D is an awesome camera, but if you're just a weekend hobbyist, it would be hard for me to tell you to buy it for that much. If it were maybe 30% more in cost, I would recommend it, but it's double the price so it's hard to justify.

And no, the 70-200 is way to big and heavy to tote around everyday. You should see the looks I get when I carry that beast around I believe it weighs over 1.5lbs!

[SHIFT_2.5S]

I just spoke with a good friend of mine who is very experienced with photography, and he recommended that I start with a very good camera in order to avoid regrets down the line.

I understand that the 40D is twice as expensive as the XTi, but it seems that I will be able to keep it for longer and make use of its additional functions/new features. The difference in price can be made up later on, in my opinion. By getting the XTi, it feels as though I'm getting a later model (which is still excellent), but am not really staying up to date. I plan to take photography seriously, although I am beginning as an amateur dSLR user.

Hypothetically speaking, if I were to get the 40D, which deal sounds best to you?1. 40D body only - $11492. 40D body + 28-135mm USM - $1449

The lens itself is $410, so obviously the 2nd appears to be the better deal. If I were to get the kit, the 28-135 lens would be the difference in cost = $300, which is much cheaper than the original price of $410.

My question is: Is it better to get the body ($1149) + 28-105 ($240) for $1389, or is it better to spend the additional $60 and get the 28-135 IS in the kit?

[generic808]

If you can get that kit with that lens for $60 more, there's no doubt about it that you have to go with that. Now the question I ask you is, why spend that much money on a body when it'll be outdated in a couple of years? Just think, if you spent $520 for the XTi body now, 2 years later, you can always upgrade to a newer body, which by then may be 12MP or even more. If you go with the 40D now, you're stuck with that for at least the next 4-5 years because of the amount invested, and by that time, it'll be way outdated. Just giving you a little something to think about. Since you're new to the DSLR world, I'd say go with the XTi and spend the extra money on lenses. Your lenses will never go outdated, but the bodies definitely will.

[johnny_d]

if you're a hobbyist, I would recommend the XTi too, just because am too a hobbyist and after a while my stuff are getting used less and less. When you outgrow your Rebel, you can buy a new one and use it as your backup. Or If you're shooting landscape, put the 70-200 on it for telephoto shots instead of switching lenses The Rebels do need the battery grip, I bought the aftermarket one for 70 bucks and it works great, makes the camera feels better to grip and ppl say whow, wat a big camera you have haha Imagine the 70-200 on that, i wishhhhh i have a 70-200. If Generic is being super nice he might give his old oneb to me

[SHIFT_2.5S]

If you can get that kit with that lens for $60 more, there's no doubt about it that you have to go with that. Now the question I ask you is, why spend that much money on a body when it'll be outdated in a couple of years? Just think, if you spent $520 for the XTi body now, 2 years later, you can always upgrade to a newer body, which by then may be 12MP or even more. If you go with the 40D now, you're stuck with that for at least the next 4-5 years because of the amount invested, and by that time, it'll be way outdated. Just giving you a little something to think about. Since you're new to the DSLR world, I'd say go with the XTi and spend the extra money on lenses. Your lenses will never go outdated, but the bodies definitely will.

Maybe my reasoning is flawed, but it just feels strange. If I go with the XTi, even though it is a great camera, I am investing in old technology as opposed to getting something newer. If I get the 40D now, I am sure it will last me a good 4-5 years. That is similar to the XTi, which was released 2 years ago, and can still easily be used for another good 1-2 years. I believe that every new dSLR can be used for a good 4 years, and if need be, the body can be upgraded after this period. Sure, the lenses are the most important aspect here, but the body plays an important role as well. If I get the 40D kit for $1449 + Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 for $70, that's around a total of roughly $1550, which turns out to be about $500 more than the XTi body with the same lenses.

I'll give this some more thought, but I'm just leaning towards newer technology.

[ssjones]

Interesting discussion. I bought my wife the Rebel Xti with standard lens. I tried to get the body and IS lens but after ordering thru three online places, all three eventually said it was unavailable until late in January ($300 for the body and $300 for the lens). So, I just bought the standard retail version. She has a Rebel 2000 SLR with several lens. So far she loves it, ordered her the wireless remote last week as well. She has a Canon AF zoom lens and a wide angle from the 2000.

I ordered another Nicad battery for it thru Best Buy, but from what I've just read, the battery grip may be the way to go? If so, is this a decent price?http://www.jr.com/JRProductPag...27276

I get confused on the different lens options. Are the IS lens really worth as much as her camera cost? She probably won't take many low light photo's.

[johnny_d]

I have this particular aftermarket battery grip and it worked great. Had very good reviews from other users. I have not tried other ones but some of them aren't as good. The price is half of what you would pay for OEM Canon, of course you're not going to have the Canon logo but I don't mind about it. It takes 2 batteries at a time so I buy a bunch of replacement batteries from the same ebay seller so they would match up the voltage, so basically my original battery is unused.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Opteka-Bat...sting

[johnny_d]

Shift, remember, it's the photographer that makes the picture, not the camera Lenses are more important than the camera bodies

[ssjones]

Hey, thanks. I bought the grip and the two battery deal from 47th Street. I had purchased a 2nd Canon battery from Best Buy with the camera - $50 for the battery alone. I cancelled that and got the two batteries and the grip for $80. I appreciate the advice!

One thing I didn't notice with my Best Buy purchase was they charged me tax for the camera and shipping. I could have just picked it up for tax alone at the store, shame on me for not noticing.

I have this particular aftermarket battery grip and it worked great. Had very good reviews from other users. I have not tried other ones but some of them aren't as good. The price is half of what you would pay for OEM Canon, of course you're not going to have the Canon logo but I don't mind about it. It takes 2 batteries at a time so I buy a bunch of replacement batteries from the same ebay seller so they would match up the voltage, so basically my original battery is unused.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Opteka-Bat...sting

[SHIFT_2.5S]

Shift, remember, it's the photographer that makes the picture, not the camera Lenses are more important than the camera bodies

[generic808]

Let me give you another package option to think about. For just under $1700, you'd get the XTi body, 17-40 f/4L, and the 70-200 f/4L. DSLR bodies will always get outdated, but glass will last you forever. Don't get me wrong, the 40D is an awesome camera, but I think for your intended purposes, the XTi would suit you better. Ultimately, it is up to you. It is a big investment, so just think it over. Remember that you can always sell your lenses and as long as they're in good condition, you can recover most of the cost. Unlike DSLR bodies, which after 3 years will be outdated.

XTi: $529 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/....html

17-40 f/4L: $629 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/....html

70-200 f/4L: $539 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/....html

[johnny_d]

hey Eric, you said you'd be in LA Jan/Feb, do you have a date yet? It'd be cool if you can make it to the Oxnard meet w/ us

[SHIFT_2.5S]

Johnny and Eric, thanks so much for all of your help and advice. I bit and got the 40D kit with the 28-135mm lens. I spent 3 days researching and deciding between the XTi and 40D. In the end, I decided the extra $600 would be well spent and would pay off in the long run.

Once again, I can't thank you guys enough (especially Eric).

[johnny_d]

enjoy it

[generic808]

Congratulations on the 40D! I'll be jealous until I pick up my 5D

Johnny, I don't think I'll make it this month because I'm just recovering from the flu. I was out of comission for the past 5 days and haven't been working. I don't know if I can get more time off this month You guys have fun for me.

[SHIFT_2.5S]

Johnny, I don't think I'll make it this month because I'm just recovering from the flu. I was out of comission for the past 5 days and haven't been working. I don't know if I can get more time off this month You guys have fun for me.

You will be missed. Sucks about the flu, had it 3 weeks ago and it took me 2 weeks to recover. Get well soon.

[ssjones]

Oh-oh, I just thought of something. I ordered the grip/batteries, but also bought the wife the Canon hardcase that screws onto the bottom/flips over the short lens. Will that still work with the battery grip?

Hey, thanks. I bought the grip and the two battery deal from 47th Street. I had purchased a 2nd Canon battery from Best Buy with the camera - $50 for the battery alone. I cancelled that and got the two batteries and the grip for $80. I appreciate the advice!

One thing I didn't notice with my Best Buy purchase was they charged me tax for the camera and shipping. I could have just picked it up for tax alone at the store, shame on me for not noticing.

[johnny_d]

you'll have to wait and see but I believe it should since it's adjustable

[ssjones]

That would be nice, package is scheduled to arrive tomorrow so we'll find out soon.

you'll have to wait and see but I believe it should since it's adjustable