Digital Rebel information needed!

[Rizzella Bella]

Ok, after posting on here to get suggestions on a camera the one that has been suggested is the Canon EOS Digital Rebel. From what I can tell it looks like a much better choice than the camera I was looking at.
I would like to know what people love about it and why they bought it. (price, picture quality, someone told you to)
Thanks in advance for the information.

OTHER INFO:
I have stockpiled about $1,500 to spend purchasing my camera.
I would like this to include the camera, some lenses, memory and maybe a bag.
If you want to know what kind of pictures I like to take check out my website at www.shelleywelch.com
Please remember it is not complete yet, I still have many pictures to go up.

[saberry]

I got my digital rebel just the first of this month so I am still learning. My main reason for wanting a d-slr in general were to be able to take faster shots and have more flexibility than my last Sony point and shoot digital.

For my current usage and level of understanding, the Rebel was a great choice. It allows me to take good pictures with little know-how but also gives me room to grow and improve. Another perk is that it comes with Photo Shop Elements 2.0 - great software.

If you have decided on the digital rebel, I suggest you hurry up and buy know while the $100 rebate is still being offered. I got mine at www.beachcamera.com and was very happy with the price and service - shipping was only $12 and I had my camera in hand in just a few days. Their current price for the rebel with lens kit is $819 before rebate.

HTH.

By the way, you mentioned at your site that you didn't know what type of fish that is you are using for your avatar. It is a Red Parot (type of Cichlid hybrid) - my other hobby :D

[Hogleg 44]

Originally Posted by saberry

If you have decided on the digital rebel, I suggest you hurry up and buy know while the $100 rebate is still being offered. I got mine at www.beachcamera.com and was very happy with the price and service - shipping was only $12 and I had my camera in hand in just a few days. Their current price for the rebel with lens kit is $819 before rebate.

Note!
If you do decide to try and take advantage of the rebate, better telephone in your order to be sure the receipt is dated for January because tomorrow, Jan 31, is the last day for the promotion. If the reciept is dated after Jan 31 it will surely be rejected.

[anorcross]

If you buy before the rebate ends (tomorrow), you can get triple rebates on the camera and two lenses. I bought the camera (body only), the 17-40L and the 70-200 F4L, which gave me a total rebate of $450 (I've since bought the 100 F2.8 macro as well, so I should get another $60 back). My total price after the rebate was under $1600. If you want your $1500 or so to cover memory and bag too, you could get the 28-135 IS, and the 75-300 IS along with the camera and kit lens, and still have enough to get a 1GB card and a bag. I went with the L lenses, because I had just enough room in my budget, but the IS (image stabilization) lenses would have been nice, too. Do order by phone today or tomorrow, though, to get the rebate. I used B&H, which has a great reputation, and is only slightly more expensive than the really cheap places. Right now, at B&H you could get the Rebel kit, the 28-135IS and the 75-300IS for $1695, before a $390 rebate. That would leave you $200 for CF card and bag--more than enough. Or, if you can stretch your budget a bit, you can replace the 75-300 with the optically much better 70-200 F4L, which adds $165 to your before rebate total, but increases your rebate by $30, so the net extra cost is $135.

[gpgyo]

While there are many available, this review was influential in my decision to by the DigReb last year:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_reviews/300d.html

Bottom line for me was the DigReb gave me the opportunity to get into digital SLR photography with a capable camera for an affordable price. And, as part of Canon's EOS system, it gives you compatability with a huge selection of some of the best lenses in the world.

Good luck making a decision,
Greg

[Relayze]

All I cant tell you is that I love my EOS 300D. Im leaning with it and Im very happy with the results I have got so far.
I also had a limited budget (I couldnt tell my wife I was going to spend that much on a digital camera lol). I bought the kit last July for about 800 bucks plus I got a 75-300mm IS USM for another 400. I have a Tamrac Velocity 7 bag, about 40 bucks on e-bay, extra batteries for about 10 bucks each, couple of filters for 10 bucks each (Circular polarizer and UV), and 4 CF cards...I want to get a 100-400mm L lens for my aviation photos but right now, with my catholic wedding next month, there is no way I can spend extra money on it.
Read a lot about the cameras you want to buy, check the web and your local camera stores for prices but be careful with those too-good-to-be-true prices...good luck!

[lucian]

I've heard good things about the Rebel. I even considered getting one. But I am leaning more towards the Olympus E-volt.

You can get reviews on both cameras at www.dpreview.com.

[Bill Huber]

For $1300 you could get an Olympus E1 with the kit lens and an Fl-20 flash.
The E1 is a pro digital camera all the way, it is all metal, has water and dust seals and it cleans the CCD every time you turn it on.
I have had my E1 for 7 months, been in the rain, been in the Texas dust and still have never had a problem with dirt on the CCD.

There are not as many lenses out there for the E1, but then how many do you need. There is on IS or VR lenses for it and that is a problem for some.
The 4/3 system is smaller then others and the lenses are smaller.

I cover form (35mm) 28mm to 400mm in just 2 lenses.

Here is my gallery of my first day with the E1.
http://www4.pbase.com/wlhuber/e1first_day

Here is an E1 shot from the Fort Worth Zoo

[bburton]

Originally Posted by Bill Huber

For $1300 you could get an Olympus E1 with the kit lens and an Fl-20 flash.
The E1 is a pro digital camera all the way, it is all metal, has water and dust seals and it cleans the CCD every time you turn it on.
I have had my E1 for 7 months, been in the rain, been in the Texas dust and still have never had a problem with dirt on the CCD.

There are not as many lenses out there for the E1, but then how many do you need. There is on IS or VR lenses for it and that is a problem for some.
The 4/3 system is smaller then others and the lenses are smaller.

I cover form (35mm) 28mm to 400mm in just 2 lenses.

Here is my gallery of my first day with the E1.
http://www4.pbase.com/wlhuber/e1first_day

Bill,

I love the colors in this E1 gallery. I know you've used Olympus cameras for awhile, and I'm wondering if you've had to do any post processing to the color or whether it comes out of the camera that way.

The reason I'm asking is that whenever I see pictures posted from an Olympus, I instinctively am attracted to the apparently deeper, more saturated colors. Is this characteristic of Oly cameras in your experience?

I've not seriously considered an Olympus for my next camera (DSLR), but I may have to start.

Thanks.

Bruce

[Bill Huber]

This is my third Olympus camera, and all of the images on my Pbase galleries are form those cameras.
The little UZI is was just an outstanding little camera and I most of the time did nothing to the images.
The E-10 is a very good camera, just not much zoom or speed. With the e-10 the only thing I had to do was USM and some times levels.

With the E1, it is even better, I have the in camera settings set to a +3 on the sharpness and in most cases with JPG files I have to do almost nothing. When I do, it is USM and if I did not do a good job on the exposure I will do a little levels adjustment.

I have never done any color adjustment to any of the cameras. The E1 has a really good auto WB. The manual WB is so easy to use that you use it a lot, just one button and thats it.

When I started looking at DSLRs I was looking at the 10D which is a very good camera, one of the things that people were always saying about the E1 was it had the best out of camera JPGs of the lot. I take a lot of RAW but when I am just out having fun I take JPGs and I don't want to have to do a lot of post work on them. So I got the E1..

When looking at my galleries, if the image name has an A in it at the end it has been worked on in some way, if there is now at at the end of the filename then it is right out of the camera.

[Abel]

shameless plug starts now:

i have a canon 10d with vertical grip for sale thats about 8 months old and in mint condition. i took great care of it.

more info here:
http://www.lifeatf8.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=769

its an option for ya. then you could use the left over $ to buy a really nice lens

[Rizzella Bella]

Originally Posted by saberry

By the way, you mentioned at your site that you didn't know what type of fish that is you are using for your avatar. It is a Red Parot (type of Cichlid hybrid) - my other hobby :D

Thanks a million! I was dying to know what kind of fish it was but folks sort of look at you like you are nuts when you say.......I don't know what kind it is but is smiles!

[stshields]

Originally Posted by Rizzella Bella

OTHER INFO:
I have stockpiled about $1,500 to spend purchasing my camera.
I would like this to include the camera, some lenses, memory and maybe a bag.

I would highly recommend getting a Canon 50mm f/1.4 prime lens. It's opticaly excelent and is a good length on a 300D. It's a great lens to get the hang of your new camera.

It's about $320. If that's to expensive there is a f1.8 version for around $80.

[Abel]

i have the 50 f1.4 and i love it. i also had the f1.8 version since that was my first lens and it was great considering the $80 price tag!!!

[T1ckT0ck]

As I am new to the photography world, I can only say what I have heard so here it is: In ref to the 50mm lens, when I was in my local camera shop(Arlington Camera) the other day buying a lens (100mm Macro), the sales person said the he felt the new 50mm 1.8 II is a sharper lens than the 1.4 and definately a better bang for the buck - $75.99 vs $329.99. As soon as I get paid again I will go and buy the 50mm 1.8 II based off of his recomendation. Also if anyone deals with Arlington Camera, ask for Rick. He is awesome and will make sure that you are happy rather than just making a sale.