Canon Digital Rebel - Need buying help

[Spargo]

I'm looking at getting a Canon Digital Rebel. I would like the camera (duh), a big memory card, and 2 lenses (1 telephoto, 1 normal). Here is what I am thinking of, keep in mind I don't know very much about cameras/lenses, I just know how to take pictures with them once in my hand. :)

Canon Digital Rebel (body only)
Sigma 18-125mm f/3.5-5.6 DC Lens
Sigma Zoom Telephoto 70-300mm f/4-5.6 DL Macro Super Lens
Minimum 512MB CF Card, probably 1GB
Carrying case

Also, would it be better to go for something like this? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=3836836896&ssPage Name=STRK:MEWA:IT

It seems like a better deal and a huge memory card.

How does this look? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. :D

[mdude85]

wow, nice kit ... I don't really know anything about those lenses but at 1, 200 for the body, lenses, and all those accessories including that huge card, it might be a good deal.

the only thing I think that kit is missing is super wide coverage. 28 mm is not very wide at all, especially on a 1.6 crop factor. I've been able to get decent results at 21 mm ... maybe you should also consider a lens in the 16-24 range, if superwide shots are your kind of thing. Then I think your set would be complete.

[timmyquest]

That 70-300 sigma is crap. I know firsthand.

not sure about the other lens

I personally have never heard of opteka filters

2gig flash is nice, never heard of the brand. Infact there isnt a brand...i'm suspect.

The tripod is most likely pretty flimsy.

Just my personal opinion...

[Spargo]

I don't think I'd need a super wide shot lens, and if I find I do I could always buy one later. I'd normally be shooting a set object (i.e. an animal) with the telephoto, or up close things such as family portraits, flowers, etc. with a normal lens. I don't really see why I would need a wide lens, do you have an example of a photograph that would need that?

[cmM]

hello Spargo.
The rebel is a nice cam and it can produce outstanding results. I cannot give you much advice about those lenses, I haven't heard too much about them, I tend to stick with Canon stuff. You could get the rebel kit w/ 18-55mm lens and then buy a Canon 75-300 lens which is another $175 or so and can give you decent results until you can afford something more expensive.

As for that kit you linked, I wouldn't buy it. It might save you some money, but I don't know about quality.... It's probably not the best. Buying everything yourself will cost you more but IMO it'll be better in the long run, especially if you're serious about photography.

Good luck.

[Spargo]

What makes that Sigma lens so bad? I know someone with a 10D and they have a Sigma lens, not wide angle or telephoto, and it is VERY excellent. I've never heard anything but good about Sigma lenses, in fact I've heard they are some of the best.

P.S. Thanks for the replies.

[timmyquest]

Sigma makes a huge range of lenses

let me show ya something.

A good 300mm sigma lens
http://www.pbase.com/image/31794349

A bad 300mm sigma lens
http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=28655&highlight=70300+crapola

Difference in price?

about 2 grand.

You get what you pay for.

[mdude85]

I don't think I'd need a super wide shot lens, and if I find I do I could always buy one later. I'd normally be shooting a set object (i.e. an animal) with the telephoto, or up close things such as family portraits, flowers, etc. with a normal lens. I don't really see why I would need a wide lens, do you have an example of a photograph that would need that?

as you get more into photography, the subjects you desire to shoot may change or may increase... wide angle shots are sometimes used for photojournalism where a front subject interacts with the background ... these shots have a wide angle of view and can "fit a lot" into a photo ... they also tend to have very high depth of field, i.e. little or no background blur. Wide angle shots can also be used for taking shots of sweeping landscapes, city scapes, or large group portraits (sometimes not recommended because of perspective distortion).

Personally I am a wide angle fan ... telephoto shots of wildlife and stuff just does not do it for me, but to each his own. that's why photography is so nice ... everyone likes s'thing different.

Here are some examples of wide angle lenses/shots.

http://burren.cx/photo/ultrawide/

[mdude85]

That 70-300 sigma is crap. I know firsthand.

not sure about the other lens

I personally have never heard of opteka filters

2gig flash is nice, never heard of the brand. Infact there isnt a brand...i'm suspect.

The tripod is most likely pretty flimsy.

Just my personal opinion...

good pts. don't know much about the sigma. that opteka set of filters is about 25 dollars retail, which is really really low considering it includes a polarizer which alone should cost like $75.

flash card is sketchy... it's probably a lexar or something.

the tripod has a center extending column, which means it can't be more than 40 or 50 dollars. OP, I'd check out all these items separately then add up the cost to see if you are getting taken for a ride. those extra accessories -- filters, tripod, memory reader, memory case, battery, minitripod, etc -- they look nice but they all probably add up to only 60 or 70 dollars. your big ticket items in that kit are the memory card, the bags, and the lenses (and of course the body).

if you're going to get that kit, I'd of course suggest using buy it now. you get the free bag and the buy it now price is only 10 dollars more than the opening bid.

[Spargo]

Just a little FYI, I'm trying to keep the price tag under $1500. Thanks again for the replies.