Bought 20D 1 month before 30D release, should I be upset

This is my first posting.

I'm what you would consider an advanced amateur photographer. After I was able to start getting out of the house some, I decided I wanted to return to my photography. I started using my Canon AE-1 that I have owned for 25 years, but then decided I really wanted to get into digital photography.

Being retired due to some health issues and living on a fixed income, it took me a long time to save enough $ to buy my first DSLR - the Canon 20D 18-55mm kit at the end of January. I was really happy with my decision to get the 20D, and then the first week of April, I found out about the 30D. I did call the place I bought the camera, but they weren't doing what Costco did where they let those of us who bought the 20D get their $ back to buy the 30D.

The larger screen would really be nice, and I think the spot metering would be as well, although I'm not sure about that one. Should I be upset, and/or should I be trying to figure out a way to trade in my 20D for the 30D?

Welcome to the forum.

No I don't think You should be upset. Just because the 30D was released the 20D does not suddenly become worthless.

If you just started using Dslr's Id wait til the next generation body comes out with more significant changes. For the money its not worth selling your 20D an buying the 30D for "would be nice to have features". Youll want to upgrade again if you jump at the 30D now once there is a body with more significant changes. I just bought a used 20D rather than buying a new 30D myself, knowing Ill want the newer one now that I have $$ for camera gear.

No you shouldn't be upset... The 20D is a very good camera and will allow you to take some cracking shots... Too much is placed on the camera these days, must have the latest gadgets etc... The camera is a tool, and it's the photographer behind the camera that takes the images, The camera just records them... Forget the latest bells and whistles and go and take some amazing images because the camera is quite capable of recording them...

If you got the 20d at a very good price then yeah keep it. But if you bought it for the same price as the 30d.... then that's painful!
However the u're not missing a whole lot with the 20d. It's still a very good camera in its own right. Think of it like a 2004 Corolla vs 2006 Corolla. hehehe....

No need to cry over spilt milk. Just go out and enjoy the 20D, takes the same image as the 30D anyway.

Don't worry about the 30d, the 20d is an awesome camera. It was good enough for you when you bought it but suddenly a new one came out and it isn't good enough for you anymore? Doesn't make much sense. You just want whats newer and to spend more money XD. Spend it on some nice glass instead.

Thank you for your quick replies. Kenny, thank you for reminding me that it's the photographer that really determines a good pic.

I bought the 20d even after the 30d was out! They have the same sensor so in the end, the pictures will look the same, and they are virtually the same to use Enjoy!

I bought a 20D at Christmas after deliberating for months. Then in January I heard rumours about the 30D, so I deliberated some more months and decided to take a loss on the 20D and buy a 30D. Had I not had the funds available, I would have stayed with the 20D. The 20D is almost identical in handling and appearance to the 30D and the results obtained are every bit as good. If you buy a 30D, it won't be long before the next one comes out, so I think you should enjoy your 20D and the identical great results that you would achieve with the 30D.

Welcome to POTN Scott, There is nothing about the 30D that allows it to produce intrinsically better pictures than the 20D. They are both very good prosumer bodies and have the ability to take excellent pictures. Enjoy the 20D and as stated above, wait for the next generation. In the mean time, we will try to convince you to start saving for more lenses

The question you should be asking yourself is whether there is something you want to do that you can't with the 20D but could with the 30D.

The larger LCD screen is nice, but it doesn't let you take any better pictures. The direct print button does nothing for me because I want more control than that over printing.

The two major improvements on the 20D that I can see are the spot meter function and the larger buffer that will allow more pictures in a burst. Autofocus may be marginally improved.

None of those features should prevent you from taking just as good pictures on the 20D as you could with a 30D. I am waiting for a real improvement before I upgrade my 20D.

No, you should not be upset because the 20D is an excellent camera.

HOWEVER, apparently your story and mine are the same and I can also testify to the opposite. I purchased a new 20D a couple months ago. It was when the 30D had just been released, but retailers were telling me they were still awaiting their first shipment. I used it for about a month and was happy with it. However, I really missed the spot metering that I was used to, even found on much lower price point-n-shoot cameras, so I purchased a 30D.

I have never been happier. To me, it goes far beyond the spot metering. The incremental iso, the bigger screen, etc., etc. I am just much more happier, more productive, and taking better pictures with the 30D. I simply like it better.

I know that's not necessarily what you wanted to hear, but I must be honest. I will be selling the 20D when I get back from vacation.

We just upgraded the wifes Digital Rebel to the 30D. Great upgrade!
I have the 20D since it came out, I am not upgrading to a 30D. It is nice and the wife likes it a lot, coming from the original DRebel. For me, not that much difference to spring the extra bucks. I do like the larger LCD but...

I know you will like the 20D. It does an excellent job. I do not know what it will take for me to change, I love mine.

It's really more about what you want out of the tools. I weighed the options very seriously for a while before deciding to go with the 20D. My vision is still good enough that the bigger screen meant nothing to me, and I have not gotten to a place where I use spot metering, so the choice was obvious for me. As cool as it would be to own the latest, I am just as happy with the 20D. It does more than I am capable of utilizing at this time!

Kevin