5d or 30d or 350d

My dad is after a camera, his first digital.
I have a 20d and i am delighted with the performance, he now wants a canon DSLR camera, that way we can divide the cost of lenses.
Ok so he has enough of a budget to purchase the 5d with the 24-105L £2499 plus extra £200 from cashback, or a 30d, which is much like my 20d so is there much point if we share,,,,,, or a 350d which is currently retailing for £450 with lens. The advantage of the 350 is that it is alot cheaper so should a new model be launched then it wont hurt the old pride too much, plus just think of the number of lenses you buy with the extra £2000.
I am not after an answer saying going for the 5d if you can afford it, my dad would like to know the difference between each camera, pros and cons, and relative value for money- is the 5D worth 3 times the 350d, please remember that this is his first digital camera so it will be a new steep learning curve.
Any thoughts would be welcome, any user of the above mentioned cameras who would like to express their love for their camera please post a reply.
Thanks guys, A.

5d is overkill for a first cam, I'd get the 30d and lenses to see what he like/doesn't like. Lenses hold their value, bodies depreciate faster than cars


the benefits are improved high iso performance and obviously higher resolution, and a bigger brighter viewfinder. To the novice, thats not neccessary.

the 30d gives you more controls and a better built and easier to hold body than the 350d. The new rebel when its announced and released might be worth looking into, but for now its still speculation

There is no need for your dad to buy the 5D, unless he thinks he needs the full frame for the better resolution and depth of field it is unnecessary. The crop cameras can deliver superb photos and the lenses being developed for them have great image quality. I have a 5D but I bought it because it worked best with the lenses I already owned and use for paid jobs, your dad is starting from scratch and can build his/your system around his camera as well. Neither camera is "better", they both fit different niches.

I'd take the middle road and purchase the 30D. It's a great, full featured camera with sturdy build quality and picture styles. The price isn't prohibitive and would give him the best bang for his buck of the three cameras mentioned.

5D with its FF sensor will sow up any flaws in the glass so he will be spending on L grade from then on. I think the 30D would be the best . Nikon D200 would also be tempting but probably best to be able to share lenses if you see a lot of each other.

Spending 5D by a person at the level of photographic skill and experience of your father, is a needless expenditure of money compared to 30D. But cameras are like cars...buying the BMW instead of the Ford Taurus could be considered a needless expense, too! Sometimes you do it simply because... (and not because you have the driving skill to exploit the BMW to best advantage!)

Getting a bit more rational once again, the 350D and 20D/30D share the same focal length for the same field of view. Used on a 5D, you are more likely to need DIFFERENT focal length lenses...for example, if you like 70mm on your 20D, you dad would need a 110-115mm lens for the same FOV if he had the 5D...so the need for some lenses that would not (or could not, in some cases) be shared would arise. For example, if you had the 10-22mm wide angle zoom, he could not use it on the 5D. So for him to get the 30D makes more sense from the viewpoint of sharing.

Ok but is there any point in both of us essentially having the same camera, there are few differences between the 20d and 30d, surely better to wait for the next gen sensor?????
I know the 350 rebel replacement is due, but the 350 is still an excellent camera, its proven, available now, and at an all time low price.
350 is made in japan, i have read plenty of rumours hinting that the 350 replacement might be built in china,,,,,, plus the old argument buy what is available now or miss out on photographs, im sure people are still buying the nikon d70 despite the d80 launching next month. Hmmmm decisions decisions.
Thanks guys.

Give him your 20D and let him buy you the 30D

The other approach...he waits a bit and buys the new (to be announced) 400D which is rumored to replace the 350 (actually, a bit stronger than rumors...photos and info seen). Then one of you gets to use it...you can fight him over it or not!

I love my 20d, it needs a sensor clean, but its taught me so much, i think i will carry it with me as a sentimental brick in years to come, you know when slrs are built into your phone or something crzy and futuristic, so thats a big fat no to all you guys with regard to the 5d. See im thinking the extra money could go toward an L lens couple of fast primes and an apple imac to process all of the images taken. Camera really is onlyhalf of the story, you need some quality computer kit to process RAW files.

theres info and images of a 3d too, but yet its still just a fable

but I would atleast wait until the announcement to see whats up with it

Wait a couple months and get a 400D.

Images of 3d, to replace the 5d?? surely not thats not right surely its barely a year old, thought pro gear had a 2 year product cycle?
Anyone seen any confirmation from canon about the release of a new lens?