Sticking with Canon: which configuration?

Hi guys,

thanks again for your answers in relation to yesterday's post ( Canon XTi vs Nikon D80 vs Pentax K10D) . With your help I've decided to stick with Canon and keep my Elan 7NE and Speedlight 420EX. I'll keep the two cheap Sigma zooms as well, even though they are most likely not going to work on the digital camera I'm going to buy.

In this post I propose a more concrete question, where I've outlined three possible configurations, and I'd love to hear about your advice on them. Feel free to propose a different one if you think this would be beneficial.

While you advice on this, please consider the followings:

• I mostly take pictures of People and beauty photography. Landscapes are only something occasional at the moment. But I plan to do some Stock photography, so again people, but also food and still life.
  
• Over the course of the next months I may be able to invest a little bit more into photography, maybe just enough to buy a decent glass (in a year or so) or some studio lights, but I think this is going to be a very slow process and it's unlikely that I'd be able to buy a new body camera before 2009/2010.
  
• I live in Canada, where Canon tends to rip off people. (in the US prices are usually much better)
  
• I feel that I've not outgrown the capabilities of my Elan 7NE, but I definitely like the feeling when I'm using it (I tried my wife's Rebel 3000N and it really is a toy).

I said 2 because of the lenses

Some links to make you smile!

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …EG&addedTroughT​ype=search

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ghType=category​Navigation

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ghType=category​Navigation

There ya go... Just saved you about $500. Check www.bhphotovideo.com before you buy! You might want to rethink your combinations with the lower prices!

Config #3 for me... I don't see many people choosing a 20D/30D over the XT/XTi and regretting it. Can save for other glass later, the 50 1.4 is quite good for portrait work on a crop body.

Having said that, #1 is much more flexible for landscapes and #2 is more flexible with the long zoom... it's so dependent on how you're going to prefer shooting. For me at least the 30D is worth waiting a little longer for the good glass compared to the XTi.

braduardo wrote in post #2223712
Some links to make you smile!

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …EG&addedTroughT​ype=search

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ghType=category​Navigation

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ghType=category​Navigation

There ya go... Just saved you about $500. Check www.bhphotovideo.com before you buy! You might want to rethink your combinations with the lower prices!

Hi Brad,

thanks for your links, I did considered BH, but the savings maybe lower than expected. For example, for configuration 3, we have $1450 with BH which is more or less $1660 CAN. If you add to that $70 CAN for the memory card, $100 US dollar shipping, and 15% taxes when importing in Canada (but no duty), we would get something like $2130 CAN. Now... if the rebate is still valid, and it looks like it wouldn't because the purchase wasn't done in Canada from a Canadian retailer, we go as low as $1850. Saving me about 200 canadian bucks, but the rebate again may not be allowed. I wouldn't risk on such a small margin.

Thanks.

A01 wrote in post #2223711
I said 2 because of the lenses

Those L glasses are so tempting...

Jim G wrote in post #2223733
Config #3 for me... I don't see many people choosing a 20D/30D over the XT/XTi and regretting it. Can save for other glass later, the 50 1.4 is quite good for portrait work on a crop body.

That's a very nice glass for portaits, and that's the reason why I selected it. That being said, I've found myself very often taking portraits at 200 or even 300mm with a nice bokeh effects (with my film camera). Also a 50mm will require me to move around a bit and that may be good for learning more or maybe stressfull, I'm not sure.

I tend to prefer the 30D a lot... but I'm fond with good lenses because I never had them but I know how important they are.

By the look of the majority of fast-prime lenses of choice, it seems to me that you want to do low light work. In that case, I would think the 30D is a better choice due to the noise suppression.

For me it wood be #3. Because I love the 30D over teh other camera.

Good luck.

Would you replace the 50mm f/1.4 in the third configuration with a walkabout zoom? The double rebate rule kind of force me to get one of the listed lenses in order to get the double rebate of 240 on the camera. (unless I throw in a grip which would be out of budget and buy a Sigma or Tamron)

NAisBEST wrote in post #2223880
By the look of the majority of fast-prime lenses of choice, it seems to me that you want to do low light work. In that case, I would think the 30D is a better choice due to the noise suppression.

I don't have particular low light situations in mind, but I know that I love fast lenses (in terms of autofocus) and I love quality, with glasses that can produce crisp and sharp images. Given the small budget and the quality requirement, it looks like the small 50mm may be a good option. do you advice any other to replace it?

I guess its all up to the preference of the focal length you need. Ive seen some stunning images come from the 85 1.8 also.

Why are you even thinking about a purchase when you have consumer debt? Set your priorities straight today and you'll be able to afford to purchase whatever you'd like in the future. Continue to spend while having consumer debt and you'll be living with it for the rest of your life.

Delay the gratification and go read up on photography in books and magazines at the local library. Down the road you'll be happy for your decision.

RichNY wrote in post #2224114
Why are you even thinking about a purchase when you have consumer debt? Set your priorities straight today and you'll be able to afford to purchase whatever you'd like in the future. Continue to spend while having consumer debt and you'll be living with it for the rest of your life.

Delay the gratification and go read up on photography in books and magazines at the local library. Down the road you'll be happy for your decision.

See Rich, the consumer debt is not in place because of crazy purchases in the past. It is there and it amounts to a few thousand dollars, because it has been a necessity when I had economic difficulties. Now I've a much better job and I'm paying my credit cards monthly bills without problems, even if they still have a moderately big balance. The situation is definitely under control. I finally got a completely unexpected bonus at work, and considering that I've been reading in books and magazines and the internet for more than two years... I feel like... do it now or never (well, maybe in 2009, but that's a long time).

Completely off topic, but when I have debt and a large source of income comes my way, that money goes straight into paying off the debt before anything else.
I'd rather live camera-less without a grey cloud over my head, than with a camera knowing my debts could spiral out of control if I lose my job etc etc.