S3-IS?

Hi,
Not sure if this is the right place to post this or not, but let me
know what you think.

I'm saving up for a digital SLR ( Probably an XT, an XTI, a 20D, or a 30D ), but it will be awhile until I save enough for one . Do you think I should get an S2 or an S3-IS first, then a DSLR? Or should I just get an DSLR?

I don't have any digital cameras right now and I thought that having one might help me save up faster(no film or developing). But on the other hand that would be about $300 more that I would have to save.

Right now I have a Rebel 2000 and a 28-80mm lens.

Thanks for the C&C,

~David

Only you can decide if the dev & printing costs thro the time you would own an S3IS, plus the cost of buying it would be a viable and economic exercise. Don't forget though, that if you look after it well you can sell it on ebay for a decent price, so the purchase cost isn't as much as you would think. If I were in your shoes, I'd buy a camera that's just been released, so that it would still be current if I sold it in less than 1 year. The
S3IS is due for replacement so you could well find that a Panny Fz8 or Olympus SP550 will depreciate less over say, 10 months, because they've only just been released

If you know how to use a SLR, then save, it'll be worth it. But if not and ya wanna get some practice in I think the S3 is a good place to start. It's the closest thing to one and good to learn on. Also, acknowledge that an SLR will be better.

Obviously money doesn't come to you easy so maybe you should just save. There's an older man that has an S3 and was learning on it for about a year or less but now he feels he knows enough to get a SLR which I think for some people it works.

B&H is selling the S2 for only $269. If you bought that, and then like a zillion others, found out that was all you really needed or wanted, look how much you will have saved. Of course, if you're 100% sure that you're going to buy the SLR, then it seems like a complete waste of money to buy any kind of bridge camera before then.

Thanks for the comments. I realy like Shooting digital from times that I have used them and yes it is pretty hard for me to save money ( especialy when I keep shooting with film ) I will see what other people say and then make a decision . I hadn't thought about selling it on E-bay afterwards though , thanks for the idea. I might wait and see if Canon comes out w/ a S4-IS .

~David

Gary, I will be getting an SLR but at 17 and without a real job, using film as you know Uses up my funds VERY quickly.

Yes, film does. But so does an SLR in general. BUying glass, still printing pics, memory cards. But then again, you'd just be starting.

o0o0o0! I should mention the great deal I got on an S3. Sears had it for $274 and I got 5% off from the cute sales girl. Life was good!

Dbirdman wrote in post #2804103
Gary, I will be getting an SLR but at 17 and without a real job, using film as you know Uses up my funds VERY quickly.

David, I guess when you factor in the cost of film and processing, that it probabbly would make sense to buy one of the S series cameras until you get the money for your SLR. They take great pictures, and you will be shooting digital instead of film 'til you get your SLR. Good luck!

You can buy a new XT for about $500? US,,,,can't you? You have the lens from the film rebel that will work with the XT. It's probably not super wide on a digital 1.6 crop body, but, it's a useable lens.

B&H sells the XT "body only" for $488, and like Cre@te says, the lens you have would give you a good start. Wow, have these cameras come down in the last few years, or what?

_aravena wrote in post #2804268
Yes, film does. But so does an SLR in general. BUying glass, still printing pics, memory cards. But then again, you'd just be starting.

o0o0o0! I should mention the great deal I got on an S3. Sears had it for $274 and I got 5% off from the cute sales girl. Life was good!

As long as we're bragging, I got mine for $198 brand new because it was lumped in with the clearance cameras by accident at my local walmart.

Having said that, every time I take a great picture with it, I think to myself... "do I really NEED an SLR when I'm getting pictures like this?". The answer is always, "no, but you don't really NEED your x2 5200 processor in your computer either". Basically, you'll save time, and get more consistent images with a DSLR than you will the S3, but you can get darn close results... in time.

Are you spending too much on film that doesn't even turn out all the time? Yes, without a doubt. The biggest advantage of digital, to me, since I bought my 3.2 mega pixel Fuji has been the fact that no matter how many pictures I take, I can see right away if I got the shot, and I don't have to pay a penny for shots that don't come out.

Thanks for all of the Help! I will keep saving and get one or the other, depending on which one I can get the best deal on! (sales, clearance, etc.)
Thanks again!

~David