Scholarship Money to Spend - Ideas?

Hello, gang!
I'd hate to start another "Which lens?!" thread, but seeing as I have to cash out a $2500 scholarship very soon and spend it on things related to my major ("Photography and Computer Graphics Design") before it expires, I need a little help to speed up the process.

Component 1: I need a film camera. I was thinking either the Canon EOS-3 or the Canon ELAN 7NE. Cha-ching.

Component 2: I'd like to update my Digital Rebel XT to a 30D or whatever the big product announcement is going to be (this is not meant to become a rumor thread!). I actually have 2 Digital Rebel kits I'd be willing to sell (body + kit lens, bought one set at a lost and found sale for $20). + Money!

Component 3: I'd like to make my lens line-up interchangable between the full-framed film camera and the digital (cropped, unless I opt for a 5D but I'm really trying to refrain from spending my own money as it is scarce now). Because of that, I'd want to sell my freshly-calibrated Sigma 17-70mm. My only other lens is the 70-200mm f/4 L, so I'd be in the market for a new lens that'll work well on both the film and the digital.

Summary: Assuming I were to sell my two Digital Rebels and my Sigma 17-70mm, I'm reckoning my budget would be approximately $3750 between a film camera, digital camera, and new lens.

Since I am in school, my photographing would include everything from architecture to portraits to landscapes.

I'd appreciate any input pretaining to what I should consider anyone could offer. Again, I am not in a position to put much of my own money into this. Thanks!

If your luck is like mine, the Canon 30D successor (40d?) will be announced immediately after the expiration of your scholarship...so why wait for something that may not even be? You can pick up an Elan 7e with battery grip for about $150...that leaves about $3600 left in your budget (assuming you sell your present stuff). With that much left over, I'd skip the 30D and pick up a used 5D...I've seen mint ones with under 900 clicks for under $2400 (there's one on FM as of yesterday, but I'm sure by now that its gone). If you can come upon a deal like this, you'd still have $1200 left. Get a good wide angle (17-40L) to complement the 70-200. That will work on the film and digital bodies, and you'd still have plenty of cash remaining for a decent 50mm prime.

24-70L, or a 28-70L, or 24-105L.

maybe a macro lens too?

Hmmmm...

When I first read your thread, you said you needed a film camera. And I thought, WHY?? Using a film camera these days can be so expensive, even if you do your own processing at home. But to each his own. Maybe school requires it? You can pick a good film camera up cheap these days.

I'm in the same business you are majoring in, and add web design in there as well. My workflow has greatly sped up since I started the digital photography thing. If I have to wait for clients to bring me photos, there is alot of idle time on my hands, because it generally takes forever for them to get them to me, and when they, the quality of the images just sux.

With $3750 possible, you should look into a 5D (full frame, 12.8megapixel) and a 24-105mm L lens. That should handle most all that you need for starters, and actually for a long time. The 24mm on the 5D is wide enough for most landscapes, and the 5D is a great portrait camera also.

With the other lenses you have, you could have a good bag of equipment for quite a while, IMHO

I've got an EOS 3 with very few actuations with your name on it!!

It's always great to dream about "what I would buy with $XXXX" but when the money is actually in your hands it always seems harder to make a decision, doesn't it?

Used EOS 3 is my call too. I have one, but not for sale. It takes pictures as well as my 5D. I use it as a back up at weddings still. You can get one for around $500 used. As for the DSLR, I'd recommend the XTI if you want to spend the extra on a 17-40 or 24-70. Depending on the release of any new Canon camera, the item may not appear on store shelves in time for your school. If you have to spend the money on equipment, then do that, but if I were you, I would save a bit of it for future purchases you might need to make. Good luck. I envy you taking photography as a major.

I don't know what's up with everyone, but I say you get an EOS3 for 500, a 5D for $2000 (both used), and a 24-70L. Gosh, that'd do architecture, portraits, and landscapes just dandy!

Elan 7e (my guess is that you will need for a class & not use it beyond that)

5D used

24-70 L

50 1.4

Bag

Tripod & head

Thanks for the suggestions, guys! My late response is due to a 10 mile hike I just went on and I think I'm about to slip into a coma (R i c h, if you reside in the Newport Coast in California, it was the El Moro Canyon Grand Loop near Crystal Cove. What a killer!). Aaaaanyways, yeah, we're required to learn how to process and use film for two of our classes. I even think we have to learn to use a double-lens-reflex camera, but we don't have to provide one, thank goodness!

The weird thing about this scholarship is we had to cash it out by the end of June this year, have the company transfer the money to our colleges, and then they would disburse it to us to use on anything related to the major. The plus side is we have access to the syllabuses of all the classes we have to take so we know what we'd have to invest in. Most of the stuff can be digital, but there are two or three classes that are going to require mostly film (Photojournalism and Photography - Aleternative Methods).

I really do appreciate the advice.

B3SEO: It's a great field to study, and this major is particularly exciting because it teaches graphics using Illustrator and Freehand, some 3D modeling and design, and photography ( you can take more classes and get some sort of additional certification in more in-depth photography ).

Suzy: thanks for the well wishes. I'm enjoying the major quite a bit. It gets the creative juices flowing for sure!

Rich: It is, indeed, harder! Once you actually have it, and it's a scholarship, you want to make good decisions and not blow it!

Ronald: Me likes the sound of the EOS-3. I may poke around some shops and see what they have in terms of used film SLRs.

blueM: I think that list would hit the nail right on the head... thanks!

Why don't you get a pentax 67, or a pentax 645 if you need autofocus. Both can be adapted to fit your EOS. You can get a 645 kit (used) with a body a wide, normal, and telphoto (manual focus) for 2 grand probably with money left over for extras. It is film, would give you excellent image quality and can be used, kinda, like an 35mm. Although its not too good for photojournalism.

I'm not understanding why he'd want a manual focus medium format kit.

madhatter04 wrote in post #3658301
Thanks for the suggestions, guys! My late response is due to a 10 mile hike I just went on and I think I'm about to slip into a coma (R i c h, if you reside in the Newport Coast in California, it was the El Moro Canyon Grand Loop near Crystal Cove. What a killer!

Nice! I've never actually hiked there before but I've heard it's a pretty nice hike. Is it crowded in the Summer? I'll definitely look into it seeing as how I live about 2 miles from it.

liquid, what Ronald said. heheh. I'd much prefer to stick to a run-of-the-mill Canon film SLR that I can use with my lenses without trouble. "Adapting" isn't a word I like to hear when it comes to lenses, camera bodies, and saving money!

R i c h: It wasn't very crowded today. There were quite a few mountain bikers out. The area is REALLY dry, and may I say 80% of the trail involves some pretty intense climbing. My legs aren't too happy right now. It got hot, and I think it would be a lot more bearable in the Fall and Winter, though!

madhatter04 wrote in post #3658301
...

Rich: It is, indeed, harder! Once you actually have it, and it's a scholarship, you want to make good decisions and not blow it!

Ronald: Me likes the sound of the EOS-3. I may poke around some shops and see what they have in terms of used film SLRs.
...

If you are going to look around for used camera bodies, (and I like your idea of buying a film body which will use the same lenses as you digital body) you might review prices at KEH

http://www.keh.com …CC=2&CCC=1&BCL=​&GBC=&GCC=

Consider whether you will continue to use a film body after taking the classes which require one. If you do not think you will I would sugest one of the Rebel or an Elan 7.

WMS

Thanks, WMS! They have some pretty good prices listed there! Thank you for sharing that site.