My Dilemma

Buy the XSi for her. She will love something new to go with your something new.

Share lenses!

Btw, I totally understand your wife when she complains about the "shutter lag" bit. The G2 was the first digi cam in our family, and now I use an SD880 portable camera for when I travel... but the shutter is soooo slow.

rklepper wrote in post #6747115
Buy the XSi for her. She will love something new to go with your something new.

I can't afford to buy both cameras. It's one for me OR one for her.

Killjoy wrote in post #6747126
I can't afford to buy both cameras. It's one for me OR one for her.

=D of course yourself! if she really wanted one she would buy one for herself! just give her your 30D and buy a 40D or 50D and new glass!! =)

Don't make this an equipment discussion. First, you need to make sure that photography is something she can get pleasure from. As hard as it is for us to believe, not everyone receives pleasure from taking pictures of things. She may have an interest in it, just because she sees you enjoying it so much. However, she may find that once she really gets into it, that is' too much for her, or just flat out boring.

I'm willing to bet that she doesn't know that a 20D is a 3 year old camera, and I doubt she cares.

BigBlueDodge wrote in post #6747213
I'm willing to bet that she doesn't know that a 20D is a 3 year old camera, and I doubt she cares.

Four years old.
She bought it for me, for my fortieth birthday.
But you are right. I doubt she cares.

I was just looking at a couple of other things.
With the XSI/450, it takes a different battery, and doesn't take compact flash.
So I would also have to buy an extra battery of a different size for it as well as having to buy media to fit it.

I think my mind is now made up.
Thanks to everyone for their input.

BigBlueDodge wrote in post #6747039
Don't buy her anything right now, until you are 110% sure this is something she wants to get into. Let her use your 20D (which is a great camera) until she has mastered the basics.

There you go, perfect advice.

That's decided then. Go for the 50D. You know (deep in your heart) this is what you want. So go for it.

If you "think" you are undecided, do this. Flip a coin. If it lands on "buy the 450D" and you think to yourself "best out of 3" you know you really want the 50D.

Edit: I just read what you posted. I guess you'll be getting a 50D then?! Well done.

Stealthy Ninja wrote in post #6747243
If you "think" you are undecided, do this. Flip a coin. If it lands on "buy the 450D" and you think to yourself "best out of 3" you know you really want the 50D.

Funny. True, but funny none the less.

you'll like the 50D its a great camera.

I would say ditch the wife and you don't have to worry about your lens or camera.... but in the end I might me more expensive than keeping the wife..

Killjoy wrote in post #6746936
I have been saving for a new camera body.
I should be able to swing a 50D for myself by Christmas.

My wife went on a California POTN shoot with me last month. She used my Powershot G2. She was complaining about the shutter lag and the lack of zoom.

Here's the dilemma. Should I buy myself a 50D and let my wife use my old (but in fantastic shape) 20D?
Or should I buy her the XSI with the 18-55 and the 55-250?
If I did the latter, then I wouldn't have to worry about her mooching my 70-200 when we go shooting.

What would you do?

Is this a relationship question or a camera question? LOL

Seriously, though, don't discount the relationship part of this issue. Is your wife going to be upset that she only gets hand-me-downs if you buy yourself a new camera body? Or will she just be thrilled to be using an SLR and appreciate all the advantages she has gained over the point and shoot?

Maybe a better choice would be to buy her the XSi camera body and just share lenses. I'm not a big fan of those one lens covers all situation lenses like the 55-250. You give up enough image quality by using zooms over primes, but when you use a mega-zoom like the 55-250, the image quality starts to get really bad.

Me, I'm just glad my wife doesn't want to shoot, she's the artistic director ("Here, take this, it looks really cool.")

My Wife wants her own 40D. However she's in love with the 17-55, and wouldn't settle (she knows it's good, because I pumped it up so much). So if I were to get her one, I'd give her my 40D and get a 5DII or 1D3 (I know I know, two different).

She MIGHT want something like yours, so be careful.

I know I'll like the 50D. I got to play with one on that get together in October.
Maureen Souza already had hers by then, and she let me check it out.

It's a camera question, and has less to do with the relationship.
I can count on one hand how many times we have gone shooting together with the intent that we were both going to take photos.
Most of the time, she just wants to be able to grab a camera and take a couple of photos, but I have mine with me.
Yet another reason to let her use my 20D, right?

As for wanting one like mine, yes she may want the larger LCD to check her shots and histogram (after I teach her what that is), but she will survive.
Then by the time I upgrade again, she can have my 50D!

Besides, when I handed her the 20D with the 70-200 f/2.8 she obviously noticed how heavy it was, because she commented on it.
I believe her comment was "Holy Carp" or something close to that.
That's one of the reasons I was considering the XSI with the 55-250.

I had a similar situation. I had a 1D and a 40D, and the wife really started getting into photography. So I gave her the 40D/17-55 IS combo and after a day, she told me that it was too heavy for her and gave it back. She went back to using the G9.

My advice would be to hold off for now, give her the 20D to try out and see if she gets bitten by the bug.

Killjoy wrote in post #6746965
How did I lose you?

If I buy the 50D for myself, she gets my 20D and we share lenses.
If I buy the XSI kit, she gets a camera with lenses, and I still use my 20D. But she won't be wanting to borrow my lenses.

Definitely this option... it'll make her feel special and above your needs. You will get some major brownie points.