Call to Rebel 350 and 18-55 lens users: upgrade camera or lens first?

Want to upgrade my wife to be's camera or lens - can't afford both:

Choices are get the 17-55 lens now and upgrade the camera later or upgrade the camera (550) and get the lens later

Which is the biggest limiting factor on image quality ( all other things being equal) - the Camera IQ, or the 18-55 lens IQ?

thanks

I got a 50mm 1.8 before I did anything else.

Lens. As long as your XT is in good shape, I'd upgrade glass. I still only have the 350D, but I'm amazed at the nice images it can produce.

Sure, I'll upgrade bodies (probably this summer), but I acquired a new lens each of the past three years -- and am happy I did -- and got the most out of the simple little Rebel.

Gary

Since 350D and 18-55, technology has improved and you will realise a noticeable improvement by upgrading either of these. It's hard to look at this case as 'everything else being equal' because 550D has improvements and added features that can be useful in many other ways.

Having had both 350D and 18-55 in the past, though, I would go for lens upgrade first. The particular 17-55 that you mentioned brings more improvements than just IQ namely faster speeds, shallower DOF, USM, full-time manual focus and IS.

I''m assuming that it's the original 18-55 non-IS kit lens with her 350D. For the price of a 17-55 you could get her a XSi 2 lens kit with the 18-55 IS and the 55-250 IS. The best of both worlds.

Lens, definitely

Lens, hands down. I shot the 24-70/2.8L on my 350 for quite some time before upgrading bodies.

How did a 24-70 feel on the XT? MY Sigma 18-50 Macro didn't balance well with it lol.

IRT the OP

I'm with everyone else, the sensor on the XT can get professional quality images in most circumstances but the 18-55 will severely limit your wife. If you're willing to get something other than the 17-55 you could maybe upgrade both camera and lens. If you sold the XT you could fund most of a Tamron 17-50 or Sigma 18-50 leaving you more than enough money for a new/used body.

I bought a 350D when they were first released,, it's now in the hands of my daughter.. I used and abused this camera for 4 years while tripping around SE Asia.. I bought the 350D for that specific purpose because it's light and compact.. I never used the kit lens supplied but a Sigma 18-200mm non OS which worked great as a combo for travelling.. My old 350D has a few scratches and about 80,000 clicks on it but still going strong..

I'd honestly recommend you update your lenses as the old kit lens is just so-so.. What works well on the 350D are Tamrons 17-50mm f/2.8 and 28-75mm f/2.8..

wow, that's nice.

as far as i know, the older gen. models should survive only around 50,000 actuations before a shutter change right?

des34415 wrote in post #9763733
wow, that's nice.

as far as i know, the older gen. models should survive only around 50,000 actuations before a shutter change right?

Honestly,, I've real hammered this camera..

When I got a 50mm f1.8 I was surprised how good the pictures looked compared to the kit lens. When I got the 70-200mm f4 I was blown away. Get good glass, no question.

yogestee wrote in post #9763886
Honestly,, I've real hammered this camera..

haha. good for you

des34415 wrote in post #9763986
haha. good for you

Des,,there's a difference between over use and abuse

I currently use the digital rebel xt and the first upgrade I made was to buy the Tamron 28-75 lens, great investment IMO