OK, I'm getting married in October, and the future wife is getting a camera as her wedding gift. It's way too expensive, but she's done so well saving for the wedding, given up a lot, and I know it's one of the things she's given up to help save ...
Now that that's out of the way, I'm trying to find the best SLR for her (we don't own one now). I first decided on Canon, and for a lot of reasons the 50D keeps coming out on top when I'm looking at Canon models. My problem now is finding somewhere to buy it, getting all the accessories that you need, plus the correct lens (gulp, this is where my head goes fuzzy). Here's what I'm working with:
Budget: $2000
Wants: Kit that includes 50D + 2 lens (15-85MM and 70-300M?)
Uses: Biggest use will be outdoor landscapes, maybe some macro photography and tourist type shots (both day and night).
The lens are where I need the most help ... my research says starting with something like a 15-85/17-85 + 70-300 would be a solid start to a lens collection and allow the type of shots that fit my uses. But which version of each lens? Newest, older for value, brand name, etc, all start confusing me. I found a kit on primocamera.com which fits my budget, but reviews of the site are terrifying. Short of searching ebay for kits, are there any other places I should be looking? Is a kit a better value than buying everything individually?
I found myself overwhelmed, so I thought it best to stop lurking and start asking. Any help is greatly appreciated ... hopefully it won't be too long and she'll be back here posting some photos! Thanks!