Recommend me some glass!

[PowerPee]

Maybe this is a late reply but just to add my 2 cents worth. The 18-200mm lens of Canon is nice. I got to try my friend's 50D (we have a different terminology here in asia) + the 18-200mm lens and I would say that its a good all around lens.

The L (Luxury) is the best there is in Canon's line up and you won't be disappointed with the color, sharpness and quality of your photos. Then again the price tag is a bit steep as compared to the non L version.

There are several good lenses from Canon to help you start with.

1.) 18-200mm
2.) 28-135mm
3.) 75-300mm

These are cheaper lenses compared to the L ones but they get the job done =D

The 450D is a good camera specially for beginners. If it is bundled with the 18-55mm kit lens you can use that for landscapes and events (parties, get togethers, etc). It's decent lens to start with, once you get the hang of it then you can upgrade. I am assuming that since you are a member of this forum you also love to take pictures of your toys (statues, figures, etc.) and you might want to invest on a prime lens (50mm f1.8), its a good lens for product shots and its light. If you want to get serious with toy photography then a macro lens will definitely do you justice... =D

You can then start off by using lampshades or table lamps for lighting your toys ... =D

Let me know if you need help =D

Hope this helps.

[IronFist]

Thanks for the continued interest. Unfortunately, my wife was laid off two days after I bought $1500 worth of new equipment. I had enough time to charge the battery before I had to bring it all back and return it. Never even unpacked anything other than the battery and the charger.

[PowerPee]

Originally Posted by IronFist

Thanks for the continued interest. Unfortunately, my wife was laid off two days after I bought $1500 worth of new equipment. I had enough time to charge the battery before I had to bring it all back and return it. Never even unpacked anything other than the battery and the charger.

Sorry to hear about that, hopefully everything will be ok...

[Magik]

Sorry too IronFist. I hope you guys find that silver lining soon. Take care.

[IronFist]

So, here we are, 8 or so months later and I'm finally back in the market for a camera. My wife actually got a job with Olympus! So, I do get a discount on Olympus product if I want it. I was eyeballing an E-30, but even with the discount, it's still a really pricey piece of equipment for me.

After weighing the cost/features conundrum, I've pretty much come back to liking the Canon XSi. Here's what I've put together as what I'm planning for my initial purchase:

Canon EOS Rebel XSi Digital Camera (body only)
Canon Normal EF 50mm f/1.8 II Autofocus Lens
Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Autofocus Lens
Canon EW73B Lens Hood for the EF-S 17-85 f/4-5.6 IS USM SLR Lens
Zeikos ZE-UV52 52mm Multi-Coated UV Filter
Zeikos ZE-UV67 67mm Multi-Coated UV Filter
Opteka Remote Control Cord
Transcend 8 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card

Between B&H Photo and Amazon, I've been able to shave off about $400 from what I originally paid for the setup I bought.

I know that I'll also need some kind of bag/case and a tripod. I think I'm going to go to Ritz to look at their bags. They had a nice backpack style bag that swung around to the front to allow access without having to take it off, and I'll look at tripods while I'm there. Unless anyone has an reccomendations?

Anyone want to offer some opinions on things I've overlooked or on the list I've proposed?

EDIT: Well, it's a bit too late to critique what I planned to purchase, because I took the plunge (again). Though I do have 15 days on the lenses if either of them turn out to be stinkers, which from everything I've seen, they're not. So, the majority of it, except the lens hood (which I passed on for the time being) one of the UV filters and the remote (which are shipping from non-Amazon retailers) should be here on Friday. Maybe Monday if the snow messes with shipping time.

[Zombie]

sounds good!

just last week Zombie got the XSI, Opteka Remote Control Cord, Transcend 8 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card, and the Canon Normal EF 50mm f/1.8 II Autofocus Lens.


the xsi is Zombies first dslr, and He couldn't be happier. its perfect for beginers like us!

[IronFist]

Yeah, I saw that, Z. You kind of lit the fire under my butt to get back in the game, though I've been gearing up to it on my own in the past couple months.

I would've liked to go with Olympus since my wife works there now, but I'd be spending a lot on a camera that does stuff that I may never use. Better to keep the price (relatively) low to see if I enjoy as much as I hope I will, and to figure out what I really need in a camera.