Might be purchasing a DSLR. Input goes here:

[Verdugo]

But I couldn't for the life of me find a review for the Canon Rebel XS.

This is actually my favorite review site, but they didn't have a review for the Sony you mentioned. Here is their Rebel XS review though:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos1000d/

[DTR rex]

This is actually my favorite review site, but they didn't have a review for the Sony you mentioned. Here is their Rebel XS review though:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos1000d/

Thanks for the link.

I guess I am leaning towards the Canon, but not 100%.

I assume reliability is going to be the same between the two models?

I like to buy my electronics from Costco because they have a 90-day no questions asked return policy. Since I've already played with the Nikon, maybe I'll go ahead and buy the Rebel XS, play with it for a couple months, and if I find I was liking the Nikon better, get that.

[Verdugo]

Thanks for the link.

I guess I am leaning towards the Canon, but not 100%.

I assume reliability is going to be the same between the two models?

I like to buy my electronics from Costco because they have a 90-day no questions asked return policy. Since I've already played with the Nikon, maybe I'll go ahead and buy the Rebel XS, play with it for a couple months, and if I find I was liking the Nikon better, get that.

In my personal experience, Nikon's a little better in terms of reliability...but we're talking about people who go out and shoot photos in bad weather and such. Overall build quality has Nikon winning too, but that's often more with the higher level cameras with magnesium bodies, weather sealing, and such. For example, I shot Subiefest 2 in a rainstorm and my camera and lenses were fine...but a few Canon 20Ds got soaked and pretty much bricked themselves. I don't think you'll find a problem with reliability at this level though.

[Weasel 555]

not getting into the canon vs nikon debate...

like armin/spiros mentioned earlier.

what kind of photos do you like taking or want to be taking, also the accessory range available of lenses , hot shoe flashes etc

a dslr these days is like buying a car and then wanting to mod it , it isnt gonna be cheap in the long run.

still remember you could have the cheapest body canon rebel or the nikon but its the quality of the lenses that are making the image not the body per say thats just holding the memory card.

another thing you might want to look into is buying a used middle to high end body and even lenses, there is many a deal to be found out there wether from ebay/craigs list etc

[DTR rex]

another thing you might want to look into is buying a used middle to high end body and even lenses, there is many a deal to be found out there wether from ebay/craigs list etc

Not really an option right now.

I want to purchase from either Costco (90 day no questions asked return policy + they automatically extend the manufacturer's warranty for free) or Best Buy (I am eligible for 18 months 0% interest on anything under $800 or 36 months 0% interest on anything over $800).


Thanks for input everyone. Gonna go check each one out today and see how they feel in my hands.

I'm in a photography class and my professor basically said the same thing all of you said. Can't go wrong with either, and to focus on how it feels in my hands, and prices/options for future lenses.

[DTR rex]

Dammit!

Went looking at cameras today and apparently the XSi was discontinued and now it's the Canon XS which does not have the live-view. Also, neither the Rebel XS or D3000 have HD video recording.

I'm not sure I want to drop $500 + on a camera that can't even video record, let alone have live-view.

On the other hand, I really don't have $800+ to spend on the Rebel T1i or the D5000.

Kind of in a jam now.

[Verdugo]

Dammit!

Went looking at cameras today and apparently the XSi was discontinued and now it's the Canon XS which does not have the live-view. Also, neither the Rebel XS or D3000 have HD video recording.

I'm not sure I want to drop $500 + on a camera that can't even video record, let alone have live-view.

On the other hand, I really don't have $800+ to spend on the Rebel T1i or the D5000.

Kind of in a jam now.

Honestly, the HD video on DSLRs is still in the gimmick stages. You can produce some decent results, but since there's no auto-focus in live view, you pretty much have to manual focus or hope that the focus track will be good enough. Plus, live view is a bit of a gimmick too I never use it ever with my D300.

Baby steps first...get the photography down, then you can start looking into video. Video, while sharing some similar principles with photography, is a whole different animal that even I don't want to mess with yet.

[Weasel 555]

Donnie,

heres a couple of good priced used examples from B&H Photo

Canon:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...l_XSi_SLR.html

Nikon:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...LR_Camera.html


-----------------------------

From Calumet Photo in Chicago:
Nikon D3000 with Lens:
http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/NZ0300/

scroll down the link:
USED NIKON D100 W/24-85MM KIT NZ1000KU $379.99
Click: http://www.calumetphoto.com/ctl?ac.u...locNo=005#Used

.

[DTR rex]

Honestly, the HD video on DSLRs is still in the gimmick stages. You can produce some decent results, but since there's no auto-focus in live view, you pretty much have to manual focus or hope that the focus track will be good enough. Plus, live view is a bit of a gimmick too I never use it ever with my D300.

Baby steps first...get the photography down, then you can start looking into video. Video, while sharing some similar principles with photography, is a whole different animal that even I don't want to mess with yet.

I'm a bargain hunter, so I guess I was expecting way too much for my price range. I wanted to go sub-$600 and get a good DSLR + HD video + live view + automated blowjob mechanism.

I guess I just wanted too much.

I almost pulled the trigger on the T1i with a bundle set. It was going to run me $1k, but with 36 months @ 0% I was really tempted. But that's just not a smart purchase right now.

I guess there's nothing wrong with starting off with a bare-bones DSLR then, right?
Especially considering my very limited experience.

[DTR rex]

Donnie,

heres a couple of good priced used examples from B&H Photo

Canon:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...l_XSi_SLR.html

Nikon:
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...LR_Camera.html


-----------------------------

From Calumet Photo in Chicago:
Nikon D3000 with Lens:
http://www.calumetphoto.com/item/NZ0300/

scroll down the link:
USED NIKON D100 W/24-85MM KIT NZ1000KU $379.99
Click: http://www.calumetphoto.com/ctl?ac.u...locNo=005#Used

.

Thanks for the links. Those are very tempting. $520 for the D5000 sounds great. And only $450 for the XSi (which is the camera I originally wanted but they discontinued).

How do you know you're getting a properly functioning and long lasting camera though?

Is it common to buy used cameras or is this generally known as a high risk situation?

Excuse my ignorance. I am very new to the SLR world.

[Verdugo]

Thanks for the links. Those are very tempting. $520 for the D5000 sounds great. And only $450 for the XSi (which is the camera I originally wanted but they discontinued).

How do you know you're getting a properly functioning and long lasting camera though?

Is it common to buy used cameras or is this generally known as a high risk situation?

Excuse my ignorance. I am very new to the SLR world.

Well, those links have a used quality rating with them, and B&H is a very trusted source (I don't buy from anywhere else, personally), so you can count on those ratings to be true. Used camera equipment isn't quite as risky of a situation, especially when buying from the larger retailers like B&H and Adorama. Going into a small store or eBay might be a bit more risky, but these larger stores are big because they've made a good reputation for themselves.

[SD_GR]

I'm a bargain hunter,

You're a wise man.

I guess I just wanted too much.

The World Is Not Enough...

I almost pulled the trigger on the T1i with a bundle set. It was going to run me $1k, but with 36 months @ 0% I was really tempted. But that's just not a smart purchase right now.

The life cycle for body models is much less than that. This means almost nobody shoots with a current body at any given time; it also means bodies for digital SLRs aren't like bodies for film SLRs, which were considered current even a decade after introduction. Now, you buy something and it's aging, but, BUT! it still takes the same quality photos it always did; body cycles are not entirely marketing, but they are a large % marketing!

I guess there's nothing wrong with starting off with a bare-bones DSLR then, right?
Especially considering my very limited experience.

Not at all. I would be shocked if you could find all your requirements at your initial price range.

How do you know you're getting a properly functioning and long lasting camera though?

Reputation and policies of the seller. Read the return policy and see if you're OK with that.

Is it common to buy used cameras or is this generally known as a high risk situation?

Both. The risk increases with the model specifics and whether the previous owner used it in a studio for a week or used it to crack open shellfish on assignment in Bora Bora. As always buy the vendor, not just the product.

[Verdugo]

As always buy the vendor, not just the product.

OH how I wish more people would do that when it comes to automotive parts...but I digress

[SD_GR]

OH how I wish more people would do that when it comes to automotive parts...but I digress

I've said it for everything from car parts to clothing -- and seafood too!

[DTR rex]

Which is a typically better to purchase; a refurb or a used?

I like the Rebel XSi in that link, but it seems silly to not get the D5000 for all the extra features and only $50 more.