Digital Camera Help

[OscarTheGrouch]

Ok, so I unfortunately think I lost my Dslr camera somehow. I really don't know what happened but the last time I saw it was coming home from a family reunion in the back of our van. We went to look for it this weekend and it was no where to be found in our house or cars

At any rate I guess that puts me in the market for a new camera. I know there are some photo professionals here, and am looking for some input.

I had a canon digital rebel, that also had 2 tamron lenses. I'm currently looking at the XSi and the 40D. I cannot really figure out what if any differences these cameras have between each other. I love canon but am not opposed to Nikon I suppose. I don't really know much about them.

I would like to keep it under 1,000. I'd like to be in the 10Mp range or higher also. I really only need a body, lens, filters, 4gb or so memory card, bag, and battery. Obviously I would love a second lens, but not a necessity. There are some really good deals on ebay, but I'm very leery of most of those deals because I've heard and read bad things about how shady they are.

Who here can make some suggestions?

 

[Scarlet Fever]

If you already have EF-mount lenses, you might as well stick to it. There's no reason to spend more money than you need to by replacing your whole kit.

The 40D is physically bigger than the 450D, and while it lacks 2MP on the sensor, it deals with high ISO a lot better. It also has a better rated shutter life (100k instead of 50k), a top-mounted display, the back wheel (which makes manual mode a lot easier), magnesium alloy construction (instead of plastic), as well as a wealth of other little differences.

I really wouldn't be worrying about getting the highest number of pixels on the sensor you can; they only really matter when you are cropping or printing. A vast majority of images on the internet wouldn't be more than 1MP (~1000 x ~1000). I would really like it if developers stopped stuffing their sensors with pixels, and working on getting colour response nailed.

As for ebay, its a big risk. I took the risk, and it worked out alright for me, but I really didn't end up saving much when shipping, customs and exchange rates were taken into account, and I don't have a warranty for the camera. B&H have a good reputation.

As for lenses, see if you can get the EF-S 18-55 IS and the EF-S 55-250 IS. From what i've heard, they are stellar kit lenses. Also, make sure you get the EF 50mm f/1.8; its only about $100, but the image quality is brilliant.

My battery is about to hit flat, but I'm sure other members here can help you with anything else

 

[luminosity]

Definitely go with the 40D. The price on it is really falling these days, and it's a much better camera overall.

 

[bmcgrath]

Defo the 40D.

It will knock the socks off those entry level Canons.
But..... one thing I will say is, if you buy the lower end but cheaper 450D, any spare cash you have left over can be invested in much better glass. A lens is much much more important than any camera body IMHO.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

What others have said is good advice, and I will add: a 40D body comes with a battery that has a lot of capacity. It's a much larger battery than the one on the XT. Even here in the interior of Alaska where it gets real cold, I have never had the need for a second battery on the XT and now 40D. However, a second battery kept warm against your body (in the shirt pocket) can be handy if outdoors around 0-degree F. for extended periods of time (over 30-minute periods). In this instance, you can swap batteries whenever the one in the camera gets too cold.

 

[luminosity]

Technology moves fast, but it wasn't so long ago that the 40D was brand new (released the same week as the Nikon D300), back in 2007.