High-end lenses on a Rebel?

[eterrisinCYQX]

I'm gonna pick up a Rebel XSi sometime soon, my first digital SLR. My question is, when I'm ready to move up to top-end lenses, will the Rebel really fall short, or will it do alright?

[RKW3]

It will do fine, I've seen really good pictures from people who have used an XTi and an "L" class lens.

[Big Mike]

Yes, you can use any Canon EF or EF-S lens on that camera.

That's part of the beauty of an SLR system, you can interchange lenses and bodies.

[eterrisinCYQX]

I know it can interchange, my question was more whether the Rebel would drag a good lens down.

[Big Mike]

No, the Rebels will certainly be able to produce great results...especially with great lenses. If anything, the smaller, lighter body of the rebel may feel out of place when coupled with a big heavy lens...but the quality will be just fine.

[usayit]

High end L Canon glass attached to a Rebel? Oh gasp.. what a faux pas!!!!

I'm joking...

[JimmyO]

If you start getting bigger/nicer glass i suggest you look for a battery grip also. It will make the camera handle nicer and you will have a better grip. They just over make it feel better with big lenses

[Emerana]

I have (had) an xti and rented an L lens...I hope to someday buy an L. Great photos. feels funny at first with a huge lens. i would MUCH rather buy an xti (or xsi) and a kick butt lens then an average lens and a kick butt body

[Sarah23]

Quote: Originally Posted by JimmyO

If you start getting bigger/nicer glass i suggest you look for a battery grip also. It will make the camera handle nicer and you will have a better grip. They just over make it feel better with big lenses

I agree! I have the XTi and am getting a grip soon. Its a bit small and hard to hold onto at times, especially sideways. Its a great camera, tho!

[JimmyO]

Quote: Originally Posted by Sarah23

I agree! I have the XTi and am getting a grip soon. Its a bit small and hard to hold onto at times, especially sideways. Its a great camera, tho!

I bought one for my d40x. I didnt have the money for the one with the extra shutter realese. So basicly i get the benefits of a bigger battery, and a bigger camera. I just feel safer being able to keep my whole hand on the camera.

[Garbz]

Photozone.de do sharpness tests on canon lenses using a Rebel. Only some of the top fancy L series lenses hit the top of the graphs.

[JIP]

To me this is the Right way to progress instead of running right out and buying a higher-end body with cheap glass.

[Village Idiot]

You know. I'm going to use my Drebel this weekend instead of my 30d. I'm going to shoot on Sunday. I think I'll be using my 70-200 f/2.8L IS on it as well. Then you'll see some good shots.

[Village Idiot]

Quote: Originally Posted by JIP

To me this is the Right way to progress instead of running right out and buying a higher-end body with cheap glass.

And I just started a thread on this on the POTN forums. Should we reccoming entry level cameras to photo noobs that are serious about the hobby when there's other cameras that will preform just as well, have better features, and can be found for cheaper out there?

Personally, I'd reccomend a 30D to some one wanting to seriously get into photography over an XSI. Even a 40D won't be that much more than a new XSI. And I'm sure 90% of Canon users would agree that the XXD series are better cameras than the rebel line.

It's not like three years ago where you couldn't touch a pro-sumer camera for less than $800 for even used gear. Now you can pick up 10D's for $250+ used.

Just an observation.

[MX962]

Perfect idea !But if you can afford it look at the 40D also less mp's but a far better camera in the long run and with good glass its incredible but the xsi is a great starter body btw

[Jon0807]

People tend to change/upgrade bodies but keep their lenses. So if you start off with EF and L lenses you'd have great lenses if/when you decide to upgrade your body. Keep in mind that with full frame cameras you can't use EF-S lenses.

[gryphonslair99]

eterrisinCYQX

This has been a long debated subject and will continue to be debated. Here is my take on the whole thing for what it is worth.

Camera bodies: NEED just a few things. Reliable shutter (accurate speeds), Decent reliable sensor (in the old days a flat film plane) Good ISO range, Reliable metering and with the new bodies accurate auto focusing. That is really all they need. The rest of the stuff is just extra. Some of it very useful extra, but extra none the less. Any old time film shooter will understand what I am saying. Does the Rebel series accomplish this? Yes

Lenses: They also need a few things. These are the things that make a lens a keeper: Good build, Great optics. That is it. It pretty much encompasses the needs for a keeper lens.

Good lenses will last you a lifetime of camera bodies if you just take care of them. My 35mm film bodies included an F and several versions of the F2. Yes I was a Nikon shooter in my film days. I was fortunate to be able to get a used Nikkor 50mm f1.2 lens to start with. One of the best ever made IMO. All the glass I bought was good glass of high quality. Being poor at the time, most was used, but in good condition. I still own all of that glass and used it for 30+ years before I switched to Digital. It is still great glass.

The F3 came along as did the F4, F5 etc. The F3 in my opinion was a waste of money. A lot of new fangled stuff that while useful was not needed. And IMO the shutter was not reliable. Not when a batter failure left you with the one and only shutter speed of 1/60th of a second. The F and F2 bodies did what I needed them to do.

If you are serious about photography you will go through camera bodies. If you are serious about photography and start out with cheap, low quality lenses, you will also go through a lot of lenses as well.

You have to decide whether you want to buy the same focal length once at a higher cost now, and probably not as often as you could with cheap glass, or replace focal lengths with progressively better glass at what will be in the long run a higher price.

[eterrisinCYQX]

The kit I'm looking at now includes the 17-55mm f4.something Canon lens with IS. I'll get an EF or an L lens probably soon afterwards, and keep going from there.

[schuylercat]

It's a new world out there.

I shot an EOS 1N and an A2 backup, each mated to L series glass, and tried to make a go as a motorsports photographer. Got my work published, got to see Indycars for free for six and a half years, and loved it.

Toward the end I ran out of time and money and had to let go...so I sold the 1N. I kept the A2, and used a Rebel (yes, a Rebel. Not a rebel XT...a $90 used 35mm Rebel) as my backup.

The A2 ran 6FPS easy, but besides that the only difference was the Rebel was better at spot metering. I never missed my 1N, except it was massive and easy to hold on to, where the Rebel was a toy.

Not so much anymore, huh? When the bodies just transported film, this was a non-issue except for people who manhandled their cameras (mine have a lot of battle scars on them). Oddly, my little Rebel sustained very little battle damage, maybe bacause it bounced off things, it was so light...

The xsi is what, 12MP? My 40D is 10.1. The web site states both cameras use DCF2.0, 14 bit original images with the nod going to the xsi for capture denisty, and it's not looking good for those of wannabe amateurs like me who plunked down a lot of extra Ducats for the 40D in order to get a tougher body with a lots of throughput and a few cute features.

[DeadEye]

xti with L glass shot