Want a new camera, not sure what to get =(

[jeffie7]

I really enjoy shooting photos, I currently use a Sony H2 camera, I feel that I've out grown the camera and would like to step it up to a true DSLR camera.

I mostly shoot pictures of autos (parked) and people/pets. I do enjoys shooting landscapes but no where near as much as the cars/people.

I want a Camera I can grow a bit with, something easy to use, and hopefully something that will allow me to at one point make a few dollars doing car photo shoots and maybe a wedding or two for friends (its an option)

With that being said.

Right now the Camera on the top of my list is a Cannon Xsi with the 18-55mm IS lens. I would buy that for now, then down the road pick up a nice wide angle lens for doing car interior shoots as with maybe some interiors of houses since I also do custom A/V work on the side.

That puts me at 850 start up investment and another 2-3-4-5-6+ hundred down the road for a nice wide angle lens.

I just wonder if that's the best choice. Would that give me the most bang for the buck? of course only I know if I'll out grow the Xsi. The idea of buying a 40D + lens only to use it in the same way as the Xsi bothers me.

I guess what this whole post comes down to is...

If you were starting out again, and not sure just how far you were going to get into photography, what Camera/Lens would you chose?

 

[Rachelsne]

middle of the range camera most likely
-if your doing it for your self, xti sounds good, thinking of going professional a good starter could be the 30d 40d or 5d depending on your budget-any of them could eventually become your back up body-but then same goes for the xti...

I dont know a whole lot about camera models at the moment, but I can tell you that investing in a good lens is very important, even with the rebel series you will take very good pictures, with kit lens, but your pictures become even better with better lenses.

that being said, no matter what camera you have if you dont know how to use it, you will not be getting the most out of your camera.

I upgraded from advanced point and shoot to the Canon 30d, I widh I had spent more on my 70-300 sigma and bought the canon version instead-oh well lesson learnt.

 

[jeffie7]

I just bit the bullet and bought the Xsi, I paid 829.99 for the Camera W/Lens and a 2gb memory stick.

Pretty good deal, at least I think so.

 

[ChickenFriedRyce]

It kind of bothers me when people completely ignore advice that they asked for and then mkae no notice that they actually read it and go for their original plan.

But anyway congrats on the camera and enjoy.

 

[jeffie7]

It kind of bothers me when people completely ignore advice that they asked for and then mkae no notice that they actually read it and go for their original plan.

But anyway congrats on the camera and enjoy.

You feel I didn't take the advice of the one person that gave me advice? Do you always ask for advice first the first and only person you ask on a topic where opinions will range all over the place? I was hoping for more then one reply but that's all I got =)

I'm not a pro, one day I might go down that road, clearly I'd like to make money if I could however, this is my first SLR camera, one that if I were to step it up, could become a backup camera. On the other hand, if I get sidetracked with my daily job and put taking pictures on the backburner, I wont feel so bad about not using.

I dont know a whole lot about camera models at the moment, but I can tell you that investing in a good lens is very important, even with the rebel series you will take very good pictures, with kit lens, but your pictures become even better with better lenses.

Based on her advice, I like the idea of more money for lenses and less money for a Camera.

 

[danjchau]

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[Robin]

You feel I didn't take the advice of the one person that gave me advice?

If it makes you feel any better, I would have advised you to go with exactly what you did. I only just joined the forum though so couldn't have given you advice sooner, lol.

The Rebel line is called entry level for a reason, it's perfectly suitable for someone in your situation who has never owned an SLR before and isn't quite sure how far they will go in photography yet. I'm sure you'll be happy with XSi and if you do eventually out grow it than so be it.

 

[jeffie7]

If it makes you feel any better, I would have advised you to go with exactly what you did. I only just joined the forum though so couldn't have given you advice sooner, lol.

The Rebel line is called entry level for a reason, it's perfectly suitable for someone in your situation who has never owned an SLR before and isn't quite sure how far they will go in photography yet. I'm sure you'll be happy with XSi and if you do eventually out grow it than so be it.

Going from my H2 to the Xsi has been night and day! so far I love it!
Hopefully I get to go pretty far with photography, I'd be very happy to make the Xsi a backup camera.

 

[djacobox372]

That's not a bad choice... you may want to consider looking for a used outfit on ebay. There's been a lot of good deals on nikon d200's lately, and I expect it to get even better now that the d700 has been announced.