Want to upgrade my dads XSI for xmas. Need help.

roebuck · Dec 13, 2012

As the title states I was thinking I might upgrade my dads camera for christmas. He has a canon xsi currently. I don't know anything about cameras so I was hoping I could get some help here. What I do know is:
Id like to spend under 6-650.
He likes to shoot still scenery pictures mostly. I know he has done long exposure pictures of waterfalls and such so I know he likes that.
He's been into photography for over 40 years. Not a newcomer
He has several lenses for it, It would be best if they were compatible with a new camera.
He doesn't do video really, he doesn't do action shots.

Is there really an upgrade for this price? Do I not have enough info to really know?

thanks for any help

Big Mike · Dec 13, 2012

Welcome to the forum.

There are plenty of option, check out anything in the Canon Rebel series. The T2i or T3i might fit into your budget, maybe even the latest one, the T4i.
But really, upgrading the camera may not be the best thing for him. You said he mostly does still shots...so a newer camera probably won't give him much that he doesn't have now. A newer camera maybe have more pixels...which is handy for making bigger prints, but not too important otherwise. A newer camera would give him the ability to get better quality at higher ISO levels...but depending on his shooting style, that may not be an issue either.

I'd suggest that maybe a specific lens might be a better gift. You'd have to talk to him about it, to really figure it out.
Or maybe a very nice tripod ($500-$600 would but a pretty nice tripod).
Maybe a camera bag that suits his needs.

It's one of those situations where it's hard for other people to pick the perfect gift for someone, without being intimately involved in their activity/hobby.
If someone was buying me a photo related gift like that, I think the best case scenario was if the gift was for them to take me to a photography store (or even just a website) and offered to buy whatever I wanted (within budget).
That lacks the wow factor when giving the gift, but in the end, I think they might appreciate it more.