Buy the lens....

[MARINERMAGNUM]

I was just peruzing evilbay,trying to find a deal on a 180mm Canon macro. While I was going thru the pages I was hit with the stark reminder of the value of good glass versus camera bodies.

I remember back in 1999 lusting after the new Canon D30 digital SLR body,but the price was $3000!

The Canon 300mm 2.8L IS also came out about that time for about the same price-maybe a touch more.

Now,a minty,clean 300 2.8IS from '99 will still bring $2500 or maybe more.

The D30 I saw on ebayy tonight? $145.00 or offer.

Always,always spend the money on a good lens. It will pay you back in more ways than one.

Seeing that camera also made me feel old.

[Steve Foss]

Yeah, still shooting my creaking old 30D bodies (new three years ago) with three pieces of f2.8 glass (17-50, 100 macro, 200, 1.4 TCII). Seems good enough for 12-20 wedding clients per year, magazines, ad agencies, portrait clients, etc.

Simply put, unless you're shooting the very demanding indoor sports type stuff, there's little reason to go beyond the entry level or next level up sensor. That's the Rebel and xxD series for Canon. Any modern entry level DSLR sensor (and I mean within the last 3-4 years) is capable of stunning image quality limited only by the quality (sharpness, contrast, color saturation) of the glass and the vision of the photographer.

Good sentiments, MM, and a good reminder!

[MARINERMAGNUM]

The winter indoor sports is a big deal around here and accounts for a fair number of sales. If it weren't for the ISO range of the 50,I'd still be shooting the 30d's-they are a great body.

It seems the Canon rumor mill is neverending,and the flakes over at dee pee only add to the confusion.

The newest rumor is the shift toward an aps-h sensor in the 60D around 12 mp. The 50 is a good rig and I'm not planning on upgrading unless the 60D does indeed have dual card slots-as rumored. Nikon's new D300s has them,so I may be in trouble.

[Steve Foss]

I've actually shot quite a bit of indoor sports with 20D and 30D bodies with excellent results, as long as the lenses are f2.8 or wider, which allows the xxD bodies to shine brighter on autofocus. No, it ain't 1 series shooting, and you don't get as many keepers, but darn if it ain't good enough, at least for someone who only makes a peripheral business of indoor sports. If it was my bread and butter, I'd have a 1 series body.

Unless that Powerball comes along (or if the economy turns around), I'll still probably just keep upgrading two generations behind on the xxD series. So when the 60D comes out and one of my 30D bodies dies, I'll get a 40D, etc.

[MARINERMAGNUM]

Does Ken keep a lens on his 40? or did he get rid of it?

[MARINERMAGNUM]

Quote:

If it was my bread and butter, I'd have a 1 series body.

I hear ya. I don't know what Canon's problem is. All I want is a 1 series with dual D!GIC 4's,10fps,the good LCD,and ISO 6400-for $1500-$2000.

They're obviously not getting my e-mail.

[finnbay]

I do still have my 40. Most of the time I have a 28-105 sitting on it and it is the body I throw in the pack on fishing trips, etc. Always have liked that camera and consider it my backup's "backup".