digital camera

[firebug]

Say just thinking about buying a digital camera. Don't what to spend an arm and a leg. any recomendations?

[Steve Foss]

Dude, that's like saying you want to go fishing and asking what type of rod to buy. Tell us what you'd like to use it for and what you'd like to spend. Do you want to make nice large prints? Are you just figuring to snag a few big fish pictures to share online?

[minndonn]

One thing I have required on any digital camera that I buy is an optical viewfinder along with the LCD display. The display may become hard to use in bright outside conditions. Know several people who have complained of this. Just bought my daughter a new Sony camera with both. The optical view does the zoom just as the camera does (optical zoom part). Look for the optical zoom power and don't worry about the digital zoom. That can be done with the computer or printer and digital zoom will only reduce the quality. The new sony also had image stabilization and face recognition to aid in focusing. Just bought a Cannon Rebel XTi single lens reflex digital and saved a bundle over the local electonic stores. Ened up a good experience form a mail order store.

[sparcebag]

Steve I've been looking at the Canon EOS Rebel XT,28-90mm lens!Is $649.99 a decent price or could I do better this one in the ad says,Factory serviced to meet orig. stds. May have slight blems. Or could you suggest something?I'm seasoned user of 35mm SLR cameras.

[minndonn]

When talking to the store be sure to ask about additional items you will need or want like a memory card, UV lens filter to protect the expensive lens and other items useful. The speed of the memory card will affect how fast you can take multiple shots. When I bought from mail order co they “sold up” several items like the lens, memory card and other items. They also negotiated to make a larger sale that I felt still a good deal. At the store be sure the sales person knows about what they are selling. After getting my camera I inquired with a couple different stores and found a big difference in their knowledge. Surprisingly when looking for a computer I found the camera people much better than the computer people. I bought the Rebel XTi.

[Paul]

If you are going to buy the XT you spend the extra 200 bucksand get the xti. I own a XTI and I love it. 10 megpixels in RAW format or average of 4-6 MP in High Quality JPG mode.

[Steve Foss]

Sparce: You probably can do better than that.

The Rebel XT has dropped to a bit over $500 new, with full warrranty and full kit (no lens), since the XTi came out. The XTi has a few cool features, but if you're on a budget and don't want to drop the extra $200 for an XTi, the XT is fine. The difference in max print size from 8 to 10 megapixels isn't much, and I've made smashing 20x30 prints from the XT and 20D/30D, which have essentially the same sensor. Also, since the XTi packs 10 Mp into the same size sensor as the XT puts 8 Mp in, there's a noticeable increase in digital noise on the XTi on high iso settings and in shadow areas. Not that I'd bat an eye at getting an XTi if that's what you want. Either one will do you dandy.

The XT is one of my backup bodies, and I've used it a fair amount with excellent results. I'm not familiar with the particular lens you've mentioned, however.

As a starter lens, anything in a zoom from roughly 20 mm to roughly 100mm should do you just fine, and you can upgrade lenses later if you think you want to.

If you buy the full kit, you still need a memory card. The XT uses a compact flash format, and if write speed isn't a big issue you can easily get a 2 Gb card for about $50.

Hope this helps.

I can't post the link to where I've bought all my camera gear online for the last four years, because they are not an FM sponsor, but it's Canoga Camera, and you just put the dubyas in front and the other stuff in back of those two words and you'll get there just fine.

[Paul]

I would agree a 2 gig card is plenty. I have a 2 gig and 2 one gigs for extras just in cases. But for most shooting you can get about 300-400 images on a 2 gig card shooting in High Quality. I had an old canon eos 2000 35 mm that i wore out literally. I then just kept using my existing lenses instead of the kit lense they want to sell with the camera. Good luck in whatever direction you decide to go. A friend of mine who is a proffesional portrait photographer bought a 5D. Too much for my wallet but a really nice camera.