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Archive 2008 · Best entry level kit ?

cadman342001
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p.1 #1 · Best entry level kit ?

Hi there,

A colleague and friend at work is looking for a dSLR body with twin lens kit.

He has approx. $1000 - 1200 AUSTRALIAN dollars so in his price range is:

Canon 1000D + 18-55, 70-300
Nikon D60+ 18-55 + 55-200VR
Nikon D80 + 18-55 + 70-300
Sony A200 + 18-70 + 75-300

I shoot Nikon (D300) but know little or nothing about the Sony line up or Canon 1000D.

He says he has little funds or interest in buying additional lenses (didn't we all when we started?) so I'm thinking the sony may be the best option for him as it has built in image stabilisation, sensor cleaning.

I know the higher spec sony (A900?) has same sensor as my D300 but is the sensor in the A200 (10mp) the same as say D80 or do they not share sensors other than the above ?

He is looking for something for sunsets, general landscapes, a bit of wildlife but not to any high level, just a hobby/interest thing.

Your thoughts ?

I've posted this in the Nikon section too btw.

Andy

Nov 26, 2008 at 06:57 AM

alexandre
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p.1 #2 · Best entry level kit ?

Canon XSi + 18-55 IS + 55-200 IS = $790 @ BH.
There's room to add some other things, esp. some Zuikos (28/3.5 and-or 50 1.4), or a Super Takumar 50 1.4, cards, etc.

Nov 26, 2008 at 08:39 AM

apras
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p.1 #3 · Best entry level kit ?

i suggest the A200. cheap, light, has the bulit-inbody IS (SSS), dust cleaning, and also can be added M42 lenses. also i feel the ergonomics is better than others.

Nov 26, 2008 at 11:53 AM

Steve Spencer
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p.1 #4 · Best entry level kit ?

alexandre wrote:
Canon XSi + 18-55 IS + 55-200 IS = $790 @ BH.
There's room to add some other things, esp. some Zuikos (28/3.5 and-or 50 1.4), or a Super Takumar 50 1.4, cards, etc.

+1 The XSi seems to be a very well sorted nifty little camera.

Nov 26, 2008 at 11:59 AM

cogitech
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p.1 #5 · Best entry level kit ?

Steve Spencer wrote:
alexandre wrote:
Canon XSi + 18-55 IS + 55-200 IS = $790 @ BH.
There's room to add some other things, esp. some Zuikos (28/3.5 and-or 50 1.4), or a Super Takumar 50 1.4, cards, etc.

+1 The XSi seems to be a very well sorted nifty little camera.

+2

Nov 26, 2008 at 12:28 PM

abqstyle
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p.1 #6 · Best entry level kit ?

I own the Alpha A200, and have owned the Canon Rebel XT and Nikon D40 in the past. The Alpha A200 is perhaps the best bargain on the market right now. A top quality 10meg sensor in a very capable and user friendly body. Plus, I can use it with my M42 lenses and Tamron Adaptall lenses and bargain priced Minolta glass. Great value!

Nov 26, 2008 at 03:12 PM

mawz
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p.1 #7 · Best entry level kit ?

I'd agree, the A200 is a superb bargain. Of the four cameras you list, the A200 and D80 are the best choices, the Canon EOS 1000D the worst by a fair margin (It's massively crippled compared to the EOS 400D it supposedly replaces).

The D80's the most capable camera on that list (it's cheap because it's an older model, but still is comparable to the rest of the cameras on your list as it shares the sensor of the A200 and D60 and the processing of the D60). The A200's second, with the D60 giving up AF performance over the A200.

Nov 26, 2008 at 03:22 PM

jvarszegi
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p.1 #8 · Best entry level kit ?

The XSi will give the best image quality of the listed bodies. The D80 is certainly in the running features-wise. I wouldn't assign too much importance to anti-shake in the body, especially as the OP is considering stabilized lenses.

Nov 26, 2008 at 03:27 PM

mawz
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p.1 #9 · Best entry level kit ?

jvarszegi wrote:
The XSi will give the best image quality of the listed bodies. The D80 is certainly in the running features-wise. I wouldn't assign too much importance to anti-shake in the body, especially as the OP is considering stabilized lenses.

Note the EOS 1000 that the OP listed is the badly crippled Rebel XS, not the far superior Rebel XSi (which is an EOS 450D)

Nov 26, 2008 at 03:34 PM

jvarszegi
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p.1 #10 · Best entry level kit ?

mawz wrote:
jvarszegi wrote:
The XSi will give the best image quality of the listed bodies. The D80 is certainly in the running features-wise. I wouldn't assign too much importance to anti-shake in the body, especially as the OP is considering stabilized lenses.

Note the EOS 1000 that the OP listed is the badly crippled Rebel XS, not the far superior Rebel XSi (which is an EOS 450D)

Aha. My mistake, and thanks for the correction.

Seems like there's not much difference in the price right now if buying off of eBay with the live.com 25% cash back. A quick look shows one can buy an XSi for under $400 shipped right now, which is a tremendous bargain even if one could buy the XS for a few dollars cheaper.

Similar discounts would of course apply to all these bodies. I would be a little leery of buying a new mass-produced lens off of eBay, but not so much a body.

Nov 26, 2008 at 03:53 PM

Steve Spencer
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p.1 #11 · Best entry level kit ?

With a quick google search, however, I was able to find an on-line camera dealer (in Australia) that was selling the XSI with the kit lens and the 55-250mm f/4.5-5.6 IS for $1,200 australian (i.e., within the budget), so I think that OP should definitely consider that combination. In fact, it is what I would recommend.

Nov 26, 2008 at 03:57 PM

Silentlight
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p.1 #12 · Best entry level kit ?

cogitech wrote:
Steve Spencer wrote:
alexandre wrote:
Canon XSi + 18-55 IS + 55-200 IS = $790 @ BH.
There's room to add some other things, esp. some Zuikos (28/3.5 and-or 50 1.4), or a Super Takumar 50 1.4, cards, etc.

+1 The XSi seems to be a very well sorted nifty little camera.

+2

+3

Nov 26, 2008 at 05:28 PM

Eric Gottesman
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p.1 #13 · Best entry level kit ?

Could someone explain this live.com 25% off?

-Eric

Nov 26, 2008 at 06:06 PM

jvarszegi
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p.1 #14 · Best entry level kit ?

http://search.live.com/cashback

To use it with eBay, search on live.com for something camera-related (I generally use "canon 18-55mm IS"). The list of results will come up with a header, with a link at or near the top for eBay results with cash back. Click that link to go to eBay.

Once on eBay, you can search for anything you want. The cash back link is at the top for details. You have to buy items marked "Buy It Now". Before you confirm your purchase, the amount of cash back will be displayed. There is a maximum of $200 cash back on any one item. After purchase, you will get an email from eBay telling you how to complete the cash back transaction (this info is also on their site and that of live.com).

Cash back generally takes 60 days to vest, which is how they handle the problem of people taking advantage of the offer and quickly returning the purchased items.

Nov 26, 2008 at 06:39 PM

rachp
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p.1 #15 · Best entry level kit ?

XSi with kit 18-55IS is a great setup!

Nov 26, 2008 at 06:47 PM

mawz
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p.1 #16 · Best entry level kit ?

Steve Spencer wrote:
With a quick google search, however, I was able to find an on-line camera dealer (in Australia) that was selling the XSI with the kit lens and the 55-250mm f/4.5-5.6 IS for $1,200 australian (i.e., within the budget), so I think that OP should definitely consider that combination. In fact, it is what I would recommend.

Yep, that's a killer little kit for general use.

Nov 26, 2008 at 08:32 PM

maxima302
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p.1 #17 · Best entry level kit ?

rachp wrote:
XSi with kit 18-55IS is a great setup!

Amen to that! The "new" kit lens with IS is actually a pretty decent lens.

Nov 26, 2008 at 10:36 PM

mawz
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p.1 #18 · Best entry level kit ?

maxima302 wrote:
rachp wrote:
XSi with kit 18-55IS is a great setup!

Amen to that! The "new" kit lens with IS is actually a pretty decent lens.

The sad part is that the 18-55 IS completely stomps the 17-85IS in image quality. Canon has no decent midrange EF-S zooms, while everybody else offers at least 2 good options between the kit lens and the f2.8 Pro glass.

Nov 27, 2008 at 12:42 AM

Anden
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p.1 #19 · Best entry level kit ?

Silentlight wrote:
cogitech wrote:
Steve Spencer wrote:
alexandre wrote:
Canon XSi + 18-55 IS + 55-200 IS = $790 @ BH.
There's room to add some other things, esp. some Zuikos (28/3.5 and-or 50 1.4), or a Super Takumar 50 1.4, cards, etc.

+1 The XSi seems to be a very well sorted nifty little camera.

+2

+3

+4

Nov 27, 2008 at 08:35 AM

Justin D
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p.1 #20 · Best entry level kit ?

He's talking Australian Dollars, guys. 65 USc to the AU dollar as of today (from 98c 4 months ago). The 450D can be had for $889 AUD from camera warehouse in Sydney. Add a Tamron 24-135 or something like that and you have a one lens kit that will be a fair bit better than the Canon kit lens. You might sneak in under $1200 if you shop wisely. Personally, I think 24mm (~37mm equivalent) is JUST wide enough on 1.6x crop as a one lens setup. I also think the very long long end is worth cutting of on the wide end. If it's not, spend the $100 on the kit lens AS WELL.

Nov 27, 2008 at 09:26 AM


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