Seeking advice of first DSLR

[riccof19]

Hey guys, I'm hoping you guys can help me out here on a future purchase and clear up some confusion I have. So I'm looking to get into the whole DSLR world and am looking for advice on what to get.

I was originally looking to get a Canon T1i with the kit lens to start off with and then purchase more lenses as I am able to afford them. When starting to look into lenses I discovered the whole cropped sensor vs. full frame thing. I would eventually want to get a Full Frame in the future some time so I'm guessing I would need to be getting EF lenses and not EF-S, as I believe they're not compatible with a FF, but then I would not be getting the full range of the EF Lenses on a crop sensor. And the idea of having to buy all new lenses when I make the jump from crop to FF doesn't really seem like something I want to do.

I'm looking to just start shooting for a hobby. Would like to do mostly portrait/landscape styles, vacation kinda shots and have always liked the wide angle type of photos.

So my main question is, should I still look to a T1i or look to getting a possible used 40D or 50D?? I'm looking to spend around $7-800 and from what I was coming across on craigslist and stuff it looks as I could possibly get a 40D or 50D body somewhat in that range but then I wouldn't have any lens to shoot with as I would be spending my budget on just the body.

So any advice would be greatly appreciated and if anything I said above is inaccurate, please correct me as my only "knowledge" so far on the subject has been reading up stuff online.

[vsa]

Maybe consider the 550D (or T2i was it?). The body is only slightly more expensive then the one you mentioned and you'd get video in there too plus better ISO performance etc. And to accompany that maybe a 50mm f/1.8 for your portraits. That lens is around $100 yet it's fast and pretty good for the amount it costs. Although the 1.4 has better build quality and actual focus ring etc but it's probably triple the price of the 1.8. Both of these are EF lenses and work just fine with both crop and full frames. But keep in mind that they will appear wider in the full frame after moving from crop.

But then again the kit lenses have their purpose. They're relatively good starting lenses and come really cheap with the body. That would give you the wide angle aspect as well. If you want something really wide you probably want something like 10-22mm and for that you'd have to save up for a little while as it costs about the same as the body+kit lens combo. And at least the Canon version is EF-S lens and wouldn't work on full frame.

I'd rethink about the going full frame if you're not gonna make a living off of your camera. I haven't found any real reason I'd need to go full frame at any point as photography is a hobby for me.

Buying bodies used can be a bit risky. The seller might not tell you how much the body has been used and how many photos it has taken. I've seen estimates of the shutter life expectancies from 30 000 to 100 000. And buying new you obviously get warranty. Just some things to consider.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by riccof19

So my main question is, should I still look to a T1i or look to getting a possible used 40D or 50D?? ...

You seem to be under the mistaken impression that the 40D and 50D are full-frame bodies. They aren't. They're 1.6x crop bodies, just like the T1i. The only two full frame bodies in the Canon lineup are the 5D and the 1Ds.

Here's my advice (and this isn't gospel, just an opinion, so feel free to disagree), but if you're limited to a $700-800 budget right now, the chances of your being able to blow $2500 on a 5DMkII (which is by far the cheaper of the two bodies I mentioned), or $1200-$1500 on a used 5DMkI are kinda far into the future.

An EF-S kit lens only adds about $100 to the price of the camera (although it's a $200 lens on its own). It gives you a lens to shoot with and experience to know what lenses you're going to want to save up for, and after you replace it, it remains a light, small, cheap, trashable travel lens. It's the lowest-cost wide-angle lens you're going to find. And by the time you're moving up to a 5D, chances are, you could also kit it with the crop body you're going to be selling to fund your purchase of the 5D.

EF-S lenses are the only way to get ultrawide on a crop body, and some of the EF-S lenses are still the best fit for a crop-body digital. Good lenses, like the 15-85 or 17-55 are going to hold value pretty darn well, unlike a digital body. Think of the 10-20% you'll "lose" after selling them (assuming you can keep the lens in good shape) as a rental fee, and consider how much longer it's going to be before you get a full-frame.

Unless you're planning on going full frame in the immediate future (say, within the next year), EF-S may not be the pit you assume it will be. You can always sell lenses and recoup most of your money. Not so with bodies. That's why it tends to make more sense early on to throw more of your money towards the glass than towards the body.

[riccof19]

Hey thanks for the advice so far.

I'm aware that the 40D and 50D aren't full frame bodies and after reading how I worded my original post I can see how that could have been interpreted, and regarding of when I will be able to purchase a full frame would probably be a couple of years and I just hate the idea of having lenses that will no longer be compatible, but like you said I could always sell the EF-S lenses when the time comes.

I've had a few friends shooting EF lenses on a crop body as well and I really enjoy the results they're getting (Specifically a friend uses a 40 D with a 24-70mm f/2.8L) and ideally I would eventually be looking to purchasing this lens myself and potentially pairing it with a UWA such as a 10-22mm. But in the mean time I will have to resort to a kit lens and potentially renting some lenses for when I feel I would need a little more then the kit lens has to offer.

But back to my question about whether to purchase a new T1i vs. a used 40D. I know these are both crop sensors but I just want some opinions on which of these would be recommended.

Thanks again.

[vsa]

T1i

Mostly because it's newer model and it's new.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by riccof19

But back to my question about whether to purchase a new T1i vs. a used 40D. I know these are both crop sensors but I just want some opinions on which of these would be recommended. ...

To me, this one comes down to whether you want the newer sensor features of the T1i (video and expanded ISO settings in particular), or you'd prefer the heavier build/larger size and additional usability features (faster frame rate, PC sync port, interchangeable focus screen etc.) of the 40D. In terms of image quality, there's not a lot to choose between them, really. And depending on your tastes in sensor output , the 40D may actually be more pleasing. The "character" between the XSi/40D generation of sensor and the T1i/50D/5DmkII generation of sensor is markedly different. A lot of folks preferred the 40D over the 50D because of it.

Also, if you can, wait a month or two to see if prices shift when the new product announcements for Photokina start rolling in. The Nikon product announcements are due in a week or two (Thom Hogan says there's a Nikon press conference the week of 8/16). No idea when Canon's calling its press conference, or if they're waiting for Photokina itself (late September) to make announcements. But most everybody's convinced that new SLR bodies are due to be announced. On the Nikon side of the fence, the D700 and D90 are the most likely candidates for a refresh, on the Canon side, the 1DsIII and 50D are expected to get replaced, with a possible refresh of the venerable XS (1000D). Used 50D prices and availability are likely to shift if a 60D gets announced.