Need help! What do you think of this DSLR and lens?

Question

So I'm considering purchasing a Canon Rebel Xti (body only) and getting a Canon 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 lens instead of the kit lens. This would be my first DSLR and I'm very much a novice to photography so I need some advice. Is this a good starter everyday lens? There are so many to choose from - it's hard to tell the difference between them all. I'd like to stay around $200 to $300 for the lens. Eventually I'd like a teleohoto but not yet.

Answer 1

The body is an excellent choice. The only thing 'wrong' with it, is the small grip. Then again, other people love that it's such a small camera. (I only played with it in a camera shop - I use Nikon myself.)
As for the lens - don't do it. With the dRebel line you have a 1.6 crop factor, so a 28-105mm lens effectively becomes 45-173mm. This means that you'll have no wide angle coverage. None. The XTi is available with a 18-55mm kit lens. I don't recommend that one either (due to the poor image quality) but the zoom range is much better for a standard lens. If you go with the 28-105mm you'll constantly be backing up into walls, off of cliffs, into traffic, etc. to get more into the frame.
Also, don't be cheap. You're getting a great camera and the 10 mega-pixel sensor will show every flaw in your lenses. If you can afford it, spend the $510 for a Canon 17-85mm zoom. If money is an issue, even consider getting a Canon XT in combination with the 17-85mm. You'd lose 2 mega-pixels but end up with better pictures. The difference between 8 and 10 MP is hardly an issue - both will make great 8x10 inch prints.

Answer 2

I've had a Rebel since shortly after they were first released. As I had a film slr first, I already had the 28-105 lens you mentioned. Like you, I debated long and hard over whether to buy the 18-55 kit lens.

In the end though, I decided to get it for two simple reasons:
1. Where else was I going to get that focal length coverage for $100? Heck the only other lens I can think of that's $100 or less is the 50/1.8.
2. At the time, they didn't sell the 18-55 separately so if I changed my mind later on... I imagine that's less of an issue now as you can probably pick them up second hand, especially from people who may have moved on to a camera that doesn't mount EF-S lenses.

Now granted, neither the 18-55 nor the 28-105 are L class lenses. But price/quality, I'd have to say that the 28-105 is one of the best lenses you can buy. And considering that I have sold/published photos taken with both these lenses I certainly wouldn't say they aren't "good enough". The equipment plays a role, sure, but being able to work with the tools available is just part of the job.

To play both sides of the coin, I would also say that even though I have both lenses, the 28-105 is my everyday lens and most days when I go out without any others I don't miss them much. Sure, sometimes I wish I could go just a bit wider but if $100 really is busting your budget, I'd say go with the 28-105 alone, it really is the better lens in terms of contrast and image quality.

Answer 3

Personally I don't care for the Canon XT or XTi bodies, the grip is for a really small hand and its hard to get a good grasp on it. The lens that comes with it is nothing but plastic junk and is noisy. You might try looking at a Nikon D80, it has a better grip and I feel that the body is more rigid. I also think they have better optics than Canon and Nikon makes a really nice lens which is a 18-200mm lens. Its basically a lens you can use for everything from family photos, vacations or zooming in for sports and nature. If the D80 is too much on price consider a D70s. Also keep in mind that any lens you buy there is a 1.5 or 1.6 magnification. So basically a 18-200mm lens is actually a 28.8 - 320mm lens.

Answer 4

Are you kidding?!?!? I just bought the same combo of lens and camera body. Wow! My gear actually just arrived today so I've been messing around w/ it all day. As a first time buyer of a DSLR, I love it so far. I upgraded from a Canon A80. Give me a couple days of play time and I could probably give you better feedback. In the meantime, do lots of research on other products. I hemmed and hawed for weeks about what to buy. I don't know how many sites/forums/reviews I read, but here are 3 very resourceful websites that have helped in my decision making:
http://www.the-digital-picture.com
http://www.fredmiranda.com
http://www.dpreview.com

Answer 5

The camera is great. My advice is to buy the kit lens (less $$$) and be happy with it. Later, with more experience and knowledge (and more $$$ too), buy that "good" 17-85mm lens and a lens with a strong telephoto range.