Canon EOS Rebel XSI (1 Viewer)

[Lewie]

Thinking about getting back into photography. Now use binoculars to birdwatch, but now thinking about photos also. Looking at the Canon EOS Rebel XSI deal with the 2 lenses - 18-55 and 55-250. Would probably use the camera mainly for nature and bird photography. Really did not want to spend
$1,500 to $2,000. The XSI kit is under $900.

Any thoughts on the XSI and lenses are welcome.

Thanks,

Lew

 

[JohnZ]

In my opinion you may be better off buying the body only and spending whatever you have left on a decent lens.
I have the 18-55 but not the 55-200 but I suspect they are not the finest lenses Canon produce.

 

[lmans66]

I recently upgraded to the XSI and love it. I purchased a kit via B & H photo in NYC (On the web) which included that 18-55mm lens and the camera body, battery etc...It cost $654. I don't use the 18-55 much except for family stuff and it is cheap but okay.

For nature and birding....I read up a lot on this forum and took advice from everyone I read. Essentially for birding it helps to have a min of 300mm and preferably more. Prime lens are better quality then zoom lens but cost a lot more. So I opted for a zoom lens 80-400 from Tokina. It is reliable and worth it. I can get up to 400mm but find I am often below that just because of the light situation now in the northwest. But I have the ability to go to 400. My other option was to buy the Canon 70-300 zoom with IS and that would cost about $600 or a bit less from B& H. The Tokina cost me $650 from BH.

So.....for a bit under $1300 I got my basics. I would like to get the canon 70-300mm IS eventually as it is lighter than the tokina (20 ounces or so to 36) but not that big of a deal.

You will like the XSI though....sure, the 40 or 50d are better but for a amateur it is just find. Like many things, one can overbuy and you have to determine when to stop. Same with lens....

My two cents gleamed from all of the excellent advice I have obtained here so far. lmans

 

[Lewie]

Thank you both for all the good information!

Lew