used 20 for $800 or new 30D $1100

[lucia_romero]

Now its getting complicated. Which should I buy? A used 20 for $800 from keh

or new 30D $1100 after rebate? Which is a better thing to do? Thank you very

much for your help!

[ronaldo_r]

Ask yourself: what the value of a new product warranty is worth to you? I.e, if both the 20d and 300d are faultless for the intended period of their useful life, then the $300 difference is in favour of the used 20d. If the 20d fails within the first year and you need a $300 repair then you'd be better off with the 30d. Only you can make the decision

[dmanthree]

Find out how many actuations the 20D has on it. Try to get an idea of how far through it's useful life it is, and then you'll know. I think Canon rates the shutter at 50K cycles; can anyone with better knowledge chime in?

 

Personally, I'd spend the extra 300...

[vadtel]

I think that $800 is too much for 20D. I have sold one of my 30D for $860 on eBay.

[leopoldstotch]

To "chime in", the 20D is rated to 35-50,000 actuations, and the 30D is rated for 100,000. For only $300 difference, you're probably better off with the 30D.

[stephen sullivan]

1. 30D comes with Canan Warranty.

 

2. 30D has a better shutter.

 

3. 30D has a larger LCD Monitor.

 

4. Any needed hidden improvments for the 20D went into the 30D.

[jeffcallen]

I've had my 20D for about 2 years. I've dropped it onto concrete from up in the air while

shooting an event, and I've shot almost

machine-gun style quite often. Its working fine, shutter has probably gone beyond 50K

cycles considering how I shoot.... The built-in flash is a bit off kilter due to the concrete

impact, but I never use that flash anyway, everything else works fine. Personally, I'd get

annother 20D and save the $300 for

lenses, flashes or another backup body. The 30D has a larger LCD screen and a more

precise spot meter. I've never systematically compared image quality.

[len_kocurek]

The 30D is an improvement over the 20D. The 20D you're looking at is used. To my way of thinking, used equipment carries a certain degree of risk and the price should compensate you for that risk. The mere $300 difference is not enough of a difference for me. I guess the question is, how important is the $300 to you?

[roy1]

Hi Lucia<br>

I'm not a Canon user, so take my advice to a limited degree... But:<br>

 

It's not like you're comparing the same camera (20D Used Vs. New)...

You're comparing a USED older camera, to a Brand new camera of the newer generation.( be the improvements as small as they may be)<br>

For me this would be a very easy decision... It would only make me feel better about getting the 30D.<p>

Warranty (Peace of mind), Bigger LCD, and that Brand new feeling are enough reasons alone(for me) to jusify the difference in price.<p>

 

whatever you end up with, Enjoy it :)<P>

 

--Roy

[lovcom_photo]

The 30D provides spot metering, and a new body means 1 year warranty. These two things alone suggest the new 30D is the way to go.

 

On the other hand, you might be better served in getting the XTi (400D) and put the savings toward better lenses.

 

About used bodies....at the end of the day you do not know how many actuations the shutter made, nor how the camera was treated...I don't buy anything used for this reason.

 

If you're going to be more then just a casual shooter, and you're serious about your hobby then always put most of your $$ toward good lenses and skimp on the body...they come and go but the lenses can be there for you for decades if you're smart about choosing them.

[delwyn_ching]

I have a 20D which just reached 1 year old and I considered selling it before I bought my 5D. I now use it as my backup of field camera for work. $800 is too much for a used 20D and you should check on ebay.com for prices. I would go for the 30D for just $300 which includes a new a warranty. If the 20D was going for $600, that would be a fair price, depending on the condition, functionability and the number of pictures taken.

[randy_almquist]

duh......... 30d. why buy someone elses problem, errrr, "used camera" when you can have a

new, better one?

[William Michael]

I agree with the general flow of answers, go with the new 30D.

 

It is difficult to `see` what you are getting an a second hand [digital] body as mentioned you don't know how many times it has been fired, and that is only one point.

 

WW

[yakim_peled1]

>> Which should I buy?

 

There are pros and cons to each choice and a lot depends on you. What do you currently shoot with? Which lenses do you own? What will you do with the extra 300# if you buy the 20D? What is your financial status? And, as the king of Siam used to say, etc. etc. etc. :-)

 

 

Happy shooting,

Yakim.

[steve torelli]

I would also probably go with new over used as there is rarely a substantial differance in the world of Canon gear. However, I'm fairly certain that the 20D's shutter is also rated at 100,000 actuations and I'm unaware of any substantial differances in the shutters of the two cameras.If I'm wrong, maybe someone could enlighten me as to the differances. Good luck.

[eos 10 fan]

Many credit cards double the warranty when used to buy new stuff. If peace of mind is important (it was to me when I bought a 30D), then buying new with a CC is the way to go. BTW, $800 seems high for a used 20D - see completed eBay auctions and the Photo.net classifieds.

 

--

[eos 10 fan]

Steve Torelli wrote: "I'm fairly certain that the 20D's shutter is also rated at 100,000 actuations..."

 

Canon never released the 20D's shutter rating ("Undisclosed") - Anything you've read is a guess at best.

 

20D - "Canon developed a compact shutter unit (see Photo 4) dedicated to the APS-C sized CMOS sensor. Smaller shutter blades have lower moment of inertia and faster curtain travel time, achieving a top shutter speed of 1/8000 sec. and X-sync at 1/250 sec. The shutter durability is about twice that of the EOS 10D."

 

30D - "Compact, high-speed shutter with a top speed of 1/8000 sec. and shutter durability of 100,000 cycles. Based on the compact shutter unit optimized for the APS-C size CMOS sensor in the EOS 20D, shutter durability of 100,000 cycles has been achieved with the professional performance retained by improvement of, for example, X-sync piece."

 

http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/tech/report/repolist-a.html

[davyjo]

You can also buy a NEW 20D for under $900. Clearly a better deal than a used one for $800. OR a 30D for just over $1100 minus a $100 rebate that you can double to $200 if you buy a lens or flash unit...only a few $$ more than the 20D...

[bobatkins]

The 20D shutter life estimate of 100,000 cycles is based on a 2 step chain of reasoning. Canon have said it's twice that of the 10D and Canon reps have said that the 10D was 50,000 cycles. As far as I know it is correct that Canon have not actually said that the 20D shutter is rated for 100,000 cycles in any one statement. I'm not sure the 50,000 cycles for the 10D appears in any official Canon document either.

 

$800 for a used 20D is too much. Get a new one for $900 if you can't afford the 30D, or look for a used one at a lower price.

[catalin soare]

New is allways better with Canon

[johnson_d.]

"New is allways better with Canon"

 

Would you mind explaining why you think so?

[lucia_romero]

Thanks for all your response! Got the 30D with kit lens to start. I'll just wait until I save enough money for a nice lens. I appreciate your suggestions....