New baby on the way!...need help choosing first dSLR

[scott_diegel]

<blockquote>

<p>Like stated above, It really doesn't matter which DSLR you get.<br />Lenses and techniques are most important, and a cheap $89 50mm f1.8 is what I used to capture this shot.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I assume the lens you are referring to is the Canon lens? This is really the type of thing I'm looking for: nice, sharp pictures with the blurred background that's difficult to get with a P&S. Will I have a terrible time trying to get sharp pictures of a baby indoors with that lens on something like the XS that doesn't have in-body stabilization? Mind you, I'm just a casual photographer at this point, but am willing to put in the time and effort to learn, which is why I'm starting to look for a new camera now (5 months in advance).</p>

[phule]

<p>Scott,<br /> For the first 6 months of my son's life I used a Rebel XT and the 50mm f/1.8 almost exclusively. In my opinion it is a fine combination and you need not worry about the lack of IS. My wife and I photographed a number of his portraits with this camera/lens and nothing more than the light from a north-facing window. You should have no problem doing the same with a XS and the same lens.</p>

<p> </p>

[bryan_lardizabal]

<p>Scott, yes the 50mm f1.8 Canon is what I used on an older Canon 30D body.<br>

Any of the "X" series bodies can produce this type of effect in "Av" or aperture priority mode, which is very important in controlling background blur using a wide aperture, in my example, f2.8 ISO 100 @ f2.8<br>

I would suggest if you're serious (more than casual) start with a 40D body over the X series.<br>

Bryan</p>

 

[bryan_lardizabal]

<p>Scott, yes the 50mm f1.8 Canon is what I used on an older Canon 30D body.<br>

Any of the "X" series bodies can produce this type of effect in "Av" or aperture priority mode, which is very important in controlling background blur using a wide aperture, in my example, f2.8 ISO 100 @ f2.8, 1/400 sec.<br>

I would suggest if you're serious (more than casual) start with a 40D body over the X series.<br>

Bryan</p>

 

[craig_shearman1]

<p>I've shot with every camera brand under the sun, so I realize a good photographer can make good pictures with just about any camera. But I highly recommend sticking with Nikon or Canon because of the much wider variety of lenses and accessories and their availability from a variety of sources. In addition to what Nikon and Canon offer themselves, remember that third party lenses are always offered in Nikon and Canon mounts but not necessarily for other brands, or you may have to wait a year for the Pentax/Olympus/Minolta-Sony version. Same for flashes and other accessories. So if you're on a budget and want to buy a Sigma/Tokina/Tamron lens down the road, or want to borrow lenses from friends, or get serious enough that you want to rent an occasional lens for a special picture, you may find yourself limited if you go beyond Nikon/Canon.</p>

[cc_chang1]

<p>In the first year, most of your pictures will be taken indoors so you need a camera that performs well in low light (ISO 800 and up) and you need a bunch of f1.8 primes. Don't get a huge professional SLR yet as you kid may freezer or cry when your camera covers your whole face. As the kid gets older (>6 mon), he/she will be less worried as they begin to understand that dad is just behind the camera.</p>

[scott_diegel]

<p>Thank you all for the input. I wasn't expecting such a fantastic response to my first post on photo.net! After considering everything I've read here, I think I am going to stick with my original plan: the Canon XS with the kit lens and the 50mm f1.8 lens. It seems like that will meet my needs for a while and will also meet my budget.</p>

[owen_s]

<p>I have to believe that IS, causes soft images, so avoid it like the plauge</p>

<p>get a canon XS, or XSi body, their pretty much exactly the same , other than the fact the XS has a lower continus frame rate, and has a few less megapixels on the sensor...<br>

lenses, you can go with the 18-51, but turn the IS off and never use it, or get one of the most popular lenses ever sold from tamron the 28 -75 f2.8.. but be sure to check the 100% crops to be sure it is as sharp as it is supposed to be.<br>

get a use a 440exII flash with a big difuser over the head</p>

<p> </p>

[phule]

<p>[[i have to believe that IS, causes soft images, so avoid it like the plauge]]</p>

<p>I'm sure you can provide proof of this.</p>

[reed_caster]

<p>O.K. I've read most of the responses and they all address the digital SLR question - great. You prefaced your inquiry by saying you were expecting your first child. Here's where I'll pick up the thread. I love photographing my kids. I've gone the SLR route and taken beautiful photos. Sometimes in the most innocuous situations I don't want to pull out the big gun for what ever reason. There are times when carrying an SLR is a pain in the ass - Disney, Sea World - juggling strollers, diaper bags, bottles - or when activities like birthday parties and family get-to-gethers are constantly moving and errupting and the brick hanging on your shoulder got put down some place and isn't right there when you need it.<br>

I did not want to give up the quality of an SLR for a compact digital until... I purchased the Leica D Lux 4.<br />24-60mm focal lengths with 2.0-2.8 aperture. Great camera. I won't list all the features but the quality of photos is so outstanding that I never consider taking the SLR anywhere. If big zoom is important, well you got me, but with 24-60 I'm shooting in the range I love. And a big plus to this camera - your wife will love it too because she won't be indulging you with a toy that seperates you from the action and is so convenient you'll actually be included in the family photos because she will want to use it as much as you. 'nough said.</p>

 

[darin_schaffer]

<p>Scott,<br>

Tough choice, and I won't try to sway one way or another. My only advice is to look at what lenses are compatible with ,say, your top 3 cameras. This can be important because you will more than likely spend more on your lenses than you will on the body itself. I have a nikon d200, I am sure you can find something equivalent in quality from canon, pentax, sony etc. What is great though is that if you don't mind manual focus, you can buy old lenses that are tack sharp for almost nothing. I am not sure if you can do the same thing with the other brands but it is worth taking a look at, as some brands change there mounting system regularly. One other thing to consider is whether or not you body has an auto focus motor(if auto focus is important to you) or not. This is important because if you have to buy lenses that have the auto focus motor, that will cost you more money in the long term. Congrats on the new baby and good luck in your search.</p>

[scott_diegel]

<p>An update in case any of you who helped happen to read this. I ended up getting the Canon XSi and the $100 50mm/f1.8 lens and am extremely happy so far. I'm definitely taking MUCH better photos than I was ever taking with any P&S. My biggest regret is waiting until a week after the baby was born to get the camera. Thanks again for all the help.</p>