victor_kunkel2

95% of the time. Spot metering = 100% of the time. I've tried all modes, first on my IIE and then my 40D and it just feels

more right that way. My customers are very happy with the finished product and that works just fine for me.

I love mine and it is attached to my 40D almost all the time. For me it Improves the feel and with a strap goes vertical quickly. Plus I have

big hands.

I would need to handle it and see comparative results of some of my own work. I'd be more interested if I didn't already have a 40D. Then

again, nope, the 40D is more than enough camera for me at this point. Besides it's not real to me until I can go to my favorite camera store

and handle it. It's not there yet.

"Perfect" is relative. I love my 17 - 85 for most street shots. When in nature or when I think I might need extra reach, my old

Tamron 28 - 200 or 28 - 300 are what I like. I keep one or the other in a hip pack. Sounds like you can find out what works

best by just experimenting - a fun project!

For me, it's real when I can go to my favorite shop and hold whatever I am looking for in my hand and (maybe) take it home with me.

Interesting thread. Marketing wise it is a good time to release such a camera - holidays are on the way and the price point and non entry

level dSLR market segments seem to be in alignment. So if the 50D is real, then it might meet with similar success to that the 40D has

enjoyed. Probably even better if the rumored specs are accurate. Many are waiting for a successor to the 5D and I feel that Canon are biding

their time. My opinion is that the new 5D is ready and Canon will soon announce it. It will be a nice pro body, but the prosumer market

seems to be larger. For me, the 50D won't be real until it shows up on Canon's site. This feels like the recent iPhone release - a tidbit of

information feeding rumor creating excitement to build pent up demand. For now, my "old" 40D is more than adequate.

Hayley - there are many ways to answer your post. First, I'll ask you a question: have you handled the 40D or some of the other Canon

dSLRs? That will tell you a lot. Your comfort is paramont. I am a long time film SLR user and went to a 40D last December because it felt

solid and had great reviews. The Rebels were simply too small for me as well. I also like that it has metal construction for durability. It is a

very good and solid camera. I also opted for the 17 - 85 efs lens because of the extra reach. I am fussy and am quite happy with the

combination. It goes where I go and even with the aperture of the lens I rarely miss a shot (IS does indeed work well in very low light.) I

love available light but am happy with the pop up flash when needed. I use an inexpensive Luminex plastic diffuser to soften the flash. It is

my first dSLR. I use it much as you plan to you your new camera, though I'll photograph just about anything. Image quality (IQ) is very good

and I have made money with it. Hope this helps.

Lots of choices out there depending upon your budget. You can go to a big box store or good shop to handle some units and see what feels

best. If you like the Rebel, then the XSI is a great choice. As you learn you will grow into it; nothing wrong shooting full auto Green Zone for

awhile until you get a feel for it. For a one lens solution, the 17 - 85 IS is a good start. It may be a bit slower than the shorter zoom, but

quality is good, IQ is very good in my experience and the extra reach is very handy. Considering the 1.6 crop, it acts like a 28 - 135 lens,

perfect for walk around, has IS and is close focusing. Hope this helps..

Could just be me, but I don't have the impression that the author took much time to learn the camera. He might be a pro, but my opinion is that to provide a review, or a partial review, one must learn more than just a few basics. For example, I recently did long bursts in AI Servo with my 40D and 17 - 85 IS, and had much better results that his photographs seem to show. I did two such bursts; first a bride and groom walking quickly down the isle just following their service; and, second, children playing frenetically at the same event. The couple elected to keep approx. 75% of the photographs in my above examples preferring to choose what they were going to put into their LCD album. But they were very sharp shots. I am happy with the 40D. Surely there are better cameras out there, but this is well worth the money and, crop or no crop, it yields excellent reslts for me.

I have the same setup as you, except for 150x CF cards. I have never had to wait that long no matter where I am shooting, including clubs

or outside when I underexpose ambient light so the popup is the key light. The only time I ever have to wait is when doing long bursts and

even then not six seconds. Did you format your CF card once you installed it? That is one possibility. Another might be a wonky card; have

another you can try? About your color balance, that is also odd. Is it possible that your settings have been modified or came modified when

you bought the kit? Might be a good idea to compare the settings on your camera to the manual standards. Then replicate the environment

somehow and experiment. I've seen pastic diffusers for the popup flash but don't have one yet to soften the popup a bit. I'm happy with my

40D, sorry to hear you're having issues.

Hope you enjoy your new camera. I was in a similar position as you last fall. At the time I was using a IIe and Tamron zooms. Since I travel

a bit I needed something a little heavier and the nature of my work required more features, I went with a 40D. I elected to go with an offered

kit lens, a 17 - 85 efs, which added only $200.00 to the bottom line. I kept the Tamrons for when I need more reach, but use the new lens a

lot more often. Seems I use the short end a lot and would have missed the wide angle abilities. I gave my IIe to my daughter along with a

short zoom I never used. She loves it (sure miss eye controlled focused, though!) My point is that I recommend trying all you have with your

new kit lens; you'll surely settle into a new pattern. Our crop cameras, together with the software components, changed things a little for me.

I still love film and keep my pristine OM-1 for that. Take your time learning the software, get a cheap card reader and you'll have a fine kit.

Have fun!

You might also consider the 17-85 EFS. I use it on my 40D and got it all in kit form. While it does have some limitations it is quite nice for

the money and you'll get more reach for when you are photographing your children. I don't know if it can be configured into the kit you are

contemplating. Also, while the xti is a good unit, the xsi gives a little more. So, you might want to visit a reputable shop in your area to see

how it all feels and weigh your research against your budget.

Only you can answer that, Simon. However, you can see what you like by manipulating settings and experimenting. I did that the weekend

after I purchased mine. I recommend varying subjects across the board. I'm my case all colors and EV I could find, and everything from from

sweeping ocean and mountain shots to very tight people and animals shots. I learned that for many things, just shooting in P or Av and using

exp comp works best for me. Also, a touch more sharpness for landscape and a touch less for portraiture, depending. For me, the beauty of

the 40D is that so much can be done in camera or I can just go Green Zone. DPP is flexible enough for me to do the tweaks. Hope this

helps.

Center spot, AI Servo, AF, recompose if necessary. Works great for walk around photography which I love.

You've given this a lot of thought. Here's what I did; I just went to digital in December and bought a 40D (plus grip because I have large hands) and the 17 - 85 lens since I like travelling light. I did keep the longer Tamron zooms (from when I had an Elan IIe) just in case, but most of the time, the 17 - 85 is used and I am quite happy with both. My thought for you is to pick up an XTi, which is a good camera (I needed something heavier since I am all over the place), gives very good IQ and is at a great price point and the 17 - 85 IS lens. See how the combo works for you and then evaluate what, if anything, you need next. By buying one lens and that body you'll be able to spend a little extra on an extra battery and CF card.

For me the answer is firly simple. My brain stays in the moment and creates what it wants as I view whatever piques my interest. The correct tools to make the creation, meaning the camera and lens combo in this case, just come to me and I shoot it. The next day it could be different. The next instant could be different as well because then my brain is then in that moment and the image might wish to be created in a different way.

 

Now, if I am being paid to do something, then that adds another dmension following discussion with the client. But it is still creating art. The image is real, regardless if I tweaked it or not, in camera, or digitally. I made it. Newsies have certain ethics, meaning many must print exactly what is seen. Art is different in many cases.

 

I think you might be overthinking this a bit. Shoot what you like and continue to develop your style. It is like falling in love. Something clicks and there you are. As a lover will speak to you, a photo will as well. It will ask you to create with whatever tools you have handy.

In addition, dpreview.com has decent reviews. Reading both should give you a good

consensus.

I used a Tamron 28 - 200 Super II on my Elan IIe. Gave the camera to my daughter when I went to a 40D and kept the lens for my 40D in case I wanted more reach than the 17 - 85 IS. I bought a 28 - 80 for her at a swap meet. She is happy with it as she is just learning. Back when I bought the Tammy, I seem to remember it testing just a bit better than the Sigma. Handling it, I just liked it better, but that is me and handling is so very subjective. So, my thought is run your own tests on what you have. If you like it, use it and have fun.

Panning is nice if you have a decent tripod and it helps to blur background if that is important to you. And with the 40D there is a nice feature to shoot black and white for a change of pace. I have a 40D and use that more than I expected when I picked it up. For exposure, start with 1/30 or so and experiment. See what you like.

 

That said, I used to race, and I enjoyed seeing the flashes out of the corner of my eye. Had a bit of an ego in those days and enjoyed the thought that photos were being taking of me and the hotrod I was trying not to crash. So, I agree, most race drivers expect flashes and keep their vision directed away from it as much as possible.

I'm quite happy with the 17 - 85 IS. It has decent reach so distance can be kept to a large degree. The short end isn't as bad as many thing and can be cleaned up in processing. You'd lose that if you went to the longer zoom you are considering. I have longer Tamron zooms from my film days that perform well, but I don't like changing lenses often, so the 17 - 85 is a nice compromise for me and is used 90% of the time. I do a lot of outdoor stuff and much of that is in the wind off the ocean so changing lenses would get dirt and dust where it is not my friend.

I've never paid much attention to a product name. It's the specs and how I like it overall that get my attention. So, to answer your question, I don't know why Canon named that series Rebel. Maybe because some people think of themselves that way? Just a thought.

No worries, Ken. If it is as nice in Marin as it is in Sonoma County today, it is might be nice to go shoot a few MB! I think I'm going to.

You might keep an eye on Craig's List and eBay for 17 - 85s that are within driving distance. I used them for that purpose in the film days and it worked out well. I don't buy site unseen. That said, it really sounds like either the 18 - 55 or 17 - 85 Canons (IS) would do well for you and, used, would be within your budget, if at the upper end. I have the 17 - 85 and love it. I played with the 18 - 55 and it was a good lens, but didn't have the reach for a walk about lens that I like.

That's what I thought I said, Ken....

Marvin, that is a decent price. However, it is likely that rebates will be issued to stimulate product sales when the holidays come 'round. In addition, prices drop a little as we approach the holidays in general, rebate or no rebate. The 40D is an outstanding camera for the price and I can't imagine that the price would drop a lot before a successor is announced which won't be for some time in my opinion. While lifecycles are compressing for dSLRS, this one just came out late last year, so it is likely that due to its popularity, it will be a few years until a new one is announced. Look at the speculation regarding the 5D, for example. So, if you want to enjoy all of the new features and excellent IQ compared to your existing camera during the summer then you might not wish to wait. If your decision is solely $$ driven (been there myself!) then it might be good to wait. If you decide to look seriously now, think about checking out a couple of large camera stores where you live. I spent a little more and got a wealth of advice (Best Buy is questionable in my opinion for non point and shoots) and a discount on extended warranty when I bought mine in December. Also got a 17-85 lens in the kit for around $50.00 more than the 18 - 55, and free cleaning. All this said, your existing camera isn't that bad either. Kinda depends upon what you want and your budget.