Canon EOS 1000D

tipperaryjim

Hi All,

First of all, I'm a complete newbie to the area of photography. However, I'm heading on a three month trip through Africa in a couple of months and I am hoping to get acquired with some photography techniques via a new SLR camera.

I have been looking at the Canon EOS 1000D Twin Kit in the Camera Centre on Grafton Street (see link below)

http://www.cameracentre.ie/digital-cameras/slr/canon/1982/eos-1000d-18-55-75-300-ef-twin-kit

Would anyone have any thoughts on this camera as a starting point for someone with some aspirations of getting into photography, particularly as a camera to accompany me on my travels? This particular model appears to be competitively priced, especially with the accompanying 75-300mm lense and the fact that the Camera Centre offers a free one day introductory course to photography is a big plus to buying from them.

Is the accompanying lense for this camera any good? I know from reading reviews and articles of various cameras and lenses that lenses with IS are the best out there but is it a massive drawback to have a lense without IS?

Any thoughts on this camera are much appreciated especially as I'm pretty much a Newbie and want to be sure that I'm getting a good, solid, relatively easy to use camera as a starting point.

Any alternative camera recommendations within this price range would also be hugely appreciated!

Thanks a million,

Jim

Thecageyone

Nothing wrong with that camera at all, but you're almost in Nikon D5000 price-range [albeit with only one lens] but the D5000 would be a much better camera IMHO. You can pick up a zoom lens for cheap on ebay/adverts.ie.

Sleepy

Skip the 1000d and see if you can find a deal on the 500d. It's just been replaced by the newer 550d (but the 500 is newer than the 1000) and the difference in price between Canon's XXXd and XXXXd ranges is far less than the difference in quality/features.

hbr

tipperaryjim wrote: »

Hi All,

I have been looking at the Canon EOS 1000D Twin Kit in the Camera Centre on Grafton Street (see link below).....

The 1000D would be a good first DSLR. The lack of IS is
not too much of a problem on the 18-55mm. The Canon
75-300mm is a particularly poor zoom lens. I wouldn't
bother with the twin lens kit.

The basic body + 18-55mm kit would be better value
at €456 from Argos. As you are planning to spend
€600 ish, you might also consider the Canon 450D
with 18-55mm IS lens.

Would anyone have any thoughts on this camera as a starting point for someone with some aspirations of getting into photography, particularly as a camera to accompany me on my travels? This particular model appears to be competitively priced, especially with the accompanying 75-300mm lense and the fact that the Camera Centre offers a free one day introductory course to photography is a big plus to buying from them.

I wouldn't be too excited about the price. The same kit
costs less from Argos. I'm sure the best on-line prices
would be cheaper than Argos. I don't know how good
the one day courses are, but I am sure that you won't
learn a great deal in just one day.

Any alternative camera recommendations within this price range would also be hugely appreciated!

There are a few cameras in this price range. The D3000 is
the direct competitor in the Nikon range. The Sony A230
is another alternative. All of these cameras offer similar
performance and any of them would make a good first
DSLR. The Canon has the best range of new and used
lenses. There is a good range of Nikon lenses, but some
of them won't work on the cheaper Nikon bodies like the
D3000 and D5000. The Sony can use older Minolta lenses.

If you can stretch the budget a bit further, there are
some very nice cameras placed one step above the
more basic entry-level DSLRs. The Canon 500D,
Nikon D5000 and Pentax K-x are newer and better
models than the 1000D. These cameras can also
shoot HD video if you are interested in that sort
of thing.

tipperaryjim

hbr wrote: »

If you can stretch the budget a bit further, there are
some very nice cameras placed one step above the
more basic entry-level DSLRs. The Canon 500D,
Nikon D5000 and Pentax K-x are newer and better
models than the 1000D. These cameras can also
shoot HD video if you are interested in that sort
of thing.

Thanks a million to Thecageyone, Sleepy and hbr for the extremely helpful and insightful replies!

Based on all the advice above, I think I'm going to scrap the idea of the EOS 1000D and go for the following EOS 500D. The link below has this model on Pixmania for €629 which os only a mere €30 more than I was willing to pay in the first place.

http://www.pixmania.ie/ie/uk/6379971/art/canon/eos-500d-ef-s-18-55-is-le.html

Even though the 1000D twin set includes an extra 75-300mm lense (which appears to be pretty poor), it's probably a worthwhile purchase to get the newer, better model with an IS lense for in or around the same price.

Thanks again for your help

Thecageyone

Nice one, that is a much better deal IMO. Only one thing ... some reports around here of hassle with pixmania, run a search on them first. I'm sure they're fine, but i know I've seen the odd complaint, people sent the wrong order, shoddily packaged gear etc ...

Kintarō Hattori

Bought a Pentax K7 from Pixmania earlier this year. Arrived 48 hours later in perfect condition.

tipperaryjim

Thecageyone wrote: »

Nice one, that is a much better deal IMO. Only one thing ... some reports around here of hassle with pixmania, run a search on them first. I'm sure they're fine, but i know I've seen the odd complaint, people sent the wrong order, shoddily packaged gear etc ...

Thanks a mil for the heads up. I've had a look at some alternative online retailers and the price difference is fairly significant.

This one has the EOS 500D with EF-S 18-55mm IS lens kit for only €569:

http://www.simplyelectronics.net/mainproduct.php?pid=6917

This site offers the same deal for £499/€600:

http://www.camerabox.co.uk/product1.asp?ProductName=Canon-EOS-500D-18-55mm-IS-Lens-Kit&ProductID=8254

I've also noticed a few decent deals for the EOS 450D but again, I assume I'd be much better off to stick with the 500D as the 450D seems to be an older model.

Thanks again.

Kintarō Hattori

Don't buy ANYTHING from Simply Electronics. Search this forum and you'll find plenty of horror stories.

Thecageyone

Not everyone has been so lucky with pixmania either:

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055976634&highlight=pixmania

They're probably grand in general, there will always be the odd mess up - just make sure your order isn't one of them!

daycent

OP, I think you should consider buying just a camera body and a lens separately. Kit lenses are usually not great. It might be a thought to look into getting a superzoom/ultrazoom lens. A friend of mine is just back from a trip like yours and he had a lot of trouble with sand from changing lenses. You could get something like the sigma 18-250 OS (optical stabilisation) and leave it on for the duration. Would save space also, and less chance of missing a shot due to changing lenses. Just a thought.

hbr

tipperaryjim wrote: »

.... I think I'm going to scrap the idea of the EOS 1000D and go for the following EOS 500D. The link below has this model on Pixmania for €629 which os only a mere €30 more than I was willing to pay in the first place.

That is much better value for your money. I have the
500D with kit lens. In terms of image quality, there is
little or nothing to choose between it and it's main
competitors the Nikon 5000D and Pentax K-x.

Even though the 1000D twin set includes an extra 75-300mm lense (which appears to be pretty poor), it's probably a worthwhile purchase to get the newer, better model with an IS lense for in or around the same price.

The big advantage of the Canon system is the ready
availability of a huge range of lenses. I bought a used
Sigma 70-300 APO for my 500D. This isn't the best
zoom lens by any means, but it is better than the
Canon 75-300mm. I paid around €100 for mine
on eBay. The other cheap option is the Tamron
70-300mm which is as good as or better than
the Canon 75-300mm.

The Canon 70-300mm IS USM is a good
quality zoom lens. The Canon 70-200mm f/4L is
a superb lens, but both of these lenses are quite
expensive, around the price of the 500D body.
Both lenses can be found on adverts.ie and eBay
second hand for around €400.

Like Cagey, I have seen quite a few negative comments
about Pixmania. The main issue seems to be after sales
service and delivery problems.

Good luck with the new camera.

tipperaryjim

Hi guys,

I've just been speaking to a friend who is currently in New York and is due to travel home in the next few weeks.

I'm considering getting them to call into Best Buy to pick up this camera for me:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Canon+-+EOS+Rebel+T2i+18.0-Megapixel+Digital+SLR+Camera+-+Black/9778635.p?id=1218171770784&skuId=9778635

It's the EOS Rebel T2i.

Based on reading up on this, am I correct to assume that this is the same camera as the EOS 550d?

Retailing at $899 which is approx €670 is a pretty decent deal!

What ye reckon?

Sleepy

Yep, the XXXd range is sold as the Rebel series in the States alright, think they're sold as Kiss in Japan.

Good price for it too.

bullpost

If you are planning on doing any photo safaris you'll need a longer reach on your lens.

tipperaryjim wrote: »

Hi guys,

I've just been speaking to a friend who is currently in New York and is due to travel home in the next few weeks.

I'm considering getting them to call into Best Buy to pick up this camera for me:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Canon+-+EOS+Rebel+T2i+18.0-Megapixel+Digital+SLR+Camera+-+Black/9778635.p?id=1218171770784&skuId=9778635

It's the EOS Rebel T2i.

Based on reading up on this, am I correct to assume that this is the same camera as the EOS 550d?

Retailing at $899 which is approx €670 is a pretty decent deal!

What ye reckon?

LionelNashe

tipperaryjim wrote: »

Hi guys,



Retailing at $899 which is approx €670 is a pretty decent deal!

What ye reckon?

Don't forget that they add on a sales tax as well, ca. $80 in NY.

tipperaryjim

Thanks again to everyone for their immensely useful thoughts!

I've decided to go for the Canon 500D camera that comes with the 18-55mm IS lens. Seems like a good deal.

Someone did mention though that it may be worth exploring getting an additional lense (especially as I'm purchasing the camera for a trek through Africa which I anticipate will include plenty of distant wildlife shots) such as a Tamron 70-300mm or a Sigma 70-300. Has anyone any recommendations on this?

The big factor here with the additional lense would be cost. I've seen the price of these and they can be jawdropping to say the least :eek: I have heard the arguement that, to a large extent, a camera is only as good as the lense on it so I can completely appreciate why the lense would cost that much but after spending almost €600 on the 500D, especially as I'm a Newbie, I don't want to break the bank on an additional lense.

I'm thinking €100-200 max for this.

Again, thanks for the advice

Kintarō Hattori

I can recommend the Sigma given the budget. It's not the best lens ever but in relation to price vs performance its hard to complain. Ideally I'd like a 200mm or 300mm prime but that's not going to happen anytime soon so I can live with the Sigma until then. Just remember that at 70mm and 300m it'll be a little soft. Its sweet spot is in between. Below are some photos I've taken with mine:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamandagnieszka/4580011416/in/set-72157622446614194/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamandagnieszka/3504137227/in/set-72157622446614194/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamandagnieszka/3799916947/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamandagnieszka/3505262264/in/set-72157622446614194/

tipperaryjim

Kintarō Hattori wrote: »

I can recommend the Sigma given the budget. It's not the best lens ever but in relation to price vs performance its hard to complain. Ideally I'd like a 200mm or 300mm prime but that's not going to happen anytime soon so I can live with the Sigma until then. Just remember that at 70mm and 300m it'll be a little soft. Its sweet spot is in between. Below are some photos I've taken with mine:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamandagnieszka/4580011416/in/set-72157622446614194/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamandagnieszka/3504137227/in/set-72157622446614194/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamandagnieszka/3799916947/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/liamandagnieszka/3505262264/in/set-72157622446614194/

Thanks a bunch Kintarō!

Your shots look fantastic - if I could snap a few shots that would be in this category, I'd be delighted

I'll look into the Sigma lens and hopefully get everything up and running soon.

Cheers,

Jim

Thecageyone

I had the Sigma 70-300mm on my Sony, I thought it was grand too, unfortunately that particular lens is not liked by Sony dslr and the AF gears got stripped. It continued to work fine in MF though.

I now have a Tamron 75-300mm, the one without the macro switch, and it is also decent enough for a cheapie.


Took these with it on my D200:


http://www.flickr.com/photos/cagey75/4861244230/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cagey75/4858919618/in/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cagey75/4841704611/in/photostream/

You can see on the spider shot it can be soft at 300mm, but some of that was hand-shake probably as I was standing well back to focus, it being a non-macro lens, and having no IS. but between 90 - 220mm it's pretty sharp and holds good IQ, just keep the shutter speed higher than the focal length. I'm sure the 70-300 uses the same optics.

tipperaryjim

Thanks Thecageyone.

Any thoughts on this lens?

Seems to be exactly what I'm looking for a reasonable priced!

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Sigma-Auto-Focus-DL-Zoom-75-300mm-Cannon-/330457705189?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_CameraAccessories_CameraLensesFilters_JN&hash=item4cf0d06ae5

P.S. - Your shots are fab!

Thecageyone

I've never come across that particular lens before, looks to be an old film cam lens. Make sure it will Auto focus on your digi-cam, also note the £20 postage on the item! That's €25 or more.

Have you tried adverts.ie? or Gumtree?

Here's a similar Tamron to the one I have -

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Tamron-70-300mm-70-300-mm-f-4-5-6-Di-LD-MACRO-1-2-Canon-/250666286416?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_CameraAccessories_CameraLensesFilters_JN&hash=item3a5cdffd50#ht_948wt_911

It's from Hong Kong, but states free postage to Europe. I've bought from Hong Kong on there before and received the order within a week.

Kintarō Hattori

The Sigma:

http://cgi.ebay.ie/SIGMA-70-300mm-f-4-0-5-6-APO-DG-MACRO-CANON-FIT-UK-/110557326135?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_CameraAccessories_CameraLensesFilters_JN&hash=item19bdbaeb37

http://cgi.ebay.ie/SIGMA-70-300mm-f-4-0-5-6-APO-DG-MACRO-CANON-FIT-UK-/180543206906?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_CameraAccessories_CameraLensesFilters_JN&hash=item2a0936b5fa

Thecageyone

I'd be happy with either for general shooting, but the €70 odd difference would sway me to the Tamron. I can tell you both deliver similar results.

BrokenArrows

i recently bought the 1000d. I got a good deal on a canon refurbished US Rebel model for €380.

So far im very happy with it.