Should I buy this Canon camera bundle?

Chris2222000 · May 7, 2008

Hey guys,

I am seriously thinking about buying a DSLR camera, and Best Buy is running an ad right now where you get the Canon rebel xti AND a 75-300 telephoto zoom lens along with bag uv filter and rechargeable battery all for 829.97.
Heres the question: What would the 75-300 zoom lens be good for?

Thanks

Chris

VanGogh121 · May 7, 2008

I got my XTI from Circuit city .com. I ordered it online to get the online price and if you have AAA you get an additional 10% and the had a coupon code for an additional 10% ( do google search for coupon codes) I did pickup at stor and walked out with an XTI for under $500.

Chris2222000 · May 7, 2008

VanGogh121 said:
I got my XTI from Circuit city .com. I ordered it online to get the online price and if you have AAA you get an additional 10% and the had a coupon code for an additional 10% ( do google search for coupon codes) I did pickup at stor and walked out with an XTI for under $500.

Was it the bundle with the extra telescoping lens?

J. Montgomery · May 7, 2008

I bought mine on Amazon, with the stock lens.

Chris2222000 · May 8, 2008

Yep it comes with the stock lens already, but if you get the bundle its as if youre getting the telescoping lens free. What will this lens enable me to do that the stock lens wont?

surfn · May 8, 2008

Chris2222000 said:
Hey guys,

I am seriously thinking about buying a DSLR camera, and Best Buy is running an ad right now where you get the Canon rebel xti AND a 75-300 telephoto zoom lens along with bag uv filter and rechargeable battery all for 829.97.
Heres the question: What would the 75-300 zoom lens be good for?

Thanks
Chris

got a link to this offer?

does it come with 2 lenses? or just the 75-300 telephoto lens? and is the rechargeable battery a 2nd battery in addition to the one that should already come with the camera?

surfn · May 8, 2008

FWIW.....i doubt the 75-300mm lens is very good. i found it on B&H and it goes for about $150, and is an f/4-5.6 with NO IS...which means it is a pretty crappy lens. it will only work correctly on VERY bright days.

considering you can buy the XTi from B&H with the standard 18-55mm lens for $540, plus the $150 75-300mm telephoto lens (total of $690)...means you are paying best buy an additional $140 + tax for cheap bag an UV filter....which seems kinda outrageous to me.

IMO....if you are willing to drop $800+ for a dSLR.....get the XSi with 18-55mm IS lens from B&H photo. they are a top notch place to order cameras from. The XSi is brand new, and only been on the market for about a month or two. It is essentially an upgrade from the XTi.......but has tons more functionality similar to the 40D (which means it has LCD LIVE VIEW!!!), plus a 12mega-pixel sensor.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/542180-REG/Canon_2756B003_EOS_Rebel_XSi_a_k_a_.html

Chris2222000 · May 8, 2008

surfn said:
FWIW.....i doubt the 75-300mm lens is very good. i found it on B&H and it goes for about $150, and is an f/4-5.6 with NO IS...which means it is a pretty crappy lens. it will only work correctly on VERY bright days.

considering you can buy the XTi from B&H with the standard 18-55mm lens for $540, plus the $150 75-300mm telephoto lens (total of $690)...means you are paying best buy an additional $140 + tax for cheap bag an UV filter....which seems kinda outrageous to me.

IMO....if you are willing to drop $800+ for a dSLR.....get the XSi with 18-55mm IS lens from B&H photo. they are a top notch place to order cameras from. The XSi is brand new, and only been on the market for about a month or two. It is essentially an upgrade from the XTi.......but has tons more functionality similar to the 40D (which means it has LCD LIVE VIEW!!!), plus a 12mega-pixel sensor.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/542180-REG/Canon_2756B003_EOS_Rebel_XSi_a_k_a_.html

Thanks for that

and the ad is in this weeks sale paper (Mothers day) and according to them the telescoping lens retails for 234.99 and the starter kit 114.99 (bag, uv filter and extra battery)
That live view does sound intriguing. The reason why I was looking at Best Buy was because of their 18 month no interest

lol

surfn · May 8, 2008

best buy over charges allot compared to cheaper online stores, b/c they know people would rather buy from the large big box stores locally rather than doing some leg work to find it cheaper online.

so when best buy says they are having a sale on camera's, i always find it ironic that they are STILL more expensive than what you can find for them online.

the only time of the year when dSLR's are comparable in price to online retailers is black friday (after thanksgiving), and sometimes some after xmas sales.

Stixbaraca · May 8, 2008

Go to B&H...that's where I got my XTi. Go for the body only and get a nice fast lens!!! Reviews on the Xsi have been very impressive.

revhtree · May 8, 2008

Also check for this camera at your local office supply stores and the like. Best buy will beat the prices. I took an ad in the BB from office depot and best buy matched it and then some. Also BB is usually quite a bit higher than getting it online.

If I were you i would find a XT and and then get the nifty 50mm and a 100mm macro for about $1000, maybe even a little less.

Chris2222000 · May 8, 2008

Thanks for the replies guys, Im definitely finding the Si very attractive

. My poor, poor wallet lol.

revhtree · May 8, 2008

It is awesome to have the new camera body, but please listen when I say the lens is the most important factor when you get into this range of cameras.

surfn · May 8, 2008

revhtree said:
It is awesome to have the new camera body, but please listen when I say the lens is the most important factor when you get into this range of cameras.

that used to be true until they started putting live view on the new cameras... :hammer:

the 18-55mm IS lens that comes with the XSi has gotten some pretty good reviews......much better than the crappy 18-55mm lens that comes with the XT and XTi.

divecj5 · May 8, 2008

I agree with both Rev and Al on this one as well.

I totally agree with Rev that about the quality of glass. I still use a 300D and have been for years. I thought about switching to a newer model a couple of years ago but instead I dropped the cash on an L-series landscape and zoom lens instead. The saturation, clarity, sharpness, and lack of distortion that results from better quality glass can't be beat.

That said, I do agree Al that I would love to have some of the features that the newer models have....improved ISO, Servo focus modes, and live view.

I guess it's a tough decision between a new camera and a macro lens/tripod for me

revhtree · May 8, 2008

True true on the live preview, but still then still kinda hard to tell if your good and focused where you want to be. Whatever you do plan for a good lens and you will be happy.

surfn · May 8, 2008

revhtree said:
True true on the live preview, but still then still kinda hard to tell if your good and focused where you want to be. Whatever you do plan for a good lens and you will be happy.

actually, its like a million times easier to do macro work with live view than with the traditional eye piece.

the reason for this, is once your live image is on the screen, you can zoom in X100% onto a single sps polyp (like the sunset monti for example), and then adjust your focus accordingly until that single polyp is in perfect focus.

it also has depth of field preview on the live view, so you can set it at a certain f/stop and it will show you on the screen what the depth of field will look like at that certain f/stop.

revhtree · May 8, 2008

surfn said:
actually, its like a million times easier to do macro work with live view than with the traditional eye piece.

the reason for this, is once your live image is on the screen, you can zoom in X100% onto a single sps polyp (like the sunset monti for example), and then adjust your focus accordingly until that single polyp is in perfect focus.

it also has depth of field preview on the live view, so you can set it at a certain f/stop and it will show you on the screen what the depth of field will look like at that certain f/stop.

Wow really? I just left my camera in th bag in my car hoping somebody will steal it! LOL! JK...

I need to really consider checking that out more huh..

surfn · May 8, 2008

revhtree said:
Wow really? I just left my camera in th bag in my car hoping somebody will steal it! LOL! JK...

I need to really consider checking that out more huh..

thats what my 40D does, i would imagine the XSi is capable of the same thing since its essentially a lighter version of the 40D.

not sure if hte XSi has quick custom pre-sets on the speed wheel like the 40D though. i love that feature.

Chris2222000 · May 8, 2008

surfn said:
actually, its like a million times easier to do macro work with live view than with the traditional eye piece.

the reason for this, is once your live image is on the screen, you can zoom in X100% onto a single sps polyp (like the sunset monti for example), and then adjust your focus accordingly until that single polyp is in perfect focus.

it also has depth of field preview on the live view, so you can set it at a certain f/stop and it will show you on the screen what the depth of field will look like at that certain f/stop.

WOW I didnt realize with live view you can do that! Im this close to ordering one lol, just have to find a good excuse to justify me spending close to a grand on a camera lol.