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Anonymous
Budget of around 1.4k

Rebel XTi Body - 744.95
Rebel XTi KIT - 831.95

Fixed:
50mm f1.4 USM - 334.95
85mm f1.8 USM - 367.95
28mm f1.8 USM - 429.95

Zoom:
17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM - 554.95
24-85mm USM - 334.95
28-135mm IS USM - 439.95

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>> Anonymous
OP here -
I'm going to be in Africa for at least two months very soon and I'm looking for a DSLR that I can work on and grow my skills on from. My budget ranges from 1k-1.5k due to the fact that I'll be getting a laptop along with my 2.5k budget. The laptop probably will cost 1,100 total. So that leaves me with around 1.4k for DSLR. Since I'm a student at RIT, I just went to the bookstore at RIT and looked at their selection. I feel that I'm sold on XTi however I'm not too sure whether to get the kit and one lens or a body and one lens. Assume that I have 1,400 dollars left, what would be your choices? Oh before you choose, I will probably be taking some landscape pictures and as well people up close so I need some versatile lens that could do them all if possible. I also didn't look at the Nikon lines, I could have looked at the D50 ones and the lenses they have to offer. If you know of similar set up for Nikon instead, please feel free to inform me. Thanks.
>> Anonymous
OP here, I would like your recommendations on the lenses. Thanks.
>> Anonymous
Canon RebelXTi - Body only
Sigma 70-200 Lens for canon (you are shooting nature in africa right?)

here a quick (and not completely accurate) Lens MM guide for you

-35mm - wide angle
35mm - film view - kinda your eye but zoom it out a lil
70mm - human eye view
70+mm - Zoom in
>> Anonymous
>>43779
for film thats wrong, and for digital its even more wrong. generally 50mm is considered normal. ~35mm and less is wide angle. ~70+ is telephoto. anything in between the slight wide and slight telephoto is sorta normal (lol). the rebel xti has a 1.6x crop factor, so take the lens focal length and multiply it to get its effective focal length. so if you want a normal perspective on the xti you want something around 30mm. 30mm x 1.6 = 48mm
>> Anonymous
>>Combo 1) XTi Body + EF 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM - Total $1299.9

Exactly what I got just a few weeks ago. Couldn't be happier.

Would like bigger aperture, but those are seriously expensive.
>> Anonymous
I'd get Rebel XT, Canon 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS, and Sigma 70-300mm APO DG Macro.

Probably around $1,200 total.
>> Anonymous
I say get the XT over XTi because there just isn't a big enough difference between the two to justify the cost increase.
>> Anonymous
>>43786
Rebel XT as in the 350D models? I'll have to check with the store here. If they do have that and then I suppose I could work with lower megapixels. After all it's not what matters though. SO many choices... It's quite difficult to decide on the lens.
>> Anonymous
mm I'd buy an XT, and I picked up a used 24-85mm lens for about 150 online, perfect shape too, and a 70-200mm f/4L should help it out nicely
>> Anonymous
OP here, I think I've decided on the lenses I would like to have and they are EF 50mm f1.4 USM and EF 28-135 f/3.5-6.5 IS USM. I probably will be looking at Rebel XT body and see if I can get them all together and if I can, that's great and if not and then I'll have to pick one of these lenses. So which one? the 50mm or the 28-135mm? I think I'm leaning on the 28-135mm lens right now.
>> Anonymous
>>43796
Get the 17-85 over the 28-135. 28mm on a crop body is going to look like 45mm which is not wide at all. you're going to want a wider lens.
>> Anonymous
>>43803
Oh right, I forgot about the crop factor, thanks for pointing that out. I guess I'll be going for the 17-85mm then even if it cost some 100 bucks more :(
>> ac
>>43779
If I were you, I'd get the 17-85 as my main walking-around lens, but then also pick up the 50mm f/1.8 (which isn't on your list) for when I really need every photon I can get. It's pretty much Canon's cheapest lens (~$76), and has surprisingly good quality for its price (because it's really easy and cheap to make a high quality 50mm).
>> Anonymous
OP here, I'm set in my choices and I think they are the most fitting to my needs. They are:
EF 28mm f/1.8 USM
EF 70-200mm f/4L USM

Thanks for your feed back and more.
>> Anonymous
>>44222
IMO the worst 2 lens combination you could have chosen (if you are going to africa with them, hell even if you aren't!)

Drop the 28mm f1.8 USM and get the Sigma 30mm f1.4 (Buy it new I hear canon sucks for sigma QC, so you can return it if its focus is off) Instant Savings of $130

Now instead of the overpriced 70-200mm F4, pick up a cheaper, albeit not as good quality but much smaller and easy to pack around Sigma 70-300mm f4-5.6 APO DG Macro (in the daytime In Africa, an F8 lens would do fine), Instant savings of 350$

NOW get the 17-85 f4-5.6 IS USM, its the best all round lens you listed and you will regret not having the 17mm wide end (28mm on a Digital Rebel is not wide at all! good luck with landscapes!)
>> Anonymous
>>44232
Thank you for your insight and input. However my concern is my timeframe of getting the lenses and my laptop from one source. I only have until May 31, the date when I fly out to Tanzania, Africa. I'm trying to keep it all from the same source, and yes that's newegg. It might not be the best choice but in the terms of cost savings, I'm saving more going this routine. I believe the 17-85mm IS USM is not in stock at newegg, do not fret as I have until next week to order my supplies. Thanks once again, if you are able to find better lenses from newegg, let me know.
>> Anonymous
>>44233
You don't have anywhere local to pick up other lenses? Also did you decide on the XT or XTi? I see a black XT kit there for 619 (with an 18-55 kit lens) That seems like a safe starting point, (After all the XTi isn't that much of an improvement and eventually canon will come out with something better (even entry level)

Since I couldn't find any lenses at all on newegg.com heres some advice to you, 28mm is not nearly wide enough on a Digital camera, You will seriously regret not having a wider lens once you get to Tanzania, Whatever you do pick up something wider, even the dirt cheap 18-55 kit lens (which you will never use again if you pick up the 17-85 eventually)

28mm f1.8 does not seem like a good choice for you (looking at its cost) Unless there is a serious night scene where you are going (clubs, bars whatever)
>> Anonymous
>>44234
I suppose you are right, however the real only other choices I have around here comes with 8% taxes and cost more than what I have seen around on newegg, even with education discounts.

I've looked around and decided that I could go with the 17-40mm f/4L USM (24-65mm effective with 1.6 crop) however I'm not too sure about what I could do for the other one, I've been looking at this one as well, 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM. It should still be within my price range, what do you think of the changes? I would like if I could keep the lenses to be at fixed and uses internal focusing because where I'm going to, Tanzania, is pretty dusty and I don't want the internals to get dirty as easily while I'm there.

Again, I'll ask you, if you were me and only had newegg to do your shopping, what would you get with only 2k dollars (including battery grip, batteries, memory cards). I look forward for your advice.

(There's even a 30D with 28-135mm IS USM lens for 1.5k)