I'm a student and I am so in over my head. HELP!

[DavidEccleston]

Canon Rebel T1i - $600


Canon Rebel XSi - $430

Keep in mind the XSi is without a lens, and the T1i is with one. The kit lens isn't horrible. I think the bad rep the 18-55mm gets is from the older versions of the lens. While a nice constant lower aperture lens would be nice, this lens has decent image quality, image stabilization w/ auto mode 2 detection (panning). It's enough to get started with for daylight shooting, and adding a 50mm f/1.8 would provide a cheap way to experiment with low-light shooting, and using a prime.


One advantage of the T1i not mentioned yet is the higher resolution display. If you're doing portraits or macro work, live view with 10x magnification on the T1i is a great way to ensure your focus is where you want it.


Adorama has, in the past, had the T1i w/out lens for $500. I haven't seen that available for 4 months, while it's perpetually available with the kit lens. I just mention that because if you could find it without the kit lens, I think the $70 extra for the better display, higher resolution (15MP vs. 12), video, and lower noise is a decent deal.

[LeTiger]

As you mentioned that you were wanting to get gear before signing up for classes, the best advice I can give would be to send out some emails to the photography professors (or even better, go visit them!)


They would be the best ones to let you know what equipment they prefer their students to use, as well as have killer recommendations for what they expect of new students.


You might go and find out that your entire department is full of Nikon fanatics, in which case dropping 1k into a Canon setup might not be the best learning curve you can set yourself up for. (I learned the hard way having already bought into Canon that the photography professor loves Nikons.. (aka I have to buy all my lenses, wheras if I had gone Nikon in the first place, I would have had the school's arsenal at my disposal)) I don't personally regret the decision, and love Canon, but those are the best things to find out about before your barking up the wrong tree with gear/uses.


Best of luck with your choice of career!