Message posted by NoOne on July 28, 2006 at 17:04:15 PST:

>It costs more than I paid for
>my truck. ;)
>I have been through a succession
>of cheap digital cameras, and have
>decided I need to upgrade. I'd
>like to go with a digital SLR, and
>the EOS looks like something to
>shoot for.

Don’t be scared off by believing your only choice is expensive Canon L series glass (one lens 2x-5x your budget of $500) or that a prime lens, vs zoom, is your only option (not very handy being able to afford only one lens and that lens being a prime 400mm telephoto..).

You can do pretty well on a budget of $500, ending up with a much better alternative to “cheap digital zoom” and end up with a digital SLR to build on. Have a look at Hank’s recent photos (very nice) – some shot with a Canon Rebel XT (350D, 8mp) using a Sigma 70-300 zoom.

You can pick up a Rebel (not XT, 300D – 6.3mp) used at KEH for under $400 and probably at a local camera store in Yuba City or San Francisco (try Brooks Camera). Canon have been pumping out new model digital SLR cameras at great rate of knots; you’ll always pay a premium for the latest models. Previous models were the “latest and greatest” when they were new and are still excellent cameras now at an excellent price. I occasionally use my D30 - like the look it produces for some things.

Given you are interested in the telephoto side of things, you can buy a Canon, Sigma or Tamron 70/75-300 zoom lens, new, for under $200. Now that’s getting pretty close to the $500 budget and you’ll end up with something you can use now, on a daily basis.

As you would be aware having done a fair bit of photography in days gone by, a 70/75mm lens is a bit on the telephoto side for some subjects particularly landscapes (compounded by the imager size of the 300D, but won't go into that just now). Some day you’ll want a lens that covers the gap from 70/75mm down to wide angle (17mm or so), but for now you’d be in business.

Just because I couldn’t afford a Leica, and Leica lenses, when I was younger didn’t stop me from buying a Nikkormat (used..). And because I bought the Nikkormat I have thousands of images and prints from those days in my archives. Wouldn’t it have been just fantastic to have had even a Canon Rebel with a less than perfect 300mm zoom when those SR’s were flying?

In Reply to: Re: U-2 Photos posted by Will(NorCal) on July 28, 2006 at 4:46:09 PST:

Replies: