Buying a Camera

Make sure it fits her hand. I tried several Canons and as I have long fingers they were all too small so I bought a Nikon.

Most cameras have a country of origin warranty only so if it breaks down and its still under warranty you will have to send it back to the USA for a free fix or pay for it to be fixed here.

Lens usually have a worldwide warranty.

How much is the gear new here.

They are quite good cameras provided they have been looked after.

I dislike changing lens in the field so sold my two Nikon lens and bought a Tamron 18 -270mm which covers both of yours.

It did however cost $1000.

Cheers

Hairy

I’m currently using a Canon EOS 400D with a 28 – 200mm lens. The picture quality is very good and it’s also a very robust camera.
A few more AF sensors would be nice, but you can’t have everything.

It might be a good idea to question the seller about its past life, but that aside, it sounds like a good price with Canon lenses.

Regards

Kim

Hi Hairy,

I'm no camera expert but we were looking a buying a DSLR not long ago so i think some of the info is still in the brain. The camera you are talking about is, in Australia called the 400D which is now a few seasons old. I think the newest one out is the 550D which replaced the 500D which replaced the 450D, which replaced the 400D.
Some shops when we were looking are doing specials on the models that are being replaced by newer versions, so it might pay to check some of the bargains out.

One thing to think about is that Canon use image stabalising (IS) in their lenses not in the camera body. Make sure that the lenses that come with the camera are IS lenses, otherwise you will need a super steady hand.

The price you stated seams a little high for me, but i do like a good bargin. Do some research on the net, heaps of stuff out there and you should be able to get a fair idea, or you will just get more confused!!

Good luck

Simo

Hairy
Like the thought of the 300 lens, I have a Nikon but the Canon is a good name too,


Not really mate.
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Hiya Hairy,
For that kit, I reckon it's a bit rich. Unless these lenses are the image stabilized versions, there worth next to nothing. I doubt i could even give away my 18-55, it's just sitting in the desk drawer. The 70-300, we were advised by camera house to go for the tamron option, as it was a better lens, you can pick this lens up new for under $200, they no longer make the canon 70-300 non IS so not sure of it's retail price.

The 400D is not a bad camera for what it's worth, but it is getting older, and there are a few upgrades, ie the 450 and 500. JB Hi Fi have the 450D on sale now with the 2 image stabilized lenses for $1269, I know it's a fair bit more, but the lenses are a whack better, it's new, never used, and its a bit more advanced.

http://www.jbhifi.com.au/photo/digital-cameras/slr/

there's the link if you should want it, I'd go the 1000D for $896 before I got a second hand 400D at your price.

Cheers
Troy

Hairy,

My 350D is a good camera and I still use it from time to time as a backup. The 400D is now a couple of generations old but still a good DSLR starter.
I had a look on EBay at completed auctions for Canon the EOS 400D with 18-55mm + 75-300m kit lenses and the price you have been asked is the top end.
However your price includes the 70-300 and if the current model is a better lens and is probably worth the extra dollars.
If the lenses are IS which is possible it will be marked on the lens and there will be a switch to turn the IS on or off.
Also on the plus side is that you know the seller.

That camera and the lens kit it comes with is not worth more than $250 ( make an offer you have nothing to loose) it is a few years old now regardlesss of what they are asking for and what they paid for it i . I will not sell my older DSLR cameras as I can not get anywhere near what I have paid for them so keep as a back up. You can buy newer camers for that price not necessary a canon you pay for the name. Also it would be out of waranty by now. Do more research if you are not in a hurray to buy one...... you will be amazed at what you come up with. Even the pixals are low my camera is 14MP and that is 18 months old.

Hello Hairy, I only just spotted your post. Bet you are well and truely confused by now. And I don't think I can unconfuse you. I don't really know the Canon range, but... Kit lenses on lower end cameras are usually not up to the quality of the regular lens range, but this isn't always so. You could try the following site that has reviews on most cameras and lenses.

http://www.dpreview.com/

Canon Rebel series have a good reputation. I wouldn't be too worried about newer cameras having more megapixels. Not really an issue unless you want to do really big print blowups from your shots, and usually more megapixels means noisier shots and there is now a move to make cameras with less megapixels. 10.1 should be fine.
I would imagine that you will want to use this in desert country?? The advice someone gave re having a lens range so you don't have to change lenses too often is very wise in desert conditions. The sensors attract dust like you wouldn't believe whenever you take the lens off to put on another lens.

Do you take much stuff in low light or using a long telephoto? If so, you will want either a tripod or an image stabilized camera or lens. I prefer to have IS in the body of the camera so it works with all my lenses. Canon don't make them this way and you have to get it in each lens, which costs more. Ask the current owner about it or check the lenses on the site I gave above. If you don't do much shooting like this, it isn't an issue.
Check the memory cards included in this deal. You don't mention that any are included.
Can you take a few shots then look at them on decent screen? Look for anything that might be scratches or specks that appear in the same place on all the shots, even when using different lenses.. If the latter, then the sensor is dirty and may, or may not, bea ble to be cleaned succesfully.

Do a hunt on ebay for the same model to compare prices.

G/Day,,,Hahahahahahahaha,!!. Bet ya wished you had shut up!,,,,,LOL.



Cheers Axle

After all that are you any the wiser ?

I am a Nikon fanatic so I despise everything canon.

Apart from that they are OK.

I would buy a copy of the camera trader magazine it is a yellow paper edition and it has camera advertisements in it.

It is pretty much the bible as to going prices in Australia for second hand gear.

check it out and see what similar cameras and lenses are going for.

If they are less show the yank

if they are more shut up and buy the camera :-)

G'day Hairy,
Don't want to confuse you further with more info and will try and answer your original question.
If the camera is in good shape (borrow it for a couple of days and shoot some shots) the price, given all the extras listed, is reasonable.
The Rebel Xti is equivalent to the Australian EOS 400D which I have.
If you have not had a DSLR before it is a great learning camera and I have found it to be fairly robust and at the same time one that can take good shots.
All the shots herehttp://peterwpa1.zenfolio.com/ were taken with this camera and the early shots (ones without captions in the Victoria section) were with the often maligned 18-55 lens.
It is a good walk around lens but with some limitations.
Later shots are with the Wide Angle 10-22.
It is fairly light if the missus is to use it and mine has not missed a beat since purchase new in July 2008 (and I use mine in some very remote and dusty spots).
Hopefully the shots will give some evidence of the camera's capabilities.
Cheers.
Peter
"Life is not a Rehearsal"

Thanks for all the replies.

Yes I am totally confused now, but have certainly learnt a lot and have a few more options now. LOL

I think if they are IS lenses and she will drop the price a bit we will consider it....otherwise I might keep on looking.

Thanks again for all of your Help!

Cheers
Hairy

Hey mate,
As for the amount of images it has taken...... Manafacturers recomend 100 000 images from most cameras these days, which is a hell of a lot of shots. So 10 000 is really not that much, only 10% worn.

Mine (Nikon) is almost 2 years old and is up to 85 000 frames and still going stong. (and I do not look after it). I shot just over 20 000 frames in 3 weeks in feb but that was on borrowed gear from Nikon. The Pro bodies have a recomended life of 150 000 but I have heard of some that are 6 months old with over half a million pics taken.

So I can see if this is your final choice then you will have alot of life left in it providing if it has been well looked after.

Unfortuanetly I can not comment on Canon gear as I am not up to date with that gear and only know Nikon.

Peter