EOS 300D with Kit Lens worth it?

[Temujin]

Hi,

I am working on a internship in a Internet marketing company in the US now. Part of my job scope is to design online ads. So I am quite competent with Photoshop and various aspects of digital photo processing. 2 months ago I bought a Canon A95 to give my design work more materials to work on. Some of the A95 photos can be seen here.

http://www.photo.net/shared/community-member?user_id=1129115

However, I am beginning to feel the limitations of the P&S camera (A95) having taken 800 shots in 1 month. Recently, Canon is having a rebate sale here in the US, price of a Canon 300D (or Digital Rebel) lens kit is $699 USD. There are also 300D packages that comes with a IS mid zoom EF Canon lens and a wide lens going for $1200 USD.

I have 3 questions. Please take a look at my A95 photos. Am I hitting the limits of the camera and I should get a SLR to learn more? Or I am simply suffering from equipment envy and should just stick with the A95 until I had truly outgrown it.

Finally, is the 300D cheaper in Singapore? (e.g package prices)

Thanks for and advise

 

[Gosu_John]

cant see any pics on the link

 

[CY_OH]

I too can't see any pictures. It would be cheaper to buy in the US, as US$699 is about S$1200, while the kit is S$1700-1800 in Singapore. The warranty might not be valid outside US though.

 

[mpenza]

If you get a DSLR, you're not just getting a camera. You're getting into a system with different lenses and accessories to cater for different needs. A 300D definitely will outperformed the A95 for action and spontaneous shots (fast focussing), low-light situations (low noise at high ISO), creative lighting (via external flashes and remote firing), etc. The image quality is also considerably better (noise, resolution, sharpness).

But do note the size, weight and cost will be higher compact to a compact digicam.

Also, if the Nikon D70 is available for similar price, get it as it's a better body compared to 300D.

 

[Temujin]

Check the links again. Sorry!

http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=438770
http://www.photo.net/photodb/folder?folder_id=433698

 

[Temujin]

Any help is appreciated!

 

[simon80]

SG $1808 in changi airport ...

 

[Zplus]

Drebel prices in the states seems better than over here.... not too sure abou the D70.

A DSLR, in general, will offer you more control over the A95. It will have better noise control and allows for bigger, cleaner prints. It will also allow you to mount external flashes and work with studio strobes. There is also virtually no shutter lag as compared to the A95. Meaning increase the chances of getting the shot. AF is much faster too. You will need to decide if you need these features in a DSLR.

Based on your shots... it seems you are using the A95 for sceneries. A DSLR's faster AF and better shutter lag may be much of a use to you. But a DSLR's long exposure time and low noise will allow for some interesting bight scenaries. The ability to choose from a wide variety of lens too.

Right now, based on a feature to feature comparision between the 300D and D70, the D70 has the upper hand. Both in price and features. Which system you wanna adopt (Canon or Nikon) depends on your preference. Both are with its own quirks.

As for me, I am a Canon user and I like its ability to handle high ISO with low noise.

 

[Temujin]

Thanks, I was thinking of going the Canon way too. Is there any good lens for sceneries and potraits. I think I will be doing this two the most

 

[Ah Pao]

If you've never handled an D/SLR before and would like to try it, then the DRebel (300D) is a good entry-level DSLR. It will definitely open up new possibilties.

However, be warned, the learning curve will be steeper than a P&S. A lot of people, used to using a P&S, are "disappointed" with the shots from a DSLR because of unrealistic expectations. Be prepared to learn the finer art of mastering light and digital post-processing.

With the DRebel dropping to rock-bottom prices, I don't see why not if you don't really mind older technology.

For scenaries, a good-ole wide angle lens would be good; anything 18 mm and below should be able to give you a good coverage on the DRebel. As for portrait, because of the 1.6x crop factor, the 50mm is a good start.