Be aware that this does not come with the IS lens. It's the old kit lens from the older models.

FatherTed said:

Only if you realize there are thousands of idiots in the world.

Yes, I see evidence of that fact every evening this week.

They will sell thousands and thousands of these.

Thanks OP. I just pulled the trigger and bought one. I've been looking to buy a first DSLR for a couple of months. I've been on the fence and couldn't decide between 40D or 450D (XSI), but I decided to go with 450D and spend more on accessories and lenses.

Rosco01 said:jonnythan said:40D is better, definitely. But not that much better.

And the 40D is a lot bigger and heavier. Some people like that. I don't.

Picture quality between them will be virtually identical, as will focusing performance. The 40D has:

Bigger, better viewfinder
Higher FPS with a bigger buffer
Top LCD
Slightly higher shutter sync

That's about it. Personally, I'd take the XSi over the 40D if they were the same price just because of the ergonomics. I guess I have relatively small hands and like a lightweight camera.

The XSi with the new 18-200mm IS lens would be a *bitchin* "everyday, everywhere" kinda setup.

One thing you left out is that the GRIP on the Rebel is really tiny - almost as though it was designed for a child's hands. I tried the Rebel and honestly could not use it, because the grip was worthless. The camera is very light, and probably will not balance well with a big lens on the front. Incidentally, not all entry-level DSLRs have lousy grips - the grip on the D40 and D60 is considerably better.

I just helped my dad buy a 40D last week, and he had to pass on the Rebel because it is just too tiny.

I shoot Nikon myself, and I have the Nikkor 18-200mm lens. It's basically the ideal lens for walkaround photography; just remember that 18-200 on Nikon = 27-300; same focal length lens on Canon = 29-320.

The D40/D60 are virtually identical in size to the XSi(the dimensions are actually smaller), the D80 is the next step up in size. I have large hands and the XSi feels just fine to me. I tried the D60 and didn't find it any more comfortable. I wouldn't pay an extra 4 or 5 hundred dollars(40D) just to get a slightly larger grip. You can get a battery grip for the XSi if you really want it to be larger. It comes down to how much camera you need. In some ways the XSi is more advanced than the 40D.

Seems like a pretty good deal, but after taxes, it's more like $650 for me... I can get it on Newegg for $700 or $679 after 3% live.com CashBack.

I wonder how much the prices will come down on these in the next month or two...

In 4 1. Just because of the green bar.

Anyone ordered from JR.com with different billing and shipping addresses? Will they ship the order in such case?

abang said:GMaxx said:I'm a newbie too when it comes to dslr.

I've got this camera on my list and will be purchasing a dslr soon.

I wanted to get everybody's advice on this camera against the Nikon d60 and Olympus E-520.

I want the camera to take nice shots without really having to play too much with the settings. I really don't anticipate buying anymore lenses then the one that comes with the camera. My budget is about $700-$900.

Please give your thoughts as to which one you think is better for my purposes.

TIA.

GMaxx
The Olympus 520 has built in image stabilization. With the Canon, you'll have to get a lens that has stabilization. The Xsi comes with one of those. However, those lenses are expensive if you plan on getting more with stabilization. With the Olympus, you can use almost any Olympus or compatible lens, the camera body handles the image stabilization. As for not buying any more lenses, don't kid yourself. Once you get a DSLR and start getting into photography, you'll find yourself starting to collect lenses. The Canon has more lenses and Canon lenses are easy to find on the used market. Olympus lenses are not as easy to find on the used market, as Olympus market share is not as big as Canon and Nikon.

The Nikon D60 is a great camera too. Lots of choices for Nikon lens. Can't go wrong with it either.

Yeah, I'm afraid you might be right about adding lenses. I promised myself not to add a new hobby and collect more stuff.
Oh well... I'm leaning towards the Olympus because of the lighter weight, but I still got a few weeks to make a decision.
Thanks.

Wondering why this thread is not up there on the first page ... ??? This came out to be cheaper than the Dell deal going around a week or so ago , at least for me, who lives in CA ( Dell 595 + tax = ~630 , JR.com 595 , that's all !!! and the CashBack showed up 15 minutes after I placed my order). People looking for the XSI (or any entry-mid level dslr) should jump on it ... or I'm missing something ??

jonnythan said:Kapytalyst said:OK - I own them both, as well as a 1d Mark 2 and 1ds. I use these cameras a lot and while I agree with this post concerning the "differences", there is no way the focusing performance of any Rebel class camera compares to that of the 40d. Focusing with the 40d is every bit as good as the 1d Mark 2 in MOST circumstances.

That said, I couldn't agree more that the new 18-200mm IS will be a great addition to the ef-s lens line!

From what I'm told, the AF systems in the 450D and 40D are virtually identical, representing a big upgrade in AF performance for the Rebel line.

I might be wrong though.

I believe they are the same with the exception that the 40D has cross type sensors for all focus points while the 450D (XSi) is only the center one.