Yet another entry level DSLR camera question

[Paul_S]

I'm looking at getting a half decent camera since my 12 year old Fujifilm Finepix S602 is a dinosaur and has serious resolution (3MP effective) and IQ limitations.
I'm not ever planning on being a proffesional or even an enthusiast photographer but I'm frustrated by the limitations of point-and-click and bridge cameras.

Better IQ is my main aim so I've ruled out bridge cameras like the Canon SX40 with their tiny image sensors and the inability to upgrade to decent glass later on.
I'm leaning towards a Canon 600D as the 550D is not much cheaper (R400) and the 1100D has much lower specs.

I plan to shoot mainly portrates and landscape to begin with.
Is the EF-S 18-55mm IS II kit lens good enough for non-action, indoor photography at night with only the built in flash? The consumer/bridge cameras are generally terrible in low light conditions.

The 600D with EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens kit would be even better but the jump in price from R6895 to R9495 is really stretching my budget. Is the extra R2600 worth it or should I rather save up an extra R5500 for the not-too-bad and versatile EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens?

I'll look at the professional ranges of lenses once I've cut my teeth on cheaper lenses. It will also give my wallet time to catch up.

 

[koffiejunkie]

Is the EF-S 18-55mm IS II kit lens good enough for non-action, indoor photography at night with only the built in flash?

The built-in flash is always going to be limited in what it can do, but at least it can do fill-flash on the DSLRs, so that's a step forward. There are some ways to mod it so that it gives a more pleasing light (search bwana's posts for a few examples).

The 600D with EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens kit would be even better but the jump in price from R6895 to R9495 is really stretching my budget. Is the extra R2600 worth it or should I rather save up an extra R5500 for the not-too-bad and versatile EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens?

I would say start with the kit 18-55 IS and if you want to dabble with portraiture and low light situations, get the delightfully cheap but great 50mm f/1.8 II. See how things go with that - you'll start to get an idea of what your needs are.

The 18-200 is nice if you want just one lens for everything, but that kind of range in such a compact package comes with compromises, so keep that in mind.

 

[Paul_S]

I would say start with the kit 18-55 IS and if you want to dabble with portraiture and low light situations, get the delightfully cheap but great 50mm f/1.8 II. See how things go with that - you'll start to get an idea of what your needs are.

Wow! It is a cheap lens (price wise).

The 18-200 is nice if you want just one lens for everything, but that kind of range in such a compact package comes with compromises, so keep that in mind.

Yeah, it's not going to be a great lens but my feeling is that it has to be better than the glass on just about any super-zoom, bridge camera.

 

[bwana]

Wow! It is a cheap lens (price wise).

It's a cheap lens build wise too but it's easy enough to overlook that . . . just dont drop it!

Yeah, it's not going to be a great lens but my feeling is that it has to be better than the glass on just about any super-zoom, bridge camera.

The kit lens is "good enough" for a lot of things but it's not going to have anything close to the range a super zoom has.

If you're interested in shooting indoors a speedlite is a good idea - there's not much the popup is good for. Have a look at maybe getting something small like the 270EXII.

I also second the idea of getting a fast 50mm - either the f/1.8 or the higher quality f/1.4 - they make excellent portrait lenses.

 

[koffiejunkie]

Wow! It is a cheap lens (price wise).

What bwana said about the build quality. They don't call it the "plastic fantastic" for nothing. That said, I've dropped mine several times - touch wood, no damage yet.

Yeah, it's not going to be a great lens but my feeling is that it has to be better than the glass on just about any super-zoom, bridge camera.

[18-200mm IS] Yes, likely. It's not a bad lens, but I think from what I've seen the 18-55mm IS is better in its range, and the 55-250mm is definitely better in its range.

 

[Paul_S]

Thanks for the feedback guys!
I'll squeeze the 50mm f/1.8 II into the budget and then save up for a Speedlite 430EX II.
I just hope the Rand holds steady for a couple of months so that I can buy with cash instead of credit.

What I found surprising was the amount of money that people expect for their old equipment.
e.g. People trying to flog 550D's with an entry level 18-55mm IS lens for R6500+
Same thing with lenses. Trying to sell R10000+ lenses only R500 or R1000 below the new price.
They obviously haven't checked the prices at Makro or ORMS Direct recently.