[ph03n!x]

Not sure where you saw it/ got it with a non-IS lens kit, but I was shopping for a 500D, and this is what I found when I was comparing it with the 1000D-

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi

2756B003 Canon Digital Rebel XSi SLR Camera Body Kit, 12.2 Megapixels, Black with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Image Stabilizer Lens

Amazon.com: Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black): Camera & Photo

I always found the kit with the same EF-S 18-55mm USM IS lens...

[Proxima]

XS in USA = 1000D in India
XSi in USA = 450D in India
T1i in USA = 500D in India = Kiss X3 in Japan

1000D does comes with the non-IS lens.
XS comes with the IS lens.

However, is not the USM in both cases as you have mentioned.

From Canon India website:
450D - EOS 450D Kit EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS - Digital Cameras - Canon India
1000D - EOS 1000D Kit (EFS 18-55) - Digital Cameras - Canon India

Notice that it says IS in 450D's page but does not in the 1000D's page.

Trust me - I found out the hard way. (Exchanged the non IS lens with the IS lens and payed 2k)

[Speed Pujari]

There are brands other than Nikon and Canon which are far better at lesser price. E.g. Pentax K-x and K-7 , Olympus E series.

Though i have a Nikon kit, I have understood till date that I pay a premum of 25%+ for the brand name. Soon I may be replacing the entire kit and move away from Nikon/Canon brand sagas.

The lens quality of Olympus is far better and so crystal sharp that they are compared with their Carl Zeiss counterparts and not the Nikkor/Canons. To get a good glass in Canikon you gotta shell out lotza moolah which includes 25% brand premium.

Do not worry about the service for the brands other than Canon/Nikon. Those camera's are build solid. E.g. a Pentax K-7 at less than 1000$ you get magnesium sealing like Nikon D300.

[fatboyslim]

Thanks Robimahanta, JK, Proxima and it inspector. Your responses really cleard up a few fundamental issues. Appreciate your help and please do help me for some more drill down in a few days.

Cheers!

[ph03n!x]

Originally Posted by Proxima

Trust me - I found out the hard way. (Exchanged the non IS lens with the IS lens and payed 2k)

Ah! Just realized- there is a $50 difference between the 1000D IS Kit and 1000D non-IS kit!

[maven]

Originally Posted by r_nairtvm

Hello All,

As an oldman, I have been sticking to my good old Nikon F90X. As an ocassional hobbyist, I am really happy with the results I was getting with the Nikon AF lenses I am having.

Now with a daughter in graduate programme in a Design School and her "demand" for access to a "decent" DSLR, I thought I will set aside my purist views and look for a DSLR

What would you consider to be an equivalent to that in the Digital Range of Nikons (hopefully some of the lenses I have would be usable with both)

What would be a comparable one in Canon

Would like to know your thoughts.

Best Regards

Ram

The AF of Nikon lenses may not work on a Canon body as predictably as they would on a Nikon camera (most probably it wont, its not worth it to buy another make and experiment).
Given that you already have Nikon lenses, the easy transition for you would be a Nikon digital system.
A D90 would make sense, i assume you are not looking for a full frame.

[I am a canon user]

[jkdas]

Proxima; my colleague got the same from Jap and for same price two days ago.

nair: take her to a shop and ask her to check out the cams as some cams might be a bit bulky.

Canon DSLR history:

[fatboyslim]

Originally Posted by robimahanta

i feel if you are on tight budget, compromise on the body rather than compromising on the glass. Get the 500D or the D5000. I am using the 500D with the kit lens (18-55 IS) and though the lens is not tack sharp..its sharp enough. For the telephoto end, get the 55-250 IS or you can invest later on some L grade glass . The 500D with the two lenses would be around 51k if you are ready to opt for vendor warranty only. But the d90 body alone would cost around 45K with vendor warranty.

To confuse you further for 58k, you'll get the d90 with 18-105 VR lens.

Then again the d90 is a better camera..you get what you pay for!

Thanks Robi on your candid response on the relative qualities of both 500D & D90. I would really appreciate your help on the following:

1. Vendor Warranty I am assuming means the OEM and not the distributor's/dealer's warrany
2. For 500D + 2 lenses the price point seems to realy attractive, could you please share the cost of 55-250 IS
3. The cost for D90-that you mentioned, is it with with bill and warranty?

Thanks so much for your time patience. I really appreciate it!

@ speed pujari

Your response has brought a different dimension. I remember samurai being a great fan of Olympus E-series as well. How are these products sold in India-when I get the price for thes products in India.

I completely agree with you that both Nikon and Canon command a premium on account of their brand. Nikon more than Canon I guess!

Please dont flog me to death, I am not trying to start a war here. Me-great fan of Nipon!

Cheers!!

[Proxima]

fatboyslim - Nipon??

I heard the Olympus E620 is very good. It might be priced at the same level of the 500D though so you wont save much.

[it_inspector]

Originally Posted by Speed Pujari

There are brands other than Nikon and Canon which are far better at lesser price. E.g. Pentax K-x and K-7 , Olympus E series.

Though i have a Nikon kit, I have understood till date that I pay a premum of 25%+ for the brand name. Soon I may be replacing the entire kit and move away from Nikon/Canon brand sagas.

The lens quality of Olympus is far better and so crystal sharp that they are compared with their Carl Zeiss counterparts and not the Nikkor/Canons. To get a good glass in Canikon you gotta shell out lotza moolah which includes 25% brand premium.

Do not worry about the service for the brands other than Canon/Nikon. Those camera's are build solid. E.g. a Pentax K-7 at less than 1000$ you get magnesium sealing like Nikon D300.

Yea they are build solid but are you willing to take that chance and what if you drop the DSLR and need to get a part, Canon/Nikon being the giants are still taking weeks (not days) to source parts, what will happen with Pentax/Olympus ???

I am not trying to say Pentax of Olympus is bad, my first SLR was pentax and i love them to bits but both have failed to provide a Full Frame DSL and are hence loosing market. If pentax releases a Full Frame now, i would sell all my nikon+canon gear and go back to pentax without skipping a heart beat.

Olympus glass needs to have small projected circle on the sensor and hence cost of manufacturing gets reduced significantly (read crap loads). Nikon Canon need to provide lenses that have Imaging Circle to cover FF sensors and hence cost get increased massively.

Originally Posted by maven

The AF of Nikon lenses may not work on a Canon body as predictably as they would on a Nikon camera

Nikon lenses cannot be used on Canon bodies unless one uses G adapter, even then one can only use certain lenses only and AF will just not work at all, even metering is a bit off.

Originally Posted by fatboyslim

Your response has brought a different dimension. I remember samurai being a great fan of Olympus E-series as well. How are these products sold in India-when I get the price for thes products in India.

I completely agree with you that both Nikon and Canon command a premium on account of their brand. Nikon more than Canon I guess!

Please dont flog me to death, I am not trying to start a war here. Me-great fan of Nipon!

Cheers!!

Yes Nikon and Canon charge more premium on there products but they are able to since there is no one with Full Frame DSLR's in the market who can even compete let alone beat them.

Specifically canon charges premium because no one else has such a huge lens range (most of which is still available). Nikon charges for the ridiculous ISO performance there flagships can provide.

But more than anything else both serve the targets markets very well and are leading the competition. For example There is this very very very tiny niche and i mean literally 0.00001% of photographers who will use a Technical lens (a lens with vertical/horizontal movement as well as rotational compensation) on a Medium Format body and there is only 1 company who produces a product for this segment. So surprise surprise they charge over $5000 US for it, even tough cost for manufacturing is less than 10% of sale price.

Originally Posted by Proxima

fatboyslim - Nipon??

Its actually Nippon. Quite a good read

Cheers

[fatboyslim]

Originally Posted by Proxima

fatboyslim - Nipon??

I heard the Olympus E620 is very good. It might be priced at the same level of the 500D though so you wont save much.

Thanks for pointing that out. Sorry guys, first my percentages dont add upto hundred and now this idiotic typo in the forum. Sacriledge I say, . Well atleast Nikon is from Nippon. Saving grace!

[Sankar]

I'm thinking of buying a Lowepro Slingshot 200 and i would like to know if anyone here is using this bag and if so their opinion about the same. The bag should fit EOS 40D, Canon 18-55IS lens, Canon 50 f1.8 lens and a Canon 55-250IS lens in the camera compartment.

Basically i narrowed in to this bag because i don't have to take off the bag to grab the camera. Other bags shortlisted are Kata DT-213, Kata T-214, Tamrac Velocity 8x, and Lowepro Fastpack 250. Fastpack 250 is the last option since i do not really need to carry the laptop with me.

Plus point of Slingshot 200 is that the strap comes on the right shoulder which can bear more weight in my case due to 2 broken ribs on my left side. If it could fit the above said items comfortably then i'm almost sold on this one.

[sparkguy]

[quote=Proxima;1645852]I got the 500D plus kitlens and tele lens for 70000 Yen. That's about 36k. With bill and warranty from amazon.co.jp.

And how did you manage to give customs a slip here in India? I believe duty is between 20- 25% and if added to cost the price dynamics gets tilted to indian market

[Proxima]

Originally Posted by sparkguy

And how did you manage to give customs a slip here in India? I believe duty is between 20- 25% and if added to cost the price dynamics gets tilted to indian market

My sister brought it down from Japan. I believe that there is some limit upto which no duty will be charged but I could be wrong.

She was not questioned. It was in the cabin baggage, box packed and unopened. Dont think there will nbe a problem with stuff like cameras. Maybe bringing stuff like LCDs etc will attract much more attention.

Anyone here that has been questioned or charged duty for a camera or some small electronic item in the baggage?

[jkdas]

Originally Posted by Proxima

My sister brought it down from Japan. I believe that there is some limit upto which no duty will be charged but I could be wrong.

She was not questioned. It was in the cabin baggage, box packed and unopened. Dont think there will nbe a problem with stuff like cameras. Maybe bringing stuff like LCDs etc will attract much more attention.

Anyone here that has been questioned or charged duty for a camera or some small electronic item in the baggage?

Never been an issue for our people returning from Japan or US. Last week a D3000 kit, D5000 kit and Rebel kit made it to Trivandrum.