Help! Which camera to buy?

[DeAnna4140]

Help me decide please!

I have the canon XT. I am looking at the Rebel XSi ($585), the 40D ($960) and the 50D ($1400). Big range I know.

Now factor in that I want to get the 28-70 2.8L for $1200. I already have the 85 1.8 and love it for portrait pics. My friend and I are starting a photo business for family/kid/senior portraits and most photo board/sites I have visited list the 28-70 2.8 as a must have for portrait group shots. (with the 85I am back quite a bit) Sigma makes a cheaper one but does not get as good review as the Canon so I don't think I want to go that route.

Con for the XSi is that it does not take CF cards and I already have 3 of those.

Con (?) for the 40D is that it is only 10 mp. Thinking if our business really takes of I would be happier with the 50D.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Groucho]

If you're used with working with a prime, what about a 50mm F1.4? I'm no pro portrait photographer but I know that 85mm on film was a pretty popular portrait lens, and 50mm on a crop-sensor DSLR will be fairly close to that. It will also be faster allowing you to isolate the subject more (or focus tightly on the eyes), and of course, $900 cheaper than the zoom! You are a little further away from the subject than with the zoom, however as you get closer, objects become slightly distorted because of the prospective. Noses get slightly larger, ears get slightly smaller, etc.

As for the cameras... I would think that in such circumstances, it's all about the sensor. The XSi may have the edge (and SD cards are insanely cheap so that really isn't an issue, especially if you're considering a $1,200 lens!) over the 40D but the 50D should easily beat 'em both... but there's no proper reviews that I'm aware of yet, so who knows. Canon is generally fairly reliable when it comes to the sensor itself though.

 

[DeAnna4140]

I debated the 50 1.4 but my partner has that so I was thinking the 24-70 would be a great addition. The 50 1.4 will still be on my list though too!

Some people will say to upgrade from the rebel series if you are going 'pro' (I use the term loosely because I am not there yet!). The 40D is getting a couple of votes on another message board. 10 mp still will give you some nice big wall portraits.

Decisions, decisions!

Thanks!