Is the rebel worth it for someone like me?

[Spinning]

Right now I have the fuji s51000, I love it, it does everything I need. But of course I always think I need more. I am not planning to get a new camera soon but maybe in a year or so...but of course need to save for it.

Back in the days of 35MM I had a manual camera with the extra lens but I hardly used them. I also never got into all the manual settings and left the camera on program...so it was like a point and shoot.

With my current camera I never play with the maunal settings. My brain just doesn't seem to be able to maintain anything I read about or be told what to do....I get the best pictures when it is left on auto.

Fuji has a newer camera, Fuji FinePix S9000 Digital Camera Which looks nice. But at that price I might as well bit the bullet and spend a little more.
With my current camera it is small enough and light enough I take it every where which is what I love about it. SImple to use and gets good shots.

I take pictures of: Diving, swim team, kids, school funtions and then the regular family stuff, vacation etc....

So any thoughts?

 

[MarkBarbieri]

If you never intend to move being full auto and you aren't interested in changing lenses for different purposes, it's hard to justify a DSLR. I wouldn't bother if I were you.

 

[majimikate]

Thinking that a Rebel is only slightly more than what you would spend on a Fuji may not be the best way to look at it...you are considering body only, or body plus kit lens in that price. You would need at least one, more likely 2 lenses to get the range needed for sports and other shots raising the price (for Canon IS lenses) as much as $1000, easily.

That's money worth considering!! Good luck!

 

[pisco]

My theory is that you should only upgrade to a new camera when you certain you have outgrown the current one.

If you find that you are missing shots or are simply unable to get the shot you want because of some limitation of the camera (shutter lag, noise, resolution, etc.) then it is time to think about a new camera. But since you say your curtrent camera does everything you need I would say that there is no reason to think about upgrading at this point.

 

[mhutchinson]

If you buy a camera (like the Rebel) with a lens that covers all the range you like to shoot in and never change the lens, there is still an advantage. Faster shutter speeds and better low light capabilities are just a couple. It won't be as compact as what you have now and you may find both is the answer

But if you are happy with what you have and it serves all the needs that you have, then why even consider changing from what you have now. I listen to people at work every time there is a new release of a camera or a new lens debate the issues of the new, better, faster equipment. In the end they stick with what they have. They know how to use what they have well, they know the peculiarities of their equipment, and that is the best help for any photographer. The only time to really upgrade is if you have a real need and justification for the camera. IMO

Mike

 

[Spinning]

Pisco I agree with you about not upgrading till you need or want more. But I like to prepare myself early. My current camera is 2 years old. Plus it was out at least a year before I purchased it. I feel that I will either 1. break it in a year or so....I seem to need to replace cameras about every 3 years. 2. As the kids improve with their sports and move into other sports I don't think this camera will do the job. (they are swimming indoors now and this camera isn't the greatest for pool light. DD may be joining an indoor dive team next year, again need a faster or something that wil better in low light.) 3. Noise, I think this is why I really want a newer camera. When I have played with the manual and bumped up the speed the pictures are grainy. I have been able to adjust in photoshop. But I really would like to not do that extra editing step. 4......just that desire to get a new camera usually hits me around 3 to 4 years!

As for the cost of the rebel....I really haven't factored in extra lenses. I figured I would start with the package and see what I needed after that. I looked online and saw that the basic camera and 18-55 lens was around $750 which hopefully will drop in the next year to year and 1/2. The fuji is around$475
Luckily I still have lots of time to decide and shop around......Thanks!

 

[Jeanne B]

As for the cost of the rebel....I really haven't factored in extra lenses. I figured I would start with the package and see what I needed after that. I looked online and saw that the basic camera and 18-55 lens was around $750 which hopefully will drop in the next year to year and 1/2. The fuji is around$475
Luckily I still have lots of time to decide and shop around......Thanks!

You might also want to consider the Pentax K100D. I got mine from beachcamera.com last weekend for $587 including the 18-55 kit lens and last I looked it was down another $5. It gets lots of good reviews, so far I love it and I'm new to dSLR's. I have a lot to learn about manual settings so I can get out of auto but I'm looking forward to getting over the learning curve.

Here's a link to a detailed review on steves-digicams. I haven't read through it yet but it should be very informative.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/k100d.html

 

[Anewman]

You can get from BUYDIG.com(no tax, free shipping)
$429, Pentax k110D(body only)
$139, Tamron 28-300mm(translates to 450mm zoom)
--------------------------------------------
$568, total

or

$526, Fuji S9000(b4 rebate, max 300mm zoom)


Well there is currently a $100 rebate on the fuji, but Really it is just as big as the Pentax DSLRs and the ability to buy additional lenses for a DSLR "can" be a plus as your kids get into new activities in the future.

 

[dreamcometrue]

I have the Rebel XT and love it, however, if you use your current camera in the auto mode at all times, and you feel it is enough for you, I wouldn't bother. IMO, it's a waste to buy the Rebel and only use it in auto mode. You can do that with a point and shoot camera.

Another thing with the rebel, it's big and bulky. I take lots and lots of pictures. Hundreds a month. However, it's impossible to lug around the Rebel everywhere I go. I am looking into getting a Canon Powershot to just keep in my purse at all times, for everday shooting!

 

[StrwLady]

Ok im responding to an old post but I searched fuji s9000 to see if anyone out there is using it.

Spinning I had the S5200 and while I was in Disney the tripod was knocked and the camera landed right on the lense. The lens didn’t brea but the mid range of the focus is messed up. It won't grab and lock in the focus. So I decided to forgo trying to get it repaired and decided to upgrade.

I got the fuji S9100 which is the upgrade to the S9000. All I can say is I LOVE IT. The lense is equivalent to a 28-300mm lens. You have a choice of automatic focus and manual. All the features of the S5200 are there and then some. As well as they really improved on the way to change settings when using other modes besides automatic. The camera is a little larger and heavier than the 5200 but its not bothersome at all. The S9100 also has a macro and super macro setting. I also love the image stabilization. When testing it out after I locked in the focus I intentionally started shaking the camera. I was moving it quite a bit and was amazed that the final shot was in focus. And I could go on and on.

This is not technically a DSLR the lense is not changeable but it operates like a DSLR lense. So maybe something like this would be a next good upgrade before you decided to jump into the DSLR world. In the 80's and 90's I was very active in photography. But after my son was born I didn't seem to have as much time for it and carrying around the camera bag with all the kid stuff just got to be too much. I'm now getting back into photography and I think the S9100 will suit my needs for quite a long time. I can't wait to get to Disney to really try it out!!!

 

[Spinning]

Thank you for that review! Funny thing is that is the one that I am leaning towards! I really thought long and hard about the rebel and if I am really honest with myself I know I won't learn or use all of its features to make the cost factor worth it. I too use to really be into "cameras" prekids. Now I just want to be able to get a great shot and have everything with me! I do love my fuji so......
I am starting to save now! Thanks!

 

[ukcatfan]

I thought of something else that may help justify your choice of a nicer P&S. You mentioned that you want to limit your post processing. The best way to get the most out of a DSLR is to use the RAW format instead of JPG. The downside is that you must spend more time processing it. Some P&S cameras also offer RAW, so if that does sound interesting to you, you do not have to go DSLR. Something else to consider for noise is a dedicated program that has batch processing. That is much quicker than removing the noise in PS one at a time. I like the Noise Ninja standalone edition.

If your timeframe for buying is still down the road a little, I would not try to decide on a model yet. Just set the amount you would like to spend and start saving. There will be newer models out by the time you are ready.

Kevin

 

[Groucho]

I missed this thread the first time around but it sounds like the original question is still there.

Pisco I agree with you about not upgrading till you need or want more. But I like to prepare myself early. My current camera is 2 years old. Plus it was out at least a year before I purchased it. I feel that I will either 1. break it in a year or so....I seem to need to replace cameras about every 3 years.

With ANY electronics, it pays to wait until the last possible minute. (Barring a really stunning deal like the first few days of the Pentax $100 rebate - I got my DL for $367!) If you think your camera might wear out in a year, or even six months - wait, and chances are that the camera you're after will be a bit cheaper, and there could possibly be a new one that's better for the same price.

My sister-in-law just got a Canon Elph (SD600 to be exactly.) She originally tried to buy an SD450 a couple months ago off eBay, but the seller was a little shady and finally she got PayPal to refund her money. Since two months had passed, she was able to buy the newer model for less than the one she was going to spend on the older model.

As for the Fuji - while I love Fuji digicams (at least, I loved my old one!), the S9100 does not have "proper" image stabilization, it just bumps up the ISO levels. The Fujis can apparently do better than high ISOs than most PnSs but you'll still be dealing with increased noise, rather than a "real" IS system where the ISO is irrelevant to the IS's function.

Now, if Fuji offered the SLR controls (specifically, rotating rings for zoom and focus) on the camera with CCD image stabilization, a bigger LCD (2.5" at least), and a price that was truly less than entry-level DSLRs, they could have an extremely compelling camera! It wouldn't hurt to go up to the 12x zoom like the competition has, and it'd definitely be nice to see a switch to SD instead of xD cards!

 

[StrwLady]

Groucho,

The S9100 does have rotating rings for it zoom and focus. For automatic when you zoom you move the lens ring and in Manual focus there is an additional ring. Now I don't know if the rings are the same as what you mention.

As for image stablization all I can say is I have no complaints. The one picture I took while I moved the camera quit a bit was completely in focus and I don't think it was noisy at all.

 

[Groucho]

Yes, I understand that's how the rings work on the Fuji and I think that's wonderful - a true "bridge" or "SLR-like" camera. However, I think that if they added true CCD IS, bumped the zoom slightly, and got the price a little lower (rather than bumping up against true SLRs), it would make it extremely attractive! And while I see the appeal of the tiltable LCD, I think that a 2" LCD on a camera coming out in 2006 is a clear deficit.

Still, it's probably a great camera and I hope Fuji does well with it.