Opinions wanted: Would anyone buy their camera off eBay?

[crazee4mickey]

DH wants to buy me a Canon Rebel XT but I am unsure if the accessories which come with it are good or not. Can I post a link to the auction and ask for advice from all of you who are so knowledgeable or is that against the rules? (Link posted in post #3)

 

[Anewman]

B4 purchasing my last 2 camera models I did price EBAY, and both times I felt EBAY was more expensive than the online seller I purchased from.

I think you should be ok by posting the auction number, but I tend to stay away from those package deals. They may be a decent deal(sometimes), but seldom do you end up using all included items. I would rather pay a higher price for EXACTLY the lens/card/bag/tripod that will get used, instead of getting a deal on items that will sit in the garage.

 

[crazee4mickey]

He thinks it is such a asaving--I don't think it is!
Here is the link to the auction he is looking at:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-EOS-Digit...879190QQihZ018QQcategoryZ107909QQcmdZViewItem

I'm not that sure about the lenses, I have told him I would just as soon get a "good all round" lens like the Sigma 18-125mm.
I'm leary because it seems like a deal that is "too good to be true"--the accessories could be cr*p and outdated...please any opinions/suggestions appreciated

 

[spoon2003]

I'm not that sure about the lenses, I have told him I would just as soon get a "good all round" lens like the Sigma 18-125mm.
I'm leary because it seems like a deal that is "too good to be true"--the accessories could be cr*p and outdated...please any opinions/suggestions appreciated

No name compact flash card? no name filters? a hard case? no name wide angle? (all seems useless) go with your instinct, buy body only and get the the sigma. You can add the accessories later and get what you REALLY want.

Sue from Boston

 

[captaincrash]

I agree with Spoon....

... all the un-named components are probably the sort that they can hardly give away. Hoya makes a base model (green label) UV filter that is rated as only passing 85% light transmission! I don'tknow what methodolgy they used in rating it as such - as at 85% it performs more like a neutral density then UV filter!!! But - my point is the cheap filters are really not a wise consideration - as I would liken doing so to putting used and worn out tires on a nice new car!

As for the lenses... I actually did not see a 28-70 Sigma review - however I found a 70-300 DG review. http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/sigma_70300_456/index.htm and it was not very complimentary. FOr the money it is OK.... as in you get what you pay for .... but the edge sharpness dropped to a very low 1200-1400 range on MTF resolutiion ... and this is a FULL FRAME lens tested on a reduced frame basis! SO you can only assume the full frame performance as being incredibly abysmal. Plus the photozone review suggested the Sigma should not claim to be apochromatic when there is greater then 1.5 pixel width of CA at the reduced frame edges. Again a questionable performance. On the plus side - the 70mm performance was considered quite good and across the zoom range distortion was low.

I would probably not consider the long zoom seriously. Further, the 28-70 looks impressive starting with a fast f2.8... but I would hold off for a review or user opinions.

Also - I heard that Dell had the black body alone was selling for $580 - free shipping and no tax in some/most states. With savings like that - you could shop around for other lenses.

Were you certain you wanted a 2 lens set that covered 28-300?

 

[crazee4mickey]

I will follow my first instinct and not go with the package deal---the "no name" items kind of bothered me as well! Who knows what kind of junk you could end up with!

 

[Boss Hogg]

I'm with everyoner else on this. All of the extras seem either useless or somehway cheap. So whilst it may look good on the face of it, it probably is not.

As with everything, a set-up/system is only as good as its weakest link, so, if the lenses aren't all that good I'd not bother getting it and just get what you actually need.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

run away... far far away from this seller!

 

[crazee4mickey]

Thanks everyone... I had others opinions to show DH and he finally agreed that it wasn't that great of a deal.
We went to a reputable electronics store this evening and bought my new Canon Rebel XT!! I can hardly wait to start taking pics!!

 

[rtphokie]

DH wants to buy me a Canon Rebel XT but I am unsure if the accessories which come with it are good or not. Can I post a link to the auction and ask for advice from all of you who are so knowledgeable or is that against the rules? (Link posted in post #3)

I'm glad you avoided this deal. Why be forced to purchase accessories that you may or may not need, are worthless or could actually damage your new camera?

I wouldn't let that lens cleaner near a lens. That flash looks like it's worth about $5. Lens leashes and lens hoods, are they kidding? You couldn't pay me to put my camera on either of those tripods. Would you really put a no-name CF card in your brand new several hundred dollar camera?

The other thing to consider is the source of this camera. Are they authorized Canon dealers or is this grey market? Are you going to get a beat up box and a used camera in the mail? Is Canon going to honor any warentee claims?

 

[jann1033]

Thanks everyone... I had others opinions to show DH and he finally agreed that it wasn't that great of a deal.
We went to a reputable electronics store this evening and bought my new Canon Rebel XT!! I can hardly wait to start taking pics!!

congratulations...remember the rebate is good through July 15 and you can get the form on canon usa ( 100 for body, more for some lenses)

 

[captaincrash]

Congrats!

Now... which lenses are you settling on? I just received my 28-135 IS yesterday (I have yet to get to shooting anything though... battery died after 2 frames shot - I shot several 100 over the weekend of my daughters' 1st ever swim meet and an Anime/Cosplay Expo (my 1st time ever at this event) AND... I had taken several hundred frames of the fireworks show a couple of nites ago - all on one charge! I was using the hi-power cell. And when I opened the new lens I was at my daughters' gymnastics class - so I only had the one battery in the camera - no spare in the bag!

Here's my new baby:

The rest of the day I had no time to play with it - and for the moment I have a 2.5 year old napping on my lap - so I am somewhat immobilized. The flexing of the new lens will have to wait til after she awakens and gets her lunch - then maybe I'll take her out for some casual snap shots at the park or something like that.

SO - which lenses are you drifting towards? Have you discovered Photozone and FredMiranda web sites. http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/dslr/canon_eos_350d/index.htm <-or-> http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/ The former conducts test reports measuring resolution at various focal lengths and aperatures - plus measurements on vignetting, distortion and chormatic abberation at the frame edges. The test camera they use is a Canon XT... how do you like that?!? And at Fred Miranda they have user postings and opinions galore. Take those with a grain of salt - as competitors and sour touts may salt the reviews with false criticism and compliments. So - the average responses are what I'd say are likely to be meaningful. If the average is HIGH - then you're OK. If the average is not - then the lens better be inexpensive. But even the cheapest Canon lense - the 50 f1.8 Mk2 is rated pretty well! Heck - I chould get one at $75 - but have not gotten around to it yet!

Congrats once again - post some of your pix when you get a chance!

Cheers!