Canon Rebel XTi

I finally acquired a dSLR in the form of a Canon Rebel XTi. I have been using a Canon G2 since 2002 and as old as it may be, it has served me well for a long time. But I have always found myself needing a more flexible camera and an SLR is very fitting. Unfortunately, even with the dSLR costs dropping continuously, the major cost will always be lenses, and whose price remains fairly constant.

Anyway, I bit the bullet so to speak and purchased the XTi body, the cheap but venerable Canon 50mm 1.8, and a Canon 28mm 1.8 USM. I figure the 50mm will work provide me a lens for posed portrait situations, while the 28mm will give me a ‘normal’ perspective prime lens for the 1.6x factor.

I had a hard time deciding between the Canon 28mm 1.8 USM and the Sigma 30mm 1.4. Both are the same price and the Sigma gets good word of mouth on the Internet. I have read quite a few interesting comments about spotty build quality. That, coupled with the idea that I may upgrade to a full frame sensor dSLR (i.e. Canon 5d), made the 28mm more appealing.

In retrospect, I think I should have just spent a couple extra hundred dollars for the Canon 50mm 1.4 USM over the 50mm 1.8 II. Oh well. I can always dump the 1.8 on eBay for $50 and buy the 1.4 USM.

I’m still trying to get acclimated with it. I have limited experience with SLR cameras, using my father’s Canon AE-1 back in the 80’s. I’ll definitely get some use out of it in about 2 weeks when I head to Las Vegas for the 2008 SHOT Show.

As far as the G2, I’m keeping it for now. I could probably sell it for $100 or so considering if I have the original factory box, documentation, and a Canon telephoto adapter for it. But I found the G2 to be a very nice prosumer style camera that takes excellent images.