Buying camera bundle, decent lens?

[Lois]

I've been looking at buying my 1st DSLR and have pretty much settled on the 450d. I'm a complete novice apart from borrowing a 60d over christmas.
I've seen what looks to be a great bargain starter kit here but I'm unsure about whether it's worth it as I've heard bad reports about the Tamron 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 lens. Photography interests are mainly nature and people.
Not sure how long this deal will last!

Edit, also just seen this. Lens looks better, Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Lens. I assume the name change means it's an import but would that effect it in any way?

Edited by Lois on Friday 1st January 20:51

[the_engineer]

I've just bought my 1st dSLR recently, a Sony so I wouldn't be able to reccommend much re: Canon kit, However, the Dyxum website is excellent for lens reviews and is well worth a visit when considering different lenses.

I have been looking to buy the same/similar Tamron for my Sony (75-300mm), but have held off and purchased a 24-105mm instead as I felt the 'working range' was more appropriate for a beginner like me.

[flat-planedCrank]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

For another £44 you can get the 18-55 & 55-250 450D kit from Warehouse Express
Looks like a nice setup
If you have a Jessops store near you then its worth printing that page out and seeing if they will do you the same kit . They have price-matched (& P+P) warehouse-express for me before. No harm in asking


(P.S. If you want to shoot portraits then take a look at the cheap-and-cheerful-but-terrific-image-quality 50mm F1.8 in addition to the lenses in your kit)


Hope this helps.

[SamHH]

I think the Canon lens is supposed to be quite good value-for-money. I don't know about the Tamron lens but I imagine it's fine. You get what you pay for though, so neither will be anything like as good as lenses that cost multiple times as much.

You're correct that the camera in your second link is an import. I thought that meant it wouldn't be covered by the warranty, but the link says it is. However, I'd be a bit reticent about buying expensive electronics from that second company. This is possibly unfair, but the fact that it's an imported camera combined with their website gives it an air of dodgyness IMO.

[flat-planedCrank]

I may be wrong, but I was under the impression that Canon has an international warranty for lenses but a country-specific one for camera bodies?

[SamHH]

That's what I thought too. Maybe the warranty on the import camera is the retailer's own one?

[RobDickinson]

Yeah retailer will probably keep the warrenty card and you will have to return to retailer for warrenty fixes.

18-55IS and 55-205IS kit lenses are pretty decent for the money.

[kirsty-s2k]

hey Lois

i've just been given the Sony A230 for my birthday - I think it's a fantastic beginner DSLR as it gives lots of information on screen. It's also a very good size if you've got little hands like me!

i've only got the basic lens at the moment, and I'll need to buy a better zoom soon - have a nose on my Facebook popped up a few pics from yesterday

[Lois]

Nice pics Kirsty.

Will see when I can pop down to jessops and take the WE page with me.