Want to move into better pictures

[malbor]

I currently have a Canon Digital Rebel XT that I use exclusivly on a tripod to take shots of "stuff" I sell, I have a Sony SD800 for goofing off and a Konica Minolta Z6 for Vacation shots. All have good features, the Z6 has a great zoom but I want to kick it up a notch.

I know that in pure image quality, my DSLR is best...but I have other considerations. I don't want to spend a huge amount of money on image stabilization or massive zoom. I want it all. I want big zoom, image stabilized and low light. Yeah, I know, not cheap, not in one lens and not gonna happen. I get that. What I would like to know...who has a suggestion on my next step? I figure a DSLR is a given, i figure I'm gonna have to buy a few good lenses. I have a Canon EOS 60mm Macro lens now...and the 18-55lens the XT came with...but that leaves me flat.

Thoughts?

 

[becksi]

I currently have a Canon Digital Rebel XT that I use exclusivly on a
tripod to take shots of "stuff" I sell, I have a Sony SD800 for
goofing off and a Konica Minolta Z6 for Vacation shots. All have
good features, the Z6 has a great zoom but I want to kick it up a
notch.

I know that in pure image quality, my DSLR is best...

Well, your camera is certainly among the high quality models, I wouldn't call it "best". First of all, because there is not one clear definition for "best" and the preferences may differ ... secondly. One part of the IQ is the camera body ... and the other part is the lens. You can have the best sensor and electronics, but if you are using the bottom of a bottle ... IQ is not going to matter. But there is one other element that is most important to good IQ - that is the eye behind the viewfinder and the finger pressing the shutter release button ...

So let me ask you this rather than give you an answer to your question: What do you want to shoot, where do you feel the camara / lens setup limits your photography? And last not least, what are your expectations or your hopes it will deliver, towards a new camera and / or lens?

but I have other
considerations. I don't want to spend a huge amount of money on
image stabilization or massive zoom. I want it all. I want big
zoom, image stabilized and low light. Yeah, I know, not cheap, not
in one lens and not gonna happen. I get that. What I would like to
know...who has a suggestion on my next step? I figure a DSLR is a
given, i figure I'm gonna have to buy a few good lenses. I have a
Canon EOS 60mm Macro lens now...and the 18-55lens the XT came
with...but that leaves me flat.

Thoughts?

 

[nickleback]

What I would like to
know...who has a suggestion on my next step?

Upgrade the one part that will work with all the cameras you own -- you. Take a few night courses in photography at a local college. It'll cost you maybe $200 per course.

--
Seen in a fortune cookie:
Fear is the darkroom where negatives are developed

 

[Robert Deutsch]

I currently have a Canon Digital Rebel XT that I use exclusivly on a
tripod to take shots of "stuff" I sell, I have a Sony SD800 for
goofing off and a Konica Minolta Z6 for Vacation shots. All have
good features, the Z6 has a great zoom but I want to kick it up a
notch.

I know that in pure image quality, my DSLR is best...but I have other
considerations. I don't want to spend a huge amount of money on
image stabilization or massive zoom. I want it all. I want big
zoom, image stabilized and low light. Yeah, I know, not cheap, not
in one lens and not gonna happen. I get that. What I would like to
know...who has a suggestion on my next step? I figure a DSLR is a
given, i figure I'm gonna have to buy a few good lenses. I have a
Canon EOS 60mm Macro lens now...and the 18-55lens the XT came
with...but that leaves me flat.

Thoughts?

Given that you recognize that you're not going to get all you want in a "bridge" camera, and that you already have a good dSLR, the obvious upgrade is to a better lens than the 18-55. There are several alternatives, none of them cheap, and all have the letters "L" and "IS" as part of the model designation. I would go for the 24-105L IS or the 70-200L IS (the cheaper f/4 version or the f/2.8 is you really want to splurge and are concerned about low light and don't mind the weight).

Bob