Sancho Grubb
It has been 20+ years since I used an SLR (Pentax K1000), so decided it was time. This is a great kit. The reviews I read on this model confirm that it should suit my needs for a long time. The price is great. Right now the camera kit and the extra lens at Best Buy would cost you about $80 more. Camera is great. Took it out to play this afternoon. I have a Powershot G15, so I am used to the menu layouts. But I have to say the accompanying Deluxe bundle leaves a lot to be desired. Ill list Pros, OKs and Cons Pros You would need to buy memory cards if you bought at Best Buy. The two included cards are upgrade to the ones illustrated and currently sell on Amazon for $17 each The filters included 2 UV filters. While it seems to be a debate if you need a UV filter on a digital camera, it does provide a bit of protection. Filter set plus extra UV filter would have cost about $25 The bag is ok. It will due until I can find better. Not enough velcro panels to really provide a lot of separate places for things. OKs The flash seems to be ok, but a manual flash on an automatic camera? Seriously? SD Card wallet is a plus. I hate it when I cant find them in a bag that doesnt have little pockets. The wrist strap I might try, but it means losing the neck strap. Have to think about that one. Cons The tripod is junk. Just getting it out and extending the legs said dont put anything on here. With hardly any pressure, putting it on the ground with all the legs extended resulted in legs flexing and bending. Crank to elevate the center rod is stiff, and I suspect you could strip the gear teeth quite easily. Also tried to chase down specs from manufacturer for load limit - none. The telephoto/wide angle lenses are throwbacks to the days of fixed mounted lens cameras. Werent great then, not going to be great now. Tried the telephoto, and while there is some magnification, there was also aberration. The deluxe started cleaning kit, the tabletop tripod and the SD card reader will all find their way into oblivion. What would have been useful instead of the detritus would have been a couple of lens pouches, for a little extra protection. Suggestion to everyone - The supplied battery from Canon is has a capacity of 860 maH. You should consider at least one extra battery, and personally, I have had good luck with Li-Ion batteries from Wasabi. You can get 2 with a capacity of 1600 maH for $15. Opt for 2 batteries and a charger for $21. The charger comes with a 12vdc adapter to charge batteries in the car.