20D+18-55 lens for $1390 at Amazon.com (after future $150 Amazoncredit--(Last Day is Today)f

Amazon has the 20D for $1540, with lens, with a $150 Amazon credit (for
purchses in their Electronics store over $1000). This brings the price
down to $1390. No tax, and free shipping. For a brief time they had the
20D+lens for $1449, but that was before this credit was available.

See: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0002XQJFA/sanfrancisc0b-20

 

that lens in my opinion is hardly worth having better to just buy the body
and say a 50 f1.8 but it becomes a 80 f1.8 so to speak .

 

On the other hand I do not agree.

My wife bought me the 20D kit with the 18-55mm lens in it. I had been
tossing around the idea of either the 20D or the 1D MkII and I think she saw
the opportunaty to save a few dollars, so she got me the 20D as a
"surprise". When she looked around all she found in stock were the 20D
kits, both the 17-85 IS and the 18-55. Knowing that I had multiple lenses
covering these ranges already she opted for the cheaper 18-55 kit.

When I opened the package and saw that it was the 18-55 kit I thought to
myself I would never use the lens, just set it on a shelf or Ebay it away.

However, I did eventually try the lens out anyway. And while it would not
keep up with my 17-40 f4 L it was at least as good optically as my Sigma
17-35 f2.8-4.0 EX HSM. I was pleasantly surprised. In fact, the Sigma is
now on a shelf, and the kit 18-55 is a back-up wide zoom in the bag. Does
the 18-55 have issues? Yes, but it is well worth having, particularly if
you have nothing else covering the range.

The 50mm f1.8 is a good lens for the money, no doubt. It is, the average
copy anyway, superior optically to the 18-55mm kit lens or anything else in
its price range. But, it can not do what can be done with a 18-55 lens
either. Fixed lenses and foot zoom are great for the money, but when you
only can back away so far then you need a wider lens. Then the option is
carry more lenses, or carry a zoom.

C!

 

While saying that a Canon lens is as good as a Sigma lens, even an EX,
is no compliment, I agree about the 18-55. It certainly is worth the
extra between the 20D kit and the body alone.

Anyway, I took the 20D+18-55 plunge. Net cost was $1267 from Amazon,
after the 3% Visa credit, and 5% affiliate rebate.