Best Camera Buys In Bangkok?

[sabaijai]

I'm looking to buy a Canon 350D digital SLR in Bangkok and wondering if anyone knows a good place or two - good prices, that is - to send me.

[frequentatore]

Check the site bask1.com : Panthip, IT Mall/Fortune Town, and in other malls in BKK.

[WhiteShiva]

I'm looking to buy a Canon 350D digital SLR in Bangkok and wondering if anyone knows a good place or two - good prices, that is - to send me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am in the process of checking the market for just this model. Seen it for sale in a Big C fotoshop - just under 42,000 baht. Did not include a memory card, nor a proper cover, although it did include a camera bag. 1 year warranty.

Also, they would not sell the body seperately (I have a few older Canon lenses).

Emporium photoshop: 44-45,000. Don't know what this price included. Plan on checking out MBK later this week.

[astral]

Check out Foto File at Maboonkrong.

They have a good stock, good prices and a professional approach.

I bought my Canon 10D there along with a 17-40mm lens.

[Nordlys]

Check out Foto File at Maboonkrong.

They have a good stock, good prices and a professional approach.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed, well recommended

I also bought my Canon EOS3 with booster, 24-70mm F2.8, 70-200mm F2.8 (which I found to be all cheaper than in Japan) and many other supplies at this shop. Good price, friendly and knowledgeable staffs. They have two outlets, one on 1st floor and another on 3rd floor (and other locations). If you want to spend time shopping I suggest you go to the 3rd floor store (Foto Thailand).

[Firefoxx]

Cheapest I've seen for shop warranty is 38k, at IT Mall, in front of the elevators (not escaltors), second floor. Usually goes for 39.9k.

Cheapest I've seen for Canon Thailand warranty is 39.9k, at Meecamera.com. Usually goes for 42.5k.

bluecamera.net has the Japanese version (Kiss N) with USM lens, for 40.7k, shop warranty.

Amazon.com sells it for around $900, which is about 36k.

Another store is ec-mall.com.

Some recommended accessories include:

420EX flash, powerful and not expensive

50mm F1.8 lens, cheap, fast

Battery (3rd party=800 baht)

Grip (two batteries, more places to hold)

Wireless Remote

A tripod

Sandisk UltraII CF (fastest CF memory for this camera)

[Crossy]

Check out Foto File at Maboonkrong.

They have a good stock, good prices and a professional approach.

Agreed, well recommended

I also bought my Canon EOS3 with booster, 24-70mm F2.8, 70-200mm F2.8 (which I found to be all cheaper than in Japan) and many other supplies at this shop. Good price, friendly and knowledgeable staffs. They have two outlets, one on 1st floor and another on 3rd floor (and other locations). If you want to spend time shopping I suggest you go to the 3rd floor store (Foto Thailand).

I second (3rd?) Astral and Nord .. Fotofile at MBK, can't go far wrong.

[WhiteShiva]

Check out Foto File at Maboonkrong.

They have a good stock, good prices and a professional approach.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Agreed, well recommended

I also bought my Canon EOS3 with booster, 24-70mm F2.8, 70-200mm F2.8 (which I found to be all cheaper than in Japan) and many other supplies at this shop. Good price, friendly and knowledgeable staffs. They have two outlets, one on 1st floor and another on 3rd floor (and other locations). If you want to spend time shopping I suggest you go to the 3rd floor store (Foto Thailand).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I second (3rd?) Astral and Nord .. Fotofile at MBK, can't go far wrong.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I know the lenses are supposed to be interchangeable with older (film) Canon cameras - are there any major differences between the lenses for digital and normal (old - film) Canon cameras?

The reason I ask is that I have a 35-105 mm lens, and the 350D comes with a lens standard lens with a much smaller range.

I inquired about buying the body only, but they would only knock 2500,- baht off the price at Fotofile.

[Firefoxx]

The 350D uses a sensor that's smaller than normal 35mm film, so you have to multiplay a lens's focal length by 1.6 to get the effective (equivalent to 35mm film) focal length when used with this camera. So the 17-55mm lens that comes with the 350D is actually 27-88mm effective. A 50mm lens would be 80mm and so on. Since the outer part of the picture is effectively cropped with this sensor, corner focus/color lens problems that you would see in normal film cameras aren't present with this one.

There are now two major lens types for Canons, and that's the EF series, which can fit all film and digital bodies, and the EF-S series, which can only fit certain digital bodies (20D, 300D, 350D). The lens included with the 350D is an EF-S. It's pretty cheap, (~$100 sold separately) but it can give good pictures. IMHO it's not worth it to buy the body only. Very few shops sell only the body.

[WhiteShiva]

The 350D uses a sensor that's smaller than normal 35mm film, so you have to multiplay a lens's focal length by 1.6 to get the effective (equivalent to 35mm film) focal length when used with this camera.  So the 17-55mm lens that comes with the 350D is actually 27-88mm effective.  A 50mm lens would be 80mm and so on.  Since the outer part of the picture is effectively cropped with this sensor, corner focus/color lens problems that you would see in normal film cameras aren't present with this one.

There are now two major lens types for Canons, and that's the EF series, which can fit all film and digital bodies, and the EF-S series, which can only fit certain digital bodies (20D, 300D, 350D).  The lens included with the 350D is an EF-S.  It's pretty cheap, (~$100 sold separately) but it can give good pictures.  IMHO it's not worth it to buy the body only.  Very few shops sell only the body.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for those nuggest of info, Firefoxx. I will go for the whole schibang, then.

Truely amazing what one can learn here on TV......

[Nordlys]

I have heard of cases where some non-kit Canon lenses tend to forward focus (focusing subject foreground) when used with APS sized CCD digital SLRs like 20D and 350D (but not with full-size CCD 1Ds), making most frames slightly out of focus, while this doesn't happen with film SLRs. A Thai customer I have met at Fotofile who used 10D with EF17-40mm F4 told me he could never get sharp images with this lens and thus sold it. Canon service in Japan does correct this problem by adjusting both the camera and the lens, but not sure if Canon Thailand can do the same (or is even aware of the problem).

Agreed with Firefox that for that price difference you shold get the 350D with kit lens. Yes it's a cheap lens, but should be better than your old EF35-105mm (I had this lens, and can't say it was a good lens). I wouldn't use an old lens (on digital SLR) that was developed long before digital camera came into the market.

BTW I was very very disappointed with both the 350D and 20D for its small and dark view finder image (with cheap and dark kit lens). I am using Sony Cybershot F828 which is almost as expensive and big as 350D but with a finder image like 350D, I didn't really feel any advantage to digital SLR over EVF finder camera like F828, except, of course for the bigger size CCD. I don't think I will go for digital SLR yet until full size CCD SLR like EOS1Ds Mk2 becomes more affordable (about the price of 20D).

Edited July 14, 2005 by Nordlys

[sabaijai]

Thanks for all the suggestions, etc. I'm leaning towards having an American friend bring one over next month, as the bodies are readily available for around US$780 there. On the other hand, buying in Thailand with a Thailand warranty might be worth the premium to have warranty service available here. I've stopped buy portable computers abroad for just this reason. Still thinking this one over ...

Nordlys, I would wait for full-size sensor-based SLRs to come down in price, too, except that I need the camera now for work and need interchangeble lenses. I already have an Olympus 5050Z, takes great digital pics but the shutter lag is bothersome.

Once true 35mm digital sensors break the US$1000 mark, most of us with the APS-sized sensors will be selling and buying again.

As to the question of digital vs regular lenses, digital SLRs are more prone to flare so lenses designed for digital cameras have a special coating to solve or at least reduce that artefact. They also have a lens circle - diamter of the glass, basically - that matches the smaller sensor. Older analog lenses have 35mm lens circles.

[Firefoxx]

In the US, the cheapest price (from casual searching) I found for a Rebel XT kit was $832 (free shipping) from a reputable dealer. If you're going to buy the camera from the US, go for the kit, it's not much more, and you get a usable lens.

[sabaijai]

In the US, the cheapest price (from casual searching) I found for a Rebel XT kit was $832 (free shipping) from a reputable dealer.  If you're going to buy the camera from the US, go for the kit, it's not much more, and you get a usable lens.

$758 at 47th Street Photo, $764 at Abe's of Maine for body only.

Prices

The kit price at Abe's is $840 with the Canon 18-55mm lens. The lens itself, at Abe's, costs only $80 (which suggests some pretty cheap optics), so I don't see much of a deal in the kit at all. Savings of $4 ...

I won't be getting a kit but instead applying that $80 savings towards buying a Tokina 12-24mm f4 and later a Sigma 18-200mm, better quality than the kits lenses, less expensive than Canon. I've been selling photos for nearly 20 years, and I've always found that the lens is always more important than the body. The body is just a means for capturing the image taken by the lens, in one manner of speaking.

I always used slide film before (except for personal photos, for which I used the Oly 5050Z, light and pretty decent) so this will be my first foray into digital SLR at the prosumer level. The 350D is really the bare minimum. I've compared it with the 20D and the rez is the same for both except 350D gets better rez on vertical patterns. Any weak points the 350D has are shared by the 20D. The 20D has more features but they are features I don't need. 350D seems to be the best deal going, SLR-wise.

[Nordlys]

I won't be getting a kit but instead will be buying a Tokina 12-24mm f4 and later a Sigma 18-200mm, better quality than the kits lenses, less expensive than Canon.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Have you considered Olympus's digital SLR E-300? I haven't seen it sold in Thailand yet, but in Japan it's sold quite cheaply at around B25,000 (with kit lens). It's difficult to speculate how many manufacturers will adopt 4/3 system advocated by Olympus-Kodak camp and how major a standard 4/3 will be in the future, but I think it has a good potential and E-300 picture quality seems to be receiving pretty high ratings as far as I read in various on-line and magazine reviews both in Eng and Japanese. Only thing is, because 4/3 sized CCD is slightly smaller than APS sized sensor, it can get quite noisy from ISO800 and up but otherwise very good image quality, I heard. However, while the quality seems to be very good, Olympus interchangeable lenses (for 4/3 system only) is just as expensive as Canon or Nikon digital lenses and no third party lenses (like Tokina or Sigma) available for 4/3 lens mount at the moment (as far as I know).

BTW be careful with those third party manufacturer lenses. I had a Sigma lens and when I changed my film SLR from Canon EOS 5 to 3 the auto focus no longer worked. Sigma in Japan can rectify this problem by updating the ROM of the lens free of charge, but when I made this request to the Sigma importer in Thailand, they didn't have a clue what I was talking about. This can happen when you have a new camera released well after the lens has been in the market.

Also with Sigma, you can get the adhesive bond attaching lenses to get foggy in hot climate like in Thailand (which can happen to Canon or Nikon lenses as well). Not sure to what extent it is attributed to the "climate" but Fotofile in MBK said they used to sell Sigma lenses but pulled from that because it received too many complaints with Sigma lenses from the customers. One of the Sigma lenses I have also have numerous tiny air bubbles in the glue although you can't tell its effect from the pictures (you need to have a flash light to see the bubbles).

Edited July 15, 2005 by Nordlys

[Nordlys]

The body is just a means for capturing the image taken by the lens, in one manner of speaking.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Right. And I already have some good and rather expensive Canon lenses and not willing to buy another set of lenses to suit the CCD size of the cheaply-made DSLR.

I always used slide film before (except for personal photos, for which I used the Oly 5050Z, light and pretty decent) so this will be my first foray into digital SLR at the prosumer level. The 350D is really the bare minimum. I've compared it with the 20D and the rez is the same for both except 350D gets better rez on vertical patterns. Any weak points the 350D has are shared by the 20D. The 20D has more features but they are features I don't need. 350D seems to be the best deal going, SLR-wise.

Agreed. While the price has come down considerably in the last three years or so, digital SLRs are still too expensive for too short product life cycles (+ its cheap build and feel as a camera) in my opinion. Imagine what only 3 years old, then almost US$3,000 D30 and D60 (and 10D) is worth today when you can buy far superior camera like 350D for only B40,000. 350D sure is a very good deal in my opinion too.

Having said that, I will wait and see where the market is going for the time being and will probably buy EVF finder, '2/3 size CCD digicam again even if priced at the same as 350D until full-size CCD camera becomes more affordable.

BTW I heard 350D focusing is faster and more accurate in the dark than 1Ds Mk2.

Edited July 15, 2005 by Nordlys

[Firefoxx]

Argh, that's the price for the silver body. Most people prefer black.. I actually got the prices from the same source, but for the black body+lens with shipping.

[Nordlys]

Lowest price I found on internet for Japan is Yen57,800 (approx. B21,800) for black body (body only), that is inclusive of 5% Japanese sales tax. And Yen73,290 (approx. B27,700) for silver body lens kit (USM lens) or Yen74,800 (B28,300) for black body + USM kit lens. They also have what is called "Welcome Kit" which I haven't checked what it is but more expensive than lens kit.

Hmmmm..... quite cheap..... Cheaper than Olympus E-300..... I have to take back what I wrote in the previous post.

http://www.kakaku.com/sku/price/005002.htm

Edited July 15, 2005 by Nordlys

[Firefoxx]

Prices are nice in Japan, but unfortunately I have no friends in and no plans for Japan. I recall that the old "welcome" kit included an extra lens in addition to the kit lens.

I don't see why you woudn't use your existing canon lens with the 350D. Yes, it's got a 1.6x multiplication factor, as I mentioned before, but it also gets rid of corner resolution problems. At most you would need to buy a new ultra-wide lens for taking wide shots. The dimness of the viewfinder is not good, but it's still considered to be leaps and bounds better than EVFs by pros.

[Nordlys]

Sorry, the price I posted above was for a wrong model.....

That was Canon EOS Kiss Digital, the older 300D model.

350D is called EOS Kiss Digital N, and priced about the same as in US.

So here goes the correct (lowest) pricing in Japan.

Body only - Y81,650- (approx. B31,000) - doesn't say black or silver, perhaps only black in Japan

Lens kit - Y94,080- (approx. B35,500)

Double zoom kit - Y115,000- (approx. B43,400)

I don't know what the difference is between "Welcome Kit" for 300D and "Double Zoom Kit" for 350D.

As to why I wouldn't use my existing lenses with 350D, well they are too big and heavy a lens for less-than-practical focal length. One can argue it's such a waste of my nice lenses not to be used with digital SLR but part of the reason I bought rather expensive lenses is so that I don't get "corner resolution problems", and to get the corners trimmed with small CCD of a digital SLR seems such a "waste" for nice lenses to me. And yes, I need an ultra-wide lens but even EF16-35mm F2.8L USM at more than B50,000 isn't wide enough for me when used with 350D, and EF-S10-22mm F3.5-4.5 USM is too dark and expensive for a digital-only lens. I would be more willing to consider if it's F2.8 - F3.5 or at least F2.8 - F4.5. Maybe they have something brighter from third party lens maker, but these days I tend to avoid them after the problems I had with my Sigma.

As to the finder view issue, it's not that I like EVF better than dimn SLR view finder, but I like the EVF finder models for the option of being able to frame the subject at variable angle with swievel lens/body/LCD screen, a feature you don't get with the SLR precisely because of the reflex mechanism. I tend to bring mini-tripod with me when I travel, and when I was at Venice, Italy last year I made some great shots taking dusk view of the grand canal from the Ponte Rialto Bridge. I placed my F828 with mini-tripod on the railing of the bridge and framed the shot with the LCD screen by swiveling the body upward. With SLR, you have to kneel down to frame through the view finder, and the mini-tripod it too small to support an SLR with often larger lens than compact digicam, so you would need a regular tripod but often at touristic places like that you are either not allowed to erect a tripod or there are too many people around to shoot without having to worry about somebody's feet entangling with the tripod when its legs are fully spread. I find the lens/body/LCD monitor swivel feature of the non-SLR digicam to be quite useful and should make up for the less-than-clear but otherwise no problem for framing EVF over APS and 4/3 sized SLR with small and dark finder image. Also the issue of dust on the CCD for SLR seems to me too much a headache unless you get a dust-reduction-system feature like you get for Olympus E-300.

I just hope there's Sony Cybershot F828 with APS or 4/3 size CCD (I know the lens and body has to be bigger than it is now) or same 2/3 size CCD but lower resolution (5 million pixels) sensor so that would be a near-perfect digital camera for me.

Edited July 15, 2005 by Nordlys

[Firefoxx]

Well, you win some, you lose some. I could only wish that the perfect camera existed.

The main reason I'm interested in the 350D is for use in documenting in-door events, where a flash would be intrusive. The light levels would be very low, and so the great high-iso performance would be necessary. The 50mm F1.8 would be fast enough (the F1.4 is overkill) for this, though a bit long. I'm on a limited budget, so I don't have much choice.

Of course, I also like the camera I already have, the S1 IS (now replaced by the S2 IS). Great manual functions, 10x zoom, image stabilization, USM lens, great video, and a fully swivelling lens. Bad points are the low resolution (3MP, S2=5MP) and bad ISO performance (can see noise at ISO 200, S2 still has this problem).

Now if they could only combine the 350D and S1 IS into one, I'd be in heaven.

[Nordlys]

Yeah, I understand.

It was sooo difficult to shoot inside churches/Basilicas in Italy where they prohibit use of flash and tripod and yet I didn't raise the ISO above 100 beucase it gets so noisy at mere ISO 200 with my F828. I had a predecessor model F717 and you could go for ISO 400 with this camera with the same size CCD (as F828) but at lower 5MP resolution. And frankly for this size CCD (2/3 inch) I'd rather go for 5MP than 8MP if I there was a choice.

EF50mm F1.8 is a good choice of lens for APS size CCD DSLR, I think. I think the 1.6X mutiplying factor makes it a very good portrait lens too. EF70 - 200mm F2.8 IS is also known to be a very good lens for shooting indoor sports but it's too much an extra price to pay for IS function over non-IS lens.

[Nordlys]

Nordlys, I would wait for full-size sensor-based SLRs to come down in price, too, except that I need the camera now for work and need interchangeble lenses. I already have an Olympus 5050Z, takes great digital pics but the shutter lag is bothersome.

Once true 35mm digital sensors break the US$1000 mark, most of us with the  APS-sized sensors will be selling and buying again. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

There's a rumor in Japan in various digicam related web boards that Canon is about to press release a new 35mm film size equivalent full-size sensor DSLR (11 million pixels) in the August at around double the price of 20D... (350,000 - 398,000 Yen)

[Firefoxx]

Well, I decided to buy the 350D+kit. I'm an amatuer, and this is my first SLR, but I've used various digicams for quite some time now (first was Dimage X, latest was Canon S1IS). I know the basics of photography (aperture, shutter, ISO, etc). I basically needed it for low-light, non-flash photography.

Anyways, the official price recently dropped to 39,900 baht, and you can bring the warranty card+receipt to their headquarters on Sathorn road to get a normal (not ultra) sandisk 512MB CF card.

After 1 week of using it, my first impressions are:

1. Very light, even with lens and battery. Easy on the arms, but a tad small. People with bigger hands can buy the grip.

2. Quality is very good, but I need to test it more to reach a verdict.

3. Usable pictures up to ISO 800, good for low-light.

4. Very responsive, and very good continous shooting (14 frames at 3fps)

5. Body is nearly all plastic, but it's a more sturdy plastic than compacts. Feels cheaper than pro (magnesium body) cameras, but a lot more solid than compacts.

6. Viewfinder is slightly dimmer than "real life", but is good enough. Size is also OK, much better than compacts. It's enough to manual focus.

7. Kit lens is nicely wide, but a bit on the slow side when focusing, and can hunt a bit in certain situations (low light). Otherwise, a versatile lens.

8. After using nearly-silent compacts, the loud shutter noise is a bit disconcerting.

I'm having a hard time finding a 50mm f1.8 lens, they seem to be sold out everywhere. It's supposedly a superb value (only 3,800 baht) and since it's so fast, it's great for low-light situations.

Anyways, so far so good. It fits my needs.

[sabaijai]

Well, I decided to buy the 350D+kit.  I'm an amatuer, and this is my first SLR, but I've used various digicams for quite some time now (first was Dimage X, latest was Canon S1IS).  I know the basics of photography (aperture, shutter, ISO, etc).  I basically needed it for low-light, non-flash photography.

Anyways, the official price recently dropped to 39,900 baht, and you can bring the warranty card+receipt to their headquarters on Sathorn road to get a normal (not ultra) sandisk 512MB CF card.

After 1 week of using it, my first impressions are:

1. Very light, even with lens and battery.  Easy on the arms, but a tad small.  People with bigger hands can buy the grip.

2. Quality is very good, but I need to test it more to reach a verdict.

3. Usable pictures up to ISO 800, good for low-light.

4. Very responsive, and very good continous shooting (14 frames at 3fps)

5. Body is nearly all plastic, but it's a more sturdy plastic than compacts.  Feels cheaper than pro (magnesium body) cameras, but a lot more solid than compacts.

6. Viewfinder is slightly dimmer than "real life", but is good enough.  Size is also OK, much better than compacts.  It's enough to manual focus.

7. Kit lens is nicely wide, but a bit on the slow side when focusing, and can hunt a bit in certain situations (low light).  Otherwise, a versatile lens.

8. After using nearly-silent compacts, the loud shutter noise is a bit disconcerting.

I'm having a hard time finding a 50mm f1.8 lens, they seem to be sold out everywhere.  It's supposedly a superb value (only 3,800 baht) and since it's so fast, it's great for low-light situations.

Anyways, so far so good.  It fits my needs.

Thanks for the review, Firefoxx. I've decided to get a 350D but still wavering between 39,000 baht here, with warranty, or about 8000B cheaper in the US, with no Thailand warranty. I figure since the warranty is only good 1 year, if it has no problems in the first year I'd be paying for service in subsequent years anyway.

Where did you buy yours, by the way?

[Firefoxx]

I needed the camera quickly (for work) so it was really a no-brainer. I bought it at IT Mall. Had the shop check for hot/stuck pixels, and checked the operation in general before buying.

I think if it's convenient for you to get the camera from the US (and back, in case it breaks), you should bet it there. But for a piece of equipment this expensive, it's nice to be able to test it out at the store.

Some more thoughts: The lack of a preview is a bit strange to compact users, since with a preview you knew the white balance, exposure, and motion blur. General use (review, settings, etc) is easy, and you eventually can change things without needing to press a lot of menus/buttons. Flash is adequate, but a 420ex would probably be much better. Battery life is very good, one battery usually lasts for several hundred shots (without flash), and the battery is not that expensive. You can pretty much leave the camera on all the time and let it sleep, a half-press of the shutter brings it back to life instantly.

5000 shots taken so far, and it's functioned well.

[Nordlys]

I bought it at IT Mall.  Had the shop check for hot/stuck pixels, and checked the operation in general before buying.

Is this IT Mall in Pantip? Any idea how much they sell 20D there? BTW is it really possible to have dead pixel on CCD/CMOS sensor (hot/stuck pixels = dead pixel?)? And how can you test it without having to load the image to the PC?

But for a piece of equipment this expensive, it's nice to be able to test it out at the store.

Right. Especially the lens. I would never buy a lens without having it inspected first, even lenses from reputable brand like Nikon and Canon.

5000 shots taken so far, and it's functioned well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's a lot of pics you shot in two weeks!

As for me, contrary to what I've posted earlier, now torn and undecided between cheap but highly rated Olympus E-300 and Canon 20D. 350D is definitely a good choice but for rather big and heavy Canon lenses I have (esp. 24 - 70mm F2.8), I'd rather want more-solid-build, metal body 20D. I think 350D is too small a body even for my non-farang size hands when holding with heavy lens. Either I'll get one of these in Japan this month or I'll wait for a new DSLR next year.

Edited August 4, 2005 by Nordlys

[Firefoxx]

IT Mall is the IT center at Rama 9 (the one with Lotus inside, with a underground station in front). IT City is an IT shop that can be found at many IT centers. There are several camera shops there, but the store I bought the camera at actually has it's main store at Pantip. The price for the 20D is probably the same everywhere in BKK (Canon Thailand warranty), 59.9k for the body only. It's way too much for me for basically the same performance.

Yes, it's possible to have dead/stuck/hot pixels, plenty of people have experienced it. Dead=always black, stuck=always on (white, red, blue, etc), hot=will be white for a certain length of exposure. The shop had a computer and a testing program. My camera has a hot pixel at 5 seconds, but it's within spec. All cameras will develop them eventually, and as long as you don't use it for really long exposures, it's not an issue.

My hands are pretty big, and so sometimes my pinky will slip under the grip. Of course, you can fix this somewhat with the extra BG-E3 grip. With DSLRs, the decision involves not only the body, but also the lens, since you'll be stuck with whatever lens selection is available for that body.

I take pictures of execs doing work, in normally lit indoor scenes. I can't control the scenes or the lighting, and so I take 2-3 pics of everything, so that I don't miss the shot.

[sabaijai]

I went ahead and ordered a Canon 350D with a Canon EFS 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS lens, built for 1.6X factor DSLRs (thus equivalent to a 28-135mm lens) and, from all the reviews I've read, extremely sharp. I think 4-5.6 will be fast enough considering the IS aspect gives you another 3 stops on average, plus the ISO can be set as high as 1600, with negligible loss of rez according to the reviews and sample comparison shots I've seen.

I got the body, lens, a 1G card, extra battery, zoom case and a few other inconsequential doodads for about $1600 (a kit offered by Abe's of Maine). I figure it will last me till full-size sensors come down to around US$1000, at which time I can decide whether to upgrade or not.

To settle my international warranty worries, I bought a five-year international warranty for an extra US$150, still cheaper than buying the camera in Bangkok and with a longer warranty.

[astral]

I have heard of cases where some non-kit Canon lenses tend to forward focus (focusing subject foreground) when used with APS sized CCD digital SLRs like 20D and 350D (but not with full-size CCD 1Ds), making most frames slightly out of focus, while this doesn't happen with film SLRs.  A Thai customer I have met at Fotofile who used 10D with EF17-40mm F4 told me he could never get sharp images with this lens and thus sold it.  Canon service in Japan does correct this problem by adjusting both the camera and the lens, but not sure if Canon Thailand can do the same (or is even aware of the problem). 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When I bought my 10D with the 17-40 lens I thought I had the same problem.

Since then I only use the centre point for focussing and all is fine.

The 17-40 is a super lens.