Canon T1i

[amorton1437]

For my birthday my husband wants to get me a "good camera". I currently have a canon powershot a640. It takes great pictures, I love all the features, but the shutter speed is rediculously slow-and with a baby that I want to capture all these moments with, I am getting blurry faces and blurry arms... Its really frustrating.
But anyways back to the subject. I really like Canon cameras, and I think the T1i is what I want, I just want some feedback if anyone has used it. Pros/cons. Would you recommend it to a first time dslr user? I just want it to take good pics of my son, my dogs, my family and some nature shots from when we travel. Oh and video is an added bonus

[Frog]

I'm a Nikon guy but can tell you that I know a lot of people are happy with that camera but also that you'll probably need a fast lens to go with it. Probably a 50mm f/1.8 or maybe the Canon guys know a better one.
You'll be amazed at how the camera actually takes the picture when you push the shutter, compared to your p&s

Welcome to the forums and be sure to come back and show us your success AND failures. Lots of good help here.

[Anbesol]

The "shutter speed" is dictated by the amount of light in the scene, the ISO and the f-stop opening. The smaller the f-number, the wider the aperture diaphragm. Your A640 had a relatively generous opening at f/2.8-4.1. Comparatively speaking the kit lens that comes with the T1i is an f/3.5-5.6. That puts you at a disadvantage in available light, and you'll need to compensate with higher ISO. The difference in ISO between the A640 and T1i is, fortunately, enormous. The A640 can barely produce good quality at 400 ISO, practically limited to 100-200. The T1i however can comfortably shoot 1600 ISO.

Anyway - back to the lens, to improve the shutter speed you would be better suited with a fast aperture lens, basically, look for lens that say f/2.8 or smaller on them. The only ones you'll find smaller are fixed focal length lens. Like frog said, the 50mm f/1.8 is a terrific option, its also a good standard angle thats easy to use and comfortable indoors. The thing with the 50 is, no zoom - you zoom with your legs.

Bottom line though - for what you are after I'd get a body only and get a fixed aperture zoom, or a fast aperture prime (fixed focal). Theres a slew of 24-70 f/2.8's, theres a few ~ 17-50 f/2.8s, theres prime 20's, 25's, 35's, and 50s all available. If you don't have the budget to get such a lens with that T1i, spend less on the camera and more on the lens. (Get a cheaper camera body). All too often beginners think its all about the camera, but really, its a lot more about the lens.

I think I speak for any photographer on here when I say - I'd way rather have a bottom line camera with a top notch lens, than the other way around.