Reasons to buy an 20D vs. Digital Rebel

[Spectre]

I've heard good things about the Digital Rebel. Are there any reasons to buy a 20D (other than durability) over a Digital Rebel. For frequent use photographing children (similar to sports photography) in all sorts of outdoors conditions, which would you choose?

Thanks.

[Photo-John]

Build quality is only the beginning. Unless money is a serious problem, the 20D is a much, much better camera. The autofocus is far more accurate and faster, it allows you to use AI Servo AF in all exposure modes, it's got 30% more resolution, and last, but certainly not least, the high ISO performance is far superior. If you have a limited budget then the Digital Rebel is a fine camera. But if you can cough up the difference then you should buy the 20D.

Does that help?

[Michael Fanelli]

I've heard good things about the Digital Rebel. Are there any reasons to buy a 20D (other than durability) over a Digital Rebel. For frequent use photographing children (similar to sports photography) in all sorts of outdoors conditions, which would you choose?

Thanks.

I'll work from the opposite direction of P-J...

Ask yourself what the 20D does that the Rebel does not. Then, with a REALISTIC (!) evaluation, determine which features you actually use day to day that justifies the extra cost. If there is little or nothing, or you don't even know what the feature means, you are wasting money with the 20D. Shooting kids doesn't require a super camera body, the Rebel is more than enough. For that matter, I've successfully shot kids and sports with a P&S Canon S400!

Lenses mean more than camera bodies. IMHO, buy the Rebel and spend the money saved on a top quality "L" lens or two.

[Ryguyinlj]

I shoot with a digital rebel and I have to say that it is a fine camera. I shoot lots of surf and skimboarding (fast action sports) and it works fine for me. Granted, if I had the money I would have gotten a 20D. A fellow skimboarding photog that I know uses a 20D and I have been able to try it out too. There are a few things that I would appreciate about it.
-5 Frams per second and 20 something shot burst vs. 2.5 fps and 4 shot burst in the digital rebel
-Al servo not just in action mode (sometimes I like to go for a specific effect, so I use aperture and shutter priority at times)
-less noise at higher ISO
-more solid body

But, for a college student like myself it was not worth the extra 1000 dollars for it. And, I love my digital rebel.

[DownByFive]

Both are great, just go with the one that is best tailored to your budget. If your budget is, say $1500, you can get the Rebel, some sweet CF cards, and a decent lens or two. But if you get the 20D kit, you'd be lucky to have enough left over for a 1gb CF card. Of course, you could always get a Nikon D70...But if you are just going to be taking snapshots, I don't know if $1500 worth of gear is really worth it...